"32 Days with Abraham", Chapter 6: Who Controls Your Fate?

Text: Genesis 14: 1-13

Your friends determine your fate. If you don’t believe it, look at your kids. The friends that your children choose determine their future. Let a child get in with the wrong group and you will have nothing but trouble. Let a child make friends in a good sports or music program where they are around well behaved children and they often stay out of trouble. It really is no different for adults. Adults who frequent the bars or hang around with people who have trouble holding down a job will be pulled down by their friends. Adults who spend a lot of time around strong Christians or have a set of friends with strong morals will be pulled up by these friends. Who you spend your life with will determine your fate. 


* This is the first battle mentioned in the Bible. 
The five cities of the plains rebel against their masters, the four cities of the east. The battle is only mentioned because of its connection with Abram and Lot. Their friends determined their fate. 

* Lot had become one of the people of Sodom.  
He had moved from outside the city (13:12) to moving into the city (14:12). Now he would share their fate. When Sodom lost the battle, Lot would pay the price and be carried off. 

* Abram is living safely up in the hills of Palestine. 
The battle never threatens his flocks or his people. Having never allied himself with the people of Sodom, he and his people were were unaffected by the battle below. He had cast his portion with the Lord. 

No one can enter the house of the worldly and not be untouched. Their fate will affect your work, your family and your life. They may lure you in with their riches or excitement, but you will also share in their destiny. We cannot expect God to protect us from harm when we try to live in the wild animal’s den. Our friends do have an effect on our fate. Abram was safe because he had chosen to stay away from the evil and depend on the Lord. Godly friends lift us up and worldly friends can pull us down. 

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