A "Lot" to Learn in 2016, part 1

"Genesis 12:4 - So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him.
One man heard and knew intimacy with God and one did not.  One man walked with God and one man did not.  One man knew an amazing level of blessing in his life and one did not.  One man experienced immediate satisfaction of his desires and one did not.  One man was directed by himself and his wants and one was not.  One man eventually lost just about everything in his life and one did not.  One man had a legacy of godly descendants and one did not.  Such is the history of Abram and Lot.  And if you will pardon the pun - there is a "Lot" we can learn in 2016 from this man , Lot, and his choices.  I hope you will join me for several posts as we seek to learn a "Lot" that will benefit us in this coming year.

This passage begins with a man who walked with God and responded to Him when God initiated in his life.  Abram was a man drawn, led, and blessed by the grace of God.  God started this relationship - and Abram followed as he gave himself to God and the plans He had for him.  He "went forth as the LORD had spoken to him."  God spoke to Abram and he immediately obeyed and went with the LORD.  Abram was not a picture of perfect obedience - but rather of a man who entered into a relationship with God and embraced submission to God's will.  Whether it led to immediate obedience or at times to an eventual obedience colored with discipline on the edges, Abram 's desire was to hear God and go forth in a direction led by Him.

Lot's introduction is that he was a man who "went with Abram."  What we see in Lot is that he  was willing to tag along with the man of God - but he himself was not walking with the Lord.   Thus, there was a measure of blessing because of his nearness to a man who was following God.  The problem though was that  Lot was not building his own walk with the Lord - and eventually the abundance of our heart is going to be expressed in our lifestyle and our choices.   Please understand that the blessing of following God is that you get God - not that you get blessed.  You do get blessed, but even that is tempered by the reality that your blessing is what God considers as blessing - not what you want at the time.  Lot was along for the ride with Abram, but what would happen if a situation arose where he no longer was around him?  That is actually what we will learn before these articles are over.

So . . . how goes it with you?  I know many who have little or no relationship with God in their lives.  They either have  a man or woman of God whom they tag along with in life - or they are living off the spirituality of their teachers - whether they be a pastor, a Sunday School or Community Group teacher - or even a favorite radio or TV preacher  or podcast.  Will they be blessed - yes, in a measure, but what happens when that influence is no longer around?  What happens when more and more the manifest state of their heart or inner man is expressed through their life?  How much of life is truly us  "following" the Lord, hearing Him and and going where He leads - and how much is that I've either heard or seen a man of God hear from God and I come along for the ride. 
Lord, help us  to have a genuine experience with You this year. Please deliver us   from Lot's error, and just tag along   with others who have genuinely walked with You and sought You. We   want to experience You ourselves   - and walk and teach as one who has an intimate knowledge of the God of Whom we   speak.