Dangerous Intersections Of Life

DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS OF LIFE

By

Jerry Falwell

INTRODUCTION

Today, I am looking at the dangerous intersections in our life that affect the rest of our life. These can be a crossroad, blind intersection, fork, traffic circle, or an intersection with multiple streets.

Characteristics of dangerous intersections:

1. We are faced with a crisis, decision, or an experience that will affect the rest of our life.

2. A crucial time of God’s dealing with us.

3. Our future is on the line.

4. The way we cross dangerous intersections becomes an “indicator” of how we handle danger for the rest of our life.

5. At the end of life, we can usually trace the success or failure of our life back to that one point in time.

EVERYONE HAS A DANGEROUS CROSSROAD, WE ALL HANDLE IT DIFFERENTLY

WRECK: total loss (insurance says it’s not worth fixing)

ACCIDENT: a fender-bender can be repaired.

SAFE CROSSING: the other side of danger is a new level of service.

First: Wreck--total loss (insurance says not worth fixing)

1. Some people miserably fail. They destroy their life.

They deny God.

They fight God.

They rebel against God.

They run from God.

2. Saul’s early advantages in serving God.

Saul prophesied with the prophets. When they looked for him he was humble, hiding in the baggage. Early in his reign he won several battles and wanted God’s blessing before battles and wanted to worship the Lord.

3. Saul’s self-will.

He waited seven days for Samuel and then intruded into the priest office and sacrificed to God. Samuel told him, “Thou hast done foolishly. Thou hast not kept the commandments of the Lord” (I Samuel 13:13).

4. Saul’s incomplete obedience.

God told him to completely destroy the Amalekites, but Saul saved Agag the king, and the best spoils as a reward. God told him, “Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord” (I Samuel 15:19).

5. God’s reason for judgment.

“Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice” (I Samuel 15:22).

Results of Saul’s wrecking his life:

a. God appointed young sixteen year old David.

b. The Spirit of God left Saul.

c. He became a neurotic, persecute by an evil spirit, i.e. demons.

d. Misdirected: spent sixteen years chasing David, rather than fighting the Philistines.

e. Consulted with a witch for the future rather than praying to God. He tried to kill his son.

f. Defeated in battle. His son is killed and he and committed suicide.

6. Good news:

The Lord is a God of the second chance. “He will restore the years the locust hath eaten” (Joel 2:25).

Second: Accident--fender bender

Some decisions limit what we can do in life. We never do all we were supposed to do because of one bad decision. We have an accident, but the car never runs properly.

1. Demas made a bad decision.

“For Demas hath forsaken me, for having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessolonica” (II Timothy 4:10)

Demas was originally in good favor with Paul. Paul spoke well of him. “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you” (Colossians 4:14). “There salute thee Epaphras, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas” (Philemon 24)

2. What did Demas have going for him?

a. Demas had good friends, Mark, Luke, and the other disciples of Paul.

b. Demas had a good environment, he was with Paul as a companion.

c. Demas was counted as a disciple.

d. Demas had a good mentor, Paul.

e. Demas had a good message. He was sent to preach the gospel.

f. Demas had a good goal, Paul expected much of him but in the time of crisis when Paul needed him.

g. Demas left him because, “having loved this present world” (II Timothy 4:10)

3. Characteristics of his bad decision:

a. Untimely decision, because Paul needed him.

b. Wrong decision, because it was for the world.

c. Wrongly motivated decision, because he had the wrong love.

Third: Safe Crossing

Certain men come to dangerous intersections in their life, and make a decision that determines their whole life. Let me tell you about these intersections.

1. We usually face more than one in our lifetime. Life is choice, we will always have to make good choices, in the first quarter and in the last quarter.

2. There are excruciating and extremely difficult decisions. Good decisions are never easy.

3. Usually there are some dangers on both sides, and so look out for the warnings with every decision.

4. We do not always understanding the eternal implications of a decision.

5. We usually have to climb over a barrier to make a good decision.