Genesis 26:12-25 Worship the Lord!

Isaac's Prosperity

12Now Isaac sowed seed in the land, and in that very year he reaped a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him, 13and he became richer and richer, until he was exceedingly wealthy. 14He owned so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. 15So the Philistines took dirt and stopped up all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham.

16Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Depart from us, for you are much too powerful for us.”

17So Isaac left that place and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died. And he gave these wells the same names his father had given them.

19Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found a well of fresh water there. 20But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek,a because they contended with him.

21Then they dug another well and quarreled over that one as well; so he named it Sitnah.b

22He moved on from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. He named it Rehobothc and said, “At last the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

23From there Isaac went up to Beersheba, 24and that night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham.”

25So he built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there. Isaac’s servants also dug a well there.

Abraham left his riches to Isaac and Isaac didn’t sit around and enjoy them, he worked steadily and God continued to increase his wealth. 

Jealousy is a dangerous state of mind and we see that God used the jealousy and contention to eventually resettle Isaac near Beersheba where his father once was.

“24and that night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham.”

25So he built an altar there and worshiped the Lord.

Do you worship the Lord for your blessings?

Blessings, David 

No Soliciting! Proverb 3:9-10 NLT

Tithing, it's one of those controversial subjects in the Church. Pastors dislike teaching on it. It's an uncomfortable subject. In the 15 years we attended Calvary Chapel, I can only remember one time Pastor Robert actually "solicited" funds. That was during the building expansion project. He was very uneasy about bringing up the subject, and was relieved once his "presentation" was over. Of course he taught on tithing but not as a strong arm tactic to get funds. Calvary's belief was "If the Lord guides, the Lord will provide."

The church we attend now has had some financial concerns. It was discovered a former employee had been embezzling for several years before retiring. This discovery set off a chain reaction that will be felt by the entire church body for years to come.

The first time tithing is mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis.

Genesis 4:3-5 NLT

3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. 

Are your gifts acceptable to the Lord? Do you give of your first fruits or from what's left over? Maybe not at all? That's between you and the Lord.

There is so much more to say on this subject but I'll save that for next time.

Proverb 3:9-10 NLT

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth

and with the best part of everything you produce.

10 Then he will fill your barns with grain,

and your vats will overflow with good wine.

Blessings, Cecilia 

Genesis 26:6-11 Sins of the father!

Isaac Deceives Abimelech

6So Isaac settled in Gerar. 7But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.”

8When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. 9Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’?”

Isaac replied, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.”

10“What is this you have done to us?” Abimelech said, “One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever harms this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”

Why do sons repeat the sins of their father? 

Could it be our parents teach us their ways?

Issac repeated the same line his father Abraham did about Sarah.

Abraham led by example and Isaac followed it!

“Because I thought I might die on account of her.”

Instead of relying on God for protection, Isaac walked down the same sinful path of his father. God kept a Promise with Isaac because of Abraham. Would He allow any harm to come upon him?

We have the same sinful problem, we rely on ourselves to get us out of trouble instead of relying on God.

Who will you put your trust in today?

Blessings, David 

Humble Grace. Proverbs 3:31-35 NLT

A few thoughts from David Guziks teaching of these verses:

Wisdom teaches us that though the way of the wicked may seem good and at times enviable, we should  choose none of his ways. In honor to God, in love to others, and in wisdom of life we should never oppress others.

The perverse person is an abomination to the LORD: We should not envy or imitate the oppressor because God knows how and when to judge such wicked.

God  blesses the home of the just, but He also  scorns the scornful. The temporary prosperity of the wicked should never make us envy or imitate them.

“The Lord abhors intrigue, but people who are candid and upright, who know the virtue of openness and simplicity, have His ear.” (Waltke)

Pride sets God in opposition to us, but humility invites the  grace of God. We want to be  humble and receive God’s grace.

There is a sense in which Solomon spoke of  wisdom and  humility as being closely related. 

Those who are wise enough to see God as He really is and ourselves as we really are will have a natural and appropriate humility. 

‘He mocks the proud mockers.’  ‘The Lord resists the proud’.” (Ross)

The wise shall inherit glory: Whatever exaltation the wicked seem to have, it is only temporary. Their  legacy shall be  shame, but God has a destiny of  glory for His wise, humble ones.

Inherit glory: “Not have it only, but inherit it…they shall have it as their proper, perfect, and perpetual right.

Grace

James 4:6 NLT

6 But He gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,

"God opposes the proud but favors the humble ".

Humility

1Peter 5:5 NLT

5 In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for

“God opposes the proud but favors the humble".

One verse quoted twice in the New Testament. One focuses on grace to stand against evil desires,  the other focuses on serving in humility.

Lord, keep me humble, give me grace. Amen

Proverbs 3:31-35 NLT

31 Don’t envy violent people

or copy their ways.

32 Such wicked people are detestable to the LORD,

but He offers His friendship to the godly.

33 The LORD curses the house of the wicked,

but He blesses the home of the upright.

34 The LORD mocks the mockers

but is gracious to the humble.

35 The wise inherit honor,

but fools are put to shame! 

Blessings, Cecilia

Genesis 26:1-5 Heirs!

God's Promise to Isaac

(Genesis 12:1-9)

1Now there was another famine in the land, subsequent to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.

2The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Settle in the land where I tell you. 3Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. 4I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, 5because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

Notice this verse, “The LORD appeared to Isaac”. It doesn’t say, said or in a dream, it says appeared!

Stay, and I will be with you and bless you! What an awesome promise from the Lord!

We have a similar promise with Christ. 

Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

There is no mistake about it, Isaac is the Son of the Promise. 

Because Abraham “listened to My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

You are Abraham’s seed and heirs (legally entitled) according to the promise.

Blessings, David 

Help! Proverbs 3:27-30 NLT

What kind of a helper are you? Do you come up with reasons to avoid helping others when asked? What about offering help when you haven't been asked? Do you step in and give help when you see a need? 

At work, the motto is "Customers First". It's on the time clock when we punch in, it's on the wall of the breakroom, it's on our aprons. Unfortunately, it's not embraced by all who work there. I don't care if it's my break time, lunchtime or end of shift, if I see a customer in need, I stop and help them. Not just because I'm paid to help but because it's the right thing to do. 

Proverbs 3:27-30 NLT 

27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it 

when it’s in your power to help them. 

28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, 

“Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.” 

29 Don’t plot harm against your neighbor, 

for those who live nearby trust you. 

30 Don’t pick a fight without reason, 

when no one has done you harm. 

Blessings, Cecilia 

Genesis 25:29-34 Selling a birthright!

Esau Sells His Birthright

29One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the field and was famished. 30He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom. )

31“First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied.

32“Look,” said Esau, “I am about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?”

33“Swear to me first,” Jacob said.

So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright. 34Then Jacob gave some bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate and drank, and then got up and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Hebrews 12:16 (ESV)

16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

Esau was a fornicator and profane person according to Hebrews 12:16

But Jacob was acting like a scoundrel or a rascal in taking advantage of his brother.

It was Martin Luther who drew attention that this wasn’t a valid transaction because Jacob tried to purchase something that was already his and Esau tried to sell something that didn’t belong to him.

For God said in Genesis 25:23 and He declared to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

The Edomites were the descendants of Esau. 

Genesis 25:25 The first one came out red, covered with hair like a fur coat; so they named him Esau.

Edom” comes from a Semitic word meaning “red,”

Read more here.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Edomites.html

Are we guilty of selling a birthright with Jesus Christ?

Blessings, David 

Genesis 25:24-28 A favorite son!

24When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. 25The first one came out red, covered with hair like a fur coat; so they named him Esau. 26After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

27When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home. 28Because Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob

a “heel-catcher” meant something in that day. It had the idea of “trickster,” “con-man,” “scoundrel,” or “rascal.” It wasn’t a compliment.

We will see later in Genesis 27 how Jacob tricked Isaac into believing he was Esau.

The Hebrew word for mild or quiet has a meaning of wholeness not weak or effeminate.

It’s interesting to see the different personalities of these twin brothers and how each parent had a favorite son they loved.

Blessings, David 

1 Peter 3:18-22 Faith or bathe?

Yesterday we had a funeral to attend for Cecilia’s uncle, he was 96 and lived a full life. It was a 3-1/2 hour drive for us one way. So we decided to do it in one day. There was a Catholic mass, the cemetery and a celebration luncheon. 

We arrived back home about 10 pm.

We were raised Catholic and left the Catholic Church because of all the child abuse. I often jokingly refer to myself as a recovering catholic. Since leaving I have become a born again Christian and have read through the Bible and studied it daily.

Something the priest said during the funeral mass bothered me. He stated her uncle was saved because he was baptized. I believe he was saved because of his faith in Jesus Christ, but I cannot find anywhere in the Bible that’s says baptism saves a person. I believe the verses below are misconstrued about saving through water.

1 Peter 3:18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit, 19in which He also went and preached to the spirits in prison 20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ark was being built.

In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water. 21And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.

These verses are rich, but let’s concentrate on verse 21, “21And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”

Peter was careful to point out that it isn’t the actual water washing of baptism (not the removal of dirt from the body) that saves us, but the spiritual reality behind the immersion in water (the pledge of a clear conscience toward God).

YOU have to have a clear conscience toward God, you have to confess you are a sinner and that you believe that Jesus Christ saves you through the resurrection. 

You must believe He died on the cross for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead, “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”

Without that faith in the Christ you just have water removing dirt from the body.

Do you have a clear conscience towards God or do you believe in baptism, i.e. the washing of water saves your soul? 

If you believe in the latter, why not just take a bath?

Faith or bathe, it’s your choice.

Blessings, David 

Genesis 25:19-23 Sibling Rivalry!

Jacob and Esau

(Malachi 1:1-5; Romans 9:6-18)

19This is the account of Abraham's son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac, 20and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-arama and the sister of Laban the Aramean.

21Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.

22But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So Rebekah went to inquire of the LORD, 23and He declared to her:

“Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples from within you will be separated;

one people will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger.”

“and He declared to her:” notice the Lord spoke directly and declared to her.

“the older will serve the younger.” God chose a reversal of the natural order established earlier in the Bible. This was before they were born, before they sinned.

People wonder and theorize why God declared the older will serve the younger, I say He is God and it was His choice. Who am I to wonder why!

Sibling rivalry that started in the womb and continued throughout their lives!

“and two peoples from within you will be separated;

one people will be stronger than the other”

Blessings, David 

Genesis 25:12-18 Wild donkey of a man!

The Descendants of Ishmael

(1 Chronicles 1:28-33)

12This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. 13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

16These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names by their villages and encampments—twelve princes of their tribes. 17Ishmael lived a total of 137 years. Then he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.

18Ishmael’s descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which is near the border of Egypt as you go toward Asshur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.

God blessed Ishmael, he had twelve sons, twelve princes of twelve tribes!

But why does verse 18 have varying translations? Please look at verse 18 in the parallel bible.

https://biblehub.com/genesis/25-18.htm

The Hebrew can be translated;

“Lived to the east of” or “Lived in hostility toward”.

I believe it is the later because of the Lords prediction in Genesis 16:12.

Genesis 16:12 He will be a wild donkey of a man, and his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

Hatred corrodes the container it’s kept in. 

Ishmael hated Isaac because Isaac inherited the Promise and Abraham’s wealth. His hatred was passed on to his sons and through the following generations.

1 John 2:11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Are you a wild donkey of a man or Is your container corroded?

Blessings, David 

Genesis 25:6-11 At a ripe old age.

The Death of Abraham

7Abraham lived a total of 175 years. 8And at a ripe old age he breathed his last and died, old and contented, and was gathered to his people.

9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. 10This was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah.

11After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near Beer-lahai-roi.

“Above all as a man of God, he stands unrivaled; so that under the most exalted and perfect of all dispensations, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he is proposed and recommended as the model and pattern according to which the faith, obedience, and perseverance of the followers of the Messiah are to be formed. Reader, while you admire the man, do not forget the God that made him so great, so good, and so useful. Even Abraham had nothing but what he had received; from the free unmerited mercy of God proceeded all his excellences; but he was a worker together with God, and therefore did not receive the grace of God in vain. Go thou, believe, love, obey, and persevere in like manner.” Clarke

Different translations say;

at a ripe old age

at a good old age

at a very old age

As Spock would say; He lived long and prospered, BUT

“he was a worker together with God”.

“Go thou, believe, love, obey, and persevere in like manner.”

Blessings, David 

Sweet Dreams.Proverbs 3:21-26 NLT

When our son Jesus was a child he would always yell "Sweet dreams" as he headed down the hall for bed. We don't know where he learned that expression, it wasn't something David or I said.

I always like to say "Sleep is highly overrated" having suffered from insomnia in the past. These days, or nights, I generally sleep well.

Solomon says the key to sleeping soundly is common sense and discernment. So what is "common sense"?

com·mon sense-good sense and sound judgment in practical matters.

sense-a sane and realistic attitude to situations and problems.

And I like these synonyms: 

wisdom · discernment  · intelligence  · judgment · soundness of judgment · understanding · reason · logic

dis·cern·ment-the ability to judge well.

But this is my favorite definition this morning:

Discernment -(in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.

"Obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding".

Thank you God for the Holy Spirit!

So lean on Him, seek Him and "Sweet dreams"!

Proverbs 3:21-26 NLT

21 My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment.

Hang on to them,

22 for they will refresh your soul.

They are like jewels on a necklace.

23 They keep you safe on your way,

and your feet will not stumble.

24 You can go to bed without fear;

you will lie down and sleep soundly.

25 You need not be afraid of sudden disaster

or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,

26 for the LORD is your security.

He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.

Blessings, Cecilia