What About This?

SarahJane · Alley Cat Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 177

Genesis 18:

16 When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. 17 Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."
20 Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."

22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

26 The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

27 Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?"
"If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."

29 Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?"
He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."

30 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?"
He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

31 Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?"
He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."

32 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?"
He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."

33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

We are concentrating so much on the end, on judgment and on the signs that the end is near. Are we forgetting the mercy of God?

Abraham asked for mercy and God spoke, promising mercy for the sake of the righteous, even if only ten exist. I use to wonder if Abraham had continued the conversation if God would have agreed to show mercy even for the sake of one.

As Christians should we worry more about the end of times or should we concentrate harder on making sure that there is at least one person who God would grant mercy?

God made Abraham a promise that he would spare all of Sodom in order to spare ten righteous from his wrath. I cannot say with certainty that God would agree to sparing the earth for the sake of one but we know that God is loving and merciful, we also know that for ten God would show mercy.

Instead of concerning myself with the end of times I am making a choice to trust God because I know that he is loving and merciful. I am going to strive to be at least one of the ten that God would consider sparing. I'm going to pray that we might see the mercy of God instead of the wrath and that life as we know it will continue for my children, my grandchildren and even my great grandchildren.
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lone-traveler · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:50 am Post subject:

Amen!!

SarahJane · Alley Cat Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 177

I woke up this morning with that on my mind and I knew that I needed to share it. Thank you for reading it, Lone.
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What's up with that partridge in a pear tree? Give me real estate!

Zathrus · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 8:50 am Post subject: Re: What About This?

SarahJane · Alley Cat Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 177

And now there are three of us. Smile

I wonder if we could find at least 7 more who will work for the same thing and pray that the wrath be spared? God let Abraham know what he had in mind. I'm sure that God knew that Abraham would ask for mercy. God is letting us know that it's close. Let's not fail, let's ask God to show mercy on us. Even if there aren't ten at least there are three. If God would spare his wrath for the ten then I bet He would have allowed Abraham to get down to three. Very Happy

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What's up with that partridge in a pear tree? Give me real estate!

NCBornandRaised1 · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 2:27 pm Post subject:

SarahJane · Alley Cat Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 177

Why would you be afraid to share the life that God has given to you?

Once the end comes many will be lost. We have time now, we have time to make real and lasting changes.

NCBornandRaised1 · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 3:50 pm Post subject:

It's not embarrising. And I don't think I'm depressed, don't know though. Just with all this crap going on the world just doesn't seem the place for children. Don't get me wrong when I'm older I would love to be a dad but not in the direction the world is going in. It just seems like to bad of a place to raise children.

God Bless,
NC
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Dr. Jack Van Impe's home site www.jvim.com

Nobby · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:00 pm Post subject:

SarahJane, I can set you up a Usergroup! Any number of members they are completely private. Only members can post or read.
Conrad our or myself can see & post. I will Moderate the group.
You say you have 3, it works better with more, that love to post. If not they drag. Very Happy

Let me know! Wink

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SarahJane · Alley Cat Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 177

NC, I promise that there is plenty more enjoyment than there is sorrow. I can also promise you that your children will love being alive. Evil isn't new, it's been around since the beginning. Joy isn't new either and it's something that we should all be experiencing.

I won't say that evil doesn't exist but try this. Take a walk tomorrow morning and feel the cool autumn breeze on your skin. Wake up and watch the sun rise and drink a hot beverage on your porch while you do it. Have a tickling match with a good friend and laugh until you can't stand it. Or do the hokey pokey with a bunch of four year olds and watch them belly laugh and see the joy on their faces as you 'put your whole self in and you shake it all about' then after you have done those things ask yourself if you have experienced more evil or joy? Ask yourself if there is not a lot more good in life than bad. Then smile as you realize that our job in life is big but our moments of joy are monumental.
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What's up with that partridge in a pear tree? Give me real estate!

NCBornandRaised1 · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:04 pm Post subject:

I see and now I agree. Thank You for letting me understand.

Thanks & God Bless,
NC
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Dr. Jack Van Impe's home site www.jvim.com

SarahJane · Alley Cat Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 177

SarahJane · Alley Cat Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 177

Nobby · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:12 pm Post subject:

SarahJane, running short of time right now. But I will send you a PM. Maybe later tonight! Very Happy

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SarahJane · Alley Cat Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 177

Whenever you have time.
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What's up with that partridge in a pear tree? Give me real estate!