Genesis 26[12] Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
II Kings 8[1] Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
There are special blessings reserved for those who have made themselves special to God. This confirms once again that God treats us the way we treat Him. How are you treating God today? When a seven year famine was coming upon the land, Prophet Elisha saw many people but singled out the Shunammite woman for that piece of information. Not only that He guided her away to other lands without famine. If you are close to God, He will guide you away from danger. One thing we learn is that God has a solution recipe for every famine. In Kings 17:1-16, after self-inflicted famine, God asked Elijah to leave for the place He had arranged for him to be
provided for. God always has a place of refuge in times of famine. Sometimes that place may be outside the area affected by famine but at other times it is within the famine-ravished land, as in the case of Isaac in Genesis 26:1-16Genesis 26:1-16
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
26
1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:
7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.
8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.
9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.
10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. received: Heb. found
13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: went...: Heb. went going
14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. servants: or, husbandry
15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.
16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.
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Isaac thought of escaping to Egypt to avoid the famine but God warned him to stay there and sow. He obeyed and got so great a harvest that he became the envy of the Philistines. When he had become prosperous and enlarged, Gerar could no longer contain him. Apart from a secure location, there are things you can do to escape famine. Quite a lot of people travel out searching for greener pastures. Many Nigerians in Nigeria are living better lives than some who left these shores hoping to escape the hard times. Even in your profession, trade or business, if you are precious to God, He will warn you of imminent storms and give you the recipes to apply. Cultivate a working and lasting relationship with the Lord and you will access relevant information that could affect your today or tomorrow. Remember God is the original haven from famine.
Famines affect people differently. While the majority may be experiencing its worst times, a minority may be experiencing its best moments. (Pastor E.A. Adeboye)
Culled from “Open Heavens –Daily Devotional 14 February 2010” by Pastor E.A. Adeboye who is the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Sin is sin and merits punishment, whether you acknowledge it or not…Martin Luther
“If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, “You do not understand,” or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other’s highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.” ‘IF’ by Amy Carmichael
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