What is your Attitude towards Spiritual Opportunities?

Genesis 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. 6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. 7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. 8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. 9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; 10 The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. 11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.

12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham: 13 And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, 15 Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: 16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. 17 And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people. 18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.

19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac: 20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. 21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, And two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; And the one people shall be stronger than the other people; And the elder shall serve the younger. 24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. 27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

• Abraham had a far larger family than you might have thought. At least 8 sons, 3 wives, and then grandchildren

• At least at the funeral, the two older brothers get back together to bury their dad, Ishmael, and Isaac

• Ishmael will also prosper and will have 12 sons that become princes. They become great men with great influence. Muslims trace their heritage back to Abraham through Ishmael

• How will you handle the droughts, the waiting, the time between asking and receiving in your life?

• When you read the Bible story, it looks like they prayed and it happened but often years passed between the asking and the receiving. How we handle these downtimes, waiting times, times of apparent drought, is very important

1. Dying after a full life 8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

2. He had walked with the Lord for a 100 years

3. He was the friend of God James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

4. Old age is good if God has been blessing Proverbs 16:31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, If it be found in the way of righteousness.

5. Abraham died in faith Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

6. He died full of years 8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

7. That would mean more than just lots of years

8. It would speak of the quality of his life, the idea of a satisfying life Psalm 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; They shall be fat and flourishing; 15 To shew that the Lord is upright: He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

9. Most old people have regrets when they look back, fear when they look forward, and complaints when they look around

10. We want a different way of thinking and acting.

11. We want to be thankful to God for His goodness to us and grace in spite of our mistakes

12. We want to be rejoicing in Him and what He has done and not in ourselves and our failures or our successes

13. Death is no threat to us! We are the children of God

14. We should use our old age as a chance to share with the younger generation Psalm 48:13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; That ye may tell it to the generation following. 14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death. Psalm 78:5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which he commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children: 6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; Who should arise and declare them to their children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep his commandments:

15. Abraham had a will

16. He had married again to Keturah Genesis 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

17. He had more children and grandchildren with her

18. Abraham only gave gifts to these in his family and sent them away

19. He left everything to Isaac 5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.

20. He actually got rid of the new family while he was still living 6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

21. What sort of preparations are you making to die?

22. Are you sharing your wisdom with others or have you decided to hold it all in yourself? You made it the hard way and you want them to have to do the same

23. What are you leaving for those that come behind?

24. What you leave is so much more than money

25. The blessing now passed to Isaac 11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.

26. Isaac has the promise that God had given Abraham

27. He will be the spiritual leader

28. Abraham had several children but only one was given all the promises

29. God made Isaac wait to have children also

30. God gave Isaac his wife and they seem to have both loved the Lord 20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

31. They had to wait to have children like so many others in the Bible and even today

32. Abraham and Sarah had waited 25 years for Isaac to be born

33. Jacob will work 14 years to get his wife

34. Joseph waits 20 years to see his family put back together

35. You are not in charge of your life and times will often wait on God for the things you want and even He wants for you

36. Isaac prayed for his wife to have a child 21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

37. How do you handle the waiting times, the barren times in your life?

38. Sometimes God doesn’t come through

39. You have the promise but it isn’t happening

40. Do you realize that between planting and harvesting, there is a lot of time spent waiting, praying, anticipating?

41. The twins were fighting even in the womb 22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord.

42. Rebecca finds out what God’s will is and knows it before the boys are born 23 And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, And two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; And the one people shall be stronger than the other people; And the elder shall serve the younger.

43. I wonder if this might be why she makes him her favorite and takes him into the kitchen and makes him a mama’s boy

44. Did she think that since he was going to be the blessed one she would be better served to love and help him?

1. Esau and Jacob are born

2. They were very different from birth

3. Esau was a hairy outdoorsman 25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

4. Jacob was a scheming, mama’s boy 26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

5. The parents made a great mistake 28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

6. Jacob was an old man and loved that his boy was all man

7. Rebekah loved Jacob and it doesn’t say why

8. Maybe because of the prophecy

9. Maybe because Jacob didn't get his dad’s love

10. It doesn’t matter, this will cause great family difficulties for years to come

11. Esau has no interest in spiritual things. He is open to any and everything but God Hebrews 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

12. Jacob wanted what God had already promised him and would scheme and connive to get it 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

13. All Jacob needed to do was wait and see how God would provide and do what He had said He was going to do

14. Like me, Jacob couldn’t wait on God, he had to make things happen himself

15. He will suffer the consequences of selfishly doing for himself what God was already going to do

16. Esau despised what should have been his 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

17. How do you deal with the spiritual opportunities that God gives you?

18. Esau is so involved in this world, that he places little to no importance in the birthright! He would rather live for the moment than think on future, eternal, spiritual things 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

19. Jacob wants things so badly that he will take by hook or crook what God has already promised him

20. Esau is more concerned about living it up and having something to eat than the most important role that he was meant to play in life

21. Maybe he was just playing, teasing, being flippant. Maybe he didn't mean it when he made the statements

22. Maybe he already figured out that it was going to be Jacob’s and so it didn't matter

23. Whatever happened, he despised what God potentially had for him 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

24. Jacob wants the blessing, the birthright! He may not have any idea what it really means but he will cheat to get it. Maybe his mother told him about it but whatever he wants it even if it means taking advantage of his brother

25. Now the question is how are you handling the opportunities that God gives you

26. Do you play and ignore them?

27. Do you take advantage of them?

28. Do you waste your opportunities?

29. How do you handle what God puts in your life?