Ruin © 2015 MOAMFJ All rights reserved
Ruins Standing on a site containing an excavated ruin what do you see?
Ruins Something that once existed but today is no more. Something built for a specific purpose that it cannot fulfill today. Something that has been abandoned to time and chance.
Are you ruined?
Does a ruin place exist in your life?
Objective In this study we will explore the process leading to ruin
The length of the process varies but the events leading to ruin are the same
Disaster does not come from drastic, tragic, external circumstances
It comes from internal factors such as decay, neglect and poor estimates
Contrary to popular thought No one forces you to ruin but one’s own actions can undermine one’s life resulting in ruin
Internal responses to external pressures is the key to life or ruin
Blaming external pressures while excusing personal choices is easy External pressures can accelerate ruin but in themselves do not cause ruin
So what causes ruin?
Decay Galatians 6:7,8 Frequent, constant, habitual nurture of the sinful,
carnal nature will eventually lead to ruin Over time ruin comes to those who develop their
carnal, sinful natures
Galatians 6:9
Daily people make choices. Some good, others leading to evil. Good intentions is not relevant here. If the choice was good, good is harvested. If the choice was evil, ruin comes. Noble intentions do not alter the process.
So with the best intentions in the world, ruin can follow
Neglect ď‚— When a person becomes weary of doing good they
may compromise values and beliefs resulting in their abandonment of a good project
The project being abandoned may be a life, marriage, child, ministry etc.
Weariness can cause a person to abandon a good project
When good investments are no longer made in a project, it stagnates and eventually becomes vulnerable to time and chance
Neglect is the product of a lack of preparation
Luke 18:1
When people take actions but neglect to carry sufficient resources for the journey, they are likely to faint along the way Mark 8:1-3
Life is full of disappointments and failures. Don’t take this to heart. Weariness is inevitable. But persistence always wins.
Poor estimates Failure to evaluate costs can also cause a person to
abandon a good project Premature abandonment of a project is a product of
a lack of preparation Luke 14:28-30
3 factors in the process of ruin are: Moral, spiritual decay Neglect due to weariness Failure to evaluate costs
Summary Lives are ruined when individuals develop their carnal, sinful natures Corrupt thoughts fed by sight, hearing, corrupt practices of associates, poor examples of role models, or continuing in the sins of the ancestors lead to the development of sinful desires Ruin also comes from a failure to be prepared for life
According to Galatians 6:7 God is vindicated. The law of sowing and reaping applies to all
Those who met the demands of the sinful nature reap ruin over time
Those who sow in the field of the Spirit reap life (Galatians 6:8)
Those attempting to sow in the field of the Spirit must reinforce their efforts with persistent prayer
Luke 18:1-8
Faith stimulates prayer