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Most of us are comfortable with what we know. It's what we don't know that allows fear to come in. And not only that; you have to think about Abraham; God told him to leave his country, not just his town or his city, but his country. You know, like leaving the United States and going to a different country. That's a major move!

"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." Genesis 12:1. Most of us probably would have been hesitant to make that move.  Most people like their familiar surroundings.  If you take them out of their familiar surroundings, there will be a problem.  Most of us are comfortable with what we know.  It's what we don't know that allows fear to come in.  And not only that; you have to think about Abraham; God told him to leave his country, not just his town or his city, but his country. You know, like leaving the United States and going to a different country. That's a major move!  Then God said to him, "Leave your people."  That meant all the people in that area where Abraham had lived, leave his nationality.  Then God told him to leave his father's household.  Now that is where we would struggle, to have leave our family. But what comes to mind is that we are not to put anything or anybody before God. Abraham is a perfect example of one who surrendered to the will of God. Isn't that amazing?  He surrendered and he didn't even know who God was. All he knew is that He heard a voice, and it was not a voice he had heard before. We know who God is and we have a problem surrendering our families our possessions and all the things we feel are important and valuable to us. We have to get to the place where we are willing to leave our home and family and all these things. Why don't we want to do that? Because we feel that we fit, we have made a comfortable place in the area where we live. You see, the place where Abraham lived was not a one red light town, like the place where I grew up.  If you went more than five miles per hour, not only would you get a ticket, you would miss the town.  The land where Abraham came from was a booming prosperous country. Would you be willing to leave your family, your home with four bedrooms, a nice SUV, and all the nice things that you have worked for? How many know that God's plan doesn't always make sense as far as man's intellect is concerned.  God can see the whole picture and He had a plan for humanity: it was not just for one person, it was for all mankind. It was out of His infinite wisdom that He chose one man, out of all the people and nations in this universe; He looked down and He saw Abraham.  How many know that God is looking down on you? He is looking down on us and nothing that we do, say, or think is unknown to Him.  That very person that others would put down, cast aside and consider a nobody, is the very one that God would choose to use: He wants to use you. God commanded Abraham; He didn't ask him, He commanded him. God gives us commandments every day, written commandments. Abraham was obedient, God told him to leave behind, everything; everything that was familiar to him, everything that was good to him. Now God tells him, "Since you have been obedient and left all that made your life comfortable, let Me tell you what I have planned for your life. I want you to start a new life; and this new life will bring hope and faith, not just to your family." Some people get stuck on blessings just for their own family. If it is not about them and theirs, they don't want to be bothered with it. But how many know that God wants us to be concerned about others, to love one another, and that what we have is not just for ourselves.  God is the One Who orchestrates our lives, He makes the plans and He carries them out. Because of Abraham's obedience, God's plan was set in motion.  He doesn't always tell us everything when we start out. We go from revelation to revelation.  It may not look like it is working together, but God has the ultimate plan, and with His ultimate plan He puts everything together, not just to bless your family, your refrigerator, your pocketbook, your children; but to bless others: to bless somebody else's family, to bless somebody else's home, to bless somebody else's children. God loves the whole world, not just one person.  What He did through Abraham was to bring hope and faith, not just to him or one nation, but to all mankind.  What would you do with the command that God gave to Abraham?  We feel we can't move unless we have all the information up front. Abraham was obedient, He trusted God. Sometimes God expects us to leave behind and forget about things that we cherish the most and it is very difficult to let it go. But Jesus walked on an unknown road with God. We do not have to know the story before we start out. Most of us want to know the end before we experience the journey. We have to trust God to carry out His plan, not just for our lives but for the community, for those all around us and those who God wants us to be connected to. It is about relationship and it is hard to let go. Are you willing to take the step of faith just like Abraham, to make the sacrifice and move forward? We have to stop listening to the nay-sayers and the negative spouting that people do, those who knew us when. Tell the devil that is ancient stuff and doesn't even apply to you anymore. Stop listening to them, listen to what God says. He has a plan for your life and a purpose.  Anytime God gives you a plan and a purpose it is not a solo deal, you are not alone. God is going to connect someone with you to help you to get to where He wants you to go and to bless the one who will help you. Are you willing to take the step of faith that is required for you to move forward? This year is almost over, where are you with your dreams, your purpose, what God says who you are? Some of us need a mind change, our idea about what God wants from us. It may be about your service, your giving, managing your finances. Some of us have our finances so messed up we can't give to God so that He can bless us. God expects us to worship Him, to love and honor Him; to be obedient to His will for our lives. What is it that is keeping you paralyzed, stuck, so that you can't move forward?  Unforgiveness, rejection, broken relationships, these need to be repaired before we can move on. You can be one step away from a new way of life, the abundant life. Here are two keys to get you unstuck: 1. Your Faith and 2. Your Obedience. Faith and obedience will get you there.