Mercy In The Mess

06 Sep Mercy In The Mess

Posted at 22:58h in English Service by

Pastor Vincent - 21 May 2015

Believing And Forsaking

What gives you the ongoing stamina in this Christian race? Everyone wants to feel useful, be recognised and thrive in the world. When Christians do not follow the current of the world, we often feel the pressure of being “different”, or unfitting, so much so that it brews doubt in us about the practicality and worthiness of this Christian race we’re running in. Paradoxically, the world often seems so beautiful, believable and enjoyable before God destroys it. But through the stories between Abraham and Lot, God has a message for His people - don’t be afraid to jeopardize your worldly joy when you choose to set apart for God, because when you hold onto the promise of God by faith alone, your God who chose and gave you the promise will also sanctify and glorify you. We often find ourselves a partial Lot who lives by sight, but desiring to be Abraham who lives by faith. This is because we do not believe that God’s promise is more real and more beautiful than what we’re holding on, or our conditions just inhibit us to believe that God will truly make us the heir of the world, just as He told Abraham. Abraham wanted a son, but God gave him The Son. When he parted ways with Lot who was then the only hope he had, God revealed to him and strengthened him with His promise again when he had no hope in his earthly conditions, God was all he had. When we are encouraged by God’s promise alone, the faith we have will also lead us to infinite possibilities of God’s work in our life. Let’s receive a covenanted reason and direction in this Christian race today, God delights in us witnessing the trueness of His promise 🙂 — “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” - Mark 9:24

Related Topics: Faith | 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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