Proverbs 19:21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. 

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

PAYING THE BILLS

Genesis 37:29-36

Sin is self-executive. Every sin pays its own bills. There’s a hell of suffering in every sin. When sin is let into the life its brood— pain, broken hearts, broken lives, remorse, and worse—comes in, too, and some day will break out and run riot, unless a stronger power intervenes. Jesus’ dying is appreciated fully only where sin’s badness is fully recognized.

Proverbs 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.  

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

MOTIVE MORE THAN EMOTION

Genesis 27:30-45

Weak impulses or bad ones, yielded to. are hard on the tear-ducts. There’s bound to be a bad emotional storm before the thing’s over. Tears are very impressive; they sway a lot of people. But one should look through the tear-mist to see what motive controls. Motive is more than emotion. If Esau had been thoughtfully right in his motives beforehand, his emotions wouldn’t be having such a hard time now.

Psalm 62:1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

IMPULSE OR PURPOSE?

Genesis 27:11-17

A man’s character is revealed most by his sober second thought. An impulse may be bad or good; a deliberate purpose is worse or better; it can strengthen or check the impulse. Esau was impulsive, a bundle of impulses, sometimes good, sometimes weak or bad. God couldn’t use him. Jacob was the stronger character, a cool, deliberate thinker. That made his badness worse, and his goodness better, when at last he yielded his life to God.

Proverbs 1:9  For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. 

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

CHOICE PLUS GRACE

Genesis 27:1-10

Which is more in making character, heredity or training? the influences before birth or those after? Before birth parents should thoughtfully emphasize a planned heredity. Afterward it should be recognized that training can overcome any heredity. Poor Jacob was handicapped both ways on his mother’s side. Bad handicap that! Yet—yet, listen, a determined will and God’s resistless, gracious power can overcome any handicap.

Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

DELAYING GOD

Genesis 27:18-29

Selfishness delays God’s love-plans. There is no more unpromising character in the Old Testament than Jacob. Back of unscrupulous bargaining and unprincipled trickery was intensest selfishness. Why did God use him? As Abraham’s grandson he was one of the only two that could be used in the world-plan being worked out. He was the least unusable of the two. And he had to be changed before the plan could work out. He delayed God. Selfishness always does.