March 25, 2013

From Gary V. Womack... Lot Pitched His Tent Toward Sodom



Lot Pitched His Tent Toward Sodom

Life is full of choices - small & great. In making those choices, we look ahead to an end

What is our focus? The outcome of our choices depends on our heart; fleshly or spiritual

Where do our choices lead us? We can't see that far ahead. But God knows.

Therefore, let's listen to God's warnings on making right choices:

Gen. 13:1-7 Abram & Lot become prosperous - More than the land supported

Beware of covetousness & greed:

Lk. 12:13-21 Life does not consist in abundance of things.

Right choices must come from a heart pointed toward heaven:

Lk. 12:33-34 "Where your treasure is, there your 
                     heart will be also."

Where is your treasure? What the heart values most, it will pursue.

All else follows its leading - & choices will be influenced to that end.

Gen. 13:8-9 Abram's solution - a generous offer.

Was Abram more interested in good pasture & prosperity or doing right?

Heb. 11:8-10 "By faith Abraham obeyed when he 
                     was called to go out to the place which 
                     he would afterward receive as an 
                     inheritance. And he went out, not 
                     knowing where he was going. (9) By 
                     faith he sojourned in the land of 
                     promise as in a foreign country, 
                     dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, 
                     the heirs with him of the same 
                     promise; (10) for he waited for
                     the city which has foundations, whose 
                     builder and maker is God."

Gen. 13:10-13 Lot's poor (selfish) choice. His focus on physical gain.

What Lot did not consider - The wickedness of the land.

When we move or travel. When we choose whom we will work or play with- Do we plan ahead to be where we can be near God's people? Do we consider the influence of what we expose ourselves to?


Lot did not foresee the result of his choice: The toll of sin's influence.

Some say that others' sins don't effect us - Sin effects the innocent - Consider 9/11

In the mean time - the Lord appeared to Abram: His plan to destroy Sodom

(Gen. 18:16-ff) Would He save it for 50, 45, 40, 30, 
                       20, 10 ?

Gen. 19:1-5 The wickedness & depravity of 
                   Sodom.

Gen. 19:11-14 Lot lost his sons-in-law. 
                       Daughters suffered due to his 
                       choice

Are we protecting & preparing our children to resist the world?

Gen. 19:15-22 Notice their reluctance to leave - 
                       Too comfortable near sin?

Are we becoming desensitized to sin's ugliness?


Gen. 19:23-26 Lot lost his wife due to his choice 
                       - She looked back longingly?

Are husbands considering the soul of their earthly soul-mate?

What do we learn from Lot's choice? - CAUSE & EFFECT

1. Can we embrace (be indifferent to) sin & not be effected by it?

Prov. 6:27-28 "Can a man take fire to his bosom, 
                       and his clothes not be burned? (28) 
                       Can one walk on hot coals, and his 
                       feet not be seared?"

1 Cor. 15:33 "Do not be deceived: Evil company 
                     corrupts good habits."

Eph. 5:11 "And have no fellowship with the 
                unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
                expose them."

1 Cor. 10:12 "Therefore let him who thinks he 
                     stands take heed lest he fall."

2. Can we become indifferent to sin so it no longer appears ugly and drift away from God without realizing it?

Heb. 2:1 "Therefore we must give the more earnest 
              heed to the things we have heard, lest we 
              drift away."

Heb. 3:12-14 "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any 
                     of you an evil heart of unbelief in 
                     departing from the living God; (13) but 
                     exhort one another daily, while it is  
                     called 'Today,' lest any of you be 
                     hardened through the deceitfulness of 
                     sin. (14) For we have become 
                     partakers of Christ if we hold the 
                     beginning of our confidence steadfast 
                     to the end,"

3. If evil associations can corrupt us, good 
    company can improve us.

If you want to be like the world, live close to it. If you want to be like God's people, live close to them.

Prov. 13:20 "He who walks with wise men will be 
                    wise, but the companion of fools will be 
                    destroyed."

4. We need one another - Lord's church is an oasis in the desert of sin.

Heb. 10:22-25 "let us draw near with a true heart in 
                        full assurance of faith, having our 
                        hearts sprinkled from an evil 
                        conscience and our bodies washed 
                        with pure water. (23) Let us hold fast 
                        the confession of our hope without 
                        wavering, for He who promised is 
                        faithful. (24) And let us consider one
                        another in order to stir up love and 
                        good works, (25) not forsaking the 
                        assembling of ourselves together, as 
                        is the manner of some, but exhorting 
                        one another, and so much more as 
                        you see the Day approaching."

5. We need to live close to the Lord. 
    Want to be like Christ? Live close to Him.

Jas. 4:4-10 "Draw near to God and He will draw 
                   near to you."

Where do we pitch our tent? Nearer to God or man? To heaven or earth?

Rom. 6:3-10

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