Begging for a Blessing

Children because they ban the blessing. Dr. Tony Evans tells men who failed to pass on a spiritual heritage to their children that it's not too late.

The man celebrating this is the alternative Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the urban alternative blessings come from God, but not just from God today. Dr. Evans will touch on the importance of the blessings we pass on and what to do with they were never passed on to us.

Let's turn to Genesis chapter 25 as we join him. It's all cultural landscape today, 40% of all children in our country raised without their biological father African-American community. 72% of children born aboard to single parents what you looking at crime statistics or dropout statistics for teenage pregnancies sticks or poverty statistics all over and over and over again dominating reality of fatherlessness overwhelms us fatherlessness comes in many shapes and many forms. Some of fatherlessness because they been abandoned by their father, their father sired a child that they were not willing to take responsibility for other forms of fatherlessness is that the father may be there, but he might as well not be there because he is not accepted the responsibility of fatherhood and so what we have developed is a generation of young people, children growing up in a fatherless environment and so they go seeking pseudo-fatherhood things that look like it could be a father. For me, whether it's a gang, whether it's their policy or their homies or whether some other influence that is not in their best interest. Fatherlessness has become the dominant team overwhelming painful reality of our culture that is freeing us when God created man me before you gave him a wife and even children. He gave him the responsibility to act on his behalf. But now we have men who are simply satisfied to say I'm not happy to take a moment to talk about happy.

I'm not against happy for happy you should want to be happy is no there's no benefit to being miserable. On the other hand, happy is not your first order of business, your first order of business is to be responsible. Whether or not you're happy because the measure of a man is his acceptance of responsibility under God as he seeks to be happy. But what we are having today men because they are no longer happy abandoning responsibility and so we are finding ourselves in developed in a cursed environment because of the crisis of fatherlessness in our passage today.

We have a son begging for the blessing of his Esau is begging for a blessing you must strip your mind about the casual use of the word bless, we say no. God bless you. I bless you. We use the word fairly casually. Today many times. But when Saul was asking that in the blessing the what they're saying daddy saying I bless you know the blessing was speaking about something else.

It was speaking about the continuity of the company single for the word blessing was covenantal continuity. Let me explain what I mean. It is my hope that every head of the household here has a will. If you do not have a will not operating responsibly will simply says this is what I want to happen with what I've been entrusted with to pass on to the next generation will speaks of an inheritance, usually related to stuff. In fact, gather, when will the red what their fingers crossed hoping that there is a little something something Manfred or, more importantly, something, something in there for them. In our story. Jacob the younger. Once the blessing so it concocts a plan with his mother Rebecca to steal the blessing from the older son Esau.

And so when out the hot food in order to bring it back to his father to get the blessing Rebecca told Jacob what you do is you go get me to go cook the meal you gulp your brothers close because your father can't see his eyes were dim. He will be able to see you going there with your brothers close and you bring the meal that your brother supposed to bring and let him bless you. So Jacob does that goes against the cooks don't go to his brothers close. He walks in his father and successful sandals and those that Jacob says nicely.

Saul your oldest son.

He said I have your food. He says come close to me. He says it's all but you sound like Jake says and does 23 did not recognize, and so he blesses what you get now is how critical the blessing he was willing to join with his against his daddy in order to get it because this thing involved his future is raised the question because obviously Jacob is wrong and that is wrong because the chicken Isaac yet throughout the Bible God praises Jacob and Esau.

Even though Jacob is doing the wrong thing. Question is why we need chapter 25. If you go back a page to chapter 25 verse 27, when the boys R became a skillful hunter, a man of the field. The athlete Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents now. Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste again the athlete and Rebecca love Jacob.

When Jacob had cooks to cozies, so when he had cooks to get this all came in from the field and was famished. Jacob verse 30. Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff. I am famished. Verse 31 Jacob says first legal birthright summary the rights of the firstborn and I give you some me softly and behold, I am about to die.

I'm so hungry. So what use is a birthright to me, stop, and Jacob said slant to me that you give me your birthright. The rights of the firstborn, so we slaughter him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew and he ate and drank and Rosa went on his way here. It is the Esau this by his birthright thought so little of his birthright. He wasn't willing to give it up for some food.

As far as Saul was concerned. Sit with me. That was no connection between my birthright and my birthright is over here, blessing is over there. When you read Hebrews 12 verses 16 and 17 it says don't be like the moral list Esau sold his birthright for the problem with Esau if he was only present one what he wanted now because you think about the future.

Later, one of the problems we have is their present and I'm not happy. Now I don't want to. Responsibility is all about is not all about now is about you what the blessing that is the divine statement of God to you and through you because you are future oriented.

He gets tricked, but God doesn't interfere with it because he didn't value his birthright.

You may say, I will have a birthright.

Oh yeah you do if you recheck Jesus Christ you been born again.

You possess a birthright on rights and privileges that come with your new birth, but those rights and privileges in responsibility and sometimes you be happy and sometimes you will be happy. That's what's that got to do sometimes you want to work.

Sometimes you don't work you better get up if you want the network responsibility has to function whether or not happiness is part of the equation. Although there's nothing wrong with being happy. But that means you must be future oriented. If you're going to pass on the blessing.

So what is that blessing include will find out when Dr. Evans returns to continue her message in just a moment. Stay with us every summer and today we're excited to announce his long-awaited follow-up book pricing with authentic stories of heartfelt personal thoughts. Tony takes us to God's word to show me how to clear all obstacles in the journey that leads to living a life of influence and impact to replace hopelessness, boredom and liquid power significance and influence.

Getting to memorizing for yourself or for someone you love makes a great gift for husband and son fathers, cousins, pastors, athletes, coaches and more grant euros. I totally understand all four at your nearest bookstore or online retailer men it's time to rise up and claim your culture for Christ. The future of our families and our society depends on men stepping up to their God-given responsibility as leaders and that's why we want you to have a copy of King demand rising is our gift. Just visit Tony Evans.org before the end of the week make a contribution toward Tony's ministry and will say thanks by sending the book your way, along with all 12 full-length audio lessons. In his current series King demand rising and if you're interested in digging even deeper or to help you share this material with your family or small group. Be sure to check out the companion King demand rising Bible study again that's Tony Evans.org or call 1-800-800-3222 were resource team members are standing by around-the-clock. I'll have that information for you again after part two of today's lesson. Here's Tony Saul Fuller blessing. I mean he saying please raise blessing numbers of praise God for the great job that so many of our single women do, but all mother can be is the best she can be. She was never meant to have dual roles.

When there should be a man in the picture. He says father blessed me because that's what the father is supposed to oppose the next generation should feel God will if you've got kids in your house pass that on to me know what the blessing include in chapter 27 little first of all, his father just in verse 26. Please come close and kissed because the blessing included intimate touch.

He says his blessing. My son verse 28 and 29. May God give you one of the dew of heaven of the fatness of earth of the abundance of grain and wine may people serve you and nations bow down to you.

You be master of your brother and make your mother's sons bow down to you cursor to see who curses you, and blessed are those bless you God reach all the way back to the Abraham it covenant Abraham Catherine Isaac Isaac in the past. Jacob wishes, Ben E.

Fox, who turned away his birthright.

You know what the company wanted of the blessing was divine favor moving forward divine favor moving forward.

The blessing was future inheritance from God. Please notice the language make God do this make God that made God, a God that that's where the blessing is missing.

We just think I'm going to do this and I want you to do the old one did not want to be an injury to be a teacher. Nothing wrong with that but the blessing was what God would do. I want God to do this. I want God to do for God to do…… Not just what I will forward you what you want for you but what God wants for you with the blessing because what happens because of God. You see, Caterpillar got a glorious future. I know what you looking at right now much when I think of Kunz is going be pretty and is going take flight got a generation of children who don't take flight is still crawling never been blessed. They've never had the blessing stand over them to affirm them and to speak God into them, not just tough for them but got into film will bring them the appropriate stuff will be more than stuff.

My will must be more than stuff it must be God and the transfer divine favor I was growing up in Baltimore with Dr. pin bowling things were pretty rinky-dink is one high-class bullet and a lot of times machines didn't fully work so paeans. Sometimes all it wouldn't get picked up some still be laying down of the Time Machine will pick him up in one drop out of it fall back down. There was this guy that you couldn't see him conceal his feet with was from lane to lane, picking up in that machine couldn't get a run in the display and running that may run initially pick up stuff they got knocked down machine couldn't pick up so the next person to I don't care how long you been I know somebody who can pick you back and said you write because he want you to have the blessing forward moving favor of God commuted to you so you can commuted to yours told a minute how much I love Rocky five hello all the Iraqis but really love Rocky five Rocky five Rocky is retired because he got bruised and beaten. I bad you can't find Rocky five. She comes across a young up-and-coming fighter named Tommy Gunn and Tommy Gunn has admired Rocky Balboa. As he followed his career until they meet and become friends and he says to Rocky Balboa Rocky Italian stallion when you you train me yeah I can stay in the fight game by helping you so yeah train you so Rocky worked with Tommy Gunn goes up and becomes the heavyweight champion of the world due to the influence of Rocky. The movie comes down to the last 15 minutes movie zeros in the last 15 Tommy gun is now become a cherub in the world and is gotten to his so he got a lot of money man got a lot of attention out of notoriety in the news. Tommy guns live and not lead Rocky. In fact, gets belligerent with in that last 15 minutes there in a gathering and truly done. It's Rocky Balboa was wife's husband's brother and me klaxon and knocks him down because of some argument, they will.

Then Tommy Gunn insult and insult Rocky son named Tommy gun Danny Maki to do anything about Rocky tears off his shirt and the rumble begins out in the street fighting each of ancestry fight. The problem is Tommy gun is too young to strong and too fast and so while doing the best he can. He can't keep up with this young guy and so it comes down to a punch that unfolds any walking and he says Rocky down in the gutter beaten me while in the gutter while down.

Rocky remembers up on the screen above his head. It shows what he's thinking. So he thinks back to Rocky wanted Rocky to remembers Apollo Creed and how he thought, and became champion of the world and when they remember the green but he could remember club Rocky three, lying in the back to win the championship. And when he remembered that he remembered I Russian monster from Russia and the Russians once again the nationally remember that any tried to get out but it could, but then he remembered somebody else. He remembered his old coach Mickey, but he remember was Mickey when Mickey was standing over him, saying that you because Mickey loves the table…… Balboa and he shakes his Rocky Balboa. I ran down straight.

They didn't have mass and it was able to defeat the young because he remember then come alive again to remind him of what he could do, how long you been down in the main been defeated as the main Jesus Christ is the only way to connect with that calling is through personal connection with Christ begins by admitting we can't make it to heaven on our own. From there, his sacrifice on the cross is the only way to bridge the gap between our failure and God's forgiveness. If you've never made that connection, visit Tony Evans.org today and follow the link that says Jesus there. Dr. Tony Evans will explain everything you need to know about what it means to be a real Christian, and how to start a brand-new life in the time we have remaining. I want to mention that today's lesson is part of Tony's powerful series called kingdom men rising there are 12 full-length messages in this collection containing bonus content. We won't have time to present on the year. As I mentioned earlier, it's yours. As our thank you gift when you make a contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching on the station along with it will also send you his just-released companion book kingdom men rising time is running out on this special offer to visit Tony Evans.org today to get the details and make the arrangements while you're there, you can also request a comprehensive kingdom, men rising Bible study to use on your own or to share with your small group again that's Tony Evans.org or reach out to our resource Center at 1-800-800-3222 were team members are always on hand to help you. That's 1-800-800-3222 well tomorrow. Dr. Evans will talk about how men need each other and explain why what they learned during worship time to change what they do at dinner time. I hope the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans is brought to you by think of an alternative celebrating 40 years of faithfulness, thanks to the generous contributions of listeners like you