WATCH OVER YOUR LIFE!
(or you will self-destruct)
Timothy 4:16 NIV
Watch your life and doctrine {beliefs} closely. Persevere in them because if you do you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Genesis 4:6-7 NLT
“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked him. “Why do you look dejected? You will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to respond the right way, WATCH OUT! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you and you must conquer it.
These warnings of Scripture ring out in my ears every day. Watch your life, Mark, Watch out! Danger, Danger, Danger! I kid you not, nothing has been more important in my life than this admonition from God to watch over my life and my beliefs. It has been so vital to my life that many years ago I wrote this warning to myself, Life is a treacherous minefield, filled with the devil’s snares! In other words, watch every step you take, watch where you’re walking in life! Have you ever seen the damage landmines can do to a person’s body? I often picture in my mind, my limbs blown off my body all because I did not watch over my life, and stepped on the devil’s landmine!
Friends, please hear me today. I have watched more people destroy their own life over my years of ministry than for any other single reason. Why?? Because they did not watch over their life with extreme vigilance!
Did you realize that God warned Cain just days before he actually killed his brother Abel? God told Cain very clearly, Watch your life. Sin is crouching waiting to attack you, you must conquer it, Cain. You can respond right and everything will be good. Cain refused to listen and his jealousy and arrogance destroyed his entire life.
Colton was a good man, he loved his family, and he worked hard. But he wasn’t vigilant and careful with his online habits. Soon his addiction to online garbage was life-controlling, it destroyed his life and his marriage. He did not watch over his life.
Samantha was a good wife, and a loving mom, but when the normal stresses of married life revealed themselves, and she tried to navigate things with her husband, instead of turning to Christ, to the Scriptures, and obedience to God’s word, she turned to online secular psychology. It destroyed her beliefs, it corrupted her perspectives and she walked away. She did not watch over her life.
Mack was a lovable, warm, kind soul of a man. He really cared about other people, his kids loved him and his faith mattered to him. He loved his food. Little by little he put on more and more weight, others tried to speak into his life, but he ignored them. He continued to eat more and more food, and suddenly one day, way too young, he died of a massive heart attack. He did not watch over his life.
Sophie was a good mom and loved her kids and family. She started spending more and more hours every day on her smartphone and social media, soon it was life controlling yet she refused to admit or subdue it. She was neglecting her family and important responsibilities. It ruined her life. She refused to see that the smartphone and social media often are as destructive to women as the smartphone and porn are destructive to men. She did not watch over her life.
Levi was eager to follow the Lord. He wanted to honor God in his life. He started out very strong, and very determined. Levi got married and built his career. There were many trials along the way, and many painful things happened. Instead of processing that pain by earnestly seeking the Lord in prayer each day and talking to God about it all, he simply became lazy, let it slide, and found temporal joy in other things. He is stuck in lukewarm Christianity. He did not watch over his life!
All of us, no matter who we are, have evil desires within us that wage a relentless battle on our souls. Yet few people seem to grasp or understand this, and few people take it with the seriousness that is required. If you do not watch over your life and beliefs you will not save yourself! You are headed for serious trouble, heartache, and pain. You will self-destruct!
Friends, I urge you to take a serious step back in your life today, and take an inventory of your life. Are your cravings under control? Are you wasting money on things you really shouldn’t because your desires are out of control? Are you watching over your thought life, and feeding righteous beliefs? Are you reinforcing the truth, meditating on the good? Are you developing and maintaining good godly habits in all aspects of your life? Has laziness developed a foothold in your life? Are your attitudes God honoring?
Always remember we have a great God who is ever willing and ready to help us in our time of need, frailty, and weakness. He sympathizes with our struggles, as he faced all of them himself. He understands our weaknesses. He is filled with mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. But we must tenaciously approach his throne of grace and get his help! We must each do our part, watching over our own lives, boldly, tenaciously asking for God’s help and grace, or we will destroy our own lives! If you do your part, God will do his part!
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling
