Jacob, the sneaky, conniving, heel-grabbing trickster is the third and final patriarch included in the covenantal language of: אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק, וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Ex. 3:6; Matt. 22:32). Why?

When all of Jacob’s tricks ran out, and he must face his brother Esau, he calls out to the God of his father Abraham, and the God of his father Isaac, in a desperate attempt to find deliverance; only to attempt to assure his own deliverance by dividing his household. Self-reliance clothed in an outer garment of faith (Gen. 32).

Jacob, the one who grabbed, finding himself alone, was then grabbed, wrestled, touched, blessed, and changed by God. Only when Jacob was out of strength, ideas, tricks, and vitality could he move forward with God in faith.

Then, and only then, did the God of Abraham, and Isaac, become of the God of Jacob as well. As it was only when his self-reliance was used up, that he could then rely on God, and become Israel, “God governed.”

So how has the Lord touched you, in order that you, like Jacob, rely on Him, and His governance? What is the source of your limp? It is not a weakness as you might suppose; rather, it is the point where His strength works through you (II Cor. 12:8-10).

Be well. Shalom.

The Lord will settle for nothing less than all of you; 100% of you: yes you.

Messiah calls us to commit to Him, not as a volunteer giving what you can, when you can; but as one who sees no distinction between your work, and “His work” (Jn. 4:24).

A 99% commitment leaves room for “me,” and therefore excuse, and wiggle room to find that excuse.

In Luke 14:33 we read, “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

The Greek ἀποτάσσω/apotassō, forsake, means to leave behind, depart, bid farewell. Do we forsake what we have been given to care for and steward? Too many verses in Scripture direct us away from such a conclusion.

Yeshua is giving us the terms of the living in the Kingdom, simply: do not be possessed by your possessions. ἀποτάσσω/apotassō, another way, “set them aside as the motivating factor in your life to be My disciple.”

In that way, we give Him 100% of ourselves, while fulfilling 100% of life. We live more fully, and freely when we are fully aligned with Yeshua: we love, enjoy, learn, help, rest, allow others to rest, work with joy, worship deeply, friendship more completely, etc., life as an act of worship.

100% does not set you in a hermitage, it sets you free from the prison of instability. Popularized, self-help influenced Christianity asks for the leftovers, what you have to spare; the 99% model will always be popular because it leaves room for you; until, that is, you find that the remnants of your former life, and His life renewed in you, are not compatible.

His terms of commitment to Him have never changed; so bring all of you. Bring your problems. Bring your frustrations. Bring your fears. Bring your success. Bring your doubts. Bring your pain.

In short: bring you. 100%, and nothing less. 99% will just not do.

Be well. Shalom.