InstaEncouragements Building a worldwide online community of encouragers encouraging others in the faith of Jesus Christ. Join the movement!
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Etsy Shop
    • Christianity
  • Blog
    • Guest Bloggers
    • IE Link-up
    • The ABCs of God's Love Letter
    • She Loves Truth
    • Hey Mama! PRAY
    • Seeking Him
    • Aging With Grace
    • Choosing Gratitude
  • Library
    • 16 Names of God
    • Bible Reading Plan
    • The ABCs Study Guide
    • The ABCS Bible Study
    • Disciple Me Program
    • Come and Gather
    • She Loves Truth Guide
    • She Loves Truth Study
    • The Red Sea Rules
    • Praying Proverbs
    • 12 Letters I Wrote
    • Christmas Songbook
    • LOVE Coupons
  • The Heart That Heals
    • Read Chapter 1 of The Heart That Heals
    • The Heart That Heals Media Package
    • The Heart That Heals printable package
  • Sweeter Than Honey
    • Sweeter Than Honey Media Package
  • 16 Names of God
TDGC shop now banner

​God’s Mercy

5/11/2021

11 Comments

 
​God’s Mercy
This is a breakout post from our 27-day devotional, Come and Gather: Family Time With God, or what we lovingly refer to as Gather. You'll find this post featured in Part Two: Days 6-10 A Walk Through God’s Word of Gather.
“As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.’

But he lingered.

So, the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, they brought him out and set him outside the city” Genesis 19:15-16
TDGC logo banner
TDGC Glory mug banner
Lot “settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom” (Genesis 13:12) after he had separated from Abraham because of the strife between their herdsmen.

Lot moved gradually from looking at Sodom to living in Sodom and finally becoming loyal to Sodom as he sat in the gate of the city.

The true state of the people of Sodom is revealed by the fact that there could not be found 10 righteous people, Lot’s family included, in all the city (Genesis 18:26-32).
Three of the saddest words in all of Scripture are found in this passage as we read that Lot struggled to decide between destruction and his devotion to the sinful city he lived in (Genesis 19:16a). In spite of what Lot had witnessed the night before when the angels blinded the men of the city and the warning they proclaimed to him, Lot awoke the next morning with an undecided mind as to what he should do with his family. This instance is a great testimony to the power of sin on the life of a person when their focus is not on God and His will for their lives. Furthermore, it is a glaring example of a father who was a spiritual failure to his family. (Note the reaction of his family and his lack of credibility in verse 14).

Despite Lot’s failings, let us not lose site of the mercy of a holy God in verse 16b. God’s desire was to spare the city if Lot could find ten righteous people, but when that became impossible, He still answered the prayer of Abraham (Genesis 18:23). God’s mercy was extended to Lot and he was spared the destruction that fell to the city of Sodom.

Come and Gather: Family Time with God

Introducing Come and Gather: Family Time with God, or what we lovingly refer to as Gather.

Gather is a lovely, 35-page, daily devotional centered around families enjoying time together with God and each other
Come and Gather: Family Time With God

This 27-day devotional is divided into 3 parts: ​

Part One: Days 1-5, is written specifically with husbands and wives in mind. In this part of Gather, husbands and wives will explore 5 Signs of a Functional Family.
5 Signs of a Functional Family includes:
  1. An Attitude of Service
  2. Intimacy Between the Husband and Wife
  3. Husbands Who Are Loving Leaders
  4. Parents Who Teach and Train
  5. Children Who Honor and Obey​
Part Two: Days 6-20, is written with the whole family in mind. It's A Walk Through God’s Word. From Genesis to Revelation we will discuss subjects like God's mercy and protection, being humble, dealing with difficulties, having a teachable spirit, dependence on God, and much more.

Part Three: Days 21-27, is a Men of God Character Study. We'll learn character traits that every Christian should strive to demonstrate in their life straight from characters in God's Word. 

At the end of Gather, you'll find a place for your family to record specific prayer requests. I love being specific with my prayer request and seeing God answer in specific ways. Recording the answers, as well as the requests, is a great way to help your children see God working in your lives

How have you seen God's mercy in your life?
Come and Gather: Family Time With God published with permission
​Pastor Jeremy Sweatt, Farmington Avenue Baptist Church, West Hartford, Connecticut

IE Link-up logo
Thanks for joining the InstaEncouragements weekly Christian link-up! We would really appreciate it if you would grab this IE link-up button, place it on your blog, and link back to this post. Thanks! Have an awesome week! 

If you're new to link-ups, checkout our IE LINK-UP page for a brief explanation and a list of other link-ups to participate in.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Picture
11 Comments
Barbara Harper link
5/11/2021 09:24:35 am

God certainly went the extra mile, so to speak, in extending mercy to Lot. While we don't want to presume on His grace, I am thankful for His mercy in my life as well.

Reply
Patsy Burnette link
5/11/2021 09:55:46 am

Me as well, Barbara. I would not be here without it!

Reply
Michele Morin link
5/11/2021 09:30:01 am

It's a slow slippage that finds us in Lot's position, blind to our own sin tendencies!

Reply
Patsy Burnette link
5/11/2021 09:57:49 am

You are so right, Michele! "Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter, bind my wand’ring heart to Thee."

Reply
Michele Morin link
5/11/2021 03:08:20 pm

May it be so!

Lisa notes link
5/11/2021 09:42:17 am

What really stands out to me here is that "he lingered." "Linger" was my One Word for 2020 to help me slow down and stay in the present moment (worked out handy for a pandemic, little did I know! ha). But I see here in this passage about Lot that lingering can also be negative when we stay too long where we shouldn't. Thankfully the Lord can persuade us to move on before it's too late.

Reply
Patsy Burnette link
5/11/2021 10:01:43 am

YES! Lisa! How often do we "linger" in the places we never should have been to start with, yet, we don't linger in the places God wants us to—link Bible study and prayer?

Reply
Lauren Renee Sparks link
5/12/2021 10:47:39 am

So, so thankful for His mercy.

Reply
Patsy Burnette link
5/12/2021 10:50:04 am

Me as well, Lauren! We wouldn't be here without it for sure!

Reply
Maryleigh link
5/12/2021 03:51:25 pm

This post has such good insight! The gradual acceptance and immersion into a sinful society - the indecision, inability to lead, to see God's hands wanting to save. This, though, - went straight to my heart:
"So, the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, they brought him out and set him outside the city” Genesis 19:15-16
The angels seized him - and his family. It reminds me of the shepherd who finds the lost lamb - he must seize that lamb and carry him to safety. So much grace in this - just makes my heart melt!

Reply
Ashley Rowland | HISsparrowBlog link
5/13/2021 09:48:11 am

I always wondered about Lot's reluctance to leave a detestable, corrupt, vile...city. Especially after an angel of God tells him it's all about to burn. I always wonder what he was doing there in the first place. And then I wonder about my own tendencies to do the same. Those in biblical times are such examples to us today, but sometimes I forget that if I'd lived in those times myself, I would have probably been someone like Lot. Oh, for the grace of God.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Patsy
    Hi friend, welcome to InstaEncouragements. I am so glad you are here. You’re among friends. You belong here. 

    How would you like access to our online library of helpful eBooks, devotionals, printables, lock screens, and more? You’re going to love this library, there is all kinds of exclusive content, just for you!

    Join the movement by signing up below and I'll send you the link today. And no worries, We don’t spam. Promise! We don’t like spam either.

    After you've joined the movement, hop on over to our about page to learn more about us and then to our contact form and introduce yourself so we can be on a first-name basis. I'd like that!
    Patsy signature

    Join the movement!

    * indicates required

    Top Posts

    16 Names of God & What They Mean
    12 Things the Bible Says God Knows About Us
    6 Things We Can Learn From Habakkuk 
    18 Characteristics of True Christianity
    From a Proverbs 31 Woman to a Titus 2 Woman
    10 Favorite Bible Verses on Adoption
    12 Letters I Wrote to a Friend With Cancer
    A Lesson From King Jehoshaphat

    Featured

    Welcome Heart
    LaurenSparks.net
    beLydia.org
    Brave Women Series
    Grace & Truth
    Messy Marriage
    Money Wise Steward
    Wield The Word
    Woman of Noble Character
    The Best Bible Study Books For Women

    Categories

    All
    7 Things God Is Not
    ABCs Of The Bible
    Amanda
    Bible Emergency Numbers
    Bible Study
    Books We Love
    Cami
    Cancer
    Christine
    Come And Gather
    Debbie
    Elisabeth
    Family Life
    Guest Post
    Journey To The Cross
    Julie
    Kathy
    Link Ups
    Our Words Matter
    Printables
    Stephanie
    Summer Book Club
    Sweeter Than Honey
    The Bible

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018

InstaEncouragements participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising
program 
designed to provide a means for this site to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 
This site also contains affiliate links for The Daily Grace Company, Faithbox, Minted.com,
​
Canvas Vows, Digital Grab Bag, Grove Collaborative, Faithful Life Planner, and Tailwind.
InstaEncouragements will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking one of these links or a link from one of our posts.
​​Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Terms & Conditions
InstaEncouragements logo
© InstaEncouragements |2022|  all rights reserved
IE blog footer image
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Etsy Shop
    • Christianity
  • Blog
    • Guest Bloggers
    • IE Link-up
    • The ABCs of God's Love Letter
    • She Loves Truth
    • Hey Mama! PRAY
    • Seeking Him
    • Aging With Grace
    • Choosing Gratitude
  • Library
    • 16 Names of God
    • Bible Reading Plan
    • The ABCs Study Guide
    • The ABCS Bible Study
    • Disciple Me Program
    • Come and Gather
    • She Loves Truth Guide
    • She Loves Truth Study
    • The Red Sea Rules
    • Praying Proverbs
    • 12 Letters I Wrote
    • Christmas Songbook
    • LOVE Coupons
  • The Heart That Heals
    • Read Chapter 1 of The Heart That Heals
    • The Heart That Heals Media Package
    • The Heart That Heals printable package
  • Sweeter Than Honey
    • Sweeter Than Honey Media Package
  • 16 Names of God