Lot Leaves Abraham

Amen. If you've got your Bible, turn with me to Genesis chapter 13. Genesis chapter 13, as we continue our study on Lot's life of loss. You know, Lot made a decision. He made many decisions. Most of them were wrong decisions. Okay? He made the wrong choice. You know, life is filled with decisions. We all make them. You made a decision. You made a decision to come here tonight to worship the Lord. Some others made the choice not to come. You made a choice as to what you would wear tonight. Some of you made a good choice.

Others of you, not so much. You made a choice where you're going to sit. Right? Some of you made a righteous choice and sit down front. Some of you made an unrighteous choice and sit in the back. Nonetheless, you made a choice. You made a decision, right? We make decisions every single part of the day. Which route we'll take to work. What we'll wear to work. Whether we go to church or not go to church. Some decisions are big. Some are small. Big ones would be like who we're going to marry. That's a pretty big decision.

Where we go to church. That's a big decision. Where we're going to live. That's a big decision. Whether or not I buy a house or rent. Whether or not I buy a car or not. Those are big decisions. But we go through life making all kinds of decisions. Not understanding that the decision we make today could drastically affect us tomorrow. Lot made some choices. He made some decisions. Not knowing how they would affect his tomorrow. Abraham also made decisions not knowing how they would affect his tomorrow.

And so many times we go through life never really taking into account what I decide today. How it's going to affect me the rest of this week or the rest of my life. Whether we walk by faith or walk by sight determines the choices that we make. Abraham would walk by faith. He would make more wise choices than unwise choices. Lot would walk by sight. And therefore he would make mostly wrong choices. The question for you and me tonight is what decisions are we going to make? What choices will we make today that will determine what happens tomorrow?

The good news is no matter what decision you made in the past the choice you make today can change everything. And you've got to make the right choice. And for Lot he made the wrong decision. He made the wrong decision based on two major factors. He was weak in his devotion and worldly in his desires. Weak in his devotion, worldly in his desires caused him to make the wrong decision. To choose poorly instead of choosing wisely. So we need to ask ourselves how strong or how weak are we in our devotion to the Christ?

And then we need to ask ourselves are we more governed by the desires of this world or the truth of God's word? And so tonight as we look into the word of God we're going to see that. Genesis chapter 13 is where we are. It reads as follows. So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife, and all that belonged to him and Lot with him. Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. He went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and Ae.

To the place at the altar which he had made there formerly and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Now Lot who went with Abram also had flocks and herds and tents. The land could not sustain them while dwelling together for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. And there was strike between the herdsmen of Abraham's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. So Abram said to Lot, Please let there be no strike between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.

Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If to the left, then I will go to the right. Or if to the right, then I will go to the left. Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zohar. So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan. And Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley and moved his tents as far as Sodom.

Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord. The Lord said to Abram, After Lot had separated from him, Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are northward and southward and eastward and westward. For all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth. So that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth.

For I will give it to you. Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the Oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron. And there he built an altar to the Lord. This story is so relevant to your life and my life when it comes to making decisions. It begins with Abraham, his family, leaving Egypt and going back to Canaan. If you were with us last week, we told you that Lot went on three journeys with Abraham. One from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran. That was one journey. That was a journey of compromise. And then from Haran to Canaan, which was the journey of consecration.

And then from Canaan to Egypt, and then from Egypt back to Canaan again, which was the journey of corruption. When you pick up verse 1 of chapter 13, they're on their way back from the journey of corruption. They're on their way back from Egypt. And you know the story because there was a famine in the land. And this is where Abraham walked by faith and not by sight. Very important to this story in Genesis 13. Because the famine arose in the land. He didn't call upon the name of the Lord, didn't seek the Lord.

Instead, he did what he thought was best for his family and went down to Egypt. Although God never told him to do that, never commanded him to do that. He just felt that that was the right thing to do. And then when they got there, he told his wife to lie that he was, or she was his sister, not his wife. For fear that his life would be taken. And yet when Pharaoh found out about it, he was upset. Furious. Because the Lord had caused there to be plagues in his household. And so he was upset with Abraham.

Gave Sarah back to Abraham. They were able to keep the livestock. They were able to keep the treasures that they had. And they journeyed back to Canaan. You read the story, you think, well, the journey to Egypt wasn't that bad. The lie wasn't that bad because look at all the livestock they received.

Look at all the silver and gold they received. Abraham became a very wealthy man. So the ends must somehow justify the means. But they don't. They don't because when Abraham walked by sight and not by faith, made his decision to go down to Egypt without ever consulting the Lord, he had no idea the ramifications of his decision. None. But he will soon see the ramifications of that decision. But it's very important to see. On the way back, two things are prominent. One is that Abraham now is a rich man.

But Abraham also is a repentant man. Very important to the story. Very important. Why? Well, he comes back rich. Comes back with all kinds of gold and silver and livestock. And so now he has all this wealth. And Lot does as well. So everybody is rich. But the unique thing about this whole scenario is that Abraham was a repentant man. How do we know that? We know that because verse 4 tells us that he went back to Bethel. Bethel is the house of God. In chapter 12, verse number 7, there he built an altar and called on the name of the Lord.

But when the famine hit, he refused to call upon the name of the Lord, or didn't refuse, he just forgot to do so. It took matters into his own hands. But now he comes back to Bethel. Now he comes back to the house of God. Now he does build an altar to the Lord. Now he does commune with God. What we see is Abraham a very repentant man. And he is repentant before the consequences take their effect in his life. Very important. Most of us don't repent until we have to face all the consequences. Or we're confronted by somebody because of our sin.

Abraham has recognized the error of his way. He comes back to Canaan. And he comes back to call upon the name of the Lord once more. To show you that he is a repentant man. He's learned his lesson. And we will show you throughout this story how he's learned his lesson. He's repentant. Before the consequences take their effect in his life. But the consequences will still happen even though he's a forgiven man. See? But yet, because he was repentant, His ability and attitude to handle the consequences is much better off than if he was unrepentant.

You'll also see this in Genesis chapter 13. So here was a man as he began to head back home. Could you imagine the conversation between Sarah and Abraham on the way back from Egypt to Canaan? Just imagine the conversation between the two. Between the husband and the wife. Why did you make me go to his house? What is wrong with you, Abraham? I thought you were the father of your faith and my faith and a nation's faith. Why is it you had no faith, Abraham? What is wrong with you? How could you do that to me?

You can imagine what Abraham's saying. You know, babe, I don't know. I'm just trying to save my life. I was wrong. I don't know what the conversation is because God didn't tell us what the conversation was. But if you've ever made a wrong choice, Believe you me. Your wife will let you know you made the wrong choice, won't she? And I'm sure Sarah gave him an earful on the way back from Egypt to Canaan. But the unique thing about everything is that Abraham goes back, builds the altar, calls on the name of the Lord, because that becomes paramount in his life.

Now he's going to walk by faith, not by sight. The unfortunate thing about this is that Lot did not understand that. Because you see, Lot was weak in his devotion. Abraham was strong in his devotion. Abraham made some bad choices in his life, but he would always come back to the Lord. He'd always come back with a repentant spirit. He'd always come back to seek the face of the Lord. Lot, he was weak in his devotion. And because he was weak in his devotion, his desires were worldly. But Abraham was strong in his devotion.

He would come back to the Lord. And so, what happens once they get back into the land of Canaan? There is a feud in the family. This is the first time that wealth is mentioned in the Bible.

Genesis chapter 13. And isn't it ironic that when wealth is mentioned, there's a family feud. Riches aren't all what they're cracked up to be. And so many times we forget that. But because the two were so wealthy, there was a problem. And the problem was simply this, that there wasn't enough room for both of these men to have their livestock grazing on the same land. Not enough pasture, not enough water, not enough whatever. And there was a feud between Abraham's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen. And so, this feud erupted.

Because sometimes, that's what happens when you get a lot of money. That's why Paul says over in the book of 1 Timothy chapter 6, these words, verse number 9, Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, and some, by longing for it, have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Is that not true? I know some of you are saying, Well, I wish I could have that much grief just with a little bit of extra money.

But the bottom line is that Paul would say in the very next verse to Timothy, Timothy, you flee these things. Flee what things? You flee the love of money. It's only going to cause you problems. And you go down to verse number 17, Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good and to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

That was Abraham. That's what Abraham did. He would share with others. He would do good to others. He would not fix his eyes on the uncertainty of riches, but not a lot. Oh, he loved the riches because he got enough of the taste of riches in Egypt to govern how he would make his decisions for the rest of his life. Going down to Egypt just snapped or awakened that lustful attitude inside of him that would cause him to want more and more of what the world had to offer. Please don't think, please don't think by last week and this week that Lot decides to do the things he does because of what Abraham or where Abraham took him.

No, Lot is still responsible for his own decisions. Yes, he was influenced. Yes, he did learn from Abraham, but he didn't learn the good things from Abraham. He just learned all the bad things from Abraham. He was weak in his devotion. He never once built an altar to the Lord. Abraham 12, verse number 7, 13, verse number 4, 13, verse number 18. Three times he built an altar to the Lord. Three times it emphasizes his devotion to the Lord. Lot never one time built an altar to the Lord because he's weak in his devotion to God.

So he's always going to make the wrong choice because he's walking by sight, not by faith. Abraham is learning to walk by faith. So he builds his altar. And just because you built an altar and just because you're repentant doesn't mean that negative consequences don't ensue because they do, that they have so much money that there is a feud that happens within the family. And because of that feud, there's going to be a departure. So not only did the wealth cause a problem, but it really wasn't the wealth because Abraham was wealthy, but it didn't affect his heart.

It affected Lot's heart. But there was the witness, the testimony. And this is how you know that Abraham was repentant because he really didn't care much about his testimony when he went down to Egypt, did he? You lie to Pharaoh. Tell him you're my sister. And Pharaoh was enraged because Abraham lied to him. He didn't seem to bother Abraham that much. His testimony wasn't that important in Egypt. But now back in Canaan, his testimony is of utmost importance. That's why that little phrase is in verse number 7.

Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. There was a testimony. Abraham had built these altars in the land of Canaan as a testimony to the one true God. He was monotheistic. He used to be polytheistic when he was at Ur of the Chaldeans. But when he crossed over the Euphrates River, when God called him into his kingdom, he now became monotheistic. He worshipped the one true God. So now he lives in Canaan, a polytheistic arena, and he comes to bring the one true God into that arena.

So he builds his altars as a testimony to the true and living God. But there's a feud in the family. The family now is fractured. How they handle this is important. It's important to Abraham how they handle this because they have a testimony at stake. They're trying to be a testimony to the Canaanites, to the Perizzites, because listen, if you say you serve the one true God and there's only one of them and he is the true God, how does that God affect the way you deal with family issues? So they're watching.

Oh, by the way, that's the same thing the world says to us today. If you believe in the one true God and you serve that one true God, how does that God affect your family issues? Does he make a difference in how you make decisions? Does he make a difference in how you interact? They're watching. They're looking to see. Well, Abraham now has come a long way from Egypt. He recognizes that his testimony is at stake. He desires to live in harmony. He doesn't want there to be a problem between he and Lot.

So he comes up with a solution. He tells them, very simply, these words. Let there be no strife, he says. He says, there was strife between the herdsmen, so Abraham said a lot, please, let there be no strife between you and me. He had a real desire for harmony. I don't want there to be a problem. I don't want there to be an issue. So I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to let you choose where it is you want to take your herd and your herdsmen. Now, you didn't have to do that because it's his land, right?

This is Abraham's land. It's not Lot's land. God never gave it to Lot, he gave it to Abraham. But yet, because Abraham was a repentant man, God's already done a work in his heart. He wants to do the right thing, the humble thing. He wants to be able to capitulate. He wants to esteem his nephew above himself. This is how you know that Abraham is a repentant man from going down to Egypt. His whole lifestyle has changed. He's learned some lessons on that journey back with his wife barking in his ear all the way back from Egypt to Canaan.

He's learned a lot of things. And now he wants to do the right thing. And now he seeks to honor God. He desires harmony in the relationship. And so he tells them, let there be no strife between you and me. We need to deal with this. I love what it says over in the book of James. It says this, James 3, verse number 13, Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the generalists of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.

This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. Wow. If there is bitterness, if there is jealousy, everything around that is just evil. It's demonic. Well, here is Abraham seeking the wisdom of the Lord, wanting to do the right thing, the thing that's best for everybody involved. Now remember, it's his land. God gave it to him. Lot is his nephew. If Lot is a smart man, he's going to say to Abraham, Hey, wait a minute, Abraham.

There's a problem here. Let me handle it. Because I don't want to leave your presence. Because God said he's going to bless you. He's going to bless your descendants. And he gave you this land. And I believe in your God. And because I believe in your God, because your God is my God, I want to be where the blessing is going to be. I want to be with you, Abraham. If Lot was a wise man, he would make that choice. He didn't make that choice. Because remember, he was weak in devotion and worldly with his desires.

He couldn't make that choice. He didn't have the same heart that Abraham had. Abraham was a man devoted to his God. He wanted to worship his God, honor his God, call upon the name of the Lord, seek the face of the Lord. Lot doesn't want to do that. So Lot goes a different direction. He goes a different way. It says, these words, that Lot chose for himself, in verse number 11. For Lot, it was all about him. For Abraham, it was all about the best thing for the family. But for Lot, it was all about him.

Let me inject this just for a minute. Because I need you to see this about Abraham. Abraham was a man who truly, truly wanted to honor his God. When he comes back to Canaan, he goes back to Bethel, the house of God. He goes back to call upon the name of the Lord. Because truly, he's repentant. He's repentant. And because Abraham was a repentant person, he truly remembered the call upon the Lord. He did do that. He remembered the call of God upon his life. Do you know that when you're repentant, you remember the call of God upon your life?

And Abraham would go back and understand that God had called him to be a father of a great nation. God had called him to lead. God had called him, really, to birth a nation. And when you realize and remember what God's called you to do, things begin to change in your life. And Abraham remembered God's call upon his life. Do you know that when we remember God's call upon our life, everything about our life begins to change? If you remember, fellows, that God has called you to lead your family, you lead.

Because if you don't lead, what do you do? You follow. So you either lead or you follow. There's no in between. And God has called you to lead your family. God has called you to be an ambassador for his kingdom. God has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. When you're repentant, you truly remember God's call upon your life. Abraham did. Not only that, but Abraham also would have the opportunity to reflect upon the character of God. Because God is faithful. God is sovereign. So now when he talks to Lot and says, Lot, you make your choice.

If you go to the left, I'm going to the right. If you go to the right, I'm going to the left. He now can reflect upon the character of God, knowing that God himself is sovereign and God rules over all. So whatever choice Lot makes, it falls under the direction of God's sovereign will. So Abraham now knows and remembers that God is in control because he is sovereign, he rules over all. God has called him to be a father of a great nation. So no matter what Lot's choice is, God is somehow involved in that.

Also, you must understand that he was one who now could relish the coming of God. Because in Abraham, there would be one seed that would bless the world. And now Abraham is focused on the coming of the Messiah, the coming of that one seed. Read the book of Galatians. Abraham's promise was in the seed, not the seeds, plural, but the seed, singular. And now he is living in light of eternity. Now he's living not beyond what he can see with his eyes. As Hebrews 11 says, he is focused on the maker and the architect of eternity.

See, that's what happened to Abraham. He truly wanted everything about his life to change. And so while he was strong in devotion and could understand the character of God, the call of God, and the coming of God, Lot, he was weak in devotion. He could care less about the seed of Abraham. He could care less about the land of Abraham. He could care less about the blessing of Abraham. Because none of that makes a difference to him. He just loves what he sees because he walks by sight and not by faith.

So they come back to the land, wealthy, rich, yet one man is truly repentant. And if Lot would learn anything from Uncle Abraham, it would learn you need to call upon the name of the Lord. When you make a huge mistake like I did, Lot, call upon the name of the Lord. Get it right with God. Get it right. God will deal with it and do a great work. Doesn't negate the consequences. He's going to face them with Lot, his nephew. He's going to face the consequences with Hagar, the handmaid. She's not mentioned yet, but she will be in Genesis chapter 16.

They bring her back with them. The consequences just begin to grow. He'll also face the consequences with his wife down the road. There's always going to be consequences for bad choices that we make. There just is. But if you repent and you get it right, the sovereignty of God, the grace of God overrides all those things, allows you with grace to handle them and to see the hand of God within them. And that's what Abraham does. That's why he's called the father of our faith. You know, the Bible is very clear.

It doesn't paint an improper picture of Abraham or King David for that matter. It paints a real picture of these people so you can see them. But the key aspect in David's life was a key aspect in Abraham's life, and both of them were men of repentance. They repented from the error of their ways and could trust the living God to accomplish a great and mighty work. And that's what they had to do. And that's what they did. And so there's wealth and there's this great feud. So now what are you going to do?

Well, Abraham comes up with a solution. He says, look, I don't want there to be disharmony between us. I don't want there to be a feud between us. So listen, you go to the right or to the left. I'll go the other way so that we can have harmony and peace in our families. So look what Lot does. He says these words. Verse 10, Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar.

So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. Abraham settled in the land of Canaan while Lot settled in the cities of the valley and moved his tents as far as Sodom. He looked and that which was delightful to his eyes was dangerous to his life. That which was delightful to his eyes was dangerous to his life. You know, the world paints a picture for us to make things look delightful, right? So that we gravitate in that direction.

And yet so many times that which looks delightful is very dangerous to us. And Lot had no idea that what he saw as beautiful, a land that looked like the garden of God, like Eden, a land that was well watered. The key phrase though is, it was a land that looked like Egypt. Like Egypt. He says, man, I remember how it was when we left Canaan and went down to Egypt. I loved it down there. And my uncle brought me back here. But that land over there, it kind of looks like Egypt. I'm going that direction.

I want to move everybody that way. Because to me, that's delightful. To me, that's joyous. To me, that's going to make me happy. To me, that's going to be best for my family. Not knowing the disaster that would come upon Lot and his girls, his sons-in-law, his wife. He had no idea. No idea. But he walked by sight, did not walk by faith. So you will see a certain digression in his life. You see, there was a longing in his heart that was pricked in Egypt. Okay? Man is tempted when he's drawn away by his own lusts enticed.

It was delightful to the eyes. Isn't that what Eve said? I saw the fruit and it was pleasing to my eyes. Isn't that what Achan said in Joshua 7? I saw the gold. I saw that which was in Jericho. And it was pleasing to my eyes. It was delightful to my eyes. And I wanted it. I coveted after it. Same thing with Lot. It was delightful to his eyes because there was in his heart a longing for that, a desire for that. And that's why Christ says in Matthew 5, you've heard that it was said by the ages of old, you shall not commit adultery.

And the Pharisees all present that day would say, amen. Amen. Of course you can't commit adultery. Who would do that? And then Jesus said these words, I'm telling you this, that if you look upon a woman and lust after her in your heart, you've already committed adultery with her. You see, it's not the lustful looking that causes a man to commit adultery in his heart. It's the adulterous heart that causes the man to do the lustful looking. It's the heart. That's why Proverbs 4.23 says guard your heart for I don't know flow all the issues of life.

It's the heart. My eyes look at what my heart longs for. If I don't long for it, I don't look at it. If I long for it, I look at it.

I gaze upon it. It's the adulterous heart that causes a man to look lustfully upon a woman. That's why Christ says you've already committed adultery in your heart already.

And so here in the heart of Lot was this desire for the things of the world. The longing determined the looking, right? What he longed for, he looked at. And what he looked at, okay, that is truly, truly what he longed for. So there was lust in the heart. There was a looking of the eyes. There was a longing in his soul. And then the Bible tells us that Abraham settled in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the valley and moved his tents as far as Sodom. He didn't go into Sodom at first.

But he moved his tents as far as Sodom. He wanted to have some semblance of a testimony outside the wickedness of the city. So that which he lusted for, he looked at. That which he looked at, he now longed for. And that which he longed for, he leaned toward. When you come to Genesis chapter 14, no longer is he leaning towards Sodom, he's living in Sodom. And then when you come to Genesis chapter 19, he's leading in Sodom. He's now leading in a city. And all because of his heart's longing, lustful desire for the things of the world.

Would it be that he would learn from Father Abraham to build an altar, to commune with God, to seek after God? But he did not do that. Didn't catch that from Abraham. But what he did catch was all the negative things. But he had every opportunity to make it right. But he didn't. The wrong decisions by Lot were based on two things. He was weak in his devotion and he was worldly in his desires. And when that happens, you will always choose poorly. You will always choose sinfully. You will always choose the life of disobedience over the life of obedience.

And that's what happened in the life of Lot. And the Bible tells us this. This is so interesting. In Peter's epistle, in 2 Peter chapter 2, it says these words. Verse 7, 2 Peter 2 verse number 7, If he rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men, for by what he saw and heard, that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds. Lot's soul was tormented day after day after day, yet he did nothing about it.

Nothing. He did not act upon that because he loved what was happening so much in the city that even though it vexed his soul, even though it tormented his soul, even though it grieved his soul, on the inside of him, he did nothing about it. Nothing. And we'll see this more as we go through his life. But this was Lot's decision. This is what led him to go where he went. Now look what it says about Abraham. This is very interesting. It says in verse 14, The Lord said to Abraham, after Lot had separated from him, Now lift up your eyes and look.

This is a heavenly look. Lot looked for himself. Lot chose for himself. Lot walked by sight and not by faith. Abraham's walking by faith, not by sight. Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward, southward, eastward, westward, for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. Forever. How long did Lot have his land? Not very long. How long was Abraham going to have his land? Forever. Forever. Interesting to note, that Lot lifted his eyes to see what the world offered, and that's the direction he went.

God lifted Abraham's eyes so he could see the way of a heavenly perspective. You will note also that Lot chose a land that he eventually lost. But Abraham chose a land that would endure forever. It's God's land, given to Abraham in the Jewish nation. A promise that he has not taken back. Lot said, I will take this land. And God said to Abraham, I will give you that land. Big difference. The land God gives you lasts. The land you take doesn't last. Lot would lose his entire family, but Abraham's descendants would be as the sand of the sea because he walked by faith and not by sight.

What a beautiful story of how not to live. What a beautiful story on how not to lose. Lot had no idea what he was doing. He had not the slightest inkling that the choice he made on this day in Genesis chapter 13 would affect everything else in him. And even when his soul was tormented, day and night, given the opportunity to repent, given the opportunity to flee, given the opportunity to run, given the opportunity to turn his family around, given the opportunity to do the right thing, he did not do that.

He still made the wrong choice because he was weak in devotion. He didn't want to commune with the living God. I can't tell you enough how important it is for you to be in the Word, to be under the Word, to memorize the Word, to be on your knees, to commune with the living God every single day. You've got to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. You've got to walk with the Lord every single day. You've got to walk in the Spirit so you don't fulfill the lust of the flesh. Lot didn't do that.

He fulfilled the lust of the flesh. He walked in the flesh. And Abraham, yeah, he made some blunders. He's going to make more blunders as time goes on. But Abraham was a repentant man. He would build his altars to the Lord. He would call upon the name of the Lord. He would repent from the evil of his ways. Would he face consequences? Yes, he did. He did. But he faced them with the grace of God to handle them because he was repentant. And Lot, man, he just didn't do anything right. But you can't, what can you expect to do right if you're so weak in devotion and worldly with your desires?

What choices will you make that are right? You can't. And I'm sure that when he first moved and leaned towards Sodom, things were pretty good.

Look at this. This is beautiful. We're at peace. No more friction with Uncle Abraham. This is great. The land is lush. There's water everywhere. It's green. Oh, and there is Sodom. Just off in the distance. There it is. I can see the city lights glow at night. I'm leaning that direction. Maybe I ought to live in that city. You see, once you begin to lean toward the way of the world, you will live the way of the world. It's inevitable. It's going to happen. And you will lose everything because of the world because you would have compromised.

Lot's whole life was a life of compromise. And it cost him dearly. Isn't that true? Friendship with the world is enmity with God. James 4.4, right? If you become companioned with the world, you will become contaminated by the world. If you are companioned with the world, you will become contaminated by the world. True religion before God the Father is this, that you visit the widows and orphans in their affliction and keep oneself unspotted from the world. True religion, the real deal is that you keep yourself unspotted from the world.

But if you want to be companioned with the world, those who are a friend of the world are enmity with God. You will be contaminated by the world. You can't help but be. Lot was. If you then become contaminated by the world, you will then be conformed to the world. You'll be conformed to the world. That's why the Bible says in Romans chapter 12, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies to a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable form of worship.

And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. If you are companioned with the world, you to some degree will then become contaminated by the world. If you are contaminated by the world, you will slowly be conformed to that world. That's Lot. That's exactly what happened to Lot. We would not know he was a righteous man had Peter not told us. We have no idea that Lot's a righteous man from reading the book of Genesis. None. There is nothing there that tells us that.

So we're thinking if we don't have 2 Peter chapter 2, this guy doesn't know the Lord. This guy's way out there. He lives in Abraham's house, doesn't believe in Abraham's God, wants nothing to do with Abraham's God, never calls upon the name of the Lord, never builds an altar to the Lord. This guy must not know the Lord. Would that not be our conclusion? Of course it is. Except for 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 7, where it tells us he was a righteous man. Wow. Hard to believe, isn't it? If we are companioned with the world, James 4, 4, we will then become contaminated by the world, James 1, 27.

If we are contaminated by the world, we will eventually become conformed to that world. And if you become conformed to that world, you will ultimately be controlled by that worldly environment. It will control you. 2 Timothy 4, verse number 10, Demas, having loved this present world, has departed from me. He was controlled by the world. See, that's why it's so important for us to look at Lot's life and realize do I want to go there?

Do you really want to go there? Do you really want to keep making bad choices? Do you really want to keep going down the primrose path of destruction? Do you really want to continue to be companioned with the world? So that you become contaminated by the world? So that you become conformed to the world? So that you then become controlled by that world system? That's a lot. That's a lot. And you know, we ask that question because ultimately, this is the fifth point, you don't want to be condemned along with the world.

Right? You don't want to be condemned along with the world. So we have to ask ourselves the question, do I know the Lord? Am I committed to the Lord? Am I devoted to the Lord? Just because Lot didn't build his altars to the Lord, just because Lot's life was spared out of Sodom and Gomorrah by the skin of his teeth, do you really want to go there? Do you really want to face the destruction he faced in his family because of wrong choices, based on a weak devotion and worldly desires? You know, in Loving Germany, there is a plaque that reads these words, based on Luke 6, 46, which says, why do you call me Lord and do not do the things that I say?

This is what it says. Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us. You call me master and obey me not. You call me light and see me not. You call me the way and walk me not. You call me life and live me not. You call me wise, yet you follow me not. You call me fair and love me not. You call me rich and ask me not. You call me eternal and seek me not. If I condemn thee, blame me not. Let's pray. Father, we thank you, Lord, for the word of God, the truth that's there, the life of Lot that was filled with loss.

His departure from Abraham was horrific. He didn't even know it, had no idea. And yet, Lord, as the word reads on, it tells us the tragic future of this man's life. Our prayer for everyone in the room is that, Lord, whatever decision we make tonight could change and alter the direction of our life tomorrow. May we make wise choices based on your word. May we walk by faith and not by sight. May we not be controlled by the things of this world. May we not be conformed to the things of this world. May we not be contaminated by the things of this world.

And certainly, Lord, may we not be companioned with the things of this world. May we be consecrated, Lord, to thee, that we might, like Abraham, call upon the name of the Lord to walk by faith and not by sight. May we learn our lessons well. May we listen to your word and leave knowing what to do and certainly what not to do. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.