Destructive Choices !
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Statistics from US census bureau shows that between 1947 and 2020, married households have declined from almost 80% to below 50%; nonfamily households have increased from around 10 % to about 35%; and other family households from about 10% to a bit above 15%. This trend suggests an increasing breakdown in the traditional family structure, and an increase in the non-traditional family structure.
Statistics also shows that almost 21 million Americans have at least one addiction. Drug overdose deaths have more than tripled since 1990, and that more than 700,000 Americans died from overdosing on drugs between 1999 and 2017. It is also known that more than 90% of people who have an addiction started to drink alcohol or use drugs before they were 18 years old. Alcohol and drug addiction cost the U.S. economy over $600 billion every year; most of it not in treatment and rehabilitation costs, but in clearing the mess created as a result!
Worldwide, alcohol alone is the cause of 5.3% of deaths every year (just above 1 in every 20 people). This includes road and other accidents, alcohol poisoning, organ failures etc. About 300 million people throughout the world have an alcohol use disorder. On average, 30 Americans die every day in an alcohol-related car accident, and six Americans die every day from alcohol poisoning. Research shows that alcohol is killing more people than any other drug; because it is an addictive drug, but not criminalized as the others!
These figures are grim, but they also show a correlation between self destructive behavior and the progressive breakdown in the traditional family structure. Without even blinking an eye, I can point to one reason why we see all that we see. This is it:
“We have progressively become lovers of self, instead of lovers of God.”
Because of this “self-love” gospel, which some activists preach from the rooftops, many enter relationships an nonnegotiable list of what they want; instead of what God wants for them. This takes God off the throne, and places self there. Since self is imperfect, everything comes crumbling down. This creates an unstable environment for everyone, especially the young. This non-ideal environment leads to all the problems we see.
Interestingly, Paul foresaw a similar thing centuries back, and warned his protégé timothy against them.
READ 2 Timothy 3:2-5
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
(2 Timothy 3:2-5 NIV)
Clear instructions to young Timothy. Avoid the following people:
- Lovers of themselves
- Lovers of money
- Boastful
- Proud
- Abusive
- Disobedient to their parents
- Ungrateful
- Unholy
- Without love
- Unforgiving
- Slanderous
- Without self-control
- Brutal
- Not lovers of the good
- Treacherous
- Rash
- Conceited
- Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
Unfortunately, most of these have rather become the attractive qualities in relationships, and even the basis of marriages these days! Everything is turned upside down! Everything is going downhill!
But Paul said,
“Have nothing to do with such people.”
Children of God, wise up! These only bring trouble, and destroy your family! Avoid them! Don’t be unequally yoked with them!
If there is any hope to restore sanity to this world, it will have to start from the household of God; with God’s children making wise and Godly choices.
God help us
MEMORY VERSE
Have nothing to do with such people.
( 2 Timothy 3:5)
QUESTIONS
- What relationship choices are you making?
- Do you know that they can affect the well being of your family?
PRAYER TIP
Father, please help us to choose Godly people in our relationships.
CREDITS
- US CENSUS BUREAU, “Historical Households Tables,” https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/families/households.html
- US CENSUS BUREAU, “Households By Type,” https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/visualizations/time-series/demo/families-and-households/hh-1.pdf
- ADDICTION CENTER, “Statistics On Addiction In America,” https://www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/addiction-statistics/
URGENT CALL
Every soul is valuable to God, far more than the entire world! But by nature, we are all sinful, and alienated from God, and we ultimately face his wrath!
God in His mercy and love made a way for us to remedy this. He gives us a chance to reverse this downward spiral to destruction, join His family, be part of His household, and become His children.
The first step to becoming a member of God’s household is for us to be saved.
Salvation comes through accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior.
It is a very personal decision. No one can make that decision for you.
If you make that decision today, there will be great singing and rejoicing in heaven; because one new member has joined the family and household of God! A soul, much, much more valuable than the world, has been saved from destruction!
Do you want to make that decision today?
Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer”
for guidance if you want
to make that decision.
We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page, or the ones at the top of this page. Don’t delay. Make this very personal decision today!
God richly bless you
SPECIAL GRATITUDE
Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website.
We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled.
We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission; and we thank you for sticking with us through this journey.
God richly bless you.
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