Warnings protect us in some capacity throughout our lives. You may recall a significant warning in your life that you failed to heed and learned a lesson the hard way. I remember receiving cautions, not taking them seriously, and suffering the consequences. You may have had a similar experience. The Bible contains warnings, and we get a head’s up by reading God’s word. We can avoid the consequences of wrong actions when we heed the warnings.
The Lord Warns Us Because He loves Us
The first warning in the Bible was in Genesis 2:15-17. 15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” [1]
God warned Adam to protect him from dangers he did not yet understand. God often gives warnings that require us to trust Him without a detailed explanation. Trust in the Lord requires walking by faith, not sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7For we live by believing and not by seeing.[2]
On their way to the Mount of Olives, Jesus warned His disciples of upcoming events. Mark 14:27 On the way, Jesus told them, “All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ [3]
The disciples knew Jesus well; He understood what was ahead and wanted to give them insight into future events. Like many of us, the disciples failed to heed a warning from the Lord.
Warnings Help You Fulfill God’s Plan for Your Life
Have you ever experienced a warning from the Holy Spirit? If you have, you are not alone. Sometimes people warn us, and other times God Himself warns us through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Lord has a plan for our life and, like a good parent, guides, directs, and warnings protect us and keep us on the right track.
When we follow the Lord’s guidance, He enables us to move through life to be at the right place at the right time. Other times the Lord gives warnings because we are walking away from Him, and He wants all people to receive salvation. A friend experienced a dream about hell because this would be his eternal destination if he did not change. In God’s mercy, He used this dream to get his attention, significantly influencing Him to ask Jesus into His heart as his Savior.
If you have never placed your faith in Jesus as your Savior, the Lord is reaching out to you today.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I’ve kept you out of my life for too long. I know that I am a sinner and cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith, I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are valid. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. Amen.[4]
To hear how the Lord’s warnings protect us, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/mark-gods-will-not-mine
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.
[4] https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/the-sinners-prayer-4-examples.html