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Avoiding the Quarrel

Words of Faith Final

Avoiding the Quarrel
Words of Faith 3-10-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL    
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 13
    So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. [2] Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
    [3] From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier [4] and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.
    [5] Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. [6] But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. [7] And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
    [8] So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. [9] Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left."

        Due to the Lord's blessing, Abram had now received considerable wealth. Abram's nephew, Lot, traveled with Abram with his flocks and herds and tents. The burden of their possessions began to cause strife among them. The land would not support the many flocks and herds. Their workers were quarreling.
         What was Abram's solution? It was clear that Abram and Lot needed to part ways. As the elder, Abram was entitled to send Lot on his way and take for himself the pick of the land. But Abram chose not to exercise that right. Instead, Abram gave Lot the choice of land. How could Abram do this?
          Abram was learning more and more to trust God. Abram began this journey in faith, leaving everything behind to follow God. But then Abram had faltered. He had gone to Egypt for food rather than trust the Lord. He had lied rather than trust the Lord. But the Lord had been faithful in spite of this. The Lord had rescued and blessed Abram and Sarai out of Egypt.
          Now Abram was starting to get it! The Lord God is in charge of this journey. He will lead me. He will watch over me. He will take care of me. I don't have to be in charge. In fact, I can be generous toward my nephew, just as the Lord has been generous to me! I don't have to worry about getting the bad portion of land! My provision doesn't depend upon what land I choose. My provision is God Himself!
           Have you ever noticed how often our material possessions are a source of strife? Families often become bitterly divided as they deal with inheritances or financial matters. We often want to demand our "fair share" or control of a situation. People become very upset as they try to arrange a circumstance that will be advantageous for themselves. All of this shows a lack of faith!  
           The demand of "our way" is the primary element of our sin nature! When we try to control things around us, we are acting just as Eve did in the Garden when she aspired to "be like God" by eating the fruit. Sin is when we try to be our own god and rule our own lives.
           By contrast, surrendering to God is the walk of faith! Abram had learned that there is no other way of success but to trust the Lord God. At every turn, Abram built an altar and worshipped the Lord God. He was learning the life of surrender.
           Are you experiencing strife in your life? Is there quarreling in your family or church? Is it over money or material goods? Is it over control? The more we try to control the people around us, the more we will experience strife. The key is to surrender to God and then ask what He wants. This is the life of the Spirit. He may be waiting to bless us if we just let go of the things we have been clinging to. Let go, and walk by faith.

          Father God, I am so glad You are in control. Forgive me for getting in the way. Thank You for Your gracious provision. I am trusting You. If you want me to let go of something, please show me. If you want me to learn trust, please reveal it to me an area where you want me to learn trust. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.