Primary 57 - Abraham and Lot



Our dear class, 

We are going to talk about two men, an uncle, and a nephew. The two were both faithful people that were visited by three men of God. When the men visited Abraham he was quick to obey. When those same fellows visited Lot, he was slow to obey. Although he was strong to avoid temptation his family struggled. It is much like cows when they push against a fence. Calves inside the safety of the home with its spirit can resist temptation. However, when the cow or bull goes for the grass on the other side, although they cannot pass through the fence the calves can become exposed to the temptations and sins outside the fence and can leave, leaving parents that cannot follow them to trials that they cannot help the calves with.

Children, Lot was spiritually strong because he was vastly spiritually fed but slow to respond and his family suffered because they were not prepared nor hardened against the temptations of the devil. Perhaps they didn't bear their testimony or read their scriptures or say their prayers. Perhaps they watched or listened to inappropriate material or told inappropriate jokes and hung with the wrong crowd. When it came time to leave, few followed him, father Lot, in leaving the city of sin and some even turned back; not so with Abraham. When he was given instructions he was attentive and harkened to warnings and instruction. 

Abraham was tried and tried over and over. His patience was tried with the coming of Isaac. His obedience was tried when he was asked to sacrifice his only son, his son of the promise. Abraham went the extra mile to be fervent in his conviction. Lot, because he thought he could handle sin and vice of a city went from living in a tent outside the walls to living in the city. Abraham stayed away from temptation with his family to preserve the tender spirits that lived in his home. He was a priesthood holder that understood that his family would always be in a different place spiritually and that the temptation that he, Abraham, could avoid, could not necessarily be avoided by others so he kept his family safe as he could from sin and wicked influence.

Brothers and sisters, we can compare our lives to living near Sodom and Gomorrah. To keep our minds away from such temptation and stay alert we must avoid the lure of wanting to come closer and closer. Like fire, we may feel the heat but if it is so subtle it could eventually burn us and we would not know it. Like a frog in the cold water pot, we could be boiled and be too late to realize it.

Abraham was tried and tried over and over. His patience was tried with the coming of Isaac. His obedience was tried when he was asked to sacrifice his only son, his son of the promise. Abraham went the extra mile to be fervent in his conviction. Lot, because he thought he could handle sin and vice of a city went from living in a tent outside the walls to living in the city. Abraham stayed away from temptation. 

Brothers and sisters, we can compare our lives to living near Sodom and Gomorrah. To keep our minds away from such temptation and stay alert we must avoid the lure of wanting to come closer and closer. Like fire, we may feel the heat but if it is so subtle it could eventually burn us and we would not know it. Like a frog in the cold water pot, we could be boiled and be too late to realize it.

Ok, enough of the hard times, we are studying a great prophet this week that was given promises that we inherit because we are his sons and daughters. We gain so many promises because we are being taught to be as obedient as he was. We gain Enoch, Noah, and Abrahams's promises because they had faith, repented, renewed their baptismal covenants, and above all bore their testimony to others encouraging others to follow the Savior. We encourage you to take the time to reflect on your relationship with the Savior and Holy Ghost this week. Have you heard Him and harkened  (acted after hearing)? 
Challenges 

1) Read Genesis 18-23
2) What do you do when you are tempted to look at, watch, say or do something you shouldn’t. Satan tries to get us doing little things to set the hook into us. Pick a favorite scripture or something to say when you are tempted. Try it out for the week and record your experience.

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