Every man and woman that God placed in the scriptures is put there to teach us something. For example:
• From the life of Abraham we can learn many valuable lessons on faith
• From the life of Joseph we learn about the providence of God
• From the life of Job we learn the importance of patience
I am indeed grateful that God put these people in the scriptures so that we can learn from their lives. I am glad God made space in the Word of God about the life of Lot.
Why? Because, his life also can teach us so many things.
• The life of Abraham can teach us many things in a positive way
• The life of Lot can teach us many things in a negative way
We want to deviate from the life of Abraham somewhat in this series and focus on Abraham’s nephew, Lot. From the life of Lot we can learn many things such as:
I. HOW TO KEEP FROM MAKING BAD DECISIONS
Illus: Someone said, “It may be true that there are two sides to every story, but it is also true that there are two sides to a sheet of flypaper, and it makes a big difference to the fly which side he chooses.” (Traditional)
One of the things that we do every day is make decisions. There are all kinds of decisions we make.
• We make good decisions
• We make bad decisions
• We make selfish decisions
• We make hasty decisions
• We make foolish decisions
• We make tough decisions
• We make easy decisions
I guess the most frequent type of decision from this list is the foolish decision. We all have made our share of them.
Illus: Did you hear about the man who made the decision to go shopping downtown? He went shopping in the various stores downtown. When he returned to the parking lot he saw a policeman writing a ticket.
• He walked up to the policeman and saw that the meter had only run out five minutes before. He said, "Come on, buddy, how about giving a fellow a break?"
• He said the officer ignored him and continued writing the ticket. So he said, “I called him a pencil-necked Nazi.”
• “He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn tires! So I told him he was an idiot.”
• He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first.
• Then he started writing a third ticket! This went on for about 20 minutes.
He said, “The more I abused him, the more tickets he wrote. I didn't care. My car was parked around the corner.”
Illus: Speaking of decisions, a married couple was celebrating their 60th anniversary.
A party was given to celebrate the occasion. At the party, everybody wanted to know how they managed to stay married so long in this day and age. The husband responded, "When we were first married we came to an agreement. I would make all the major decisions and my wife would make all the minor decisions. And in 60 years of marriage we have never needed to make a major decision."
• Some of the decisions we make each day are MINOR, and if we make a bad decision it is not going to affect us that much.
• Some of the decisions we make are MAJOR, and if we make a bad decision it will affect us greatly.
Some of the greatest men who ever walked on this earth have made some very bad decisions.
When God told Abraham to pack up and leave the land of Ur, He never told him to take Lot with him. This is a decision Abraham made himself and it is one he later regretted making.
We saw HOW TO KEEP FROM MAKING BAD DECISIONS. Now look at -
II. HOW TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS
We can benefit a lot from the life of Lot by doing the opposite of what he did. He made his choice not based on prayer and seeking God, but based on:
• What looked exciting
• What looked good
Illus: A man is dating three women and must decide which to marry. He decides to give them a test. He gives each woman a present of $500.00 and watches to see what they do with the money.
• The first woman does a total makeover. She goes to a fancy beauty salon, gets her hair done, gets new make up and buys several new outfits, and dresses up very nicely for the man. She tells him that she has done this to be more attractive for him because she loves him so much. The man was impressed.
• The second goes shopping to buy the man gifts. She gets him a new set of golf clubs, some new gizmos for his computer, and some expensive clothes. As she presents these gifts, she tells him that she has spent all the money on him because she loves him so much. Again, the man is impressed.
• The third woman invested the money in the stock market. She earns several times the $500.00. She gives him back $1,000 and reinvests the remainder in a joint account. She tells him that she wants to save for their future because she loves him so much. Obviously, the man was impressed.
The man thought about all three of them, but decided he would not marry any of the three, instead he would marry the pretty woman down the street.
This is the kind of decision Lot made. Look at Genesis 13:10, we read, “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.”
Let’s look at FOUR BIBLICAL DECISION MAKING STEPS THAT WILL PLEASE THE LORD. If we will follow these four steps, we can please the Lord in every decision we make. We need to ask ourselves:
A. DOES IT VIOLATE CLEAR TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE?
Look at 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we read, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Notice, the Word of God states that ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God. Why are we given the scripture? It is given because the Word of God is:
• Profitable for doctrine
• Profitable for Reproof
• Profitable for Correction
• Profitable for Instruction in righteousness
Why? “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
To make good decisions, we have to ask ourselves if what we are contemplating doing VIOLATES THE CLEAR TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE. If it does, we should not do it!
B. DOES IT CAUSE MY BROTHER TO STUMBLE IN HIS FAITH?
Some people may not like something you do, but that does not cause them to stumble in their faith. There is a segment of our society that are always critical and you can not please them, no matter how hard you try.
But there are things we can do that cause those who are weak in the faith to stumble. And if we do these things, we are sinning.
For example, during the days of the apostle Paul, the matter of eating food offered to idols offended some of the weaker Christians. This is not a hot button in today’s church but it was then.
Not many people could afford meat during this time. And the meat that was available came from the meat that had been offered as sacrifices on the pagan Roman altars in worship of Roman idols.
After this meat was offered to these idols, it was taken to the market place and sold to the public.
Some people would not purchase meat that had been offered up to some idol. They not only refused to buy it, but they had problems with professing Christians who would buy it and eat it.
Some among the Corinthian Christians, however, felt that they had "grown beyond all that." They now had a more advanced knowledge.
The Greek word Paul uses for knowledge is "gnosis", it means “The superior knowledge of the truly wise who had sought and obtained a higher spiritual plane far above that of the foolish superstitions of the foolish.”
These wise ones understood there was no God but God, and that the idols of Rome had no power whatsoever. They could buy and eat meat that had been offered to idols with a clear conscience, because they knew that there is but one God.
Paul was one of those who were of the persuasion that good meat placed before an idol did not affect the meat and he could eat it with a clear conscience.
But look at what Paul says in 1 Cor. 8:13, we read, “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”
Paul was willing to give up eating meat if it would cause his brother to be offended.
Look at 1 Cor. 8:12, we read, “But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.”
When we are contemplating doing something and making the right decision, we need to ask ourselves if what we are preparing to do WILL CAUSE MY BROTHER TO BE OFFENDED!
Paul made it clear that if it truly causes anyone to stumble, he would not eat meat again. What will you do?
C. DOES IT VIOLATE MY BODY AS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we should treat it as the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes people will ask, “Is it a sin to….?” My stock answer is, “WOULD YOU DO THE SAME THING IN THE HOUSE OF GOD?” Now that may not be a good answer for some folks because they have no respect for the house of God.
Look at 1 Cor. 6:19, we read, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
Notice, the scripture, speaking of the body, says, “…Ye are not your own?”
Sometimes you can hear those who promote abortion say, “My body is mine to do with as I please!” That is ridiculous! The Supreme Court might give a woman that right, but God’s Word does not.
Illus: Suppose I say my body it mine to do with as I please, and I want to use my body to poke you in the nose and put your lights out!
As we make decisions, we need to ask ourselves if what we are contemplating doing VIOLATES OUR BODY AS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
D. DOES IT TRULY GLORIFY GOD AND CAN YOU TRULY ASK GOD TO BLESS IT?
Look at 1 Cor 10:31, we read, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
This one verse of scripture clarifies many things, and determines whether or not we should be doing them.
The Bible says everything that WE EAT OR DRINK should be for the glory of God. But it says more than that, it says, “…Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Notice the words, “…do all to the glory of God.”
The Lord Jesus said, in John 17:4, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”
The word "glory" speaks of something or someone that is worthy of praise or exaltation. Giving glory to God is acknowledging Him as the One worthy of praise and exaltation, and ascribing Him praise and exaltation.
This creates a problem for mortals because we want to do things for our GLORY!
Illus: Charles Ryrie, a famous teacher from Dallas Seminary said, "God’s glory is His reputation. To live for God’s glory means to live so that God’s reputation is enhanced (heightened in quantity and quality) and not diminished in any way."
But so much of what we do is to enhance our GLORY! For example:
• Why do people buy cars and homes they can’t afford? They want to receive glory!
• Why do people gossip and tear down other Christians? They are jealous and they want to receive all the glory.
God did not put us here for OUR GLORY, but for HIS GLORY!
Conclusion:
We have seen -
I. HOW TO KEEP FROM MAKING BAD DECISIONS
II. HOW TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS
Note: You can hear many of Dr. Odell Belger sermons on you tube. Type Youtube Lykesland
