Sundays Message: 9/7/2014 Respond in Faith: Make it a Habit Genesis 26:33 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 2 The Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. When God’s promises and circumstances do not match, respond, don’t react. When expectations and experiences do not meet, respond, don’t react. Respond not by sight, nor by senses or feelings, but instead by walking in faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). How do we see this in the life of Isaac? How should we respond in faith? Observations in the Life of Isaac (Genesis 26) Faith is Personal (v.1). Just like in the time of Abraham, there was a famine in the days of his son, Isaac. Though Isaac was at the center of God’s will, this adversity tested his faith. As Abraham’s faith was developed through testing, now, it’s Isaac’s turn to put his faith into practice. God does not want second-hand faith. Faith is personal and non-transferable; nonetheless, it can be contagious. Parents ought not to impose their faith to their children. What parents can do is to pray and influence them. Their children’s faith will be developed with a personal encounter with God. Security is not in Geography but in God(vv. 2-3). God instructed Isaac not to go to Egypt during famine but to go to Gerar. Egypt back then, was like America today- the symbol for prosperity. People were naturally drawn to go to Egypt for security (Isaiah 30:1-2; 31:1). There is nothing wrong about “Egypt” as long as God is leading you there and you have faithfully consulted Him. But for Isaac, God was teaching him that blessings rest not on geography. Security in life is God himself. Like Father Like Son (vv.6-7). Just like his father Abraham who lied about his wife Sarah when they were in Egypt, Isaac lied to Abimelech about Rebekah. Fearing that they might kill him to get her, he told Abimelech that Rebekah was his sister, and not his wife. This is one classic example of what studies show regarding children naturally copying their parents. What parents do in moderation, children tend to do in excess. Circle of Concern Our circle of concern contains everything that bothers us. There are two controlling circles in our circle of concern. A very small circle is within our control, and a bigger circle is outside our control. God wants us to be responsible of what is within our control. What is outside our control is God’s department. We have no control on what happens to us and around us, but we have control over our response to it. Don’t play God, you are not God. Surrender to God what is outside your control, but be responsible to what is within your control. Force of Habit Habits are formed in the basal ganglia of our brain. That gland overrides the natural function of the pre-frontal cortex in the brain which is responsible for logical reasoning. Our reactive impulse is a habit. To break a habit, you must do something different when the “cue” is triggered; you change the routine and break the pattern (see WORKS below). Apply the 3-minute routine – P.R.A.Y.! Pause, Resist the first impulse, Ask the Holy Spirit to control you, and Yield to God by surrendering to His will. Whatever bondage you are in today, do not wait until it is exposed. Remember God can use even an unbeliever to rebuke you. Abimelech does not know the Lord but he scolded Isaac for lying (Genesis 26:10-11). Respond in Faith When you are afraid, trust God, and respond in faith (Psalm 56:3-4). Do what is within your control. Whatever God is telling you to do, just trust and obey. Isaac sowed in the land, despite famine. He did his part to sow; whether there will be a harvest is God’s part. The Bible tells us that indeed, he reaped a hundredfold and became very, very rich (Genesis 26:12-13). Despite our circumstances, our fears and failures, keep responding in faith. Trust God and do not lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). Do not doubt in the dark what God has made clear in the light. When you make responding in faith a habit, your life will never be the same again.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 12:29:37 +0000
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