Our series this month is: If Stones Could Talk
The underlying theme is that of remembering. The Bible often uses stones (or pillars) to focus our attention upon some person, place, event or moment.

In our series we're looking at a man named Jacob. His grandfather is Abraham and his father is Isaac.
Last week we looked at Jacob and the first time he erected a pillar. He did so to honor an encounter he had with God in which the Lord rekindled a series of promises previously made to his grandfather Abraham.

Have you ever erected, created, or used something as a memorial of a meaningful time in your life? Some examples are: headstones, plaques, memory gardens, art commissions, or a themed activity. They could be physical objects such as engraved jewelry, memory boxes, or digital creations.

The Bible records four specific stone pillars associated with Jacob that commemorate or memorialize particular events that were meaningful to him. They were pillars of: Revelation, Separation, Transformation, and Affection.
This morning we are going to look at and learn from the life of Jacob and his second Pillar of Separation.

The Pillar of Separation is found in Genesis 31. This pillar was erected as a memorial of the time in which Jacob had to separate himself from a long-term relationship with someone. This relationship had increasingly grown to be toxic and was no longer healthy for him and his family (spiritually or personally).
God used the circumstances of life to bring Jacob into maturity and lead him to this decision. These kinds of decisions are never easy and are often hurtful and misunderstood. This involves the need for a lot of prayer.

Our text is in Genesis 31 but to properly understand it, we have to know the context of the three preceding chapters - Genesis 28-30.
Here is a short synopsis:
Genesis 28
- Jacob was on a mission to find a wife from his own ethnic group.
- On that journey, Jacob encountered God and the Lord reaffirmed the promises given to Abraham.
Genesis 29
- Jacob arrived at his destination.
- He met a beautiful woman named Rachel and she connected him with her father, Laban, who was a wealthy shepherd with several daughters and a number of sons.
Genesis 30
- Laban cheated Jacob many times
- Laban promised Jacob his daughter Rachel in marriage in exchange for seven years of service but on the wedding night he substituted Rachel's older sister, Leah.
- Laban said that in order to get Rachel, Jacob had to work seven more years of service.
- When Jacob wanted to leave for home, Laban offered to pay him if he would now work for him and so Jacob did for six more years.
- Jacob suggested he be paid in livestock and God blessed him tremendously. Jacob prospered and that bothered Laban.
- This began to fester and affect everyone

With this background information leading us to Genesis 31, we can learn some lessons that will help us deal with some of the difficult people we encounter in life.

1. Difficult people have a self-centered agenda and motivation that creates their own reality.
Genesis 31:1-2

2. God is aware of our circumstances and will guide us.
Genesis 31:3-13

3. We must count the cost and be willing to accept the consequences when we separate from someone.
Genesis 31:14-16

4. Proactive steps are required to change the status of any relationship.
Genesis 31:17-21

5. Honesty and integrity are blessed by God in our dealings with difficult people.
Genesis 31:22-43

6. A definite boundary must be established between the parties who decide to separate.
Genesis 31:44-53

7. Honoring God will provide the strength to continue forward in His will.
Genesis 31:54-55