Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #10145 - Always Growing In Grace - Genesis 33

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#10145 - Always Growing In Grace - Genesis 33 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's word with pastor and author.
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Ed, Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora,
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Colorado to learn more about the many resources available,
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through abounding Grace Media or to tune into our live stream
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Services. Visit us online at Calvary, Co
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dot church or download our free Calvary Church app.
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Now, here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
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Amen. Amen open your Bibles to Genesis
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chapter 33 Genesis chapter 33. I'm entitled our Bible study
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always growing in Grace, always growing in Grace, a place on a
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position. We all want to be in, I think
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one of the greatest tragedies among Believers is when a person
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comes to their life comes up to a point in their life.
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And they begin to think that they've arrived that they are at
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the destination. There's nothing more for them to
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learn you come too. Place will go.
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I've read all I need to read. I've prayed all I need to pray.
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I've changed all I need to change and that's it.
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I am at the place where I want to be, where I can't go any
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farther. You can't teach me anything
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else. I've heard it all, and that's a
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tragedy when you agree. That's a tragic place to be in
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your life and yet at the same time, some of you might say,
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well, that's absurd, Ed. I mean, seriously, who lives?
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That way, who talks like that, but let me tell you, you may not
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hear those words, but many people live with this mindset,
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especially related to the things of the Lord.
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They live in a big way, or a small way, but there's a word
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for this type of life. You can might jot it down.
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If you're taking notes, this is a manifestation of pride and
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arrogance and really forgetting where you came from, this
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know-it-all Avid attitude and using that phrase, I'm sure you
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can think of a person or two. That is known in your life and
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your life circle is a know-it-all and you just when
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they show up you just know that they know it all and if you
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don't know by the time you're done, they will make sure that
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you know, that they know it all. But pride is a very dangerous
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thing because as we turn to the word, the tell me, you know,
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that kind of mindset. Just tells me they're not
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reading the Bible every day. They're not praying every day
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because when you open the Bible you are quickly reminded there
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is So much to learn in this life of Faith.
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There's so much more to learn about the character and the
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nature of God, where we learn in his word that father our
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heavenly father does know. Best his wisdom is supreme, it
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is above all. We learn even in the Proverbs
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today, there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end
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thereof is death. I hope you reading the Proverbs
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everyday, a chapter a day where God can deposit It is wisdom and
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very small chunks. That was today's hey there's a
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way that seems right to a man but the end is death.
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You don't want to go the way that you seem as, right?
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I want to go the way that God says is right.
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Not seems right. Jotted down in First Corinthians
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in Chapter 13 and verse 9. It says for we know in part and
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we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come,
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then that, which is in part will be done away when I was a child.
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I spoke as a child. Child.
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I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I
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became a man, I put away childish things, and this is the
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verse I love this for now. We see in a mirror dimly, but
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then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I
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shall now. No.
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Just as I'm also known, we see in a mirror dimly, we don't have
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all the information, we don't know everything and you may need
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to be reminded of that today. Because God has a way of
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revealing to us that we don't know everything.
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We could call it putting us into school.
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Jacob in chapter 33. The season of his life is
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definitely in school learning day by day Lesson by lesson.
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As each situation comes his way, he's learning not to manipulate
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things and to try to control things, but he's learning God's
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way, is the direction that he's to choose, but he's also
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learning the hard way. Twenty years, he lived with
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Laban. He met his match with his uncle
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Laban 20 years of his life was burned there with Laban, we see
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him in all sorts of circumstances and difficulties
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within his own family. The challenges of favoritism
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with this children that carry on and it's true.
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As we look through the Bible and we study the true stories of
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real men and women that God puts his Saints through some very
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rigorous schools and Universities of faith, I think
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of Noah, and the hundreds of years of obedience that were
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needed from this brother to build an ark, it was absurd to
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the people watching him, mocking him, making fun of him.
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And he spent years of obedience building this large boat for
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something that had never happened to be for rain and a
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flood, but he clung to the word of God by faith and obeyed him.
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I mean consider the battle between what he saw and his
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faith and what he didn't see and how he needed to persevere.
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I think a father, Abraham as we studied earlier, and in Genesis
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called, to leave his idolatrous homeland, to a place that God
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would show him I mean, at that point, I think we could follow
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along to some degree with Abraham, God, speaks to us, we
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get a sense, it's time to pick up and go.
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And then the very next question would be what, where, and you
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remember God's word to Abraham, wasn't where it was to a place.
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I'll show you, I'll show you. Well, when are you going to show
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me how you can you think of all this questions you would ask
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before, you step out in faith? But that's not what Abraham did.
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He endure times of loneliness and isolation times of Faith
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worries. Wait, Hang on God not knowing
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what the future would be without a Homeland, just a promise he
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just had a promise and the word of the Lord I think of Moses,
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Moses who's lived for 120 years and one commentator said that
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the life of Moses could be split into thirds that.
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He spent his first 40 years becoming somebody then he spent
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the next 40 Years of his life. God was using to show him that
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he was really in nobody and then the final 40 Years of his life
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was you By God to reveal to the world.
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And I love this that God can take a nobody and make him or
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her a somebody in the grand scheme of God's plan.
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But 40 years, that middle 40 years, we just talked about 40
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years here and there. But remember that was that
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middle. 40 years was in the backside of the desert for a man
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that sensed a great calling in his life.
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A man that had a great calling in his life.
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He just did it the wrong way. And 40 years, Jacob here in
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chapter 33, we find him in the middle of his school.
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We might call it the University of Hard Knocks, or if we've
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mentioned before, you can learn things.
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The easy way or the hard way, it's your choice, but God does
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want us to learn. He doesn't want you to go the
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hard way. He doesn't want you to fight
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with him. He doesn't want you to resist
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the Holy Spirit. He doesn't want you to grieve
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the Holy Spirit. Pirate.
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He doesn't want you to live a prodigal life.
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He doesn't want us to take things into our own hands.
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He wants you to learn yielding in obedience.
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Even though along the way, easy or hard as Jacob learned you to
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you, and I learn as well. That along the way.
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The real University is learning of God's grace.
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Coming to a place of weakness, and not strength.
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We saw in our last study together that we have the first
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wrestling match ever mentioned here in the Bible between Jacob
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and this appearance of Jesus Christ and he's wrestling with
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him. God wanted something from Jacob.
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I wonder what God wants from you.
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Have you ever asked yourself if you ever come to that place?
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Where you know, what is God? What do you want from me?
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God, what do you want me want for me specifically, but in a
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general sense in a general sense, I think God wants from.
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You God wants from me, what he wanted from Jacob - the
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wrestling, although if you want to wrestle with God, you go
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right ahead. The God is going to get what he
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wants from his children and that is this surrender.
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He wants you to stop fighting. Enough is enough already.
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He wants you to get back to. What Jesus teaches us.
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If anyone desires to come after me let him deny himself.
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He wants surrender. Some of you right now are still
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wrestling. Even as I'm speaking, you're
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still fighting. And your fight, your fight is
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with your flesh, your controlled, by the Flesh, and
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not, by the spirit, you're like, Jacob, you're saved, but you're
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not surrendered, you're saved, but but you're not yielding.
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What is it that you think you'll lose by surrendering?
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What do you think you're going to have to give up?
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How are you, how are you? Because, you know, Jacob kind of
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taking things into his own hands and we do the same thing.
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We can't just look at Jacob and say, oh, oh, Jacob, I can't
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believe you're taking things into your own hands.
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What's wrong with you? You know we do the same thing,
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you protect and guard parts of your flesh you protect and guard
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parts of your life and you hold back from surrendering in the
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fullness of this season of life right now.
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Right now he's not asking you for a hundred year surrender.
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He's asking you for a moment by moment surrender.
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As we dwell, no, you no one's guaranteed tomorrow or next week
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or next month. The things can happen, very
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suddenly very quickly in your life will be called into
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account. There is nothing.
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Absolutely nothing in this world.
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That is worth not having a growing intimate relationship
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with Jesus Christ. You're being lied to those of
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you clinging to the parts of this world.
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Those of you clinging to parts of your past or your being lied
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to Dev. The Devil Himself is a master
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manipulator and a deceiver and a liar, and he knows how to
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distract Jesus warned us. He said that the devil doesn't
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come except to kill and Steal and destroy.
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And he wants all of you. He wants to end your life, the
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devil does he wants you. So hopeless and in despair that
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you choose in a moment's time to just end it all he wants, you
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done, he knows that if you ever learn about your true identity
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in Christ and live in the power of the Holy Spirit, nothing can
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stop you. Nothing can stop you.
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But instead were distracted and we get caught up in things and
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we find that we find that we are, are choosing to live with
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little pockets of resistance. And sometimes, not always
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because I know there are real struggles.
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So this is not a universal statement.
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You may use the language in your life struggling and you may be
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very well struggling with a sin or an addiction and I'm telling
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you there's power in the power of the holy spirit for you to
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get over that there's no doubt. God was ready.
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D to deliver you if you will repent of your sin and turn to
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him, but many times, especially for lives of born-again
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Believers have been walking with God for a while.
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When they talk about struggling, it actually is just code word.
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Is, I don't want to obey It's just a code word.
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I don't want to obey. I know what to do.
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I've been trying to do it all this time and so I'm struggling,
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Pastor, I'm struggling. And again, there are places
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where God in those intimate times, you know, you might be
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fighting the good fight of faith.
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But I also want you to consider that these good reasons for your
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decisions have just become bad excuses.
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And is one brother. Once said, if you get good at
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making excuses, that's pretty much all.
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You'll be good for you live, your whole life excusing away,
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the power of the Holy Spirit. That's ready to explode on you
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and in your wrestling, you know, for Jacob.
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For Jacob, it took a serious injury.
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A penetrating wound. That's what subdued him.
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He didn't have to go that way, that's where he's at.
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Look back at chapter 32, for a moment in verse 29, Jacob asked
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him saying, tell you, tell me your name, I pray.
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And he said, why is it that you asked about my name?
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And he blessed them there and Jacob called the name of the
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place penuel for I have seen God face to face, and my life is
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preserved and just as he crossed over the the sun rose on him and
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notice he limped on his hip Because remember, back in verse
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25, he touched the socket of his hip and the socket of Jacob's
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hip was out of joint. He kept wrestling still And he
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leaves limping. The sun rose up on him.
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But he left limping? And now this arrogant sometimes
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cocky flippant Jacob, who stole his brothers, Birthright for a
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bowl of chili, manipulated his own dad on his Deathbed He takes
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off from home in the strength of his flesh.
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But he heads back limping listen.
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If you're a True Believer of God today, you're a born-again
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believer. And you're living a prodigal
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life, I believe on the authority of the truce.
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The parable that Jesus shared that prodigals, true prodigals
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always come home. But you got to understand
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something prodigals. Come home wounded.
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And broken. By their own sinful decisions.
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Something that you can avoid or if your prodigal living, maybe
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not in a church building right now with listening on the radio
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or watching online right now. You know, almost there you kind
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of considering you're like the prodigal son coming to his
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senses like just come back before it gets any worse.
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Just repent. Now it is not going to get
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better. The world's not getting better
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Rebellion against God in a world that Rebels against God's.
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Not going to get any better. It's interesting with Jacob as
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we jump into the first few verses that he went out in the
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energy energies of his own energy and his own flesh.
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His own Humanity came, he left strong but he comes home
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crippled And dependent with a new name.
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By the way that you'll notice in the you'll notice in the pre in
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the future studies, how things will change or he's addressed as
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Jacob the conniver and a manipulator the heel catchers.
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What is that name? Means in the Hebrew but also at
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this wrestling match he was also given a new name.
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Remember that name Israel governed by God under the
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authority of God, yielded or controlled by God and he goes
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back and forth back and And forth.
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Verse 1 of chapter 33 with all that in mind.
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Now, Jacob, lifted his eyes and looked and there was he saw
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coming and with him were 400 men.
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So, he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the, to
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maidservants, and he put the maid servants and their children
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in front, Leah. And her children behind and
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Rachel and Joseph last. And then he crossed over before
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them and bowed himself to the ground seven times until he came
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near to his brother. So Wake up, stumbling out of J.
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Bach. And we looked at the difference
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last time between Bethel and Jay box.
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So he stumbles out of J Buc. He's a tired man.
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He wants to rest. He's exhausted from the fight.
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He's limping along with a fresh new painful injury and he open,
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he lifts up his eyes. And what does he see his brother
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Esau with 400? People with him, no time to
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rest. And so he crosses over to meet
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his brother. And it's interesting because his
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so quickly. So quickly, Jacob starts to
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maneuver as he made. Sure.
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All the insignificant and unimportant in his own eyes,
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were upfront and cased. Esau decides to kill someone
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right away. He puts Leah, he divides the
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children among Leah, Rachel in the to maidservants, but he puts
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the maidservants first. And then the children and notice
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what he does, he puts his favorites.
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Remember this family has a problem.
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Um, with favoritism he puts his favorites all the way in the
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back. You know what that tells me?
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That tells me that I can go from surrender to the Flesh, in an
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instant, if I have my eyes on the circumstances and not upon
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the Lord, because circumstances can stumble you very quickly,
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you can go from Faith to fear in an instant, and he looks up and
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he sees and he assesses and he arranges Favoritism continues to
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run rampant in this family, Leonor kit, Leah, and her kids,
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right up front. Rachel Joseph in the back.
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Now you have to understand that Jacob has also being he's loving
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one but not another What if you were to put yourself in Leah's
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position here, living in a Loveless marriage. and being
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seen as you know, they were sisters they they grew up with
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one another, they have friction so usually has upfront, but
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Rachel's well protected, the gonna have to go through a lot
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of people to get to Rachel and to Joseph, I want to tuck in the
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back of your mind, here for a moment for our future studies,
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Joseph. Don't miss this named Joseph
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because his dad really wants him protected.
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His dad really wants him protected.
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And soon we will see Joseph's brothers, resent, and hate
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Joseph deeply. They saw the favoritism of Dad,
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they experienced the favoritism of dad firsthand and Joseph
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could never live it down later on.
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You only learn if you want to read ahead.
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You can he all of his brothers? Conspire against him, only
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Reuben, the son of Leah had mercy on him but he couldn't
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help. Judah.
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Also the son of Leah spared his life but decided to sell him
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sinful. Actions, always have
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consequences and the consequences.
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Always affects someone. When you approach your Senegal.
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Well, you know, I'm not hurting anyone, no, you are You are
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hurting you hurting God, number one, your sin is first and
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foremost against a holy and a righteous God.
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Secondly every time you send your hurting yourself So you
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can't say, I'm not hurting anyone.
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You're hurting yourself to which some people would say, well, you
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know, I don't care if I hurt myself.
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Well, then use that language, but don't excuse your sin by
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saying, you're not hurting anyone.
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You're hurting the heart of God. You're grieving the Holy Spirit.
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You're hurting yourself and I guarantee you, you hurt
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yourself. It's going to hurt the people
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closest to you. And depending on what that sin
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is, is the circle, the widening Circles of people connected to
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your life will also hurt. And this is, these are the seeds
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of what will explode later on in Jacobs family?
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Verse for Esau random Edom and embraced him and fell on his
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neck and kissed him. And they wept, what he saw was
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not true, and there's always more than me.
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The eye, he saw his brother. He knew that they at the last
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time he talked to eat, it's not like it wasn't pragmatic or
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logical because the last time he heard from his brother, his
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brother was going to murder him. So it's not that this wasn't a
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pragmatic decision but God had done work in these years.
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Obviously, God had done work on Jacob, but also God had done
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some work in, Esau, and he runs to meet him, and They kiss, and
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they weep together and verse 5. They he lifted his eyes and saw
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the women and the children and said, who are these with you?
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And he said, the children. Whom God has graciously, given
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your servant Mark that God has graciously, given your servant
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know. Why is that significant?
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Well of course we titled our Bible study today, growing in
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the grace of God but this is significant and one of the
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advantages by the way friends of going through the The Bible
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verse by verse, this is significant of something.
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We have earned learned earlier in the totality of Jacob's life.
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It shows evidence of change Is this an when you're struggling
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in rustling, it flush against the spirit.
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There are some of you that will look at your life and go, you
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know, I haven't really changed. I wonder if I'd even saved, why
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am I doing this? Why am I thinking this?
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Why have I gone? It seems like I maybe I'm not
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even saved. Maybe I should just throw in the
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towel. Maybe I should just go back
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because the battle was so intense and you expected to have
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more Victory by now. And you need to remember what
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God has done in your life. If this is, if you have that
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sensitive weakness about you that you beat yourself up and
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condemn yourself, then then you really just, you need to write
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on a three by five piece of paper or card and carry it
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around in your back pocket. Put it on your phone, in the
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notes. Put a reminder on there of
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something that is absolute evidence of God's work in your
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life, because it will be tested, it will be tempted.
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The enemy will lie to you and you will believe lies, and I
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want you to Know that when Jacob is speaking here.
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God has graciously demonstrative change.
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This little sentence is a demonstrative change.
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Let me show you what I mean. Turn back to chapter 30 and
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verse 25. Chapter 30, In verse 25.
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It says. And it came to pass.
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When Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, send
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me away that I may go to my own place and to my country, give me
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my wives, my children for whom, I have served you and let me go
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for, you know, my service, which I have done for you and Laban
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said, please stay. If I found favor in your sight
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for I've learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me
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name your wages and then he starts to defend himself again.
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You know I've served you in the livestock has been with me.
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For what you had before before I came was little, but it's now
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increased to a great amount. The Lord has blessed you since
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my coming. And now, when I shall also
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provide for my own house which I give you and they go on.
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So Jacob takes most of the credit for all that happened
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while he was there. Except for this little statement
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at the at the end you know the Lord has blessed you but it's my
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hard work. My hard work, my hard work.
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Look what I've done, give me. What's mine?
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Turn a couple Pages have a little wrestling walk away with
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a limp. Now what's Jacob saying God has
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graciously given this all to me? God has graciously given this to
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me. Did he still works answer these
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questions out loud. Even you guys listening.
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Did he still work? Yes, that did he spend 20 years
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with Laban? Yes.
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What was it part of his hard work?
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Putting all together. Yes, yes, yes.
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But, who is the primary God? God graciously, it's God's
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faithfulness and there's demonstrative change in Jacob
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even though he still wrestling with the flesh.
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This is a beautiful, beautiful work of the spirit.
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It did at least in this case, he's not taking the credit
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boasting, how clever he was or how talented he was.
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I think the wrestling match the limp, the pain God is beginning
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to change him verse 6. Then the made for servants came
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near and they in their children. They bowed down and Leah also
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came near and her children. They bowed down afterward,
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Joseph and Rachel came near and they bowed down.
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And then he saw said, what do you mean by all this company?
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Which I met and he said, these are two fine.
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And favor in the sight of my Lord.
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But he saw said, I have enough. My brother.
25:22
Keep what you have for yourself. You like to Circle in your
25:26
Bible. You like to write in your Bible
25:28
Circle. The phrase, I have enough.
25:32
Isn't that such a great place to be in life?
25:35
I have enough. Paul would talk about this very
25:40
thing in the New Testament, when he said that he had learned to
25:44
be content. I have enough.
25:49
You keep it. I don't want it.
25:52
Contentment. Truly comes from an abiding walk
25:55
with the Lord. It comes from a place where You
26:01
just realize how much is enough? When is enough enough in your
26:06
life? When is enough enough?
26:10
Esau knew that he had enough. He didn't want anymore which was
26:14
a great place to be the world system, in which we are in is
26:18
always pushing us to get more The craftiness of the
26:24
advertising and the social media ads.
26:26
You, you didn't even want it, until you saw it.
26:31
You were living just fine without it, but then it pops up.
26:34
Or it's something like, oh, Or you just bought something.
26:40
You know, you got a new phone or something and who the new ones
26:43
out, the new ones out, the new ones out, and you're on this
26:47
incessant, you know, that That's The Way of the World.
26:51
The Way of the world is to create this discontentment Both
26:56
in possessions but also with people as you're waiting on the
27:00
Lord today for a mate or a boyfriend or a girlfriend or a
27:05
spouse, God would speak to you about being content in him.
27:11
Knowing that today, you are exactly where God wants you
27:14
enough is enough, he will add to your life as he sees fit, no
27:19
need to be impatient and take things into your own hands.
27:22
Even when it's offered to you, hey, I have enough.
27:26
That's not from the Lord. I don't need anymore.
27:29
You're in the process of climbing, the corporate ladder.
27:33
That's where God has you in the business world and and you're
27:36
successful and God is blessing you but somewhere along the way
27:40
you're going to have to ask the question.
27:42
When is enough enough? You're always gone.
27:46
And now you're not able to serve the Lord and you're not at home
27:48
with the kids and and yeah, the bank account looks good and the
27:51
things look good, but you're not living your life for the Lord.
27:56
You're coming home, tired, but it's not because you were
27:58
serving the lord, you were serving the world.
28:02
And we just happen to be going into a new season where man
28:06
years and years and years of going.
28:08
I'm not talking about being a faithful with the Bible speaks
28:10
of in Colossians and Ephesians about being a faithful employee.
28:14
I mean, I'm going above and beyond, I'm talking about, you
28:16
got extra time, you're given it to the company, you're giving it
28:19
to overtime. You're giving it to even extra
28:21
time, you're not even getting paid for, you're not getting
28:23
anything, you just hoping, you'll, the boss will see you
28:25
or, you know, all of the things that the world keeps going.
28:28
And now we're in a season layoffs.
28:33
And for some they look back and say, but I gave you the last 10
28:36
years of my life. And the company says, thanks.
28:43
And the Lord says, hey, My Rewards my blessings.
28:51
You just got to decide when is enough enough?
28:54
You know, I think of even in the church world, you know, guys and
28:57
they'll get in pastures, especially they'll get in and
29:00
start going to school and Miss degree in that degree.
29:03
How much is enough? You're already pastoring a
29:05
church. What do you need a piece of
29:07
paper on the wall for spend that time at the hospital?
29:11
Spend that time on the phone, spend that time.
29:13
Praying with your team. Why do you need to be away?
29:15
And just study all the time, like, go like, and I know that
29:19
I've all of you guys are not a pastor, well, maybe somebody's
29:22
listening in like like how much is enough?
29:24
Serve the Lord, that's all that's gonna matter.
29:27
This is what God is doing in our lives and how much is enough?
29:30
Why if he saw this Edomite he's going to be able to say I don't
29:34
want it. You can to in the power of the
29:36
Holy Spirit. I've got enough, I've got enough
29:41
verse 10. Jacob said, no, please.
29:44
If I've now found favor in your sight and receive my present
29:47
from my hand and as much as I've seen your face, as though, I've
29:50
seen the face of God, you were pleased with me, please. take my
29:55
blessing that is brought to you because God has dealt graciously
29:58
with me and because I have enough and he urged him and he
30:03
took it Jacob spent much of his life ripping blessings off.
30:09
But now he's really interested in giving Please just take my
30:13
blessing. It's interesting the language
30:16
being used here to because that's what he wanted from the
30:19
wrestling mat. Remember bless me.
30:21
Bless me. And now because he's received
30:24
the blessing even though it's a painful one, he become someone
30:27
that blesses, you know, that's how it works, right?
30:30
That's how it works. You're asking for the blessings
30:33
of God. You ask you seek and you knock.
30:37
And yet at the same time, when you recognize the blessings of
30:40
God in your life, it's intended. So that you might be a blessing.
30:44
It's intended. So that You might give you you
30:46
receive so that you might give that it is more, it is more.
30:51
It's such a blessing to be a giver and to wreak to, to find
30:57
yourself in a place of trusting, the Lord with who you are in
31:02
him. It's more blessed to give than
31:05
to receive and even though it's blessed and both, somebody wants
31:10
to give to you. You can receive it as well as he
31:12
saw. He's like, okay, I'll take it.
31:15
All right. How we received the blessing,
31:19
these aren't this is an amazing change in Jacob, giving things
31:22
away. Now some commentators I was
31:25
reading through this really focus on the fact.
31:27
They actually make a great emphasis here on the wheeling in
31:30
the dealing of Jacob here, but I actually don't see that in this
31:34
section right here. I don't see him wheeling and
31:37
dealing, I see sincerity. They just wept together.
31:42
They were hugging together. I see a sincerity trying to put
31:47
substance, Jacob is trying to put substance to his words
31:52
because you know, as well as I do, right?
31:54
Words are cheap. We can say anything that we
31:58
want, but it's that actions that flow from our lives that really
32:02
substantiate. Let me show you this a new
32:03
testament principle turn over to James chapter 2 with me all the
32:06
way to the end. This is exactly what James was
32:09
teaching. So I don't really see a he could
32:13
be again trying to keep upper hand with Esau and trying to, he
32:17
could be, we don't know for sure.
32:20
But I do see a beautiful picture here.
32:22
He's using the words gracious. He's using the words blessing.
32:25
He's giving of his substance. I see that as a positive in
32:30
verse 14 of chapter 2 of James. This is a principle that were
32:35
taught in the New Testament. It says, what does it profit?
32:38
My brethren? If someone says he has Faith,
32:40
but does not have Works. Can Faith save him and then he
32:45
gives an example. If a brother or sisters naked
32:49
and destitute of daily food and one of them says to them depart
32:53
in peace and be warmed and filled but you don't give them
32:56
the things which are needed for the body.
32:58
What does it profit? Thus also Faith by itself.
33:02
If it doesn't have works is dead, but someone will say you
33:06
have faith and I have Works. Show me your faith without your
33:10
works and I will show you my faith by my works. that's a
33:17
beautiful thought for us in a world that needs a true
33:22
demonstration of Christian surrender.
33:26
Not just talking about faith and talking about the principles of
33:30
the Bible and talking about church and religion, but rather
33:34
showing it By doing good works by stepping in he's not speaking
33:40
about keeping your salvation or working for your salvation and
33:43
some theological he's like hey look you say you got faith and
33:46
works great. I'm going to show you.
33:48
I have faith by my Works which you could work backwards on that
33:53
and say you can watch a life and go that man he's a man of faith
33:57
that woman she's a woman of faith, not just in word only but
34:01
also In Deed verse 12 now back in the text Then they saw said,
34:07
let us take our journey. Let us go and I'll go before you
34:10
and Jacob said to him, my Lord knows that the children are
34:13
weak, and the flocks and herds, which are nursing or with me and
34:16
if men should drive them hard one day the flock will die.
34:18
Please let my Lord, my Lord, go on ahead.
34:21
Before his servant, I'll lead on slowly at a pace which the
34:24
livestock that go before me and the children are able to endure
34:28
until I come to my Lord and sear.
34:30
And Esau said, now, let me leave with you.
34:33
Some of the people who are with me and he said, what needed?
34:36
Is there? Let me find favor in the sight
34:38
of my Lord and so Esau returned that day on his way, to see her.
34:42
So Jacob doesn't want the children or animals to die.
34:45
It's clear that these two men are different paths.
34:48
The edomites will be enemies of of Israel.
34:53
Until the last Herod Herod is the last known Edomite.
34:56
They're going to be enemies all the way, all the way through the
34:59
New Testament. Edomites are going to come
35:01
against Israel. And Jacob knows he's got to move
35:04
on. He's got To take off.
35:07
And, you know, there's a good chance that he didn't really
35:09
ever intend to catch up or connect, but they all they do
35:13
separate and they do move forward.
35:17
Verse 17. It says Now Jacob journey to
35:22
succoth, build him a house and made booth for his livestock.
35:26
Therefore the name of the place is called succoth or boots or
35:28
show booth or shelters. Then Jacob came safely to the
35:32
city of shechem which is in the land of Canaan and he came when
35:36
he came from paddan-aram and he pitched his tent before the
35:40
city, and he brought the parcel of land where he had pitched his
35:43
tent from the children of hamor, shechem's, Father for 100 pieces
35:47
of money and then he erected an altar there.
35:50
And called it LL. Oh hey, Israel, the god of
35:54
Israel, he decides to build a home and stop traveling, 20
35:59
miles east, you know, succoth is about 20 miles, east of shechem.
36:02
Shechem is north from Jerusalem about 60 miles and Jacobs.
36:07
Finally come to a place where he's going to settle down.
36:10
He builds a house, he builds a booths.
36:12
He builds an altar of worship. And you have to love the grace
36:17
of God here. We always equate are typically
36:22
equate. The blessings of God with good
36:24
behavior, bad behavior. But you know, the blessings of
36:26
God come nonetheless. The blessings of God come
36:31
nonetheless. The issue that you're facing is
36:35
what kind of consequences do you want?
36:36
Do you want the consequences of obedience or the consequences of
36:40
disobedience? There isn't really a third
36:43
option that I guess you could say, do you want the benefits of
36:46
obedience? But I like the word consequences
36:48
could consequentially obedience, will yield something to you.
36:52
And consequentially Disobedience, will yield
36:54
something to you and perhaps you won't enjoy the blessings of
36:57
God. Even though in your Rebellion,
36:59
you're breathing, you're alive. You've been given the chance to
37:04
repent. God has been patient with you,
37:07
waiting for you. Bringing people into your
37:10
librarian situations into your life.
37:12
Revealing having a scare here. You know, man, I just rusted.
37:15
I can't move. And I look up and, oh my gosh,
37:18
the guy that wants to kill me. I just Russell.
37:20
Now, my brother wants it. He's gonna come kill me Leah.
37:23
Leah, Leah. Get a front here and get in
37:25
front of me. The one I don't like Rachel
37:29
Rachel go away in the back and back and forth, back and forth,
37:32
back and forth. Does it sound like your life
37:34
sometimes? Different circumstances, same
37:38
results. It's amazing.
37:42
And sad how many Christians have been destroyed by their flesh.
37:47
They make progress, they revert backwards, they get used to that
37:51
cycle. I think sometimes churches and
37:54
pastors, teach them that cycle. As I've been asked many times,
37:59
he read, why don't you ask him for rededication, rededication,
38:01
read it? Why don't you do my last words?
38:03
I was in with it did that every week.
38:06
Well, because I don't want you to learn how to rededicate your
38:07
life every week. I want you to learn how to
38:09
follow the lord. I want you to learn what it
38:12
means to go forward that you don't come on a Sunday or a
38:17
Wednesday whatever. You just like I'll rededicate
38:19
and go to live like the devil all week.
38:20
That's not God's will for your life.
38:22
Are there occasions to rededicate you bad and when the
38:24
Holy Spirit leads me maybe tonight's the night you need to
38:27
rededicate your life right now in this moment.
38:33
But I don't want you to think that's the way to live your
38:34
life. I can always go to church and
38:37
rededicate. Well, you could read dedicate
38:38
right, where you're at right now.
38:39
And just repent forsake, your sin live a life that pleases
38:43
God, at the same time. Those of you that do struggle
38:48
with the flesh, don't beat yourself up so much.
38:52
Or condemn yourself. Because your flesh fired up.
38:56
You didn't even want it to fire of.
38:58
You didn't want that guy to cut you off on I-25 and then all of
39:01
a sudden a finger showed up. He's like where did that come
39:03
from? Some fought in your head or you
39:05
cussed them out in your car, whatever you like.
39:07
We're like I didn't want this. I'm just going to work, man.
39:10
I got Pastor Ed on the radio and then here I am flipping that
39:13
guy. That's not what I wanted.
39:15
And who would ever and Don't beat yourself up.
39:20
But expect your flesh to fire up at times, and prepare for it,
39:26
and then pray through it. What I like to say is, you need
39:29
to be prayed up because you don't know what today is going
39:32
to bring these. Need to be prayed up and ready.
39:36
It could be a good day, or a bad day.
39:38
It could be an errand. Thought it could be a
39:40
Temptation. It could be, who knows what it
39:42
is. But with every spiritual step,
39:45
there's going to be an equal and Powerful pull towards sin and
39:49
our old nature a Temptation. So be ready and on guard.
39:55
So you don't become a statistic Statistic.
40:03
Jacob. He's learning humility and he's
40:08
your learning. What the Bible calls a contrite
40:12
heart? A Brokenness.
40:17
You know, and broken relationships.
40:20
Someone has to bend someone has to Humble themselves.
40:25
Try to step in and mend it it might be you tonight unwilling
40:29
to say that. Those important words will you
40:31
forgive me? I realize you may say those
40:34
words as often as the case and they're not met with any
40:37
response or met with you know it's some kind of resistance but
40:43
you know you've the Bible speaks of you whatever it's much as
40:47
possible. You live at peace with all men.
40:50
You can't control the response. And again we there is that sense
40:55
of trying to hold back on forgiveness because in holding
40:58
back on forgiveness, we think we have some kind of control but it
41:01
just hurts us on the inside. Forgiveness, doesn't equal
41:07
reconciliation though. You know, because you'd like but
41:10
at I forgiven and nothing's changed, there's no
41:12
relationship. Well for reconciliation there
41:16
has to be repentance. So is one bins you just
41:19
releasing yourself but you see if there's no change on the
41:23
other side there's no relationship.
41:26
That's their definition. You might be struggling with
41:28
that. Like whoa.
41:29
I can't believe it. I don't understand why they've
41:31
made a Freewill Choice. That's forcing you.
41:35
To respond. But don't respond in bitterness.
41:40
Or anger. just yield like Jacob, follow the places in his life
41:46
where he yielded Stop fighting God.
41:50
Let God go before you as he did with Jacob.
41:54
Amen. Well the Lord we pray for your
41:56
Holy Spirit tonight to really bring home this graciousness and
42:01
the changes in Jacob's life. Lord, I pray that you would
42:07
teach us through our own problems in our own flesh and
42:11
own difficulties. The yielded life, the
42:15
surrendered life. We're so prone to fight and
42:21
we're just fighting The Wrong Enemy.
42:24
The wrong battle with the wrong weapons.
42:28
The weapons of our Warfare are not carnal but they're Mighty in
42:31
God, for the pulling down of strongholds, every High thing
42:36
that exalts itself against the knowledge of God lord teach us,
42:39
lead us and guide us. Are you here today that God is
42:44
calling you to a place of surrender?
42:47
I mean real true surrender that today you will surrender your
42:50
life to follow. Jesus Christ.
42:53
If that's you I want to I want to ask you to stand to your
42:55
feet. I want to pray with you that for
42:57
the very first time. You're tonight you're born again
42:59
of the spirit asking God to forgive you of your sins,
43:02
responding to the love of God. Who has made every way possible
43:07
for you to be in relationship with him because he loves you
43:10
and he cares for you. And, you know, as hard as it
43:13
might be right now and is difficult and upside down as
43:15
your life. And as confused as you might be,
43:18
there is wisdom from God on how to live your life.
43:21
He can get you out of that pit and take you up out of the Miry
43:25
clay. That's a Bible verse, but I want
43:27
you to think about it. How deep this hole you've dug.
43:29
God will get you out how much the Miry clay think of it, like
43:33
quicksand the quicksand of sin where you just can't.
43:36
Get out. You just can't get out.
43:37
Can't get out and you're so tired.
43:40
You sinking? God, I was offering you a
43:43
Lifeline today. Is there anyone among us?
43:45
It would say, Ed that's me. I need to, I need to receive the
43:50
Forgiveness of my sins. I want to invite you, right,
43:53
where you are. Would you just stand to your
43:54
feet? That today would be the day.
44:00
God bless you. Who else would say nuts to you
44:05
online? And on the radio downstairs is
44:07
Henry reminded us. All you guys watching
44:09
downstairs? This is a holy moment.
44:12
God, inviting you to himself. See you in the back.
44:16
I bless you. Yes.
44:19
God bless you, right here. This is this is the weight
44:24
following Jesus Christ. This is the way.
44:27
Hey, Randy. Can you come over here?
44:30
Someone in the back out back there.
44:31
I don't see anyone for the pastors.
44:33
At there you go. Got it.
44:36
Anyone else? Are they me help you obey?
44:50
What the Bible says? The Bible says, if you confess
44:52
with your mouth, the Lord Jesus, and believe, in your heart, that
44:55
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved for with the
44:59
heart. One Believes unto righteousness,
45:01
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
45:05
So you can confess right now with your mouth.
45:06
You can say, God, I have sinned against you And I ask you to
45:11
forgive me of all of my sin, I believe you sent Jesus to live
45:17
for me. To die for me.
45:22
And I believe, Jesus rose again from the dead to save my soul.
45:28
And I dedicate my life from today forward.
45:32
To following you. And to turn away from my sin.
45:41
And father, I just pray, I just I just sensed it the even the
45:44
Turning Away from sin right now. It's a foothold and I just pray
45:47
that you would release them from the bondage of that sin, that
45:51
you would release them from the thoughts that they'll never get
45:54
out of it. Never get away from it, never
45:57
change. And you would release them as
46:00
they cry out to you. Today, we pray these things in
46:03
Jesus name. Amen.
46:07
We pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible.
46:09
Study delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church for
46:13
prayer. Call us at 877, 30 Grace.
46:17
That's eight 77304, 2:53 to listen to this message in its
46:24
entirety or to join us for our lives dream Services.
46:27
Visit us online. At Calvary Co dot church or
46:31
download our free Calvary Church app be blessed as you worship
46:35
Jesus this week. At Calvary Co dot church or
46:31
download our free Calvary Church app be blessed as you worship
46:35
Jesus this week.