“He Blessed Him” (Gen 32:29-33:20)

“Then Jacob asked, saying, Tell me Your name, I pray. And He said, Why is it that you ask about My name? And He blessed him there” (vs29)

The Lord blesses us in spite of the fact that we barely know God, He blesses us with a painful dependence that keeps us believing, and He blesses us in spite of CONSTANT indwelling sin. These things assure us that we shall make it home to heaven in safety and face to face assurance with God (Gen 33:18-20).

First, He blesses us in spite of our ignorance, us knowing so little of God. Jacob said, “Tell me Your name, I pray. And He said, Why is it that you ask about My name? And He blessed him there” (32:29). It didn't matter that Jacob didn't know much. He knew he'd gotten the blessing by faith, as given to him by God, that he was unworthy and God blessed him freely. He knew eternal life was his.

Likewise, we know God, but so little of the gospel is received. We know LITTLE of unchangeable love, so we worry. We know little of our forgiveness, and so love is small. We know little of eternal happiness, so heaven isn't as hopeful as it could be. And yet, we're still forgiven, still given power, and still heaven bound, even though we're ignorant of many things. He blessed us and loved us as tiny Christians, and He blesses us continually, in spite of the fact that my knowledge is small and my deeds evidence ignorance.

Secondly, He's blesses us WITH painful dependence on Christ because of need. We read, “Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip... because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank” (vs31-32). The world is cursed, and thorns and thistles DRIVE us to Christ our Savior. Paul would have been useless and proud, if the Lord didn't give him a thorn, even as He has us.

You struggle with something, and the Christian life doesn't get “less dependent”. I know that we want to be free of weakness, but Paul said, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10). Paul knew that needing help was the means whereby he'd look to help from God, so that he could serve in the spirit of Christ, rather than the strength of Paul, which helps no one. We need DEPENDENCE, and Jacob limped – a painful reminder – the rest of his life from this encounter with God.

Thirdly, we're blessed IN SPITE OF constant indwelling sin. Sin hasn't been eradicated, and it is with us continually, 24 hours a day, staining everything with the flesh. My best worship is stained, and then I have the stain of my own personal wickedness and unbelief. Jacob has gotten God's blessing, the only thing that matters, and God is on his side, and yet he cowers before Esau and schemes. We read, “Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down. Then Esau said, What do you mean by all this company which I met? And he said, These are to find favor in the sight of my lord”, so that he gave Esau too much credit, fearing man, when he had God (Gen 33:6-8). And, we do this.

We are not what we should be, and we sin against God, and yet He's still blessed us. I have thought, “How could God bless me yesterday or this morning, knowing what I'd do tonight?” But, for Christ's sake He blessed you, taking away all of your sins. You won't make it because you're worthy and have paid God back in full. You and I are saved and heaven-bound because God is gracious, passes by transgression, and forgives sin. The Psalmist wrote, “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Ps 103:13-14).

Therefore, don't think the blessing isn't yours because you're ignorant, because you struggle, or because you have sin. These conditions NEVER stop God.

We know Him, the Savior. We have Him, the Strength. And, we're going to make it because He is faithful and good.

“Cursed Or Blessed” (Gen 9:20-27)

(vs24-25) So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. Then he said: "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren."

A curse causeless will not come, so that if we're cursed, we deserve it, and if we're wise, the curse will lead us to Jesus Christ (Prov 26:2). He reveals that we are sinners so that He can save, if we RECEIVE it for this purpose.

Look at the misery in your life as something DESERVED. It doesn’t matter what you suffer, only One has suffered blameless, and He died SUBMISSIVE to the Father for us.

We suffer because WE rebelled in Adam. All together, we all said, “We shall be as god, knowing good and evil, choosing for ourselves what is right and wrong by our decisions. We will rule our destiny and govern our course”, and God has said “CURSED is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord” (Jer 17:5).

We can believe that misery is DESERVED and get mercy, or we can perish. Remember, Rahab the harlot? She was a Canaanite, but she said, “According to your word, so be it. And she sent [the spies] away, and they departed, and she bound the scarlet cored in the window”. Not only did she protect the spies, but she hoped in mercy on God's terms. She didn't say, “It is no fair that I'm cursed, that Christ is the only way”, but she took the mercy that she could receive, and God saved her and made her able to save others.

A church that has been going her own way, preaching Christ full of the flesh, can repent, and preach in love. The father that has corrupted his home by selfish indifference and ego can change his ways and lead his children to God. The home that was ruled by the flesh in many ways can be changed into a place of peace, where Christ dwells. In every area, we see the FRUIT of sin and the fruit of faith, and faith is much better, even as Noah said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant, May God enlarge Japeth”, so that when he saw his sons' obedience, he knew it was of God, and being of God, it is blessed (Gen 9:26-27).

Canaan pictures the result of unrepentant and sinning saints, even as David's son must die, and Absalom, after killing his brother,maliciously seeks David's head. David, like Peter, Moses, Solomon, Eli, you and me, suffered because of unbelief. God said, “Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. for you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun” (2 Sam 12:11-12). The believer who doesn't repent brings unneeded misery upon himself and becomes the cause of his own trouble. He, like Ham, walks in pride. He points the finger in self-righteousness and condemnation of others, so his sons pick up on his legal ways. They despise the mercy of God, because while Ham knew Christ (he was in the ark and came out alive after the flood), he didn't teach his children, like Eli, as he should. Eli was told, “For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them” (1 Sam 3:13).

I urge you! Believe that your actions in this life have consequences. You are saved by grace, but imagine the harm if you show up to work undressed, unwashed, and you make a mess instead of doing your job. Believer or not, the boss will let you go, the cops will be called, and you will bear the misery of your actions, for “he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality” (Col 3:25). Yet, if you go obediently, it is because God is with you, and whether you're blessed in man's eyes is irrelevant. God's blessing is on you, “knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Col 3:24).

Choose God's will, lest you suffer the chastisement of His fury. This message has made me repent and fear God, even as Paul tells us, “let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, performing holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor 7:1). Do things God's way and be blessed, instead of cursed. Do not say, “I'm in Christ, so nothing matters”. Say, “I'm in Christ, so keep me from sin, lest I hurt myself. Help me, Oh Lord, to love as I’ve been loved, doing people good.”

Don't be judgmental. You've obtained mercy just like Noah, and like him, you fall. Scripture says of this great man, “And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent” (Gen 9:20-21).

We war and conquer sin, but NO ONE conquers it completely or lives above the fray. We are deplorable self-confessed sinners, so when you see faults in others, retract the finger and stick out the helping hand. Scripture says, “Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father's nakedness” (Gen 9:23). Isn't this how He treats you? He died for your sins, covers your shame, and He doesn't treat you any less graciously because of it. He doesn't say, “Come to Me, you that labor and are heavy burned, and I'll point out your failures, laugh, and gossip”. He says, even though it cost Him His life, and even though our sins are in His face, “I will rest you” (Matt 11:28).

Be like Christ and reap the blessings of faith. The entire world serves your relationship with God. Or, be like Ham and watch your actions and decisions breed thorns and thistles.

Faith is How We Receive God's Blessings (Rom 5:1-11)

 

 

“Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation” (vs1, 11).

Justification and every spiritual blessing is obtained by believing God. He makes promises to us in Christ, promises for all to acknowledge and believe - “And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead“ (Rom 4:23-24). Those who believe are RIGHTEOUS, forgiven, at peace with God, reconciled, and we have the Spirit empowering us to rejoice in storms. The God of glory gives all freely through the means of faith, and if I believe, I have riches evermore.

Here, in Romans 5:1-11, we see eleven benefits of grace, things received by faith alone.
1. Righteousness and justification (vs1)
2. Peace with God through Jesus Christ and by faith in Him (vs1)
3. Access into grace, so that heaven’s door is open to us, and we may take what we need (vs2). The Lord said, “Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24)
4. Boasting in God’s glorious grace, which is our hope of what good things He has for us (vs2)
5. Confidence in God that endures the storms and makes us rejoice in Him amidst hardships (vs3)
6. Patience to endure hardship because we know Who rules the pain and His goodness to us (vs3)
7. Proof of His goodness by the victory that He gives, so that He quiets the storm and proves Himself faithful to rule our sin (vs4)
8. The love of God is spread upon our heart, so that we FEEL the pleasure of knowing that we are loved, secure, blessed, and chosen. We know that God is for us, and it is the best feeling possible in this world. (vs5)
9. The Holy Spirit, whereby we experience even more of God by the hand of Him who reveals Christ to us (vs5). This love He reveals is not the merit of the creature or a love based on tenuous things that change, like our fighting sin, etc. It is love that while we were vile as possible, He loved us, gave Himself to die for our sins, and now shows His love by dying for the wicked (vs6-8).
10. The risen Christ rules the world to save us (vs9-10). He didn’t die for us to leave us in this world slaves of sin; He will assuredly keep us unto the end, saving all who trust His blood to justify God’s goodness.
11. The “reconciliation”, so that we are one with Him and no longer enemies (vs11). God and man are unified in purpose - the praise of the Son - and there is no anger from Him to us. He hears us, accepts us, and is for us fully.

These and many others benefits are ours freely. Only believe and they are yours (Luke 8:50). Don’t improve or look to your performance; believe Christ-crucified is why God is righteous to bless you. Believe God.