Broken but Blessed – Part 4

• ‭‭¹ What leads to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fightings) originate among you? Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members? ² You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you seek], so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask. ³ [Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures. ⁴ You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love? ⁶ But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it). James‬ ‭4:1-6‬ ‭AMPC‬‬
  • When we try to seize control and arrange for our own happiness, we end up frustrated and discouraged, and we turn on one another. We see people as our problem.  We sink to their level.
• 1. Jacob vs. Laban
  • ¹⁸ Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” ¹⁹ And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭29:18-20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
  • ²⁵ So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?” ²⁶ And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. ²⁷ Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭29:25-27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
    • Jacob has a manipulative mother and then is manipulated by Laban for Rachel. He’s consistently in relationships where people manipulate him. You see his mom’s sin and his dad’s wounding play out here.
• 2. Leah vs. Rachael
  • ³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. ³² So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” ³³ Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. ³⁴ She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. ³⁵ And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing. ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭29:31-35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
  • ²² Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. ²³ And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” ²⁴ So she called his name Joseph, and said, “The Lord shall add to me another son.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭30:22-24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
• 3. Jacob vs. Laban again
  • ²⁵ And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country. ²⁶ Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you.” ²⁷ And Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.” Genesis‬ ‭30:25-27‬ ‭NKJV