Life is about making choices. They can be positive or negative. Choices that are made under pressure. Choices that are made in times of pleasure. The choices we make depend on our belief system both spiritually and morally. It is like a compass pointing us in the right direction. Is our current life a product of our choices?
Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.” John C. Maxwell
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.” Theodore Roosevelt
I want to look a the life of Abraham and Lot. Two men with similar circumstances but different choices. Both men were righteous, prospered, and were wealthy and blessed by God. The two men had different outcomes in life. One gained much and one lost almost everything. How many of us wish we could go back and make different choices? Whether it was relational, vocational, or personal issues regarding health, finances, or plans. Well, the hard truth is we can’t go back. We can’t live with regrets. All we can do is make the right choices today. Before Christ, I made a lot of wrong choices. As a Christian, I made wrong choices as well. There is the pull of our fleshly, carnal nature, that appeals to our eyes and our pride, and Yet God has given us His Spirit to dwell in us and His Word to help us overcome and make the right choices. it starts with the renewal of our minds. (Rom 12:1-2, 2 Tim 3:16).
Romans 8:5-6 (NKJV)-5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Galatians 5:16-17 (NKJV)-6 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Let us pick up the story in( Gen. 13: 1-18). Abraham and Lot were very rich with livestock etc, the land could not support them both and it eventually led to strife between them. Genesis 13:8-9 (NKJV)-8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren.9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” We need to realize when there is strife in families, marriage, or even friends there needs to be a cooling down period, a time of separation. A time to reflect and put things in proper focus. Notice how Abraham came up with a solution. With the solution came choices by both parties. The Bible tells us that “blessed are the peacemakers.” Abraham got the ball rolling which brought peace between them. Someone has to initiate it. Someone has to take the first step to work things out. We need to put peace above personal desires at times.
What was Lot’s choice? Genesis 13:10-12 (NKJV)-10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.
12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. Abraham gave Lot the first choice. He preferred him. Here is some good advice from the Apostle Paul. Philippians 2:3-5 (KJV)-3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: We see that Lot chose the plain of Jordan and pitched his tent near Sodom and Abraham remained in the land of Canaan. It tells in Gen 13:10-12 that Sodom was very beautiful but wicked.
“Man’s environment is not the cause of sin—human depravity is” The Reformation Study Bible.
We see in Genesis Chapter 19 that Lot and his family eventually moved into Sodom. From living in a tent to a permanent home. We see Lot was involved in some form of government and sat at the city’s gate where officials discussed and made decisions. Here we find a family embracing the culture around them. We can see that Lot was all in through the choices he made. He could have stayed far from Sodom with his family but he chose to live in Sodom. The lure and temptations of the enemy and its surroundings.
James 1:13-15 (KJV)-13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
“Moral failure doesn’t start overnight, it is a slow fade.“
In the life of Lot, we see a progression. James tells us we are drawn away by our strong desires. We want more! This probably happened over some time. He went from Bethel, the house of God to the house of sin, the house of scorch. Which the word Sodom means. Was this going to be a crash-and-burn moment? Lot lifted his eyes and chose the more fertile and prosperous land. It appealed to his carnal nature. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh. It always wants more. Abraham a man of faith remained where he was and trusted God to meet the needs of his family and flocks. Even though Lot was a righteous man, he paid a price for living in Sodom. Look at 2 Peter 2:7-8 (AMP)-7 And He rescued righteous Lot, greatly worn out and distressed by the wanton ways of the ungodly and lawless—8 For that just man, living [there] among them, tortured his righteous soul every day with what he saw and heard of [their] unlawful and wicked deeds— Lot was worn out, distressed, and vexed or oppressed by the wickedness of Sodom. It tortured his righteous soul yet he chose to live there. We see two righteous men, one carnal and one spiritual. One who obeyed God and one who didn’t.
“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”
Because of the wickedness of Sodom God brought judgment against them. The only ones who survived were Lot and his two daughters. The sons-in-law died and Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt as she longed for the pleasures of Sodom by looking back. Like the Isareal of old that longed to go back to Eygpt, a type of the world and sin. (Acts 7:39, Num 14:3 ). Jesus refers to the story of Lot in Luke 17:28-30 (NKJV)-28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. Luke 17:32-33 (NKJV)-32 Remember Lot’s wife.-33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. Notice life was normal much like today. They were doing everything we do today. That wasn’t the issue, it was the darkness of their heart. This is a heart matter. Were there places of godly worship? Did Lot and his family share about Jehovah God? Were they salt and light? The Bible doesn’t say specifically. What we need to learn and know is that it is about making the right choices based on a godly belief system. What you believe about God, yourself, and His Word influences the choices you make.
Matthew 4:4 (NKJV)-4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ “
Lot through his bad choices lost almost everything. Were his life choices based on selfishness, pride, greed, and status? Yet we see the grace and the mercy of God and the intercession of Abraham. God delivered Lot despite his choices. That’s mercy! 2 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)-9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, We learn that Lot went to a remote place after the destruction of Sodom. He was totally afraid for his life at this point. I can’t imagine how he felt losing so much. He certainly was distraught, depressed, and beyond himself as the events unfolded. How do you recover? How do you get past the regrets? He lost his home, belongings, his wealth, livestock, his wife, and sons-in-law who incidentally joked about the impending danger. Genesis 19:30 (KJV)-30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. At this point, Lot finds himself in a cave. It’s cold and dark and he is beside himself, rehearsing I’m sure his life up to that point. Can you hear him? “If I had only made better choices.” “If I only stayed out of Sodom?.” What kind of father or husband am I?” “Why didn’t I stay closer to Abraham?” Unfortunately, the daughter in fear of having no husbands and children got their father drunk and committed incest. Our choices affect others in our lives. Sin not only messes with us but with those around us. Through this act, It produced two nations that came against the people of God. More bad news, the Moabites and Ammonites. It is not a great way to end this story of a man who was called righteous. Interestingly, Abraham is mentioned in the heroes of faith (Hebrews 11:1) but not Lot.
This story is a warning for today! God has given us free will to make the right choices in life. Through the Spirit and the Word of God, we can discern good and evil. What is godly and not godly. 1 Corinthians 15:33 (AMP)-33 Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character. In our last two blogs, we talked about friendship with the World. We see in Lot’s life how Sodom wooed him, with its pleasure, prosperity, status, and affluence causing him to compromise his morals. What he lived in, saw, heard, and experienced set the direction of his life. It matters how we live in this world even though we are not of it.
He moved closer to Sodom until he was right in the middle of it.
Lot thought this would be a good move. He and his family would be better off. Yet we find he wasn’t happy, he wasn’t fulfilled but just miserable. They were saved, Born-Again, and Spirit-filled. Yet they behaved like unsaved people. That is what he means by mere men. Our spiritual eyes need to be opened that we are more than just mere men. The Apostle Paul spoke of the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 3:3 (NKJV)-3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
We can be the righteousness of God in Christ yet be very carnal in our behavior and actions at times.
We didn’t choose our parents, where we were born, where we would live growing up, or what we would look like. When we came to making important decisions on our own it was our choices that we made. We can choose to live for God or live influenced by the world. The surrounding culture. We can choose to live in holiness or not. We can choose to walk in love or be self-centered. What choices will you make today? Will you be a forgiving person? Will you be a person of compassion, will you be a loving person? For all of us who have made terrible choices, our God is forgiving, a merciful God, and a redeeming God. He is a God who will make all grace abound towards us. He can give us beauty for ashes…even when we miss it.
To prevent the slow slide of Lot in your life is to do Romans 12:1-2 and the 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.
- Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)–1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world (Kosmos), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
- 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV)-3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Proverbs 23:7–As a man thinks in his heart so is he…. We need to think more like Abraham, the father of our faith rather than Lot. To be spiritually minded rather than carnally minded. To give ourselves totally to God in worship and faith. To not be moved by the culture and what we see with our eyes. No matter how good it looks. That we do not allow greed and selfishness to dominate our lives. We need to do what Proverbs tells us: Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)-23 Keep (guard) your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. The Hebrew word for issues speaks of boundaries. Lot failed to guard his heart and allowed himself to live within the boundaries of Sodom. He thought he could handle it. The end of his life proved otherwise. It spelled out loss, destruction, and death. We are a product of our thoughts and choices in life. Our past doesn’t have to dictate our future if we make the choices God wants us to make. Let us learn from the life of Lot but especially Abraham. He wasn’t perfect, he made mistakes along the way.
It matters what choices we make even daily. What we read, listened to, what we watch, and who we fellowship with. By God’s strength and grace let’s make the right choices today!
In closing: Let’s end with this verse:
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (KJV)-19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
In Christ’s Love;
Brent and Linda
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