Open Heaven 9 March 2019 – Are You In The Wrong Place? written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye
TOPIC: Are You In The Wrong Place?
MEMORISE: “And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.” – (Genesis 19:28).
READ: Genesis 13:7-13, 19:27-30 (KJV)
GENESIS 13:7-13
7. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle; and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
8. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
9. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me; if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
10. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
11. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east; and they separated themselves the one from the other.
12. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
GENESIS 19:27-30
27. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD;
28. And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
29. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
30. And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar; and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
MESSAGE – Open Heaven 9 March 2019 – Are You In The Wrong Place?:
It is a deadly thing for a person to be in the wrong place at any point in time, and this includes being among the wrong people. This has led to several unpleasant experiences that have caused irreparable harm to people, even leading to their death. It is therefore not suprising that the Bible says in Psalm 1:1:
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
How great the wisdom of our God is! This wisdom further says to us in 2 Corinthians 6:16-17:
“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and will receive you.”
Some children of God have found themselves in the wrong places because of their search for so-called “greener pastures”. The story of Elimelech in the book of Ruth is a sad example of someone who found himself in a wrong place while seeking greener pastures. Because of a famine, he left Bethlehem-Judah in search of a means of livelihood in the land of Moab, and he suffered immeasurable loss for it (Ruth 1:1-7).
He lost his life and his lineage was almost wiped out. Today’s Bible reading tells the similar unfortunate story of how Lot chose a place that seemed good for his livestock farming activities, only to later find out that it was the wrong place to dwell in. Lot chose to dwell in the land of wicked people because he loved the prosperity of the wicked. How wrong he was to live among wicked people who were marked out for destruction. Whoever chooses to dwell among the wicked will likely suffer the same fate as the wicked.
Open Heaven 9 March 2019 – Are You In The Wrong Place?
The Lord decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because their grievous sins had become too great in His sight. If not for Abraham, Lot would have been destroyed along with them. Nevertheless, his wife and all his life savings were lost in one day. Imagine the regret and agony he must have felt as Sodom and Gomorrah burnt like a furnace. That is what the cost of being in the wrong place looks like. May you never experience the agony of being in an ungodly environment in Jesus’ Name.
ACTION POINT (Open Heaven 9 March 2019):
Who are those you share your daily life with? Seek and work towards mingling with people who fear the Lord. As much as it lies within your power, do not dwell in the same habitation with the wicked.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Romans 7-8, Isaiah 58
HYMNAL: Hymn 3 – When we walk with the Lord
1. When we walk with the Lord,
In the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
CHORUS:
Trust and obey!
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.
2. Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear,
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
3. Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief nor a loss,
Nor a frown nor a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.
4. But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay,
For the favour He shows
And the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way,
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.
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