Recognizing Red Flags

RECOGNIZE THE RED FLAGS #2

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

DO WE UNDERSTAND RED FLAGS?

A. IN MY MINISTRY I WORKED WITH A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY, THAT DID NOT HAVE

A LOT OF SELF-CONFIDENCE. She dated a few fellows, but never a long term relationship.

I knew her several years. She was a great worker with children at church. She taught Sunday

School class and did children's church. The kids loved her and her ministry thrived. It was great

to watch her develop. She longed for a boyfriend so bad. After several years. I thought she was

called into missions or full time children's ministry.

She met a "baser sort" of man, he seldom attended church except to please her. They dated.

She was so serious about him. Her mother had bad feelings and talked to her, she felt he was

not the right man to marry her daughter. RED FLAG. The mother had a heart to heart discussion,

BEWARE!

A lady from the church had prayed and prayed and felt impressed to talk to her. The lady took her

to lunch and said: I SEE RED FLAGS. The girl listened but she continued dating.

I rarely discuss certain areas, but the girl was like my daughter and I decided to talk to her.

I told her I had seen her missing more church to be with her fellow. I also saw some dangerous

and bad attitudes in this man. She listened but the trap seemed to be set.

I married her to this man even though the RED FLAGS WERE ALL AROUND.

So the faithful lady quit teaching children. They were completely out of church. I would visit

and pray with her. Before long a child was born, they were fussing all the time. He would not

hold down a job. He drank and liked to party. Every time I saw her, she was crying. Another child

came. The man was seldom home and his drinking increased. He beat her and would say he was sorry.

He moved her away to get her away from her family.

The man left her and had several affairs. It was all her fault. She called me late one night?

She saw the red flags, she refused to pay attention.

Several friends warned her, she refused to listen. Now many years later, he comes home a while,

but he is gone more than he is home. The children are teenagers with no dad. She never attends

church.

RED FLAGS ARE SERIOUS ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE HEEDED.

WHAT IS A RED FLAG?

A. RED FLAG:

A warning sign, a sign that there are problems that should be noticed and dealt with...

Something that ATTRACKS USUALLY IRRITATED ATTENTION...

B. A wake up call...

C. God is watching Jupiter for a pillow, a angel choir for a lullaby, the moon is his night light,

He don't ever sleep, HE IS BUSY WATCHING OVER HIS CREATION...

He rules the universe... but he watches over HIS PEOPLE.

CAN WE SEE THE RED FLAGS IN THE CHURCH TODAY?

21 CLEAR SIGNS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED FACTS IN TODAY'S SOCIETY AND CHURCH.

BEWARE: SIGNS OF THE TIMES ARE EVERYWHERE...

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers

of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that

are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of

godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep

into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1. PERILOUS: possibility of death, danger, hurt, bad, unpleasant,hazardous, dangerous, risky, unhealthy,

unsafe.

2. LOVE SELF: self-focused, selfish, self-centered,

3. COVETOUS: desire, want more than you have, lust, wish

4. BOASTERS: brag, to state too much pride in self and what you have done, to lift you up and

thus put others down, to be puffed up, demand attention.

5. PROUD: very happy and pleased with self, attitude that you are more important and better than...

excessive self esteem, superior

6. BLASPHEMERS: to show a lack of respect for others and God, irreverence,

7. DISOBEDIENT TO AUTHORITY: (parents) to fail to obey rules and authority, mock, rebel...

8. UNTHANKFUL: not grateful, demanding, entitlement,owe me

9. UNHOLY: no respect for God or religion, working together for a bad purpose, bad, to show disregard

for what is holy.

10. WITHOUT NATURUAL AFFECTION: To make choices that are against the laws of nature, to love

the things that not based on a sense of right or wrong.