LOOKS CAN BE DECEPTIVE

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Gen 46, Mark 16, Job 12, Romans 16

 Genesis 13:10 and Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah , even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar

BIBLE STUDIES: Genesis 13:6-15

There was a big strife between herdsmen of Lot and Abram over wells and pastures. This strife began to affect the relationship between Lot and his cousin – Abram. Abram suggested to his cousin that they separate and Lot should pick a portion of land. When Lot wanted to pick, he employed his eyes instead of God. He relied on his physical vision and common sense to make a life changing decision. The bible records that he lifted up his eye and beheld all he plain of Jordan that it was well watered everywhere. He made his decision based on what he saw – a well watered land not what he heard from God. His wants played a major role in the decision he made that day. Despite the fact that he was aware of the ways and lifestyles of the inhabitants of Sodom, he remained in Sodom because of business. The family of Lot profited a lot from doing business with the people of Sodom.They made him their judge and gave him a seat at the city gate. Lot’s priorities hinged on worldly gains not heavenly gains.

Shortly after he moved to Sodom, another king waged war against Sodom and took him captive, Genesis 14:1- end. God used Abram to deliver him. The next thing that happened was he got into a bigger trouble and began to exchange his daughters for peace. The men of Sodom tried to molest his guests. To protect them, he had to offer his daughters to them for the peace and safety of his guests, Genesis 19:4-8. On the same day, the judgment of the Lord came on the Sodom and he had to run for his dear life. Lot did not know peace in Sodom as he jumped from one problem to another. It was in this process that he lost all he had and his precious wife. He went to Sodom with thousands of cattle, sheep, goat and servants but he left Sodom with nothing. Before you know it, Lot became a drunkard. From that day onward the bible had nothing to say about Lot again. Abram on the other hand waited on the Lord and chose according to God’s plan for his life. He went on to become the father of nations. Today many singles marry based on looks. The ladies want a tall, black and handsome man with a good job. The men want a woman with a perfect figure. Many enter relationships based on what they can get from the relationships not what they have to offer. Financial or material gains should not be a deciding factor when it comes to making a decision. Do not do things because everyone is doing it. What decided the end of Abram and Lot were factors that informed their decisions.

ACTION POINT: Let God inform every decision you make not your wants or looks.

Trusting in your looks

Monday 6 August                                                Bible in one year: Joshua 1-3

Memorise : Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain : but a woman that feareth the Lord , she shall be praised .Proverbs 31:30

Read: Ezekiel 16:14-15

The expectations of believers sometimes fail because they are based on the wrong foundation. Expectations that are presumptuous would most likely fail. So also would expectations based on physical qualities such as an individual’s good looks, stature or charm. If you expectation for a husband or a good home is based on your beauty, it may be dashed. There are many ladies who are not beautiful but they are married to good husbands and there are many pretty ladies who earlier thought marriage would be the easiest thing for them; in fact, they become so choosy that today that have aged, but are without husbands. If you think beauty or handsomeness will give you a good home, you should have a rethink. Take a man like Absalom. As a man he was described as being beautiful. His kind of beauty was the type that would make any pretty lady green with envy. Apart from Lucifer, Absalom was another personality described as being perfect in beauty. Most ladies would fight to have him as a husband. But at the end they would have regretted that decision.

Imaging what he did? He murdered his half-brother who raped his sister, he spearheaded a rebellion against his father and toppled him, he openly slept with his father’s concubines and he planned to kill his father but for God’s intervention. At the end he died prematurely .His wife became a widow too. His three sons and daughter became fatherless. They lived the evil tag of being the children of a rebel who died shamefully (2Samuel14:25-27). If you think you are too beautiful or to handsome to marry the fellow God has chosen for you as a life partner, make no mistake, you will end up marrying the Absaloms and Jezebels of this world. Some men are equally languishing in regret in the confines of their homes because instead of going to the Match Maker and creator, they failed to pray effectively. They believed   their physical attractiveness would pull sisters to them, and they would find a good wife from among them. Any partner you get from God is the best you can ever have, no matter how imperfect the fellow is. Go to the Lord today!

PRAYER POINT: Father, in any way I have trusted in my looks and physique, have mercy on me. From today, I put all my trust in you.

Open Heavens by Pastor E.A Adeboye