Lot was a saved man (II Peter 2:7-8), and yet he fell into the most miserable sin. How could this happen? And more importantly how can we keep this from happening to us? God’s Word gives us the answer:
Make the Right Friendships: “Who is/are my Abraham(s)?”
We make the best decisions the fastest when we surround ourselves with people that are on fire for God. Lot was friends with a man who was known as “the friend of God” (James 2:23). When uncle Abraham took great faith steps, Lot followed suite. By contrast we see the life of Lot quickly deteriorate when he surrounded himself with the fools of Sodom.
“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” (Proverbs 13:20).
Some of the dynamic friendships of the Bible include the following: Joshua and Caleb, Jonathan and David, Elisha and Elijah, Timothy and Paul, and Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel. Great men and women of faith who have accomplished much for the kingdom of God have surrounded themselves with “so great a cloud of witnesses.” They stand on the shoulders of other great men and women of faith. When we position ourselves to have a strong spiritual tailwind in the faith race we are propelled quickly forward. This is why the Apostle Paul instructed the church in Philippi to make friends of people who were ahead of them spiritually. They were to “mark them” for an “example” (Phil. 3:17). Let us make the right friendships! We should ask ourselves this question: “Who is my Abraham(s)?”
“You are or soon will be who your friends are!” – unknown
Have A Strong Devotional Life: “Where Are My Altars?”
Genesis 13:9 “Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me:”
The herds of Abraham and the herds of Lot became so big they had to be separated. Life by nature often separates us from spiritual mentors. Our spiritual heroes are not always going to be right by our side. Children eventually have to move out of Mom and Dad’s house, employment sends people to the next city, and death takes great saints away from us. Life separates!
Being a friend of a man who is “the friend of God” is not enough. We see Abraham again and again building an altar and standing before the face of God worshipping, seeking direction, and interceding on behalf of others (including Lot). Sadly, Lot never emulated this behaviour. Lot could copy Abraham’s conduct when on Abraham’s campus, but when forced to separate from his godly uncle, Lot failed miserably. Abraham’s godly behaviour came from his walk with God, but Lot’s came from Abraham. Lot was living off Abraham’s spirituality. Lot borrowed spirituality from his uncle. Lot was not producing the spirituality he was using. He was a parasite Christian, a spiritual welfare case. When it came time for Lot to stand on his own two legs spiritually, he failed miserably. Lot’s weak devotional life was quickly revealed when Abraham was out of the picture. You cannot live off of your “Abraham’(s’)” walk with God you must have your own walk with God. You must be a friend of God as well. You must have your own altar.
The Bible gives examples of saints who were separated from their spiritual mentors and their faith stood firm:
Joseph was separated from his parents as a teenager in Egypt. His stood strong against temptation. He told Potiphar’s wife, “how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9)
Another teenager, Daniel was separated from his family in Babylon. All of his peers were defiling themselves with the king’s meat, but Daniel refused because he, “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the kings meat” (Daniel 1:8).
The prophet Jeremiah was preaching to an unrepentant and backslidden people. He desired to quit the ministry, but he couldn’t abandon his calling because, “… his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” (Jer. 20:9)
Joseph, Daniel, and Jeremiah along with thousands of men and women of God stood strong where Lot failed miserably. Why? These Christian soldiers not only had “Abrahams” they also had “altars!”
Who are my Abrahams?
Where are my Altars?