The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah became infamous examples of what happens when people let their sexual appetites run wild. Throughout human history their names have been associated with cultures which defied God's moral standards. One of the sins practiced in these cities was homosexuality, and today in America this subject has become very controversial, both in our society at large as well as in certain Christian denominations.The topic tends to stir up emotions and confusion with numerous challenging questions needing an answer. In this discussion, we'll try to answer some of these questions and remind ourselves of how God wants us to respond to this and other forms of addictive behavior.

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God was working with Abraham's heart and teaching his mind so that he would have a faith that could be passed on from generation to generation. Here the Lord uses the judgment of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to teach some foundational spiritual truths. These are truths that God knew he must understand, and they are truths that we also must understand if we are going to live lives that are not corrupted by the temptations that surround us. It's not enough for our hearts to desire to please God, we must also have understanding if we are to resist temptation and to continue to trust Him.

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As humans we have a tendency to be passive and self-centered. We stand back and wait for life to come to us and we choose things on the basis of how much pleasure or benefit we get out of them. Both of these are poor attitudes in any situation, but when it comes to our relationship with God they are exactly the opposite of what we should do. In this chapter of Genesis Abraham models qualities which should be foundational for every person's worship life. It's true we are reading about a very unusual encounter between someone and God, but the way Abraham reacted that afternoon was anything but passive or self-centered. He was a man who loved the Lord and who God referred to as His "friend" (Isa 41:18; 2Ch 20:7; Jas 2:23), and we would be wise to observe the way he treated the Lord and do likewise when we worship Him.

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Everyone of us is getting older a day at a time, and there is no stopping the process. People do what they can to preserve their youthfulness, but the passing years still sweep us along until one day it occurs to us we're getting old. How we handle this revelation is one of the most important keys to productivity and happiness in life. Many people don't like to talk about getting older because It reminds them that in the end they'll die. So they live in a constant state of denial, meaning they refuse to let their conscious mind think about such things, while their subconscious mind tries to cope with growing amounts of anger and fear by itself.

In Genesis 25:8 a wonderful statement is made about Abraham. It says, "Abraham breathed his last and died an old man and satisfied with life, and he was gathered to his people." The picture is that of a man who's at peace with God and is satisfied that he has accomplished his purpose in life and is not afraid of what's ahead. Like going to sleep, he simply let go and moved on, and there would be few blessings more precious in life than that. Like Abraham, we need to adjust our perspective on life so that we don't have a negative view of getting old, and when it comes time for us to move on, we too will be satisfied with life and gathered to our people.

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If you were to put into a simple statement God's goal for Abraham it would be this: God made Abraham into a great father. Even his name reveals God's plan: Abram means "great-father" and "Abraham" means "father of many." When we read the story of his life we are reading about one of the major events in God's plan to offer eternal life to humans. Through Abraham and Sarah a family was begun which passed saving faith on to their children, one generation after another. In time this family grew into a nation and 1,400 years after that the Son of God was born as a member of that nation (Mt 1:1). Abraham was the first in a new strategy by which God would produce an unbroken chain of "saved" people from Abraham to the birth of Jesus. Believing parents, with a special burden placed on fathers, would pass their faith on to their children, who in turn would pass it on to their children. God's preparation of Abraham to be a father concerned much more than just his physical conception of a son. It required intense spiritual preparation so that he could pass on the kind of faith that brings the gift of righteousness (Ge 15:6) and the blessing of God's powerful presence (Ge 17:7,8). Today God still calls His followers to become anointed parents and there's still a special calling placed on men to be fathers.

To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.

If you were to put into a simple statement God's goal for Abraham, it would be this: God made Abraham into a great father. Even his name reveals God's plan: Abram means "great-father" and "Abraham" means "father of many." When we read the story of his life, we are reading about one of the major events in God's plan to offer eternal life to humans. Through Abraham and Sarah a family was begun which passed saving faith on to their children, one generation after another. In time this family grew into a nation and 1,400 years after that the Son of God was born as a member of that nation (Mt 1:1). Abraham was the first in a new strategy by which God would produce an unbroken chain of "saved" people from Abraham to the birth of Jesus. Believing parents, with a special burden placed on fathers, would pass their faith on to their children, who in turn would pass it on to their children. God's preparation of Abraham to be a father concerned much more than just his physical conception of a son. It required intense spiritual preparation so that he could pass on the kind of faith that brings the gift of righteousness (Ge 15:6) and the blessing of God's powerful presence (Ge 17:7,8). Today God still calls His followers to become anointed parents and there's still a special calling placed on men to be fathers.

To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.

There are many people who would like to walk with God but are convinced that their weaknesses, fears and foolish mistakes make it impossible. They might say something like this: "I know God is powerful, but it isn't God I'm worried about; it's me. I don't seem to have what it takes to live a victorious life. I'm afraid I have already or will in the future mess up His plans for me. I make bad choices, I fear stepping out in faith, I'm weak in the face of temptation. Don't I have to perfectly obey God for Him to be in control of my life?" Mercifully, the answer is no. Abraham and Sarah are examples of God's ability to overrule disobedience, slow obedience and partial obedience. Poor choices delayed God's purpose and created hardships for Abraham and Sarah, but it didn't prevent Him from accomplishing His plan for their lives. The record of their lives ought to give us great hope, because it proves that what God requires of us is not impossibly out of reach because it relies on His power and faithfulness much more than it does ours.

To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!

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Hagar was only an Egyptian slave who had been given as a maid-in-waiting to Sarai by the Pharaoh of Egypt. She was part of the dowry he paid to Abram for Sarai's hand in marriage (Ge 12:15,16), so whatever Hagar knew about the true God she had learned from this Hebrew couple she served. Sadly, she was drawn into the middle of their marriage as a solution to their painful barrenness. Trouble quickly erupted, as one would expect, but in her darkest hour she discovers the heart of God. She learned that He sees and cares about even a household servant and has a wonderful plan for her. She learned that He is a God who sees all things, and we need to learn the same truth.

To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge!

Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.