Post by Zac Loh on Aug 4, 2010 2:11:02 GMT -5
Keep On Keeping On – Principle To God’s Financial Blessing – Part 2
Genesis 26:12-25
Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. (Genesis 26:19-20)
We first recognize that it is God who blesses us financially. We will have to decide every day whether to choose God’s financial blessing or the world’s financial blessing – we cannot have both: Satan tempted Jesus with the wealth of the world.
Isaac dug wells. In the agricultural business, wells were more than human survival. They were critical to business. They were the source which the agricultural business were centered on. A well represents a business, a deal, a career, a source of income. Isaac didn’t stop opening up wells, he kept on keeping on.
When you are prosperous in a supernatural way, people will scratch their heads. They observe and scrutinize, and cannot find any natural reason for your success. This is the situation which you have to open your mouth to testify of the goodness of God, and glorify Him. You must tell people about Jesus. Tell people that before you became prosperous, Jesus did the utmost thing for you, that is, He forgave you of your sin. You were forgiven first, before you prospered. Divine forgiveness has a way of leading up to wholeness, success and prosperity.
I am not saying that every spiritually born again Christian will have extra physical comfort and excess wealth. But should God planned and specifically chosen you to prosper financially to overflowing, it is for the sake of eternity. You will encounter the old rugged cross, humility before exaltation. And continual humility for continual exaltation.
In the Valley of Gerar, Isaac’s servants found a well of running water. The local herdsmen quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named that well `Esek’ literally meaning `Quarrel’. As you penetrate into a new business, a new job, an opportunity; the parties are vying for the same thing, will `quarrel’ with you. You will face aggressive competition, even underhand tactics.
Quagmire
1. Soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot.
2. A difficult, precarious, or entrapping position : predicament.
(from Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Pyrrhic victory
A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with devastating cost to the victor; it carries the implication that another such will ultimately cause defeat.
The phrase is named after King Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose army suffered irreplaceable casualties in defeating the Romans at Heraclea in 280 BC and Asculum in 279 BC during the Pyrrhic War. After the latter battle, Plutarch relates in a report by Dionysius:
The armies separated; and, it is said, Pyrrhus replied to one that gave him joy of his victory that one more such victory would utterly undo him. For he had lost a great part of the forces he brought with him, and almost all his particular friends and principal commanders; there were no others there to make recruits. On the other hand, as from a fountain continually flowing out of the city, the Roman camp was quickly and plentifully filled up with fresh men, not at all abating in courage for the loss they sustained, but even from their very anger gaining new force and resolution to go on with the war.
(from Wikipedia)
Instead of falling into a quagmire, lose-lose and no win, Isaac decided to move on. His herdsmen dug another well. Isaac did not stop his enterprising venture. Isaac kept on keeping on. He kept looking for new wells.
We need not compete for the sake of competing. We need to discern by the grace of God, whether the fight is pyrrhic. Or else, we will lose more than we gain. The cost will overtake the profit. Both you and your competitor will suffer. Never let ego determine your course of action.
Genesis 26:12-25
Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. (Genesis 26:19-20)
We first recognize that it is God who blesses us financially. We will have to decide every day whether to choose God’s financial blessing or the world’s financial blessing – we cannot have both: Satan tempted Jesus with the wealth of the world.
Isaac dug wells. In the agricultural business, wells were more than human survival. They were critical to business. They were the source which the agricultural business were centered on. A well represents a business, a deal, a career, a source of income. Isaac didn’t stop opening up wells, he kept on keeping on.
When you are prosperous in a supernatural way, people will scratch their heads. They observe and scrutinize, and cannot find any natural reason for your success. This is the situation which you have to open your mouth to testify of the goodness of God, and glorify Him. You must tell people about Jesus. Tell people that before you became prosperous, Jesus did the utmost thing for you, that is, He forgave you of your sin. You were forgiven first, before you prospered. Divine forgiveness has a way of leading up to wholeness, success and prosperity.
I am not saying that every spiritually born again Christian will have extra physical comfort and excess wealth. But should God planned and specifically chosen you to prosper financially to overflowing, it is for the sake of eternity. You will encounter the old rugged cross, humility before exaltation. And continual humility for continual exaltation.
In the Valley of Gerar, Isaac’s servants found a well of running water. The local herdsmen quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named that well `Esek’ literally meaning `Quarrel’. As you penetrate into a new business, a new job, an opportunity; the parties are vying for the same thing, will `quarrel’ with you. You will face aggressive competition, even underhand tactics.
Quagmire
1. Soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot.
2. A difficult, precarious, or entrapping position : predicament.
(from Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Pyrrhic victory
A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with devastating cost to the victor; it carries the implication that another such will ultimately cause defeat.
The phrase is named after King Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose army suffered irreplaceable casualties in defeating the Romans at Heraclea in 280 BC and Asculum in 279 BC during the Pyrrhic War. After the latter battle, Plutarch relates in a report by Dionysius:
The armies separated; and, it is said, Pyrrhus replied to one that gave him joy of his victory that one more such victory would utterly undo him. For he had lost a great part of the forces he brought with him, and almost all his particular friends and principal commanders; there were no others there to make recruits. On the other hand, as from a fountain continually flowing out of the city, the Roman camp was quickly and plentifully filled up with fresh men, not at all abating in courage for the loss they sustained, but even from their very anger gaining new force and resolution to go on with the war.
(from Wikipedia)
Instead of falling into a quagmire, lose-lose and no win, Isaac decided to move on. His herdsmen dug another well. Isaac did not stop his enterprising venture. Isaac kept on keeping on. He kept looking for new wells.
We need not compete for the sake of competing. We need to discern by the grace of God, whether the fight is pyrrhic. Or else, we will lose more than we gain. The cost will overtake the profit. Both you and your competitor will suffer. Never let ego determine your course of action.