July 25

Genesis 32:22-31 - "That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, He touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
Then the man said, 'Let me go, for it is daybreak.'
But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'
The man asked him, 'What is your name?'
'Jacob,' he answered.
Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.'
Jacob said, 'Please tell me your name.'
But He replied, 'Why do you ask My name?' Then He blessed him there.
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, 'It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.'
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip."

We want to turn this church into God's Favorite House...

Just like trying to turn on a light switch, we need to look for a way to turn on God' glory.

I am trying to turn on God's glory and teach you how to worship, I'm trying to learn right along with you...

There's some of you out there who fear a face to face with God. Is that you?

Do YOU fear a face-to-face with God? I was afraid of a face to face, I'm gonna throw it right back at you...

My face to face led me wanting more of God.

Be people after God's own heart; seek to be close to His heart. Be a God chaser. Like David, who wanted to be after God's own heart.

Don't run from God, stop running. There's people here today that are running from God, someone, there may be several, that are running from God. He is telling me to tell you to quit running.

How many of us want to be somebody after God's own heart? In order for this to happen, we have to make this church a place where people feel welcome.

We want to make people feel welcome. This church has turned a big corner, we very much like to make people feel welcome in this church. But when you do that, the choice becomes, do we want to be a church who is only interested in its members and keeping them happy? Or do we want to become a church thats willing to turn on God's glory?

There are times when I don't want a face to face with God, I'm afraid of what God's going to tell me...

As it says in Genesis 32, verses 22,23: "That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions."

Do we not approach God sometimes with a discount store mentality? We come to church for revival, for a healing, or for whatever....We try to get the most at the cheapest cost. We want that celestial blue light special. We want what we want, the way we want it, right now, without any effort. We seem to want the most from God without any effort on our part...

Back up a couple of chapters and read a few chapters before, and look at the name Jacob. Jacob's name means trickster. He was a lifelong deciever, who had stolen his brother's birth right, he tricked his dad; he was wanting something for nothing...

The church is the same way. We always try to outsmart God with our actions. We show up on Sunday morning and say, Here I am for my hour, let's get it done. I want you to bless me now, bless this messed up life that I have and I'll go home and have that 'feely-good' feeling for another week...

Jacob had a destiny to fulfill. Just like we do, each of you has a destiny to fulfill. But Jacob couldn't be trusted in his present state.

in verses 24-26 it says: "So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man."

Jacob said, "I will NOT let you go ... unless You bless me." Jacob was wrestling with God, is who it was...he wrestled with Him all night long because he wanted Him to bless him. He was persistent. He had grabbed hold of God and wouldn't let go.

God encourages persistence in our lives, including in our spiritual well being - where in your spiritual life do you need more persistence? Think about it...

Strong character develops as you struggle through tough conditions. But Jacob was about to be rudely awakened. God didn't stretch out his hand and bless him. God didn't bless Jacob's messed up life, just like us in our messed up life - He struck him so hard that it knocked his hip out of joint permanently....Jacob limped for the rest of his life.

Aren't WE in need of God striking us so that we might walk with a limp?

In the ambulance, I have witnessed the discomfort of people with hip injuries first hand. They are usually in lots of pain.

He was probably in a lot of pain as he went to the meeting with his brother. Jacob had wronged his brother and he was dreading that face to face meeting...

Have YOU wronged somebody and that's why you fear a face to face with God? are you afraid that He will notice or say you've messed up?
(BTW, He already knows!)

Jacob wanted his older brother to be submissive to him. But when Esau saw Jacob limping, it changed Esau's heart. His heart was changed from one of revenge to one of love. He was changed into liking his brother; from revenge to love...

What would people think if they saw you walking with a limp, a limp that was brought on from a life changing encounter with the glory of God?

Is it time to ask God to bring about a change in our own hearts from an encounter with God?

Pastors have told me that the reason people aren't in church is because they have cold hearts. It's time we examined our own hearts first. It's time we had an encounter with God ourselves.

Say to yourself, I won't let go until God changes something in me!

Why don't we grab hold of God just like Jacob. And ask to God to change us so that we won't be the same again!

Others need to see there's a new person inside us because we now walk with a limp. They need to be able to tell there's a new person inside because they lost a wrestling match with God, and they are different.

If you're not walking with a limp, maybe you need to ask yourself - Why doesn't God use me? or worse, ask: Why doesn't God use me anymore?

The only way Jacob could fulfill his purpose in God, was to LOSE a wrestling match with God...the same is true for the church. Our emphasis needs to switch from seeking God's hands, to seeking God's face.

Have you ever been apart from your kids or grandkids for a while and when you get back together, they just want to hold your face between their hands and look at you? What is it they are desiring? Your grandkids are wanting face time with you...They want that intimacy with you because you've been gone, you haven't been in their presence.

Do you want, and seek, face time with God?

How many times do we come to church with our lists, with things to ask for? we tend to go to God when we are needing something...

Maybe God is thinking, is there anyone who comes in here this morning and just wants Me? I tend to go to God when I need something.

The highest form of worship is to come before God, not wanting anything, just come to have face time, to seek Him, to BE with Him....just praise Him.

SEEK HIM - get face time with God!

It's possible to go to live in the Kingdom and never see the glorious face.

We can live under God's protection but never actively seek His protection. Could it be that we're afraid of that face to face encounter I keep talking about with God?

How long has it been since the church has pursued the favor of God? We have to push away His hands and seek His face, and tell Him, I will be your servant, I just want to be where YOU are. This is when our worship no longer becomes self serving, it becomes worship that blesses and glorifies God. We no longer give to get, we give out of passion for Who God is.

God wants to change how our church is operating. He wants relationship over religion; He wants presence over presents. He longs for worshipers who go after the giver, not the gifts...

Which one are you?

Last week I said that we should give up theology and go to God-ology

It's time we come to church and leave with a limp.

In Matt 5:6 it says: blessed are those who hunger and thirst...God plants holy hunger and holy frustrations in order for us to produce fruit.

If you're not walking with a limp, perhaps you need to take a long look at your priorities...