The Need for Separation

Abraham and his family were living in Ur of Mesopotamia where his brother Haran had died. The story is told in Acts the 7th chapter that God appeared to Abraham and told him, "Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you." Instead... the whole clan packed up and moved northwest to Haran.

• Acts 7:2-4 And Stephen said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him,‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.’ Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell.

I personally believe they ended up settling in Haran because it reminded them of their deceased loved one whose name was Haran. Abraham's father, brother, their offspring as well as Haran's children all moved to Haran... even though the Lord had told Abraham to get away from them. I think Abraham's father did not agree with Abraham leaving them, especially since he had already lost one son. The book of Genesis states that Terah (Abraham's father) took his son and and daughter-in-law and nephew Lot and went with them from Ur to go to the land of Canaan but when they came to Haran, they settled there.

When his father Terah died, the Lord spoke to Abraham again telling him to "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you."

• Gen 12:1-4 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

I asked the Lord what was the reason for telling Abraham to get away from his relatives. Believe it or not, His answer is still relevant today.

When Jesus' ministry began, His first miracle was to turn water into wine. He had healed many people. He had cast out a legion of unclean spirits out of a man. And He had raised a little girl from the dead. Then He went back to his hometown of Nazareth. They recognized Jesus as the carpenter's son and Mary's oldest boy and the brother of James, Joses, Simon and Judas. He grew up with these people and they knew Him. When God began to use Jesus, the people that were familiar with Him were offended by His gifts and His wisdom. The Bible says He was only able to do a few miracles in Nazareth because of their unbelief. After all the success He had been having outside of His hometown, He was hindered from doing these same miracles in the presence of the ones that knew Him well. The power was there, they just couldn't access it because they saw him for who He had been, not for who He had become.

Jesus told His disciples that a prophet is honored everywhere except in his hometown and among his own family. So when God decided that He wanted to use Abraham, He had to get him away from those that knew him into another country.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

He's God - I'm Not

 

The thing I had been praying against pulled up... my anxiety and anger shot up like a rocket. I really wanted to be offended. But instead of reacting as I normally would, this time I said, "Lord, You are God and I am not. I'm just a squirrel down here trying to find a nut. How ever You want to handle it is just fine with me. Whether You make it easy, or whether You make it hard, I'm here! I'm in it for the long run and not going anywhere."

Later that same day, I realized that behind the scenes God had worked it out in a way I had never expected.

I'm reminded of the story of Mary and Martha, when they sent for Jesus because their brother Lazarus was sick unto death. Jesus waited two more days before He went to see about Lazarus but by the time He arrived Lazarus was dead and buried. This whole thing was so that God would be glorified through it, because He raised Lazarus from the dead and brought him out of the grave.

God was not trying to drive up my anger, He was showing me that He was answering my prayer all the time, that I may believe... that I may believe that He does indeed hear all my prayers and answers them even if it is in a way I did not anticipate. I am so relieved that my immediate response in anger was not to point the finger at God as though He could not be trusted to answer my prayers.

In hindsight, when I saw what He had done, I stood before Him with all thankfulness and humility. He is God and I am not. He was there all the time as the Good Shepherd, preparing a table before me in the presence of the enemy.

I heard a preacher say, "Has there ever been a time that God used the thing you wouldn't have chosen to change you in a way you would not give back?" My answer to that is, "Yes."

We're all hoping for God to intervene for us in some way. Don't lose hope because "your" expectations may not be the way He works it out. Hold fast to God and trust His timing. It ain't over till it's over, and it ain't over yet. Let go and let God have His way.

Be blessed,

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

By My Spirit Saith the Lord

Zerubbabel had a big task ahead of him to rebuild the Jerusalem temple, but this great mountain would become as a plain. This rebuilding would not be accomplished in Zerubbabel’s strength or ability but through utter dependence upon God.

Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord, as He gives you a steady supply of fresh oil to produce ample light. Be faithful in what your hands find to do and leave the results to God.

Zechariah 4:7 (NKJV) Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"