Captivator: Small: Hour Glass Of Time: Comparison

CAPTIVATOR: SMALL? THE HOUR GLASS OF TIME? COMPARISON.

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

I HAVE A CLOCK AND A LARGE HOUR GLASS. Remember: There has been a soap opera or drama that has ran for 56 seasons, since 1965. This drama is set in the town of Salem in the Midwest. LIKE THE SANDS THROUGH THE HOUR GLASS, SO ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES…

SMALL THINGS? AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER? WHAT ARE WE REALLY SAYING? MY BROTHER IS NOT MY PROBLEM…

Genesis 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

It may seem as a small issue but in God’s word it is a big issue.

1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER? DO I HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES TO LOVE HARD TO LOVE PEOPLE…CAN WE UNDERSTAND CAIN WAS UPSET OVER A SMALL ISSUE, THE OFFERING? Small things can lead to harsh words, judgmental opinions and cruel physical and spiritual death.

SMALL THINGS? DO WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE IN A CLOCK AND A HOUR GLASS?

Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

There has been a soap opera or drama that has ran for 56 seasons, since 1965. This drama is set in the town of Salem in the Midwest. LIKE THE SANDS THROUGH THE HOUR GLASS, SO ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES…

HOW CAN SMALL ISSUES CAUSE MOSES AND AARON TO LOSE THEIR FOCUS ON WHAT THE MAIN THING WAS? BY WATCHING AND LISTENING TO PEOPLE GRIPE AND COMPLAIN. THE MORE THE PEOPLE MURMURED THE MORE MOSES AND AARON LOST SIGHT OF THEIR GOAL --- this decision became very costly.

Numbers 20:2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! 4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

Our families have struggles and demands. Then there are struggles and demands on the physical and spiritual sides at church. Pleasing people at best can be difficult. Let me illustrate this. What about the temperature at church? Some like it warmer. One man complained to me: ARE YOU TRYING TO FREEZE ME TO DEATH? He did not attend church for a month. I went to his house and bowed my knees and asked him to pray for me. I explained our church has concrete floors and in the winter no matter how we heat the building the floors stay cold. Then there are people that are hot and fanning themselves? Then we have people that are cold all the time in the summer and they complain.

My FOCUS is rather simple. We have several people that have COPD and lung issues. Warm air really bothers them. The only thing I know to do is place hand fans on the pew racks. We have small lap quilts that are laying around. We set the thermostat on 72* and some fan, some use the quilt. IT IS OK! DON’T MAKE THIS THE HILL TO DIE ON…?

I knew a preacher that in great anger went and threw the air conditioner breaker and said as long as I am here we will never use the air conditioner again. This over reaction on a small thing ended within a week. Do you think there was a better solution… the enemy GLOATS over small things.

WHAT IS OUR VALUE SYSTEM? IS THIS THE HILL TO DIE ON? COULD THIS BE TRIVIAL PURSUIT?

We must be very careful to use wisdom and control our moods and emotions. So many times we REACT to negativity. We must ACT BY FAITH. We must be very careful to not make mountains out of mole hills. Watch your step, allow the Holy Spirit to help us make this a great opportunity. In the dark days we are walking through can be seasons of stupidity.

Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

STUPIDITY IS USUALLY PRETTY STUPID. Small things? Use your head not your tiredness and weariness. Make the most out of negative situations… We walk in desperate times. Usually small things can lead us to the heart of God. Small things? A friend of mine stated from the pulpit you can’t vote for Bill Clinton and be a Christian. He rented a U-Haul that week. I can take you to a father and son that will not talk to each other and unfriended each other over the Trump-Biden election. Small thing? I can tell you about a church in a holy war over the COVID VACCINE. Small thing? Several on both sides will never attend church again? IN THE LIGHT OF ETERNITY THESE SMALL ISSUES HAVE CAUSED US TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOALS BEFORE US. Small things? Heaven or Hell? I SAY PREACH THE GOSSIP, NO PREACH THE GOSPEL AND LEAVE THIS HIGHLY OPINIONATED, ASSERTIVE AND DOGMATIC OPINIONS ALONE… The enemy is disrupting the unity and love of the church over issues that bring division.