Covenant Confirmed To Isaac

Genesis 26. God confirmed the Abrahamic covenant to Isaac. He had no reason to doubt. He had every reason to trust God. But today we see Isaac's faith waver. True faith is always tested, either by temptation within us or trials around us (James 1:1-18), because a faith that can't be tested can't be trusted. God tests us to bring out the best in us, but Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us. Isaac faced two temptations.

1) The Temptation To Run: 26:1-6

When Isaac faced a famine, he decided to go to Gerar, the capital city of the Philistines, and get help from Abimelech. The safest place in the world is in the will of God. Why? Because the will of God will never lead us where His grace can't provide for us. Unbelief asks, "How can I get out of this," while faith asks, "What can I get out of this?"

2) The Temptation To Lie: 26:7-11

Isaac may flee from the famine, but when he put himself in a situation that offered no escape, he had to turn to deception to protect himself. Abraham committed this same sin twice. Like father like son. Each new generation must experience the same tests as previous generations, only to discover that the enemy doesn't change and that human nature doesn't improve.

When Isaac found himself in difficulty, he was tempted to run and to lie. We'll face the same two temptations throughout life. Remember the enemy doesn't change his tactics. Let's walk by faith and trust God all the way. [thoughts from Warren Wiersbe today...]