Jul 31, 2020 |
Who did Better Lot or his Daughters?
Part2.
We Revisit Genesis 19.
Do you have a personal relationship with the Almighty God ?.
Are you Like Lot?
Do you make decisions only on emotions?
Are you a people pleaser?
You need to have Bible-based principles.
Is your relationship with God circumstantial?.
Are you like the two daughters whose actions were based on only what they can see?
They reasoned “no man on earth” existed, so you have to help yourself. Remember that maxim “heaven helps those who help themselves” is not biblical!
Remember the parable of the prodigal son?
Both the prodigal son and his older brother did not have proper and adequate knowledge of their father.
The prodigal son had minimal experience and made decisions that hurt him, but thank God for God’s mercy when he repented he was taken back.
What about the older brother?
He was just serving without asking his father about his rights and privileges; hence he turned cold and bitter when he saw his brother’s restoration.
So how knowledgeable are you on the issues of life that you are currently handling?
What kind of decisions are you making?.
Was any better? Lot or his daughters?
Jul 29, 2020 |
Who did Better Lot or his Daughters?
Part1.
Let us visit Genesis 19, the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Two incidents appear more vivid than the others.
The decision of Lot is to offer his two virgin daughters to be raped by a mob in place of the two visiting angels who had been sent by God to rescue him (Gen 19v8).
Secondly, Lot’s two daughters decided to sleep with their father because they assumed no man on earth would come to them (Gen 19v31).
Which of these two decisions were right?
Were they knowledge-based decisions?.
How far you go in life depends on the knowledge of God you have.
What motivated him to make that offer?
Was he so concerned about his visitors that he did not mind his own daughters being destroyed by being gang-raped?
Do you always feel pressured to help at the risk of hurting your family? These two men were not mere mortal men, they were angels on assignment.
Did Lot not know they were sent by the Almighty God?
His decision to offer his daughters to please those men was not based on sound knowledge nor the power behind the mission.
Thank God, the angels intervened by causing the city’s men to go blind, and his plan was not implemented.
Again we see these daughters, who could be described as the circumstantial victims of the first incident, made decisions based on what they thought was their problem.
Was that the right decision to take?
How knowledgeable were they about the “earth “and the availability of men anyway.
Unlike the first incident, there were no timely interventions to prevent them from carrying out their decisions, which had grave consequences. God had to instruct that these two races resulting from the incest (Moabites and Ammonites) be utterly destroyed from the earth.
Looking at these two situations:
What are you passing through that is pressurizing you to make decisions hastily?
Jul 27, 2020 |
Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre went with me.
“Let my share be the food that my men have eaten. But Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre went with me, so give them their share of what we brought back.” Genesis 14:24 (CEV)
Abraham did not only fight the war that led to the rescue of Lot with only the 318 men in his house.
He also had three allies that fought the battle with him.
“At this time Abram the Hebrew was living near the oaks that belonged to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his brothers Eshcol and Aner were Abram’s friends. Someone who had escaped from the battle told Abram” Genesis 14:13(CEV)
Who are your allies that are by your side as you handle God’s assignments?
“People lose their way without wise leadership, but a nation succeeds and stands in victory when it has many good counselors to guide it.”
Proverbs 11:14 (TPT)
“Where no wise guidance is, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” Proverbs 11:14 (AMPC)
Who are your counselors that fully buy into your vision?
“Ahithophel and Hushai the Archite were two of David’s advisors.”
1 Chronicles 27:33(CEV)
Jesus Christ, even amongst the 12 disciples, had the 3 that were closer than the rest.
Jesus took the three to places He didn’t take the twelve!
“Your plans will fall apart right in front of you if you fail to get good advice.
But if you first seek out multiple counselors, you’ll watch your plans succeed.” Proverbs 15:22 (TPT)
Let the Holy Spirit guide you in knowing who your real helpers of destiny are.
Jul 24, 2020 |
Human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God’s useful purpose.
“For human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God’s righteous purpose.” James 1: 20(TPT)
Do you ever feel that God is not handling the situation, right?
Yes, you sometimes want to handle some annoying things on God’s behalf?
You have assessed the situation, and you are literarily boiling?
Before you act as the representative of God, remember this:
If you are angry, you cannot do any good thing that God wants to be done.
For anger doesn’t make us useful.
An angry person doesn’t do what God approves of.
Cain was angry because he knew God rejected his offerings.
“Saul was furious with Jonathan and yelled, “You’re no son of mine, you traitor! I know you’ve chosen to be loyal to that son of Jesse. You should be ashamed of yourself! And your own mother should be ashamed that you were ever born.” 1Samuel 20:30
Saul was already out of God’s will because of disobedience.
As humans, you rarely see the complete picture at that moment.
When you speak out of anger:
You Yell
You use derogatory words.
You are not right because the anger has beclouded your sense of judgment.
. “anger comes from a clash in perspectives.”
Before you express yourself in anger, ask yourself whose view are you representing, God or man?
Holy anger of God does exist.
Provocation purely by God’s zeal sometimes occurs.
As Jesus did in correcting the use of the temple. ( Matthew 21)
God’s anger against sin. (Romans 1:18-20)
Human anger is purely from the flesh.
Road rage?
Never let it get hold of you.
Allow them to go away with their provocation.
You will surely get to your destination.
Before you react to that situation, ask yourself whose perspective are you conveying?
Jul 22, 2020 |
You’re healed! Walk away from your sin.
“What, man?” they asked him. “Who was this man who ordered you to carry something on a Sabbath?” But the healed man couldn’t give them an answer, for he didn’t yet know who it was since Jesus had already slipped away into the crowd. A short time later, Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him, “Look at you now! You’re healed! Walk away from your sin so that nothing worse will happen to you.” John 5:12-14 (TPT)
Maintaining your victory requires you to keep away from sin.
You can not eat your cake and have it.
Remember to keep growing in your prosperity, you have to stay away from the camp of sinners.
“What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways He won’t walk in step with the wicked, nor share the sinner’s way, nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat.” Psalm 1:1 (TPT)
“Who will witness to them” I hear you say?
It is your life of victory over sin that is the most effective witness.
Don’t just blend with the crowd.
Let your family members and friends know the Biblical core values you stand for.
Being at peace with people does not mean that you continue to participate in their sin.
Recheck your lifestyle.
Ask the Holy Spirit of God in you to continuously guide you on the correct path of the victorious Christian life.
“But the lovers of God walk on the highway of light, and their way shines brighter and brighter until they bring forth the perfect day.”
Proverbs 4:18 (TPT)
Keeping away from sin guarantees your path of being an overcomer in every area of your life.
“Life is in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation), and in its pathway, there is no death but immortality (perpetual, eternal life)” Proverbs 12:28(AMPC)
Jul 20, 2020 |
So that we don’t repeat their mistakes
“These are all warning markers—danger! —In our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.” 1 Corinthians 10:11-12 (MSG)
Sometimes people say experience is the best teacher.
Experience is a teacher, but not always the best teacher.
God’s plan for us is to learn from the Word of God and overcome temptations to make our life more meaningful and purposeful.
There is “nothing new” in what you are going through in life right now that those circumstances and experiences cannot be related to the Bible.
Which Bible Character best personifies what you are going through ?.
What can you learn from that life in the Bible?
The Bible verses above is a reminder to you today to diligently search the Scriptures.
Let the Holy Spirit teach you what to do in your peculiar situation.
“ Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. If you’re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they’re on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that’s a different matter. But if it’s because you’re a Christian, don’t give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!” 1 Peter4: 12-16(MSG)
God is still at work in your life; therefore, don’t make hasty decisions.
HE says I will never leave nor forsake you.
Stay close to the Word and avoid repeating mistakes!
