INTIMACY: AWAKENING CALL TO A FRESH START WITH GOD, BETH-EL! Genesis 35:1.

A new beginning, page, and chapter are very much needed in our lives. There are countless stories in the Bible about people who had a fresh start with God: Ruth, Jabez, Paul the Apostle, and lots more. But the story of Jacob in Genesis surpasses them all.

God called Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There is something so fascinating about the story of Jacob: the story of a New Beginning, a New Page, a New Chapter. In Genesis 25:22, Rebekah, the wife of Isaac, was pregnant with twins (Esau and Jacob). They both struggled in the womb, so Rebekah decided to inquire from God about the fate of her twins. God told her: two great nations, the younger shall be great, and the eldest shall serve the youngest. In Genesis 27, bros, Jacob stole the blessing of his elder bro Esau. Esau got angry and decided to kill his brother after the days of mourning for their father, Isaac, were over. Genesis 27:41. Jacob fled and went to stay with his maternal relations (Laban). Now, we have arrived at our main topic. Genesis 28:11-22.

Jacob fled into a city known as Luz when he was on the run from his brother. There, the sunset, and he couldn’t continue his journey anymore. He used stones to make his pillow. There that night, he had a strange but powerful dream. On waking up, he said,

“God is in this place—truly. And I didn’t even know it!”

20 years after this event, Jacob was still struggling with life, spent 14 years marrying two sisters, and had to trick his father-in-law into live stocks.  2o years earlier, he dreamed about God and a ladder to Heaven. When Jacob had issues with Esau, Esau was just one man. But in Genesis 32, when Jacob is trying to reconcile with his past using his own strength, Esau now has 400 men with him capable of bearing swords (men of war). Jacob dreamt about God 20 years ago but didn’t encounter God.

“There comes a time when you hear about God; and a time when you really Encounter (see) Him” Job 42:5.

At this stage of Jacob’s life, he knew his only chance of survival was to encounter that God he dreamt about 20 years ago. In Genesis 32:24-31, his life changed entirely, and a new name was given to him, Israel. In verse 32, the Sun rose upon Him.  Jacob struggled for 20 years without making ends meet. At this time, it was a new page; he made peace with his brother, and things started to fall into place. Yet, with all these changes, an Intimate relationship with God was missing. God wanted Jacob to dwell in a different place from where Jacob was.

“Your Location determines the Allocation you will receive in life.”

Success in every ramification of life has a lot to do with correct positioning. An elephant will not receive a blessing on top of a tree, and a bird will not receive a blessing from a tree inside the river.

Location matters so much to God; that was why, in Genesis 35, God spoke to Jacob again, saying:

God spoke to Jacob: “Go back to Bethel. Stay there and build an altar to the God who revealed himself to you when you were running for your life from your brother Esau.” Genesis 35:1

Now, this is Intimacy with God. He wants a closer walk and relationship with us.

What is Bethel? Back To Bethel Bethel is where you had a divine encounter with God. Bethel is the covenant place. The place where you make a deal with God. Bethel is the place of U-turn, the decision-making place. Bethel is the crossroad between success and failure. Bethel is the place of restoration. Bethel is a place where dreams are fulfilled. Bethel is the promised land. Bethel is Zion.

There are three points that identify and help us examine our walk with God and value our intimate relationship with God.

1. Awakening Call to your First Love: God is first and wants to occupy only the first position in our lives. The same attraction and attention we give to new things and our new fascinating friends, God is seeking the same from us. Forget whatever transpired between you and your past; it doesn’t matter to God. He wants to Rewrite your life history and destiny. He wants to give us a fresh start. All we need to do is to go back to Him. The Mess can be the most beautiful Message, and the sad and disgusting story will save many people and give them hope for a second chance.

I’ve wiped the slate of all your wrongdoings.

There’s nothing left of your sins.

Come back to me, come back.

I’ve redeemed you.” Isaiah 44:22.

Balance and weigh your life now and then; how it used to be for those who are in the faith or were once in the faith?  The way you prayed, read your Bible, evangelised. Return to God; his hands are wide open, and He is waiting for us. He wants to restore us back to the Good Old Days.

2. Assuring Commitment with a Fresh Courage: A fresh start with the assurance of great success. Remember Ruth, Jabez? They asked for a fresh start, and they made a U-turn. Rehab, the prostitute, became the great-grandmother of our Saviour Jesus Christ because she made a fresh start with the courage of an excellent finish. There is power in a fresh start; many opportunities and promises exist for a new beginning. The Lord Himself will plant our feet where it is best for us. Remember Bro Paul, his beginning was rough, but his end was amazing Philippians 3:4-16.  That is the power of a fresh start. Intimacy with God guarantees these promises.

3. Abiding Consecration with God the Great Covenanter: God is a covenant-keeping God. He said to Jacob:

“Arise, Go back to Bethel. Stay there and build an altar to the God who revealed himself to you when you were running for your life from your brother Esau.” Genesis 35:1

Make that place of Bethel permanent; abide there; that is your correct location so you can get the better allocation that suits you. 20 years ago, he dreamt about God; over 20 years later, he decided to keep his own part of the covenant he made with God. It is never God’s fault; He keeps His part of the deal. Many years later, when King Jeroboam raised an altar to worship an idol, God immediately sent a young prophet from Judah to prophesy against that altar.

God will fight for whatever you keep in His care.

Finally, Beloved, let us go back to Bethel and dwell there. That is the place of our rest. The place where we will find rest in every situation in life. God is opening a new page for us, but we must first lay aside our garments stained with sin. Take off that filthy garment, and practice Holiness within and without. Walk in the spirit, kill the flesh. Only the Blood of Jesus can clean us and make us whole. God wants us to be a Vessel of Honour unto Himself where; “Purity > Lust and Holiness becomes a Life Style.”

Let us examine ourselves and remove everything that contradicts our personal relationship with God (You know what they are!).

Abba loves you more than you can imagine. He wants a close fellowship with us. Stay Pure, Live Holy, & Have Fellowship with the Trinity. Draw near to God, and He Will Draw near to you.

God Richly Bless You❤️

Pst Zino.

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