FLIRTING WITH DISASTER
TEXT: HEBREWS 10:31
INTRODUCTION: Disasters happen every day it seems in this age we live in. We read of school children being murdered by some lunatic.
An earthquake that has devastated homes and lives that are lost.
Floods that seem commonplace any more.
Huricanes, Tornadoes.
It seems like disasters are all around us. But the greatest disaster that is taking place today in the lives of us that name the Name of Jesus is we are flirting with spiritual disaster.
We are seeing in our society today the effects of a generation that has grown up without spiritual guidance.
We are seeing the effects in our churches today, of parents who come to church and listen to the preaching, but then go home and call the preacher and God a liar by saying it’s OK to do what God says is sin. And then when one of the kids does something wrong, they are devastated, “How could this have happened?”
We are seeing the effects of disasters that happen when marriages are allowed to disintegrate because of the selfishness of one or both people. And this happens because of a spiritual disaster. If the home is a place where God is honored and loved, marriages stay strong. When you put “me first” you are doing the opposite of what God calls us to do and that is to put others first, especially our spouses.
You can not be right spiritually with God if you are not right with your husband or wife. IT IS IMMPOSSIBLE!!!! Don’t tell me every things all right between you and God if every things not alright between you and your mate.
This is not a message on marriage but the things I’m preaching about tonight are reasons that marriages are not strong, and the reason our churches are not strong is because many marriages in churches are not strong. AND WE ARE HEADED FOR SPIRITUAL DISASTER IF OUR CHURCH IS NOT STRONG!!!!
We are flirting with spiritual disaster in our homes and in our lives because of
I. THE UNREAD BOOK
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
See the reason we don’t want to read and study God’s Word is because it shines on the darkness in our lives, that pet sin or sins that we a have are revealed and we don’t like that.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Psa 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
This is the reason we stubbing or toes, breaking a leg, or falling off a cliff. The Word of God is not lighting our way in our lives. We are walking in darkness.
This is what the Word should mean to us; Psa 119:1 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
Psa 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
Psa 119:3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
Psa 119:4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
Psa 119:5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
Psa 119:6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
Psa 119:7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
Psa 119:8 I will keep thy statutes:
Do you really realize that people in other countries are put to death because they have copy’s of God’s Word.
When the Word becomes that precious to us then maybe we’ll see revival, and homes that are strong and full of love.
I. THE UNREAD BOOK
II. THE UNATTENED CHURCH
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
I just talked about this Sunday night. Church is a place that we come to lift others up, and to be lifted up ourselves.
A place where we come to worship God and draw closer to Him. Again this is a command not a suggestion!
We can come up with many excuses for not being in church but try telling God your excuse and see how good it is.
Some don’t come because they don’t feel comfortable being preached to. They want their ears tickled. IN MANY CHURCHES THERE ARE NO RULES. THAT MEANS THAT THERE IS NO PREACHING GOING ON!!!!
2 Tim 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Tim 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2 Tim 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Tim 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. We need old fashioned preaching in our nation again!!!
I. THE UNREAD BOOK
II. THE UNATTENDED CHURCH
III. THE UNBOWED KNEES
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1 John 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Sometimes we ask for the wrong reasons
James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
We think because we prayed once and didn’t get an answer that God didn’t care.
James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
1 Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
Who do we pray for?
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another,
1 Sam 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
Even our enemies!
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
I. THE UNREAD BOOK
II. THE UNATTENDED CHURCH
III. THE UNBOWED KNEES
IV. THE UNGIVING HEART
Acts 20:35 I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Mal 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
If this church goes under missionaries will suffer, a light will go out in this community and darkness will get a stronger hold.
I. THE UNREAD BOOK
II. THE UNATTENDED CHURCH
III. THE UNBOWED KNEES
IV. THE UNGIVING HEART
V. THE UNTOLD TESTAMONY
Ezek 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Ezek 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
Ezek 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
VI. THE UNSHARED LOVE
1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Why is there envy, jealousy, in our church. Why do we hold grudges? Why do we love those in the world more than those in the church?
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Why are marriages failing? Because love is dead in some marriages.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Prov 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Prov 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
Prov 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
VII. THE UNBRIDALED TONGUE
James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
James 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
James 3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
James 3:4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
James 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
James 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
James 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
VIII. THE UNACCEPTED SALVATION
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Prov 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
