Eric Otchere I http://www.livingourbible.com I Thursday 23rd October 2025
Introduction
📖 Genesis 12:1–20
When God called Abraham out of his homeland, He wasn’t just beginning a personal story — He was unveiling a divine strategy for how faith should influence the world. Abraham’s obedience would later affect generations and redefine what it means to live by faith in real life.
That same call still echoes today. God is raising believers who will not hide in church pews but carry His presence into offices, classrooms, businesses, and leadership spaces. True spirituality is not about escaping the world; it’s about transforming it.
Spirituality Beyond the Church Walls
Many Christians love God deeply but struggle to live out their faith in the marketplace. Some separate their Sunday spirituality from their weekday reality. Others go silent in places where their light should shine the brightest.
Yet Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like yeast that works through the whole dough (Matthew 13:33). In other words, God wants our faith to influence every sphere we enter — quietly, consistently, and powerfully.
Abraham’s journey in Genesis 12 offers the perfect example. His story unfolds in two parts: his spirituality with God (verses 1–9) and his engagement with the world (verses 10–20). Together, they reveal how to shine without compromise.
1. Spirituality with God — The Private Foundation
a. Encounter with God
Abraham’s transformation began when God spoke directly to him. He moved from idol worship to faith in the true and living God. “Leave your country and go to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1).
Every believer’s journey begins the same way — with a personal encounter with God. Until you meet Him for yourself, your faith remains borrowed. It is in that encounter that purpose and calling are born.
📖 Hebrews 11:8–10
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called… for he looked for a city whose builder and maker is God.”
b. Obedience to God
Abraham didn’t just hear God; he acted. “So Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken to him.” (Genesis 12:4). His obedience proved his faith.
Many of us hear God’s Word but hesitate to act on it. Yet faith grows only when it moves from belief to action. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15).
📖 James 2:17
“Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
c. Allegiance to God
Everywhere Abraham went, he built an altar and called on God’s name (Genesis 12:7–8). His faith was not hidden. He didn’t worship God in private and deny Him in public.
In a world where believers are often pressured to stay silent, Abraham challenges us to live boldly. Paul echoed this when he said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” (Romans 1:16).
📍Key truth: Real spirituality is more than church attendance — it’s a lifestyle of encounter, obedience, and allegiance.
2. Engagement with the World — The Public Expression
After encountering God, Abraham entered the wider world. Immediately, he faced challenges that tested his faith — much like believers face today in the marketplace.
a. The Crisis of Life
“Now there was a famine in the land…” (Genesis 12:10).
Even the most spiritual people experience hard times. But crisis is not the absence of God — it’s the stage for His strength.
Jesus described two builders: one on sand, one on rock. The storm came to both, but only the one with a strong foundation stood firm (Matthew 7:24–25). When difficulties come at work, in business, or in family, faith keeps us grounded.
📖 James 1:2–4
“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
b. Wisdom in Action
When Abraham entered Egypt, he had to navigate a complicated culture. He made decisions that, while imperfect, reflected awareness and caution.
Believers today must also live with wisdom. We must be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Wisdom helps us live with integrity, make smart choices, and represent Christ well in complex environments.
📖 Proverbs 4:7
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
In business or leadership, wisdom might look like speaking with grace, managing resources honestly, or knowing when to take strategic silence instead of reacting in anger. Faith doesn’t make us naïve; it makes us discerning.
c. Favour and Preservation
Despite the famine and tension, Abraham prospered in Egypt. Pharaoh blessed him with livestock, wealth, and honour. Later, when danger arose, God Himself intervened to protect Abraham and his family.
📖 Genesis 12:16–20; Psalm 5:12
“For You, Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield.”
When you walk with God, favour follows you. It’s not manipulation or luck — it’s God’s endorsement on your life. Divine favour opens doors no man can shut and protects you when human systems fail.
📍Key truth: In the marketplace, believers must walk in faith during crisis, wisdom in action, and favour for success.
Faith That Influences Culture
Abraham’s life shows that spirituality is not confined to the sanctuary. It finds its truest expression in the world. God is looking for men and women who will take His presence into the boardroom, the classroom, the shop floor, and the studio.
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14). Our faith should shine in excellence, compassion, and integrity.
When we live this way, our work becomes worship and our jobs become ministries. Like Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, and Esther in Persia, we can influence systems without losing our souls.
📖 2 Corinthians 4:7
“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”
Conclusion: Take Your Faith to Work
Abraham didn’t leave his altar behind when he went to Egypt — and neither should we. Every believer must learn to carry their spirituality into their everyday world.
Faith in the marketplace means integrity in business, honesty in leadership, compassion in service, and excellence in all you do. The workplace becomes a mission field where your words, attitude, and results glorify God.
📖 Matthew 5:16
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The world doesn’t need more sermons; it needs more examples. Live your faith so visibly that others see Jesus through you.
Call to Action
This week, ask God to show you how to represent Him in your space — whether it’s a classroom, shop, boardroom, or online platform. Pray for wisdom, act with excellence, and let your light shine boldly.
💡Remember: The marketplace is not a threat to your spirituality; it’s the platform for it. Go and shine — without compromise.
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Abraham, the other prophets, Jesus and his followers show me that they were learning as they worked. I try to remind myself when in the marketplace, to act truthfully, with a faith open to new understanding. I wrote in Science and Spirituality: Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health, “Yesterday’s successes cannot be interpreted as able to measure up to today’s needs. Yesterday’s failures cannot compute the place and purpose of today’s individuality and humanity. Proof that supports true claims represents transformative newness, restoration, healing, understanding.”
I like what your statement, “Pray for wisdom, act with excellence, and let your light shine boldly.”
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Thanks so much for reading and sharing.
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