Bible Verse #21: SELLING YOUR BIRTHRIGHT - Most Popular Bible Verses

“But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.” Genesis 25:33-34

I always encourage Christians by telling them that they live in an excellent place. I tell them so because that’s a fact. Christians are in Christ, glory to God! That’s the excellent place in which we live. Being in Christ is a treasure beyond measure!

So, it is important for every Christian to value the grace placed on them. We were bought not with perishable things but with the blood of Him who saved us. It was by great sacrifice that we now can relate to God in a father-child kind of relationship.

Yet I see many Christians who appear absent-minded, who live like their salvation is an ordinary thing. It breaks my heart!

When I read the opening Bible verses I see one thing – a compromise of unimaginable proportions. I think that’s the undoing of a number of Christians – compromise, a devaluing of the finished work of Christ. Each time they compromise, they go a rung lower in their fellowship with Him who loved and still loves them.

There are various reasons why Christians compromise. Here are a few examples:

• They are disinterested Christians. Their focus is largely elsewhere;
• They seek the praise of people, to be considered ‘good’ by family and friends, so they 'cooperate';
• They are attracted by worldly things more    than they are attracted by godly things;
• They are greedy for unjust gain;
• They are vindictive;
• They lack perseverance; they buckle whenever they face challenges;
• They belittle the power of God to rescue them.

There definitely are many other reasons why Christians compromise, but whatever they are, the Christian simply does themselves a disservice each time they compromise.

Did Esau ever regret selling his birthright? Certainly! It became a major source of worry maybe for the rest of his life. “How could I be so stupid?” I imagine Esau wondering to himself.

Never sell your birthright. Instead, guard it with all diligence.

Never compromise your Christian values. Each time you do, you slide a rung downwards.

May the good Lord keep you on the narrow path, leading to the narrow gate.

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Bible Verse #20: YOU SHALL LAUGH AGAIN - Comforting Bible Verses - Bible Verses for Encouragement

Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.” Genesis 21:6-7

As we learned earlier, when Sarah heard the angels promise Abraham a son, she laughed.

The reason Sarah laughed is clear; she was Abraham’s wife, and she was old. In fact, at 90 years of age, Sarah was very old. It was extremely difficult for her to visualize the possibility of bearing a child at such an advanced age. Even the community would most probably have found the prophecy quite unbelievable!

So, when Sarah laughed at the promise, it was like saying, “Wait! You are joking, right?” or “No way; that just cannot be, given my condition!”

You probably are in a situation that you now consider barren, beyond redemption, or plainly just impossible. You may have resigned and taken such a situation as your fate. Like Sarah, you’ve probably laughed at the prospects of a turnaround.

You probably thought that was your last laugh as prospects of a turnaround seemed to fade with the passage of time.

You shall laugh again, this time a hearty kind of laughter. You’ve got to believe this! Just take a moment to meditate on Sarah’s situation and on how the Lord turned it around to the bewilderment of all those who witnessed it. Why should your situation differ?

As God had promised, Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son, Isaac. This is a strong lesson for us never to allow our vain imaginations to limit the hand of God.

I was truly captivated by Sarah’s hilarious reaction when she realized that nothing was too hard for God; when she realized that the outcome that she had deemed impossible by any means was in fact possible.

Just listen to Sarah confess: “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.” Genesis 21:6-7

You shall laugh. Not once or twice; they shall know you as the one who always laughs. Not only that, but those of pure hearts who witness your situation turn around shall also laugh with you; they will also be edified by the miracle.

Here is a powerful question: “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?

Let’s hear Sarah testify before God and mankind:  Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.

It was done. God is faithful, and nothing is too hard for Him!

Doesn’t this ignite hope in you?

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Bible Verse #19: GOD WILL REMEMBER YOU - Uplifting Bible Verses

“So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.” Genesis 19:29

The thought that God remembers me in challenging times is quite comforting. God remembered Abraham. There is no reason He will fail to remember you too. But it looks like there are preconditions to it.

Let us consider the kind of person Abraham was before God’s eyes.

We are told that Abraham had faith in God; he is actually referred to as our father in matters of faith.

We are further told that Abraham believed God, and God credited this to him as righteousness. So by believing God, Abraham stood righteous Him.

Then there is this other quality. Abraham walked in total obedience to God. God asked for Abraham’s son, and Abraham was ready to give his son to Him. Abraham can be considered to have given his son to God because he was just about to do it and did not even know that it was only a test!

Abraham behaved like God; he was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, just as God sacrificed His only son, Jesus.

So, besides the fact that God chose Abraham, I think we need to give accolades to Abraham for walking perfectly within his calling. Therefore, a strong bond of friendship developed between God and Abraham.

Imagine that when God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He wondered whether it would be proper to hide this decision from Abraham. In the end, God confided in Abraham because He had found it extremely difficult not to do so.

Here is the beautiful part. We believe God and believe in Him not just for our sake, but for the sake of many others, some of whom we will probably never meet physically. We walk in obedience to God not only for our sake but also for the sake of others. We seek pristine fellowship with God not only for our sake but for the sake of others as well.

Check this: “So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.” Genesis 19:29

The lives of Lot and his family were spared because God remembered Abraham. It was not because of Lot that he and his family were spared the brimstone and fire; it was because of the faithful Abraham.

Many will be remembered because of you if you would emulate Abraham (if you would emulate Christ).

Family, friends, loved ones, and many more will be spared challenges and much pain and suffering because of you. Christians need to appreciate the responsibility placed on their shareholders and work hard at optimizing and sanitizing their relationship with the Lord.

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Bible Verse #18: NEVER LOOK BACK - Bible Verses About Encouraging Others - Uplifting Bible Messages for Today

As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” Genesis 19:17

Picture this.

God is about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the massive scale of sin associated with these cities. Angels are already on the ground to carry out the assignment.

However, because of Abraham the Faithful, and a man after God’s own heart, the angels seek to spare the lives of Lot and his family.

The angels had to grab Lot and his family by hand, seeing they were delaying and led them out of Sodom, to a safe place.

As soon as they had brought them out, one of [the angels] said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” Genesis 19:17

Clear instructions, these are. The instructions are as relevant to the Christians of today as they were when the angel uttered them. It would be infinitely profitable for you if you would heed the instructions. Here they are: -

·       Flee for your life.
·       Flee to the mountains.
·       Don’t look back.
·       Don’t stop anywhere in the plain.

This is a four-point guide on how to walk with the

Lord.

The angel did not just give instructions; he also spelled out the consequences of disobeying them. “… you will be swept away!” the angel warned. Please note the exclamation mark.

“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:26

There it is - a clear display of the bitter fruits of disobedience!

Flee for your life. Don’t walk away from the world; instead, flee from it! Flee to Jesus. Never look back and never stop anywhere in the plain.

Lot’s wife looked back, probably in her heart secretly admiring the life of the world; the rest is history.

Some people have fled. They have fled to Jesus. However, some don’t seem to have done well on instructions 3 and 4. Such people occasionally stopped in the plain, their attention having been overtaken by worldly glitter for a moment. They have looked back, probably missing the onions and garlic of the world they were leaving.

Whatever the case with you, go back to the four-point guide right away, and make it a point to stick to it!

Run for cover… or you will be swept away!

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