Message: Are You Looking Behind?
Text: Genesis 19:17
‘’…escape
for thy life, look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape
to the mountain lest thou be consumed’’
Lot and his
family were already saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis
Chapter 19). They were instructed not to look back but Lot’s wife looked back
and was destroyed: she became a pillar of salt. She demonstrated a willful
disobedience to the Word showing to what extent she had become attached to the
world.
When a
person receives salvation through Jesus Christ, he is called out of the world
to become a saint (1 Corinthians 1:1-3). If looks back into the world like
Lot’s wife, then destruction awaits him. This is telling us that salvation is
not an un-forfeitable possession. It can be lost if one is careless with it.
Jesus said
in Luke 9:62 that, ‘’No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking
back is fit for the kingdom of God.’’ Losing the Kingdom of God means ending up
in Hell for all eternity.
Ø Looking back means conforming to the
wicked ways of the world (Romans 12:1-2) (1 John 5:19)
Ø Looking back means losing focus of
the things that are eternal and focusing on the things of the earth that are
temporal and perishable (Colossians 3:2-3)
Ø Looking back means mixing
righteousness with unrighteousness (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
Ø Looking back means seeking all the
other things above the kingdom of God and its righteousness (Matthew 6:33)
Ø Looking back means doing what is
right in your own eyes (Joshua 21:25) and not what is right in the eyes of God
(Deuteronomy 6:18).
Ø Looking back means serving two
masters – God & Mammon (Matthew 6:24)
Ø Looking back means indulgence in sin
and iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23).
Ø Looking back means mingling with the
world and becoming a friend of the world and an enemy of God (James 4:4) (1
John 2:15-17)
Ø Looking back means working for God
but no more walking with Him (Songs of Solomon 1:6)
Ø Looking back means worshiping God
with your lips while your heart is far away from Him (Matthew 15:8)
Ø Looking back means trampling on the
sacred Blood of the Covenant of your salvation (Hebrews 10:26-31) by returning
to a life of sinning.
Were you
once saved but now backslidden like Demas who returned to the world? (2 Timothy
4:10)
Are you
despising spiritual things like Esau who despised his birthright? (Genesis
25:29-34)
Are you
willing to trade away your salvation (eternal values) for a meal of porridge
(momentary pleasure) like Esau?
Have you
turned back from following Jesus Christ on his own terms (Mark 8:34-36)?
God is
merciful, not willing that anyone should perish but that all come to repentance
(2 Peter 3:9). He is willing to accept you back into his fold if you can humble
yourself to repent and return to him like the Prodigal Son.
Learn from Esau… he tried to regain the blessings associated
with the lost birthright but could not though he sought it carefully with tears
(Genesis 27:38) (Hebrews 12:16-17).
Many are in Hell now crying out in repentance like Esau did but
it is too late. May this eternal tragedy not be our portion in Jesus name.
You
have a role to play in the salvation of your soul: willingness.
Are you now ready
and willing to reconcile afresh with the Lord?
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus,
forgive me all my sins and transgressions (1 John 1:9)
Lord Jesus,
cleanse me with your blood from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
O God my
Father, show me mercy (Exodus 34:6) and uphold me to the end by your Spirit
(Zech.4:6)
Lord Jesus,
deliver me from the power of presumptuous sinning (Psalm 19:13).
Ayodele Adegbulugbe
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