THE TRAP OF WAITING… DENIAL, HIDDEN SNARES
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I have a large rat trap. (I release the spring, so it does not go off.)
Text: Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
WE KNOW WE ARE HEADED TOWARD DEATH AT 1440 MINUTES A DAY? BUT WE LIVE LIKE WE HAVE FOREVER?
As humans we seem to forget we are going to die. We tend to forget the judgment is coming. DEATH is not the end, it is the beginning. We will live again for eternity? Let us study this question: We have known hard, difficult days but we must stay focused and keep living with trust and hope? Our life is waiting for the final change.
There is a great danger that while we wait for our change that we will stay the same. Look to the 10 virgins… all 10 were virgins, but 5 missed the purpose of waiting. Their oil was gone. Their light faded. The waiting game found them PASSIVE, UNPREPARED, not alert, not expecting, doing their own thing. Life lost its purpose. For the 5 foolish, THEY LOST THEIR SIGHT OF THE GOAL. They knew better. Somehow THE MAIN THING became secondary. WHILE WAITING FOR THEIR CHANGE TO COME TRIVAL PURSUIT dominated their time.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
LIFE BECOMES A RUT… WE LOSE OUR JOY OF DAILY LIVING. WE THINK WE CAN CHANGE? WE WAIT FOR OUR CHANGE? WE REFUSE TO CHANGE. WE STAY TRAPPED AND WE PASSIVELY WAIT FOR OUR CHANGE. GROW UP.
We fall into a monotonous routine. We see the obstacles and problems and lose sight of the goals. We are HABITUAL CREATURES. Then the pathway is filled with ruts and we become so FIXED and trapped … A RUT IS BUT AN OPEN ENDED GRAVE.
1. A thousand mile journey starts with one step. You can achieve large things by taking one step and then another.
2. If you grow and develop in God’s purpose and plan you will have to release and let go of what is in your hand and mind.
3. To step up and climb the spiritual ladder each run will REQUIRE A DIFFERENT YOU. Real growth comes as you submit to PRIORITIZE YOUR VALUE SYSTEM. Keep your goals in clear view.
4. Do you really believe you can change? Hope, you must have hope and trust.
5. To change you must know FRUSTRATION and DISAPPOINTMENT in others and yourself are part of the journey. BE READY! Never doubt in darkness what God says in the LIGHT!
6. You must EVALUATE your daily attitudes, words, and actions. Do you hold yourself accountable?
As a student receives a report card that measures what they do? It also measures what they didn’t do but should have done? Measure your prayer time? Bible reading? Bible study?
ONLY YOU CAN CHANGE YOU… TONY DUNGY WAS A PLAYER AND LATER A HEAD COACH IN THE NFL.
Dungy penned these words: SEEMS YOU CONTROL YOUR CHOICES AND DECISIONS UNTIL YOU MAKE THEM, THEN YOUR CHOICES AND DECISIONS CONTROL YOU.
I heard of a mountain man that raised chickens and sold eggs. Seems something or someone was stealing his chickens on the average of two a week. This was part of their income. So the old man set a trap. He rigged up his shot gun with rock salt and then ran a string through some pulleys and tied the string to the door. Now all he had to do was wait.
That night the farmer heard his chickens making terrible noises. He thought now I have the thief. He grabbed the flashlight and ran to the hen house. He jerked open the door and he shot himself with rock salt. His skin was irritated for several weeks. Seems he forgot the trap and caught himself?
I think human beings are the only varmints that can build a trap, set the trap and then turn around and put their own head in the trap? Can we change?
GOD WARNED HIS PEOPLE ABOUT SELF SET TRAPS… THAT WOULD COME FROM A LACK OF OBEDIENCE.
God clearly warned His people to utterly destroy the people in the Promise Land. If they did not obey the voice of the Lord the people that would remain in the land would be a “TRAP OR SNARE” to them. We find that a “snare” was often used as “PUNISHMENT.” A snare or trap could be a “TEMPTATION.”
Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
DENIAL? WE LIVE IN A DAY THAT WE TEND TO DENY WHERE WE REALLY ARE? HAVE YOU EVER HONESTLY HELD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE? HAVE YOU EVER EVALUATED YOU MENIAL DAILY LIFE TO IDENTIFY WHAT RUTS AND TRAPS AND HABITS YOU HAVE FALLEN INTO? HOW CAN YOU CHANGE WITHOUT A PLAN OF ACTION? COA vs DOA?
Do you have a Course of Action? (COA) If not YOU WILL HAVE (DOA) DEATH ON ARRIVAL.
INTENTIONAL: aim, goal, done by design, deliberate, conscious, on purpose, voluntary, set you mind to do, to pay attention, premeditated.
ACCIDENTAL: unexpected, chance, carelessness, no plans.
WE ARE LIVING IN PERILOUS, HARD, DIFFICULT TIMES… WE NEED TO CHANGE! WE HAVE TO CHANGE! DEBT IS KILLING THE USA AND HEALTHY FAMILIES. Check advances? Rental centers? Living above our means? I want it now? ANXIETY? PANIC ATTACKS? WORRY? FEAR? NO JOY? SUFFERING?
CONCLUSION: DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE? WHEN DO YOU PLAN ON EARNESTLY DEVELOPING A PLAN TO CHANGE? Are you in a predictable thinking and reacting pattern? My message cannot or will not get you to change and grow. Only the voice of the Holy Spirit can make you hear: YOU MUST CHANGE OR PAY DEARLY? CAN WE AFFORD TO NOT CHANGE? If you continue to do things the same old way, you will continue to get the same results. If you plant anger and poison ivy do not expect strawberries.
How many people will waste the stimulus check on toys and games and not pay their bills? Spiritual blindness may develop into the blind leading the blind and everyone will end up in the ditch?
Do you see these RUT SIGNS: 1. Do you live in fear, worry, and panic? 2. Do you gripe, complain, fuss, nag and always tired? 3. Have you lost your JOY IN DAILY MENIAL CHORES? 4. Have you lost your hope and dreaming ability? Is everything negative, doom and gloom? 5. Are you angry all the time? Do you refuse to forgive and hold grudges? 6. Do you always feel so alone? Jesus promised you are never alone? 7. Are you trapped in the same rut, circular motions? 8. Do you refuse to read, study and dig new wells of cool water? Or have you developed a taste for stagnate water?
Just imagine Biblical people trapped in “THE RUT:” Samson? Children of Israel 40 years? Esau’s hatred? You can change if you want to change! GET UP! REACH UP! RELEASE THE NEW KIND PERSON GOD HAS DESIGNED YOU TO BE. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO CHANGE?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Please, enlarge my hands and pass this on to others?
