THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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Two boys entered the dentist's office. One boy said, "I want a tooth taken out, and I don't want any gas, and I don't want it deadened; we're in a hurry!"
The dentist said, "You're a brave young man! Which tooth is it?"
The boy turned to his smaller friend and said, "Show him your tooth, Albert."
The world is full of volunteers like that. We're anxious to have something happen to someone else! We don't mind if God changes the world, as long as He doesn't bring pain into our own lives!
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Gen 26:26-33
26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.
27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?
28 And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;
29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.
30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.
31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.
33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba unto this day.
KJV
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Now, Abimelech was "worldly" and without God, but he recognized blessings when he saw them. He became fearful because he saw that God was blessing Isaac.
Friends, if we will walk with God, He will show His Divine favour toward us and the world will tremble!! Proverbs 16:7 says, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."
Isaac was not afraid of conflict, he just didn't want to live in it. He said, "Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you?" It was Abimelech who came to Isaac and wanted to make an agreement. He was so afraid that he wanted to make sure Isaac didn't wage war against him.
Isaac was skeptical at first. Abimelech's men had run Isaac's men off from virtually every well that they had dug. Yet Abimelech said, "..we have done unto thee nothing but good."
But Isaac reacted in a godly manner. He showed kindness and generosity by providing them a "feast."
The same day that Abimelech left, Isaac's servants reported finding water. Isaac named the well "Shebah," meaning "well of the oath." Here is a principle truth: When we covenant to do good, and not harm, God provides protection and plenty.
When the world treats us unkindly, let us not act in anger or retribution; but let us act in kindness and goodness. It is a character trait of godliness that we must work on and develop.
Love ya,
Bruce