Genesis 26:1-2 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.
Genesis 26:12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him, Gen 26:13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.
Genesis 26:19 But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water,
As we’ve been speaking a word of revival across the United States, a primary purpose is to re-dig the wells for a great harvest in the midst of such darkness. While many would say “there is no revival coming”, we simply refer to Matthew 13:24-30 which describes a two-fold harvest. First, the WHEAT is ripening for harvest, while second, TARES are growing up along with it.
Even as we see evil and chaos and spiritual darkness rising up, God is also preparing the greatest harvest the world has ever seen as the end of this age draws near; and this is verified by simple mathematics. In the late 1800s the population of the world finally reached one billion people. By the 1930s, a second billion was added. As the multiplication became exponential in the 20th century, up to today, we are now nearly eight billion people in the world. And a remnant, or fraction of eight billion who will come to faith, will eclipse every remnant of every single generation before us! It’s simple math.
So our first meeting on this journey was in Florida, which was discovered on Palm Sunday, March 20, 1513, by Ponce DeLeon and so named by the explorer to commemorate the triumphal entry of the Lord. (Pasqua Florida, or “Flowering Easter”). So, it was a fitting place to begin re-digging the spiritual wells of the nation, which despite what revisionist historians suggest, was established to spread the gospel and to be a “city on a hill.”
The spiritual foundations of America, in their various locations throughout the colonies established by faithful pioneering Christians, over the years have been eroded, and their “wells” have been stopped up … and blocked. Part of our assignment for this season is simply to re-dig the wells.
In Issac’s time, a famine in the land became so severe that he considered going to Egypt. But the Lord intervened and said to him, “Stay here in the midst of the famine, and believe my Word,” … and when he did so, Isaac was blessed 100-fold in the midst of a famine.
According to God’s word, we’re expecting to see Him move powerfully as His glory rises up even in the darkness.
Isaiah 60:1-3 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
The glory of the Lord will shine, through our faith, our repentance, our obedience; and re-digging our own wells, each individually, allowing God to search us and know us, removing the obstacles in our lives that prevent the wellsprings of living water to flow, the harvest will be great!
Be blessed today, you’re alive for a purpose … to be part of the greatest harvest the world has ever known. In the midst of manifold troubles and problems, be part of the solution. Millions are now perplexed, afflicted, and terrified, and their only comfort, their most needed provision is to drink from the wells of salvation. Dig with us, in prayer and every spiritual work, for the sake of this massive generation. Our God will have a HARVEST!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]One of the major themes of Rosh Hashana is called Akedat Yitzchak, which means the Binding of Isaac. According to Jewish tradition, God told Abraham that the ram’s horn – otherwise known as a shofar – should be blown on Rosh Hashana to remind people of the sacrifice that God provided Himself when Abraham was about to offer Isaac on Mount Moriah.
The concept of ownership often influences how one can view the world, but if we recognize the truth that our time here is short and we can’t take anything with us, it will change our perspective. We are simply stewards of what has been entrusted to us. I’ve been running Worthy and its sites for 25 years, and I’ve never thought I was an owner but rather a steward of a ministry.
The last and most intimate metaphor for Messiah’s relationship with us is as Bridegroom to Bride. For some, the Lord’s intention to marry will be the most significant and wondrous purpose in all of Creation. The preparation for the wedding will be the most meticulous and profound of all historical processes, orchestrated by His Holy Spirit in cooperation with every devoted and expectant saint who ever lived.
One constant pitfall we must watch for is taking credit for something that God does in or through us, or using the gifts and callings of God for self-exaltation. In that light it may be easier to handle poverty, weakness, or insignificance, than wealth, ability, power or authority, since poverty and frailty are not normally things we boast about, and they cause us to recognize our need for God. Prosperity, gifting, and anointing, on the other hand can be powerful temptations, leading to pride, covetousness, and self-sufficiency.
Reading this parable, we are struck by the serious consequences of failing to produce Kingdom fruit. But there’s something I want to particularly point out. Many of the great heroes of the faith — people like Moses and David, were not given great responsibilities immediately. Each of these men first served as a lowly shepherd, tending sheep. Having tested them first in this humble vocation, God then felt confident to elevate them to positions of greatness — but it all started with a small step!
Talking to people about God has become a regular part of our lives. Between meeting people on the boards and in our chat rooms (which you should really come and visit at !) and the opportunities which open up in our daily lives, we find ourselves sharing with people from all walks of life – unbelievers, new believers, people who have come and gone from the faith and back again.
The place we call home in Israel is in the rebuilt city of Arad, an ancient city rebuilt in 1962 near the historic site of Tel Arad. It was the first planned city in Israel.
Tel Arad was an ancient fortress that, according to archaeologists, has been destroyed and rebuilt at least ten times. The citadel was thought to have originally been built during the times of King David and Solomon. The Negev desert’s arid conditions have remarkably preserved the fortress’s archaeological layers, providing a continuous record of its history for hundreds of years.