Genesis 13
Going back to God’s original plan?
- After all the drama, God’s ways always turn out to be the best way.
After all…
- Truth is what God says it is and
- the way is the direction God says it is!
Abram and company returned back to the original place where he had built an altar and worshiped the Lord again. Probably amazed at the amazing Love, Mercy & Grace of the Lord.
# I give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy, loving kindness, faithfulness endures forever!
Being associated with a blessed person also rubs off on another? Lot was also prosperous. We may be in a place where the blessings of the Lord is and we benefit from the overflow of that blessing onto our lives.
- Peters shadow healing the sick where he passes… Acts 5
- Paul’s articles of clothing carrying healing anointing and healing when taken to the sick… Acts 19
- The woman with the issue of blood automatically getting healed (faith activated) when touching the hem of the garment of Jesus…Luke 8
- The men in the ship that Paul was in saved from destruction…Acts 27
It would similarly apply to curses… where they also rub off onto others…
- The men in the boat had to throw Jonah out of the boat or face destruction…Jonah 1
At times the blessings of the Lord are above and beyond what we can think or imagine. He may bless us so that we go and be a blessing to others also, so as to give us stewardship of even more to be utilised for His kingdom and for His glory… (parable of the talents). For example, after benefiting form being blessed in a certain congregation, it would be good to go and share the blessings with others in another place where they are not so blessed…
- …Fruitful and multiplying while subduing the earth for Christ…Genesis 1:28
- …Being the salt and light of the earth …placing our light of Christ on a pedestal to help others around us while helping others experience Christ, to indeed taste and see that the Lord is good…Matthew 5:13-16, Psalm 34:8
Maybe a congregation is blessed with developing prophets or teachers of the Word. It would make more sense if some in the congregation would go and establish themselves in another area (thought the leading of the Holy Spirit) where others may also be blessed with the teaching or prophetic anointing and prevent competition and infighting in who should teach or preach in the same congregation. The land could not support both Abraham and Lot!
But the Lord had asked Abram to leave everyone but his immediate family. Abram took Lot his nephew against the Word from the Lord. It was time for separation as per the original plan of God for Abram. The Lord’s ways is still always the best and comes to pass! It is not like He makes a mistake or would offer second best!
Abram is gracious enough to offer Lot the first choice of the land. Lot takes what looks best to him ( in the worlds eyes).
- There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death…Proverbs 14:12
- The spirit and flesh are opposed and contrary to one another… Galatians 5:17
Lot possibly focused more on how to prosper in the world as opposed to how to prosper spiritually.
Is that the focus of my life, where the things of the world have taken priority over the things of the Lord?
The Lord can prosper me in whatever situation I find myself in, above what the world sees as the best.
- The Lord can therefore work everything, including what is second best or last, for my good so long as I love the Lord and are pursuing His purposes…Romans 8:28
- The Lord can use the weak and foolish things to confound the strong and the wise…1 Corinthians 1:27
Vs 14-… After Abram comes back to the original position of what the Lord wanted, the Lord moved forward with His plan for Abram. Look at all the land I am going to bless you and your house with and it will be a permanent possession and you will have numerous descendants also. Go and survey all of it.
And faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen…Hebrews 11:1
God may show us our promises in dreams, visions, prophetic Words spoken to us…. It is probably for us to believe and receive it spiritually by faith as we await its physical manifestation. Surveying the promise is probably to prepare us for the blessing, how we are going to utilise it, what may be needed to support and prosper the blessing in line with God’s plans.
For example if God promises me a car, I should probably start learning to drive and get my license ready. If God promises me that I will travel abroad, I should start the process of getting my passport. If God promises me land, I should probably start land use planning of how to best make use of the blessing to achieve the Lord’s will purposes and plans. In all, guidance of the Holy Spirit is required.
There are numerous stories told of how initially poor lottery winners that weren’t prepared for the windfall go back into poverty…lack of preparation?
Being prepared to handle blessings is critical to good stewardship of the blessing for it to make a positive and sustainable impact in society and for the kingdom.
Abram possible therefore always kept a close relationship with the Lord. Abram built another altar to the Lord.
Is there an area in my life that the Lord is still waiting for me to return to so as to continue on my divine path to my blessings?
Is there unnecessary baggage I am still carrying that is preventing the Lord from blessing me?
Do I always rely on the Lord’s counsel, also keeping a close relationship with Him even after I have been blessed or do I think that from then on I can handle it all by myself?
Do I prepare myself to receive and properly steward my blessing possibly adding an act of faith that it is indeed going to pass or do I just sit and wait for it to happen… God said it, He will probably just do it?
- Faith without works ( of faith) is dead…James 2:17
- Can’t please God without faith…Hebrew 11:6
# Lord God Almighty, thank You for Your Amazing Grace, Your Loving kindness, Your Abundant Mercy, even after I choose a path contrary to Your Word…and You still have patience with me.
I repent of all fear, doubt or unbelief that still pushes me to act contrary to Your Word.
Create in me a clean heart oh Lord and renew a steadfast spirit within me, a heart willing obedient and faithful (full of faith), with the strength and courage to always listen and be obedient.
Indeed Your ways and thoughts are way way greater than mine and Your plans for me are always good, to give me a future and a hope.
Lord, help me to surrender ALL of my life to You so that all that I am, all that I do and all that I have are synchronised to achieve Your will purposes and plans.
Help me Lord to unload unnecessary baggage that is hindering my blessings and also to abandon any way that is not Your way so that I don’t waste unnecessary time trying it my way only to come back to Your ways.
Help me develop an intimate relationship with You so that I am able to focus on You and not the blessing and not be one to abandon You after Your blessings.
Prepare me also to be a good steward of the blessings so as to achieve Your will purposes and plans for blessing me.
I thank You Lord for all the blessings in my life and family , particularly for those that I take for granted forgetting that all good things come from You.
I thank You Lord for Your amazing Love,
I thank You Lord for Your amazing Mercy,
I thank You Lord for Your amazing Grace
That You shower upon my life each and every day.
Amen.
THE LIVING WORD 4 LIFE 