Relate the story leading up to this point. Jacob, (Heel grabber, or supplanter) was born pulling and fighting to have his will. Being officially the second born, he got close to mother, since it would seem that he'd never have his Father's special favor. Latter he tricked his dad into giving him a blessing that was intended to go to his brother. As a result of this trickery, he has move away from home, and go and live with an Uncle named Laban. After about 23 years of hard work he is now married and has 12 children of his own. In this situation with his uncle, as with the situation with His own mom and dad, he must slip out at night, and hope he's got enough of a head start when He finally was able to leave. Out on his own, he receives word that his brother Essau wants to get together with him.
You know what's going through his mind? He's come to kill me! We'll he's lays his children and wives out as battlements. What a sad testimony. Friend, now he's at the end of his rope. Now he's gone as far as he can go. What does he do? He gets alone with God. And wrestles all night. What comes of it? God says, What is Your Name?
It is interesting… this same question is asked in the New Testament.
A name is very important… A name says a lot about the person. The bible says…
God's names are very important. They say a lot about God!
Names mean things… Jesus means Saviour -- What a lovely name the name of Jesus….
There are some names that are associated with things that I'd hate to be associated with.
Al Capon, Jeffry Dalmer, Susan Smith, Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinski, … Those names are associated with crimes and sins…
Jacob's name means – supplanter -- overthrower; to underminer Admission of what He was…
God can not and will not help you till you realize what you are! By the way, God will work to get you alone with Him!
God asks a lot of questions. We can learn a lot from that
We do everything in this world to get around admitting what we are and what we are doing! My family is to blame! My environment.. I just wasn't raised like that!
The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works. -- Augustine
The bible is full of Great confessions, most came from Great men, I might add!
| 1. Manasseh, | the wicked king of Judah confessed his sins when he was taken into captivity in Assyria. (2 Chronicles 33:11-13) |
| 2. David | (2 Samuel 24:10) confessed to God that he had done wrong in taking a census of Israel? |
| 3. Peter | (Matthew 26:75)confessed his denial of Jesus? |
| 4. Achan | (Joshua 7:20)confessed that he had stolen goods from fallen Jericho? |
| 5. Isaiah | (6:5)confessed his own sin and Israel's after seeing a vision of God on his throne? |
| 6. David | (2 Samuel 12:13)confessed his adulterous affair after being confronted by the prophet Nathan? |
| 7. Ezra | (10:1)bowed in front of the temple and confessed the sins of Israel while the people around him wept bitterly? |
| 8. The prodigal son | (Luke 15:18)confessed his riotous living to his forgiving father? |
| 9. Moses | (Exodus 32:31)confessed the building of the golden calf to God? |
I'm Jacob! -- Cost of Being Jacob --- Kids just like him. Sell his son to slavery, murder folks and keep the family on the run…
What is your name?
Rebecca? -- Permissive --- She undermined and schemed with her son and as a result she lost him. Both Jacob and Rebecca spend a lot of years in pain because of their actions. Are there any moms here today who are undermining the leadership of their Husbands?
Diotraphes? -- Prominent - Lady – You'll never see your husband serve God and do right if this is your name.
Demas? -- Popular -- Pleasure / Present World ---
Proud -- Destruction.. Humbled by God! You know it all. You are an expert on anything..
Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace. --- Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892)
God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves. -- Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899)
Euodias or Syntyche? -- Persistent (In sinful things) Rebellious! Stubborn! Philippians 4:2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. Bull Headed! You be that way. You'll face the Judgment of God. Prov. 29:1
By gnawing through a dyke, even a rat may drown a nation. -- Edmund Burke
Most of your kids are going to where your name! Are you giving them a good one?
Friend if your rebellious I'll never help you! It'll be like A mother and father decided to use psychology in raising their children. For example, at bedtime they would say to the children, "Would you like to take your doll to bed or your teddy bear to bed?" You see, the beauty of this is that in either case the child is choosing to go to bed. But the whole system collapsed when the three-year-old, who was never allowed to go out after supper, said to her parents one evening, "Do you want me to go out the back door or should I go out the front?"
He got a new name. Israel - - Prince with God!
I don't want to be know as the person I used to be… The foul-mouthed REBEL! God saved me, I'm HIS Now! I ought to please HIM! He deserves to be pleased!
Getting a new name didn't come easy, and it left him permanently marked! God Loves some of you enough to keep busting you till you get right, You ever thought to yourself that maybe a lot of what is happening to you and around you is happening because God is trying to get you to a place – spiritually, where you are humbled!
What is your name today..?
Thank God, He can give you a new Name!