Introduction

Pride tugs and pulls, directing souls to the underpass of deception. Its road leads to twists and turns, on and off God’s path. Pride pants heavily, working hard on achievement. Brushing affirmations to build muscles in mankind, only to drop a bulky weight of disappointment. Minds meandering from truth are most vulnerable. Falling off the cliff where Calvary stood, their flapping arms can’t save them from crusted beds. Lying beneath is Satan’s plan to cancel plans and promises ordained by God. As eyes turned inward, the induction swelling with self-centeredness, succeeds. 

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

Like octopus legs strangling its prey, so is ongoing disobedience. Entangling sin encases a thick coat upon the conscience. Layered in dullness, the heart becomes deaf to Holy commandments. Left in mirky ponds, such misery is the soul’s condition. Moans breathe lonely sighs as selfishness slowly suffocates the life of Christ. Leveled in the sands of self-pity, your Savior steps in.

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. 1 Timothy 4:2

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ears heavy, that it cannot hear. Isaiah 59:1

Chastening winds blow from His Word. Repentance refreshes, returning souls to righteousness. Denial doesn’t overrun God’s dominion. Correction evicts hidden pride. Releasing the grip of ungodly desires, a rope ladder descends from Heaven. 

I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. 2 Samuel 7:14

O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Jeremiah 10:24

Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. Psalm 119:92

Humbled and happy, help arrives. Belittling lies roll back onto Satan’s lap. Overturned are troughs filled with arrogant tears. The Lord’s love lines the road, putting promises in their proper place. 

My flesh and my heart faith: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Psalm 73:26

Return unto thy rest,O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 116: 7-9

For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4

Fellow pilgrim, admittance to pride pleases God. Repentance redirects wayward lives back to the Word. Even when off course, Christ hasn’t left. As the ark of the covenant wandered with the Israelites, the Lord remains faithful. He won’t let you get lost in your wilderness. Avoid twisting and turning from the righteous route. Let God be your guide rather than giving in to worldly affairs. 

The steps of a goodman are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Psalm 37:23

For this God is our God, for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. Psalm 48:14

Take a look at a man, whom modern day employers wouldn’t interview. Crafting deception and lies can’t print a good resume. However, God selects sinners for grand assignments. Wouldn’t that include both you and me?

Jacob’s Twisted Life

So our story shares Jacob’s twisted life, whose pride turned God’s hand to displace His hip of strength. Forcing him to lie on stone, Jacob is put to sleep. Severing his sight from the secular, a ladder of love descends into his dreams. 

And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. Genesis 28:12

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 28:14

Clearing Jacob’s mind from a cluttered past, he is released into His Master’s plan. Putting to bed lies and thievery, Jacob escapes more than Esau’s wrath. (Genesis 27) Redeemed from the road of self-reliance, Jacob sets aside strange gods and dresses for success. 

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you and be clean, and change your garments. Genesis 35:2

God speaks and His Word changes history as well as Jacob’s name. Named Israel, whose loins birth new life. Offerings pour forth truth, washing Jacob’s pride with the sacrifice of Jesus. Dreams for redemption drop down from Heaven to earth.

And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God, Almighty. be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. Genesis 35:9-15

Heaven’s ladder lowers God into an earthen vessel. The Word made flesh, dwells and delivers mankind. Stones written in law are replaced with pillars of grace. 

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Ousting idolatry infesting Jacob’s heart, a horizon of hope paints over wrong turns and straightens twisted paths. 

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth. Luke 3:5

Be encouraged, my Christian friend. Even when the slipperiness of sin deceives, God’s ladder of mercy rescues us from sidetracked dreams.

The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. Psalm 37:31

Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: that hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. 1 Kings 8:56-61 (emphasis, mine)