The Faithful God, The Humble God

Lord of our God, God who we fear, unknown yet known, unseen yet near. Breath of our breath, in thee we live. Life of our life, our praise receive.

Thine eye detects the sparrow's foal. Thy heart of love expands for all. Our throbbing life is full of thee.

Thrown in by vast infinity. Shine in our heart the sight of life. Our minds delude, experse our mind.

Make our hearts responsive to thy will. Our souls withal thy chorus tell. We love thy name, we heed thy rock.

Thy word our law, O gracious God. We wake thy will, on thee we call. Our life, our life, our love, our all.

Stand for prayer. Father, we thank you that you are our good shepherd. And we thank you that you are unseen at times.

Lord, it seems that we can't see what you're doing or where you're leading or how you're working. And yet, God, you see the falling sparrow. Lord, you illumine our darkness.

God, we just praise you for being our God. And so much more than we can even describe with our tongues or understand with our hearts. And we just want to praise you and thank you this morning.

Thank you for being that faithful, patient God. Lord, we just look to you and ask that you would edify us together here by your word. And with some thoughts that I believe you've given me, we just ask that you would draw near to your people.

Comfort each one of us. Lord, strengthen, bless, and keep. In Jesus' name, amen.

You may be seated. Well, it's a joy to be together with you all this morning. Life seems to be a journey.

And I don't know how much to say about my own journey, but I would covet your prayers. There's been nervous system weakness in the Gunther family for some generations. And in this year, I've had, I don't know, I don't know what to call it.

I've wondered, is it a satanic attack? Is it a panic attack? Is it, yeah, just very, just not well feeling inside. And some elevated blood pressure. And anyway, it seems it comes on me at times when I've been traveling a bit and been working in some situations where, yeah, we had a tremendous time over at Caneyville on Thursday and Friday and had some very significant meetings and all.

And it just seems like after some of those intents, trying to understand what the people were saying that we're trying to work with there and how to help. And yeah, so I've been, struggled a bit last night. Awake for two, three hours, but this morning I have joy.

I know that God knows what he is doing. And I know that he is able to sustain us and that he will carry us. And we're thankful.

So if you turn to Ephesians chapter two, verses one through three. The title this morning is the faithful God, the humble God. And there's a verse that I'd like to read to you from the book of James.

Before we read that one, it just really struck me. Recently one day, someone had said to me in my hearing that he's always only seen Christianity or things go one way. That's downward.

Well, that's not my experience. God has taken a wretched person in the depths of sin and bondage and things that I loved and hated. And has brought order to our lives.

And this verse here in James chapter one, verse seven. It puts it in a negative, but it's what I'd like to focus on a little bit. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

So it just says that man that asks with a wavering faith is not going to receive anything. But that means that those that aren't wavering can receive from God things that they're not going to get anywhere else. And it's just a tremendous joy to me in the journey of our lives.

To be able to go to God and ask of God something. And see him fulfill it. I referred to some of our visits.

One place where we were. Just a noted tremendous progress forward. In this one situation that I don't want to divulge too much information.

And I commented on it and expressed appreciation. And one of the wife said, have people been praying for us? We feel like we're making progress we haven't earned. That's called getting something from God.

I love it. It's worthwhile living the Christian life for it. And this message here, the faithful God, the humble God, we'll consider a little more here.

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world. According to the prince of the power of the air.

The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Among whom also we all had our conversation in time past. In the lust of our flesh.

Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. And were by nature the children of wrath. Even as others.

How many of you would have courage to try to build a kingdom with people like this? I mean in verse 1. They're dead in sins. In verse 2. They're worldly people. Influenced by the devil.

And children of disobedience. In verse 3. They're living after the lust of the flesh. They have fleshly desires.

They have mind desires. And have a nature to receive wrath. But there's something God does.

There's something God does. It says in verse 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love. Wherewith he loved us.

There's something God does. By Christ's resurrection. By his new nature.

By working through repentance and conviction. By teaching and a new heart. By chastening and sorrow.

By circumstances and others. And others. And others.

By blessing and refreshment. By promise and faith. Back in April when I had my first.

I don't know. I don't know what to call it. But a panic attack.

Very wretched desperate feeling inside. I woke up with that feeling. And as I went to the living room.

And looked towards heaven. Looked towards the ceiling and asked for mercy. God.

I need your help. I need your mercy. And it seemed cold.

And austere. And I'll just acknowledge that since that time. I've struggled with faith.

Not faith that the promises of God are true. But faith that it's for me. And just this last night.

I came to understand that there's a measure. Of. Unbelief working there.

Oh, I believe. I don't know of anything in my life that would separate me from God. But it's like there is this thing there that said it's not for you.

Oh, it's for others. It's for others. It's not for you.

Somehow you are excluded in that. That's been a real battle. But if I know that that's what it is.

It helps me over the hump. Then I could lay hold on the promises of God. And I can go forward.

But I think through these experiences. God is wanting to do a few things in my life. One of them.

Is a greater dependence on him. And a deeper leaning on him. The other.

Is not needing. To have emotions to carry me through. But faith.

God has said and God cannot lie. And therefore. They are for me.

And so the faithful God, the humble God. Takes wretched broken people. And goes to work in there.

By the redemption of his son. And even in the old covenant. Which we want to look at Jacob's life this morning.

God goes to work in there. To bring us to a higher more godly plane. So the faithful God, the humble God.

Number one, God's faithfulness in working with Jacob. And the other patriarchs. I would just like to go to Genesis chapter 27.

Sorry my voice is not as clear today. Genesis 27 and I would like to read this whole chapter. And I ask before we go there.

How many of you would like to be a brother in the church. With Jacob? It seems he is worse than his brother. Esau.

Genesis 27 verse 1. And it came to pass that when Isaac was old. And his eyes were dim. So he could not see.

He called Esau his eldest son. And said unto him my son. And he said unto him behold here am I. And he said behold now I am old.

I know not the day of my death. Now therefore take I pray thee. Thy weapons thy quiver and thy bow.

And go out to the field and take me some venison. And make me some savory meat such as I love. And bring it to me that I may eat.

And that my soul may bless thee before I die. And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison.

And to bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son. Saying behold I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother.

Saying bring me venison and make me savory meat. That I may eat and bless thee before the Lord before my death. Now therefore my son obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

Now I'd like to pause here just a little bit. And think a little bit of history here. Jacob and Esau were twins.

And they were having a struggle. Even before birth. In the womb.

And their mother went to the Lord. Where did she go? I don't know. Who did she go to talk to? Did she go to talk to Grandpa Abraham? I don't know.

But she went and asked the Lord. Maybe it was just a prayer. What is the deal? And they said there are two nations in you.

And one is stronger than the other. And the elder shall serve the younger. And they were very distinctly two different boys when they were born.

One was hairy. Like a hairy garment all over. Even as a baby.

Later we'll see how they put this goat skin on Jacob's arms or his hands. And he felt like Esau's hands. That's pretty hairy.

Jacob seemingly was a plain man it says. He was a faithful man as I can see. It seems that word means morally upright.

Some of this story here makes you wonder how morally upright he was. But he was a faithful young man. Working at home.

He learned many practical skills. And Esau was this hunter. Esau was this fellow that was good at archery.

I guess they didn't have 270s at that time. And Esau was a very cunning hunter. And he was a sportsman.

And he was a real he-man. If you can take it that way. And his dad was sort of proud of him.

He liked him a lot. But it seems that there was a division in the family here. Because Rebecca was concerned about the future heritage.

And that thing that had to do with the family lineage of God's blessing. And it had been told her that it was on Jacob. And so her favoritism fell on Jacob.

And Isaac's was on Esau. And so we have a division in the family. One day Esau had been out hunting.

And he came in. Jacob was cooking some potage. And just some not high class stuff.

You know the beans and lentils and stuff. It wasn't like some steak dinner that you'd sell your birthright for. But Esau was extremely hungry.

And he came in. And ever and always, Jacob was after the birthright. And Esau came in.

And he's hungry. He said, hey, feed me of that soup. And he says, sell me your birthright for a bowl of soup.

And Esau, he was pretty in tune with how he felt. Felt needs. He says, I'm at the point of dying.

What good is this birthright going to do if I die? I just will sell it. And so he sold his birthright to Jacob. And in a time of distress, don't throw away things that you're going to need in the future.

There's just a little lesson in there. And Esau had sold his birthright. But now we have parental blessing.

Where if a father pronounced a blessing on a son, the things he pronounced on him were sure to come to pass. Quite sure. So much so that Esau wanted it desperately.

It meant success and God's special favor and endowment. The question that I have as we go through this story is, if this blessing came from God, why could they not be more faithful to simply trust God for the outcome? But we have here a family that is manipulating and wrestling against each other to try to bring out the desired outcome. And this was mother and son.

Sister, I just encourage you to not be a manipulating mother and wife. To try to make things come out like you feel they should. It would almost seem that Rebecca was more spiritual in some of her vision and desire.

But so Rebecca says to Jacob, dad's going to give Esau a blessing when he comes with that deer meat. You and I both know it's going to take a little bit for him to get a hold of that deer and then get it cooked. You fetch me a couple of kids and I will make that meat.

Who you think taught Esau how to make it? Or did Esau teach his mother? I don't know. But she could make such an identical meat that dad couldn't tell the difference. And so they're headed into this thing to try to get Jacob the blessing.

Jacob says, what if dad discerns me and he curses me instead? And says, on me be your curse. Yeah, I'm not sure how she could be so glib. Does this sound like a mess to you? Does this sound like God might be far away from a mess like this? He wasn't actually.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. There's more story told about Jacob and his journeys and his workings than probably the other two. It's very interesting.

And that's why I titled this message. The faithful God. He didn't give up right away, brothers, sisters.

And he's so humble to keep working with this mess. And with my mess. See, when my dad had some of his nervous problems, I got this crazy idea.

Crazy idea. That somehow I'm a little better than dad. He doesn't have good enough faith, he wouldn't have those struggles.

So now it's confession time. Let's pick up a reading. In verse 8. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

Go now to the flock and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats. And I will make them savory meat for thy father such as he loveth. And thou shalt bring it to thy father that he may eat and that he may bless thee before his death.

And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, behold, Esau, my brother is a hairy man and I'm a smooth man. My father peradventure will feel me and I shall seem to him as a deceiver. And he shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing.

And his mother said unto him, upon me be thy curse, my son. Only obey my voice and go fetch me them. And he went and fetched and brought them to his mother.

And his mother made savory meat such as his father loved. And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house. And put them upon Jacob, her younger son.

And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands and upon the smooth of his neck. And she gave the savory meat and the bread which she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob. And he came unto his father and said, my father.

And he said, here am I. Who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I'm Esau. Why, how that lie must have grated on him. I'm Esau, thy firstborn.

I've done according to that as thou badest me arise. I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, how is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, because the Lord thy God brought it to me.

And Isaac said unto Jacob, come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac and his father. And he felt him and said, the voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy as his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. And he said, art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

And he said, bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat, and he brought him wine, and he drank. And his father Isaac said unto him, come nearest now, and kiss me, my son.

And he came near and kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of the field which the Lord hath blessed. Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine. Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee.

Be Lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee. Cursed be everyone that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. There's one major area that was unblessed.

Relationships. Jacob did not receive a blessing of harmonious relationship. Dominance, yes.

But not harmonious relationships. And these became an agony to Jacob. Verse 30, And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

And he also had made savory meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, in need of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn, Esau. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? Where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me? And I have eaten of all that all before thou camest, and have blessed him, yea, and he shall be blessed.

And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. And he said, Thy brother came with subtlety, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? For he hath supplanted me these two times, he took away my birthright, and behold, now he hath taken away my blessing.

And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants, and with corn and wine have I sustained him, and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above, and by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother, and it shall come to pass, when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

Now, I'd just like to think here a little bit. What would have happened, we never know what would have happened, if Rebecca had not interfered with this situation. And Esau comes in with his meat, all the things that he's fixed for dad, and he kneels here in front of dad, and dad's going to bless him.

And God switches the blessing and puts the words appropriate to the situation, giving Jacob the greater blessing, the blessing of the gospel of those generations, had they simply been yielded, let God work it out. How many times do we mess things up enormously? When we have figured out ahead of time how this ought to be, and we twist these things, we manipulate it. Jacob came with lying, with deceit, and dishonoring his father to get a blessing.

And the faithful God isn't finished. Verse 41, And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand.

Then will I slay my brother Jacob. How different would it have been if they simply would have been yielded and accepting. Dad gave the blessing.

Esau received some blessing. Jacob received the greater blessing. I don't know.

But humility strikes them all right where they're at. And relationships aren't marred. How beautiful it could have been.

But here with what Rebekah did, she loses both her sons in one day. And these words of Esau, her elder son, were told Rebekah. And she sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau is touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice and arise. Flee thou to Laban, my brother, to Haran. And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away.

A few days, really? It didn't turn away for 20 years. Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him. Then I will send and fetch thee from thence.

Why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me? Who of us would have courage to build with Jacob? It seems he's worse than his brother. He lied, he stole, he dishonored his father.

And he had no faith that God could work things out. But this one thing he has, he wants to be in the line to receive the blessing. Are you in that line? Is that the aim and desire of your heart? God will work with you.

Esau lacked that basic desire. He lacked the desire for the things of God. And that's why he was willing to sell his birthright.

You need that desire for the things of God. And if that is the motivating desire, God will work with you. God looked on his heart and saw good there.

What does he see in your heart? Is there underlying that desire for God? Do you have a strong desire to not be lost in that great day? You see, Esau had set some things up. He set some things in motion back here when they were not in critical stage. He set some things in motion that when it came to the point of critical stage, he lost out.

And that's how our lives are many times. Be careful how you build back here. Lest in the outworking of it, you're cut off from grace.

God will work with you if you're willing to do anything to not miss his blessing. This all would look very hopeless except for God. So next we see Jacob going off to Laban with the blessing and instruction of his parents.

Seems like he's got away with a high hand with this blessing. Does it? He got off, got clean. Well, in chapter 28 verse 10 through 15, God visits him with a vision of a ladder reaching to heaven and the angels going up and down on it.

God is at the top and make similar promises as he did to Abraham. Did Jacob deserve that? Of a certain not. But God made him promises.

Jacob is a manipulator and he gets sent off to master manipulator. You know that many times in our lives, God arranges situations that we have to face who we are and what we've done. So Jacob is pretty fast with these.

He knows how to pick them up and put them down. There's trouble over here. It's slick over here.

He moves pretty fast, but a little later that all gets an amazing halt to it. But he's a manipulator and he goes and he appears at a well. And here comes a young woman with sheep.

And he waters those sheep and he meets his cousin, a kinswoman here. And she ran home and told dad and layman went out and met him and brought him in and they rejoiced. And Jacob told him the whole story.

Everything that happened. Well, Jacob's a shepherd and he goes to work herding sheep for Uncle Laban. Rachel gets to stay home, I guess.

And Laban says, well, now, you know, it doesn't seem just because you're my nephew that you should serve me for nothing. So what do your wages be? Well, Jacob says, I'll serve you for seven years for your younger daughter, Rachel. Sounds like a good deal.

In that case, you'd want a lot of daughters, virtuous daughters. How many of you young men had to serve for even a month for a dowry? But here, Laban says, it's better that I give her to you than somebody else. And Jacob went to work and he had a delightful vision and passion.

I'm going to get the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life. Well, it's time. Seven years have passed.

It says it seemed but a few days to him. And time's flying. And it's time to have a wedding.

And. Evening comes and the father brings the bride. But it's dark.

And they can't see each other. And for his manipulation, Laban brought Leah. Now, various times thought that for one night, Leah knew what it was to be loved.

But in the morning. What a disaster. You cheated me.

Well, just can't be done that way in our country to give the. Younger before the older. You see how Jacob is meeting what is done.

Serve for seven days and we'll wait for seven days here and we'll have another ceremony. And you can have Rachel, too, and you can serve me seven more years. Manipulation.

God was wanting to do something in Jacob's life. And many times. We get paid back in the same coin we paid out with.

Somebody says that your words always be kind of sweet. You never know how many you'll eat from day to day. But God is at work.

And he served seven more years. Then, when Jacob started working for the ring straked in the speckled, he connived with bark and poles to get ring straked and speckled. Animals, you know, Laban thought this is a pretty good deal.

Actually, when you look at the big scope of things, the wages for tending my sheep aren't all that high. The ring straked in the speckled. I'd like that.

It'd be just that way. And they go to work. But Jacob, somehow, I don't know how all this works.

And I don't know if scientifically they figure out how it worked. But it seems that he put poles in front of them. But did he put the bark in the water? I don't know what all he did.

But there were lots of ring straked and speckled lambs. Now manipulators working against each other here. Whatever Laban said will be your wages, that's what the young ones bore.

It says that Laban changed his wages ten times in chapter 31, verse 6 and 7. In the meantime, there are many problems at home between the wives. Many jealousies. It's so fraught with problems that it feels discouraging.

After Joseph is born, they secretly head back for Canaan. But three days later, Laban finds out and pursues him hotly. But God warned Laban to not interfere with Jacob.

But nonetheless, they must face each other and work it out. And they committed to not pass the rock heap for harm to each other. Let me see if I can find that here.

In Genesis 39, they have this confrontation. Where Laban, in verse 22, pursues Jacob. And Laban overtook Jacob, in verse 25.

Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword? Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly and steal away from me, and didst not tell me that I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs, with tabret and with harp? Finally, there's a facing of each other in these things. And he said, Thou hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters.

Thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. It's in the power of my hand to do you hurt. But the God of your father spake unto me yesterday night, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob, either good or bad.

And now, though thou wouldst needs be gone, because thou sore long'st after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? And Rachel had taken those. But Jacob was actually afraid that Laban would take his daughters from him by force. In verse 36, And Jacob was wroth and chowed with Laban.

And Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass, and what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? Said it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. Verse 43, And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine. And what can I do this day unto these my daughters or unto their children, which they have born? Now therefore come thou, and let us make a covenant, and I and thou, and let it be for a witness between me and thee.

And Jacob took a stone and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones. And they took stones and made a heap.

And there they did eat upon this heap. And Laban called it, whatever name there, but Jacob called it Galid. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day.

Therefore was the name of it called Galid. And this before he said, The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another. If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us.

You see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. And Laban said unto Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee. This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee.

And thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me for harm. They reconciled. They came together.

They faced each other. They talked their things out. They weren't quite in agreement, but they settled the matter peacefully.

And there was, I think, the enmity that day died between Jacob and Laban. Here's the pillar. I won't come this way for harm, and that one won't come that way for harm.

They had to face each other. And many of us find in life, myself included, that it's sometimes a little hard to actually just come face to face with where I've been, and what all has happened. And God would not allow Jacob to leave there without this happening.

God is bringing things together to where Jacob has to face who Jacob is. Then Jacob hears that Esau is coming with 400 men. Esau is coming with 400 men.

What for? To meet him. For 20 years, Jacob has avoided Esau, but now he must face him, and he is totally vulnerable. Jacob starts sending drove after drove of gifts out for Esau.

Somehow can I protect myself and appease Esau? All his family and stock were sent over the brook Jabbok, and Jacob was alone and wrestled with a heavenly being all night. I thought I had the reference here. Here it is in Genesis 32.

In verse 22, it says, And he rose up that night and took his two wives and his two women servants and his eleven sons and passed over to Ford Jabbok. And he took them and sent them over the brook and sent over that he had. And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. Now, I don't know if you can visualize this. Ever watch a couple of people wrestle for all it's worth? When I was a boy, I never got involved.

I was puny and runty. Not that much. I didn't get involved, but my brother wrestled with people.

And he had a particular pin that he liked to put on fellas. If he could get his head sort of under the other person's arm and get a lock around their chest, he'd squeeze the breath out of them. They couldn't breathe very well.

And he had such a hold, and he'd lay at an angle to where the other person couldn't throw him over. And a half hour of wrestling that way can wear you out. This tangle and thrashing around went on all night.

Jacob has sent all his stuff off. His family is all over there, and he's here by himself. And he has a sense that he's not alone.

And all of a sudden, out of the darkness, somebody grabs him. Scared of Brother Esau coming, you know. Someone grabs him, and on the ground, and over and over, and the thrashing, and the rolling, and the wrestling, and neither was winning, it seemed.

And they went on all night. And this makes me think of some of the wrestlings we do nowadays. When in the darkness, and concerns, and turmoil, we wrestle, and we wrestle.

It doesn't seem like we're losing. We're also not winning. If daylight would only come, it'd make everything look different.

But in that darkness, Jacob experienced maybe what you and I experience. He wrestled with God. In verse 28, it says, And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel.

For as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel. For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Somehow in the midst of that wrestling, Jacob came to understand, I'm wrestling with God.

And as Jacob had to come face to face with who he had been and where he had been, there are some things that happened inside Jacob's heart and life. He found that he was wrestling with God. And during that wrestling, there was a touch in the hollow of his thigh.

I don't know just where it was, but it says that his hip was out of joint as he wrestled. That's excruciatingly painful. Have you ever wrestled with a deep pain in your being, somehow wrestling? Don't know the outcome in the morning.

When the sun arose, it wasn't real long, it seems, till we see Esau coming. And Jacob is going different now. He's got a stick, and he's no longer running, but he is limping.

And Jacob put his family in line. He put the women's servants and the children first, and Rachel's all the way at the last, but he's not back here behind them. Jacob is now in front of them, and he goes towards Esau, a helpless man, a broken man, with a staff, and he is limping, and he is bowing seven times to go meet his brother.

And something happened in Jacob's life that day that triggered sympathy and forgiveness and love. I think he just looked so pitiful and so helpless there as he faced his powerful brother that something turned loose inside Esau, and they ran towards each other and embraced and wept together. A most beautiful picture of reconciliation and of love restored.

Something happened in Jacob that night that he was never the same, and who knows? We can't see all together what God wants to do in our lives as we go through difficulty. What would be the chance of just saying, Go ahead, God. There was a brokenness, a desperation, a limitation, and a faith to face where he was and work through his issues.

There was no more running for Jacob. Have you ever wrestled through with God? Have you ever fallen under rock and been broken? Without that brokenness, I don't think Jacob and Esau would have ever been reconciled. Well, Jacob's troubles were far from over, but we see the faithful, humble God at work, blessing and chastening.

We could talk about Jacob's sons. We could talk about Abraham, Moses, and Joshua. In all cases, we find a faithful, patient God working with humanity.

Do you ever have much hope for, as you read the story of Jacob's sons and how they sold their brother? I have already thought there's not much hope for boys like that. But you know, by the time they reached the end of Jacob's life and Jacob had passed away, they sent a message to Joseph and said, Forgive the servants of the God of your father. These young men, through the problems and difficulties they passed through, these young men had made the Almighty their own God.

Let's follow in those steps. What did Jacob have? He had a heart toward God. In the midst of all his sins and mistakes, he wanted God.

And he wanted the blessing of Abraham and Isaac. Is this heart in you? I'd just like to note that there was some level of deception in Abraham's life when he talked about who Sarah was. You know, Isaac repeated it.

And it seemed to explode in Jacob. But Jacob actually was lied to and told a story. Was it 17 years? How long was it that he reaped for that? And it seemed like they ran against and saw some of this.

And it doesn't as clearly appear in their family after that. Second point this morning is the faithful God in the midst of our darkness. Let's go to Psalm 88.

Psalm 88. I'm going to read this psalm. And I note that this psalm does not have a distinct note of triumph, but the persistence of a soul reaching toward God.

Did God come through? Surely He came through. The implication of this psalm is that God actually heard the person. There was a period of wrestling here.

O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before Thee. Let my prayer come before Thee, incline Thine ear unto my cry. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

I am counted with them that go down into the pit. I am as a man that hath no strength. Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom Thou remember'st no more, and they are cut off from Thy hand.

Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in deeps. Thy wrath laid hard upon me, and Thou hast afflicted me with all Thy waves. Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me.

Thou hast made me an abomination unto them. I am shut up, and I cannot come forth. So here are some circumstances that limits the person's, even their friendship.

And it seems like there's some kind of physical difficulty here. It says, I'm shut up, I'm locked up, I can't come forth. Mine eye mourneth by reason, verse 9, of affliction.

Lord, I have called daily upon Thee, I have stretched out my hands unto Thee. Wilt Thou show wonders to the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise Thee? Shall Thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave, or Thy faithfulness in destruction? And it seems the psalmist here is asking, why should I die? Why should I go down in the grave? You're going to have some praise, and some thanksgiving, and some lovingkindness there is going to be not coming forth anymore. What's the point in me dying, it seems like the psalmist says here.

Shall Thy wonders be known in the dark, and Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But unto Thee have I cried, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent Thee. It's going to come up before Thee. When You come forth, Lord, when the day comes, then my prayer is going to come up before Thee.

Why castest Thou, Lord, why castest Thou off my soul? Why hidest Thou Thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer Thy terrors, I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me.

Thy terrors have cut me off. They came round about me daily like water. They compassed me about together.

Lover and friend hast Thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. So here we have a person who is passing through deep things, and the cry is to the Lord, and it doesn't sound like there's any help, any response. But notice Psalm 89 says, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever.

With my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations. Did God come through? Surely. He came through for Job.

He came through for David. After David, like Brother Lewis said this morning, the valley, you pass through it. After David had come through his deep afflictions of being chased around by Saul, God brought David out into beautiful light and beautiful usefulness.

And the statement was made that he guided Israel with his skillful hands. And so this darkness and this trouble and this wrestling actually had a very good effect on David. The very next Psalm begins with a note of praise for God's mercies and his faithfulness.

But in Psalm 119, we have some scripture here in verse 75. He says, I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. When do you cry? When do you seek God with all your heart? With earnestness? Isn't it when you're in trouble? Some of the things that the Lord has done in my wife and I's lives over the years, I don't know how He would have done it if it wouldn't have been for good old faithful trouble.

Thou in Thy faithfulness hast afflicted me. God sees what's in our lives and allows affliction or sends affliction to bring us closer to Him. What would change in our lives if we would just say, God, what do you want to do in my life with this? God, we have this circumstance.

It's unchangeable. I don't know what to do with it. What do you want to do in my life with this? What would change? Otto Koning, he's a good storyteller, and I was fairly amused with his stories and thought maybe there's not as much substance, but I realized that there were tremendous substance there.

He was, one day he was going down this trail. He was leading the way, and right here in front of him is this hornet's nest. And it had fallen down, and the native said, Watch out, Tuon! Run! I think they told him run.

Anyway, he bolted. And when he did, what happened with the hornets? Here they come. And they stung him, and he was running on those logs and slipping and sliding, and he lost a shoe in that swamp.

He never did recover it. But he got all stung up, and he got on the other side over there. And he was standing on that trail.

The folks who knew how to handle these hornets, they backed up real slow and went around. But Otto had gotten stung. And God had been dealing with him to rejoice.

And he said, Standing there on that trail, I was bit up, and God says, Otto, rejoice. And he said, No. This is not a good time for a lesson on rejoicing.

You know, a dark time, difficult. But he said, he just went ahead anyway. He just says, Praise you, God.

Just do whatever you want to do. Just thank you, God. Praise you, God.

And the next place they went, well, he says, the other folks come around, and they looked at him. He was all stung up, and he had big welts everywhere. And they said, Oh, Otto, you're going to die.

And he said, That's not a good thing to say to a pessimist. And anyway, they went to the next village, and he told one of his preacher boys, He says, You're going to have to preach today. Well, he says, What are you going to do? And he says, I'm going to lay here in the corner and die.

And he said, No, Tuan. He said, Don't die. He said, Then I'll always have to preach.

But anyway, the preacher forgot his message while he was there. It's a little bit humorous, but he forgot his message, and he just pointed at the missionary over here, and he says, You know, he said, This message must be very important. See how he's suffering to bring you this message.

And suddenly it hit him. He rose up and said, Hey, I haven't suffered near like there was one that suffered to bring you this message. And he preached Christ to him.

And that day there was quite a number. The first converts in that village. When through his suffering, he said, God, go ahead.

What do you want to do with this? What do you want to do with this? God is still faithful in the midst of darkness. In Psalm 119, verse 89 through 94. A few verses here forever.

Oh, Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations. Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

They continue this day according to thy ordinances, for all are thy servants. Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me.

I am thine. Save me, for I have sought thy precepts. The wicked have waited for me to destroy me, but I will consider thy testimonies.

I have seen an end of all perfection, but thy commandment is exceeding broad. God is still faithful in the midst of our darkness. Where do we turn in the midst of our darkness? This passage says to God's ordinances in verse 91.

It says to his law in verse 92. To his precepts in verse 93 and 94. And precepts basically are a charge or a command that God has given.

The faithful God in the midst of our darkness. Number three, God's faithfulness and temptation. 1 Corinthians 12 verse 13.

1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 12 and 13. My father-in-law said he knows that it's written that he won't give us more than we can bear. He just says that God's estimation of him is higher than his estimation.

But here in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 12, it says, wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. Common temptations, but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you're able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it.

Here's a promise from the scriptures, from God's word, from the pen of the apostle Paul that God is faithful when we face temptations. Now, I don't think this is necessarily just a temptation to do wrong, but in our trials and our affliction that God is faithful. He won't give us more than we can actually be able to escape.

It says he make a escape. I get a little bit that you may be able to bear it. I get a little bit the impression of the pop-off valve on the steam boiler at the sorghum mill.

There's a relief valve somehow in there as the pressure builds in this vessel that heats the sorghum pan over there at Oberholzer's. There's a pop-off valve that when it reaches a certain level of pressure it lets steam out so that this thing can bear it. He'll do that for you and I. Somehow, he brings us a relief in the midst of our temptation, whether it be an affliction or whether it be a temptation to sin.

And then finally, God's faithfulness to the humble. He says in Isaiah 57, I'll just read you a few verses here in closing that God dwells with the humble. Isaiah 57 verse 13 through 16 God's faithfulness to the humble.

Verse 13 says, When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee. But the wind shall carry them all away. Vanity shall take them.

But he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain and shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up. Prepare the way. Take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people.

For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy. And I highlighted these two words, I dwell. I dwell in the high and the holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

God is enormously faithful. This is where he lives. Here is divine condescension.

He comes to live here, not just to visit. Do we see how God helped Jacob when he was humble? You know, it's hard to go down the road of humility, but its rewards are very beautiful. Its rewards are very beautiful.

What should be our response to so great a faithful, humble God? Just go ahead, God. Are we safer in God's care or in our own care? Would Jacob have gotten more blessing letting God work the thing out or him working it out himself? Just go ahead, God. Whatever you want.

What do you want to do in my life through these things? Our response to so great a humble, faithful God is a spiritual mind. What is written about this? What can I find in the scripture about this? How does it look to him? Is this a carnal response or a spiritual response that I have? And we should finally pour out all our devotion to him, humble ourselves to what God is trying to show me. I said that once in a message, I think in Timpson, Texas, and there was a brother that objected.

I said, what is God trying to say to you? And he objected to that. He said, God doesn't have any difficulty in saying. I said, yeah, you're right.

But I said, God is a gentleman and he won't force us. He won't cram it down our throat. But he'll continue to work with us and continue to speak to us till we open our heart and say, God, all right.

All right, I will follow you. The faithful God, you know they ain't all sunk just because we run across a difficulty. This faithful God has promised to continue to work in you and I just like he worked in Jacob.

And who knows where our names are going to be with the list of the faithful. God bless you all. Thank you.