111 - Be a Victorious Christian#
111 - Be a Victorious Christian
(JP Text Group - Edited by Rebecca)
2 Peter 2:6-9
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds), 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You for Your grace. You desire for us to be godly people, to become victorious Christians, not only to be examples for our brothers and sisters but also for the unbelievers. As we begin this week, we come to receive Your strength and supply. We look to Jesus Christ to live; You are our ever-present help and supply.
No matter what burdens we have, we place them at the feet of Jesus, listening to Your words like Mary did. You will answer our questions because You are the answer to all problems. We completely entrust this time to the Holy Spirit to guide the hearts of every brother and sister. We pray in the name of the Lord Jesus! Amen!
Where there are victorious Christians, there will certainly be failures. In the Book of Revelation, there are many words from the Spirit to the churches, many of which speak of victory, saying, "To him who overcomes, I will give..." Have you read such verses? God desires for us to be victorious Christians, and there will be rewards for overcoming, experiencing God's marvelous power!
Today, I will share about two people, one named Abraham and the other Lot. Both are believers, amen! Both are righteous, but their lives are completely different. One is the example for all believers; Abraham is our example of faith, right?
Why does the Bible never say, "You should imitate Lot"? Has it ever said that? Imitating Lot would bring disaster upon us. You may be wealthy, but in the end, you could end up with nothing. That is Lot's outcome. God wants us to imitate Abraham; Abraham is our example of victory. Abraham lived a legendary life; he is a victorious Christian, amen! Thank God, is Lot not a righteous man? Are you sure? When God called Abraham, He brought Lot out, his nephew Lot.
But Lot's life was a failure. We often hear people say, "Although I believe in the Lord, I don't believe well." Have you heard such things? What does it mean to believe poorly? It means he is like Lot, believing poorly, unable to be sure if he is saved. Is Lot saved? Yes!
Let's look at another verse, the sixth verse we just read: And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly.
What is a godly person? These ungodly people were destroyed. In many people's minds, they say, "This Christian is very devout; he serves enthusiastically in the church, is very loving to others, and rushes to help wherever there is difficulty, and has a very good temper." Don't we particularly like such people? That's great; this is called a devout Christian. They pray every day, read the Bible every day, and attend every meeting. We say, "That's wonderful!" Such a person is a devout Christian, right?
Is it like that in God's eyes? Is Lot a godly person? If you think so, please raise your hand. Only two? Congratulations to these two. You answered correctly because in God's eyes, godliness is not related to behavior; it is simply the difference between belief and unbelief. What was just said?
Verse 9 says: The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.
What is the opposite of an unjust person? Is it not a righteous person? It goes on to say that the Lord delivers the godly, which can be understood as the Lord delivering the righteous from temptation and leaving the unjust under punishment. Did God save Lot? Yes, He did. In God's eyes, he is a godly person. Hasn't the concept been renewed? We think good behavior is enough to be godly, but in God's eyes, belief is what makes a person godly. Was Lot's behavior good? There is nothing to boast about, but God still saved him. He didn't say, "Lot, do you deserve to be called righteous? Your behavior is not good at all; I might as well destroy you..." God did not destroy Lot; instead, He saved Lot from the city of Sodom, amen!
Because God wants to deliver the godly from temptation, amen! Why did God save him? Because Lot entered the city of Sodom, where the people were exceedingly wicked. God told Lot, "Hurry and leave this city; it is about to be destroyed." Lot was unwilling to leave, and God sent two angels to forcibly pull Lot out. This is God's way of salvation; God wants to save the godly from temptation. Many times, we are unwilling to leave temptation, but God pulls us out, amen! Do you see God's love for us?
Although Lot's behavior was not good, in God's eyes, Lot is a godly person, and that identity cannot be changed by anyone. After Sodom and Gomorrah were burned to ashes, they became a warning for the ungodly. What kind of people were burned? All were wicked, all were unbelievers, amen.
This is why we need to explore the reasons for victorious Christians and failed Christians. The events of Sodom are definitely not just a historical event; they can serve as a learning example for us. All who believe in Jesus Christ are godly people. In God's eyes, you are a godly person. Thank the Lord!
You are a devout Christian; do not label yourself incorrectly. We must learn from the teachings in the Bible. When God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, He saved the righteous Lot. In our view, can this person be called a Christian? But in God's view, he is a Christian, amen!
Do not casually condemn others; do not judge others. The reason is here, similar to saying: Can someone like you be called a Christian? Such words should not come out of our mouths because people can only see the outward appearance. They may see that a person's behavior is not good enough and say he might not be saved, but God looks at the heart of a person. As long as one believes, he is saved, amen!
Although there are three verses in the Bible, it mentions three times that Lot is a righteous man, amen! Do you have assurance now? Although your behavior may not be good enough, God says you are righteous, and you must be righteous. Hallelujah! Both Lot and Abraham were justified by faith; in this regard, they are completely the same.
So it is not by works that one is saved. As mentioned earlier: That righteous man dwelt among them. God emphasizes His view of Lot time and again; he and Abraham are both righteous. Abraham offered a lamb to God, and that lamb symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ, believing that this lamb can bear all sins. They accepted the lamb's unblemished purity, amen! This is an exchange; thank the Lord! They are both Christians justified by faith. Clearly, Lot learned this from Abraham, amen!
The kind of friends we associate with is very important. If you are often with those who lack faith, over time, what will happen? Your circle of life will be like that. Similarly, if you are with those who have faith every day, you will also have faith, amen! Lot learned his faith from Abraham, hallelujah! We should learn from Abraham, not Lot. Thank the Lord, although Lot may not be good enough, God still wants to save him, amen!
So do not worry that your behavior is not good enough; God might abandon me, right? No, God will still save you in difficulties and trials. When Abraham and his nephew Lot came out from their hometown, some things happened. When these two came out, they were actually quite similar, but after coming out, their lives became completely different. Just like us when we believe in the Lord, we accept Jesus, one year, two years, these two people may seem similar, but after five years, we find their lives are completely different. Was Abraham a good person from the beginning? No, he also had problems, amen!
The first point to share is Always look to the Lord, and you will continually be victorious.
To become a victorious Christian, there is definitely a method; we must continually look to our God, amen! Abraham did not become our example of faith from the beginning; it was not like that. What did Abraham's father do? According to some historical records, Abraham's father initially sold idols. Various gods were in his father's house, and his father became wealthy from this. The Bible records that at that time, Abraham's household was very large, with 318 able-bodied men. These 318 men were not for doing chores; they were to go out to battle when danger arose. Isn't that a large household? Today, not many people have 318 bodyguards at home!
It is evident that Abraham's family was already wealthy from idols. When God saw Abraham, He said to him, "Abraham, you must leave your country, your people, and your father's house, and go to the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation there. I will bless you, and you will be a blessing to others!" Is this not what God said to Abraham from the beginning? Did Abraham's initial behavior have anything to boast about? Was there not much difference from Lot?
Brothers and sisters, do not mind that your current behavior is not good enough. God does not look at your behavior; He looks at whether you believe in Him, believe that He can change you, amen! No one can believe in the Lord today and become a saint tomorrow, never sinning again. It is also impossible to say that one believes today and completely learns to rely on God tomorrow. There needs to be a process of learning to rely on God, amen!
Abraham was also like this. God used nearly 40 years waiting for Abraham to change. Think about it; since he was among the idols, what kind of words did he hear? If a guest came in and said, "Does this fertility god have any effect? If I take it home, will my wife have many children?" As a seller of idols, Abraham would have to say something like, "Don't worry; after you take it home, your family will have children like pigs..." Just kidding.
What I mean is, every day he dealt with these things. Just like Lot, what he saw and heard were all lawless deeds. What Abraham saw and heard were all about selling idols. Those selling idols were together, and they spoke of such things. Today, I invited a certain island god; this god is powerful, not only managing China but also other places; isn't that what they were discussing? But what did God say to him? "You must leave this place."
When He tells you to leave, does it require faith? If there is no faith, it is impossible to leave. How can one become a victorious Christian and escape a past of failure? How to escape? It requires looking to God, amen! Relying on oneself cannot escape some corrupt behaviors. Is it easy to leave the past? It is really not easy unless God gives you faith.
How can one have the faith to leave the original wrong, failed life? That is to see God's goodness! Amen! When evangelizing to others, especially for many who have just believed, if they still worship idols at home, many will say, "You have accepted Jesus; you must smash those idols." They are reluctant. Do you know why? They have not yet recognized this God. Such an approach is coercive; they might say, "I don't want to believe in your Lord anymore; I cannot throw this away."
In fact, they do not have the strength to throw it away. Look at how God guided Abraham. God said to Abraham, "Abraham, you must leave your country, your people, and your father's house." Isn't He asking him to leave the idol nest? Then God gives him a wonderful picture: "Go to the land I will show you; I will make you a great nation there." God said to Abraham, "Even if you do business here, it is just a small business. But if you leave this place, I will surely make you a great nation, amen!" Do you see God's power?
Then what else did God say to Abraham? I will bless you. Abraham relied on himself before! He had to work hard to sell idols, deal with many people, and promote the benefits of these idols. But now God says to him: "I will bless you, and you will be a blessing to others." Do you see God's great power? What do we tell others? Let them recognize the uselessness of idols, and it is better to let them recognize the greatness of God!
When they recognize God's greatness, they will naturally not need those idols. So Abraham believed God and left his original place, starting to go to the place God would show him. Did Abraham believe and immediately become a perfect person? No, let me give two examples. At 75 years old, Abraham left Haran, and he had a very beautiful wife named Sarah, who was previously called Sarai.
Brothers present, would you be willing to marry a beautiful wife? Yes, I see you smiling, so I know you are willing! Do you know what Abraham's distress was? Abraham had a very beautiful wife. I don't know how Sarah maintained her beauty, but at over 60 years old, she was still so beautiful that she caught the eye of the king. Abraham knew that his wife would definitely be noticed by the king. When they entered Egypt, he said to his wife, "When we get to Egypt, you must not say you are my wife; you must say you are my sister."
Why did Abraham say this? In that era, if a king noticed your wife, he would kill the man and take the wife as a concubine. Abraham did not want to die, so he said, "Do not say you are my wife; say you are my sister." Did he commit the sin of lying?
God does not want us to lie. At that time, had Abraham already believed in the Lord? Did he sin? After sinning, was he still a righteous man? God gave Abraham time to gradually become the father of faith, just like you. After you believe in the Lord, it is impossible not to sin, to completely change, to have a good temper, to be good to others, and to be good in every aspect. It is impossible.
There needs to be a process. Abraham also needed this process. Although we may be weak and overcome by transgressions, we are still righteous, amen? If we do not rely on God, we will worry, have fear, and be afraid. But God is still protecting Abraham. His wife Sarah was taken by King Abimelech. Did he pray? "Lord, please do not let anything happen to my wife." Isn't this self-inflicted? Did God personally work? God was actually always protecting them, amen! Do not worry; the Holy Spirit will never leave you at any time. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit will be with us until the end of the world.
What is the difference between Abraham and Lot? Do you know the difference between pigs and sheep? In the hot summer, if a sheep is pushed into a muddy puddle, will it roll around and not come out? The sheep will be very uncomfortable; it will cry. If you let go, it will come out immediately.
But pigs are different; they cannot be restrained. They will dive into the mud and, once inside, do not want to come out. If you are not sure, you can try it at home. This is the difference between pigs and sheep because the two lives are completely different. Pigs like filth and enjoy rolling in it.
Brothers and sisters, the believers and unbelievers are distinguished in this way. Do unbelievers sin? Yes! Because all people sin, but unbelievers, after sinning, will take pleasure in sin. For example, a thief, after stealing money, feels particularly happy. It is too easy to gain without labor; I must refine my stealing skills! Does he think this is good?
Christians do not want to do such things because they have the presence of the Holy Spirit, amen! After Christians sin, they feel uncomfortable, just like sheep. Although they fall into the mud, they will feel uncomfortable. If someone sins and still feels comfortable, that is dangerous. They should reflect on whether they are truly saved. If after doing something wrong or sinning, one feels uncomfortable, congratulations! You are already saved because the Holy Spirit inside you gives you assurance. You have a heart that rejects evil, and although you have not overcome, it has already shown you the effect!
Lot was unwilling to leave evil. Did he know what the people of Sodom were doing? Yes, why did God want to destroy it?
Reading the Old Testament makes one feel that God is very ruthless, wanting to eliminate all the people in some cities, leaving not one behind. Sodom is among them. Why is God so cruel? In fact, at that time, the city of Sodom was exceedingly wicked, and the moral life of the people was extremely corrupt. Do you remember what happened when the two angels entered the city of Sodom that night?
The men of the city came out and said, "Lot, bring those two men out to us so that we may know them." Do you know what that means? It means to have improper sexual relations with them. The whole city came out to do this; can you imagine that this city should be destroyed? As a righteous God, He must execute destruction on evil. Thank the Lord! Lot lived in Sodom every day; what did he see?
Verse 8 says, For that righteous man dwelling among them, seeing and hearing their lawless deeds, tormented his righteous soul from day to day.
What did Lot see? He saw men with men, women with women, and men with those who are neither male nor female. Did Lot feel uncomfortable? Yes, because he is a saved Christian, amen. As mentioned earlier, his righteous heart was tormented every day. If you are tormented, why not leave? Yet he was still unwilling to leave. Isn't that terrible? Brothers and sisters, when we cannot change a bad environment, what is the best method? Leave!
For example, if you used to live around a mahjong table, one day you believe in Jesus. Will those people let you go? They will say, "Come on, we are missing one; we cannot do without you." If you cannot resist temptation, you will go. "We are just playing for a little money; don't worry; it is not gambling, just a little entertainment." Small bets are enjoyable; big bets hurt feelings.
People will find excuses like this. As a result, this Christian played all night, and the next day felt guilty, wondering why they gambled again. Although it was a small amount, it was still not good! They resolve never to go again. But the next day, just after eating, a friend says, "Come quickly! Many guests have come, bringing many gifts; come eat with us!" You cannot resist; when you are at the mahjong table, you are still thinking, "Lord, why is this happening again?" But your hand cannot help but reach for the tiles. Do you know what the best method is? Leave!
It is not a solution to feel uncomfortable while still touching the mahjong tiles and unwilling to leave. The final method is to leave, telling your friends, "I have believed in Jesus; I will no longer do these things," amen! Why is gambling bad? No matter how much money is involved, what do you think when playing mahjong? Your pocket is coming to me; isn't that everyone's thought? How many people play mahjong thinking, "I want you to win a hundred or two hundred"?
Very few; we cannot say there are none, but if there are, it is for a purpose. Normally, when gambling, one thinks of oneself; their focus is always on themselves. But when seeking God, God shows you that it is no longer about yourself; it is about Jesus. Amen! When you are in a situation of missing a player, you think of others, seeking God, looking to God, and God tells you: "You must become a blessing to others!"
Isn't that completely different? Relying on ourselves, hoping others become ours, but now, when you know God is your supply and that He can bless you, you will become a blessing to others. Just like Jacob, what was he like at first? Constantly grabbing and taking from others to make it his own. When he truly recognized God's wonders and power, he became a person who blessed others. His name was Israel, amen!
Brothers and sisters, life needs to change. To leave the old life and bad habits, it is impossible to do so by relying on oneself because our nature is to take from others. When you recognize God, knowing that God is your abundant supply, you can become a blessing to others because you know that everything is with your God!
Our God lacks nothing, amen! I want you to understand this matter more clearly. Do you worry every day that your water pipes will not produce water? Why not worry? Because the news has not reported that the water supply plant was bombed. As long as everything is normal there, you will not worry about a lack of water. This is the source of supply; if the source of supply exists, you do not need to worry about anything. When you need it, just turn on the tap, and water will flow continuously to you. You can take as much as you need, but one day, if the news reports that all the water supply plants have been bombed, you will worry, taking out all your bottles to collect water because there is a problem with the source.
Our God is the source of all blessings, and He will never have problems. So do not worry about what you lack. When you are willing to give, God will give you even more, just like a cup. If the cup is always full of water, how can God pour in new water? Unless you pour out the water to give to others, God will give you new blessings. God hopes we become channels of living water blessings, not stagnant pools of dead water. This dead water is not good for oneself or for others, right?
You must become living water, brothers and sisters. Abraham was such a person. Look at Abraham's life; he continually called upon God and blessed others. Abraham also failed, but he did not remain in failure. He lied once but did not lie his entire life; he came out of lying.
Let’s look at this passage, Genesis 13:1, and also verses 3 and 4: Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South.
The South is the place God wanted to bless him. Here it uses the term went up from Egypt to the South. What path did he walk before? A downhill path! Brothers and sisters, leaving God to live by oneself is definitely a downhill path. When you return, you are always walking uphill. I hope each of you walks uphill and does not walk downhill, amen!
Please look at verse 3: He went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
What is the method for Abraham to be victorious? Throughout his life, he did two things continually. The first thing is that he pitched tents. How large was Abraham's household? Since he followed God, he began to live a life of pitching tents. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? His own house was very large; just looking after the house, he had 318 able-bodied men. But since he believed in God, God said, "Leave this place and go to the land I will show you," which refers to Canaan. After arriving in Canaan, he often pitched tents, today here, tomorrow there, and the day after in another place. Does it seem that Abraham had no fixed abode? But this is a great blessing. If you see God's blessing, you will not think that pitching tents is a bad thing.
If this is your home, and your house is just this small, while other places are not yours, it proves that this small place belongs to you. God's blessing for Abraham is different. God told Abraham, "Every place where you set your foot, I will give to you and your descendants." For Abraham, today pitching a tent in this place means this is my home. Tomorrow, I take the tent away and run 100 kilometers away to pitch a tent there; all of this is my home!
Brothers and sisters, God wants to give Abraham a greater blessing and let Abraham know that you are just a sojourner on earth. I have left you a better homeland in heaven; this is what Abraham understood.
The second thing is that Abraham's life was also about living a life of building altars and offering sacrifices. Whenever Abraham went to a place, he would build an altar to offer sacrifices to God. The purpose of building an altar is not just to place an offering on it; he is offering to God, amen! In Abraham's time, it was called offering sacrifices; today it is called worshiping God, amen.
When you come here, you are building an altar to worship God. Abraham's life was about continually moving his tent and worshiping God. This is the best method for Abraham to be victorious! You are blessed people. On Sundays, you put down the tents in your hands and come here to worship God. Just like Abraham, you are building an altar and worshiping God, relying on God, not on yourself. Therefore, you are walking uphill. Do not look at the world's situation; do not look at the world's environment; just look to God alone.
So after Abraham built the altar, the purpose was to call on the name of the Lord. When you come to church to worship God and pray to God, you are calling on God’s name. Calling on God is the most important method for Christians to be victorious, amen! Only when we return to God can we become victorious Christians. Hallelujah.
The second point is Always call upon God and meditate on His words, and you will be victorious.
Brothers and sisters, we see that although Abraham failed, he did not remain in failure. He called upon God and returned, amen! So during the six days in the world, you may hear a lot of negative things, but on the seventh day, when you come to church, through this pulpit, I tell you again that you are righteous. Although you have sinned, God can help you overcome evil, and you can stand up again. Through worship and calling on God's name, God can make you victorious. Abraham, over the years, continually learned, learning in failure, and also learning to rely on God in victory. He is a person who often calls upon God.
Verse 4 says, This was the place where he had first built an altar.
This proves that before he left this place, he had already built an altar, right? Abraham called on the name of God here; he had a good relationship with the Father. When he called on God, God would surely listen to his prayers. Brothers and sisters, no matter how weak or terrible you feel right now, if you are willing to call upon God, you can surely stand up from weakness and trouble.
Lot also encountered such things, but he did not call upon God. Does the Bible record that Lot encountered problems and went to call upon God? No, but Abraham was a person who often called upon God, amen! These two people are very peculiar; Abraham rarely asked for material blessings for himself, yet he received a lot. Lot focused entirely on material things, filled with thoughts of money, but in the end, he became nothing.
Brothers and sisters, it is not that Christians must be poor to be spiritual. God is willing to bless us, but He does not want us to pursue money. God wants us to pursue Jesus Christ, and God will make you prosperous, just like Abraham, amen! Abraham was a person who often called upon God, and God made him prosperous. The Bible tells us that both Abraham and Lot were blessed by God. The Bible says that Abraham had much gold, silver, donkeys, and servants; did God bless them? Did Lot have a lot of money at the beginning? No, he became wealthy by following Abraham. How did he become wealthy? It was God who blessed them, amen!
Genesis 13:7 says: Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelt then in the land. And there was strife between Abram's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen.
Where did all their cattle and sheep come from? Was it not from God's blessing? If Abraham had one sheep and Lot had one sheep, would they argue? Absolutely not! At that time, the land of Canaan was actually very desolate, so when their flocks and herds grew, they would argue over water and grass because there were too many sheep, and there was not enough to eat, which would lead to disputes.
At first, they did not argue, right? When Abraham came out, he was not so wealthy, but in the process of continually knowing God and relying on God, God made him prosperous. Brothers and sisters, God is willing to bless Abraham and his descendants. Are you his descendants? So God is also willing to bless you. How did Abraham have so many material blessings? At first, he did not have much, but God continually made what he did abundant.
Let me give an example from that time. They raised many cows and sheep. How did they become wealthy? It was because your cows and sheep did not miscarry. Over time, they would become wealthy. Do you believe it? Brothers and sisters, what does this mean? When you are willing to call upon God and meditate on God's words, you become a victorious Christian. Not only do you gain victory in the spirit, but you can also be a victorious Christian materially. Always think about God's words; everything you have is preserved by God.
What happens when you rely on yourself? If a person sees that several ewes are pregnant, he thinks, "I will have more lambs soon." Just like his own property, the next day they are supposed to give birth, but that night, the sheep dies in the womb. Is this a failure for him? The same goes for cows. How can he become prosperous? He spends all his money on cows and sheep, and in the end, they die. Isn't it the same with our businesses? When you rely on yourself, you cannot withstand external financial storms or unknown problems, just like the stock market these days, which has been plummeting. Isn't this happening all the time?
We do not know how these things will turn out; this is called the unknown. God knows, amen! What can God do? God said to Abraham and Lot, "If you are willing to continually worship and offer sacrifices to me, making me your God, I will preserve your cattle and sheep from miscarrying." After a few years, they would become wealthy. This means that whatever you do, if you are willing to offer it before God and let God preserve what you do, God will make what you do not miscarry, amen! Over time, their cattle and sheep grew more and more, leading to disputes. Prosperity is not a bad thing; the fear is that after becoming prosperous, one begins to quarrel, become jealous, and create strife. That would be terrible.
At that time, not only were they there, but there were also unbelievers living there. The Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelt in that land. When the herdsmen of the two quarreled, Abraham, as a Christian, did not want to let others mock him. Brothers and sisters, what kind of words do you speak when you go out? The world looks at you. If you say, "This church is really good; God's blessings are here; there is God's love here," people will be attracted. But if two people fight as soon as they leave church, people will say, "They are all believers in Jesus; they will say that all believers are like this!"
Abraham did not want others to speak poorly of his God. He said to his nephew Lot, "We are both believers in God; let us not quarrel over this wealth. If you want to go east, I will go west. If you go south, I will go north. In short, let us separate; do not let this affect our relationship."
Brothers and sisters, according to seniority, is Lot a junior? He should let Abraham choose first. But Abraham said, "Lot, you choose first!" How should Lot respond? Shouldn't he be modest? But he did not. Genesis 13:10 says, "And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you go toward Zoar."
The garden of the Lord has two rivers; do you remember? Like the land of Egypt, which has the Nile River. Lot saw that this plain was too beautiful, too suitable for grazing, and he said, "I must go to this place." Since he chose the plain, Abraham could only go to the mountains! Brothers and sisters, how can one shepherd in the mountains? The plain has water and grass; what is there in the mountains? As mentioned before, two-thirds of Israel is desert. It is difficult to find grass and water in the mountains. But Abraham gave the choice to Lot. Lot chose with his own way, looking at the matter from a fleshly perspective, so he chose to invest in the whole plain and went to that place!
Verse 11 says, Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other.
Did Lot show any modesty? He thought this place was good, so he went there. I want to tell brothers and sisters not to rely on our sight but to rely on faith in God! Because relying on sight, we will think this matter is good and will definitely make money and be beneficial to us, but it is not necessarily so!
Did Lot's initial dream not seem good? He thought he could become an entrepreneur and eventually defeat Sodom, becoming a leader among them. He gradually moved his tent until he reached the city of Sodom. But he did not know that not long after, God would destroy that city. This is human planning. Let us look again at what God's plan is.
We need to learn to look at current problems with God's eyes and to handle current problems with God's methods. Abraham was willing to be a witness for God in front of worldly people, willing to be a good witness for God, amen! Do you want to be a good witness for God? If you are willing, then live according to God's words! When interacting with others, if others slander you and make you suffer, do not always complain about it because God knows you have suffered! God will give you more.
The Bible says it is better to yield than to seek revenge because vengeance belongs to our God. When you give to others, God will give back to you. This is a principle in our Lord. God's intention is to bless you; you must become a blessing to others, amen! If we are willing to help others, when you see someone in need, help them, and God will give back to you. This is Abraham's method. Abraham gave the initiative to Lot, letting Lot choose! He could only rely on God because he could not live by himself. But we see what kind of blessing God gave to Abraham. Abraham hoped to be a good witness for the unbelievers and even for his nephew Lot, amen!
Some say, "I have already been saved by faith and justified; it does not matter how I live at work. It does not matter if I curse others; after all, I can go to heaven. I can live however I want..." You must become a good witness to the world. When you become a witness, you will receive great rewards from God. Therefore, Abraham's actions were good in front of Lot. Did he suffer a loss? But God remembered his actions. At that time, God said to Abraham, let us read together,
Genesis 13:14-17,
14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. 16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."
How great is the blessing God gave to Abraham? At that time, Abraham said to Lot, "You choose; if you go east, I will go west. If you go south, I will go north. In short, we cannot be together." Lot chose the best, leaving the very poor mountainous area for Abraham. Abraham could only pray to God, "How will I live in the future? Please help me." So brothers and sisters, to become victorious Christians, come to call upon God every day and meditate on His words, amen! How to meditate? When a terrible environment comes upon you, do not be discouraged; you should say, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."
When you think this way, God will make a way for you. After they both left, Lot had already gone. What would Abraham do living in the mountains? He needed water and grass; what about the sheep? God immediately gave Abraham comfort: "From the place where you are, lift your eyes and look, brothers and sisters, eastward, southward, northward, and westward means what? The whole land is yours! When Abraham said, 'Lot, if you want to go east, go ahead!' God said, 'I give you the east, west, north, and south!' When you see a sister in need, give her five hundred dollars to help her through her current situation, God will give you more. He will not only give you material blessings but also what you need in your family. This is the east, west, north, and south; God controls everything, amen!
If you give one east, will God give you the east, west, north, and south? Yes, it includes Lot's place. Do you see God's blessings? This is the victorious Christian. God has the power to give to you. Although you give a little, God can give you more. I will also make your descendants as numerous as the dust of the earth. What are descendants? Are they not spiritual offspring? Your own children. What Abraham needs most now is children. God knows what you need most. We think we need money, but having money does not necessarily solve all problems. God knows what you need most; He will give you health, blessings, and joy! He will give you the east, west, north, and south. Thank the Lord! God said, "Lift your eyes and look from the place where you are." The following words say: "Arise, Abraham, and walk through the land, for I will give you this land!" Do you know how great this blessing is? God said to Abraham, "Now arise; do not sit here; wherever your foot treads, I will give to you." Isn't this much greater than what Lot received?
The words God spoke will surely be fulfilled. Abraham saw the whole world from the spirit. Are we not the descendants of Abraham? If Abraham looked with his fleshly eyes, could he see us in China? No, he could not see. God said to Abraham, "Abraham, think about it; wherever you can think of, I will give it to you!"
God said, "As long as you can think of it, I will give it to you." Who can imagine? Today, Abraham's descendants are all over the world! Is this not what God gave him? Brothers and sisters, do not mind your little loss; God will give you more in the future. The Bible does not say that if you lose time for the sake of the Lord, you may lose other things, lose a little wealth, but God will give you more abundant blessings in the kingdom of heaven. You will receive a hundredfold.
At that time, you will say, "Lord, I only paid this little, but You gave me so much!" God will say, "Because the victorious, I will give him the fruit of life and the abundant rewards." You can become a victorious Christian, relying on this God every day, meditating on God's words, amen! At that time, you will no longer care about what you have lost; God will give you more and better, amen! Lot relied on his own sight; he thought the plain was good. When he was with Abraham, he became more and more prosperous, amen!
But what happened after he separated from Abraham? He no longer relied on God, no longer called upon God, and he walked into the city of Sodom. Until God destroyed that city, He saved him, and he had nothing. Many people ask, "Teacher, why is it that both of us believe in the Lord, and he lives so well while I sigh every day?" Both have one Lord; why does God not care for me?
I want to ask: Are you willing to give yourself to God? Amen! Every day you say, "Lord, I am willing to put everything in Your hands; You take control of my life." God will surely preserve everything for you; the east, west, north, and south are in God's hands. Thank the Lord! We are willing to be blessed like Abraham and also learn to be willing to receive others, willing to help others, and to be good witnesses for the Lord. First, have such a mindset, amen!
Throughout Abraham's life, in addition to continually pitching tents and worshiping God, he also had a characteristic: he was willing to receive strangers! Although he lived in Canaan, in the mountains, whenever guests passed by his door, Abraham would run over and say, "Dear guests, come to our home to eat something and rest before you go!"
The Bible says: He unknowingly received angels. To put it in human terms, this believer is really foolish; he invites anyone into his home, letting them eat and drink for free. Wouldn't that make him poor? Abraham did not become poor; instead, God made him increasingly prosperous, amen! When we live with God at the center, we will become victorious Christians. Because Abraham knew that what he gave was done before God, God would bless him doubly. Therefore, spiritually, Abraham received enormous rewards for what he could not see. I wish for you to become such a Christian, not acting according to the fleshly eyes but acting by faith.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise Your grace. We are willing to become victorious Christians, like Abraham, to be Your beautiful witnesses. We are justified by faith, but our lives are not yet complete, and our behavior is not yet perfect. In life, we learn to know You, rely on You, and call upon You. We do not want to be like Lot, who relied on himself. I want to rely on You in everything, living according to Your words. I may not see the results in the short term, but I believe in Your words. You are willing to transform my life and make me a beautiful witness for You.
I am willing to act not by sight but by faith, knowing that Your blessings are abundant. You are changing my life; my body is in Your hands, and everything I do is in Your hands. You will bless all things this week. I thank You for this, and I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen!