January 11, 2013

January 11, 2013 - Genesis 25:1-26:33

^"29Jacob was boiling pottage (lentil stew) one day, when Esau came from the field and was faint [with hunger].³⁰And Esau said to Jacob, I beg of you, let me have some of that red lentil stew to eat, for I am faint and famished! That is why his name was called Edom [red].³¹Jacob answered, Then sell me today your birthright (the rights of a firstborn).³²Esau said, See here, I am at the point of death; what good can this birthright do me?³³Jacob said, Swear to me today [that you are selling it to me]; and he swore to [Jacob] and sold him his birthright.³⁴Then Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils, and he ate and drank and rose up and went his way. Thus Esau scorned his birthright as beneath his notice." Genesis 25: 29-34

Esau was hungry. So he just gave up his birthright. I cant tell you the number of times I have allowed my flesh to get in the way of God's blessing on my life. When we say no to the flesh by avoiding immediate gratification (or the easy path, or a quick fix), we gain boundless blessings from God. Because of his lack of self control, Esau's descendants would never be God's special people, and would actually be subservient to the Hebrews. Esau didn't care about the big picture, not at all. He was very selfish.

^"12Then Isaac sowed seed in that land and received in the same year a hundred times as much as he had planted, and the Lord favored him with blessings.¹³And the man became great and gained more and more until he became very wealthy and distinguished;¹⁴He owned flocks, herds, and a great supply of servants, and the Philistines envied him."

Earlier, I read that Abraham was very wealthy and now I read the same about Isaac. I cant help but believe God wants to bless us mightily and not just with spiritual blessings.

There are two main roadblocks that hinder God's blessings from flowing to His children. Poor choices (immediate gratification like Esau's example) and unbelief. We feel bad about our mistakes of the past and we think we are stuck with our poor choices. Not so.

When we repent, turn around, and begin making wise choices, God has promised to restore the years.

^"25And I will restore or replace for you the years that the locust has eaten—the hopping locust, the stripping locust, and the crawling locust, My great army which I sent among you." Joel 2:25

Maybe you have lost everything. Maybe you have a boatload of debt. Maybe it's impossible to imagine ever seeing your way through all the debt. Maybe it's your fault, maybe not. Either way, God desires to bless you abundantly!!! Just like Abraham. Lay the bills at the foot of the cross every day without fail. Pray, pray, pray. Worship, worship, worship. Pay your tithe, pay your tithe, pay your tithe. Believe, believe, believe. Do these things consistently, even when you see absolutely NO progress. Hold your head high and repeat, as many times as it takes, "God wants to bless me abundantly!"

"Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God,
the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and
His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with
those who love Him and keep His commandments;"
Deuteronomy 7:9 (NASB)

"It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich,
And He adds no sorrow to it."
Proverbs 10:22 (NASB)

"That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying
I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven,
and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;
and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies"
Genesis 22:17 (KJV)

"A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God,
which I command you this day"
Deuteronomy 11:27 (KJV)

"The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses,
and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee
in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."
Deuteronomy 28:8

"But my God shall supply all your need
according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus"
Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
And who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD
And righteousness from the God of his salvation."
Psalms 24:3-5 (NASB)

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts,
if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing,
that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Malachi 3:10 (KJV)

"As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life
for evermore."
Psalm 133:3 (NIV)

"And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing;
and I will cause the shower to come down in his season;
there shall be showers of blessing."
Ezekiel 34:26 (KJV)

"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:"
Genesis 12:2 (KJV)

"Dear God, I repent. I have made wrong, selfish choices. I want to completely change and begin thinking like You think. Transform my mind O God. Lead me every day throughout the day in making wise choices. Help me to embrace delayed gratification. Help me to say no to the desires of the flesh and say yes to You. In return You desire to bless me spiritually and physically beyond my wildest dreams! Help me believe You love me so much You want to show Your love to me by Your many blessings. Help me to stop trudging through life, tripping over Your blessings, and kicking them to the side. Help me lift up my sorrowful head, so I can see the beautiful things You have available for me. In Jesus' precious name, AMEN!"