This popped up on my computer as I was searching for something today. I remember this writing from a year or so ago and I OBVIOUSLY needed to be reminded today – therefore, I am sharing it with you as well. I love it!
One of my friends sent me a text the other day with an interesting statement on it; she was at a meeting and heard a minister talking about when Isaac sowed in the land of famine.
You probably know the scriptures I am speaking of, it is found in Genesis 26:12-14 – “Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.”
In today’s society we don’t hear the word ‘famine’ very often, however, that is exactly what is going on in the world today. Our economy can be accurately compared to what was happening in Isaac’s day.
God was not concerned about famine in Isaac’s day and He is not concerned about famine today. He has a way to prosper, even when all the conditions are seemingly against prosperity.
The world says famine is coming, gather food and money and store it up.
But God says, famine is here, sow. If you have been a believer very long you already know that God’s ways are usually the exact opposite of the world’s ways. The good news is His ways are truth and backed by His word. His ways always work, if we obey them.
God told Isaac, “don’t be afraid and don’t run, just sow and I will bless you.” Isaac obeyed God, the Bible says he sowed in the land of famine and reaped a hundred-fold return that same year.
However, the Bible doesn’t stop there – not only did he reap a hundred-fold in that same year…the prosperity continued growing…until he became very wealthy and had so many possessions that the Philistines were jealous of him and his wealth.
That, my friend, is what God does for His people in famine, at least for those who sow in famine. Famine doesn’t move God and it doesn’t change His principles.
The statement I heard from my friend was about this very scripture and the minister said “Isaac’s seed spoke directly to the famine and said, you are not going to be here long AND you will not affect me or my household.”
Those are shouting words! Makes me do a happy dance!!
There are two ways to handle what is going on in our world. One is to hoard up and hope for the best. This is usually done in fear. Now, I am not against saving, I think having an emergency fund or savings account is very wise. I am not against stocking up on groceries and necessities. I am against fear driving those decisions.
Don’t hoard or store up with an attitude of fear. Be prepared, that is wisdom. Beyond that, do as God tells us to do, sow in famine. Don’t allow fear or impending doom to get your eyes off the truth of God’s word.
Put your seed in the ground and let it speak to the lack or famine in your life. Let your seed declare, “famine, you are not welcome here. God has declared me blessed, He says everything I touch prospers, therefore my seed is prospering and producing a hundred-fold return. But it won’t stop there, my seed will keep producing until I am very prosperous, to the point that those around me are jealous, just as they were with Isaac. Now, speak seed, speak to famine.”
It is only in giving that we receive. It is only in sowing that we reap a harvest, there is no other way. If a seed is not planted there is no way to grow and if nothing is growing, there will be no harvest.
I read a scripture today in the Passion translation that I just loved, let me share it with you; it is from Galatians 6:7;
Make no mistake about it, God will never be mocked! For what you plant will be the very thing you harvest. The harvest you reap reveals the seed that was planted.
To me that’s simply another way of saying your seed will speak FOR you.
If you find yourself in famine today, do not fear. Be encouraged, there is a way out…sow your seed and let it declare your prosperity.
Meditate on this:
Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Eccl. 11:6
