How to see the sweet by and by in the nasty now and now

1. HOW TO SEE THE SWEET BY AND BY IN THE NASTY NOW AND NOW
Intro:
Gen 32:26 : “Let me go, for the day breaketh.”
by T. DeWitt Talmage [1832-1902]
The dust is rising from a traveling herd of cattle and sheep and
goats and camels. They are the present which Jacob is sending to
appease the anger of his offended brother. That night Jacob halts
by the brook Jabbok. No rest for the weary man, no shining ladder
to let the angels down into his dream; but a fierce combat until
the morning with an unknown contestant. The two—Jacob and the
stranger—seize each other, each trying to throw to the ground the
other. The stranger, to show his superior power touches Jacob,
and the thigh-bone springs from the socket, and Jacob goes
limping and a cripple all his days. As on the morning sky the
clusters of purple cloud begin to ripen, Jacob finds out it is an
angel with whom he has been wrestling, and not one of his
brother’s cohorts. As the angel stretches himself up into the rising
morn, he cries out, “Let me go, the day breaketh!”
From this I learn that God lets His children go into terrific
struggle. Jacob loved God; God loved him; but there Jacob is left
alone in the midnight by the brook Jabbok to struggle with this
mighty influence. So all the way down through the ages; For
Joseph, a pit; for Daniel, a wild beast’s den; for David,
dethronement and exile; for Peter, a prison; for Paul, a shipwreck;
for John, desolate Patmos; for Christ, a cross.
I learn again that often God’s people are trying to throw down
their best blessing. Jacob thought it was an enemy he was
fighting with that night. Oh, no! it was an angel of mercy that had
come to promise a blessing to him and to his children afterward.

2. So it has been with you and with me. How many times we have
tried to throw down our greatest blessing. Your great misfortunes
in life have turned out to be your greatest advantage. David,
pursued into the wilderness by his rebellious son, becomes the
sweet singer of Israel. Through scourging and shipwreck and
imprisonment, Paul comes to be the great apostle. The hurricane
that struck the house where Job’s children were banqueting, and
slew the children, with other misfortunes turned out to make Job
write that magnificent poem which has been the astonishment of
the ages.
I know of no way of getting the wheat out of the straw except by
threshing it. I know of no way of purifying the gold except by
putting it in the crucible. Go among these men and women who
have accomplished most for God—go anywhere, and you will find
they have had the baptism of tears.
Christian life= war
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not againstflesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
God’svocabulary: For we wrestle not… He begins your marching
orders with victory. However the verse doesn’t end there. An army
that has never struggledis not an army but a social club.
What was the one thing you thought 20 yrs ago was your answer to
life, love, and the pursuit of happiness?

3. Do you still have it; will it still be the answer in another forty years?
Your mind can be deceived by perceived reality. [High places, your
mind is the highest place you have...Rom 1:21, 2Cor 10:5]
Conflict of location
Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things
which he possesseth.
John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in
this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Confusion of prosperity and praise
Ps 49:16-20
16
Be not thou afraidwhen one is made rich, when the glory of
his house is increased;
17
For when he dieth he shall carry nothingaway: his
glory shall not descend after him.
18
Though while he lived he blessed his
soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
19
He shall
go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
20
Man that is
in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
1John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If
any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers andadulteresses, know ye not that the friendshipof
the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of
the world is the enemy of God.
Unfair fight
Ps 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast
crownedhim with glory and honour.

4. Heb 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst
him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for
the sufferingof death, crownedwith glory and honour; that he by the
grace of God should taste death for every man.
The advantageis actually in your favour
Eph 3:8-12
8
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace
given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of
Christ;
9
And to make all men see what is the fellowshipof the mystery,
which from the beginningof the world hath been hid in God, who created
all things by Jesus Christ:
10
To the intent that now unto the principalities
and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold
wisdom of God,
11
Accordingto the eternal purpose which he purposed in
Christ Jesus our Lord:
12
In whom we have boldness and access with
confidence by the faith of him.
Eph 1:20-23
20
Which he wroughtin Christ, when he raised him from the
dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21
Far
above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come:
22
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the
head over all things to the church,
23
Which is his body, the fulness of him
that filleth all in all.
1Pet 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God;
angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

5. Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all
principality and power:
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew
of them openly, triumphingover them in it.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I
have overcomethe world.
Peace, good cheer = knowledgeof God’sword.
2Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, shouldshine unto them.
 Mind blinded from believing, if that doesn’twork; blind them
from knowledge& understanding.(Gen.3:1 ‘hath God said’ not,
did Adam tell you)
 His attempt is to block light (understanding).
 Gen. 1:3 light divides from darkness Ex,14:20
 Gen. 1:14 2 lights (each have rule, Christ rules the Church; the
church rules the earth, but only in the light it reflects) John. 1:9,
12:35-36
 Ps 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth
understandingunto the simple.
 Ps 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicingthe heart: the
commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
In Christ it is not possiblefor this world to hold you.
Acts 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death:
because it was not possible that he shouldbe holden of it.

6. Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
1John 4:9 In this was manifestedthe love of God toward us, because that
God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through
him.
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Blind faith in a sure thing
1John 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from
the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the
word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
4-7 requires maturity of young men (because ye are strong, and the word of God
abideth in you)
2Cor 6:4-10
4
But in all things approvingourselves as the ministers of
God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5
In stripes,
in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
6
By
pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost,
by love unfeigned,
7
By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the
armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8-10 requires a maturity of experience (ye have known him that is from the
beginning)
8
By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers,
and yet true;
9
As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we
live; as chastened, and not killed;
10
As sorrowful, yet alwayrejoicing; as
poor, yet making many rich; as havingnothing, and yet possessing all
things.

7. Rom 5:1-5
1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2
By whom also we have access by faith into
this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3
And
not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation
worketh patience;
4
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5
And
hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroadin our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Peace from God Phil. 4:7, 9; Col. 3:15;
1Thes. 1:1
1Tim 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting.
Phil 4:6-7
6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God.
7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep
your hearts and minds through ChristJesus.
Luke 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,
neither be ye of doubtfulmind.
Ps 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he
shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
1Pet 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Matt 13:22 He also that receivedseed among the thorns is he that
heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of
riches,choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

8. No one ever wanted to see the morning more than Jacob did. And what an
announcement! “The day breaketh!” Gen 32:26
God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
2
God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
3
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river, turbid and deep.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.
1Thess 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on
the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of
salvation.