Sights and Sounds

The Morning Glory Devotion focused on the topic of "Sights and Sounds." The main message was to be cautious of the environments we choose to dwell in, as they can influence and corrupt us. The story of Lot in Genesis was used as an example of how dwelling among sinful people can lead to corruption. The importance of avoiding sinful environments and surrounding ourselves with godly influences was emphasized. The devotion encouraged believers to be vigilant about what they watch, listen to, and the company they keep. The memory verse from 1 Thessalonians highlighted the need to abstain from all appearance of evil and be sanctified. The prayer at the end asked for grace to identify and cast off sinful environments and for God to bring godly influences into their lives. Shalom, beloved, and thank you for being a part of the Just and Dead Prayer Start-Up. Facilitating today's Morning Glory Devotion is Amanda Badoo from Harvest Chapel International, Denyame Kumasi. Please let's share a word of prayer. Daddy, we thank you so much for today. We thank you for the opportunity once again to dive into your word. Papa, we pray that you grant us the ability to not only be hearers but be doers of this word. In the name of Jesus, Amen. Beloved, please let's take our confession from the book of Joshua chapter 1 verse 8. This book of the law shall not be passed out of my mouth, but I shall meditate in it day and night, that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then I will make my way prosperous, and then I will have good success. Amen. Beloved, our topic for today is titled Sights and Sounds. Sights and Sounds. And our scripture reading is taken from Genesis chapter 13 verse 11 to 14. Then Lot chose him over the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves one from the other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 6 to 8. And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensemble unto those that after should live ungodly. And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversations of the wicked. For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with his unlawful deeds. Amen. Sights and Sounds. Beloved, as believers, we must be careful of the environments we choose to dwell in, doing everything we can to not pitch our tents in dwellings of sin. A story of Lot in Genesis chapter 13 demonstrates what happens to a believer when they willingly choose to dwell among people who sin against God. Sodom and Gomorrah were so filled with sinful atrocities that they incited the wrath of God against them. Lot was a righteous man. However, by pitching his tent close by, he eventually got so corrupted with the cultures of the land that he offered his virgin daughters up to the men who came looking for his male visitors. Genesis chapter 19 verse 8. It took the intercession of Abram to deliver him from God's destruction. But even then, he lost his wife and his daughters became corrupted. Precious ones, we must not underestimate the power of sin to corrupt us. Our flesh is vulnerable to the corruption of sin and God tells us to simply avoid it. Jesus presented a hard remedy to us in Matthew chapter 18 verse 8 about how radical we have to be when it comes to dealing with sin saying, If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the everlasting fire. Beloved, imagine if you had ten good cracked eggs and you added one rotten egg. The whole batch will become bad because of the one rotten egg. The principle is this. One bad apple will spoil the barrel and evil communications will corrupt good manners. Evil corrupts good and not the other way round. So we must necessarily separate ourselves from sinful environments. The mind is vulnerable to what it repeatedly hears and therefore we must not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1 verse 1 We must however be vigilant about the environments we dwell in, the things we watch, the advice we listen to, the company we keep and what we feed our minds with. We must rather abide in Christ, building deep roots in the Word and be in fellowship with like-minded believers so we can grow. Brethren, make up your mind today to flee from environments that are sinful. Ask for the grace to be deeply rooted in Christ, that you may abstain from any appearance of evil, that you will live holy and sanctified lives which is pleasing to the Father. Shalom. Our memory verse is taken from 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 22 to 23. Abstain from all appearance of evil and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. And I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Please let us pray. Father, we thank you for this reminder that of necessity we must avoid sinful environments. We pray for the grace, Papa, to identify the places that we have pitched our tents that do not glorify you. We pray for the grace to be able to cast them off. And we pray that even as you are pre-retouched from these environments, that, Papa, you will plant us in godly environments, that you will bring our way godly friends and godly influences to help strengthen us on our walk with you. This we pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Thank you, beloved, for being a part of the Just Ended Morning Glory devotion. Kindly stay tuned for more spiritual content and have a blessed day. Amen.