The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-03-16
prayerfully. go into it, and hence
no5peace. e q ~
The PEOPLES Defender.

no7peace. q 4 8, e 4
: The PEOPLES Defender.
snsGoD WRESTLING WITH MAN. /
f,Texts And Jacob was left alone.
And there wrestled a man with him
until the breaking of the day" Gen.
80 IA.
I'd Jacobs contest here with the angel
of the covenant represents the strug
Cling process between God and man.
Jacob ati ;Bethels was convinced OF
Gods power but he had never been
colwiucef pf alds. own weakness and
dependence. Therefore God met him
at Jabbak when he was by himself
and contended with him in a wrest
ling combat of a, ,threefold nature.
1st,, Physical 2nd, meiital, and Brd,
spiritual, until be became fully con.
ssious Of, his own Weakness and de.
pehdepce and sought divine aid
Then he blessed him and, departed.
J T., Men WIG, seek Tue divine aid
from God must be truly. conscious of
their physical weakness. .
There is combat in which two
men cat engage that will more
test their physical
strength Than wrestling. 1t eNerts
every, joint and strahscevery nerve
No strong man ycan' Be- conscious Of
his, deicielcx until he comes in CON.
tact with one mightier than himself
but when the strongest of men come
in contact With God they End more
than match In physical strength
God is Incompatible, Tor there Is
none like unto him. For he rideth
upon the heavens i'll the excellensy
of the sky and looks OUT upon the
mighty works of creation and they
all say, there is none like unto him
in strength. The Holy Bible tells us
that in six days God made the world
and all things therein, and what. a
mighty power he must have been!
What is p oorman in the hands of
such a God? This is what mel
must consider and know. He must
not only know that God is strong,
but he must also know that he, him.
self is weak. God is wrestling with
men of today that they. may, know
their weakness. He causes, some
mems business to fail that they may
know their weakness. He sends death
and takes away their relations that
they may know their weakness. He
sends upon nations earthquakes and
pestilence that they may know their
weakness, and just as he touched the
hollow of Jacobs thigh so he touches
the hollow Of nations and individuals
that they may know their weakness.
IL. Men must not only be convinc-
ed of their weakness, but they also
must be fully conscious Of their ig-
norance. Man must know that God
has all wisdom as we'll as all power
That he is ignorant as we'll as weak
Thera is a way that seemeth right
unto men but the end thereof is the
ways of death. This is mems way Of
ignorance which he must know before
he can see Gods way Of wisdom,
which is life eternal. God lets the
ignorance of men upset religious
bodies and get things in a tangle
that they may know their ignorance
and also know that God has all wis
dom. God lets nations lay plans in
ignorance that will upset and turn
the government upside down until
they know that they are ignorant.
Education is a great thing and the
world cannot dc we'll without it, but
it is hurtful and dangerous In the
head of a grand rascal, for he that
is more ambitious for honor and
fame than for usefulness in life is
q hypocrlteess4a ssszssss * F,s1gg.
III. Men are not only weak and
ignorant, but sinful. and wicked, and
this they must fully recognize before
Gods divine3aid is given. For God
is not. only powerful and wise, but
he is righteous. He is the very
acme Of perfection ana tiiis @@men
must know, and not only this, but
they must know, that they are Sill.
fuiq and that all of his righteousness
in the, sight Of God is but filthygrags
and this all men must truly ,acknoWl-
edge before they can obtain Gods
help and divine aid in whatever work
or business they maybe engaged IN.
|. Men Of today are Wrestling with God
inStrying TO work under Aew plans
! afS church government and trying IA
move the old landmark, and they
will in ignorance continue to try
until God as did Jacob touches the
hollow of sstheir-thighand they viii
go limpfng& But Godshas always and
twill always have d people that will
stand fast in the faith and contend
dor the faith that was once delivered
Ito Hhe saints The real Christiaf
Ewia SSrealzes the fact that there 4
no victory without a battle. They
still hear the cry coming from the