It seems our world is getting farther and farther away from God.

God remains just as steadfast and stable as ever, for he has not moved. With people getting away from God, what should be man’s goal for eternity — going to heaven — becomes more obscure. More and more, man is trying to bring God down to man’s level rather than reaching up to the one who offers heaven to all who will obey him.

If we desire to live eternity in heaven with God, we must search for and follow the steps of Jesus as we travel through this world. “For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Jesus was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1-11) by the lust of the flesh, eyes and pride of life. Jesus used the Scriptures to answer the temptations. As man gets farther from God, the study of the Bible becomes less and less important to the individual.

With each generation, a family or a nation can move farther away from God. As this happens, there is more concern for physical well-being and less and less on spiritual well-being. Is it any wonder of the wickedness that is rampant in our world today? When the things of this life are all that people are concerned about, society as a whole suffers.

In the Old Testament, Lot, the nephew of Abram, shows us how this happens. He and his uncle traveled to gather for a time. However, their herdsmen could not dwell together. Because of this strife, Abram proposed the following resolution: “And Abram said unto Lot, ‘Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left’” (Genesis 13:8,9). Lot looked upon the well-watered plains of the Jordan and chose to take his family there. In his vision, he only saw fertile fields and plenty of water for his livestock. He did not think about what might befall him and his family if they went to this area. He was more concerned with physical things than spiritual at that point in his life. Just a few chapters later, we find what a terrible mistake Lot had made. He had moved into the city of Sodom. God determined to destroy this city for its wickedness. Before things were finished, Lot lost most all he had and part of his family. Had he been more concerned with spiritual matters than physical, he might have avoided a lot of heartache.

The things of this life will not last forever. One day, they all will be destroyed. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). Only those who have sided with the God of heaven by obeying his word will have a home in heaven for eternity.

We need to get back to God and work to persuade others to do the same.