Tag Archives: sodom and gomorrah

“Just Do It”

Posted in Reflections From My Heart by

obey

1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”

It’s more than the motto of Nike, it’s God’s message to us in Genesis chapter 19. When God talks to us, we’re supposed to respond… NOW!

I just finished reading Genesis 19 and my heart is heavy. I see so many similarities between the lifestyle of Sodom and Gomorrah and that of the world today. I even see some resemblance of Lot’s heart and mine. Lot professes to be a Christian and yet he is so absorbed in the things of the world that he blends right in. In Lot’s case, he was ineffective in winning people over for Christ because he was perceived by the people as, “one of the boys.” I’m quite sure one of the lessons God has for me in this is that he doesn’t call me (Christians) to ‘blend in.’

So the angels of the Lord who visited Lot warned him that he must flee from the city and not look back. He hesitated. Let me quote that out of the bible, verse 16 says, “When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them.” How many times to we see that God wants us to respond to Him and we procrastinate? I have my hand raised right now. I admit that I do. Perhaps partial disobedience on my part, but sometimes it simply does take God to grab me and nudge me to get moving. I get comfortable where I’m at. I’m sure Lot and his family were comfortable too.

What I hear ringing in my ears as I write to you in reflection of this story is the song I learned as a kid, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”  I guess my learning’s of today are to trust God, don’t hesitate to do it, don’t look back to what I am running from, and leave the outcomes up to God.

My prayer for my readers, followers, and friends is that we may stand united in obedience to God, believe God, and trust God in all over our circumstances.

Bold With God

Posted in Reflections From My Heart by
Stay Strong Believer!

Stay Strong Believer!

As our Godly Girlfriends study the bible one day at a time, one chapter at a time, I’m compelled to write one of my greatest take-a-ways from today’s reading in Genesis Chapter 18. It’s near the end the of the chapter that Abraham speaks to God and is very inquisitive. Are you inquisitive with God? I am. I find myself questioning why things are the way they are, what God is up too, and when God will act. Sometimes I inquire of him for selfish reasons because I have my own desired outcomes, but I have to say, especially when I am reading my bible, I have a lot of questions that start with what, when, and why.

Apparently, so does Abraham and he gets to ask God himself. This interaction is completely fascinating to me. In verses 23 Abraham approaches God and asks, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” The question puts me at the edge of my seat because I think of natural disasters or the more recent terrorist attacks where innocent lives are taken. God could prevent that. So here is a situation (the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah) that Abraham is privy too and Abraham asks a legit question – a question I would ask.

Before getting too bold or assertive, Abraham then admits where he stands in rank to God, verse 27, “I am nothing but dust and ashes…,” and goes on to negotiate with God over how many God believers will spare amongst the majority of the wicked population. Abraham continues to be respectful as he continues to question God. “May the Lord not be angry…” or “Now that I have been so bold to speak to the Lord…,” and then the final request, “…but let me speak just once more.”

This just makes my heart pitter-patter. Abraham has a heart for the believers who live amongst the lost, the wicked. There are so many aspects of this passage that move me. I carry the burden on my heart as to how many friends I have who are unsaved and I do go to God and pray that He would draw them into a relationship with Him. But, like Abraham, I have a heart for the believers too. Those who are out there ‘fighting the good fight’ and remaining faithful in this world. If you who are reading this blog today are one of those being beaten down by the pressures of this world, feeling defeated or overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness. I pray for you today. I lift you up to God, that he would (for your sake) not allow the world to destroy you. (Verse 32).

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”