Have you ever overcome a difficult situation? Odds are you have! However, at the same time, odds are that you’re going to face another tough situation, and it may be even worse! These types of things are all a part of life. In fact, Jesus even tells us of this in His word. Today, Pastor Mark is going to be sharing a message with us that reminds us of one of the most difficult things God brought His people through. As we read through these scriptures we can be reminded that God is always in the business of working in the midst of trial; therefore, we can stand firm that He will do it again!  

Have you ever met someone who no matter how sick they got, or how bad things in their life were going, they never acted like anything was wrong? Sometimes we even look at those people and wish we were able to go through trauma like that, but oftentimes those types of people end up reaching a breaking point! In today’s message, Pastor Mark is going to be talking about people who continue to blow through life acting as if they are stronger than God in every circumstance. The truth is, God wants us to come and surrender every situation and say “Lord, I can’t do this on my own. Would you please come and help me.” 

Just like seasons are a part of each calendar year, they are also a part of our lives. At some point, we will all face difficulty, and at other times we will face victory! This is no surprise to God. In fact, even in the Bible, His word tells us that in our lives we will face trouble, but to take heart because He has overcome the world! In today’s message, Pastor Mark is going to be sharing with us a story that we can all closely relate to. Whether we’re on a mountaintop or down in a valley right now, these words still reign true. Just like the times of the year, this is only a temporary season, and God promises that a new season will come! 

Have you ever felt comfortable in life having almost everything you needed when all of a sudden you felt a strong pull to go somewhere else? Or have you ever had a situation where you were invited somewhere and you only wanted to go if one of your friends was going as well? These two situations are very similar to what we’re going to be talking about today. In our message, Pastor Mark is going to be talking about Jacob. Jacob was in a comfortable situation; however, God called him to go elsewhere, and he didn’t want to go unless God was with Him. It was then that God assured him of his calling and Jacob realized that if God was with Him, He had everything he would ever need. 

Have you ever found yourself enjoying life and living comfortably when suddenly everything starts to feel like it’s crumbling below you? It’s a scary feeling to suddenly not have that security we once did, but what if I told you that sometimes the only way God is able to work in our lives is by bringing change to them? Today, Pastor Mark is going to be sharing a message with us where He talks about the uncomfortable times in life. This can mean job changes, sudden loss of a loved one, financial changes, and so many other things. The truth is, when we feel most uncomfortable, we cling to God and find Him the most! 

Mowing the yard. Running kids to practice. Washing dishes. Raking leaves. Folding laundry. All of these seem like daily tasks to me, not really defined as work. Because when I think of work I think of employment. Not so with God. Pastor Mark reminds us today that everything we do, whether big or small, is to be done with care and thoroughness. 

Laban, Jacob’s father-in-law, wasn’t a believer. But, he did have the sense to recognize a good thing when he saw it. Actually, it was Jacob and Laban didn’t want to lose him. Want to know why? It comes down to two words that Pastor Mark explains today as work ethic. Did you know that how well and hard you work is a testament to the name of Jesus? Take a moment to reflect on what your work is saying about you. Whether you’re working remotely or physically driving to your workplace, what you do and how you do it is noticed by others! Don’t think for one moment that a good work ethic doesn’t matter.

Four wives. Numerous sons. Working for a dishonest man. All because of Jacob’s decision to engage in deceit. You might think this is a pretty hefty consequence, but I contest that sin is heavier. God has a reason for His actions and we see this playing out in Leah and Rachel’s sprint to win Jacob’s favor as Pastor Mark explains today. Will you view your life experiences and situations as workouts in faith-building? Your trust in Jesus will only get stronger. Because we have an all-knowing God that doesn’t leave us. We can expect to experience His goodness if we’ve turned away from our wrongdoing. That’s what God’s promised you and I. 

What a rivalry we hear about from Pastor Mark today! Two women fighting for their man to notice them. This isn’t anything new. But there IS something in Jacob’s story that we can learn. Despite the mess we find ourselves in because of our sins, God works everything together for our good and HIS GLORY! Remember that only through repentance, spiritual wrestling, and submission to God will we experience His blessings and the secret to true happiness. Will you go to Jesus first, before you try to look for love from someone else? Friends, if we can do this then I daresay our mess can be supernaturally organized enough to live in.

Sin usually has consequences in some way or another. Jacob’s sin was deceit and in a chain of events, he lived with polygamy. He was married to two sisters, Rachel and Leah. Can you imagine? How they battled for his love, affection, and time is weird. They had a baby race as Pastor Mark tells us today. I want to leave you with some food for thought. What are your steps to attaining love? Do you base it on emotion? Or does it grow and develop because you’ve accepted that God has a reason for what He does? Leah had to learn this. And maybe we all need to depend on God MORE than others for the love we seek.