DCLM DAILY MANNA 25 AUGUST 2021 — DON’T “CHECK OUT”
TOPIC: Don’t “Check Out” (DCLM Daily Manna 25 August 2021)
TEXT: Genesis 26:1-5
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.
KEY VERSE: “And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee…” – (Genesis 26:2,3a)
MESSAGE:
In Nigeria in the 1980s, the phrase “checking out” or “to check out” was popularised by one “Andrew”. The term literarily means travelling out of the country to Europe or America for “greener pastures”. This “Andrew” was then dissuaded from his idea of checking out. He watched the plane that would have taken him out take off and flew out of sight. He had to remain in the country.
Also Read: OPEN HEAVEN 25 AUGUST 2021 – THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE
In our text, we have a similar scenario, where Isaac the son of Abraham intended to leave his location at Gerar and go to Egypt because of the famine in the land. But he was instructed by God not to leave where he was but to remain, promising to bless him which was accomplished later in the chapter. In fact, God so prospered him that he became the envy of the Philistines (Genesis 26:12-14).
Running away from one’s native country may not necessarily bring about the solution to the problems of poverty, suffering or lack of gainful employment. Hundreds of years after Isaac, another man Elimelech, because of the same problem of famine left his home at Bethlehem for Moab. He died there with his two sons, leaving his wife Naomi to return home a widow. Today, some are running away from many third world countries to the developed world with the idea that “money grows on trees” there. Many of such people get stranded; some get involved in crimes and are imprisoned. The solution to this and any other problem is to seek the face of God in prayer and faith and receive definite guidance and instruction.
Many in their desperation to leave their country go to countries where there is no true worship of God. For such believers, they simply lose their faith. And keeping one’s faith in God in the midst of that prosperity (like Isaac), must be of topmost priority to the Christian.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Let God direct your path.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Psalm 31-35
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
