In Gen 19:17 we read, “So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." Here in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, just before the destruction of these two cities, Lot is warned of the immanent and sure danger that he and his family would face. They are told to "Escape for your lives! We understand expressions such as that one to be warnings of danger, or if someone yells "Fire!!" we understand this to be an expressions of danger as well. The Bible uses other expressions of danger as well...In Matt 23:33 Jesus talking to the Scribes and Pharisees says, “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?” or Paul says in Rom 2:3—“And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?” The passage found in Gen 19:17 warns of danger, "Escape for your life!!" but it also suggests that escape is possible...

Escape Is Possible !

Paul says in 1Cor 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Let’s go back to the account in Genesis with Lot. In Gen 18-19:29 we have the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Earlier in Genesis arguments had arisen between Lot and Abraham and so they went their own way. Lot choosing the plains of Jordan and Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan. Some time later in Gen 18:1-15 we have the account of the three men one of which is said that the Lord appeared to him and gave him promise again concerning the birth of an offspring. From there vs. 16, the men rose and starting walking towards Sodom and we have the famous account of Abraham pleading with the Lord concerning the righteous lives in Sodom Gen 18:23-33. It starts out with 50, then 45, then 40, then 30, then 20, then 10. Chapter 19 starts out with the two angels coming to Sodom---Lot welcomes them, invites them into his home vs. 2-3. Then we see the wickedness of the city is illustrated in vs. 4-5. Verses 12-17 tell us of the warning and of the escape.

Another example is found in Exodus 14. In the Book of Exodus we have the account of Israel leaving Egypt, how God chose a man named Moses to deliver the people of Israel using great signs to demonstrate to Pharaoh and the Egyptians the greatness of Jehovah, the great I AM. Later in the story, after the children of God had been released, they came to the Red Sea and as they camped, Pharaoh and his army begin to pursue them, and as Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel grew fearful, but Moses said in Chapter 14:13-14 salvation would be provided by God. It says, “And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” How? vs 16, “But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”

To Where Must We Escape For Life?

Lot and his wife could flee to the mountains--We can flee to Mount Zion Heb 12:22; In Isa 46:13 it says, “I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; my salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory.” Israel crossed the sea---we crossed sea of baptism 1 Cor 10:1-2; Mark 16:16.

How May We Escape Into Christ ?

Remember God provided the way of escape for all the people above. He also provides a way of escape for us.

• Believe unto Christ Rom 10:10

• Repent unto Christ Acts 11:18

• Confess unto Christ Rom 10:10

• Be Baptized INTO Christ

With...Lot it was the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, with Israel it was escape from bondage, with us...we must escape...From temptation: 1 Cor 10:13, from the spiritual pollution of the world (from the very things that will corrupt and pollute our souls) 2 Pet 1:4; 2:20, from idolatry: 1 Cor 10:14, and from indifference Rom 12:11. Diligence is a word often used in connection with the manner in which Christians are to go about doing the will of God. It means to make haste, to exert oneself, to give diligence, to be active, zealous, and earnest. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

When it comes to that which the Lord would have us to accomplish in our lives, he expects a certain attitude and disposition regarding the gaining of the virtues or the fulfillment of some ordinance or law. He desires to see energy and haste. He desires to see his people working in such a way as it is obvious that they consider what they are doing to be important and that haste and energy need to be put forth to gain its accomplishment. 

Carlos Aguilar

A Plan For Getting Involved In Personal Evangelism
Sixth in a series on personal evangelism

A commitment of time

There is a great deal to be said for purposing to do things that need to be done. Cf. 2 Cor 9:5-8. If you really wish to get serious about becoming active in personal evangelism, the first thing to do is make an honest commitment of time each week to that work. We all have 168 hours every week, most of which we spend eating and sleeping. Is two hours a week (1.2% of our time) too much to devote to rescuing souls from being lost? If all else fails, we can sacrifice some other activity to make time for this work. On one occasion, recorded in Jn 4:31-34, Jesus did without lunch while He talked to a woman about her soul.

Whether you prefer to make the commitment in terms of hours a week, evenings a week, or whatever, the critical thing is to promise the Lord that you will spend that amount of time doing something related to personal evangelism -- and then move heaven and earth to keep that promise.

Unforeseen things can come up. But if it is not something that would keep you from going to work, it is likely nothing more than an excuse if it keeps you from the commitment you have made to personal evangelism.

An inexpensive notebook is needed to keep track of every "prospect" that is within your realm of influence. Entries in this notebook should include names, addresses, phone numbers, dates, and whatever other personal information needs to be remembered to help in teaching various individuals. The names in this notebook will range from very good contacts to those that are only remote possibilities. But one thing this notebook will always do is give you immediately the names of your two or three best contacts at any given time. The notebook also furnishes the names of people you need to spend time praying about on a regular basis.

A piece of paper is needed each week to write down (in ink!) how much time you have committed to personal evangelism and, at the end of the week, how much time you actually spent. On the sheet it is also helpful to list everything you can think of that you could do to fill up the amount of time you have committed. On most weeks you will run out of time before you run out of things you have listed that you can do!

You need somebody who will agree to hold you to your commitment. Each week, you tell this person how much time you have committed to personal evangelism, and then at the end of the week, he or she asks you what you did with the time. The ideal arrangement is simply to have someone with whom you have agreed to exchange worksheets. You check up on them, and they check up on you. Your spouse is not the best person to account to. He or she will let you off too easily!

Each Christian needs to have a brief introductory lesson he or she is able to teach on short notice to anyone who will listen. This lesson serves at least two purposes: It allows us to have something to teach in situations where we may never have another chance to say anything to a particular person about his soul. Our basic lesson can be such that, after having taught it to a person, we can feel confident that we have exposed him to the gospel.

In addition, a basic lesson gives us a means of finding out whether a person is interested in further study. Each Christian also needs to have a series of lessons that he or she is able to teach when a more detailed study seems to be appropriate.

A Year In The Life Of A Bible

January 1 - Family made New Year's resolution to read me daily. They began with Genesis chapter one.

January 2, 3, 5, 8 - The first few nights of the New Year, they read me regularly.

January 20 - No activity recently.

February 11 - Owner used me for a short time. He had been asked to substitute as Bible class teacher and needed to look up some verses during breakfast. We went to Bible Study, but I was put in car after class, before morning sermon.

February 14 - Owner got into argument about St. Valentine and paged through me in his car, but couldn't find anything in me about Valentine's Day!

March 7 - Spring cleaning going on. I was dusted and put back in old place, on the shelf. I had been in owner's car since February 14^th.

March 17 - Owner got into another argument about what the Bible says about Lent. He searched me in vain about such "holy" days.

April 20 - Grandma here for a visit. I was in her lap all afternoon. She spent most of her time in First Corinthians, chapters 13 and 15.

April 21, 22, 23 - Grandma read me every afternoon this week! (It's so nice to be used and appreciated!)

May 4 - I have a few green stains on my pages. Some early spring flowers pressed in me.

June 18 - I look like a scrapbook! They have stuffed me full of clippings from the newspaper. One of the daughters got married!

June 27 - They packed me in suitcase with clothes and other things. Vacation trip, I guess.

July 5 - I'm still in the suitcase, although nearly everything else has been removed. I thought they'd at least take me out on the Lord's Day.

July 11 - Home again. Put me back in my old place. Quite a journey, though I do not see why they took me along. Stayed in suitcase the whole time.

August 10 - Read by several family members over three-day period. Seems they got into family "row" about modesty, lasciviousness, public swimming, etc. Read all they could find about this subject. I never learned what they concluded.

September 29 - They used me once today...read from the Psalms. One of them is quite sick. They even had prayer!

September 30 - Right now, I am cleaned up and my leather cover is waxed. I've been placed on display in the center of the coffee table. I think their preacher is coming over.

October 19 - I now have lots of company on the coffee table. A comic book, TV Guide, Time Magazine, and a Movie World on top of me. Wish I were read as much as they are.

November 11 - Owner came home from services today...all upset over something the preacher said. Snatched me up to hunt for a certain verse, but never could find it.

November 22 - Family members took turns, searching me for Bible passage about Thanksgiving Day. They found a lot about being "thankful" and "giving thanks," but no fourth Thursday.

December 15, 16 - Quite a family discussion about when Christ was born. Each one had different ideas. I was read at different times by several of them. They were disappointed when I did not mention the date of Christ's birth, though.

December 20 - Another big family "hassle" over whether a daughter should attend a holiday dance. Various family members combed through my pages, seeking to justify their "position" on the issue.

December 26 - Family has new TV set. Shelf space I formerly occupied was needed, so they put me inside a cabinet. Expect to get out...hopefully...around January 1st!

The smallest things become great when God requires them of us; they are small only in themselves; they are always great when they are done for God, and when they serve to unite us with Him eternally. Francois Fenelon