108? --- What Is The Enemy Of Better?

108 --- YES 108 ... WHAT IS THE ENEMY OF BETTER?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. EVER CONSIDER WHY SOME DOORS OPEN AND SOME DOORS CLOSE?

LET US WEIGH IN ON THE SUBJECT OF OPPORTUNITIES...

Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can

shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

A. OPPORTUNITY...

--- a favorable juncture of circumstances

--- a good chance of progress or advancement

B. Biblically: Where a willing worker has made preparation, Divine timing, and meets an open

door...

II. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

WHAT REALLY MATTERS? ISSUES OF THE HEART?

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV) Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23 (MSG) Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

A. SOME DAY --- SOME DAY WILL BE YOUR DAY!

We are headed towards ETERNITY at 1440 minutes a day?

Do we live with ETERNITIES' VALUES IN VIEW?

B. 108 --- YES, I AM TOLD THAT 108 PEOPLE DIE EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY...

1440 X's 108 = 166,520 a day... When is your number coming up?

C. One day you will tie your shoes in the morning and THE UNDERTAKER will un-tie

them and you will be buried without any shoes.

D. JOY WILL KEEP YOU SWEET...

TRIALS WILL MAKE YOU STRONGER...

SORROW WILL KEEP YOU HUMAN...

SUFFERING WILL BE THE THORN THAT KEEPS YOU IN LINE...

FAILURES WILL KEEP YOU HUMBLE...

BUT IT IS GOD THAT KEEPS US GOING...

E. As a whole women tend to live longer than men?

Little girls start out playing with baby dolls...

If you live long enough you will return to holding on to a baby doll.

III. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF STARTERS... BEGINNERS ...

LIFE SELDOM TEACHES THE BEAUTY OF THE FINISHER...

A. HOW MANY START IN SCHOOL?

HOW MANY FINISH HIGH SCHOOL?

HOW MANY COMPLETE COLLEGE?

HOW MANY GO TO SCHOOL AND REFUSE TO LEARN?

B. Do you know the ENEMY OF BETTER?

I have lived long enough that I can identify the ENEMY OF BETTER...

THE ENEMY OF GETTING BETTER IS GETTING GOOD --- THEN STAYING THE SAME...

How many people get GOOD at something and then they never IMPROVE?

C. WHO WAS ARCHIPPUS?

What was his work?

Paul is closing out HIS LETTER TO THE COLOSSIAN CHURCH ---

The Holy Spirit reminds Paul to say: something important to us...

Colossians 4:17 (KJV) And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received

in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17 (NIV) Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received in

the Lord."

Colossians 4:17 (MSG) And, oh, yes, tell Archippus, "Do your best in the job you received from the

Master. Do your very best."

Colossians 4:17 (NLT) And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”

IV. SIR, I HAVE ALWAYS MISSED MY OPPORTUNITY... 38 YEARS I HAVE MISSED IT...

THE ANGEL COMES ---HE TROUBLES THE WATER...

A. THE MAN HAS AN EXCUSE --- Probably a good excuse...

I HAVE NO ONE TO HELP ME...

B. JESUS ASK THE MAN THAT HAD BEEN SICK 38 YEARS ---

WILT THOU BE MADE WHOLE? WHAT DO YOU WANT?

John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue

Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered,

waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and

troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole

of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight

years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith

unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when

the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down

before me.

C. Today the opportunity HAS COME TO YOU!

You can go home WELL, WHOLE --- IN JESUS NAME...

AFTER 38 YEARS THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY OF HOPE...

V. GOD OPENS AND CLOSES DOORS... WE MUST EVALUATE EACH CASE.

MAKE THE BEST OUT OF EACH OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE...