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slugslice -> Why God Confronts Us. (3/9/2010 12:36:53 AM)
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Hello friends,
This has been a strange week but a good one for me......God was teaching me about the reasons He confronts us using the story of Jacob in Gen 32:22-31
Gen 32:22-31:
22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
27 The man asked him, "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.
28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, [e] because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."
But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.
30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, [f] saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."
31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, [g] and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon.
This was a very interesting read for me,because it highlighted a few things I would like to share with you.
Before Jacob wrestled with God,He separated himself from two things
1.Family (Gen 32:22)
2.Possessions (Gen 32:23)
It is important to note here that though families come from God and possessions are from Him(because he gives us the power to get wealth,as he did to Jacob), a time comes when they are put aside in preference with meeting with God....Remember what Jesus said?
Matt 10:37-39
37"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
A time came fro Jacob to be all alone........so why did God confront Him? And why does Goe keep confronting us today?
1. Every Confrontation of God brings a SHIFT IN OUR IDENTITY.(Gen 32:28)
2.Every confrontation with God brings us from DARKNESS to LIGHT. (Gen 32:24)
3. Every confrontation with God brings PERMANENT ADJUSTMENT OF OUR INTERNAL STRUCTURE (Gen 32:25,31).
4.Every confrontation with God enhances DEPENDENCE ON GOD(Gen 32:26)
5.Every confrontation enhances COMMUNICATION WITH GOD(Gen 32:26-29)
6. Every confrontation with God marks a MILESTONE OF A ONGOING SPIRITUAL JOURNEY.(Gen 32:30)
7. Every confrontation with God establishes a GENERATIONAL CULTURAL TRANSFER( Gen 32:32)
8. Every confrontation with God brings BLESSING (Gen 32:26-29)
May we all learn from Jacob's story how to respond to God when He confronts us, for in Ps. 94:12-15 it says:
12 Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD,
the man you teach from your law;
13 you grant him relief from days of trouble,
till a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not reject his people;
he will never forsake his inheritance.
15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.
Be blessed.
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