Weekly Messages
March 7-13, 2003
Why Isaac's Name Was Not Changed
by Dr. 'Tayo
Brown
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have
told us, what work thou didst in their days, in times of
old” Ps 44: 1
“...there arose another generation...which knew not
the Lord, nor yet the works he has done for Israel” Judges
2: 10
“Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers
have set” Pr 22: 28
There is a cycle that last in these three generations:
Abram, Isaac and Jacob. It is a cycle of prayer and worship.
However this cycle does not continue with Isaac (2nd
generation). If we observe closely, Abram (1st generation)
needed a drastic change in his life. God needed to do some
work on him before this man would be able to be the earthly
head of a brand new plan of God. He needed a power encounter
with God to bring this about, and he had it which resulted
into a new beginning and a new destiny, the father of many
nations. God changed his name to Abraham. Isaac (2nd
generation) on the other hand, had no real need to change.
He grew up in the midst of a revival of sorts. He had had
all the blessings. He had no hunger to want a name change.
All he had to do was to sustain the revival through prayer,
BUT HE EVEN FAILED TO DO THIS. It is because Isaac failed to
sustain the revival through prayer that his descendant,
Jacob, was in need of a power encounter since the revival
died.
The 3rd generation now becomes more crucial as they will be
the one to usher in the next generation and start the cycle
again with revival. Today there are those who know they need
a power encounter, just as Jacob did. This people are
calling for a return to the basics and the roots of
Christianity. At the same time, there is a group (Esau)
which is seeking new ways, relying on new methods and new
technology to carry out the work of the Church. One thing is
certain: the faction which repents of its deception and
stops trying to do things its own way will be the one to
usher in a revival. In fact if you open your spiritual eyes
you will realize that the revival has begun. Jacob’s name
was changed to Israel when he encountered the power of God
and he birth Joseph (a type of Christ), the 4th generation,
the generation of revival .
I believe strongly that we stand in the midst of a 3rd
generation that God wants to use to help usher in the second
coming of Jesus Christ. The 2nd generation (Isaac) are at
disadvantage because they don’t have the same motivation to
pray as their forefathers who experienced revival this also
slowed down the 3rd generation but that doesn’t mean they
can’t or won’t pray. There is always hope with God and all
it requires is for them to study the history and or receive
instructions from the first generation believer. Isaacs can
dig again their Abraham’s well.
GRA
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Please
Have Mercy on the Poor of Africa
“Blessed is he that considereth the POOR: the Lord
will deliver him in trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and
keep him alive: and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and
thou will not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The
Lord will strenghten him upon the bed of languishing: thou
wilt make all his bed in his sickness” Ps 41: 1-3
“ He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the
Lord” Pr 19: 17 “He that giveth to the rich, SHALL SURELY
COME TO WANT” Pr 22: 16
he needs of our brothers and sisters in Africa are so
much especially those whom we are ministering to in the
unreached areas. GRA is presently reaching the Afizeres,
Jarawas and Fulanis people groups. Our 16 rural mission
churches are planted in these virgin lands where no gospel
Church has ever existed. A majority of these areas do not
have vehicular accessibility. Good drinking water and food,
bibles, bicycles, fertilizers, medicines are some of their
needs.
GRA
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Parting Thoughts...
Isaac was a recipient of fabulous blessings from Abraham, a
man who diligently sought after God. Abraham was a well
digger of the first order. He had invested his life in
establishing something for Isaac to move into, freeing him
from the weighty burden of starting from the scratch. Isaac
instead does not place too much priority on altar-building
and well-digging that Abraham the first generation did.
The ideas of sacrifice and self-denial are not a must for
the Isaac’s generation. When prayerless Isaac tried to
improve upon what the first generation accomplished , he ran
into envy and strife. The herdsman of Gerar quarreled with
him (Gen. 26: 19-21) but when he reopened wells that had
been dug by his father he found the blessings. He went back
to his fathers wells of prayer and seeking God.
GRA
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