Chapter 5: 6
Temptations and their reasons (1)

What were the reasons that made Lot fall into the world’s temptations, and leave Abraham heading Sodom to reside there? And what are the reasons that compel us to fall in the world’s temptations, although we know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?

From going through the story of Lot’s life, we can find some of the causes and factors that made him fall into these temptations. May the Lord save us from them and keep us awake and alert, because all what was written is for teaching and warning us.

First: Mix-up of concepts (corruption of mind)
Lot when looking to Sodom and Gomorrah, he saw it as God’s heaven and like the land of Egypt.: “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.” (Genesis 13:13, 18:20)

The downfall starts when our concepts mix -up causing us to see Sodom and Gomorrah like God’s heaven. When we do not look to things from the spiritual point of view as God sees them, we don’t see in Sodom & Gomorrah any evil while they are very wicked.

Certainly at the beginning of our relationship with God we were refusing lots of issues and refusing expelling God and spiritual aspects from life; but after a while, we start to admire increasingly the world values while our disapproval of evil and sin diminished. That’s what happened to Lot, his view to the world has changed because his heart and mind got changed too.

We do not see with our eyes only but we see through our hearts and minds too; actually it’s our mind and thoughts that precise and forms our views.

The Holy Bible says: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
Lot was conformed to this world in his thoughts and principles so his view to matters got changed and he tolerated sin and evil and did not reject them.

What a great difference between Lot and Joseph who when faced sin said: “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). Moses also considered his presence at Pharaoh Palace as a pleasure of sin for a season; so he rejected it and picked the right choice. The bible says about him: “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” (Hebrews 11:24-26)

Dear reader, remember always this verse and apply it in your life: “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). keep your heart filled with God’s word and surrender to his will, so that your eyes become lightened and then you can see things as they are seen by the Lord’s eyes, so you won’t be tricked with the world’s temptations and you will be able to trample with dignity over its fascination.

Second: Human choices and wrong decisions
 “Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other; Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.” (Genesis 13:11-12)

Lot did not seek God and did not pray, even he didn’t consult his uncle Abraham. On the contrary he decided to leave his uncle, his life of holiness and fellowship with God, the tent, and the alter; heading towards Sodom and Gomorrah.

Lot raised his eyes up and looked and saw Sodom; he did not raise them up to God to have his advice. He then chose by himself to himself and did not seek God’s choice; and the final result was a wrong decision and a wrong behavior, for he moved his tents to Sodom.

Sometimes we start our decisions in a proper way based on God’s mind but when getting to a junction of life and in front of the world’s temptation, we find ourselves adopting wrong decisions. The first and original decision might be correct but the second or the Subsidiary one might not be according to God’s mind.

Beware of wrong decisions.  You may make a wrong decision, if you decided to affiance without knowing God’s opinion, instead of waiting for His decision.  You may make an incorrect decision by resigning from your job that allows you to spent enough time in your ministry and with your family; and bind yourself with a job which takes all your time and affects your health; going after human glory or anything else, leading you to leave the service that God has entrusted you with.

Therefore dear reader, let’s not choose for ourselves but to wait upon the Lord for : “He shall choose our inheritance for us”( Psalms 47:4) and let us pray more and wait, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

Magdy Samuel