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First Generation Faith

Words of Faith Final

First Generation Faith
Words of Faith 5-23-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL    
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 28
       [10] Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. [11] When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. [12] He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. [13] There above it stood the Lord, and he said: "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. [14] Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. [15] I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
    [16] When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." [17] He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."

        Jacob set out for Haran with more than one motivation. Things back home were a mess, and he needed to get away from a furious hairy brother named Esau. He was also motivated by what might be before him. He was in search of his future. God made contact, and the vision given to Jacob at Bethel is significant in several ways.  
        Up to this point, there is no indication that Jacob had any personal knowledge of God. Jacob was the third generation. Abraham had dramatic encounters with God. Both Isaac and Rebekah had heard from God. But one fundamental truth in life is that a parent cannot give faith to a child. Third-generation faith is "leftover" faith. Jacob needed first-generation faith, his own faith grounded in his own encounter with God.
        It may be that Jacob was more open now than ever before. This may have been the first time he had much need for God. Jacob and Esau had been rather privileged rich kids up to this point. The wealth of Abraham had been passed down such that neither one had to worry about much.  
       Jacob stayed around the tents while Esau hunted. They were well taken care of, but all that was gone now. Jacob was on his own. Sometimes we have to get away from the comforts of home to really personally experience God.
        Jacob saw a remarkable image. The stairway was not a ladder to climb to heaven. Instead, it was an expression of grace and blessing from heaven. It was an image of God's desire to connect with His chosen people in this land. The Lord restated to Jacob the promise given to Abraham. He promised that this land would be for the people of Israel, that there would be many descendants, and that all peoples would be blessed through them.  
       This promise was not something Jacob needed to earn. He certainly did not deserve it! It was a complete act of God's grace. It was not for a specific time, and it was not revocable. God promised the land of Israel to the people of Israel and pledged that great blessing would come to all people of the earth from this relationship.
          When Jacob woke up, he was overwhelmed. Who wouldn't have been? "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was unaware of it. How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven!"
          Jacob had personally experienced the power and blessing that he had heard about all his life. He personally experienced the call and destiny that God had put upon his grandfather Abraham.
          There are some powerful and unique truths here concerning the people and land of Israel. There are also some universal truths here. One such truth is that our grandparents' faith will not get us very far! We don't get far from home before we need to find our own experience of God and discover the Lord's vision for us. There is nothing like the personal discovery that God is real, He cares about me, and He has a plan for me by His grace.
            Have you experienced God personally? Sometimes our lives are so busy that we never get far enough from the noise and lights to hear Him.  Have you experienced His call upon your life? It will be different from what your parents or grandparents experienced. It will also confirm the faith of the ages. We must find a faith and relationship of our own. Are you ready for first-generation faith?

         Heavenly Father, I am listening today. What do you have for me? Show me Your grace. Let me see Your mercy. Show me the destiny You have for me. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.