Sat.’s Devo - The Battles of Life

Read: Genesis 31:17-32:12; Matthew 10:24-11:6; Psalm 13:1-6; Provers 3:16-18 Jacob left secretly from Laban’s land and was gone three days before Laban was told they had escaped. Laban found out they had not only left but stolen his household gods. He was enraged and went after them with an army of men. When he met up with Jacob, he hotly questioned him about why he left without telling him and then he got to the main reason he was mad…they had stolen his gods. Laban was not a man who took lightly being tricked or stolen from. He was the one who was used to ending up on top and now Jacob had won. Jacob pronounced a curse of death on the one who stole the gods not knowing it was Rachel and the curse would take her life. These household gods were idols. How sad that Rachel would succumb to idolatry instead of trusting God. Laban and Jacob told each other just how they felt about everything that had happened. Laban had been warned by God not to harm Jacob so he piled up stone for a covenant instead. They made a covenant to stay on their side of the line and not pass it to harm the other. Laban called on the God of Abraham - Jehovah and the god of Nahor which was probably Baal to witness this covenant. Jacob took the oath before the God of his father Isaac. Laban left the next morning after blessing his family. When Jacob left that place angels came and met him. There were so many of them that he called the place Mahanaim - camp of angels. Next, Jacob sent messages to his brother Esau with a friendly greeting. He learned that Esau got the message and was headed his way with an army of 400 men. Jacob was afraid. He divided his household into two groups and sent the first one ahead hoping that if Esau attacked it, at least the second group could escape. Jacob got alone with the Lord and reminded him of his promise to him that if he returned to his own home, he would bless him and cause him to become a powerful nation. In Matthew, Jesus explained that they would be treated even worse than he had been treated became no servant was greater than the master. They were not to be afraid of the evil people because their sins would be revealed for all the see one day. They can kill our body, but no one can take our soul - it is eternal. Earth is the battle field so we are always at war with Satan and his servants. Our reward is not here but in heaven. The disciple went out and taught and preached in the towns through the region. John the Baptist heard about all Jesus was doing and sent a message asking him if he was truly the Messiah. Jesus send word to John to test him by his fruit. Lord, may we produce fruit that will remain.