Tag Archives: Sodom and Gomorrah

When God Talked Out Loud to Himself

Posted on March 27, 2023 by expressyourself4him

As someone who struggled with stuttering for the first 20 years of my life, I often talked to myself. Since I rarely expressed how I felt inside my heart, talking to myself was more like a pep talk with the hope when I open ed my mouth in public I would communicate exactly what I wanted to say. Unfortunately, my nerves and or stuttering always prevented me from expressing a clear and concise message.

And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do, 18 Since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him and shall bless themselves by him? – Genesis 18:17-18.

I’ve read the Book of Genesis multiple times, but I never realized that God actually talked out loud to Himself according to Moses. Perhaps, this is what the Holy Spirit wanted Moses to mention in the passage above. Whatever the reason for this rare moment, God didn’t want to leave Abraham in the dark about his plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, where his nephew was currently living.

For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him. 20 And the Lord said, Because the shriek [of the sins] of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is exceedingly grievous, Genesis 18:19-20.

The Holy Spirit was sent following Jesus’ ascension into heaven, Acts 2, to speak to modern day Christians. According to the apostle Paul, if you’re paying attention spiritually, Galatians 5:25, you can actually keep in step with the Holy Spirit. Paul’s message to the Church in Rome is similar, Romans 8:1-12, suggesting Christian’s have an obligation to God’s Spirit. While you probably won’t ever hear God talk out loud to Himself, God’s still small voice is audible if you’re listening, 1 Kings 19:11-13.

by Jay Mankus

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Playing the What if Game with God

Posted on March 6, 2023 by expressyourself4him

My oldest sister Kathie was diagnosed with ovarian cancer back in October. I don’t remember the exact stage of this cancer, but the cells were so numerous that her chances for survival didn’t look good. As a former resident of Delaware, the cancer rate of this state is one of the highest in the nation. Despite the odds, I started playing the what if game with God in prayer.

Suppose there are in the city fifty righteous; will You destroy the place and not spare it for [the sake of] the fifty righteous in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing—to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as do the wicked! Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth execute judgment and do righteously? 26 And the Lord said, If I find in the city of Sodom fifty righteous (upright and in right standing with God), I will spare the whole place for their sake, Genesis 18:24-26.

This concept in introduced by Moses in Genesis 18. Leading up to Abraham’s prayer listed above, God appears to be talking out loud to Himself, wondering if He should let Abraham know about his plans to judge the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. After a brief time of consideration, God clues Abraham in on His plan. Since Abraham’s nephew Lot is a resident of Sodom, Abraham begins playing the what if game with God in his own prayer.

Abraham answered, Behold now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. 28 If five of the fifty righteous should be lacking—will You destroy the whole city for lack of five? He said, If I find forty-five, I will not destroy it, Genesis 18:28-29.

The more Abraham prays, it comes to his attention that they may not be that many righteous people in right standing with God. Subsequently, Abraham emulates the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8, wrestling with God in prayer. Although Lot escapes God’s wrath, his wife and the remaining residents aren’t as fortunate. Following Kathie’s five-hour surgery on Monday, only three more precautionary chemotherapy sessions remain. While only God knows the ultimate outcome, wrestling with God in prayer was worth every minute.

by Jay Mankus

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What Happened to the Fallen Angels?

Posted on October 14, 2021 by expressyourself4him

According to Revelation 12:9, the former archangel Lucifer and a third of the angels in heaven were thrown down to earth. The apostle Paul reveals that Lucifer now serves as the Ruler of the Air in Ephesus 2:2. While there is no direct mention of this, it is assumed that fallen angels now serve the Devil, aka Satan in the spiritual dimension, creating havoc for all human beings behind the scenes, Ephesians 6:12.

And angels who did not keep (care for, guard, and hold to) their own first place of power but abandoned their proper dwelling place—these He has reserved in custody in eternal chains (bonds) under the thick gloom of utter darkness until the judgment and doom of the great day. 7 [The wicked are sentenced to suffer] just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the adjacent towns—which likewise gave themselves over to impurity and indulged in unnatural vice and sensual perversity—are laid out [in plain sight] as an exhibit of perpetual punishment [to warn] of everlasting fire, Jude 1:6-7.

One section of the Bible known as the Catholic Letters, (universal letters to Christians scattered throughout the world following the persecution of Nero), provides a glimpse of what happened to fallen angels. Jude eludes to their eternal fate as followers of Lucifer. Comparing the judgment these angels will face to something worse than what occurred to Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament.

For God did not [even] spare angels that sinned, but cast them into hell, delivering them to be kept there in pits of gloom till the judgment and their doom. 5 And He spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven other persons, when He brought a flood upon the world of ungodly [people]. 6 And He condemned to ruin and extinction the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes [and thus] set them forth as an example to those who would be ungodly; 2 Peter 2:4-6.

At some point prior to their expulsion, these angels abandoned their proper dwelling place. By exercising free will, these angels stopped caring for, guarding, holding on to and keeping the responsibilities assigned to them by their heavenly Father. When you examine the words of the Devil in Matthew 4:1-9, these once heavenly beings wanted recognition and praise. Subsequently, self gratification similar to the process illustrated in James 1:14-15 reveals what happened to these fallen angels.

by Jay Mankus

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The Blessing of the Upright

Posted on October 8, 2016 by expressyourself4him

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEJo7x9y3D4

Irving Berlin wrote God Bless America in 1918 near the end of World War I.  This song is essentially a prayer asking the Lord to bless the United States of America.  Twenty years later Berlin revised the initial version that Kate Smith later recorded, becoming her signature song.  As her popularity grew, former owner of the Philadelphia Flyers Ed Synder invited Kate to sing God Bless America live at the Spectrum prior to home NHL playoff games.

Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed, Proverbs 11:11.

While its unclear what specific passages of the Bible inspired the lyrics of God Bless America, the passage above appears to indirectly apply.  According to Solomon, cities, nations and towns receive blessings due to holy, righteous and upright residents.  Meanwhile, there is an opposing force at work, which can influence and or revoke blessings.  Subsequently, an invisible tug of war is taking place that will determine spiritual future of this country and others like it.

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?  The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake,” Genesis 18:24, 26.

This blessing principle also applies to ungodly cities as well.  Upon hearing the news that God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham pleads with the Lord on 5 different occasions to save these places.  Despite whatever negative encounters occurred in the past, Abraham had a heart of compassion asking God to save righteous citizens.  In the same way, if a region near you is falling apart, don’t give into the usual negativity.  Rather, follow in the footsteps of Abraham by intervening on behalf of the righteous to save a land.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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Who is Telling the Truth?

Posted on August 1, 2013 by expressyourself4him

One of my college textbooks referred to the Bible as a book of fables, stories which sound good, but aren’t real.  Over the course of the semester, I discovered that our Sociology book used the same timelines as referenced in the Bible.  Upon reading this information, I began to wonder, who is telling the truth?

As I studied Genesis 19 this morning, I wanted to know the origin of sodomy.  Based upon my research, credit is given to the city of Sodom, whose blatant sexual perversions in Genesis 19:4-9 coined the term which applies to modern sodomy laws.  If the Bible is not to be taken serious, why then have most of the nations of the world incorporated biblical principles into their societal rules and regulations?

Sure, comprehending a world wide flood is difficult to grasp.  However, other events such as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah can be supported by science.  According to Genesis 19:27-28, this catastrophe sounds similar to a pyroclastic flow, a side effect of a major volcanic eruption.  Archeologist have found bodies like Lot’s wife, mummified by the hot ashes and gas.  When you apply the 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 principle, regardless of the topic or subject, the Holy Spirit can reveal to you like John 4:23-24, who is telling the truth.

by Jay Mankus

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When You’re Hot… Shut Your Mouth!

Posted on July 25, 2013 by expressyourself4him

Whether you speak, tweet or text, I’m sure everyone wishes they could take their words back on occasion.  In the heat of the moment, if the wrong button is pushed, you can snap.  The venom behind these outbursts are often regretful, expressing your true feelings without any restraint.  The best advice when you are hot under the collar is to shut your mouth or trap depending upon the figure of speech you heard as a child.

Mom’s were right to suggest, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it!”  If only Noah could take his words back in Genesis 9:24-25, cursing Ham, one of his 3 sons.  After magnifying an embarrassing situation, Noah flipped out on Ham, possibly still under the influence of alcohol.  As a result of this word curse in Genesis 9:25, the descendants of Ham turn out to be the first inhabitants of Nineveh, Philistine, Sodom and Gomorrah.  What a motley crew as evil begot evil.

However, what if Noah settled down before talking to his son?  Maybe the eternal destinations of these citizens would be different.  Unfortunately, Ham did not receive his father’s blessing like his 2 two brothers.  Becoming the black sheep of the family, this resentment was likely passed on in the form of a generational curse, Exodus 20:5, leading to a root of bitterness.  Gary Smalley and John Trent write about the power of words in their book The Gift of the Blessing.  One the greatest things a father can do in life is passing on to their blessing to each child.  Yet, when anger interferes, one must careful not to allow emotion to impact what you say.  Follow the words of Jesus’ little brother in James 1:26 so that the next time you are hot, you will shut your mouth, avoiding the legacy that Noah left behind for Ham.

by Jay Mankus

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