Sunday, December 5, 2021

Don’t Look Back

 

 Fire and Brimstone!!

Don’t Look Back


I am reminded of Lot and Abraham and how Lot pitched his tent toward two wicked cities, Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot became an important person and often stood at the gate giving advice.

God spoke to Abraham telling him that he was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, but Abraham protested and bargained with God. Finally God told Abraham, I will save Lot and his family but no one else.

God sent two angels to warn Lot - - and the evil of the city revealed itself as the men both young and old came to Lot’s door demanding that he give them the two angels that appeared as human men - - so that they could have relations with them. Finally the angels pulled Lot back inside the house and blinded all the men so that they could not find the door and eventually the wicked men left.

Lot told his son-in-laws who were pledged to marry his daughters that in order to be saved they must heed the message and flee, but they only scoffed and refused to believe. So Lot gathered his wife and two daughters as they were hesitating and slow to depart as this was home and like a friend to them. Finally the angels had to forcefully take their hands and lead them out, because they hesitated to leave that sinful city.

(Isn't it the way we are at times, when God is telling us to leave certain habits, and associations behind and to begin afresh with our Lord?)

Genesis 19:17 As soon as the angels got them outside, one of them loudly commanded; "Run for your lives! Don't look back and don't stop anywhere on the plain! Run to the mountains, or you will be swept away!"

Genesis 19:24, 26 Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. But Lot's wife looked back as she lingered behind him, and the Bible records that she became a pillar of salt.

The Bible records her as nameless, she was only known as Lot’s wife, but she hesitated to leave the place that had been home to her these many years. Sin was familiar to her and she tolerated the lifestyle of her sinful friends, besides she had affiliations with the woman's gossip groups and she was of importance in these places. She was given an opportunity to change her life by leaving and to begin anew, but no she paused, and delayed, and finally looked back wishing for the old life that she was so familiar with. Sad to say, that was not a good decision.

We can learn from this story that when we leave the past - - it is not good to look back.

The reason some of our citizens look back is that they were content with their old life. The spirits that controlled them were familiar and were like friends. The Bible calls them “familiar spirits.”

How can we apply this to our city, our family and those we care about as we pray? Unknowingly many have made agreements and contracts with sin and the devil, and God wants to destroy their contracts in His Holy Fire.

Colossians 2:14-15 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Luke 13:1 There were present at that season some that told Jesus of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, “Do you Suppose that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.

Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them, do you think that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

I tell you, Nay: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.

Many in our land are bound with chains of huge debts of sin that they cannot pay. I am here to declare today, your debt of sin has been taken care of by Jesus - because He has paid the price for your salvation when He died on that bloody cross.

Jesus is waiting for you to come-as-you-are to the cross and receive his eternal life and to serve him all the days of your life. 

 All it takes is a simple invitation from you to ask Jesus to come into your life - - Just speak with your mouth a prayer, telling Him that you believe he is the Son of God, and you believe he died on the cross for you, and you believe after three days - he rose from the dead, and that you declare that you will follow Him all the days of your life.   

No comments: