DISCOVERING THE HEART OF GOD: Deal Or No Deal?

And as I watch this show I can’t help but think that most North Americans are playing with their eternity in the very same way. The devil and the world (much like Howie and the ‘banker’) are offering them all kinds of deals to gamble away their souls. And the thrill of it all can easily capture their hearts. Like Esau and Judas:

DEAL OR NO DEAL? Esau had a birthright. As the firstborn between two twin brothers he had the right to carry on the promise of God to Abraham to father many sons. But in a moment of passionate stupidity Esau was tempted to deal away his birthright. And like many people today, not understanding the value of the blessings God has in mind for them, Esau said “DEAL!” when Jacob came calling with a little bowl of soup. And in that one stupid move Esau squandered everything good God had in mind for the eldest son.

Heb 12:16-17
Esau, who for one morsel of food, sold his birthright. And afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

DEAL OR NO DEAL? Satan entered the heart of Judas Iscariot. "Is this Jesus really who He says He is? Couldn’t you make a fast buck by turning the sucker in? Thirty pieces of silver, my boy. Deal or no deal?" -- Judas said “DEAL!”, and promptly lost his soul.

Many of our friends and family are doing the very same thing. Either lacking faith or common sense they are gambling away their eternity for a few shekels of fun. And we need to be like the family/friends on the sidelines screaming at them "Tell him NO DEAL. Put your faith in Christ and walk away."

But what about the Christian? Is he/she at peril too? Is Satan playing DEAL OR NO DEAL with us as well? Of course he is. Even though we have our million bucks (eternity and God's royal inheritance) right beside us, he wants to tempt us into dealing these great blessings away. And while we can't lose our salvation (1 Corinthians 3:15, etc.), we can certainly lose the good things God has in mind for us right here and now.

DEAL OR NO DEAL? In the desert Satan offered Jesus a series of DEALS in return for His soul. He was hoping to plant doubt in the Savior’s mind about the security of His mission and His Lordship. He wanted Jesus to gamble away His belief that His eternal security and mission were in His hands. But again and again Jesus said, “NO DEAL!” “You shall not tempt the Lord your God!”

You and I need to take the same approach. Satan will always tempt us to wander away from our mission and security in Christ. But like Jesus Christ in the wilderness (and in many other places) we need to stand up and say "NO DEAL" to the tricks and schemes of the world and the devil.

"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 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?” (Matt 16:24-27)