Toward Sodom

Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. Genesis 12:12, 13.
The most fertile region in all Palestine was the Jordan valley…. There were cities also, wealthy and beautiful, inviting to profitable traffic in their crowded marts. Dazzled with visions of worldly gain, Lot overlooked the moral and spiritual evils that would be encountered there…. He “chose him all the plain of Jordan,” and “pitched his tent toward Sodom.” How little did he foresee the terrible results of that selfish choice!
Lot chose Sodom for his home because he saw that there were advantages to be gained there from a worldly point of view. But after he had established himself, and grown rich in earthly treasure, he was convinced that he had made a mistake in not taking into consideration the moral standing of the community in which he was to make his home.
The dwellers in Sodom were corrupt; vile conversation greeted his ears daily, and his righteous soul was vexed by the violence and crime he was powerless to prevent. His children were becoming like these wicked people, for association with them had perverted their morals. Taking all these things into consideration, the worldly riches he had gained seemed small and not worth the price he had paid for them. His family connections were extensive, his children having married among the Sodomites. The Lord’s anger was finally kindled against the wicked inhabitants of the city, and angels of God visited Sodom to bring forth Lot, that he should not perish in the overthrow of the city.
The influence of his wife and the associations of that wicked city would have led him to apostatize from God had it not been for the faithful instruction he had early received from Abraham. The marriage of Lot and his choice of Sodom for a home were the first links in a chain of events fraught with evil to the world for many generations.
It is Satan’s purpose to attract men and women to the cities, and to gain his object he invents every kind of novelty and amusement, every kind of excitement. And the cities of the earth today are becoming as were the cities before the Flood.
Conflict and Courage p. 48
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for two different families who have lost loved ones this week. May the Lord reach them in this time of need. Eileen
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Dear Friends,
Over the years, Ronnie Jay has found antlers and snake skins while walking in the woods. He is always on the lookout for such things as he has always had an interest in God’s great creation. One day he even found part of a snakeskin while mowing the grass. This was no little skin. It was about three feet long and, unfortunately, incomplete.
Just as a simple set of antlers or the skin that some snake had shed gave witness to their having been in the area where he was walking, so we affect the lives of those around us for good or for ill. We must daily ask ourselves, “Are the people I came in contact with today any closer to God because of my presence?”
God’s Holy Word tells us, “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and beside me there is no saviour.” Isa 43:10 ,11 What a responsibility we have, yet, how rarely we give it a second thought. By all that we do, by all that we say, by our attitude we are leaving an impression that changes those around us. Sobering thought!
Throughout the Bible, we find recorded the witness of the life of patriarch and prophet, shepherd and king, carpenter and Pharisee. One such person was John the Baptist. His whole life witnessed to the work given Him by God. From his birth, he was set aside for this special work. “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” John 1:6-9 John the Baptist did not live a life of ease. He even separated himself from the temptations of the day and dwelt in the wilderness. Although he lived in a solitary place, people went out to the wilderness to hear him preach. “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham . And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Matt 3:1-11 Jesus said of John, “What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist.” Luke 7:24-28
Think of it! Just as John’s mission in life was to prepare the way for the Messiah, we who live today have a similar mission. We are, by our life’s witness to prepare a people prepared to meet Jesus when He comes again. May we take that commission seriously leaving evidence of our walk with God wherever we go. May others take “knowledge of [us], that [we have] been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13 May we make our first work that of leading those we meet to the foot of the cross, that they may receive the grace and blessing and eternal life that our Great Redeemer longs to impart.
Rose