Genesis 13:10-11 (NKJV) And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.
Sodom was a corrupt and godless city. Any association with it would have led to a compromised faith. Is the city where you are living a godless one too? Are you associating and thinking like the rest of the people? When we choose to live like the world and trust in the world rather than in God, we will accept its values for success and pierce ourselves with many sorrows.
When Abraham and Lot had to part ways, Abraham gave Lot the priority to choose, and Lot chose the plain of Jordan. Lot represents someone who trusts in the world and believes in what he sees. Eventually, Lot was found living in Sodom, a place of sin and wickedness. He had compromised with the people of Sodom, relied on himself and become a slave. Giving into the world ever so slightly would allow it to create strongholds in our lives.
When a war broke out in Sodom and all of Lot’s possessions were seized, all that Lot had enjoyed and trusted in crumbled before him and he was taken captive. Likewise, the love of money will also cause us to be a slave to the world.
Abraham walked by faith and Lot by sight. There is a danger for Christians too to trust in the world to gain visible benefits rather than to have faith in God. The stronghold of trusting money is revealed when one struggles to tithe to God. Therefore, while we live in the world, we must not operate in its ways and trust in our jobs or businesses more than in God. When the worldly dependence is gone, we will realise on whom we can truly count on.
Abraham took a different direction from Lot. God was with him and told him that He would prosper him. All that Abraham could see to the north, south, east, and west, God had given to Abraham and his descendants. Abraham built an altar unto God, and he worshiped God wholeheartedly.
Later, when Abraham heard of Lot’s plight, he took 318 men to pursue the people who had captured Lot and overcame an army far mightier in size and strength. He defeated the kings who had attacked Sodom and captured Lot, and he brought back Lot, the women, the other people and all the possessions because God was with him. Abraham gave a tenth of everything to Melchizedek, who is a type of Christ, as a declaration of his dependence of God.
Abraham was a man of faith, shown by his obedience when he left the land of Ur upon God’s calling and instruction. It had become a lifestyle to him that God was his sole provider. We should follow Abraham’s example of walking by faith and not by sight.
Sermon Series: Christian Worldview on Success
凭信心，不凭眼见
创世记 13:10-11 罗得举目看见约旦河的全平原，直到琐珥，都是滋润的，那地在耶和华未灭所多玛、蛾摩拉以先如同耶和华的园子，也像埃及地。于是罗得选择约旦河的全平原，往东迁移；他们就彼此分离了。
所多玛是一座腐败且不信神的城市。 任何与它沾边的都会导致信仰的妥协。 你所居住的城市也是一个无神的城市吗？ 你和其他人一样处世和思考吗？ 当我们选择像俗世一样生活并相信世俗而不是上帝时，我们就会接受它的成功价值观，并被许多悲伤刺痛。
当亚伯拉罕和罗得不得不分道扬镳时，亚伯拉罕让罗得优先选择，罗得选择了约旦平原。 罗得代表那些相信世界并相信眼见的人。 最终，罗得被发现住在所多玛，一个罪恶和邪恶的地方。 他向所多玛人妥协，依靠自己，沦为了奴隶。 对世俗的哪怕一点点的退让，都会让它借机在我们的生命中建立营垒。
当所多玛爆发战争，罗得的所有财产都被夺取时，罗得所享受和信赖的一切在他面前崩溃了，他自己也被掳走。 同样的，贪爱金钱也会使我们成为世界的奴隶。
亚伯拉罕凭信心行事，罗得凭眼见行事。 如果作为基督徒，抛开上帝而去选择相信世界以获得看得见的利益，那么他就有祸了。 当一个人对于向上帝缴纳十一奉献深感为难，信靠金钱的营垒就显露出来了。 因此，当我们生活在这个世界上时，我们不能按照世界的方式行事，我们对工作或生意的信靠不能超过对上帝的信靠。 当世俗的依赖消失后，我们就会意识到谁是我们真正可以依靠的。
亚伯拉罕选择了与罗得不同的方向。 神与他同在，并告诉他，祂会让他繁荣昌盛。 亚伯拉罕目之所及的东西南北，神都赐给了他和他的后裔。 亚伯拉罕为神筑了一座坛，全心全意地敬拜祂。
后来，亚伯拉罕听说了罗得的困境，就率领318人去追击掳走罗得的人，并击败了一支规模和力量都强大得多的军队。 他击败了曾经攻打所多玛并掳走了罗得的诸王，带回了罗得、妇女、其余的人和所有的财产，因为神与他同在。 亚伯拉罕将一切的十分之一给了麦基洗德–基督的预表，宣告了他对神的依赖。
亚伯拉罕是一个有信心的人，这一点在他听从上帝的呼召和指示离开吾珥之地时就显明了。 上帝是他唯一的供应者，这已经成为他的一种生活方式。 我们应该效法亚伯拉罕的榜样，凭着信心而不是凭着眼见而行。
讲章系列：基督徒对成功的世界观
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