Don't Quit, Learn To Play Hurt.

DON'T QUIT! LEARNING TO PLAY HURT

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com. (YouTube: Wade Hughes)

Butterflies do not fly in the rain. Their wings are so fragile. The droplets of water would destroy their wings. Sometimes the best thing we can do during a storm is find a safe place and rest through the storm.

TEXT:

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

John 6:60 THIS IS A HARD SAYING...

John 6:66 From that time many of the disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.

John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve: WILL YOU ALSO GO AWAY?

Acts 9:16 FOR I WILL SHOW PAUL HOW GREAT THINGS HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAME'S SAKE.

Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

22. But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within shall mourn.

I. A LESSON OF PLAYING IN PAIN FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT.

1. LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF JACOB'S JOURNEY

A. Abraham and Sarah had a son named Isaac.

B. Genesis 24 is beautiful story of the bridal search as the servant Eliezer returns to the home land and finds

Bethuel, Abraham's brother, Rebekah and her brother Laban.

C.. Eliezer returns home with Rebekah and Isaac and Rebekah marry.

D. Rebekah bears Isaac two sons, Esau the red haired man that was very hairy and loved to hunt, Daddy's BOY.

E. Jacob is Mommy's BOY, he loves staying around the house and helping mommy.

F. THE HOME AND FAMILY LIFE IS VERY DYSFUNCTIONAL, and trouble lurks on every hand.

G. Esau sells his blessing for a bowl of lentil soup

2. JACOB HAS ONE MORE MEAL WITH HIS MOTHER AND FATHER.

A. Rebekah helps Jacob fix the last meal at home, and Jacob receives Isaac's blessing.

B. The dysfunctional home finally falls apart.

Genesis 27:41 AND ESAU HATED JACOB because of the blessing ----

C. ESAU VOWS TO KILL HIS CHEATING, LYING BROTHER!

3. JACOB RUNS FOR HIS LIFE, he will never see his precious Mom or Dad again.

A. Jacob runs for his life, and HAS AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD.

B. Jacob sleeps and sees a LADDER WHERE ANGELS ARE ASCENDING AND DESCENDING TO

HEAVEN.

C. Jacob travels to Haran and meets his UNCLE LABAN.

D. Jacob loves RACHEL, and is cheated and marries LEAH.

E. Jacob is cheated 7 times.

4. MANY YEARS HAVE PASSED, IT IS NOW TIME TO RETURN HOME AND FACE ESAU.

A. Jacob had cried many nights THINKING ABOUT HOME.

B. How would Esau accept his brother? What changes have happened at home?

Genesis 32:1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him!

5. Change come JACOB LEARNED TO PLAY HURT AND GOD CHANGED HIS FUTURE!

Genesis 33: 24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of day.

25. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the

hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

26. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And Jacob said, I will not let thee go, except thou

bless me. 27. And he said, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob, (subplanter, cheater). 28. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and men, and hast prevailed.

JACOB HAD NOT ALWAYS BEEN FAIR AND KIND TO HIS BROTHER.AS JACOB RETURNS HOME HE SENDS MANY GIFTS AHEAD OF HIM TO GIVE HIS BROTHER ESAU.

ISRAEL, NOT JACOB, JACOB NEVER FOUGHT IN PAIN, HE RAN... ISRAEL LEARNED HOW TO PLAY IN PAIN AND HURT! THE TOUCH OF THE ANGEL WOULD HURT THE REST OF HIS LIFE!

JACOB IS NO LONGER JACOB, THE CHEATER, HE IS A PRINCE WITH POWER WITH GOD!

NOT ONLY DOES HE HAVE POWER WITH GOD, BUT GOD HONORED HIM WITH POWER WITH MEN.

A TESTIMONY OF PLAYING HURT:

Genesis 32:32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow

of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

THE BLESSING CAME AT A COST!

II. HITTING A BRICK WALL? Some of the ideas by Wayne B. Smith, Lexington, Ky.

1. I am told that playing in the National Footfall League is liken unto hitting a brick wall. The players are trained and conditioned for endless hours, but all NFL players must LEARN TO PLAY HURT!

2. WHY DO PLAYERS PLAY HURT?

A. For the money? B. For fame? C. For the love of the game.