ONE ON ONE -- Genesis 28:10-22 NIV   Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran.  When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.  He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.  Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.  I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it."  He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.  He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."   Jacob was Abraham's grandson.  He was the third link in God's plan to bless the world through Abraham.  In our eyes, that makes him automatically one of God's chosen people.  He had a rich heritage.  His grandfather would one day be listed in the Hall of Faith.  He didn't have a thing to worry about, right?  By nature of his ancestors, he was destined for both earthly blessings and heaven hereafter, right?   Let's get clear on one thing.  God does not have any grandchildren.  Jacob may have been Abraham's grandson, but he would have to become God's son.  Just as Abraham and Isaac before him, Jacob would have to face God one on one and become one of His children.   What does your family tree look like?  Mine's a big mish-mash of people, some admirable, some despicable, some royal, some common, with a few outlaws thrown in to give it spice.  But many people have a long heritage of good, Christian people to look back upon�?great spiritual warriors, ministers, missionaries, even founding fathers of the United States�?people they are really proud of�?people who loved God and showed it in their lives.  But just as having outlaws in my blood line won't send me to prison, having Christians ancestors won't send anyone to heaven.   Becoming a child of God is not something we inherit from our ancestors.  It is an individual thing, something each of us has to do one on one.  Are you depending on your heritage to get you to the Pearly Gates?  If so, it's time for you to go one on one with Jesus.  He's the only one who can get you in.     --~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TakeAMinute" group.   -~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--~--   Bonnie Ricks. Dogwood Ministry