SERMON NOTES:

Prayer Requests
Y Nancy Clunis would like prayers
of Thanksgiving for how well
Ben Summer is doing with MS.
Y For Karen Bakias colleague
Justina Norring who lost her dad
to lung cancer.
Y For Jim Artz, the father of
Melanies friend Pennie. Hes on
a breathing machine and
unresponsive. Also for Mary
Deutsch who needs healing
prayers for her health issues.
Y For Janis Sarles, friend of Jolene
and John, recently diagnosed
with lung cancer. Prayers for
healing, strength and peace.
Y For Josh Dochniaks cousin Randi
as she struggles to recover from
her stroke & brain infection. Also
prayers for Carlos Erik, as hes
fighting an infection from his
injury due to a fall in Mexico
City. Also for Erikas dad, Pedro,
and Joshs dad as they keep
getting issues with their
illnesses.
Y For Heathers friend Hildys
brother to be healed of seizures,
and to take steps to be healthy.
Y For Becky Bookers friend at
Rotary with breast cancer.
Y For Julie Papil and her husband
who are both having surgery for
cancer.
Y For Judiths parents, Regina &
Joseph, as they struggle with
multiple health conditions, and
for her brother Belinga, who has
a difficult marriage.
Y For Paul and Amy Moores
friends Niomi & Chris Hasling as
Niomi begins chemotherapy for
breast cancer.
Y Bill Ward (friend of Pastor Paul)
who was diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer.

Y Sandee Landsburg (Pastor Pauls

friend) who suffers with cancer.
Y Pray for Ruthann Coburn and
Corrine Peterson as they live
with health issues.
Y Donna McCullen (wife of Ken
McCullen) as she lives with
cancer.
Chain of Lakes Church
10130 Davenport Street NE #160
Blaine, MN 55449
763-208-8049 www.colpres.org

Devotion

The book of Genesis could also be called

the book of Jacobfor the last 25
chapters share the stories of Jacob and
eventually Jacobs sons.
The family system of Jacob was one that
might baffle any psychologist. The family
system was rife with betrayal, lying, and
deceit. But amidst these problems, God
still worked.
No matter how messed up our own family
might seem to be, God can still work
through our family! The stories this week
show us how this can happen.
Comments about the devotion can be
emailed to pastor@colpres.org

Monday, April 4
Read Genesis 25:19-28
Rebekah was initially barren, but after her
husband, Isaac, prayed to God, she was
able to have children. Her pregnancy was
difficultso much so that she prayed to
the Lord.
When it was time for her to have children,
she discovered she had twins. Esau came
first and then Jacob.

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The two boys could not have been more
different. Esau was a hunter while Jacob
stayed at his home in the tents where he
lived.
When Rebekah delivered Jacob, Jacob had
his hand gripping Esaus heel. It was as if
Jacob was trying to pull Esau back so
Jacob could come out first. This act
foreshadowed Jacobs desire later as an
adult to steal Esaus birth rite.
Isaac loved Esau and Rebekah loved Jacob.
This favoritism became a scar that divided the
family. This favoritism was passed down from
Jacob when he had sons himself. He favored
Joseph and Benjamin. The jealousy that the
other brothers had for Joseph and Benjamin
ultimately caused Jacob much pain and
suffering.
If you lived in a family where people
experienced favoritism or if you know of a
family, pray for them today.

Tuesday, April 5
Read Genesis 25:29-34

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decisions. Have you ever made a decision that
helped you out in the short-term, but caused
you long-term suffering? Pray for wisdom
today.

Wednesday, April 6
Read Genesis 27:1-45
This is a cruel story of Jacob and Rebekah
deceiving Isaac during the final days of his life.
For the second time Jacob was able to take
something from his brother that didnt belong
to him. Its amazing that God would still be
willing to work with Jacob given how he
cheated Esau and lied to his father, Isaac.
It would be foolish to think of this story as an
example of the ends justifying the means.
Hopefully we wont think that Jacob was
justified in behaving so poorly because he
wanted his fathers blessing so badly.
Jacobs actions put a permanent scar in the
relationship between him and his brother,
Esau. Esau wanted to kill Jacob for what
happened, but Jacob escaped.
This story has all the elements of a good soap
opera. Its too bad that so much pain was
caused by Jacobs actions.

The first son was the favored son and received

the birthright from the father. The birthright
was a blessing and gave the first born son
certain rights.

If you know of families who are suffering from

such pain, pray for them today.

When Esau came in from the field and was

famished Jacob saw an opportunity to take
the birthright from Esau. He asked Esau to sell
the birthright.

In this story Jacob is the victim of deception.

Laban fooled Jacob into thinking that he could
marry Rachel first instead of Rachels older
sister, Leah.

With an incredible lack of long-term vision

Esau agreed to do this. He was willing to
satisfy a short-term needhis great hunger
and let go of a long-term privilegehis
birthright.
We might not be as foolish as Esau, but we can
find ourselves being tempted to make such

Thursday, April 7
Read Genesis 29:15-35

For whatever reason after the wedding

celebration Jacob didnt even know that he had
sexual relations with Leah and not Rachel as he
expected.
He was fooled just as he had fooled his father,
Isaac in stealing a blessing.

4
Eventually Jacob had two sons by Rachel
Joseph and Benjaminwho became Jacobs
favorites. He continued the family tradition of
favoritism that was started by his parents
Isaac and Rebekah.
This favoritism came back to haunt him.
Even if we gain from deception, deceptions
usually come back to haunt the person who
does the deceiving. Jacob is a good example
of this truism.

Friday, April 8
Read Genesis 32:3-21
The deception of Jacob in stealing his brothers
blessing now came back to haunt Jacob. He
wanted to reconcile with his brother Esau.
To do this he sent many gifts in advance of
their gathering. Look at all he offered Esau
that was listed in verses 14-15two hundred
female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred
ewes, twenty rams, thirty camels, forty cows,
ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten
male donkeys.
We might even call this a guilt offering by
Jacob to Esau.
Jacob hoped that by sharing these gifts with
Esau, Esau might accept Jacob. But the gifts
didnt negate the anxiety that Jacob
experienced.
Ultimately Esau did accept Jacobthe full story
can be read in the first part of chapter 33.

Saturday, April 9
Read Genesis 32:22-32
The wrestling of Jacob with a man was an
event that stayed with Jacob for the rest of his
life. Jacob wouldnt let go of the man until
Jacob received a blessing from him. The fact
that Jacob wanted this blessing reveals that
the man had divine powers.

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Jacob survived the wrestling match. In that
sense he won. But he also walked with a limp
for the rest of his life. In this sense he carried
this scar with him for the rest of his life.
Some of us might have had experiences in our
life when it felt like we were wrestling with
God. These wrestling matches are very hard
because God never really gets tired. Wrestling
with God is not a healthy place to be.
However even in such hard places we can be
blessed. Jacob was adamant that he receive a
blessing from the man. And he did!