Author: Sue Wilson

When God told Lot and his family to leave Sodom ….. He said ‘Run and don’t look back!’ Unfortuneately ….. Lot’s wife couldn’t resist looking back at the city that had become her home. Maybe she was thinking about the friends she’d made ….. or the security she was leaving behind. Her curiosity made her lag behind her husband and daughters and she was caught up in the fire and brimstone raining down on the city. A harsh lesson but one to learn from. Looking back  ….. whether with regret ….. or longing is never a good idea. It’s called the past because it has passed! When God is taking you on to something new ….. run toward it and don’t look back! 

When given the choice between 2 options ….. how do you decide which to take? Abraham and his nephew Lot needed to separate because the land couldn’t contain their flocks. Abraham graciously gave Lot the choice of where to go and settle. Lot chose the way that looked best and was closest to a city. Unfortunately ….. that city was Sodom! His choice led to disaster and a downhill spiral. Lessons to be learned from this are that the way that looks best isn’t necessarily the best ….. and ….. always pray before choosing! ‘There’s is a way that seems right ….. but it may lead to death’.

What do you fear most? Disease ….. lack ….. rejection ….. loneliness? Fear is one of the enemy’s most powerful weapons. Once it takes hold ….. it cripples us and dictates the way we live. It makes us defensive in order to avoid what we fear. God understands our fears but He doesn’t want us to live that way. There are 366 ‘Fear nots’ in the Bible! Abraham was a man of great faith but he still had fears. God addressed them in a dream. First He told him ‘Fear not! I am your shield!’ God protects those who trust in Him from danger ….. attack ….. sickness ….. and whatever else the devil throws at us. Next He said ‘I am your great reward!’ Abraham had refused to take loot from his enemies which could have come in handy in the future ….. but God saw his sacrifice and promised to take care of him in every way. Probably his biggest fear was that he had no son or heir ….. but God assured him He would take care of that too! Whatever fear you may have ….. there’s a ‘fear not’ for you in the Bible! 

Everything has a beginning ….. except God! That’s a hard concept to grasp but He has no beginning. He just always was! He created the universe out of nothing! Another challenge for our brains! Men and women have created some amazing things from the wheel to our modern day technology ….. but they always had something to start with. God made the first matter out of which He created the Universe. At first it was formless and empty so He turned the chaos into cosmos with order and boundaries. Then He filled it with life! He filled the heavens with the sun, moon and stars ….. the sea and skies with fish and bird life ….. the dry land with animals and ….. finally with mankind ….. his crowning glory! Many would want to believe it all just happened without any intelligence or design. But our world is full of design. You were designed uniquely and for a purpose. If we didn’t believe that ….. we would live as though we were here by chance or by accident. God formed you in His image ….. and filled you with dreams ….. talents ….. and personality to fulfil His purpose. Your life is precious! 

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