When Our Desires Go Wild
GEN. 13:8-13
SUBJECT: Carnality/Emotional Orientation
THEME: the Believer persisting in carnality ignoring the leadership of our Lord is destined for spiritual failure.
RELEVANCE: So many people rely on their feelings, thoughts, intuition, families, and experiences far more than God, His Spirit, or Word for guidance and decisions. Consider the elements that make spiritual failure; they must be avoided to be successful in fulfilling God’s plan for our lives!
INTRODUCTION:
Lot
was a failure because of his carnality…he remained a feeling dominated person
and never became a Spirit and Word obedient person!
Worldly oriented desires or motivations are the second major factor in Lot’s Wrong Choice to move closer to Sodom and his ultimate failure in life. This area has been more recently described as ‘getting what we feel we deserve’ or what we feel entitled to given the fact that we have been spoiled, brough up being over shielded and protected, or as a defense against neglect to compensate for our need for attention. So, whether overindulgence, helicopter parenting, or childhood or spousal neglect, people often resort to an overinflated or distorted perception of their value and worth. They often justify their warp actions by such failures consequently they don’t see life correctly.
Not only is this approach flawed because it is essentially self-centered, but Lot never stop to ask God or gain His direction in this matter. He has fallaciously sown the seeds of corruption, and He will face the unfortunate consequences of His desires. God’s truth has a way of correcting our misconceptions and correcting wrong motives and feelings. But we must faithfully consult it to enjoy this benefit. I know this dynamic far too well!
MESSAGE:
THE
EVIDENCE OF WORLDLY-WISE DESIRES
Gen 13:10, And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Because Lot was Weak in his Devotions, he was consequently Worldly in his Desires. He did not ask: “Is this a great place to raise children?” He asked instead, “Is this a good place to raise cattle?” He had two basic reasons from choosing Sodom and the well-watered Jordan Valley.
a) The Religious Reason for Lot’s Desires.
Vs 10, “...even as the garden of the LORD….
Lot looks out over the Jordan River plain after deciding to separate from Abraham to end a dispute between their herdsmen. He compares the lush, well-watered condition of the plain surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah…yes, the fertility and abundance to both “the garden of the LORD” (Eden) and “the land of Egypt”.
This little phrase discloses Lot’s awareness of the Garden of Eden and its majestic beauty before the Fall of man into sin. To Lot, the Jordan Valley reminded him of what he had heard about the Garden of Eden. So then, the ‘Garden of the Jehovah’ expresses a place of supreme divine beauty, life, abundance, and fellowship with God. Lot could point back to this earthly paradise where God placed Adam and Eve. A place designed as a sacred sanctuary to live in harmony with God, tend creation, and experience complete provision before the Fall.
Today it’s a metaphor for a life growing in the Holy Spirit—a protected, fruitful, and inviting place of spiritual growth and rest in Christ.
Perhaps Lot also rationalized to himself, “I could be a good witness for the Lord there! After all, who is going to tell them about God?” while at the same time taking advantage of the opportunities availed there. Maybe he said, “God could really use me over there...”
Beware, often religious reasons afford us enough
justification to operate in the flesh eventually!
This is a profound and honest observation about our human nature…our carnal behaviors. It highlights a common puzzle: we often use high-minded religious or moral frameworks to justify purely self-serving, ego-driven, self-worth perspectives, or harmful behaviors. —see Got Questions
When we wrap our personal desires, anger, or biases
in religious language, it becomes easy to bypass our own conscience. This
dynamic shows up in several plain behaviors:
- The “Righteous
Anger” Trap: Believing
that God or a higher law is on our side can make us feel entitled to
mistreat, judge, or attack others while feeling entirely justified.
- External
Rituals vs. Internal Change: It is much easier to follow outward rules, rituals, or doctrines
than it is to do the hard, internal work of managing our ego, pride, and
impulses.
- Weaponizing Grace or Freedom: Sometimes, knowing there is a mechanism for forgiveness can subtly become a license to slip back into destructive habits, rationalizing that we can just make amends later.
Essentially, when our ego or personality wears a
religious mask, it becomes extremely difficult to identify. The Bible uses terms like pride, high-mindedness,
double-mindedness, the flesh, or the old man to remove the disguise and
warn us. Because the ego is inherently
deceptive, it often disguises itself behind a mask of righteousness, false
humility, or religious devotion.
- Luke 18:11 – “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust,
adulterers, or even as this publican.” Notice the phrase “prayed thus with himself.” The ego is talking to itself, using God
as a prop to validate its superiority over the “publican”
(tax collector).
- Colossians 2:18 & 23 – “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a “voluntary
humility”... Which things have indeed a “shew of wisdom in will worship,
and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the
satisfying of the flesh.” God calls this “will worship” and “voluntary
humility.” It looks spiritual from the outside, but it actually
feeds our ego (“satisfying of the flesh”)
by making the person feel superior because of their strict self-denial.
- 1 Samuel 15:15 – “And
Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people
spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord
thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.” King Saul
disobeyed God’s direct command to destroy everything. When caught, his ego
blamed “the people” and reframed the
disobedience as a noble, religious act (“to
sacrifice unto the Lord”).
- James 3:14-15 – “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your
hearts, glory not... This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is
earthly, sensual, devilish.” Sometimes the ego disguises itself
as wisdom, strategy, or "looking out for your best
interests," when it is actually driven by envy or bitter rivalry.
This person is creating division or conflict under the guise of speaking
the truth.
- God links “strife” (factionalism/ambition) with a false wisdom. If the advice leaves a trail of broken relationships and self-exaltation (“glory not”), such actions are driven by the ego.
To spot a disguised carnal orientation in yourself or another, look for the “I” disease of self-centeredness. The ultimate example is Isaiah 14:13-14, which records the fall of Lucifer!
b) The Real Reason for Lot’s Desires
Vs 10, “...like the land of Egypt, ...”
Lot looks out across the Jordan Valley, sees its lush and well-watered fields, and chooses it for himself—a decision driven by material wealth and sight rather than spiritual discernment. Abram allows Lot to choose first out of generosity and trust in God’s promise. This highlights a worldly perspective: Eden represents ideal earthly comfort, while “Egypt” symbolizes material abundance (though also a place of spiritual compromise).
1) Lot Had Fallen in Love with the World “Egypt” (1Jn 2:15-17)
Lot left his heart in Egypt; he had acquired a taste for Egypt. At the very least, he had heard about life in the city of Sodom. He had heard fiery stories about this city of gross immorality and found them more intriguing. Today’s live-sex shows, adult live streaming, X-rated videos and movies, and other forms of pornography are mild compared with what was taking place in Sodom. The sins of these people arose like a stench in the nostrils of God. Cruelty, lack of kindness, violent extreme inhospitality, and same-sex intercourse were the dark sins of Sodom.
2) Lot Had Fallen in
Love with Wealth Gen. 13:10-11 (Greed)
Lot chooses based purely on physical appearance and economic potential for his large flocks.
1 Tim 6:8-11, And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9, But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10, For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11, But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (Prov. 23:1-8; 28:20; Jn 6:27)
We are encouraged to be content, warned of the dangers of the love of money, and we are to explore devout qualities! God views our basic needs (food and clothing/raiment) as enough. The desire for wealth and the love of money leads to temptation, ruin, and spiritual wandering. As Believers we are urged to flee these traps and pursue spiritual virtues like righteousness, faith, and love.
“A DOLLAR SPEAKS”
“Money talks, we have been told since childhood. Listen to this dollar bill speak: “You hold me in your hand and call me yours. Yet may I not as well call you mine. See how easily I rule you? To gain me you would all but die. I am invaluable as rain, essential as water. Without me men and institutions would die. Yet I do not hold the power of life for them; I am futile without the stamp of your desire. I go nowhere unless you send me, I keep strange company. For me, men mock, love, and scorn character. Yet I am appointed to the service of saints, to give education to the growing mind and food to the starving bodies of the poor. My power is terrific. Handle me carefully and wisely, lest you become my servant, rather than I yours.”—Ray O. Jones
3) Lot Had Fallen in Love with Number One (Selfishness) Gen. 13:11
a) He
Obviously Did Not Consider His Family’s Welfare
He did not wonder, “Is this a good place to raise my family?” He did not say, “What are the Schools like in those cities of the plains.” No, he wondered, “Is it a good place for raising cattle?” Maybe he even felt that his children were just too sheltered, “I want my children to be able to live in the real world, they really need broader exposure to the world.” He didn’t learn a thing about what Abraham’s selfishness cost him down in Egypt! Lot could not live in Jesus Name because he was too busy making a name for himself in this world. His heart was set on personal distinction, and personal significance, he wanted to be a self-made man!
b) He
Obviously Did Not Consider His Kind Uncle Abraham
At some point Lot must have rationalized his decision. “Uncle Abe has more than I have anyway, so this move in my favor will make us even.” Or maybe he thought, “Ol’ Uncle Abe is kind of naive, he doesn’t really care. After all he did give me the choice.” Whatever Lot’s rational it was based on his own selfish desires. He certainly didn’t consult with God about it!
4) Why Are Desires So
Important?
Desires are important because what you desire you will do! It all originates with what you See, continues with what you Think is important, and escalates with what you Desire, and finally culminates with what you Do! If Satan can influence you to desire wrongly, he can get you to Doing Wrong! What you SEE will affect what you THINK, what you think will affect what you DESIRE, and what you desire will affect what you DO!
DAVID COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA BECAUSE HE FIRST SAW HER FROM HIS ROOF TOP. Standing on the flat roof of his palace in Jerusalem one evening, David saw the beautiful Bathsheba bathing on the roof of a nearby house. With his passion aroused, David committed adultery with Bathsheba. Out of that union Bathsheba conceived a child. (2Sam. 11 & 12)
EVE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN WAS INVITED BY SATAN TO LOOK AT THE FRUIT; SHE SINNED AND ATE THE FRUIT AFTER SHE CONCLUDED IT WAS “PLEASANT TO THE EYES.” Gen 3:4-7, And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5, For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6, And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7, And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
CONCLUSION:
Scripture
expressly states this very real dynamic repeatedly to warn us against this
miscalculation!
Lam
3:51, Mine eye affecteth mine heart (intellect,
emotions, and will) because of all the
daughters of my city.
Prov
4:23, Keep (guard) thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Deut
4:8-9, And what nation is there so great,
that hath statutes and judgments so
righteous as all this law, which I
set before you this day? 9, Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul
diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but
teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;
Ps 139:23-24, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24, And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
How do TV commercials boost sales? Why are magazine sales, and internet shopping effective? Why is it that the commercial build boards us a beautiful young woman or a handsome young man to sell their products? Why is it so difficult to get out of debt and stay out? Because you are being bombarded every day with products, and gadgets! When you see it or hear about it the Eyes-Thoughts-Desires-Action process takes over and you’re spending more money you don’t even have.
This human
audio-visual principle can work in a very positive way as well. If you and I set our Spiritual EYES on Jesus daily,
then before long we will begin to THINK about Him, then we will DESIRE to know
Him and become more like Him. Then
finally we are DOING what He would do and living for God’s Will like He did! If
you and I truly desire to be spiritual, we will become spiritual just keep your
focus on Spiritual Characters in the Bible. Like Paul, Joseph, Moses, Abraham,
the Lord Jesus, Daniel ect.
