Jacob finish well

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Transcript

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Welcome to the Be and Become Podcast, featuring Francois Carr, a hard quality and collective life ministry. Francois's international ministry equips and encourages pastors, ministry leaders, and fellow Christians as they discover what it means to truly be and become the followers they were meant to be. Thank you for joining Francois today as he offers a few words of encouragement in God's Word.

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Hello everyone, a warm welcome to our weekly devotion. It is that time of the year when we celebrate Father's Day worldwide. My own father passed away many, many years ago, but as I think back and remember him, my heart is full of lots of good memories. And sometimes I remember even those things that my father has done and told me about, all the mistakes that he has made. He did not start his journey here on earth very well. He made some mistakes, like we all do, but he did finish well. It reminds me of Jacob in the Old Testament that has become a great encouragement for me to finish my own journey well. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah. He was the grandson of Abram. He was the younger twin brother of Esau. He was a Hebrew patriarch, he was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, as we read about them in the Bible. When he realized that Joseph is still alive, he moved down to Egypt and he stayed there and lived for 17 more years before he died at the age of 147 years old. He did not begin well. He made many mistakes. In Genesis chapter 25, we read about how he stole the birthright of Esau. In Genesis chapter 27, how he stole the blessing of Esau. In Genesis chapter 29, how he deceived Laban and the flocks of sheep. In Genesis chapter 31, how he deceived Esau again on the way back to Israel. And so when he was old and dying, Joseph came to see him with his children. It is in that moment that we can take a peek at his life and learn from him. As he lay in his bed sick and know that he's dying, he was probably thinking about several things. What did he think about? It becomes clear what was on his heart when he spoke to Joseph. If you read through chapter forty eight from Genesis, you see there are several things that was on his heart that he was thinking about, that he was saying, and also at the same time that he was doing before Joseph and before his grandsons. First of all, he talked about God, God Almighty that has appeared to him as he made his way away at a place called Luz, that later becomes known as Bethel, that means the house of God. On his way back, he mentions the place again and rename it to the word El Bethel, that means the God of the house of God. So he speaks about how God met with him, how God provided for him in every aspect of his life. Because the word in Hebrew for Almighty God is the word El Shajai. It simply means the all-powerful one or the mighty one of Jacob. Genesis chapter 49, verses 25, meaning that God has the complete ability to accomplish all his desires without any hindrance. The title speaks to God's ultimate power over all. He has might and power, which means God is the one who will provide for us in every way. In Genesis chapter 17, verses 1 to 2. You can read about that. So first of all, we see that Jacob is actually talking to Joseph and his grandsons about God, how God met with him, and how God has provided for him as the strong one in every aspect of his life. And secondly, he shares about God's promises to him. There were two promises. The first one is that God will make him fruitful, and that the numbers will increase of his inheritance, and that the Lord will make him a great nation, and that God will bring him back to the land of Israel. Two promises that God has given to him that was on his heart and his life the whole time. But then Jacob did something amazing. Instead of just looking and blessing his two grandsons, he actually adopted his grandsons and gave them Joseph's inheritance in verses 5. Because in biblical times, if you are the son, especially the firstborn or the loved one, you inherit what you've what the father wants to give to thee. But Joseph finds himself in Egypt. And so Jacob gave Joseph's inheritance to them in the land of Israel by adopting. He said, These are mine out, these my sons, and not just my grandson. So he takes responsibility for them in the sense of wanting to bless them in a very special way. But then he did something amazing. He told Joseph about his mother. He told his grandsons about their grandmother. He talked to them about Rachel, the love of his life, who died several years ago already, but still in his heart and his mind, because he thinks about her, he misses her. And because of that, he he talks about her before Joseph and before the grandsons. It'll be wonderful today, as fathers, that we can talk to our kids about their mother, how we met, and how we loved them, and especially the grandkids to know more about their grandmother and what she has done. Then verses ten he kissed them, he hugged them, then he gave them an example of worship by leaning on the top of his staff. The Bible says Hebrews chapter 11, verse 21, but also in verses 12 from this chapter. So he gave them an example of worshiping the Lord and spending some time with him. He blessed them, verses 13 and 14. He touched them again, verse 14. He blessed Joseph, his son, he gave them his name, verse 16. He gave God's future to them, verse 16. Then verse 21, he gave them a promise that God will be with them till the very end, that God will bring them safely back to the land that He has given to them as an inheritance. And so I want to encourage you today. It's no matter what we have done, no matter where we find ourselves in this moment or where we have been or how we have begun our journey, we can finish well at the end of our life. And it starts all by living a life that is an example in attitude and work, words and actions before our kids and grandkids especially. We need to be very concerned about our kids and grandkids spiritually worldwide because there are so many in the world today that doesn't know the Lord Jesus Christ, but it can start with you and it can start with me to become an example in our attitude, our words, and also in our actions. By starting to give a testimony to them how God has met with us, how we got saved, and how the Lord came in our life and becomes a reality for us, and how God has provided for us in every way from the very beginning till the very end. And so I want to encourage you somehow to become very intentional, to plan a moment and even a time, make an appointment with your kids and your grandkids, and touch them and bless them with words and attach value to the blessing, and even picture a very special feature for the child that has been blessed, and then to make an active commitment to fulfill the blessing in helping them to lay the foundation for them to grow and to become someone very, very special and be known as a child of you, like just Jacob has done with Joseph and also with Ephraim and Emanasse. So no matter what we have done, no matter where we are, no matter how we have begun, we can finish well at the end of our life and journey just like Jacob. May God help you to become a blessing for your kids and for your grandkids at the end of your time here upon the earth. God bless you.

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Thank you for listening to this be and become episode with Francois Carr. For more information about the ministry, visit the website at ConnectedLifeministries.com. We hope you'll join Francois next time as he continues the conversation on what it means to be and become the follower you are meant to be.