Friday, August 18, 2017

“What Is Your Appetite Costing You?” Watch Out For The Esau-Syndrome: Trading Away God’s Lifelong Gift In Order To Satisfy a Short-Term Appetite.


Esau had the right to inherit everything of his father’s, but he traded his prosperity for a plate of food! And before you get on Esau to railroad him, let’s self-exam first, shall we? What have you forfeited of your Father’s blessings and inheritance, because you traded it for a plate of food? Did you allow one more drink, one more smoke, one more hit, one more affair, one more night, one more slip, one more lie? What did you trade in the moment, assuming you would have another moment? I don’t care what the offer is, if it causes you to miss out on what God has purposely laid up for you, then the only thing that should come out of your mouth is, “No Deal!” You have too much to lose on a bad trade! I don’t know about you, but there is nothing the devil or this world has to offer that would be deemed a fair or even trade of the Family of God’s Blessings and Inheritance! So the next time temptation rears its ugly head like it did with Eve and the Serpent, don’t hold a long conversation, just simply say, “No Deal! I can’t afford to trade my Father’s Inheritance to me!”

Don’t think it can't happen to you? Just listen to another person, who stepped out of line and lost it all in just one brief moment. “That was stupid!” Samuel said. “You didn’t obey the Lord your God. If you had obeyed Him, someone from your family would always have been king of Israel. But no, you disobeyed, and so the Lord won’t choose anyone else from your family to be king. In fact, He has already chosen the one He wants to be the next leader of His people.” (1 Samuel 13:13-14 CEV). Can you imagine, once again, having it all, then giving it all away with just one foolish act? And sadly, in Saul’s case, his foolish act didn’t just affect him, but no one else from his entire lineage would be able to be king. Even if they did absolutely nothing wrong, the family as a whole suffered from Saul’s moment of impulsiveness and disobedience. Let that also be a lesson for you, you have wives, sons and daughters, and the last thing you want to do is put your whole family in a position of loss, because you couldn’t find a way to say “No Deal!” Don’t give away your Father’s blessings and inheritance!

Don’t Let This Happen to You! Yes, repentance gives you the opportunity to turn, but sometimes, you miss your turn! So whatever you’re in today, if it would cause you to lose what you’ve found in God, turn now, while you still have time left! You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing – but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.” (MSG) The word “impulsive” is defined as “doing things or tending to do things suddenly and without careful thought; done suddenly and without planning; to be rash, quick or hasty.” Sounds just like Esau! “…and Esau said to Jacob, “Please, let me have a QUICK swallow of that red stuff there, because I am exhausted and famished.”  What’s important to know is this, Esau was not in the dark about his birthright and inheritance. He knew at a young age, because they are informed of it at a young age. And yet, even knowing what he would be trading (and ultimately losing), he did it anyway. Likewise, you already know the blessings God desires to give you, you know that because reading your bible tells you that. So you are in no position to say “Oops, I didn’t know.” Yes, you did, and you went on and did that anyway.

Be careful about picking up the “…Esau-Syndrome, of trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite…” You already know what you’ve gained, and therefore, what you stand to lose, so when the opportunity of trade comes up, turn it down fast! Don’t allow your impulsive flesh to cause you to miss out on your inheritance. That's the ugly secret about sin. It looks like it will get us through something. It will benefit us in some way, and like Esau, maybe our bad choices do give us some short-term benefit. That deceit, that giving in to the pressure, that compromise of your integrity, that drink, that sexual sin, or cutting corners to get ahead or get accepted. Something appears in front of you that looks like it might meet a need, it might relieve the pain or help you get ahead. And you only mean for it to be just a little while, maybe just this once.  

Blessings

J.P. Olson

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