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The contraverice! Two of the greatest bible figure NOT in heaven? HOW!

Turn your bibles to Gen 32.

I'll sum up most of the story, Esau wanted to kick Jacobs arse. Jacob was scared and sent his family and everything he owned ahead of him so not to let Esau hurt them or steal them, this is the great bit.

Gen 32:23-24
23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

He was alone yet he wrestled with a man? How is this possible. Becuase this man wasn't of this world of course.

Gen 32:25-28
25 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. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
27 The man asked him, "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.
He wrestled with God and God said to him. "Let me go, for it is daybreak." He wasn't giving up God wasn't tired in fact he wanted Jacob to continue to wrestle but he was giving the man an out, giving him a way to back down. (This isn't the important bit)

Now he refused he said not until you bless me. God wants his people to struggle with him, he wants his peopel to fight for blessing, to fight for souls. Never think God doesn't want you to wrestle over thing with him. And he loves it even more when you don't give up until you've recieved it.

But hang on, The Aurthor of all creation asked him his name. If God know everything about us before we are born why did he ask Jacob his name?

For this we go to Gen 25:21

Gen25:24-26
24 When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. 25 The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. [e] 26 After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. [f] Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

Now they named children as they saw them, as characterristic that they often portrayed. They named poor old Esau pretty simple. They called him Hairy.. razz But Jacob. They called him that because it means. "He who graspes at heel" this is what they said about him, he was the one who always was sly, the one who stole his brother inhertence, the one who always used his natural ability to get to the top.

How is it that this man is the one who is blessed with the honour of naming God's people's country after? It simple he wrestled with God. Now why did God not know his name. I'll get to that in a second. But lets look at Solomon first.

1 Sam 12:24-25
24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; 25 and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.

Now, David was comforting Bathsheba because she lost her first born child of Davids, so David gave her another son, this son was called solomon which means "peace" he was meant to be the thing to help his mother grief. Born for that purpose. But God had other things in plan God called him Jedidiah which means God's loved one. Although he was born for someone material needs, God had bigger plans, God has what he thinks of you. For solomon it didn't matter what he was born for, it didn't matter what he was meant to do in life, not what people thought of him. What God thinks is bigger and becuase of this he doesn't have to conform to their thinking but Gods.

Now lets go back to Jacob.

Gen 32:28
28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, [e] because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

For Jacob, Gods name for him wasn't that of being a sneeky person who will do what ever it takes to get to the top, this stigma, this mind set was not of God. Thus why he didn't know his name. He never reconised his son as this person he always looked as him as to who he will be Israel the one who struggled and overcame with God.

What I'm saying guys, is this.
-Know your worth in God and raise up against tho who oppress you with other words. You ARE not weak, you ARE not who you use to be before comign a christian. Don't let them tell you this, you are Gods loved Sons/Daughters. Never let this be compromised.
-Know what he calls you not what others do.

To answer the sermons titles, Jacob won't be in heaven Israel will, Solomon won't be in heaven Jedidiah will be, their earthly purpose nothing on their heavenly given purpose.

God bless.
~TTH

I am in the natural a mistake baby, born from an adulterous relationship, born a b*****d son.

But I know for God I am great and mighty man.

I know that letter I too have it. smile

I said Jacob and solomon are not in heaven because God changed there names to something with greater purpose, read over it with that in mind.

Suicide is the murder, it complete and utter distrust and destruction of your life against God's will. Judas probable won't be in heaven. Feeling convicted over getting a man who loved you unconditionally for money doesn't mean you ask God into your heart, it means you feel like a jerk. Which you should.

As for Cain, I'm not sure if God forgave him.

Oh, but Jesus would died. There's a song by Kids in the Way about Judas.
"So kiss My face, commit yourself to treason, now run away, you broke My heart!"
(It's from Jesus' point of view)

Gods way are higher than ours remember that,
Even if Judas didn't betray Jesus there would of been another way he would complete his mission. And it was a betrayal, even if you know someone going to betray you doesn't make it any less of a betrayal, besides that remember we know that Jesus was dying for all our sins, but the disciples had a difficult time coming to terms with the fact he would raise from the grave.

There are two theory of Judas, he did it for the cash.
or he was in a small group of jewish extremist who thought that Jesus was the Messiah but they wanted to try and send him to the cross to force him to use his powers.

Either way it was betrayal.

That is very uplifting. I think it's all too easy for us to conform to others, and with all that goes on in our lives, we set God aside. That story also shows that we have a purpose whether we see it or not. We may not know what we are doing, and others may tell us we are worthless, but God knows what is there for us in this life. This helps me sleep easily every night. Through my struggles, I still know that there is still SOMETHING there for me tomorrow. There is purpose in my life even when I cannot see it.