Brother Lot became Minister Lot and
some souls were committed onto him. Who were these souls?
-
Those servants of his who were in-charge of his cattle
and businesses: the same herdmen who contended with Abraham’s herdmen (Genesis 13:7).
-
His wife and two (2) daughters
-
His sons-in-law
It is obvious that Lot had some
lives committed onto his care and leadership. But in the end, we never heard of
those servants again; they were lost to the flames of Sodom. Lot began with
quite a number of lives but ended with his own life by saved by mercy. His ministry
killed more people than it saved. What a ministry of death! Looks like there
are some of such ministries today where people are being channelled into an
ugly lurking eternity in Hell.
Let us consider still briefly some
confirmations of the truth that Lot disappointed God and man in the course of
his ministry and living.
1)
God was
disappointed
Lot was
living in compromise, lust and greed by the choice of Sodom. Yet God made
merciful and gracious ways of escape for him but afterward, he still returned
to Sodom.
Lot didn’t
start by living inside Sodom. In the beginning the Bible says ‘he
went to live NEAR Sodom’ (Genesis 13:12). He wasn’t living inside Sodom
at first but lived close by. But it wasn’t long after he landed inside Sodom,
and when the enemies came to attack, Lot was already living inside Sodom. “And
they took Lot, Abraham’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and
departed” (Genesis 14:12).
When God
used Abraham to bring deliverance, one would have thought Lot would step away
from Sodom, but he went back to the same place and destruction was just miles
away.
Backsliding
does not begin in one day; it starts gradually. Those who backslide would
perhaps receive many warnings and mercy life-line but they would despise such. This
was the case of Lot.
If we agree that God gave Lot a second
chance after his first capture, then it is clear he failed that second chance.
2)
Abraham was
disappointed
Why was
Abraham interceding for Lot (Genesis
18:23-33)? Why did he start his intercession with fifty (50) souls? Abraham
perhaps expected Minister Lot to at least have won and discipled at least fifty
(50) souls, afterall he had servants, herdmen, family members, etc. But in the
end, it was clear to Abraham that Lot’s ministry could boast of several
cattles, conections, influence, buildings, money, businesses, etc, but it could
not account for even ten (10) souls. What a calling!
3)
The angels
were disappointed
“And the
men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? Son in law, and thy sons, and
daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in
the city, bring them out of this place” (Genesis 19:12).
What a
question! Even the angels were surprised that Lot could only account for only
his daughters and wife (who eventually missed it). Why would the angels have
asked for sons if Lot never had sons?! What sons were being referred to? Not
his biological sons, but spiritual sons! But the man either had none or had and
lost them to the flames of Sodom.
There is a
relationship between Lot and Rahab. While Lot can go for a Minister, Rahab
could go for an “ordinary” member. But they had the same mandate, and Lot (the
Minister) escaped with only two daughters while Rahab (the member) escaped with
all her families. This is how it will be in the end, ministers with no souls to
show and members with many souls to show. What a life!
We must
remind ourselves that we shall not show God the number of houses we built, or
the number of cars He gave us, or the size of our bank accounts, but the number
of souls we genuinely touched shall be an eternal legacy.
As we close, it is vital to check
and see if Lot had instructions at his disposal. Yes, he had! Did he take them?
The end confirmed that! God said about Abraham, “For I know him, that he will
command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way
of the Lord, to do justice and judgment…” (Genesis 18:19a).
Lot was a part of that household
which Abraham commanded but the lust for space, acquisition and accumulation of
gadgets, love for money, greed for more, conformity to the world and taste for
worldliness overtook him and he landed himself a ministry of death, killing
more souls (in the flames of Sodom) than he helped make Heaven.
Today, there are ministries and
ministers harming souls than helping them. The question is, where do you
belong?
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