Dig another well (PROBLEMS and TROUBLE) (Gen. 26:12-22)
Illus: The Emperor And The Seed
Long ago the emperor of a far away land was getting old and had no heir. He decided to pick a successor from the youth of the nation, but desired one that had wisdom and truth. He devised a plan to pick the right one. He would give every youth a seed, they were to plant the seed and return in four months with the plant they grew. Everyone took their seed and went home, among the youth was a very poverty-stricken young man. He excitedly took his seed home and showed it to his parents. They helped him plant the seed and showed him how to take care of it. He watched the plant every day for a month waiting for it to germinate, But the plant never poked its head through the soil. All the other youth were bragging about how great their plants were doing. Even though he was discouraged, he kept on tending the plant. The four months was soon up, and it was time to show the plants to the emperor. He dreaded to take his barren pot before the Emperor, but he felt compelled to go. Upon his arrival all the other youth had such beautiful plants, the made fun and ridiculed his empty vessel. He placed his empty pot in the last row and stood by it, His head bowed with shame. The Emperor arrived and bragged on all the beautiful plants, then he saw the empty pot in the back row. He yelled to the guards and commanded that they bring the empty pot and its owner to the front. The poor youth was shaking with fear, expecting the worst. The Emperor Smiled at him and announced that this poor lad would be the next Emperor. There was a great uproar from all the other youth with the beautiful plants, they wanted to know why this lad with an empty pot was chosen over them. The emperor explained that the seeds he had given them had been boiled and that it was impossible for them to germinate. The only one who had been honest was this poor lad with an empty pot.
SO BECAUSE OVER CAME FEAR AND DOUBT AND HE WAS HONEST HE BECAME THE NEXT EMPEROR
TEXT GEN 26:12-22)
12 Isaac planted grain and had a good harvest that same year. The LORD blessed him, 13 and Isaac was so successful that he became very rich. 14 In fact, the Philistines were jealous of the large number of sheep, goats, and slaves that Isaac owned, 15 and they stopped up the wells that Abraham’s servants had dug before his death. 16 Finally, Abimelech said, “Isaac, I want you to leave our country. You have become too powerful to stay here.”
17 Isaac left and settled in Gerar Valley, 18 where he cleaned out those wells that the Philistines had stopped up. Isaac also gave each of the wells the same name[b] that Abraham had given to them. 19 While his servants were digging in the valley, they found a spring-fed well. 20 But the shepherds of Gerar Valley quarreled with Isaac’s shepherds and claimed the water belonged to them. So the well was named “Quarrel,” because they had quarreled with Isaac.
21 Isaac’s servants dug another well, and the shepherds also quarreled about it. So that well was named “Jealous.” 22 Finally, they dug one more well. There was no quarreling this time, and the well was named “Lots of Room,” because the LORD had given them room and would make them very successful.
Sometimes life gets rough and we have to rethink our thinking, Sometimes We need to just dig another well
1. WE WILL FACE PROBLEMS
As Christians we become a target for Satan's attacks, they come in different forms
1. Other people
1. Enemies
2. Sometimes Friends
3. Those in Authority
4. Those that misunderstand
5 .Health Issues
6. Financial Adversity
7. Family Problems
WE SHOULD EXPECT PROBLEMS and TROUBLES, BUT KNOW THAT JESUS IS WORKING FOR YOUR FAVOR IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE
JESUS SAID IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER FOR I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD
DAVID
MOSES
ELIJAH
PAUL
2. Christians should OVERCOME TROUBLE
If you want to be Spiritually successful you must overcome TROUBLE, NOT GIVE IN TO IT
BE NOT TERRIFIED BY PROBLEMS
TROUBLE and PROBLEMS are a fact of life. It can’t be controlled. What we can control is how we react to it.
. Christians should believe that GOD will bless them
No matter how many times the Philistines stopped up the wells, Isaac picked up the shovel and dug another well, HE DID'T QUIT
. Good comes from overcoming problems
