The Ultimate Ride: Transforming Your Life & Family
“Dangers That Will Destroy Your Family”
Today, we continue our series. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve focused on the things that we must do to transform our families into all that God intends them to be. This is a critical area that we must all focus on if we are to experience the lives that God wants for us. We started the series by talking about leaving a legacy. We then discussed the mistakes we sometimes make.
Over the last three weeks, we’ve focused on the things that we must do correctly in our lives. Today, however, we’re going to talk about the dangers that lurk around every corner as we endeavor to do the right things in life.
Before I share with you some of the dangers that can destroy a family – I’d first like to preface all of these “Dangers” with one Guiding Principle…And it’s this:
“Any sin, if left unchecked, will grow worse and worse!”
II Timothy 3:13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
The POINT IS: “Any sin, if left unchecked, will grow worse and worse!” BUT NOTICE the life-changing phrase in this Guiding Principle – “IF left unchecked” SO, today, as your pastor, I want to share with you some of these Dangers that can Damage your family so that you can safeguard yourself and keep your life in-check!
And, as we’ve been doing over the past few weeks, we have a car that illustrates our point. Today, we have a race car. And not just any race car, Jimmie Johnson’s race car. Two-time Nextel Cup champion.
Four Dangers that Will Destroy Your Family
Danger #1 – Disrespect
This occurs when you do not consider your spouse as valuable.
Remember this: You will respect what you value!
You value God – you’ll worship Him.
You value your spouse – you’ll be concerned with his/her emotions.
You should value your spouse – and every life – the way God values them:
Psa. 139:13-18 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.
Notice a few things about this passage:
1. God created every person.
2. God cares about every person.
3. God finds immeasurable joy in reflecting on every person.
So, for you to Disrespect a family member is to devalue a creation of God!
Danger #2 – Apathy
Meaning, we make sure every other “need” in life is addressed and/or repaired immediately, but not our families. In other words, ignoring problem
I mean, if something breaks down, we are quick to respond to it.
For example, if our cell phone breaks or our internet goes out, we are always quick to get on the phone, call customer service and get it fixed.
We do the same thing with car repairs, house repairs, etc . . .
Life is so complex that we miss the important things in our families.
BUT, when it comes to our family, we simply conclude, “Oh, well, there’s not really a problem” OR, “It will fix itself!” Problems then stack up, get out of control and can result in depression.
Ephesians 5:21-25 …submitting to one another in the fear of God. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
The word “submit” connotes the willingness to place oneself under another’s protection. And husbands should have the very love of God so as not to abuse the ones to whom is to protect!
Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. The love of God compels you to provide for them. So today, with God’s help, awaken from your apathy.
Danger #3 – Selfishness
This is the heart that believes that all of life and family ought to revolve around you.
Here are some very basic indicators to see how far along you are in this area:
1. Do you ask “How did your day go today?”
2. Do all the weekend, holiday, family plans revolve around your interests?
3. Could you recite the major activities that your family has been involved in this week?
4. Do you know what new interests, books, friends your children have learned or met this month?
5. Are you concerned with how your family makes you look?
On the contrary, John 13:12-17 says that we ought not to be selfish, but we ought to serve each other: So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
The most unselfish thing one can do for his/her family is to remain faithful to their marital vows. Satan is working overtime to destroy families by placing temptation in front of us in this area.
The essence of selfishness is placing my wants and desires above the needs of my family or the principles from Scripture.
And the fourth danger is like fuel to the fire…
Danger #4 – Pride
This is where you think more highly of yourself than you really are.
You are fallen. Make mistakes. We all do.
But it is when we think we are always right, always smarter, wiser, and in no need of counsel is when God will say “enough!”
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 16:18-19 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
I Peter 5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
My Friend, No one begins their marriage on their wedding night by turning to each other and saying, “Hey, let’s have a disaster of a marriage?” or “What do you say we do all we can to demolish any hope of having a happy marriage?” “Let’s try our best to make sure our family fails!”
So, IF no one plans on destroying their family, why does it still happen?? Answer: Sin makes us delusional to the truth and the danger we are really in!
Because people are more focused on building themselves up rather than investing themselves in others. The true calling should be to cultivate a humble spirit! In other words, it’s always LESS OF ME and MORE OF CHRIST!
Sin, if left unchecked, will bring about a delusion that ‘everything is ok’ and/or ‘I have heard that other marriages usually break up because of these problems, but not mine!”
The dangers that are so prevalent today in our families must be dealt with and overcome. We cannot allow Satan to use his backhanded, sneaky ways to destroy our families. Your family is your most prized possession. Far greater than any house, jewelry or car. And we must do everything we can to ensure its health and protection.
Avoid the dangers and enjoy the promise that God gives.
This car is inherently dangerous to drive, but every precaution and safety feature as been made available for the car and the driver: roll bars, helmet, fire proof suit, etc.
Well, there are inherent dangers in raising a family today, but God has made available to all of you the necessary equipment to navigate it safely.
“Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” Through God you can overcome anything Satan brings your way.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
