Secure In the Love
of Jesus Christ 
Genesis 29:31-35


Christian Women on the Move
48th Anniversary

Guest Speaker: Evangelist Dale Hill
Sunday, September 18, 2022
 
Good morning members and friends of Second Baptist Church. First, I give honor and reverence to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the head of my life.
I thank Reverend Dr. Epps for allowing me to share this sacred space today. 
To Sister Valerie McDonald and her fellow members of Christian Women on the Move, I thank you for the invitation to join with you as you celebrate your amazing organization.

Let us pray, Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for yet another opportunity to hear your voice through your word. As I decrease, let your spirit increase that we may hear what thus says the Lord. 

As we know, the theme for the day is Secure in the Love of Jesus Christ, using Genesis 29:31-35 as the foundational scripture. With that theme in mind, I would like to speak to you from the subject, “never enough.” I believe that one of the many things that we can learn from Leah, who is the primary character in our theme scripture, is that no matter how much validation or security we think we need from people, it will never be enough.
 
Consider what it means that validation and security of people
is never enough.  
Monday, September 19, 2022
Thankfully as Colossian 2:10 tells us, we are complete in Jesus Christ.

The New Living translation of our theme scripture says, when the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive. So, Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son, she named him Ruben - for she said the Lord has noticed my misery and now my husband will love me. She soon became pregnant again and gave birth to another son she named him Simeon - for she said the Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son. Then she became pregnant a third time and gave birth to another son. He was named Levi for she said, surely this time my husband will feel affection for me since I have given him three sons. Once again, Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son, she named him Judah for she said, “now I will praise the Lord!” And, then she stopped having children. 

Now for those of you who may need a reminder of who Leah was, Leah was the older sister of Rachel. Leah and Rachel were daughters of Lathan, uncle to Jacob brother to Jacob's mother Rebecca. Jacob had been on the run from his brother Esau, whose birthright he had stolen. His mother sent him to his Uncle Lathan until she hoped Esau would cool off. When Jacob arrived at his uncle's, he saw Rachel and was smitten by her beauty. He asked his uncle for her hand in marriage and Lathan agreed, if Jacob would work for him for seven years. Jacob happily agreed. At the end of the seven years, his love for her was so strong that he said the seven years felt like only a few days. On his wedding night, Jacob's uncle Lathan presented Jacob with his bride, in the dark, at night. When Jacob awoke the next morning, he discovered that he had spent his first night of marriage with Leah, not Rachel. Good old uncle Lathan explained that it was not their custom for the youngest daughter to marry first and he told Jacob that Jacob could certainly have Rachel if he worked for him for another seven years. Jacob agreed.

Consider what it means to be sensitive to cultural customs
and traditions about relationships.  
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Now the descriptions of the two sisters are of great contrast. The King James version of Genesis 29:17 says Leah was tender eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. The Voice translation says, there was no brightness to Leah's eyes but Rachel had a beautiful shape that was lovely to look at. The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) translation said Leah's eyes were weak and dull looking, but Rachel was beautiful, attractive. The New Living translation says there was no sparkle in Leah's eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. Well we get the point don't we?

The description of the eyes is very key as one commentator says Leah’s blurred eyes would be regarded in the East as a great defect just as bright eyes were much admired. Can you imagine Leah’s life? Although the eldest, she must have continuously been looked down upon in favor Rachel. And even now at what should have been the happiest day of her life her wedding day, in spite of the fact that most marriages were prearranged during that time, but still she was not desired at all by her new husband. Oh, how hurt she must have been that morning at the look of disappointment on Jacob's face when he said to his uncle in Genesis 29:25, what have you done to me? Jacob raged at Lathan. I work seven years for Rachel. Why have you tricked me? Isn't it good to know, that no matter who thinks what of us we know that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Hallelujah!

Psalm 139:14 -17 tells us, Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, and in your Book they all were written, the days fashion for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are your thoughts to me oh God! How great is the sum of them! And isn't it good to know that we are the apple of God's eye!  

Psalm 17:8 tells us, keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me under the shadow of your wings. So, Leah, obviously grows up feeling slighted and overlooked. And we can see from our themed text that she begins her marriage determined to win her husband's love no matter what! She looks for love from her husband. She looks her recognition from her husband. She looks for validation and affection from her husband. She looks for security from simply being Jacob's wife. She looks and she looks and looks in all the wrong places, for what her soul can only find within a personal relationship with God!

Consider what it means to look for love, security and
validation in the wrong places.  
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Perhaps woman of God, you've been there too. But we must remember that our souls thirst for God, for the living God. Now from our text, we can see that no matter what Leah did, it was never enough for Jacob. She never earned what she thought she needed from Jacob: he couldn't make her feel who -though she she didn't realize it at the time - she already was - which was that she already was loved by God. Hallelujah!

We know that nothing was ever enough for Jacob by the laments that she expressed each time she gave birth. Now my husband will love me, she said after the first child. But obviously Jacob did not, because after the second child, she said the Lord heard that I was unloved. Then she keeps trying to win Jacob over with the third child, as she declares, surely this time my husband will feel affection for me. But it was not enough. Perhaps no one ever told Leah that she was created in the image of God and that was all the validation she needed. Hallelujah!

To everyone under the sound of my voice, don't you ever forget that you were created in the very image of God! Genesis 1:27 tells us, so God created man in His own image; in the image of God. He created Him male and female. He created them! Hallelujah!

So just why was it never enough for Jacob? Why was it that no matter how many children Leah birthed, it was never enough to win her husband's love and affection? And earn his validation of her to make her feel whole? Why was it never enough? Because it was not supposed to be, Beloved. Hallelujah! No man, no position, no things, nothing, can validate and confirm us the way the love of God can. 

Consider what it means that our souls are restless and
unfulfilled until we find our rest in God.
Thursday, September 22, 2022
And God expressed that love lavishly and extravagantly when He gave us His son, Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life. And who is this Jesus, Hallelujah! Well, He has existed from the beginning of creation and before. In the beginning John 1:1-4 tells us, was the word, that’s Jesus, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. Hallelujah!

The apostle Paul reminds us in Colossian 2:7-10, Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality in power. Hallelujah!

We are complete in Christ Jesus and in that 10th verse, that word for complete is pleroma in the Greek, and some of the definitions are satisfied, execute, finished, verified. One commentator says it means that you are in immediate union with Him, Jesus Christ. And in that union, you possess all you need - possessing Him in whom all is the fullness! Glory to God! Isn't that good to know?  

Consider what it means to believe in the all sufficiency of Christ for
your life as the expression of God’s love.  
Friday, September 23, 2022
Why would we look anywhere else than Jesus the Christ for our security and validation? Now, is it okay to be valued, appreciated and recognized by a man? Well, of course it is. Heartfelt encouragement and appreciation can go a long way and keep us motivated to serve. Certifications, accommodations, badges of honor can be used to express gratitude and appreciation for our efforts and sacrifice.
But may we never find ourselves in NEED of man’s security just to keep us keepin’ on for Jesus. Because the harvest is ripe, but the laborers are few. We must be about our Father's business. We must be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord. Our unhoused communities still need tending to along with our veterans, our foster children need to feel loved and provided for, our elderly need services, our youth and young adults need to be loved, taught, affirmed and mentored. We must find our security and validation in Jesus Christ, so we can continue to do the work for the Kingdom.

Consider what it means to find your security and validation in Christ.  
Saturday, September 24, 2022
As I close, another crucial lesson that we can learn from Leah is that when we accept that it will never be enough, when we attempt to be validated or made to feel secure by people, that we ought to do like Leah did and praise the Lord. 
Verse 35 of our text says, once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son, she named him Judah, for she said now I will praise the Lord. Hallelujah!

Psalm 33:1 says, rejoice in the Lord oh ye righteous for praise is coming for the upright.

Psalm 34:1-4 says, I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof and be glad. Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 

Luke 1:46-47 says, ...my soul magnifies the Lord; And my spirit has rejoiced in God my savior. 

There is a song that simply says, falling in love with Jesus, falling in love with Jesus, falling in love with Jesus is the best thing I've ever done. In his arms I feel protected, in his arms never disconnected, In his arms I feel protected, there is no place I’d rather be.  I agree. Don't you? God bless you.

Consider what it means to fall in love with Jesus.  



Falling in Love with JESUS
~Kirk Whalum
2412 Griffith Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90011 
Phone: (213) 748-0318