Introduction

Good morning, dear family of faith. It is a beautiful day that the Lord has made, and we are here to rejoice and be glad in it. We gather together, not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters united in Christ. We are a tapestry of God's grace, a symphony of his love, each one of us a unique instrument in the grand orchestra of His divine purpose.

Today, we turn our hearts and minds to the timeless truths of Genesis 19:24-26. A powerful passage that offers us profound wisdom for our walk with the Lord. The narrative of Lot's wife is a poignant reminder to heed God's warnings, hold onto faith not fear, and head forward with focus.

How often do we find ourselves in the same predicament as Lot's wife? How often do we find ourselves looking back instead of moving forward? How often do we allow fear to replace faith? These are the questions we will ponder today.

Before we proceed, let us hear the words of the Scripture. Genesis 19:24-26 reads, "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."

As we reflect on these words, let us remember the wise counsel of Charles Spurgeon, who once said, "By perseverance, the snail reached the ark." Spurgeon's words remind us that it is not the speed of our progress but the direction that matters most. Are we moving forward in faith or looking back in fear?

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for Your love and mercy that never cease. As we open Your Word, we ask for Your Holy Spirit to guide us and illuminate the truths we are to glean from it. Help us to heed Your warnings, hold onto faith instead of fear, and move forward with focus. May our hearts be receptive to Your teaching, and may our lives reflect Your glory. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Transition. So, dear friends, as we prepare to delve into the richness of God's Word, let us do so with open hearts and minds, eager to glean the wisdom that He has in store for us. Let us not be like Lot's wife, looking back in fear, but let us be like the snail in Spurgeon's quote, moving forward in faith, no matter the pace. Let us heed God's warnings, hold onto faith not fear, and head forward with focus.

Heeding God's Warnings

In the narrative of Genesis 19, we find ourselves confronted with a divine warning. The Lord, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, sends angels to warn Lot and his family about the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The warning is clear, the instructions explicit - leave and do not look back.

This divine warning is not an isolated incident in the scriptures. Throughout the Bible, God warns His people time and again. He warned Noah about the flood, Abraham about the destruction of Sodom, Moses about Pharaoh's hardened heart, and Jonah about the destruction of Nineveh. These warnings were not meant to induce fear, but to guide, to protect, and to reveal God's plan.

In the context of our own lives, we too receive warnings from God. These may not come in the form of angelic visitations or burning bushes, but they are no less real. They come through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the counsel of godly friends and mentors, and the timeless truths of God's Word. These warnings are God's way of guiding us, protecting us, and revealing His plan for us.

However, heeding these warnings requires more than just hearing them. It requires obedience. In the story of Lot, we see that Lot heeded the warning. He took his family and left the city as instructed. But his wife did not. She heard the warning, but she did not heed it. She looked back and became a pillar of salt.

This act of looking back was a spiritual act. It was an act of disobedience, a refusal to fully trust in God's warning and His plan. It was an act that showed where her heart truly was - not with God, but with the things she was leaving behind.

This brings us to the first aspect of heeding God's warnings - obedience. Obedience is not just about doing what we are told. It is about trust. It is about believing that God's way is the best way, even when it doesn't make sense, even when it's hard, even when it means leaving things behind.

The second aspect of heeding God's warnings is discernment. Not every warning we hear is from God. The world is full of voices clamoring for our attention, each one claiming to be the truth. Discerning God's voice amidst this cacophony is crucial. This discernment comes from a deep relationship with God, a familiarity with His Word, and a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

The third aspect of heeding God's warnings is urgency. When God warns us, it is not for us to procrastinate or debate. It is for immediate action. Lot did not delay when he was warned. He got up and left. His wife, on the other hand, lingered. Her delay cost her her life.

The final aspect of heeding God's warnings is faith. Faith is the foundation of our relationship with God. It is what enables us to trust in His warnings, to obey His commands, to discern His voice, and to act with urgency. Without faith, we are like Lot's wife, looking back instead of moving forward.

Holding onto Faith not Fear

As we continue to reflect on the narrative of Lot's wife, we find ourselves drawn to the second significant lesson from this passage: the importance of holding onto faith, not fear ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO