Mercy In The Mess

06 Sep Mercy In The Mess

Posted at 22:58h in English Service by

Pastor Vincent - 23 October 2014

Lie Weakens, Truth Stengthen

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭27-28‬ NIV) We often live our lives in isolation to the meaning of this verse. In the beginning, God had created with all spiritual and physical goodness, given the ability to control and manage all things (desires, emotions, will, inclinations) and bless us with the ability and longing to spread the blessings we have to those around us.  However, we all know that such is not the case today. Today, despite going to church, believers cannot resist the pressure of the world to pursue success and having more in life; despite praying believers still do not feel joyful, assured and peaceful about what come may is truly plans of God that will prosper them and not to harm them.  Man, even believers, have become so occupied with the lies of Satan to the extent of not knowing they are living in untruths. Because of the lack of truth, we start looking at our creator, ourselves and our conditions incorrectly, subjecting ourselves to the slowly and insidious attacks of Satan, repeatedly. Yet unless one comes to the knowledge of the truth of God, he will never know the greatest problem of his life is not the problems he can see with his naked eyes but the deeper spiritual problem of being separated from the One who gives life to him. Through today's message, may the truths we hear become the strength in our hearts and generate the right need, will, sensibility and emotions in all things. If we cannot see how victimised we are by the Lies, we will never realise how great is the grace that God has given us.  When truth strengthens, it brings us into full resistance to the devil through repeated submission to God's words. And that's how the influence of lies weaken in us and our loved ones.

Related Topics: Regeneration & Sanctification | More Messages from Pastor Vincent

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1 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?”

7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali.

14 During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”

“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”

16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.

22 Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” 24 She named him Joseph, and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”

 

Messy families abound in a sinful world.

1) A trend observed in the Bible.

  • Polygamy
  • Sibling rivalry
  • Deception
  • Murder
  • Adultery
  • God blessed His people not because they were perfect, but because He loved them.

 

2) Brokenness persists today.

 

3) Sinful humans cannot be completely harmonious and loving.

 

Thankfully, God is at work in this mess.

  • To draw us to His gospel.
  • Mess >>> Mercy
  • Pain >>> Praise
  • Those whom God blesses and uses are not those who are perfect, but those who need Christ.

 

Not perfect but redeemable.

* How to be healed from a messy family?

  • Christ heals brokenness.
  • If already know it is fragile, take extra care to cling to God.
  • Repent of sins that contribute to the mess.
  • Be healed by God’s love and live out His word.
  • Persevere!

 

Lessons from Jacob’s messy family.

1) The marriage pleasing to God is that between one man and one woman.

 

2) Jealousy is destructive.

  • Only desire what others have but not appreciate what we have.
  • Can lead to more serious sins and extend beyond generations.
  • Hidden >>> dangerous
  • Tend to spoil relationships closer to us.
  • Makes us more bitter.
  • Solutions:
    • Find back our worth in God.
    • Learn to give thanks.
    • Love others sincerely.

 

3) Insistence on one’s desire(s) can be detrimental.

  • Jacob’s problem: Only loved Rachel, but did not confirm how valuable Leah was too.
  • We tend to love the obvious good, but do not see value in the lowly, despised, foolish, and the weak who are chosen by God <1 Co 1:27-28>.
  • Learn to appreciate blessings hidden in the “Leahs” of our lives.
  • Submit to God’s plan even if it is not of our choice.
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Preacher Hui Jun
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Huijun serves as Secretary of The Blessed RUN Ministries. She is also the Preacher at The Life Church and Missions (Singapore). She graduated from Singapore Bible College and currently lives in Singapore with her husband, Chengji.

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