Now or Later

The enemy will be cooking up something that your Jonathan Evans says there's wisdom in controlling our appetite right here right now that we don't realize were making a deal with the giving up celebrating. This is the alternative Dr. Tony Baker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas resident from the moment were born all humankind shares a common tendency. We want what we want when we want it, 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 family.

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 he ate and drank and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. Now one little walk in 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 birthright means that the firstborn son would get a double inheritance of the father.

But what if you have two children Isaac and Jacob. You have two portions, Esau would get a double portion of two portions which leads Jacob with what nothing and he grabbed his brother's heel I guess.

So I would grab my brothers heel to 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 as is 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 his birthright being the oldest child. God made a promise to Abraham. God told Abraham to make your name great through you and 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 didn't go from rags to riches.

He started with riches and ends up at the end of the story with rights 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 of 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, but 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 came in from the field extremely famished. Once this is, says Jacob had cooked stew and Esau came into the house famished had means past and 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 is already there for you is when you famished.

I got some beauty. 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 Carlito.

He is so famished and so hungry and so in the his flesh right now he just wants some of that red stuff that's on the stove because the 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 Carlito. What's this you can't skip that the Hebrew word for even is a doll that means read another words he would be so in the 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 Carlito. 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 you 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 Edomites 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've ever been to a funeral that went bad, but is not a great situation you 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 remnants of what he was concerned about while he was here she 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 as 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. 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 do it 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 closer look at the cost of our recklessness returns in just a moment. Stay with us. There were times when I was overwhelmed with the burdens of life or what I didn't know that I can keep going.

God would bring someone or something. To speak words of encouragement to me during difficult times.

Cost 2019 was one of those times when I lost my wife 40/49 years. How do you keep going during that season, one month after I lost my father, yet God provided string that I needed to keep proclaiming his word. During those difficult days. I'm very grateful 40 years seen this kind hand of fate on this ministry. Dr. Tony Gavin reflecting on God's faithfulness to him personally and for 40 years of ministry through the urban alternative. Tony will be back on air with us. Following the conclusion of the special two week series from his son, author, speaker and chaplain Jonathan Evans. The series is called forever starts now, and it's a collection of lessons that can provide just the kickstart you need. If you feel like your life is become stuck and lacking motivation. These messages will equip and encourage you in the areas of understanding God's providence in your life purpose and fulfilling your destiny by applying God's wisdom to day-to-day thoughts and decisions.

We like to send you on nine full-length messages in this series.

Instant digital downloads and on CDs is her way of saying thanks for your contribution to help continue this ministry on the air, and around the world and as a special bonus will also include a copy of Jonathan's brand-new book, your time is now. Yet what God has given you and that you learn how to finally overcome your fear and procrastination. Step up to the big call God has for your life. This is a limited time offer so don't delay, contact us right away@20of.org or call our resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 were one of our team members will be happy to help you again one 800 803 2220 how that information for you again after part two of today's message and this makes it clear that you know what it's fathers all the way. Tony Gavin says that what becomes of the next generation of men depends on what happens with this kind of man you can write down with the help of Tony Evans training centers three course called the man teaches bony images of manhood society surrounds us with and become the loving leader. I don't like the family would want.

As with all of our courses. There's an in-depth study material. You can work through at your own pace. Lots of exclusive content from Tony tightly focused Q&A videos and online form, you can collaborate with other students. It's almost like having a seminary on your smart phone, check out the free course called kingdom man in the growing list of other subjects waiting for you Tony Evans.org today link to the Tony Evans training center. We just talked about the inheritance.

Your succession rights. That's future.

You have to wait on 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 supple were not interested in suffering. I want to be famished. If I have a need. I want to satisfy that 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 is 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 you talking about you ready to have surgery, you will need to have surgeries that 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 bearing scars. 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 is always good to be in exchange when he lets you eat when you're satisfied, he says, but first sell me your birthright and then Esau said to hold. I am about to die so used to me as a birthright is about to die right now as hungry as I am right now. One uses the future to me. What uses an inheritance when I'm hungry right now. What uses dominion when I'm hungry right now. What use is being connected to Jesus Christ. When I'm hungry right now.

Esau said I'm trying I'm not worried about being connected to Jesus Christ. Right now I'm just hungry. He said what uses this when I'm about that.

I said I will have time I will have time to be waiting on the Jesus Christ weight no future blessings from them will have time for that. If he thousand 21st century. I can see him doing a YouTube video right now, right next to sweep around confident he said I'm about almost got bronchitis five. But that's what he's saying what will be waiting on my future as hungry as my flesh is right now why would I wait on the blessing from the Lord when I can bless myself right now and that's what Christians have been doing these days, blessing ourselves right now and what expense living in a O'Connor way based on how I feel.

I want to live based on the situation based on the culture living in a O'Connor way disconnected from biblical truth and when it's time for the blessing to come. Things change.

He said what is my birthright to me, for I am about to die. Esau, you just came in from the field you are about to die, you just came in, you will about the but that's what your feelings a little over exaggerate your reality, your emotions will take you to a place that's not even really true. You are not about to die. Esau, you just came in from the field. You were just running as you go from running the dying 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. So he swore to him and sold his birthright.

Jacob said I hear you talking but first swear, you see, to swear in the Bible isn't your revocable transaction and we have things in our life of the truth be told if we could rewind time and do them over. We would, but when we don't send the act we swore on what you indulge in the act that's disconnected from Jesus Christ. You just want because you can't rewind time and get that thing back that you can be forgiven. You can be restored, but that act is still written in history because you swore on I have a friend of mine tells the story all the time so I know she would mind me telling the story was. He 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 the 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 want to 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 in 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 bear, 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 are able to just move forward 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 a 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 disconnected from the birthright of Jesus Christ.

He said, 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 he ate and drank and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. I noticed something. Remember earlier in the store. We said he saw just one of the little bit of that red stuff Jesus came and said Jacob, can I have a little bit of that red stuff Jacob said will give me a birthright. Esau said I swear to you Jacob said all of that right. Oh, forget just a swallow of the risk that you can have bread, you can have a bolus to give you some to drink fully enjoy yourself why you read the enemy will always let you fully enjoy yourself in the moment. He ate, he drank he had bread. Bread is due on the dumbest different. I like to dip my bread in this new Esau got to do all of that because Jacob had his future and the devil will even give you more provision than you asked for. If he can get the future out of if you can tell your whole family up okay you can eat. You can drink. You can have dessert but all you're going to get is the temple now while he takes the generational longevity.

It says eight and he drank and got up and went on his way what the author is showing you is that he had no horse even sit there and think about a question and he said no he got up and left because in the now. The decision was okay if don't okay to give up the future. What is the future to be what I'm about to die right now turn to 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 eight 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 wept 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 on to handle the blessing that's connected to the Jonathan Evans will return in a moment with the closing thought to wrap up today's message. The 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 title now or later. Better yet receive a copy of this lesson. When you take advantage of that special double offer. I mentioned earlier, Jonathan's complete nine message audio compilation forever starts now and is inspirational new book, your time is now yours is her gift when you make a contribution to help keep this program coming your way each day. This is a limited time offer so don't wait. Get the details and make your request that Tony ever and start or or give us a call at 1-800-800-3222 rehab team members standing by day and night to help with your resource needs. Again, that's 1-800-800-3222 42 many people. Faith is the last resort, when all other solutions fail.

But when Dr. Evans returns next week, he'll explain why the opposite should be true for now though, Jonathan's back to close out today's message with his 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 scholars they swiftly pass and then you will be in church looking for blessing from God. And the question is does he see you 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 in connection to the birthright that he gave grace. The alternative with Dr. Tony have celebrating 40 years of faithfulness. Thanks for the generous contributions of listeners like you