Where You Pitch Your Tent Matters

O.T. #30  "Where You Pitch Your Tent Matters"
April 22, 2013
Genesis 13-Part 1
Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and
pitched his tents near Sodom. Genesis 13:12 NIV

LET IT GLOW

I have only had a few experiences in camping out in a tent and those were good ones. However,
a few years ago, at a nearby state park, some campers did not have good experiences one
particular weekend. You see, there were flash floods that weekend and the rivers rose rapidly.
Many people that camped along that particular river  lost everything, some even lost their lives.
So you see, where you pitch you tent does matter. Shall we check out where Abraham and Lot pitched theirs.

We saw Abraham's initial response of faith, following God, living in a tent and sacrificing on
altars to Him. However, when the famine came, Abraham's faith lapsed. Instead of staying in
Canaan and trusting God, He, his family, servants, and all he had went down to Egypt. He was getting in deeper in sin when God stepped in and exposed a lie of Abraham and Sarah's. Pharaoh asked them to leave and they did. They had to go back to the very place where they abandoned
the Lord, left the Lord's will. Abraham's faith returned, as he went back to Bethel where the
altar to God was. He needed to make a new start. We see that God's promises were still effective because the land as far as Abraham could see was to be owned by his family.

I wonder if Abraham's faith grew as he walked through the Promised Land. Is my faith growing
as I walk with God? 

LET IT GROW

Abraham still had to reap the consequences of his trip to Egypt:

• He lost time. Those weeks that Abraham and his household were away from the Lord were lost and never to be regained.
• He lost his testimony of the true God before Pharaoh after deceiving him.
• Sarah's maid servant Hagar, came from Egypt (16:1). Her presence resulted in trouble as Sarah's carnal scheme Hagar to bear a child to Abraham, instead of waiting on God for a son. Whatever we bring with us from Egypt will result in trouble.
• His increase in possessions helped to cause the later dispute between Abraham's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen.
• He let Lot choose the land for him to dwell. Though Abraham took Lot out of Egypt, he couldn't take Egypt out of Lot. Lot came out of Egypt and shared Abraham's tents, but not     the altar to worship God. Lot pitched his tent, looking toward the wicked city of Sodom,   where the watered plains and green grass was. Later, we'll find out what happened to Lot      and his sacrifice made.

Even if we have left our Egypt (worldliness and rebellion), has Egypt been taken out of us? Do
we still look back at the way it was, or have we learned from our lessons? Are our eyes on God
or the world?

LET IT GO

Let go of my Egypt, worldliness, rebellion, and fleshly desires.

Repent and return to God and where His will was.

Walk by faith, not by sight.

Keep my eyes focused on Jesus and remember His mercy.

Watch out where I pitch my tent, consequences will result.