Beware the Devil’s tricks to capture your attention

Genesis 13:10: 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.

As Father’s Day approaches, I want to take a look at this text as it pertains to the crucial role of a father covering or having the overall care of his children/his family.

Separation

It certainly can be suggested that Lot saw Abram as a father figure. 

Indeed, as God instructed Abram to leave his father’s family, Lot was permitted to leave his family and travel with Abram. 

This tells me that there was a level of love, trust and respect that Lot had for Abram. 

Lot followed Abram.  Lot saw Abram as his role model. Abram was Lot’s mentor. 

From the time they left the Ur of Chaldees, Lot followed after his uncle.

Genesis 12:1: Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

According to the Word of God, there were blessings attached to being connected to Abram. 

Lot knew that and yet something happened. Why would Lot separate from the one that covered him? 

Why would a son separate from his father who was actually doing right by him? 

What happened? It happened. Sin caught the sight of a son and the son separated from his blessings or his covering. Wow. How sad.  

Lot looked and saw something that Abram was not looking at. 

In fact, what Lot saw caught his attention. 

Understand this. Sin is extremely attractive. Sin feels good at the beginning. Sin looks kind, inviting, and amazing in the beginning. 

That is, until sin gets you where it is!  Then all of a sudden, the “grass’ that looked greener is more faded than the grass you left.

The Devil will always place his best efforts in capturing your sight. When you see something attractive, you want to get closer to it. 

The closer you are to the action, the more you feel a part of what is going on. 

The more you see, the more you feel as if you are connected to what you see.  

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.

The enemy will always seek to gain your heart and he will strategically move to make that happen. 

Please understand that what your eyes see, your heart feels, and what your heart feels, your mind accepts as being the right thing.

Study of the scriptures tells us that the places that caught Lot’s eye (Sodom and Gomorrah) were beautiful; as beautiful as The Garden of Eden and as beautiful as Egypt was.

Understand that before the serpent entered in and beguiled Eve, the Garden of Eden was a Utopia, a perfect place.  

Understand that Egypt was a beautiful and rich place of fertility and safety; the Israelites had originally gone there to obtain food through a time of famine, but were later made slaves in that land.  

Church, understand that Sodom and Gomorrah were beautiful places of prominence and prestige before they began to flow in the accursed thing, which brought about the destruction of that place.

Be it known church, that Satan will always present you a picture of perfection, peace and progress in order to persuade you to make a move that is against God.  

Principles

That is how he tricks sons and fathers into separating. 

That is how he causes a separation of principles between fathers and sons.

The enemy is always out to separate fathers and sons.

Fathers, do not choose the passive road and allow your sons to reap damnation. Fight for your son. Fight for his future. Fight to remain a family. Respice finem.

Dr Maria A. Seaman is the pastor of Shekinah Worship Centre, Hamilton Parish.