The twenty sixth chapter of Genesis the Bible tells a story of two men and their very different responses to what we will call, the Promised Land. Abraham experienced a famine in the early days of his life after having come to Canaan or the Promised Land. Abraham’s response to the famine was loading up the car, with all Sarah’s suitcases and heading for Egypt. Isaac had a completely different response to the circumstances. God said, “Don’t you go to Egypt, live in the land which I will tell you.” In verses three and four of chapter twenty six, God says, “Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendents I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham, your Father. And I will make your descendents multiply as the stars of the heaven; I will give you your descendents all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” Thus God passes on to Isaac the blessing of his father. Don’t be fooled, God is true to His promises, what He says; He will bring it to pass. (Genesis 26:1-5)
Let’s bring this up to date, I think everyone would agree that our nation is in a mess. It is as though there is a famine in the land and the enemy wants to grind us to powder. If the story of Isaac tells us anything, it is this; God’s promise will never be thwarted or diminished because of a famine, because of men’s greed or because of political schemes. Remember this, Isaac stayed and sowed in an environment of famine and lack when there was no promise of a harvest. Isaac sowed, he sowed when the economy was in total devastation and with lack all around him, and Isaac became so prosperous that he was envied by the Philistines. He harvested a hundred fold in a time of economic crisis. “Then Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundred fold; and the Lord blessed him”. (Genesis 26:12) A hundred fold return means that he made up what was lost in a three year period and God is able to redeem you in your faithfulness.
In the history of our nation we never hear of the positive side of the great depression. What you never hear is the part about the millionaires created during that time. There is no more or no less money or wealth on the earth today than there was last year. It is just in different places. The difference between Israel and other people was a covenant with God. Read Genesis 15:18.
The second thing I noticed about Isaac is that he did not abandon the principle of sowing and reaping. With poverty all around Him, he became exceedingly rich. The economic climate of his day did not effect his determination to sow for a harvest. Isaac continued to take the faith way. He refused to focus on the problems and in doing so he walked right into the blessings of God. He was so blessed the even his enemies were afraid of him. It is so important to keep our focus on Jesus, upon the Word of God and refuse to be moved.
I heard someone say the other day; there are some people who have everything. Not me, I don’t have. I don’t have a care and I don’t want one. Phil 4:6 says, be anxious about nothing. There are two different kinds of care one is marrimna, the kind we cast upon Him and – mello, the care He has for us.
Listen to the words- affliction, aggravation, alarm, anguish, distress, encumbrance, fear, handicap, hindrance, hardship, oppression, pressure, sorrow, stew, strain, stress, sweat, tribulation, trouble, unhappiness, vexation, woe and worry. We cannot live with that kind of care. Cast that kind of care on Jesus. He knows exactly what to do with it. That kind of care will choke the Word and cause it to be unfruitful in your life. So cast your care on Jesus. I think this year we need to go back to the depression for a lesson in economics. During the worst days of our nation’s history, there were men and women who were sowing and reaping a marvelous harvest. There are those who are hesitant to sow to their future, however, if you will allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in your giving, some of you will come out of this time, successful business men and women and some will be elevated in places of employment far beyond expectations. I believe the Church will gain an entrepreneurial spirit that will change future generations as Isaac changed the generations that followed him. Expect good things this year!
Pastor Danny
“Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for You.” (New American Standard Bible) (1st Peter 5:7)
