Tag: blessed by God
Abundant prosperity!
Scripture reading for January 9th: Genesis 23-27
Cause for Thanksgiving: Genesis 26:1-3, 13-14 “Now there was a famine in the land–besides the earlier famine of Abraham’s time–and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you.” “. . .Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundred-fold, because the Lord blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.”
Isaac was caught in a famine and sought help. The Lord God appeared to him with instructions to stay put and He would bless him. Isaac obeyed the Lord and God blessed him in a land of famine with a “hundred-fold” return and wealth that caused envy of the heathen!
Thanks to our Lord: Jesus promises up to a “hundred-fold return” to those who heard the Word of God and acted on it! We are in on a secret that gives us wealth beyond measure in the heavenly realm! “But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
Rejoicing in God’s promises!
Scripture reading for January 4th: Genesis 10-13
Call to Joy: Genesis 12:1-3 “The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
God’s call to a shepherd, Abram, who lived in the region of Babylon, was a call to adventure. It was a journey into the unknown with promises that stirred hope and joy! Becoming a great nation and blessed by God Himself was a grand promise. God defending him from his enemies and then causing him to be a blessing to the whole earth was joy-inducing! All that was required was a walk with God to a place He would reveal!
Rejoice: Believers in Jesus are now heirs of these promises to Abraham! “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. . . .If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:26, 28)
Isaac connects with God!
Scriptures for January 10th: Genesis 25-26
On our farm in Iowa, we had a dug well that was 110 feet deep. (Not a drilled well!) This well was about 4 feet across and my father and his dad and brothers had helped dig this well and brick it up. This ties with the story of Isaac nearly 4000 years ago!
Because of a famine, Isaac camped in the Valley of Gerar in the land of the Philistines and reopened the wells of his father Abraham. Wells were important for several reasons. They provided precious water in the desert that enabled crops, animals and humans to have refreshing and life. They provided a gathering place for communities to get this water daily for their use. (Jesus met the woman at the well in John chapter 4.) Wells also provided a means to increase a family’s wealth and provide for offspring.
Because of a famine, Isaac went to Gerar of the Philistines. God told him to stay there and gave him the promise of the land and descendants as the stars in the sky. (Genesis 26:2-6) Isaac obeyed and planted crops that year. God blessed him with a hundred fold return! Jealousy caused the Philistines to stop up the wells of Abraham that Isaac had been using. He moved on and dug new wells and God provided fresh water every time! God met him at Beersheba and blessed him! (Genesis 26:24-25) Isaac responded with an altar and another well.
The lesson for us is to dig for water wherever we are planted. We dig by going to Jesus and asking daily for His will and provision. May we, like Isaac, leave a legacy of wells of refreshing and blessing everywhere we go! May we re-dig the wells of our godly fathers!
“Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there.” Genesis 26:19
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14