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Now or Later

The Urban Alternative / Tony Evans, PhD
The Cross Radio
November 10, 2020 7:00 am

Now or Later

The Urban Alternative / Tony Evans, PhD

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November 10, 2020 7:00 am

From the moment were born, all humankind shares a common tendency: we want what we want when we want it. But in this lesson, Jonathan Evans will reveal how we jeopardize our future when we grab just what we want today.

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Charles Stanley
The Urban Alternative
Tony Evans, PhD
The Urban Alternative
Tony Evans, PhD
The Urban Alternative
Tony Evans, PhD
In Touch
Charles Stanley
The Urban Alternative
Tony Evans, PhD

The enemy will always be cooking up something that you would, Jonathan Evans says there's wisdom in controlling our appetite. So many times were so into our question right here right now that we don't realize that when making a deal with the devil that's giving up. This is the alternative with Dr. Tony, author, speaker, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the alternative.

From the moment we are born all humankind shares a common tendency. We want what we want when we want it, but Jonathan Evans says we jeopardize our future when we grab just what we want today. Let's join him as he explains turn your Bible to Genesis chapter 25 to read to you starting at verse 29 verse 29 through 34 when Jacob had cooked stew. Esau came in from the field and he was famished and Esau said to Jacob. Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there for I am famished.

Therefore, his name was Carlito, but Jacob said first sell me your birthright. Esau said, behold, I am about to die so of what use then is the birthright to me and Jacob said first swear to me and he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew and ate and drank and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright now will walk you through the story will go line by line.

The first I want to set it up and make sure you have an understanding of all of Esau and Jacob stored Esau is the older brother of Jacob and her twins there, the sons of Isaac. Isaac is the son of Abraham. So you have Abraham, Isaac, Esau and Jacob narrowed verse 25. It tells you their birth. It tells you their order in verse 25 it says now the first came forth read all over like a hairy garment and they named him Esau afterword his brother came forth with his hand holding onto Esau's heel so his name would be called Jacob and Isaac was 60 years old when she gave birth to them. It says Esau was born first and then it says Jacob was born second and Jacob would grab the heel of Esau, the author is setting up the story letting you know that Jacob would be coming after Esau from birth.

Jacob would be grabbing his heel trying to trip him up, known as the trickster, so to speak, to go after the blessing to go after the birthright. You have to understand the importance of that and also understand the order in which they were born.

Why is the order in which they were born important because the firstborn would carry the birthright, the firstborn would have the birthright in the birthright is a big deal.

The reason why Jacob is grabbing his brothers put in will continue to grab through their lives because Jacob was a little bit of that birthright birthright is a big deal and it goals it is attributed to the firstborn child, which in this case is Esau. Let me tell you little bit about this birthright. The birthright means that the firstborn son would get a double inheritance of the father that he gets to portions the inheritance. What inheritance was always split or portioned out based on how many children you have some of you have four kids, you would have all portions of one inheritance so that each kid gets their portion. But the firstborn son would get a double portion.

I'm getting aggravated just about to become the second born son. My brother gets a double portion of my father's inheritance and there's more of us.

Which leaves me Crystal and Priscilla to share to portions between the three of us because the firstborn will get a double portion. But what if you have two children Isaac and Jacob. You have to portions, Esau would get a double portion of to portions which leads Jacob with what nothing and he grabbed his brother's heel I guess. So I would grab my brother's heel to he would be left with nothing because he gets a double portion of to portion so Esau has the inheritance. Not only that, the oldest child would also be given the succession rights of the father, he would be given the rule or dominion over the family when your fathers leave your home you look at your oldest boy, and you say that is leaving so now you're the man of the house which are telling him is that the oldest son he has the succession right and that's what Esau would have to not only does he have a double inheritance. Not only does he have succession rights but he has 1/3 thing that's extremely important. The most important that comes along with this birthright being the oldest child of promise was made to Abraham. God made a promise to Abraham. God told Abraham to make your name great through you McRae to create a great nation and through that all nations will be blessed.

All nations were blessed by Isaac. All nations were blessed by Jacob.

All nations were blessed by the 12 tribes of Israel. Jacob sons so blessed all nations. He was talking about Jesus Christ see Jesus Christ would be the only one to come to bless all nations. So, in Genesis were already referencing the coming of the Messiah, the firstborn son would have genealogy rights to the Messiah, their descendents would be connected to Jesus Christ. So Esau is born into the penthouse. He didn't go from rags to riches. He started with riches and ends up at the end of the story with rights it says when Jacob had cooked stew. Esau came in from the field and he was famished. My brother was spam spam is doesn't just mean hungry famished means extremely hungry and extremely hungry where feels like your stomach is eating its way through your back Esau for spammers. That boy is hungry and the authors make an appointment right now he's feeling it right now, he's all about his flesh right now. He is extremely famished and extremely hungry.

But wait a minute now Esau has the right he's got the double inheritance. He's got succession rights. He's got genealogy rights to the Messiah yet he's got all of that. But right now he's extremely famished. Just because you're a believer in Jesus Christ and you been born into a birthright doesn't mean you won't have time in your life where you're not extremely thin when you have extreme desires in your life you may be single and be looking for made in your marriage. You may have a desire for that thing to come together and be on better terms. You may have a financial desire.

You may have a job desires you have. You may have a promotion desire, you may have an extreme desire in your life and you may have the birthright because all of us as Christians are born again into the birthright. We have certain rights you have the right to be free and not be in bondage. You have the right to experience heaven now and not have to wait to you.to experience heaven. You have the right to an inheritance. You have a birthright right here. The man with the birthright is extremely famished.

So just because you believe in Jesus doesn't mean you will meet some rainy days. Esau is extremely famished and that's the way he comes into the tent. Esau came in from the field extremely famished.

Once this is says Jacob had cooked stew and Esau came into the house famished had means passed since that means the student was already prepared for him when he came into the house understand that the enemy will always be cooking up something that you're hungry for Jacob is the one that would trip up Esau and he already had the provision prepared for Esau's hunger, God is not the only one who provides the enemy will provide for you to but at what cost. He said he had cooked stew it's already there for you is when you famished. I got some beauty once this debts chapter verse 29. But look at what he says Esau is extremely famished and Esau says the Jacob, please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there for I am famished. Therefore, his name was Khalid. He is so famished and so hungry and so him and his flesh right now he just wants some of that red stuff that's on the stove because I how he's feeling right now in his flesh is flesh is overtaking him. All he cares about is what's cooking on the stove but watch this.

It says therefore his name was Khalid. What's this you can't skip that the Hebrew word for Edom is a doll that means read another words he would be so into his fleshly desire that he would begin to identify with his knee, his identity was connected to his flesh. His identity was not connected to his birthright. He said therefore his name was called Edom.

Be careful that you don't feel so much of your fleshly desire and what you want now that you start identifying yourself by your need is that of identifying yourself by your birthright identifying yourself by your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Well, I'm a single man or single woman know you're not your man of God or woman of God will encore know you're not. You're rich in Christ. The problem is your identifying yourself by your need not identify yourself by your birthright. He says therefore his name is read because he was so fixated on what is flesh wanted that he lost sight of his birthright. What were Esau's descendents name the even rights were known for the red stuff that took away their blessing. The Edomites were known for the rest of that took away their genealogy rights and connections to the Messiah. The Edomites were known for that red stuff that lost their inheritance. What is your family knowing full are your kids still connected to the Messiah are your kids. Kids connected to the Messiah or did they lose that because of that red stuff. What I was concerned with in my life with my fleshly desire was, it wasn't wrong that Esau was hungry. That's a part of life. But when you're hunger is an disconnect with the truth when you're hunger is a disconnect with your birthright. Then we have a problem my friend call me. Not that long ago when he was telling me about a funeral that went bad.

I don't know if you ever been to a funeral that went bad, but is not a great situation.

He call me said this is one of the worst funerals that I've been to in my life because the do the tragically passed away.

He was about 3835 to 38 years old right in their 30s. I said what happened. I said he said that he had about eight of his baby mom was there and children running all over the place and they were trying to view the body and they start fighting each other and the kids start cussing each other out and all that kind of stuff and it was just terrible. If he was only here to see his legacy but I told him that's just the remnants of what he was concerned about while he was here. See while he was here he was just concerned about getting a little bit of that red stuff, and now his descendents will be known as the Edomites because right here. He's so into his. She saw and what his desires are.

He's so into what he wants that it has generational impact of fleshly lists that red stuff and Jacob says oh you flesh desires this thing that much you you can identify yourself with, you wanted that bad okay what are some of your birthright, you always know when is the enemy because he's always going to make a trade with you. You see when God gives you something.

There is no sorrow with it.

When the enemy gives you something. He was your birthright and return when the enemy bring something to you when he provide some student and you have that need. You would have to separate yourself from biblical truth in order to be satisfied. Jacob said first sell me your birthright and he said he would first. Another words, there's always going to be in exchange before you get to eat.

You're not going to get to eat before the enemy gets what he wants.

First you are aware whether your unaware. You always make a deal with the devil before he lets you be satisfied.

He said first sell me your birthright and then he said cell cell means that there is an attributed value to what's being sold here and say give me your birthright. He didn't say trade your birthright. He said sell me your birthright. Understand that the enemy will always get more value out of the deal.

Whatever you get is not going to be as valuable as what he takes Jonathan Evans will take a looser look at the cost of our reckless returns in just a moment right now, though I would tell you a little bit about Dr. Tony Evans brand-new book kingdom encounters. It explores the unique ways you can move beyond just reading about God to actually experiencing him, especially when you feel alone, abandoned her when life seems to be closing in around you.

There's nothing like being fully connected to Christ and to help you reach that goal would like you to have this brand-new resource along with full-length CDs and instant digital downloads of all eight messages.

Tony's current teaching series divine encounters.

Both of these powerful resources are yours is or thank you gift when you make a contribution in support of Tony's ministry. We are completely listener supported ministries for your faithfulness is the only way we can keep bringing you this broadcast each day. As always, you can make all the arrangements@tonyevans.org or call us at 1-800-800-3222 that's 1-800-800-3222. Will Jonathan Evans will come back with more of today's lesson right after this. It's beyond the Sunday sermon a chance to really dig into the Bible and the kingdom in a new way anytime and anywhere because it's all online Tony Avenue and straining center in-depth courses all kinds of topics cultural transformation intro to expository preaching, you Hebrews, Old Testament, New Testament, and so much more. These are sermons their teaching courses to help you engage understand Scripture and not just to hear about, but to explore the kingdom of God on your own. Find out more Tony Evans training.org Tony Avenue and straining.org we just talked about the inheritance future. Your succession rights over the family that's future. You have to wait on that genealogy rights to the promised land into the Messiah. That's future, you will have to wait on that what Jacob was saying is I'll give you this temple now if I can have generational longevity. The enemy will always take your future if you just want to be satisfied right now. What would Esau have to do in order to maintain his birthright. He would have to be willing to be famished. You see, most Christians don't connect their relationship with Jesus Christ with supper were not interested in suffering. I want to be famished. If I have a need. I want to satisfy the thing right now there was a little boy. One day he was talking to his father. His father had open heart surgery and the father told the little boy had to have open heart surgery because I wanted to live longer. I wanted to save my life. I wanted to be here with you, and in order to live longer. I had to have open heart surgery. That's why I have this big scar on my chest and the son will always come in and ask questions in the dams that were you asking all these questions and he said because I just want to know the process that you went through in order to have a long life and one day his son ran into the room and the son said that I'm ready to have surgery. What are you talking about you ready to have surgery, you will need to have surgery so I'm ready to have surgery. I'm ready to get my scar. He said son slow down you don't need to have surgery, you will need to get a start. What are you talking about. He said that, I know it's going to hurt. I know the healing process. I know that I have to have a scar.

The rest of my life but I'm ready to accept Jesus into my heart. You see the sun. Jesus Christ will start and he was still willing to do most Christians don't attribute our relationship with Jesus Christ, the barren stars so when it comes to how we feel right here right now.

I'll take care of that at the expense of my birthright because I want to be satisfied and I want to be satisfied right now. The flesh will always demand that you be satisfied right now but if you have to trade your birthright, your relationship with Jesus Christ biblical truth in order to feel good, then what are you losing. What is the trait, there's always going to be in exchange when he lets you eat when you're satisfied. I have a friend of mine tells the story all the time so I know she would mind me telling the story when she was the short version is when she was 16 years old.

She tells the story of her getting pregnant and at that time in her life. She said there was no way that I was about to have a baby at 16 years old I had too many plans. I want to move on with my life. I wanted to do what I wanted to do and so I wasn't going to have a child of 16 years so I know I made the mistake, but I had to make something different happened because I didn't want to have a baby.

So what she did was she went to the clinic and she had an abortion of the baby she got to live her life.

She went on to college. She graduated, she started working in the ministry of the church. He started doing all of these things and it seemed like everything was okay based on the decision that she made when she got married and she told her husband will go ahead and wait two years before we start trying to have kids so that we can be together and in those two years pass by, then they started trying and then three years passed by. Mr. was located and so they try to figure out what is going on, and so they went to the doctor and the doctor got the history and found out that she had an abortion, so it made him run test on her and after the test, he came back in the room and said I'm sorry, but that abortion you had when you were 16 rendered you barren.

You will be able to have children. Was she didn't know is that when she was 16.

Doing an act that was disconnected from God's word would swear her birthright away literally to you don't understand the decisions that you make now dictate the life that you lead. You may feel good about the decision right now and you may feel like you're able to move forward and there was no punishment there was no file.

There was no yellow flag you were able to just move or down the field, but when your later becomes your now and then you're looking for blessing from God. The question is, did we disconnect ourselves from the blessings that are associated from her birthright because we were operating in the flesh. Now don't get me wrong, she's restored. She adopted a child. She's raising a child.

She's teaching other women about this, but is still written in her history because the act is swearing on it disconnected from the birthright of Jesus Christ turn in chapter 27 as we get ready to close because in chapter 27.

You get to Esau's later he was okay with even a little bit of that red stuff. Then, but when it came to later look at chapter 27 and I'll start reading at verse 36 through 38 then he said, is he not rightly named Jacob for he has supplanted me these two times he took away my birthright, and behold, now he is taken away my blessing and he said, have you not reserve the blessing for me. Isaac replied to Esau, behold, I have made him your master and all his servants. I have given to him as servants and with grain and new wine I have sustained him.

Now as for you, then what can I do.

My son and Esau said to his father. Do you have only one blessing blessed me even me. Also, my father, so Esau lifted his voice and went PA and he drank and he got up and went right on about his weight and 25, but when he was looking for his blessing. He went because he realized in his later what he had sold in his past, you may not realize it now, but understand that there are going to be some needs that you need the father to come through for you would be sitting at his feet, and you're going to be asking for blessing, but the reason why Esau couldn't get his blessing is because in chapter 25, he proved himself to handle the blessing that's connected to the birthright, Jonathan Evans will return to just a moment with the closing thought to wrap up today's message. But first, if you'd like to get the full-length version of today's lesson which includes material.

We couldn't fit into our program time visit Tony Evans.org for details on the message called now or later, and while you're there, you can also take advantage of that special double offer mentioned earlier, Dr. Tony Evans new book kingdom encounters plus his current eight message teaching series divine encounters there. Yours is our gift to you.

When you make a contribution to help us keep Tony's program on the station each day. This is a limited time offer so don't wait. Get the details and make your request today@20ofus.org or give us a call at 1-800-800-3222 rehab team members standing by day and night to help with your resource request. Again, that's 1-800-800-3222. Ultimately we all surrender to God. The question is whether or not we do it willingly tomorrow. Dr. Evans will talk about what happens when our only passed toward obedience is brokenness right now though Jonathan Evans is back to close out today's message with this final thought Jesus Christ. They stressed and why they hung his head and then he died. And we trade that for a little bit of the rest of whatever that is in our life. You young people as you move forward you graduates don't trade your relationship, your birthright, your connection to Jesus Christ for little bit of that red stuff those college days swiftly pass and then you will be in church looking for blessing from God. And the question is does he see you fit to carry the blessing that's connected to your question is on the floor for each individual in this room is simple and Jacob posted to Esau isn't going to be now or do you choose later you can take what you can get now or will you be willing to wait on the Lord so that he can bless you in connection to the birthright that he gave grace.

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