Dharius Daniels - 6 Traits of Toxic People - Part 1

It’s going to take me several weeks to finish this series of sermons called «Red Flags,» which is a series on biblical discernment. However, it’s going to take me two weeks just to finish this first sermon, so don’t get nervous when you only get half the points today. All right? I’m talking from this subject: «Family, Six Traits of Toxic People.» I need you to clap your hands better than that at every location. Six traits of toxic people. Family, I want to ease into this introduction with an axiom that I was exposed to several years ago, and it resonates with me to this day. For my note-takers, here it is: You are born looking like your parents, but you die looking like your decisions. We are born looking like our parents, but we die looking like our decisions. I’m simply suggesting, family, that the course and quality of our life is largely impacted by the decisions that we make. One of the greatest gifts that God has given the human species is the gift of choice. The Bible clearly states in the Book of Genesis, when He creates Adam and Eve, that in that creation, He gives them the freedom and flexibility to exercise something called free will. Yes, sir! Where is that, Pastor? It’s right in the scripture where He tells them, «Out of all the trees in the garden, you may freely eat, except for one.» But He did not infringe upon their right to choose because the course and quality of our life is determined by the decisions that we make. They are the way in which we co-create the life that God intended for us to live. God wants us to choose right, which leads us into making right choices, but He won’t force us to choose right. Pastor, how do you know this? I eavesdropped on a conversation that Moses was having with Israel in the Book of Deuteronomy, and he says in Deuteronomy chapter 30, verse 19, «This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you; I have set before you life and death, come on, Church, blessing and cursing. Now what does He tell them? Now choose life.» Why? «So that you and your children will live,» because your decisions have implications beyond one generation. Are you hearing what I’m saying? All of our decisions are important, but not all decisions are equally important. You made a decision today regarding what you were going to wear to church, but am I making sense here? That’s important, but it’s not as important as a decision such as who you choose to say, «I do» to. All decisions are important, but not all decisions are equally important, and decisions in every season matter, but decisions in certain seasons are particularly important. Sometimes you hit a season that will shift other seasons. Y’all missed it! I said sometimes we hit a season that will shift some seasons, and I want to know, am I talking to anybody that senses you’re in a shifting season right now? I can just sense it, Pastor! I’m not playing any games; I’m more focused than I’ve ever been. My tolerance for dysfunction is lower than it’s ever been, and my willingness to waste time has decreased drastically. I just sense I’m in a season where God is playing no games with me, and I’m playing no games with Him. I’m in a season that’s about to shift some things for me; it’s about to shift some things for my family, and it’s about to shift some things for some generations! So in those kinds of seasons, those seasons must be stewarded with choices because one of the greatest gifts God has given us is the gift of choice. This is why, when it comes to something as important and imperative as decision-making, we cannot be elementary in our understanding of it. If there’s anything we need to get right, we need to get this right. It doesn’t mean we’ll do it perfectly, but we need to do it progressively better. Why? Because the course and quality of my life is greatly determined by the course and quality of my decisions. This is why I need something that most people underestimate when it comes to making good decisions. I need, come here, Church, discernment. Did you hear what I just said? I said I need discernment. Pastor, what do you mean when you say I need discernment? Listen to me, family, I want to be clear, so let me give you this definition: biblical discernment is the God-given ability to assess the true nature, listen to this, of an individual or an opportunity. Stop! Did you read what I just read? Okay, notice it is the God-given ability. So, watch this. When I say discernment, now I’m not talking about common sense; I’m not talking about street smarts. Watch this: I am not talking about cynicism and skepticism that many people call discernment. See, when I—did you hear what I just said? See, cynicism and skepticism come from your scars; they don’t come from the Spirit. It gives us a predisposition toward suspicion, waiting on someone to do something wrong. Are you here? Yeah? So, no, no, no. This is why I said biblical discernment is a God-given ability to—so this means what I’m using to assess something is God-given. Give me my definition back! It is the God-given ability to assess, listen to this, the true nature, the true nature of an individual. Pastor, that’s judgment. No, that’s assessment! Let me go over here—I’m about to run to New Jersey! I need somebody’s amens! The true nature…