There’s No Place Like Home

Posted on Aug 8, 2020 in Devotions |

Genesis 13:1-18

Introduction: Fill in the blank: There’s No Place Like ___! Yes…”Home Sweet Home.” Don’t you want a Happy Home? Truthfully, there is no such thing as a “Perfect” home. Or marriage? Or Children? Or Parents? Or People? Disagreements will happen. There are bound to be some differences…..hurt feelings; plus not to mention plain out “selfishness,” which is the root of all bad fruit. The old saying is true: “When Mama ain’t Happy, ain’t nobody Happy”! Yet, isn’t it funny, that “When Daddy ain’t Happy….don’t nobody Care”! Did you hear about the 3 year old girl? Her motto was “If you first do not succeed, then CRY and CRY again!”

Instead of TRY again…. that’s one way to get your way. Today, we are focusing on a “family feud” in the Old Testament between Abraham and his nephew Lot. In this Feud, we will consider (1) step to take and (1) step to watch that will lead to a Happy Home:

1. The 1st Step to WATCH is “FAMILY FEUDS”! Do you ever have them? (Gen 13:5-13)

“And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle….And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we be brethren.”

{The word “strife” is Reeb which means dispute, controversy, quarrel}

• Feuds are inevitable (v 7)
• Feuds can be avoidable (v 8)
• Feuds can be reconcilable (v 9)

* Lessons learned*
* Blessings can lead to Bickering (v 7)
* Strife can lead to Separation (v 11)

Application: What are you feuding about right now? Money? Possessions? Children? TV? Work? Life? Government? House work? Time? Neighbors? Rights? Marriage? Grandchildren? Supper?

2. The 2nd Step to take in a “FAMILY FEUD” is FAMILY FAITH! Are you willing to fight for your family faith? (Gen 13:14-18)

“And the Lord said unto Abraham after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art….for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever….And Abram removed his tent and came and dwelt….in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.”

• Lot’s choice was worldliness, which led to his waywardness (vv 10,11)
* Lot lost his focus
* Lot lost his fortune
* Lot lost his family
* Lot didn’t lose his FAITH (2 Pet 2:7, 8)

• Abraham’s choice was wisdom, which led to his worship (vv 14-18)
* Abraham learned – it pays to pray beforehand (v4)
* Abraham learned the Power of the Spoken Blessing (vv 15,16)
* Abraham learned to attribute worth to the One worshipped (v 18)

Conclusion: Are you fussing in a “family feud”? Are you willing to fight for your family’s faith? What is your family’s future? By understanding and applying Abraham’s godly wisdom, we can learn how to deal with “FAMILY FEUDS” or FRIENDSHIP FIGHTINGS and preserve our God-given relationships that matter. Then we can say, “There’s No Place Like Home”!

Love y’all,

Dr. Randy Reese