The World Changer Who Wrestled with God - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God, you want to hear from you. Would you consider emailing me you can reach me at greg@harvest.org again that's Greg harvest.org and you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment there is a global one of every libel we surrender to God about was. I will email the life of Jake Jacob was the man who wrestled with God Pastor Greg Laurie points on what we learn from his long wrestling match. When we lose by surrendering to God. Ultimately, with because Jacob goes from resisting to rusting goes from cunning swinging angles from rustling to nestling in our thoughts are much more concerned with what's going on with this line what's become of the next what God is much more concerned about our eternity those things on her mind.

In the present and it's that difference is worth so many of the questions we have more today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie helps us adopt a more internal point of view like long as we spent time today seeing what we can learn from a most unusual wrestling I will target two passages Hebrews chapter 11 Genesis chapter 32 Hebrews 11 and Genesis 32 and the title of my messages.

The world changer who wrestled with God.

So here we are in Hebrews 11 with an amazing collection of characters. What I call the hero's hall of faith or world changers that some of the people that made it in our expected people like Moses and Noah and E Nick and of course Abraham within their some surprising entries as well. Like a ball and locked in Sampson now, a new name, Jacob. I made up were honest about Jacob. We would have to admit this guy was a rascal big job yet he makes it to the hero's hall of faith, reminding us that this is filled with ordinary people like us who change the world.

Please were world changers and you too can be a world changer. They discovered the secret of staying on top is not talent. It's not opportunities or status it's faith in God. These people were far from perfect. In fact there were far from it.

They failed often but they're not in the hero celebrate because they were great people there in the because they had faith and a great God and I find it really interesting how the Lord came to him because he comes as a wrestler. It's almost as though the Lord was saying you want some of this you know you're always finding me.

You're always rustling me game. Let's do it in the Lord takes hold of Jacob.

Let's read about it.

Genesis 32 had to turn their so here's a story. Verse 24 to 30. By the way I'm reading from the new living translation.

Jacob was all alone in the camp and Amanda came and wrestled with him until the dog began to break and when the man saw that he would know when the match he touched Jacob zip and wrenched it out a bit socket. The man said let me go for the dawn is breaking, Jacob said, I will let you go unless you bless me what is your name. The man as he replied.

Jacob what your name will no longer be Jacob. The man told him from now on you will be called Israel because you have fought with God and with men and you've won the please tell me your name, Jacob said, why do you want to know my name. The man replied that he blessed Jacob. There so Jacob named the place P meal which means face of God, for he said, I have seen God face to face and get my life one way say Jacob was wrestling with God. While this was not an angel. This was the Lord himself, he said, but why do you believe that there's other scriptures that confirm the reason I believe it is because Jacob called the place P meal which means face of God. This is what we would call a Christ. Often he a Christ often. He is an appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, you know, we think of Jesus, primarily in the New Testament born in Bethlehem living his life dying his death, resurrecting an ascending, but the fact is Jesus being a part of the Godhead. Jesus being eternal has always existed.

Thus we find Christ in the Old Testament as well, making appearances in different places and I believe this is one of them a Christ. Often he in fact remember after Christ was risen, he walked with those two disciples on the Emmaus Road and he talked to them about all of the things in this Scripture pertaining to him and he was thinking primarily of Old Testament passages so Christ would appointed those two discouragement the passages appointed to Messiah, perhaps even some of the Christ.

Often these are appearances of Christ in the Old Testament so Jacob is meeting Christ. The manipulator is meeting the Messiah. The connivers is meeting the Christ and the wrestler is meeting his. I love the thoughts of commentator CH McIntosh on this verse says Jacob is alone with God.

He said that quote to be left alone with God is the only true way of arriving at a just knowledge of ourselves and our ways. No matter what we may think about ourselves or what others think of us the great question is what does God think about us," then it was when you get alone with God.

And you know sometimes what you need to do is unplug universe.

Some people from the moment they wake up its constant noise, they turn on the radio when they get ready in the morning and then you get your cardio listening to the radio. You've already caught up in your social media maybe your texting while you're driving a really bad idea and then you know you're watching television and and then you you know you got all your electronic devices and you say God never speaks to me. Hey, how can I get a word in edge walking. Can I suggest to you unplug all of that stuff just be still and know that he is God and I suggest you, you'll hear the voice of God again and so here's Jacob is all alone is families, not with them.

No ones with the and the Lord comes to him as a wrestler he does know what is really dealing with. But all he knows is he's gonna win because no one beats Jacob every negotiation.

Jacob comes out on top. Every deal. Jacob is the one who benefits with this guy is persistent. But then again, Jacob is stubborn and no minutes are passing and not hours are passing and the angel or the Lord realizes that Jacob is just going to keep fighting because he so stubborn, so he wrenches his knee out of the socket and no game over wrestling match completed a you know he was waiting for Jacob to cry uncle or better yet, father because Jacob loses but in reality Jacob wins is that what you mean when we lose by surrendering to God. We ultimately win because Jacob goes from resisting to resting. He goes from cunning to clinging. He's crying out to the Lord. He goes from rustling to nestling the rest to come a moment and every life or we surrender to God and it's not always easy because God's plans are often plans that we love and agree with and then sometimes God's plans are different than ours and it is then that we have to say is Jesus said in the garden of Gethsemane, not my will but yours be done. We might say Lord of its possible let this cup pass from me, but your will be done and I was happily know the life of Jacob. The Lord asks him an unusual question. Verse 27. What is your name again what is his name mean heal catchers. The planter manipulator what your name deceiver that your name is in it that's a lousy I'm to give you a new anybody is going to take you time to grow into this name but from now on.

Your name is going to be Israel, sometimes God is waiting for us to admit what we are none of the story of that poor man of the gospel of John, who hung up my little body of water called the pool of Bethesda. There were many disabled people there. There was a tradition that said that an angel would appear periodically and start to stir up the waters of the first one of the water would be healed and so here's this guy waiting for 38 years. He had this affliction and one day Jesus shows up and send this unusual question. Do you want to be made whole. What kind of question is that as someone who is waiting by a body of water to be stirred by the angel of course he does. It's a very good question because not everybody wants to change you know you can go to an alcoholic and said you want to get up. You think everyone will say yes.

All of them do we go to a person on drugs you really want to be free from drugs you really want to be free from pornography you really want to change, not everybody wants to change some people are comfortable right where they are there comfortable like a pig is happy and a pigsty in a number of years ago pigs were very popular as pets, which always thought was craziness. I love pics I do.

I the great next to my eggs in the form of bacon or ham. No, I buddy I would hear people having pet pigs, yielding easy people to one friend. I had actually said I take my pig to the beat I said you put sunscreen on him. Oh yeah, this kid just like a human. You understand, a pig doesn't want to go to the beach a pig doesn't want to be slathered in sunscreen appeared wants to be in a pigsty doing pig stuff because that's all pigs roll okay. By the way, you know why pigs hang out more about slop it cools them down. That's all the gold out so we don't understand all just you make the pig like my better dogs. Now people with dogs at first of all, pushing them in strollers. If I were president I would be illegal. Okay, so be my first order of business is now had full auto push a dog in a stroller make the dog walk.

But you know the I was in a restaurant the other day the lady comes in with the dog. You know, I'm sure it was to provide whatever she thinks she needs with the dogs help but I think some have abuse this in this want to take the dog everywhere right is semen restaurants and repeating the dog of the forget to stop dogs don't want this, you're taking them out of their environment. Some people want to stay exactly where they are. They don't want to change in just a moment.

We'll see how Jacob teaches us an important lesson about adopting a more eternal viewpoint that's coming up in just a moment.

We love hearing from listeners from every background and in which every guy things on her thinking great insights from 11-year-old do you have a story that you would like to share with Pastor Gray. If so, would you take a moment to write a letter, email you can email him at great@harvest.org that's great@harvest.org were learning about the man who wrestled with God today and Pastor Greg is showing us the lessons to be learned from this world changer. So here's what Jesus is saying to Jacob, a buddy you want to keep me in the can Iver you want to keep me in the healed catcher in the manipulator you want to be different. Jacob says I will let you go until you bless me.

Good answer. From now on. Your name is Israel. Verse 28. You'll be called Israel because you fought with God and with men and of one say when I thought he lost yeah, he will lost and then he won because he did what God wanted him. What is Israel. Meanwhile, it's translated multiple ways. One translation one who God commands another translation led God rule. Another translation one who fights victoriously with God. Even another translation a prince with God blessed all of those definitions are upgrades from healed catcher so planter deceiver. So this is exactly what Jesus meant when he said if you seek to save your life, you will lose it, but if you will lose your life for my sake, you find we win by losing the weight up is down, the way to happiness is sadness you even talking about. Listen Jesus said blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted and the word blessed commit sensitive, happy, so Jesus is effectively saying happy are the unhappy or another way to put it. Happy are the unhappy because one day they'll be happy. How I mourn over my sin. I see myself as I am in no comes the solution, you know, if you go to a doctor because you're having unusual pains or aches or some other issue.

The doctor may have to give you bad news initially may have to tell you that you have cancer or that there's a very serious problem that needs surgery or some kind of a treatment and value don't like to hear that but now here comes the course to change and so God will tell us the truth about ourselves. Yes, I'm a sinner. Yes, I need a Savior.

But one thing except that now I can go from sadness to happiness.

And so I find that the way to find life is by losing life, which means you committed to God. We really simplify this specially for you that are young you know you have your dreams and you of your aspirations and that's all good, but here's my advice to you, commit your life to God and understand that his plan for you is better than your plan for yourself and MAC note of this and noted that, but he what he will say yes to later will be so much better and you look back and you say thank you Lord, because that's what we find Jacob at the end of his life back at Hebrews 11 looks like a peppers one last time. By faith Jacob verse 21, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of the staff. Jacob now Israel is a changed man.

He's worshiping at the end of his life leaning on his staff. That staff was a reminder of how God had broken him. Remember David's words, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Ever wonder what that meant.

When a shepherd would be guiding his sheep he would have two primary instruments are wrought in the staff are rod was basically well a rod club and the staff was that long trip instrument and so whether she would go astray, the shepherd pulls them in with the staff because history again. The shepherd pulls them in again and when needed.

He uses the rod. He is both in the life of Jacob, but now here he is leaning on his staff reflecting on his life and what is he doing he's worshiping. I love that he's worshiping at the end of his life. Listen if you want to be strong spiritually at the end of your life. Be strong, spiritually right now because the end is determined by the beginning the evening.

By the morning so you walk with God now and you'll be walking with him then and you will be able to look back reflectively over your life, worshiping, saying God was in control all along. We think of that song that tells us some 4814. Our God is forever and ever and he will guide us until death. The same God.

It is led you from the earliest days of your youth will be with you at the very end of your life. And then you'll be there to watch her. You into eternity. This is something that comforts me because when my son Christopher died. It was a devastating event for all of us that we still have deep pain over but it certainly got better but we still miss him with all of our hearts, and when I think of him dying in an automobile accident that still hard for me to process.

To be honest with you, but I'm just reminded of when Lazarus died, not Lazarus was raised from the dead… Poor man, Lazarus who lived outside of the estate of the rich man that Jesus talked about and we read that the Angels ushered him into the presence of God and I believe my son was ushered into the presence of God and I believe all believers are and one day we will be so look, we don't know when that day will come, and maybe you're right that day or maybe you're approaching the day but then for some death comes unexpectedly doesn't. Without warning, at a time when we don't think it should come.

I just talked to a father whose daughter is dying of cancer and she's in her early 30s, a grocery think that's an aberration and in ways that it but nobody has a guarantee to live a long line.

All we can do is seek to live our life for the glory of God and do all that we can while we can. I think of the words of Jim Elliott who was martyred for his faith and he is a young man wrote in his journal before he was killed. I seek not a long life, but a full one. Like you, Lord Jesus, that so we should all seek a full life life God gives you a long life right if it's shorter, that's up to God. Let's just live in well and make sure were prepared for eternity and I want to close with that idea. Are you prepared for eternity.

See Jacob yet he messed up he did some crazy things he got right with God. He was forgiven and at the end he was able to look back reflectively and worshiping. Maybe you made some mistakes in life. Okay, repent of the mistakes asked God to forgive you and end on a high note in and worship. But listen, there are some of you here that have never even made that decision to get right with God and God loves you so much.

At the same Jesus that wrestled with Jacob came down the planet Earth was born in that little manger in Bethlehem.

Then he lived a perfect life and then he went to a cross voluntarily died. Therefore your sin and for mine and he rose again from the dead in the same Jesus who lived and died and rose stands at the door of each of our hearts in the Knox lease is a full hear his voice and open the door will come in. Would you like Christ to come in your life would you like to be sure you'll go to heaven when you die, do you have this hope of not you can have it today, to give you an opportunity to believe in Jesus and be forgiven of your sin and know for sure go to heaven when you die let's all bow our heads now and pray father I pray for every person here every person listening.

I pray that you will help them to see their need for Jesus I pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince each one of the importance of what were talking about and help them become due and now we would have Esther, Greg Laurie important word of prayer.

And if you know you need to make a change today in your relationship with the Lord. Pastor Greg will come back to help you do that in just a moment before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes so please stay with us now if you had any interruptions in the last half hour and were unable to hear this whole presentation. You can catch up by listening online@harvest.org just look for the study, called the world changer who wrestled with God. You can also listen through our mobile app and you can order a CD copy by calling 1-800-821-3300.

We can take your call anytime 24 seven at 1-800-821-3300 and I were so pleased to have authors Jeff and Chante fell upon with us in the studio today they've written an excellent new book called thriving in love and money. It looks at how a healthy relationship and a healthy attitude toward money go hand in hand and of money is creating tension that may be a reflection of tension in the relationship shunting in one part of the book you write this you say. If you have more financial cushion in your life but do not talk about money, you're more likely to have damaging tensions that if you have less money on hand but could at least talk about. Yes building cushion is important. Talking trumps that because they found that if you build the cushion if that's what you're focusing on is the finances, but you're not focusing on being able to communicate about money be able to come together and talk about it that the relationship is likely to be worse than if you had last cushion he could scanning very interesting. So if you're listening I'm speaking with Jeff and Chante filled Hahn and they've written a great book that you need to have in your hands, called thriving in love and money know this is not just another book on money.

This is different.

Subtitle five game changing insights about your relationships, your money and yourself, and so were getting them to the hood a little bit here were talking about these important issues because you know with this pandemic. Continuing on. I think were all hoping that maybe would've subsided more by this point and people are under incredible financial stress on the been laid off some of been furloughed a lot of uncertainty in the air, etc. this is a time when it's really important to talk about these issues. Yes money but to talk about our relationships to talk about our marriages and talk about communication in our marriages.

So for whatever you send will invested in this ministry and will get you your own copy of this book by Chante and Jeff filled Hahn thriving in love and money. That's right, it's a book that can help transform the atmosphere in your home. Money is such a hot button and so many relationships, especially right now want to send you thriving in love and money is available as a thank you gift to those who can make an investment to help keep these daily studies coming your way.

So ask for thriving in love and money when you send your investment to a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us anytime 24 hours a day seven days a week at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and then Pastor Greg just before we go. Would you mind praying with a person listening who wants to make a change today in the relationship with the Lord.

I'd be happy to Dave you know is you been listening to this today. Maybe you've heard another voice. By that I mean you've heard me say a few things, but you heard God's voice speak to you deep in the recesses of your heart and it suddenly dawned in you. This is what I need order stated more accurately. This is who I need I need Jesus. And I want Jesus, but maybe you don't know how to make that connection. Let me help you pray this after me right now if you want Jesus Christ to comedy your life Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sin and I need your forgiveness right now. Would you come in to my heart, my life as Savior, as God as friend. I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for calling me and accepting me and for giving me in Jesus name I pray, amen.

I know there was a relatively short prayer. Maybe you felt something as you prayed it. Maybe you felt nothing, that doesn't really matter because God's word says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. It doesn't say so. You may think you have it or you may hope you have it of gods in a good mood. No that you can know it and I want you to know if you pray that prayer and minute Jesus Christ, the son of God has come into your life. So congratulations, you're now a Christian now continue to follow the Lord and to help you as you follow the Lord would like to send you some resource materials recolor new believers growth packet it will answer many of the questions you might have and get you started off right in your new relationship with the Lord. So get in touch and asked for send it free of charge. Again, it's the new believers growth packet. Write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300 where here around the clock, seven days a week that's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click on know God and I think sure harvest partners for their help in making resources like this available next time we see how not only was Jacob, a world changer so was his son Joseph thrown into a pit and left for dead, sold into slavery by his brothers. He ends up in the house of a government leader and rises to power himself in amazing story with many twists and turns will begin next time beginning and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org