The Lord appeared in the form of a man to Abraham. accompanied by two angels, also in the form of men. 

Abraham bargained with the Lord to save Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of ten righteous people. But, there were not ten righteous people found.  However, God did save Lot and his two daughters.

2 Peter 2:7-8
and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)

The people of Sodom and the other four cities engaged in any evil perversion imaginable, homosexuality, pedophilia, adultery, fornication, rape, torture, and murder, to name a few.

This city was definitely "sin city".

Before we become believers in Jesus we are dead in our sins. We are citizens of "Sin City". Once we become believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we are then citizens of "The Kingdom of Heaven". Shouldn't we live then as if we are citizens of the Kingdom?

 God appears to Abram and institutes the sign of circumcision as a confirmation of His covenant and He changes the names of Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah.  When there is a change in name, it signifies a change in character. This circumcision is a foreshadowing of circumcision of the heart.

Philippians 3:3
For we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh; 

 God told Abram to leave his country, his people, his father’s household and go to a land that He would show him. Yet, Abram took possessions, and people, including Lot. He didn’t obey God completely.

Incomplete obedience is disobedience. How often do we obey God only when it's something we want to do, or when it's convenient for us?  How often do we completely ignore God's commands or argue with Him?

Abram was not a perfect man. He sinned. But God used him anyway! None of us are perfect. We all sin. But God can use us anyway!

 Genesis 11:1

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.

Genesis 11:4
Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

In Genesis 9:1 God tells Noah and his family to “fill the earth”. God didn’t say to go build cities for yourselves. Cities often require leaders who tend to lead the people away from the authority of God.  Leaders become God substitutes.

The people wanted to “make a name for ourselves”. What “name”? And they didn't want to be scattered. Yet this is exactly what God wanted them to do. In fact, that is exactly what He DID do when He confounded their language, He scattered the people. Sounds as if pride was creeping in with the people in that day and we know what happens with pride.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 

 Genesis 6:5-6

The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.

What a condemning verse...every inclination and evil all the time.  God was displeased in the very center of His being.  He was displeased with their unbelief and their wickedness.  And so God sent the flood.

Shouldn't we want to do everything we can to keep from filling God's heart with pain?

Then after the flood God said to Noah.

Genesis 9:11 
I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

What a great illustration of God’s mercy and grace.

 Genesis 5:22

 "Enoch walked with God;"  

What a powerful statement! 

Our grandson (then 8 years old) asked me what it meant to "walk with God".  What a profound question! 

While I stalled for time to think up an equally profound answer, I asked him what he thought that meant. 

He said, "I think it means to hold God's hand and do everything He wants me to do." 

What a great way to live!!!  This one little statement sums up the entire essence of living the life of a believer in Jesus.

 In the beginning, God..."

What beautiful words to start the new year...in the beginning. These words appear at the start of the Old Testament, in the psalms, at the start of the book of John and the book of Hebrews. Beginnings permeate God's Word. He is the God of new beginnings. Praise God, He doesn't look at our past, but He meets us where we are...right now...at this very moment. Every moment for us is a new beginning with Him!

 

As we contemplate "the beginning"ponder this question, "What would life be like without the SUN?"  The obvious answer would be, "There would be nothing - no life at all."

 

Spiritually speaking, "What would life be like without the SON?  Same obvious answer, "There would be nothing - no life at all (no eternal life).