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One of Jesus’ many teachings to His disciples. HE is teaching about the end of times, how the environment will be and what we can expect and what we are to do.
Three words that carry huge meaning- REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE
The story of Lot’s wife is a tragedy. In the book of Genesis 18 and 19, God is going to destroy Sodom and because He loved Abraham, He told him His plans. Abraham began to intercede for Sodom,
Genesis 18:23-33
God could not find 10 righteous persons, but He sent angels to warn Abraham’s nephew Lot and His family to leave Sodom because it was going to be destroyed. Gen 19:15-26
The sin of Lot’s wife wasn’t that she moved too slow. I have heard people preach it this way- no she didn’t take God’s word through the angels seriously and her heart was still clinging fondly to Sodom.
We must take these three words seriously: REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE
Where did she go wrong?
- Genesis 19:1
Although Lot was vexed by the filthy deeds he saw and heard
2 Peter 2:7-8
7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)—
he tolerated the wickedness for certain social advantages- “he sat in the gate”
Lot CHOSE to live in Sodom because it was a wealthy and affluent place Gen 13:10-11
He seems, though a good man, to have been too much under the influence of a selfish and covetous spirit
The gate was a place of power and authority. It was said that he who controlled the gate, controlled the city. They were well known and respected men.
Lot was distressed by what he saw, but he never did anything about it, even though he was in a place of authority.
Obviously, Lot exposed his wife to the filthiness of Sodom.
What are you exposing your family to parents?
Men, What are you tolerating and modeling to your children and wives?
Men- you are the head of the woman. She will go where you lead. Where are you leading her? Are you modeling a life that is surrendered to the Lord? Are you modeling a life that cares about the things of God? Are you bringing your family to the house of God and to the throne of Christ?
It is one thing to live in this world and this environment- we have live in society. We cannot run and hide, but it is quite another to sit in the gate and do nothing about it.
You have to teach your children right from wrong, good and evil- TRAIN discipline and discipleship
If you sit back and do nothing, you have a part in your family not coming out of Sodom
Ex: I have a family member who said of his daughter, “she was not taught to live like this”
Yet, when I look at his life, she is living exactly the way he has modeled for her.
Remember Lot’s wife
- Her heart was set on the things in Sodom
she placed her affections on earthly things, not heavenly things, so when it came time for her to leave behind those earthly things- she couldn’t. She was too attached.
Matthew 6:25-34
the world seeks after what they are going to wear, how they look and appear to others, fame and success, power
Perhaps she loved her home and couldn’t leave it behind
Maybe it was her clothing or her status among other women
“for where your treasure is, there will be your heart”
Is your treasure set up here on earth? Job’s was not
If God allowed EVERYTHING to be taken from you in a day can you honestly say you would behave like Job?
If you were beaten and imprisoned falsely, could you sing praises to the Lord like Paul?
Can you say, “My life is forfeit for the cross! I count everything as dung but to know Jesus and be found in Him!” Can you proclaim this over your life?
If God told you to leave everything right now, could you?
EX: I left all when I knew God was calling me to go back to TX
- There is a time to fight and a time to flee
Ex: fight with Summer
There are things we are to stand our ground and fight for.
1 Timothy 6:12New King James Version (NKJV)
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Your faith is more precious than gold
This Christian life is an intense struggle that requires persevering in loyalty to the Lord Jesus and contending with adversaries of the gospel
God calls us to stand firm in the faith and let nothing move us
1 Corinthians 16:13New King James Version (NKJV)
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
Jude 3New King James Version (NKJV)
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
The faith consists of the gospel proclaimed by Christ and the apostles. It is the fixed and unalterable truth. However, it’s more than objective truth, it is a way of life to be lived in love and purity
It is a kingdom that comes in the power of the Holy Ghost
The word contend describes the battle that we must fight in defense of the faith. It means literally to “struggle” “suffer” “Be under stress” or “fight a fight”
We must exert ourselves to the utmost in the defense of God’s Word and the NT faith, even though it may be costly and agonizing
We must deny ourselves
Take a stand against those within the church who deny the authority of the Bible or distort the faithful
We must proclaim our faith as redemptive truth to all people
we must never allow its message to be weakened by compromising its authority, distorting its truths, or explaining away its power and promises
Are you fighting the good fight of faith? Or are you tolerating evil?
And I am not talking about picking fights with people on FB, but everyday contending for the faith?
Fight sin and the temptation of the flesh
1 Corinthians 9:25-27Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
25 Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither.
26 Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary.
27 But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].
KJV says “castaway” conveys the idea of failing the test or being rejected. This same word is used for a rebrobate.
Paul is nopt referring to merely a loss of a reward. He recognizes that he may fail to get the eternal prize, inheritance of final salvation, if he should stop living a holy life, exercising self-discipline and self-control. EX: can someone look at your life and besides the fact that you attend church on occasion, is there anything that displays you are living a holy life unto the Lord??
Did you know that if by your proclaimed freedom you cause your brother to sin, you sin against Christ?
These are tough words to hear from the Apostle Paul.
Remember Lot’s Wife
Fight for your marriage
Of all the relationships on this earth- this one is the most important
Genesis 2:24Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall become united and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Swallow your pride and fight for your marriage
forgive each other and fight for your marriage
if you have friends that are not in support of your marriage, you need new friends
stop trying to always have your way and fight for your marriage!
The two shall become ONE- you are only hurting yourself when there is discord. What do you get by trying to always be right when all you’ve really done is hurt your spouse.
Women- honor your husband and stop nagging
Men- love your wives unconditionally and lead them in the path of righteousness
1 Peter 3:7
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
Peter tells you men that when you treat your wife in an improper way, not in accordance with the word of God, your prayers are hindered.
There are things that we are to flee from:
1 Timothy 6:11-12New King James Version (NKJV)
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Flee what things?
Back up and look at vs. 6-10
coveting after riches- flee from the love of money
Do you know how to overcome greed? Give it away.
When I begin to feel any amount of greed coming into my flesh, I begin to generously give
Do you tithe? What offering? This is on top of the tithe
Are you generous with what God has given you? Or you selfish and spend it on yourself?
We are also to flee from sexual immorality
1 Corinthians 6:18New King James Version (NKJV)
18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
It is a shame that I even have to explain what sexual immorality is:
any sex outside of the marriage covenant between a man and a woman
I hear this all the time- I am not hurting anyone. Why is this bad?
The body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit- therefore you are defiling God’s holy temple
You are also robbing yourself and that other person of their purity before God (vs.15-20)
Ex: FLEE!! I heard a sermon from a preacher that was working in an office at that time, moved his cubicle. Swim lessons
Flee idolatry
1 Corinthians 10:14New King James Version (NKJV)
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
This may seem like a non-issue to some as you view it in light of the pagan gods of Biblical times: we are not worshiping Ra or Baal, but what are you allowing first place in your heart?
Your spouse? Your children? Your job? Money? Time? Hobbies?
Jesus spoke this warning to the Ephesian church:
Revelation 2:1-5
The Ephesian church had left their first love- they had outward acts of religious service, but something had taken the place of Jesus as their first love in their hearts
This is idolatry. Jesus said He would remove their lampstand.
The first commandment is first found in Deut 6:5 and reiterated in Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30 and Luke 10:27
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind”
Here are some things to look for in your life:
a personal attachment and loyalty to Him- is He alone your source of strength and provision?
Faith as a firm, unswerving adherence to the Lord to whom we are united by a Father-child relationships.
Faithfulness to our commitment to Him. As much as God wants you to trust Him, He wants to be able to trust you
heartfelt devotion, expressed in our dedication to His righteous standards in the midst of a world that rejects Him
a desire for His presence and fellowship like that of a lovesick bride longing for the companionship of her bridegroom
REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE