INFORMATION PAGES

Friday, July 9, 2010

HOLD ON

In Genesis we find the story of a young and in this case, foolish man named Esau.
Esau had been out working in the fields and came in hungry. His twin brother, Jacob, had spent that same time cooking - a delicious lentil stew! Esau requested some of the stew, and Jacob, never one to miss an opportunity, SOLD the bowl of stew to his brother for his brothers birthright. See, Esau was the firstborn twin, and therefore according to custom of the times, his "birthright" was that he was entitled to his fathers estate and titles and blessings.

Without giving a thought to the actual cost of the stew he was purchasing, Esau callously agreed to an exchange that would detrimentily affect the remainder of his life, and future generations of peoples as well. The Bible tells us that Esau "despised" his inheritance. It had no value to him, for he never considered what it really was. A promise to him. He disregarded the promise, and it cost him the benefits of that promise.

Then we find in I Kings _________ the story of another man by the name of Naboth, who also had an inheritance. Like all the Israelites at the time God brought them into the promised land, Naboths ancestors had inherited from the Lord a piece of land that was theirs by birthright, as the chosen people of God. Eventually, Naboth inherited that piece of land, and he planted and harvested and sacrificed to the Lord his God from the increase of that land. He was thankful for the land, so grateful to God in fact, that when the King of Israel, Ahab, came to him and wanted to purchase the land, he told the King no. When the King persisted, even offering Naboth another piece of land instead, Naboth VALUED the inheritance he received, recognizing the blessing of God that was given to him, and he turned the King down, knowing that it might cost him. Certainly the Kings good will, and as it turned out, his very life!

We, too, have an inheritance that is ours by "birthright". When we acknowledge our need of a Savior to deliver us from our separation from God, a separation caused by our own sin against God, when we admit it and declare Jesus Lord of our lives we become Sons of the Living God, and our inheritance is ETERNAL LIFE.

Our behavior-obedience or disobedience to the Lords commands, found in the book we call the Bible-determine how we value our inheritance. Do we "despise" it, devalue it, like Esau did, and sell it for momentary fleshly pleasure and desires? Or are we like Naboth, recognizing the worth and refusing to let it go?

When we are offered "alternatives" to obeying God, alternatives to living according to Gods standard, will we value our inheritance and say "NO" to those alternatives? Or will we decide that we are going to do whatever "feels" good to us for the moment, whatever we "feel" is the right thing? The choice always belongs to us, but so do the consequences and outcomes.

If we want the full benefit of our inheritance, made available to us through Jesus Christ, we need to value it enough to protect it, HOLD ON to it and not let go even when the way seems hard. When things just don't seem to be going in our favor, HOLD ON and put your trust in the God who created the universe and declares that He loves you. HOLD ON when the ways of sin are offering a "different" piece of land. HOLD ON when someone offers you a bowl of lentil stew for a price and your starving. HOLD ON to the inheritance you have as a son of God!

If your not sure you are a "Son of God" - HOLD ON! Here's what you need to know:

We have ALL sinned and come short of the Glory of God - confess to God that you are a sinner and in need of His Salvation.

The ways of a man seem right to him, but their end is destruction - admit that God knows more than you do, so doing things His way makes sense! He says you need to "born again" or "born from above" - which simply means, a "spiritual birth" needs to take place. (see John chapter 3 for Jesus' declaration concerning this)

To be born of the spirit, confess Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead! (see Romans chapter 10 verses 9 and 10)

MOST churches will assist you with understanding what is taking place in your heart concerning the things of your inheritance. (I say most, for some DO NOT TEACH THIS TRUTH WHICH IS FOUND IN THE BIBLE!)

iF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, WE'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AND HELP YOU IN ANY WAY WE ARE ABLE. www.turnthetideministries.com or turnthetideministry@live.com or you may call 1-720-261-1790. GOD LOVES YOU AND HE IS FOR YOU SO HOLD ON!

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