Running another man's vision Week 50, 2016

Why did Terah fail in the attempt to reach Canaan - Terah took his son Abram...and they journeyed together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But when they had gone as far as Haran, they settled there Gen 11:31(ESV). -but when Abram arose to do it he succeeded? And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came Gen 12:5(ASV) . Did Terah lack zeal, did he lack resources? No. There are many lessons to be learned from this botched attempt to get to Canaan. Terah was not headed for Canaan because God asked him (Terah) to move there, but (this is me reasoning it out) because Abram his son was headed that way. “Well Abram if you say God has asked you to get out of Ur and go into Canaan let’s all go there!” It was Abram’s vision Terah was attempting to run, not God’s vision for Terah. No wonder he failed. 

There are many people who study the lives of others in an attempt to imitate what they did. It results in a very avoidable source of frustration. I want to say this: like Terah you cannot succeed running another man’s vision. “Now wait a minute” I hear you say. “God expects us to follow good examples and imitate good people.”  Remember your leaders, those who have spoken God's word to you. Think about the impact of their lives, and imitate their faith Heb 13:7(ISV). Not in that way. Did you notice what we should imitate? Their faith. That universal faith to be applied to every circumstance, every instruction God gives. Have you forgotten  we have many parts in one body, but these parts do not all have the same function Rom 12:4(ISV) in the body of Christ? Can the nose succeed if it runs the vision of being an eye? Peter could never succeed running Paul’s vision. In fact, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised Gal 2:7(ISV). You know when he went over to Antioch his outing was faulty.

Don’t begin any ministry because another person is in it; find out what Jesus wants YOU to do. "Then I asked, 'What am I to do, Lord? Act 22:10(ISV). Don’t start running a programme for your church, a school or hospital or such simply because another church is running it successfully; except if that is what Jesus has directed and that the time has come. Have we forgotten even Paul, apostle to the gentiles, seeking to move into a gentile region to preach but being resisted by the Spirit (Acts16:6-7)? I’m not speaking about asking God whether to tell the truth or help the needy. That has been clearly dealt with in scripture: If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God?  My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action1Jn 3:17, 18(GNB) .