I. Decisions: existential/emotional, teleological/goal oriented/consequential, obligational/for others, etc.

II. Lot made a choice based on external beauty of the place (see the following comparison from Genesis 13 & 3)

1. Eyes (Genesis 13:10, 3:6; Matthew 6:22-23)

III. The beauty of the land blinded Lot when he made the decision; he was not aware of the following:

1. Wickedness of the people (13:13 cf. 19:4-5) (for the sake of comfort and materials, people are willing to tolerate certain ungodly behavior and compromise on certain values)

2. Sinning greatly against the LORD (13:13 cf. 19:13b “The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it)

3. The beauty of Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed by fire (19:24-25)

4. Lot saw beauty in 13:10, but Abraham saw smoke 19:28

5 Lot’s desire for comfortable life made him separate himself from people of good godly influence (13:11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east)

6. What appealed to Lot was short lived

IV. Abram listens (immediate compliance) to God before he made his decision (13:14-17) [Abram was waiting for God to give him the land; Lot just took it]

1. Divine initiative calls for a faith response (13:18 Abraham moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar for the LORD)

2. Abram begins his new phase by building an altar (13:18)

V. Jesus makes a decision between the recommendations of Satan and Father’s teaching (Matthew 4:1-10)

1. Jesus did not use His divine power to meet His personal need
2. Jesus did not listen to Satan to tempt God
3. Jesus did not compromise to gain worldly benefits

VI. Take Away

1. Make choices based on God (do not be deceived by contemporary Sodom. Do not ask what Sodom can offer you, but find out what you can offer Sodom)—Psalm 119:37; Proverb 3:5-10