SM161113/The World Changer Who Wrestled with God

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The world changer who wrestled with God. You know, sometimes the most amazing accomplishments come from the least likely people. Have you heard the story of how the Oxford English dictionary came about texting a book called the professor and the madman that's been made into a film by the way. Well, the Oxford English dictionary came about because in 1879 Dr. James Murray was commercial commission to write it and it was they contain every single word in the English language quite a daunting task with music summary invited scholars of literary people from around the world to participate and they were to read books from every era of the English language make lists of the words. Write a sentence definition and then a quotation from the earliest source so any people offer their services, including the man known as Dr. William Miner. He was well qualified. So Dr. Murray brought them into the program in before he knew it. Dr. Miner had submitted 12,000 separate pieces of paper with definitions in every submission submitted by Dr. Miner was used affect more than any other person so upon completion. Dr. Murray wanted to meet Dr. Miner so he wrote a letter to like to meet you and and Dr. Monroe. `I'm unable to come and see you but you're welcome to visit me anytime. So finally Dr. Murray decided to go visit Dr. Miner, is a story is told. He trudged up along the road lined with beautiful poplar trees and arrived at a very large house entering through two large green doors.

He was uttered by a servant up a marble staircase to a huge room of the second floor of fire glowed in the fireplace and there was a huge desk in the middle of the room amount of obvious importance was sitting behind the desk in the doctor said hello I'm Dr. James Murray, editor of the Oxford English dictionary Dr. Minard. It's a great pleasure to meet you and then there was an awkward silence in the memo line. The dusted up and said sorry to disappoint you but I am not Dr. William miner.

Rather, I am the superintendent of the Broadmoor criminal lunatic asylum in which you are now standing, and the doctor you are asking for is been our longest residence. He is an American. He is also a murderer, and he's hopelessly insane.

So go figure on that one. Is this crazy insane man made this significant contribution to the Oxford English dictionary against the most amazing accomplishments can come from the least likely people. 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 bull in Lawton, Samson and no one knew name, Jacob. I made up were honest about Jacob. We would have to admit this guy was a rascal big time.

Yet he makes it into the hero's hall of faith, reminding us that this is filled with ordinary people like us to change the world.

These 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 in a great God and here's what I find fascinating. You will not find a single mention of any of their sins.

In this chapter, and trust me, they said Abraham as we already discovered like twice about his wife Sarah saying she was his sister Isaac did the same thing Sarah laughed at the promises of God in the list goes on.

So these winners didn't always collect metals. Sometimes they collected scars but not one word of their failure is mentioned wife because they were forgiven and God gives second chances. They were look For what they became not what they were knowing God looks at you.

He sees a work in progress. You probably see your flaws. I know that I do I ever looked into a magnifying mirror that is just disturbing when using everything up close is a hard I can look at that right and sometimes we see our our flaws in our shortcomings in our sins and it is not a bad thing to see those things but don't be identified by that because you're a new person in Christ all things passed away.

All things become new. And God doesn't just see you for what you are in the moment he sees you for what you can become. He saw the potential in the life of each of these world changers and they certainly sought in Jacob, so when we hear that phrase, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob understand it.

That's another way of saying the God of ordinary people, Abraham flawed.

Isaac definitely flawed. Jacob big time flawed but he's the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He's the God of second chances. Here's what we learn about Jacob and the girls all of faith. Look at Hebrews 11 verse 21 by faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of his sons, or rather, each of the sons of Joseph and worship, leaning on the top of his staff know this particular event happened toward the end of Jacob's life and will revisit it in a moment, let's go back to the very beginning of Jacob's life. Let's think of him now was as a baby in the womb of his mother Rebecca.

He was there with his brother, Esau, Jacob and Esau were twins. You might say they were roommates to see and so the circumstances of their birth are quite interesting because Esau was born first and how to even get the name he saw the name Esau means caring, not as an H a RR why but as in each a IR wife because well he was Harry he was a hairy kid who isn't a good beam to give to a child that you draw attention to the fact that they're covered in hair. You know you're living in a time warp parent seem to be going out of their way to give really unusual names to their children. I read the other day that that here's some of the names that have been given. I'm not making any of these up one couple named their child freak good name forgetting as it is a little boy freak can come stay overnight at your house. I don't want to freak in my house any particular month. Another kid was named due to do not seriously. Another was named cougar that's going to be trouble for her when she gets older. I'm just telling you hi my name is cougar okay by Sia. I wish these were made up another couple named their child. Hitler.

Hitler seriously another name their child Xanax lease another name their kid hurricane another couple named their child Superman really getting needing your child's temperament.

Another couple of not making this up 8% name their child but I meets these poor kids what is because he said that looks like one of the minions right nevermind so if you get some of you.

He said that when there's something studies have been done and there found that when you deal a child. A strange name it can actually have an effect on their behavior later in life. Well, I would've this had the effect on Esau. He he was really something else right on the heels literally of Esau's birth comes Jacob and his and can be translated in multiple ways. One is healed catcher because it was hanging on to his brothers heel.

It also means the planter order trip up or over throw and you know what that's exactly who Jacob became.

He was the guy who was always crabbing trying to get more. Jacob always wanted the advantage you know people like take. I know a person like this and thinking of right now that that he came unto this guy can work a deal like no one I've ever met.

If I want to buy anything. I asked him to negotiated for me and sometimes I have to walk away. I'm just embarrassed by what he saying, but every time he you know he gets a better deal is incredible to me and up now on the earlier you don't want to do business with them. In other words, have you buy something for you from you because you're going to get taken advantage of unwanted stated this is Steve Wilburn but I digress. Steve is to be argued foster noise test record church in LA so hey when he share the gospel and close and that deal. That's awesome, but if you're the person selling something to him. That's not awesome for you about that. That was Jacob. Jacob was a negotiator. Jacob was a man that didn't just wait for something to happen. He'd go and make it happen if he needed to use an interesting thing under normal circumstances, the firstborn in the family, the firstborn male received the inheritance receive the birthright. What was the birthright. It was a special privilege bestowed on the firstborn method number one, you would get a double portion of the inheritance number two, you would become the spiritual leader of the family and third and lastly, you would be in the messianic line so under normal circumstances, Esau, i.e. Harry should have gotten the birthright regarding this particular situation reversed the order that I want to give it to healed catcher. I want Jacob to receive the birthright. But Isaac, who clearly favored Esau wasn't gone for that and so a conflict developed among the voice from the very beginning because Isaac, the father favored Esau, Rebecca, the mother favored Jacob and so this is never a good thing.

When this happens in the family. When a parent favors one job over another. And these two boys could not of been more different. Esau was was a man of action. Amanda would go out on the field. A guy who would hunt prey in the skin. The animals and and prepare the meat object at a credible recipe is that love probably some kind of barbecue thing and the devil love to eat the food that Esau brought in from the field.

In contrast, Jacob is more like a homebody you know you like to hang around the tent with mom help in the kitchen. Sort of a mama's boy if you will. So Esau was a man's man as you would if you were around today he would've shot at the Bass Pro shop know? Ever been to the Bass Pro shop. Can you believe the place I'm it's unbelievable all the stuff they have in their and I his favorite shows would've been Duck Dynasty or adventure bow hunter you know you want to know what to give Jacob for achieving Esau for his birthday give him a hunting knife for sure. Some like that.

Now Jacob was different. Like I said, he helped around the tent more. He would like to shop at Bed Bath & Beyond baby other. That's a worsening for a star really like all the things I don't care about its Bed Bath & Beyond hello that's a great place to take a nap. By the way I'm talking to the men for a moment. Or he might instruct the Williams-Sonoma AU what would you buy Jacob for his birthday. All ghetto cooking utensils, a mixer or maybe his favorite show would've been iron Chef or chopped or cake wars so Esau like to hunt skin and chair hunt and kill and scan his food and prepare it, and Jacob. He just like the bake muffins pretty much so so one day brother Esau comes in from the field is famished. He has been able to kill anything that day. We want Jacob's cooking of this amazing stew so I ease that comes up is a broken as some of that's to dig is as you can about this.

Do you want if you give me your birthright right now and I Esau says birthright smirks right Phyllis Bullock was due not you will find that literally of the Bible. I'm paraphrasing all right, but he didn't care about the birthright he cared about temporal gratification. He didn't care about the spiritual, he cared only about the physical. So he ate up his stew and treated his word right providing commentary Hebrews 1218 says make sure that not one of you was a moral are goggles like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. But here's the ridiculous thing got it made a promise to Jacob that he would give begin the birthright all Jacob had to do was wait for the promise to be fulfilled, but instead he takes matters into his own hands and starts to manipulate as he did here with his brother. Have you ever done that ever got tired of waiting for something that happened. So you thought I was going to go make it happen on my own. You know sometimes were asking God for what he has already given us know you say Lord I need more love, and a hard time in the marriage here, not feeling the love for the wife, like I used to not feeling the love for the husband, Lord, give me more love. You don't need to pray for more love, because the Bible tells you that the love of God is been shed abroad report out your heart to the Holy Spirit. Romans 55. You don't need to pray for more love. You need to just do more loving things, some waiting for the emotion they just do a loving thing. You know when you read first Corinthians 13, which is often cited as the definitive chapter in love. You will note that it does not tell you what love is.

It tells you what love does love is patient, love is kind love is long-suffering love doesn't remember the faults of others at one it's what love does so, just to loving things sometimes are pray for more power and strength but yet were told of Philippians 413 we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us in second Peter 13 says God's divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.

So the believers need is not necessarily to receive something more. But to do something more with what he already has liver repeat that the believers need is not to receive something more. It is to do something more with what he already has it be like saying I broke when you are $500,000 in the bank payment wanted to go make a withdrawal you know you the money is there a member years ago we were in New York with her. A group of people, one of the girls it was with us and hundred dollar bill and so what we would catch a cab with all contribute to so I only have $100 bill and then we go eat and she go. I only have $100 bill and this one about four or five times I said let me see that hundred dollar bill. I walk across the street. The hot dog vendor as it can you change it and he said yes I can, because it here's a hot dog and here's your change. You know, I think I was just a way of not participating any of God and use it in some got it made a promise to Jacob.

All he had to do was wait.

But we grow impatient with the Lord, you know, there are times in life when we say when Lord when is this coming up afraid and pray you pray for that unseen husband or wife. One of the get to come to faith. Lord you prayed for the prodigal child how long Lord is to be so they come back to you are your prayed for that healing time and it seems like you receive it, then there's a setback, then you're better then your worse what's going on God or your prayed for God to reveal his will to you.

You want to know what you are to do. It's unclear where you're singling your frame for that man of that woman that God has you where are they Lord I'm getting old. I like 16. Come on, and you should pray about those things. By the way, because the Bible says in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God in Scripture reminds as you have not because you ask not.

Jesus told us in the sermon on the Mount ask and it shall be given, seek and you will find knock and the door will be open or in the Greek it's keep asking, keep seeking, keep talking so just pray about it.

But understand, along with God's will. He has his timing waits on the timing of the Lord, don't rush things. The Bible says he makes everything beautiful in this time. So now we see Jacob is manipulated the situation and he's conned his brother and he stolen the birthright. But it even gets worse. Fast forward now and Isaac, the father is getting older and he knows he's going to die soon so he decides he's going to give his blessing to resize a son going out in the field. You kill something and cook it up. Use a barbecue and all much I love and come to me and I'll eat the meal give you the blessing off Esau ago was excited to get the blessing well. Mom was listening using Rebecca was eavesdropping.

It's really easy to eavesdrop when you live in a tent and so she so this is not going to happen on my watch as she calls in Jacob, she says all right on the make up a little recipe just like your dad likes it up, kill a couple of goats and I want you to cover yourself in animal skins and pretend to be your brother and take it to your dad and he'll give you the blessing.

Thinking your Esau Jenkins like I don't know who's gonna work most dental work. Trust me so cheap, makes up the resume bring it to dad and and so of course Jacob does on the father reason this is great, but is this really you are you so you don't sound like you thought of God's very dad it's me David. Now, your voice sounds different. Isaac says come closer so I can put my hand annuity puts his hand on animal skin incision. It feels like Esau, which shows you think I was hearing and Harry was tearing for sure and Isaac pulled them a little closer. Let me smell you yeah your Yuri's offers or get out of here and receive the blessing enough Jacob goes, we will Esau shows up data. Mom hears her fresh meat leaving your home. I just ate them.

Presently, that was a me and then Isaac realizes he's been Condoleezza son.

I cannot give you the blessing your brother is taking it. Esau was so angry. He said I'm in a kill him. And so now Jacob heads for the hills.

He runs away because his life is in danger and he ends up at a relative's house. That is the house of Laban and does so is there in the house of Laban. He meets a beautiful woman named Rachel and he falls in love with her, so he goes to Laban.

This is going to marry her daughter.

And Laban who actually is more of a connivers than she could pass makes a deal and I love this because you know Jacob just got a taste of his own medicine and the connivers met the connivers extraordinaire so limits as well tell you what we have a tradition you want to marry one of my daughter drove to work for me for seven years and then she's yours to give says I love her man and by the way the Bible says the seven years seen this, but a day for the love he had for her to beautiful verse for another seven years are completed, the marriage takes place its honeymoon night, and Jacob wakes up in the next morning to kiss his beautiful bar bride Rachel and it's Leah. Her sister, I don't know how this was pulled off but I guess it was very dark that night and then he goes to limits is what's going on I may I work for Rachel limits is what we have a tradition that we honor the rights of the firstborn over the next born or that somewhere, but if you work for seven more years I'll give you Rachel. So Jacob agreed and there was a final little con that he pulled off on Laban but his conniving ways continued on, but now he knows it's time to go home again, but he has to face his brother, Esau, and he's terrified that Esau will kill them and he was going to discover how hard it is to win over someone you've offended you know. Proverbs 18, 19, says a brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Maybe you're at a point in life we look back and you think their people I've hurt people.

I've offended people that I've wrong but you know okay don't cry over spilled milk nothing you can do another recently to do. You can go apologize.

You know it's an amazing thing when you apologize how it can change the situation but the problem is, a lot of people don't know how to apologize. They offer apologies that sound something like this.

I'm sorry if what I said offended you take that's not an apology would apologize know you didn't what you should say is I'm sorry I hurt you.

I'm sorry for hurting you. Forgive me.

That's an apology and it's an amazing thing when someone is hurt juvenile say that just like, well, well, okay, not everyone forgets what many do in the Bible says as much as it's possible, live at peace with all men, will Jacob had wronged Esau's and always headed back to meet his brother. He does know Pease is going to kill him or what, but he's going to have an encounter with God, and I find 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 fighting me. You're always rustling me game. Let's do it in the Lord takes hold of Jacob. Let's read about in Genesis 32 had to turn their clearly some of you are turning their right now which is good.

So here's a story.

Verse 24 to 30. By the way, everything from the new living translation. Jacob was all alone in the camp and a man 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 of its 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 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. Now 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 Neil which means face of God, for he said, I have seen God face to face and get my life went away say Jacob was wrestling with God. Will 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 Neil 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 the Scripture can pertaining to him and he was thinking primarily of Old Testament passages should Christ would appoint of 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 Christ in the wrestler is meeting his. I love the thoughts of commentator CH McIntosh on this verse says Jacob was alone with God. He said the 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 of us." Then it was when you get alone with God. And you know sometimes what you need to do is unplug you never some people from the moment they wake up its constant noise, they turn on the radio when the 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 you're 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 and you think God never speaks to me. Hey, how can you 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 will hear the voice of God again and so here's Jacob is all alone is families, not with them.

No one's with the eddies having to think about what he is done in the Lord comes to him as a wrestler. Verse 32 says no Jacob doesn't know this, as he might think it's Esau about my brothers you already are or somebody else he does know what he's 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 or passing the know 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 wrestling match from a completed that you know he was waiting for Jacob to cry uncle or better yet, father because Jacob loses but in reality, Jacob went is it 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 that we surrender to God and it's not always easy because God's plans are often plans that we love and agree with them. 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 not a God not know the name of Jacob YDS to present because it was sort of an admission again what is his name mean he'll catch Ursa planter manipulator what your name due to freak deceiver. Yeah, 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 never the story of that poor man of the gospel of John, who hung up by a 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 to 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 I'll 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 an 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 think you want to get up booze. 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 comfortable like a pig is happy and a pigsty in a number of years ago pigs were very popular as pets which I was 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 pig hunting 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 gives just like a human to 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 pig thing about slop it cools them down. That's all the cold so we don't understand all just you make the pig like my cat or dog so people with dogs. Since first of all, pushing them in strollers. If I were president I would be illegal.

Okay, so the be my first order of business is now against the law to 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 people of abuse. This, by the way work dogs do provide a function for people seeing-eye dogs and such, but I think some have abuse this in this want to take the dog everywhere right is semen restaurants in the feeding the dog of the fork it just. 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.

So here's what Jesus is saying to Jacob, buddy. You want to keep me in the can Iver you want to keep me in the healed catcher in the manipulator or do 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. Let 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 he'll catch Ursa 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 way to 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 commits translated 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 my as I am now 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 me up 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 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 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 noted this and noted that, but he what he will say yes to later will be so much better and you look back and you'll see. 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 was 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 of the staff arrived was basically well a rod club and the staff was that long trip instrument and so wonder she would go astray, the shepherd pulls a member of the staff goes astray 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'll 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 let 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 washer you into eternity. This is something that comforts me because when my son Christopher died some eight years ago. 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 died in an automobile accident that still hard for me to process. To be honest with you, but I just reminded of when Lazarus died, not Lazarus was raised from the dead, but the foreman 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 the table come and it may be right that day or maybe you're approaching the day but then for some death comes unexpectedly, doesn't it. 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 aggressively 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 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've 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 the little manger in Bethlehem. Then he lived a perfect life and then he went to a cross voluntarily died. Therefore your sin and for Mike 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 up will cure 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 you have the soap if 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 you go to heaven when you die let's all bow our heads now and pray. Father, I prefer every person here every person listening and every person watching. 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 to come to you now, we would ask not what I heads about and her eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say today. Greg, I want my sins forgiven. I want to go to heaven when I die I want Jesus Christ to come in the my life.

I'm ready to say yes to him right now if you want Christ to come into your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to go to heaven when you die, would you raise your hand up right now.

Wherever you are and I'll pray for you raise your hand up. I reckon see it is and I want Jesus I want is forgiveness for many years and I've been a mess of my life in it and I need God to forgive me for that raise your hand up and let me pray for you. You want to get right with God publishing anybody else raise your hand. I can see compass you and you you that are watching on the screen right now.

Would you take this little step and raise your hand as well saying you want Christ in your life. Anybody else where everyone see I want this. Okay you that a raise your hand. I want you to pray this prayer after me right where you are. Again, as I pray this after me know.

Lord Jesus, forgive me of my sin. Thank you for dying on the cross for me and rising again from the dead. I choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray, amen. God bless all of you that pray that prayer