30

Jump Start # 1198

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1198

Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’”

  Our verse is most interesting. It takes place on the day of Pentecost. Jews from around the world had gathered in Jerusalem. Weeks before this, Jesus had been crucified, resurrected and ascended to Heaven. There was still a lot of buzzing going on about Jesus.

Peter and the other apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, began preaching. This didn’t take place in a church building. The people hadn’t gathered for a religious service. There is no indication that songs or prayers were a part of what took place. It was an open air gathering. Peter talked about what was on everyone’s mind, this Jesus. He didn’t avoid that sensitive subject. He showed that Jesus was the chosen one, the Messiah. Connecting the dots from Old Testament prophets, Peter revealed that Jesus was proven to be who He claimed to be. He was Heaven sent. God made Him both Lord and Christ.

 

With that last statement, they cried out, “Brethren, what shall we do?”

 

Now some thoughts:

 

First, sermons are intended to help a person be right with God. Sermons are supposed to show, prove and lead to faith. This audience that heard Peter, was most uncomfortable with what Peter said. The text states that they were “pierced to the heart.” Most of us do not like being uncomfortable. If it is too hot or too cold, we adjust the thermostat. We want to be comfortable. If our shoes hurt, as soon as possible, we take them off. It’s cute seeing little boys at weddings wearing ties. They are not used to those things around their necks. They’ll pull and tug at those ties and wiggle in their seats because they are not comfortable at all.

 

We like going to church services to find comfort, not misery. We want to be welcomed, loved, appreciated and our minds put to ease. We like to laugh during church services. We like the warm fuzzy feelings during church services. What we don’t like is to be cut to the heart. This happens when God’s word intersects with our conscience and we are shown to be guilty. Guilt is a terrible feeling. Most don’t openly admit guilt unless pressured. The audience in Acts 2 was guilty. God knew it. Peter knew it. And now, they knew it. The guilt came from recognizing the truth from God’s word. It didn’t come from Peter simply saying that. It was their guilt that made them cry out, “What shall we do?”

 

Second, Peter’s sermon made them ask personal questions about themselves. They cried out, “Brethren, what shall we do?” They didn’t ask, “What shall the High Priest do?” Nor, “What shall the Romans do?” What shall we do? They were concerned about self. The preaching of Peter made them look within. They knew about Jesus. They knew that Jesus had been crucified. There were rumors that Jesus had risen. What they didn’t know was who Jesus really was. Now they knew. They were responsible for His death. They wanted Him dead. They were glad He was dead. Now, they wished they could have a do over. Now, they understood that they were wrong.

 

Sermons must end on our front porch. The audience must make the connection. It has to be something that they take to heart. Hearing good sermons that do not move me, change me, or connect me to God, are nothing more than interesting lectures. Hitting the heart, making it personal—this is where we become uncomfortable and this is where guilt leads to change.

 

Third, Peter’s sermon led the audience to ask a great question. The flow of the passage indicates that the audience interrupted Peter. They spoke out. They were following closely and now they knew. They asked, “Brethren, what shall we do?” The Messiah was killed by them. The hope of Israel was crucified, by them. The emotions of the moment led them to speak out.

 

Today, most would be shocked if that happened in a Sunday service. While the preacher is preaching away, someone from the audience shouts out, “What shall I do?” There would be stares. Some would whisper, “Shh.” I expect in some places, such a person might be escorted out. Why? He’s honest. He’s scared. He’s guilty. His heart wants to know. I’d like to see more of this. The deafening silence makes the preacher wonder where the audience is. The questions, even though they interrupt, reveals hearts that are honest and good.

 

I wonder if our sermons today provoke questions. I wonder if we cover our bases so well that no one even has a question. I wonder if few are making the connection personally. I wonder…

 

Fourth, Peter answered their question. He didn’t leave them hanging on wondering what to do. He didn’t tell them to go figure it out. Nor did he tell them that there was nothing to be done. There was. And he told them. He said, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins”. That’s the answer. That’s what they were to do. That’s where Peter was heading to in his sermon. Salvation in Christ. Forgiveness of sins. That’s why Jesus came. He came to seek and save that which was lost. He is the Savior of the world. Salvation involves personal acceptance and responsibility.

 

Notice Peter said nothing about the “sinner’s prayer.” That thought is not a Bible thought. If you have been told that, you were given an answer different than what the apostle said. You’ll notice that Peter didn’t say, God’s done it all. There is nothing for you to do. Peter did not say, if you do anything, it’s considered salvation by works. No, none of that came up. Peter said there was something that they had to do. They had to repent. Peter could not do that for them. They had to be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness came AFTER the baptism, not before it. Why is it so difficult to read the Bible the way it is written? Why is it so difficult to do what the Bible says?

 

Fifth, this crowd, a huge portion, did exactly what Peter told them. A few verses later, three thousand were baptized into Christ. They got it. They understood. They responded. The guilt was changed to salvation.

 

All of this from a simple verse about salvation. It makes us think about our preaching. It makes us think about what we would do if we felt guilty during church service. Would we quit going? Would we ask what shall we do? Would we find another church that made us feel good? It makes us think about repentance and baptism and where God places them. It makes us think why do so many churches today feel that baptism has nothing to do with forgiveness and salvation when Peter shows us differently. It makes us wonder why preachers today don’t say what Peter said. But mostly, it makes us think about self. Where am I with God. The Bible is not a happy devotional nor Heaven’s “Chicken Soup for my soul.” It is God’s message for me. It’s God’s way of getting guilty me right with Him. It is my hope for pleasing God whom I have disappointed and hurt. It is the means to learn and believe about Jesus.

 

What about you? What about me? Is it time to start asking questions…real questions.

 

Roger

 

29

Jump Start # 1197

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1197

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

Paul’s words to the Corinthians is such an encouraging and motivating thought. He loved them. He wanted them to hold their ground. He want them to keep keeping on with the Lord. He wanted them to realize that what they were doing was important and not a waste of time. Good was being done. Many sermons have been built around these encouraging words.

 

A question comes to mind from these verses—How does a person keep doing what the Lord wants? How do we keep from going back to our old ways and our old habits? Throughout Paul’s writings the contrast between the old man and the new man in Christ is presented. Language such as “put off the old man,” and, “put on the new” is sprinkled throughout the New Testament. This is much more than simply coming to Christ for the first time. These thoughts are addressed to those who are already Christians.

 

In sports, the expression, “Monday morning quarterback,” is used to describe one who second guesses the plays on Sunday. On Monday, the mistakes are seen. On Monday, the game would have been played differently. How about us on Monday morning? How about the “Monday morning saint?” We sit in worship, singing powerful songs, listening to moving sermons but then Monday comes and it’s off to school, work and a busy world. How do we keep the message of Sunday alive on Monday? How do we take the things we have learned in a quarter of classes and make them a part of our spiritual DNA?

 

Paul wondered about this on a grander scale. He thought that his work with the Galatians was in vain. They were moving backward and not forward. They had been influenced by prejudiced teachers and were convinced that what they were doing wasn’t the right way to go. Paul’s work seemed to be falling apart with them.

 

So, how do we keep things going? How do we take the message of Sunday and make it real for Monday? Fair questions to ask. It does little good if our spirituality dies the moment we walk out of the church building. If our attitudes, behavior and thinking isn’t being refined and renewed in Christ, then something isn’t right. Why go for one day if it really doesn’t change anything? I heard a preacher years ago referring to sermons as a “spiritual spanking.” We get our weekly dose of guilt and then return to the very things that causes the guilt. This isn’t the way it should be. Honesty tells us that something is wrong with this picture.

 

What’s the answer? The preacher and church services can only do so much. They have a part. Sermons need to be relevant and useful to our lives. Facts and theories do not work much on a Monday morning. Jesus was practical. His words were simple, yet deep. Using that model, people need to know how to live on a Monday morning. Life isn’t lived in a church building, but in neighborhoods, and work places, and schools and stores. Not everyone smiles because we smile. Not everyone believes in Jesus. Not everyone wants to do right. Not everyone is interested in being a servant. Selfish, sinful, rude and opinionated, is the world we live in. How do we live in that world? Yes, sermons have a part in all of this.

 

However, the biggest part in all of this lies with self. It is not up to the church, but up to me, to take the message and find my application to my world. It is up to me to have faith and to grow in Christ. It is easy to point fingers at the church, but come Monday morning, where is my faith? I have an obligation in all of this. It is up to me to have a relationship with the Lord that is real and genuine. It is up to me to feed my faith and to fight my battles against Satan. The key to keeping what happens on Sunday alive, is for me to drink the message deeply into my soul and then to believe it myself. If it is right, then I need to start living that way.

 

Between Sunday and Monday what I learned and what I now believe become convictions. Changes begin to take place. Maybe my Monday morning routine changes. Maybe I make adjustments about what clothes I will be wearing Monday morning. Maybe I put some distance between me and those that pull me away form that Sunday message. Maybe I plug in some spiritual activity on Monday that will guide my heart and my thinking. I might listen to some hymns. I might say some prayers. I might meditate upon what was taught on Sunday. I might read through a few of the verses the preacher used. Reminders. That helps keep things going.

 

What happens each Sunday can get us stronger and closer to the Lord, or it can simply dry up and blow away, to be forgotten and to leave us unchanged. So today, Monday morning, in the midst of your busy, busy day, implant Sunday. Keep Sunday from going away. Remember the songs. Remember the Lord’s Supper. Remember the lesson. Remember the fellowship. Remember how right, good and strong you felt yesterday. This effort, this exercise, will also keep Satan at length. You are establishing some blockades to keep him away. You are building faith.

 

Don’t try to live your lifetime today. Get through today. Do something worthwhile today. Honor God today. Bring glory to God today. When Monday ends, thank the Lord. Next comes, Tuesday. Here we go again. But we build upon Sunday and Monday now. And on and on. Faith building. Laying a foundation upon the rock. Protecting against coming storms. Making the work of the Lord useful and helpful and not in vain.

 

We all need this. I hope this helps. Even preachers who preach the message must deal with Monday mornings.

 

Roger

 

26

Jump Start # 1196

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1196

Psalms 37:1 “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart!”

  Psalms 37 is an honest journey of someone who nearly tripped and stumbled spiritually. It wasn’t a fall into temptation that hurt the writer. Rather, it was seeing what appeared to be an imbalance and unfairness tilting toward the wicked. The wicked lived better, died better and seemed better than the righteous. That messed with the writer’s faith. What’s the point of serving God if misery follows? Those same thoughts trouble many today. The righteous try to pay their bills on time, they try to be honest, they try to be faithful in all things. The wicked seem to drive newer and nicer cars, live in bigger homes and flaunt how they cheat the system. It doesn’t seem right.

 

The Psalmist admitted that his foot nearly slipped. He wondered aloud if he had kept his innocence in vain. His vindication came when he perceived the end of the wicked. Things weren’t so good for the wicked then. This revelation came when he came into the sanctuary of God. There he saw fairness, justice and the benefits of faithfulness.

 

There are some lessons for us to remember.

 

First, we shouldn’t compare ourselves and our situation with anyone. Each story is different. It’s hard to know what’s behind each story. The person with all the stuff may have big debt. They may have gotten an inheritance that you don’t know about. They may simply make more money than you do. Comparing ourselves only makes us feel cheated and on the short end of the stick.

 

Second, stuff doesn’t matter. I had a little incident at the car rental recently. They messed things up for me and to make it right they let me drive the nicest car they had. It was amazing. It was a guys dream. Buttons and gadgets everywhere. It was fun. There is no way that I could afford that car. Everyplace I went to I felt compelled to tell my car rental story so they didn’t think I was Mr. Big Shot. We can put way too much emphasis upon things. The worth of things is not the value of our souls nor the description of our hearts. At the end of our journey all this stuff goes to someone else. Jealousy can eat at our souls and turn us into a bitter person if we are not careful.

 

Third, the Psalmist admitted that his foot nearly slipped because of someone else. It wasn’t that he was so poorly treated, but the fact that he thought others were treated so much better than he was. He failed to count his blessings. As our verse today states, “God is good to Israel.” God is good to me. God is good to you. He has blessed us. He has been there for us. He has forgiven us. He has not abandoned us when He should have. He believes in us and wants us to be with Him. Those thoughts, those blessings counted, those  hopes renewed, keeps our feet in sure places. No one can say that God has not blessed them. These thoughts are what keep us going. God is good to us. What is there to complain about?

 

Fourth, somewhere we’ve picked up the idea that we are to never have a cloudy day, a bump in the road, a tough time, or a trial in our life. The moment these things happen, is the moment that some begin throwing in the towel on God. All it takes is the word “cancer,” or “No, you don’t get the job,” for some to slip from God. The book of James shows us the value of trials. An easy way and smooth sailing can make us soft and take God for granted. There are lessons learned in trials that cannot be learned anywhere else. Instead of fighting these times, we ought to open our eyes and see what we can learn during them. They can help us and strengthen us. Remember, it was the shepherd that led the sheep through the valleys.

 

God is good. He is so good to me.

 

Roger

 

25

Jump Start # 1195

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1195

Romans 10:14 “How will they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

 

I’ve been thinking about preaching lately. I’ve been doing quite a bit of it lately. Out of the past eleven days I have preached 17 times. The audiences have been very encouraging and interested. I’ve meet many new people and have spent some time with some very dear friends from years ago. The love for God and His word is impressive.

 

Preaching is something that is near and dear to my heart. I’ve spent the past three and a half decades working at this. It looks easier than what it is. The easiest part, at least in my book, is standing behind the pulpit. By then all the work is done. The research, thinking,  praying, typing, digging out thoughts, chasing rabbits mentally, answering questions in your mind, getting the books out, forming, shaping, and putting the final touches on a sermon is done. Behind the pulpit is simply the delivery. It’s rather like cooking. There is a lot of steps into making a good meal. Mama works hard. She calls the family, and they rush in and enjoy the meal. Only Mama truly understands what it took to bring it together. Happy faces and full bellies is the greatest compliment to any cook. For the preacher, it’s open hearts that bring a person closer to the Lord. It’s doubts removed. It’s faith strengthened. It’s hearts that are motivated and challenged. It’s better lives and better churches that serve the Lord. That’s the greatest compliment to the preacher.

 

Preaching is much different than simply giving a speech. Many excel in public speaking but they don’t do so hot at preaching. There is a difference. There is an added dimension to preaching that makes it so unique and special. Preaching is about heart. Preaching involves convictions and faith. It’s persuading. It’s more than revealing facts, it’s changing minds, and wills, and convictions. This is accomplished by the living word of God intersecting with an honest and good heart. When those two meet, great things happen.

 

Our verse today is composed of three questions. They are progressive or connected in nature. One cannot believe unless there is something to believe in? The calling upon the Lord involves coming to Christ by faith. Faith rests in Christ. They can’t call if they have not believed. That’s the first question. That naturally leads to the next question. How will they believe if they have not heard? This shows us the mechanism by which faith comes. One hears the word of God and they believe that. That naturally leads to the third question in this verse. How will they hear without a preacher? If there is nothing to hear, then they have nothing to believe, which means they cannot possibly call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. It all starts with the preaching of God’s word.

 

Preachers are to preach God’s word. That’s what Paul told young Timothy. Preach the word. Do the work of an evangelist. We preachers need to be reminded of this. Sometimes we forget. Sometimes we get busy doing other things and forget what the main job is, preaching the word. Office administration, taking care of church buildings, being the church social butterfly is not preaching. A person can get very busy doing all those things and forget about the preaching part. It’s the preaching part that builds faith and strengthens hope in the Lord.

 

Preachers preaching the word implies that they must spend time with the Bible. It’s hard to teach what you don’t know. Digging deeper and deeper into the word of God is the key to understanding. The preacher must stick his nose in the books. Brethren have to understand this. Sometimes folks see the preacher’s car at the church building and they think he’s not doing anything, so they stop by to jaw. A regular habit of this kills the study time that the preacher needs. You can help your preacher by finding out what study materials he needs and buy them for him. Books to a preacher are like toys to a kid. He loves them, needs them and uses them.

 

However, preaching isn’t solely a research project. The preacher is not to spend his days stuck in libraries. He is to preach the word. That necessitates an audience. The preacher must be around people. He is to teach, encourage, preach in all avenues that he can. He’ll do this in the church building. He’ll do this in living rooms. He’ll do this in coffee houses. He’ll do this before hundreds of people and he’ll do this one on one. Teaching. Showing. Explaining. Building faith. That’s the work.  Being around people, the preacher must understand and know people. He not only knows God’s word, but he understands people. He understands what moves them and what is important to them. He’s in the people business. Any preacher that doesn’t like books and doesn’t like people will make a poor preacher.

 

His goal in teaching is not just to share information but to get the listener to believe. That’s what our verse is driving at. How can they believe if they haven’t heard and how can they hear without a preacher? The preacher is the vehicle that transports the word of God into the hearts of the audience. It’s the belief in Jesus Christ that the preacher is after. That is his accomplishment and that is his goal. A believer will change. A believer will become. A believer is the makeup of a disciple.

 

Preaching the word. We must open the barn doors and let our preachers out. Encourage them to preach. Help them find people who are interested in listening. This is the means where by the church grows. There is no other way. Teaching and converting is God’s only method of growth. We can never out grow this, move away from this, nor replace this. Packed houses of untaught people who are being entertained is not the goal that God wants. He wants disciples. He wants believers. That is accomplished by the preaching of His word.

 

And how will they hear without a preacher? Be a friend and a help to the young men who want to preach. Sure they’re green. Sure they drop the ball a few times. But nurture them. Help them. Be there for them. They are filling a great service in God’s kingdom. You are helping the future.

 

Many of my best friends are preachers. I love them all. They help me be a better preacher. God bless those who want to spread the Gospel of Christ.

 

Roger

 

24

Jump Start # 1194

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1194

2 Peter 2:7-8 “and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds).”

 

Lot was a good man. He gets beat up often in our sermons. When talking about Lot’s men and Abraham’s men, and the area being too crowded, Lot chose the area of Sodom to move to. It was fertile and great for raising sheep. It wasn’t a great area to raise a family. Abraham was Lot’s uncle. Abraham was older. Abraham was following God’s command. Lot was tagging along. It would make sense for Lot to let Abraham pick first. It didn’t happen that way.

 

As Genesis unfolds, Lot moves closer to Sodom. Then Lot is in Sodom. Then it seems Sodom is in the lives of Lot’s family. God told Lot to flee. He was putting an end to the wicked and vile Sodom. God said to flee, but Lot delayed. God sent an angel to lead Lot out. They were told not to look back. His wife looked back. She became a pillar of salt. Then Lot’s daughters, fearing that there were no one left to marry and have children, got their father drunk and had sexual relations with him. Tragic disaster for a good man’s family.

 

There’s a lot of finger pointing and negative preaching about ole’ Lot. Poor choices. Poor leadership in the home. But that’s not a complete nor true picture of Lot. Our verse tells us that God viewed Lot as righteous. The text calls him: righteous Lot, that righteous man, righteous soul. God saw righteousness in Lot. Sometimes we don’t credit Lot with anything worthwhile. It helps us to see as God does. God rescued righteous Lot. The Lord didn’t rescue the wicked.

 

Some lessons:

 

1. It is possible to be righteous when those around us are wicked. How easily Lot could have said, “I can’t help it.” But he could be righteous. He was righteous. He chose to be righteous when others were wicked. Imagine walking in the shoes of Lot. He didn’t have a congregation to attend where folks are trying to do right. No encouragement. No reminders from the pulpit. No daily Bible readings. He lived with men who had no principles. They had no anchor, foundation nor moral compass. Their deeds were called lawless. They were saying and doing wicked things. Lot didn’t become like them. He remained righteous.

 

– You may have your own Sodom. It may be the school you attend or the work place, or sadly, even your family. The language is rough. The attitudes wrong. Greed, gossip, and filthy talk fill the air. Making fun of people becomes sport with some. Cheating and dishonesty is a game. These folks don’t care, especially about others. They don’t care about the hurt, the harm and the trouble they cause others. It’s all about self.

 

– Lot’s example reminds us that we can be righteous when in Sodom. It’s not easy. It’s hard on families. You need to work hard to keep yourself faithful to the Lord. It is always easier to go downhill than it is to go up hill.

 

2. What happened in Sodom bothered Lot. Our text states that he felt his righteous soul tormented day after day. Older translations use the word “vexed.” Lot felt his soul vexed. This wasn’t a one time situation. This happened every day. “Day after day,” is how the passage reads. He was bothered. He was tormented. He was vexed. To say what others do does not bother me, is not the situation here. It did bother Lot. The wrong of others hurts. It hurts God and it hurts those who love God. It hurts because the air is filled not with the glory of the Lord, but with sin. They live mockingly of God’s existence and authority. It hurts because righteous people care about others. These people were destroying their lives. Sin doesn’t add value nor years to one’s life. Sin drains life. Some of the consequences of sinful living is poor health, addictions, diseases and a calloused heart. God made us for better things. Some folks have more compassion on an abused puppy than they do an abused soul.

 

– there are many bad, ugly and unrighteous activities taking place today. It ought to bother us. Hearing little kids cuss isn’t cute nor funny, it’s shameful. Seeing college kids guzzle alcohol until they pass out ought to break our hearts. The cheating, dishonesty, breaking vows, ought to trouble us. These days are not safe. This is the time for prayers. We need to pray for our safety and pray for people to change.

 

3. The flow of our passage indicates that Lot was having little influence upon Sodom. Things were not getting better. They were getting worse. Lot remained true, but it doesn’t seem that anyone was joining him. So it may be with us. You may feel that you are losing the battle. You may feel that no one is listening to you. That may be true. From Lot, we learn that he remained righteous even when no one was listening. That’s discouraging. That makes you feel like you are wasting your breath and your efforts. Lot journeyed on with the Lord. The discouragement didn’t defeat him. He remained righteous. He didn’t get disillusioned thinking that maybe they were right. There are so many of them. How could they all be wrong. He didn’t go there. He didn’t compromise to get along. He remained righteous. There were lines drawn in the sand that could not be crossed. Lot was in Sodom but Sodom was not in Lot.

 

– this is the point where many of us stumble. We feel compelled to find a bridge of compromise to make things peaceful with others. The unprincipled ones do not feel that way. It’s in your face. It’s rude, obnoxious and offensive. They have no intention of crossing a bridge half way. They want nothing to do with  decency, goodness or helping others. If there is any bridge crossing, it will be by the righteous people. The unprincipled ones are determined to continue in their ways. Maybe, instead of building a bridge that we must cross, it’s time to cut the ties. Maybe some bridges shouldn’t be built. When some refuse to show kindness, but rather they continue to ridicule, mock and put down the very things you cherish, what bridge do you intend to build? Why do you want to cross over to that side? Wicked hearts that do not care nor want to change, ought to be left alone, even if in the family and especially in the family. For the sake of the children, if loudmouth uncle can’t keep from cussing, putting people down, mocking religion, talking offensively, then tell him to stay home. He’ll blow a gasket and chew you out. But it’s your home. Family or not, don’t put yourself nor your kids through that ugly display of immaturity. Even if it’s a family reunion or home for the holidays, parameters and boundaries need to be established. The unprincipled want no one talking religion, however, they expect everyone to give an audience to their spew of poison that comes from their mouth. No sir. Not any more. It’s not a one way street here. It’s not you get to call the shots. If that’s the way family gatherings are going to be, then firmly, but kindly say, “I won’t be there.”

 

Why be tormented and tortured emotionally and spiritually for the sake of getting the family together. The guy is uncontrolled and he is hurting himself and others.

 

Lot was tormented. God got Lot out of there. It wasn’t safe—physically, morally, emotionally or spiritually. Sometimes we must do the same. You may have to find another job—and that’s hard in this economy. You may have to put some distance between some in the family—and that’s really hard. You do this for the sake of your soul and the souls of your family.

 

Lot was righteous. He remained righteous. That’s what God wants from you. Stay righteous. Do what you must to remain righteous. Do not become unrighteous. Do not throw in the towel with God. Do not become like those around you. We may live in Sodom, but Sodom doesn’t have to live in us.

 

Roger