“He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.” Genesis 12:16 NIV
Abram was made very rich. You say, “What’s wrong with that? This is not an evil, but a blessing.” It was Jesus himself who used the phrase, ” the deceitfulness of wealth” (Mark 4:19 NIV), referring to one of the things which could choke the Word in a person. In Egypt, Abram was given sheep, oxen, he-asses, menservants, maidservants, she-asses, and camels. This is the wealth of the oriental world. But when he comes back into the land, the first thing we hear of is strife between his herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen over the riches they got in Egypt. Furthermore, we are told he was given maidservants, one of whom was named Hagar, with whom Abram later conceived the child, Ishmael, the father of the Arab nations, who have been ever since a thorn in the side of Israel. The price of living in Egypt is a fearsome price to pay. But this is not all: Abram was called to be a blessing, but when he got into Egypt, he became a curse instead! A Christian out of fellowship with Christ is of no help to the lost people around him. Instead, they are a hindrance. Their life of hypocrisy and weakness is a stumbling block and a plague upon the hearts of those who are watching them. If we are not walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, let us not attempt to witness to anyone about Christ! We may not be a blessing to them!
PRAYER THOUGHT
Holy Spirit, make us aware of the price we pay in not walking with You.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Holy Spirit, make us aware of the price we pay when we do not walk in fellowship with You, and how it effects our sharing Jesus with others. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
Isaiah 11:11-16
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