Jan 28 Picture of a carnal christian
28_Picture of a carnal Christian Gen 33:1-3 Then Jacob raised his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel, and the two slave women. 2 He put the slave women and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother. Heb 12 1 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking only at Jesus, the originator, and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before He endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Imagine a garden hose lying in a mass of tangled loops. It is designed to carry water and nourish plants. Yet it lies dry and ineffective. Its purpose is clear. Yet, without being untangled, it is useless and cannot fulfill its potential use. Every believer who lives in the flesh, entangled in worldly pursuits, does not fulfill God’s purpose. The potential for spiritual growth is there, but it is choked by self-reliance and distractions. Only with the removal of the “kinks” can the living water of God flow freely through such people. Only then can they experience and share his life and be fruitful. Jacob often provides a vivid picture of a carnal believer, even though he was a man of faith. Genesis 33 demonstrates one of the struggles between his faith and his flesh. in this chapter. This man had just wrestled with the angel of the Lord. In his helplessness, after the angel disabled him, he clung to him until his supplication for blessing was granted. He came face to face with his weakness, but he also saw God face to face. Crippled, he could no longer flee nor fight. He was weaker than ever before, just as he was about to meet Esau - a confrontation he had dreaded for years. Now Jacob could rely only on God for protection. Yet, transformation is not instant, but a lifelong journey. Despite the Lord’s blessing and despite his new name of Israel, Jacob quickly reverted to old patterns of fear and self-reliance. He still schemed to protect himself and his family, dividing his household into groups so that if one was attacked, the others might escape. God had promised to be with him. He had proven his faithfulness in protecting him from Laban. But Jacob’s faith faltered. Instead of resting in God’s promises, he clung to his human strategies. This tension between faith and fear mirrors the struggles many Christians face today. Many times we, like Jacob, forget God’s past faithfulness when faced with a new crisis. The God who delivered us before is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Yet, when challenges arise,