where are you allowing your tent to be pitched?...

the pastor preached a great sermon yesterday on how far away from sin/negative things do we really have to stay, to still be alright & on the right track ~ he commented on how we've got to not only stay clear of negative things in our lives, but not even go where these things are ~ he talked about how lots wife looked back & was turned into a pillar of salt, stating that lot was ahead of her & she wasn't walking 'with' him, but instead behind him ~ we can't drag behind, but instead, stay up where we need to be ~ we can't do what god would have us do if we're constantly looking back ~ your directions & your decisions determine your destiny ~ why pitch your tent where you know you're not supposed to be, thinking it'll be alright & even though you're pitching it there, you'll not be tempted with the things around you ~ why not just pitch your tent elsewhere so you're not even tempted ~ it's not just you, you're affecting, but it's your whole family & those around you ~ i'm sure i'm not doing his sermon justice, but all i can say's that it was very good & very well presented ~ here's the scripture to back what he referred to:

Genesis 13:1-13

1) So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife & everything he had & Lot went with him 2) Abram had become very wealthy in livestock & in silver & gold 3) From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel & Ai where his tent had been earlier 4) And where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord. 5) Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks & herds & tents. 6) But the land stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7) And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen & the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites & Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. 8) So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you & me, or between your herdsmen & mine, for we are brothers. 9) Is not the whole land before you? Let's part complany. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left." 10) Lot looked up & saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the Lord," like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar." (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom & Gomorrah) 11) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan & set out toward the east. The two men parted company; 12) Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain & pitched his tents near Sodom. 13) Now the men of Sodom were wicked & were sinning greatly against the Lord.