Thursday, June 25, 2009

Vajta Conference Session Eight: Phil Twente

image Pastor Phil Twente is the mission pastor at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. His old school style and wisdom are refreshingly bottom line. No minced words.

Is your name Jacob or Israel?

Text: Genesis 32

Jacob knew that his time to leave Laban was near.

Jacob has everyone upset with him. He can't go backward because hard feelings and jealousy from his in-laws endanger him and he faces bitterness and vengeance as he moves forward toward the brother he wronged.

Jacob begins to stand on the promises of God:
Genesis 32:9-12
9 Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’:

Then Jacob becomes humble before God:
 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.

The request:
 11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau;

His honesty:
...for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.

Stands on the promise God made:
12 For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

What promises can you stand on?

Here are a few:

  • ask of Me and I'll give you the nations...
  • call unto Me and I will answer thee...
  • whatever you ask in My Name I will do...
  • the Father will give you another Helper...
  • I will not leave you nor forsake you...
  • abide in Me and I will abide in you... and you will bear much fruit...
  • ask in My Name and the Father will give it... that your joy may be full...
  • if we ask according to His will, He hears us...
  • God leads us in triumph in Christ with a fragrance of His name in every place...

The above are obviously my paraphrase of the scriptures quickly read, but they should be familiar to you. If not, plug the above phrases into your Bible software and get familiar with the stories that frame the above promises.

When Jacob wrestled with the Lord, he lost. But with the Lord, that's how you win.

Is your name Jacob?: "heel holder" or "supplanter"...

Or Israel?: "God prevails"...

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