Thank you so much for tuning in and Welcome everyone – Hope you’re well!  I’m your host, Ben Lively, and you’re listening to “Shaken Awake” – Episode #50!  

 

I just want to thank you for tuning in with us today, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing right this very moment.  It means everything to me to share the messages that God’s lays on my heart to share.  

 

And, as always, I promise you another great show – But, more than anything, my HOPE for you today, and always, is that you have an actual encounter with the Lord, not just another podcast episode.   

 

Quick ask – if you’ve found value in these episodes, would you take 30 seconds after the show to go to submit a quick review and star-rating in your app.  This is what potential listeners look for when deciding whether to give a show a listen – which is confirmation from other listeners that it can bring value.  Would you do that for me, IF and only IF you find value in these episodes?  I can’t thank you enough.

 

So, without further delay, let’s get ready to invite God in with us, right here, right now and allow Him to speak directly to your heart and minds.   

 

So, today’s topic is on “Will You Join in, Flee, or Look Back to America, today’s Sodom & Gomorrah?”

 

It’s no surprise to hear what’s been happening all around us for many, many years, as we’ve slid on this slippery slope called “the world” for many years, many decades.  What do I mean by that?  If I asked you if America has gotten better or worse in the past 5 years, what would be your answer?  But let’s not stop there, ok?  If I asked you if America has gotten better or worse in the 5 years BEFORE the 5-year period before today, what would be your answer?  5 years prior to that?  How about 5 years prior to that?  I’m not going to keep going, but I want you to.  You see, what you’ll realize, if you’re looking at it from, certainly, a biblical standpoint, is that we are sliding so far and so fast every 5 years, there’s no wonder why we are in the state we’re in this very day, and why we can expect it to continue.    You see every generation that follows is worse than the generation before it – here’s the kicker – BUT NOT in THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD!!!!!  And, THAT is where the god of this world, satan – lil’ lucy is what I’ve got fond of calling her because they’re not even worth me calling by their name.  Where our morals have declined, and Christian values have declined, and our dependance on God have declined, from a societal standpoint, the opposite has held true.  If we look at the same 5-year period exercise, but we replace morals, conduct, crime, God, etc. with technology, money, sinful pleasures, lust, greed, false doctrines, false religions, self-love, pornography, what’s acceptable that is against GOD – they are ALL accelerating at the same speed in which our Christian morals and placing God first in our country has been declining.  And you think that is coincidence?????  No, for one – this was all prophesied in the Bible – it’s not a surprise to God – He already warned us over 2,000 years ago about the times and signs of the end.  This is EXACTLY to plan that lil’ lucy has devised to bring total corruption and sin and a godless country (and world) into existence to populate hell as quickly and efficiently as possible – and he is!  He is succeeding – the statistics around us and the society we live in are living proof!

 

To know where we are and where we’re headed, let’s take a quick look at the true story of Sodom and Gomorrah.  We don’t have to look at the Flood with Noah, because the next event that mimics that one will be the Second Coming of Jesus and then the Great White Throne Judgement.

 

No, we ARE – America IS today’s Sodom & Gomorrah and even worse!

 

 

 

God has a reason for everything He does, right?  His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.. Each and every action He takes has purpose, is right, and good. Through a limited, worldly, human perspective, that can seem difficult to accept. Certain incidents in the Bible seem to challenge this truth, though that is usually because they are taken out of context, and a little prayer and study often clarifies the Lord’s purposes.

In Genesis, during the days of Abraham, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were powerful cities that God wiped off the earth in a single evening. The Bible reveals these two cities devolved into debauchery - immorality, homosexuality, total wickedness, idolatry, and violence. There was nothing they would not do, no person they were not willing to violate, and no chance from God to repent they wanted to take. God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as punishment for their wickedness, their lack of repentance, and to stop their evil from spreading.

The full account of what happened to the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah is in Genesis chapters 18 and 19, with a brief mention earlier in chapter thirteen. Abraham travelled many miles in the company of his nephew Lot. Both men prospered, which led to conflict between their shepherds. They needed to cease their journey together and go their separate ways.

“And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Soar” (Genesis 13:10). This land was around the city of Sodom. While Lot started out just wanting to live around the city, he eventually moved in and raised his family there. After a period of time, God determined to pour out His judgment of the cities due to their wickedness. Abraham negotiated with God that if he could find 10 righteous people in two cities, He would not destroy the cities. However, Abraham could not even find that many, and the only ones who would be spared were Lot and his family.

When the time came, the sun rose, “Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground ... behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace” (Genesis 19:24-25, 28b). God made that valley uninhabitable, and the area that Christian archeologists and theologians believe is the location of the cities still has no wildlife, and no vegetation growing there.

There are hints in chapter 13 about the nature of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. When the Lord spoken His decision initially, He said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know” (Genesis 18:20-21).

Not only were they committing offenses against God, but they were hurting the cities and people around them. The Bible often refers to the sensuality of Sodom and Gomorrah, meaning its citizens were obsessed with indulging in sins of the flesh. Their sexual sins are what most people know about, but it can be concluded they indulged in many other carnal sins. The citizens of Sodom wanted to assault the two angels who came to Sodom. In fact, their determination to commit violent sexual assault was so great the Bible records, “Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down” (Genesis 19:9). They wanted to beat Lot and break down his door to assault his male guests.

Many people point to several passages in Genesis to try and pinpoint which specific sins pushed the cities over the edge. How were they different from every other nation to exist that is full of sinners, and what led to them being wiped off the map?

An interesting passage in the Book of Isaiah gets to the root of Sodom and Gomorrah’s evil. While they indulged in every vice possible, the state of their hearts were permanently set against the Lord. Isaiah gave a prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem, “because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence, For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves” (Isaiah 3:8-9).

During the time of Isaiah, Israel openly, proudly, and knowingly defied God, and the prophet specified this behavior was identical to the actions that ultimately condemned Sodom and Gomorrah. While their willingness to assault strangers was deeply evil, the hardened hearts of the people of these cities blinded them to the opportunity to repent and change. Their pride set them forever against God.

Moving forward after Genesis, Sodom and Gomorrah are mentioned as a point of reference for wickedness. Israel – the prophets compared them to these two cities. Jeremiah did it several times in his writings during a particular low point in Israel’s history, “But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah” (Jeremiah 23:14). 

 

Isaiah predicted the downfall of Babylon to be like the downfall of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abraham loved his nephew Lot and did not want to see his nephew destroyed. Many people assume that Lot was only rescued because of the intervention of his uncle, however, there is evidence God rescued Lot for other reasons.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter expounds on why God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah but spared Lot; “if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials” (2 Peter 2:6-9). Lot saw all the evil around him, and it bothered him. He lived among the wicked, disturbed by their behavior, and tried to spare God’s messengers from assault. For his faith, God rescued Lot, though his wife did not make it out.

The angels warned Lot’s family not to look back for two reasons. First, the magnitude of God’s destruction was so great they had to flee to a smaller city some distance away not to get swept away. Second, looking back meant regretting the loss of the cities. The righteous Lot understood that despite the difficulties facing him without a home, getting to keep his life and his standing with God was worth much more than anything the cities of vices offered. Unfortunately, Lot’s wife had moments of regret, “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26).

The story of Lot’s wife is an important lesson. She was warned of the consequences of looking back, of desiring the comforts of a sinful place over the mercy of God, and she suffered the consequences the angels told her would come. Many ignore the warnings of the Bible, preferring sin and worldly convenience over righteousness and God’s will.

God did not just turn his eye to Sodom and Gomorrah and decide they were not good enough for him to love them. They indulged in every wickedness and refused to turn their hearts to the Lord and repent. When Lot tried to convince them to do the right thing just once, they called him judgmental, and tried to assault him too. This situation is very similar to when God sent the flood, sparing Noah. The people were obsessed with evil, meditating only on sin, and refused to turn to God for forgiveness, despite warnings.

What happened at Sodom and Gomorrah serves as both a warning for all people, and a prophetic image of what will happen one day when Jesus returns in His full glory; “Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all — so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:28-30). Here, Jesus warned His followers that all nations will face the judgment of God, poured out.

As the righteous King, He can, and He has given humanity thousands of years to turn to Him in repentance. Just as He was willing to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if He could find ten righteous men between the two cities, He still invites everyone into a relationship with Him, sparing them from His judgment. God is not willing that anyone should perish, and has His hand stretched out, asking everyone to choose to have a relationship with Him forever.

 

So, how do we, the United States compare to Sodom & Gomorrah?

 

I could only retrieve FBI statistics going back to 2017 – man, have things got MUCH, MUCH worse since then – coincidence that is 5 years ago?  Nope.  So, here are what’s called on the FBI website, the “2017 FBI Crime Clock Statistics”:

 

“This representation of crime data shows the relative frequency of how often violent and property crime offenses occurred in 2017. (Note that the Crime Clock should not be taken to imply regularity in the commission of crime. The Crime Clock represents the annual ratio of crime to fixed time intervals.) A violent crime was committed every 24.6 seconds. A murder occurred every 30.5 minutes, a rape every 3.9 minutes, a robbery every 1.7å minutes, and an aggravated assault every 39.0 seconds. A property crime offense was committed every 4.1 seconds. A burglary offense occurred every 22.6 seconds, a larceny-theft every 5.7 seconds, and a motor vehicle theft every 40.9 seconds.”

 

Those are some disgusting statistics.  I cannot prove this, but I’m fairly certain we’re WORSE than Sodom and Gomorrah was!  We have more ways to sin and we sure use them to the world’s and sin’s advantage, don’t we!?

So how can we, the believers be IN the world, but not OF the world?

When we read of the "world" in the New Testament, we are reading the Greek word cosmos. Cosmos most often refers to the inhabited earth and the people who live on the earth, which functions apart from God. Lil’ lucy is the ruler of this "cosmos" (John 12:31; 16:11; 1 John 5:19). By the simple definition that the word world refers to a world system ruled by satan, we can more readily appreciate Christ’s claims that believers are no longer of the world—we are no longer ruled by sin, nor are we bound by the doctrines of the world. In addition, we are being changed into the image of Christ, causing our interest in the things of the world to become less and less as we mature in Christ. 

Believers in Jesus Christ are simply in the world—physically present—but not of it, not part of its values (John 17:14-15). As believers, we should be set apart from the world. This is the meaning of being holy and living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the characterless, corrupt mind that the world creates. Instead, we are to conform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2). This is a daily activity and commitment.

We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is something “different” about us. Christians who make every effort to live, think and act like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even the heathen knows that “by their fruits you shall know them,” and as Christians, we should exhibit the fruit of the Spirit within us. 

Being “in” the world also means we can enjoy the things of the world, such as the beautiful creation God has given us, but we are not to immerse ourselves in what the world values, nor are we to chase after worldly pleasures. Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was, but rather the worship of God.

 

 

Do you ever wonder if the dark world around you will snuff out your little light? All of us will face seasons where the darkness will try to overtake us and extinguish our fire. It may be due to our own decisions, circumstances beyond our choices of those we love, or events beyond our control. However, we are not helpless. We can still shine in this dark world. We must learn how to be a light in this dark world.

First of all, remember God brought visible light to our world at the awesome creation. However, wouldn’t you agree the best light God ever gave us was his son? Jesus brought spiritual light to our souls and gave us an excellent example to accomplish. 

Jesus was terrific at shining his light on everyone. It never mattered who you were or your status –  he loved unconditionally. 

Jesus Is the Light of the World

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 8:12 

Jesus is our light. He brought light to those around Him with his love. 

Do you struggle with wanting to be a light in this dark world but feel as though your little flame or flicker won’t be enough? So why bother, right? Stop yourself right there, and do not underestimate how your light can change the darkness. Each of us makes a difference. 

Have you ever sat in a room so dark you couldn’t see your hands in front of you?  Would you try it today?

You will need a lighter and candle to try this exercise. Find a room where you can have complete darkness. You might choose an interior bathroom or even a closet. But do be careful, don’t light your clothes or hair on fire.

Go inside that space and turn off all the lights. Sit there for a few moments in the darkness. 

Be aware of the darkness – How does it feel? What can you see? Do you like it? Is it uncomfortable?

Honestly, I despise the darkness, unless I’m trying to get a great nights sleep!

Now light a candle and notice the changes. One speck of light can change the entire room. Notice how you begin to see the darkness withdraw as the candle’s flicker starts to reveal the items in the room.

It is as if the darkness is backing up, and the light is moving forward. Notice it didn’t take too much effort to make a difference.

THAT IS PROOF OF WHO YOU ARE (OR COULD AND SHOULD) BE IN THIS DARK AND TASTELESS WORLD!

 

Be bold enough to shine your light no matter how small or insignificant you may feel. Remember, it takes only a flicker to change the room. Additionally, you may brighten the life of someone else just by your smile…yes, something seemingly that small and insignificant can.

But here’s the catch - willingness won’t light up the room. We must choose to light the candle as we did in the dark room.

You will have to make a choice and turn on the light.  The light won’t turn on for you.

 

Maybe you are not in the dark right now, but there are people all around us who are hurting and could use a little light to shine into their world. Will you be that person?

Shine yourself up and reflect God’s light by loving others.

Look for those who need a little light in their life. It doesn’t take much.

“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble.  Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.”

We can shine in this dark world. However, we must remember where the light originated and then step out with a willing heart. Don’t for a moment think a small little flicker won’t make a difference. It will!

I hope that each of us, each of you, will let Jesus shine in our world during this season we’re in, and beyond. We will reflect God’s love for others through our light, and we will be a light in this dark world.  

Sodom & Gomorrah never had a beacon of light like you…. like you that America does have right now – don’t ever forget or neglect that.   You are a huge factor in how God uses people to lead them to Him and be saved from eternal destruction.

 

 

So, in closing, my final statement is this:  

No matter how insignificant you may feel, living in a country of darkness and sin, you are still a perfect match that’s in God’s perfect matchbook, to be used as a flicker of light to take away the darkness in others’ lives.

 

So, my final questions to you is this:    

When will you actually believe that and take God’s hand and strike your match that He has given you?

 

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So, before we end today’s show, I just want to thank you all again for tuning in and I HOPE you were touched by today’s message and scripture.  If you’d like to reach out to me, please call me directly at 4074933208, email me at ben@shaken-awake.com, or check out the show at shaken-awake.com.

 

Next week!!!!  Tune in Next Sunday – or WHENEVER YOU’RE ABLE, as I will have a guest on that will absolutely Shake You Awake!  He travels the country telling his testimony and story of redemption, being saved after blowing half his face off with a gun attempting to end his life, and sharing a most powerful testimony of the power of our Lord – this is a story of Amazing Grace like you’ve never heard!  Join me next time as we speak to an incredible man of God here on Shaken Awake!

Next week’s episode is another powerful and DO-NOT-MISS episode – thanks for joining!  

Until next week, take great care of yourself and each other, and God Bless You all.