Enoch, or Lot?

Today, I want to focus on two men. One is in Heaven, the other we hope will be there, but they have vastly different stories. I will start with Lot.

“Dazzled with visions of worldly gain, Lot overlooked the moral and spiritual evils that would be encountered there. The inhabitants of the plain were "sinners before the Lord exceedingly;" but of this he was ignorant, or, knowing, gave it but little weight. He "chose him all the plain of Jordan," and "pitched his tent toward Sodom." How little did he foresee the terrible results of that selfish choice!” Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 133.
“When Lot entered Sodom he fully intended to keep himself free from iniquity and to command his household after him. But he signally failed. The corrupting influences about him had an effect upon his own faith, and his children's connection with the inhabitants of Sodom bound up his interest in a measure with theirs. The result is before us.” Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 168.
“Though daily distressed at beholding deeds of violence, he had no true conception of the debasing and abominable iniquity practiced in that vile city... But for the angels of God, they would all have perished in the ruin of Sodom. The heavenly messengers took him and his wife and daughters by the hand and led them out of the city. Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 160.
“Many are still making a similar mistake. In selecting a home they look more to the temporal advantages they may gain than to the moral and social influences that will surround themselves and their families. They choose a beautiful and fertile country, or remove to some flourishing city, in the hope of securing greater prosperity; but their children are surrounded by temptation, and too often they form associations that are unfavorable to the development of piety and the formation of a right character. The atmosphere of lax morality, of unbelief, of indifference to religious things, has a tendency to counteract the influence of the parents. Examples of rebellion against parental and divine authority are ever before the youth; many form attachments for infidels and unbelievers, and cast in their lot with the enemies of God. Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 168.

Now, let's talk about Enoch for a bit.

“Enoch's walk with God was not in a trance or a vision, but in all the duties of his daily life. He did not become a hermit, shutting himself entirely from the world.” GW, pg. 51.
Talking about Enoch, it says, “He placed himself and his family where the atmosphere would be as pure as possible.” Ctr 49.5
“ Distressed by the increasing wickedness of the ungodly, and fearing that their infidelity might lessen his reverence for God, Enoch avoided constant association with them, and spent much time in solitude, giving himself to meditation and prayer. Thus he waited before the Lord, seeking a clearer knowledge of His will, that he might perform it. To him prayer was as the breath of the soul; he lived in the very atmosphere of heaven.” Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 85.
In the book, “Another ark to build”, pg. 87, by W.D. Frazee, we read, “ I think it was understood in that household that their job was to take hold of people, people who needed help to get saved out of that sinful world. When people have that attitude there's not very much problem in the home of wanting to get down to the cities of sin and have a “good time”. No; going to town is not looked upon as a lark; it's looked upon as a mission, and a dangerous mission, like going into a burning building to pull somebody out before the falling wall crushes them; like launching out into the deep to save a drowning man that's already gone down twice. That's what going into these cities is today! God help us sense it! Enoch did.”

Brothers and sisters, I fear the influence of the ungodly. I know it has affected me, has it affected you? Do we find ourselves slowly growing to like the things of the world, the ways of the world? We must work the cities. We are told this over and over. This is one of the most important, yet neglected works we have to do. But we must not let it influence us! It makes me tremble to think that we may so easily become like Lot, and lose everything, by our constant association with the world. We have to pray, we have to spend much time with our Father, so that we don't fall into this trap. Please join me in committing to walk with God, like Enoch, and not with the world!
Your brother in Christ,
-Schane