Sunday, 18 January 2009

  • This week's message was a continuation on Jacob and Esau by Elder Lak.

    Let's review the key points from last week's sermon, shall we? We talked first about our Prophetic Positioning and we talked about our Productive Systems. There are still two more points to cover, so let's get started on them!

    The system and mindset of people is given to stay the same if a change isn't forced. We don't have monumental changes in our lives without striving for them. Unless we choose to change, our lives will remain hopeless, cheated out of the blessings that God had planned for us. It only takes one seed (person) to change the entire forest (society)! People see us how we are now, so let's change. Now!

    Proverbs 12:27 

    The lazy man does not roast [a] his game,
           but the diligent man prizes his possessions.

    This passage accurately describes the difference between Jacob and Esau. Esau's laziness caused him suffering in the end. He had no thought for his future. Although someone who spends hours hunting and killing their prey seems to be hardworking, they are not using their foresight. The mind is on the now. "What will I eat today?" Jacob was prepared for the future. He prized his possessions. He was willing to put in the labor today that he might eat in the future. He was diligent with his efforts and faithful with his resources, which is why he was able to enjoy the increase. We need to follow Jacob's example and spend time laboring to follow God. We need to be meditating on His Word, knowing that in the long run, it will pay off. Take time to cultivate His Word in your heart today!

    The major point we will focus on today is our Purpose and Values.

    1. What is your role and purpose in life? Do you know what your major plan is? What are you doing about it? Maybe it's time to check it out with God again!

    2. While you're doing that, check your value system. What is important to you? What are you willing to sacrifice to get what you want? What is the most important to you? What are you willing to spend your precious time on?

    3. Make sure that you have some negotiation skills! They will be useful to you in your life, regardless of where you are and what you're doing. We need to watch Jacob's example and learn from him.

    In negotiating, we have to be very careful to watch for mistakes. If you misjudge something, you may end up losing your birthright in the process! You must remember that to get something that you want, you have to be willing to give up something else. Is it a trade you should be making? Is it fair? Esau only wanted a bowl of soup, but ended up trading away his future. Since Esau was the one with the overwhelming desire, Jacob could take what he wanted from him with little cost to himself. Esau wasn't thinking correctly. There was a need for food. A want for that particular soup. It was in front of his eyes. What did a birthright, something intangible mean to him at such a time? It was too abstract of a notion to maintain at such a time. He couldn't see it, so in his mind, it didn't exist. Are we being careful that we don't think of God that way? We don't see Him, but He is something we need to hold dear as something important. Don't trade him away for something that is right in front of your eyes. Something that won't last!

    Jacob "bought" himself a future, while Esau "sold" his away. What will you do? Things are ever changing. What is here today might not be there tomorrow. Changes are present always. There is no way we can predict what the future will bring for us, so we need to keep our eyes open and be alert. The small deal you make today might make a big impact on your tomorrow!

    1. Jacob uses what he has TODAY to acquire his destiny in the future. He doesn't use credit. He used what he had at the time to ensure his future was secure.

    2. Jacob uses his smallness wisely to buy the future. It seemed like something unimportant at the time, something not to be grasped, so the birthright was traded away lightly.

    3. Jacob chooses to become over remaining what he is now. He was always striving for something bigger, something better for his life. Esau saw what was important to him now, Jacob saw what would be important to him later.

    If you see what you have as cheap, people will cheat you. If you disvalue yourself, people will not value you either. They will take advantage of your talents, gifts, and love. Take care not to become a hopeless person in such a situation. In such a way, you will have a hard time making yourself useful to God or yourself. Because Esau was desperate to change his situation, he was willing to settle for anything. He valued his hunger above his future. But hunger is ever-returning. After he ate, the next day, he was hungry again. Did he have another birthright to trade for another meal? His choice was not wise.

    He was in pain, desperate to relive his hunger. Don't negotiate when you are hungry! Hunger can be for not only food, but for anything! You aren't thinking about things other than your needs, your wants. You tend to devalue your important possessions when you are seeking to gain something that might not be so important. Be careful to watch yourself and what you value! In the same manner, don't negotiate when you're tired. You don't think, can't think clearly when you're tired. Take a break, take a rest. Turn to God for peace, then you can return to seeking to relieve your need.

    Don't exaggerate your need to others! Because Esau explained that he "was starving!" he put himself in a position to be taken advantage of. He was showing his weakness and limiting himself. Doubtless, Esau could have gone elsewhere for food, but he was only focused on Jacob's cooking and therefore was willing to beg to get it. God sees you as an instrument of honor, don't lower yourself just to get what you want. But be careful trying to be sly, for things always come back!

    Genesis 29:15-30 

    15 Laban said to him, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be."

     16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had weak [a] eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel."

     19 Laban said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

     21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her."

     22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. 24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant.

     25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?"

     26 Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. 27 Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work."

     28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. 30 Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

    Jacob fled to where his Uncle Laban was. He feared for his life, once he had take his brother's birthright and blessing. He couldn't do anything on his own, so he worked. His uncle asked him what he wanted and he stated outright that he wanted to marry Rachel. Now Jacob had a desire as he dearly loved her. It was Laban's turn to give the condition. Seven years of working before he could marry her. Jacob was so in love that he agreed without hesitation. And the years seemed like days to him.

    But wait! On his wedding night, who was it that came to him? Laban was crafty indeed, for he knew that Jacob loved Rachel enough that, even though he had already served seven years, he would be willing to do it again. For love. He was desperate for her and he gave in, serving another seven years for her. Being desperate changes you, changes what is important to you.

    Genesis 30:27-34

    27 But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that [a] the LORD has blessed me because of you." 28 He added, "Name your wages, and I will pay them."

     29 Jacob said to him, "You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock has fared under my care. 30 The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the LORD has blessed you wherever I have been. But now, when may I do something for my own household?"

     31 "What shall I give you?" he asked.
          "Don't give me anything," Jacob replied. "But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: 32 Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages. 33 And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen."

     34 "Agreed," said Laban. "Let it be as you have said."

    Genesis 30:43

    43 In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.

    Laban now thought that he would be able to come out better in a deal with Jacob. So he asked again "what can I give you?" This time, Jacob's mind wasn't clouded. He could see clearly what he needed to do to come out the better in this deal. He told him not to give him anything, but only something small. Just the animals with blemishes. Laban agreed. And with that, Jacob began to cultivate his future once again, gaining what he needed to gain in order to get a bigger and better blessing. But if you've made mistakes, if there are errors in your past, don't despair!

    Genesis 27:38-40

     38 Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!" Then Esau wept aloud.

     39 His father Isaac answered him,
           "Your dwelling will be
           away from the earth's richness,
           away from the dew of heaven above.

     40 You will live by the sword
           and you will serve your brother.
           But when you grow restless,
           you will throw his yoke
           from off your neck."

    Esau begged his father for a blessing. He knew that there was nothing he could do to regain the past, but he turned to the one who could help him. And so, when Jacob met Esau again in the future, he had nothing to fear any longer, as his anger had dissipated and his blessing had increased.

    Genesis 33:9 

    9 But Esau said, "I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself."

    When you work hard, even if you missed the initial blessing, there will be increase. When you turn back to the Father for your blessing, He loves you. He will give you what He can. What are you willing to work for? What is important to you? Are you more like Jacob or Esau? Be alert of your chances, take care of your values. God will never allow us to remain the same!

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