SN 18 June 2022
Last week we explored the life of Esther
… who was available when God was looking for a person to make up a hedge and stand in the gap for the people of Israel
… Having the strength and courage to boldly approach the throne of grace
… where she received mercy and found grace for help, in the time of Israels’s need
… which was a matter of life and death!
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>> Thereby demonstrating to us the principles of …
… Working out our salvation with fear and trembling
… A.S.King (for) God
— A sk, Seek & K nocking on heavens door so that we can Receive, Find and have things Opened up for us
… such as diligently seeking the favor of God
— through repentance, humility and honoring His Word through faithful obedience
… all the while exercising pleasing faith ,
— by diligently seeking out God and His ways, with the firm belief that He is indeed God Almighty, who is more than able to bring about a positive outcome for good, as per His good pleasure.
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Finishing up with amazing prayers from
… Psalm 37 &
… Psalm 19 .
… to encourage us to trust in the Lord and to persevere in times of difficulty, as it is all towards and for our good!
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Today we want to explore the story of Jacob & Esau in a similar context…
… where choices have consequences
… particularly in the battle of the spirit and the flesh.
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Welcome all & be blessed by today’s Manna for Thought.
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Choices have consequences!!
>> Jacob & Esau
Deuteronomy 30:19 (NKJV)
– I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death , blessing and cursing ; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
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We are all given life ( and its blessings) to make use of,
… to trade with.. Luke 19:12
… with the free will to make choices on how to utilize it…
… which is dependent on who we have submitted it (our life) to
… for whom we submit to (God or Satan), we give the power and authority to rule and reign over our lives …
…. becoming either slaves to sin that leads to (curses &) death
… or to obedience that leads to righteousness (blessing & life) …Romans 6:16
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Therefore…
… whom we have submitted to
… we have given power and authority over our lives ( established who is lord over us)
… and they come to rule and reign over us …
… thereby producing their fruit (character & personality) in us, either
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>> A life lived under the law of sin and death , and that is characterized by stealing, killing & destruction, which is the personality (person) of Satan ( the thief)
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>> or a life lived under that law of the spirit of life , and that is characterized by life and life in abundance ( to its full potential) as from the personality (person – image & likeness) of Jesus Christ
… John 10:10
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Jacob & Esau
… the battle of submission to the flesh or to the spirit
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Genesis 25:31-34 (BSB)
– “First sell me your birthright ,” Jacob replied.
– “Look,” said Esau, “I am about to die, so what good is a birthright to me ?”
– “Swear to me first,” Jacob said.
– So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright.
– Then Jacob gave some bread and lentil stew to Esau, who ate and drank and then got up and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright .
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Hebrews 12:16-17 (BSB)
– See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau , who for a single meal sold his birthright.
– For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected . He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.
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Genesis 27:36 (NKJV)
– And Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing! ” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”
… even the little he had was taken away (… Luke 19:26)
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Luke 19:26
– “‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given . But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away…[NLT]
– [Jesus explained,] ‘I tell you that to everyone who has [because he valued his gifts from God and has used them wisely ], more will be given; but from the one who does not have [because he disregarded his gifts from God], even what he has will be taken away .’…[AMP]
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Romans 2:6-8 (NIV)
– God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”
– To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
– But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil , there will be wrath and anger.
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Proverbs 1:28-29 (BSB)
– Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
– For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD .
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Galatians 6:7-8 (NKJV)
– Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
– For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption , but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
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Romans 6:32 (NASB)
– For the wages of sin is death , but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Romans 8: (BSB)
– 5 Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
– 6 The mind of the flesh is death , but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace ,
– 7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
– 8 Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.
– 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
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Galatians 5: (BSB)
– 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
– 17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
– 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
– 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit.
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Matthew 16:26 NKJV
– For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul ? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
>> Esau despised his blessing and it was taken away, without remedy…and he was even described as godless!!
>> Jacob eagerly sought blessing and was granted even more, blessing in addition to the birthright of his brother Esau!!
… faith that pleases God!!
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We also have a precious free gift of a blessing that is salvation
… received by grace through faith and not by works so that none may boast!
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But the choice is either
– to choose life and blessing through accepting salvation
…by working it out with fear and trembling so that it takes root, grows and bears fruit ( reaches maturity), indeed growing and leading to eternal life, into the presence of the Father
… or choosing curse or death through rejecting salvation
…by despising it (like Esau) that is basically blaspheming the Holy Spirit
… with the possibility of no grounds for repentance or remedy after death!!
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James 1:12-15 (BSB)
– Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial , because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
– When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
– But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin ; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
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PRAYER
>> 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
– As God’s fellow workers, then, we are urged not to receive God’s grace in vain.
– For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I help ed you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!
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>> May we not miss the day of our visitation…Luke 19:44
As Jesus says to us in Revelation 3:20
– Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
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>> Hebrews 3:15
– Indeed today when we hear His voice, may we not harden our hearts..
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>> Deuteronomy 30:19
– Heaven and earth have been called to witness against us this day
…. set before us is life and death, blessing and cursing ;
… may we all choose life, so that both we and our descendants may live;
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That is Jesus Christ …
… the way, the truth and the life…John 14:6
… who is life and that life is the life of men…John 1:4
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Romans 8:1-4 (AMP)
Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior].
For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
For what the Law could not do [that is, overcome sin and remove its penalty, its power] being weakened by the flesh [man’s nature without the Holy Spirit ], God did: He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man as an offering for sin. And He condemned sin in the flesh [subdued it and overcame it in the person of His own Son],
so that the [righteous and just] requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not live our lives in the ways of the flesh [guided by worldliness and our sinful nature], but [live our lives ] in the ways of the Spirit [guided by His power].
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We pray for
… the grace for the blessing of joyful perseverance under trial
… so as to receive the crown of life that is promised to those that love You Lord
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all this as You…
Psalm 139:23-24 (NKJV)
– Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;
– And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
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>> Spirit led, as a son of God
… and sowing in the spirit that leads into everlasting life
… persistent in doing good, seeking glory, honor and immortality
… for the kingdom and glory of God
… while exercising pleasing faith, where I truly believe that God is indeed Almighty and that He has rewards (good outcomes) for those who diligently seek & honor Him.
Therefore
… may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart always be pleasing to the Lord!!
AMEN!!
THE LIVING WORD 4 LIFE 