Sunday 11:17:13

Gen 25:24-26 Jacob is born a deceiver, a schemer Gen 25:27-43 Jacob schemes his brother, Esau, out of his birthright Gen 27:1-40 Jacob deceives his father, Isaac and took Esau's blessing Gen 27:41-28:9 Jacob flees Esau and starts his journey to Haran to seek a wife Gen 28:10-15 Jacob has a dream of a stairway to heaven. God passes the promise of Abraham and Isaac to Jacob Gen 28:16-22 Jacob's response to God's promise: "If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey... then the Lord will be my God." Gen 29-30 Jacob marries and starts a family Gen 31 Jacob heads back home Gen 32 Jacob prepare to meet Esau from whom he stole his birthright and his fathers blessing Gen 32:22-26 God could have overpowered Jacob at any time Why doesn't he? God was merciful, patient and kind to Jacob God revealed to Jacob that He was the Source of all Jacob's success, not Jacob's own striving. Jacob's story is true of us all. We all go through times when we wrestle with God for control of our lives. When we fight with God, we cannot win Yet, Gods goal is not to overpower us, but to help us move from reliance upon self to reliance upon him So that after all our striving, we can finally say, I trust you We all have to answer the question, who do I trust to be in charge of my life? Me or God? We may have grown up with God, but He's not really been our God. We all have to decide for ourselves, will I follow God? God mercifully, patiently, kindly deals with us - wrestles with us He willingly restrains his hand We wrestle with Him, struggle with him over control over our lives God does not want to overpower us, but wants us to yield to him, to willingly submit not only to his authority, but also in trust of who he is. It may have been the loss of a loved one It may be that live is not turning out like you hoped Gen 32:27-32 This is the turning point - the 180 - in Jacob's life Jacob's the old nature remains, but its power is broken. He is a new creature and needs a new name He gets it from Him who can name men, because 1) He sees the heart's depths, and because 2) He has the right over them. To impose a name is the sign of 3) authority, 4) possession, 5) insight into character. The change of name indicates a new epoch in a life, or a transformation of the inner man. Gen 35:1-4; 14-15 God is powerful and sovereign Yet with us, he is gentle, patient, and merciful He patiently waits for us to turn to him Do you trust him? Maybe that was an easy question for you before But as life has changed, it has become a difficult question. Do you trust him? He is powerful and sovereign And gentle, patient, and merciful