Epidemic: Dying On The Vine, Encouragement

EPIDEMIC: DYING ON THE VINE...THE LOST MINISTRY OF ENCOURAGEMENT?

By Wade Martin Hughes Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

WE ARE SELLING MIRACLES IN A BOX?

I was at the mall and I saw a large crowd gathered around a small booth. One person in the middle of the crowd was giving a sell's pitch. It was powerful enough to keep the crowd's interest. The person had the answer for misbehaved kids at school, for nervous adults --- THIS IS THE ITEM WE DESPERATELY NEED.

I could not wait to see this miracle power product? The lady pulled out this three pronged red item and started spinning it. SHE CALLED IT A "FIDGET!" The crowd lined up and paid $20.00 a piece for the "NEW INVENTION" that were cure all the woes of society. One would just pull out their fidget and spin and spin it. As people were leaving with their new found miracle the lady had another tool for $10.00 more. It was a small box, it had little switches and buttons to push. The switches and buttons did nothing at all, just you pushed them. So the people that had purchased the FIDGETS lined up to buy a small box to hold in your hand that you could push and it would do absolutely nothing. $30.00 to cure misbehavior and nervousness!!! Wow!!! What a good investment?

Seems many were talking about the wonders of FIDGETS and BUTTON BOXES? They were selling so fast they could not keep them in stock. Soon the wonder product was band from schools. Boys were spinner their fidgets and putting them in girls hair? What a mess to cut out? Soon the WONDER WORKING FIDGETS booth at the mall was closed and today every gas station in the area is selling the FIDGET SPINNERS for $3.99. Now, no one is carrying them. IT WAS A BOOMING FAD FOR A WHILE?

SEEMS OUR SOCIETY IS LOOKING FOR A QUICK EASY WAY TO CURE OUR WOES.

We will spend millions of exercise equipment and club memberships?

We will spend millions on sports?

We will spend millions on education and football fields and cannot afford to give teachers a raise?

We will spend millions to lose weight?

WE ARE FACING A GREAT EPIDENIC WITHIN THE HEARTS OF MANY PEOPLE TODAY.THE BIBLE HAS

WE ARE FACING A GREAT EPIDEMIC WITHIN THE HEARTS OF MANY PEOPLE. GIVEN US CLEAR WARNINGS ABOUT THIS EPIDEMIC ...

EPIDEMIC: a sudden quickly spreading occurrence of something harmful or unwanted,

a disease or sickness that spreads quickly, widespread growth or extent,

AFFECTING LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, excessive.

TODAY WE HAVE A GREAT NEED IN THE FAMILY AND IN THE CHURCH.

There is a great lacking of real encouragement...

WWJD?

WWJD? What would Jesus do?

Seems, we can all tell what Jesus would do, without doing what we know to do...

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 4:17 (NLT) Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

WE MUST IDENTY THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DIAGNOSE ( to recognize the problem, to seek the cause,) and PROGNOSIS ( an opinion how to recover, correct )---

MAY WE COME INTO AGREEMENT THAT WE MUST SEE THE NEED AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF A LACKING IN THE MINISTRY OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

We were at a funeral home for a funeral of a friend. I heard the phone ring and the funeral director came out of the office very upset. The staff gathered around him and he told them: A VERY SUCCESSFUL PASTOR at a large church in the area had committed suicide? He had been going through a battle within and he felt like a failure. As the news spread everyone was telling how wonderful this "man of God" was. No one seemed to have shared the good news with him? Seems in all the success the Pastor was discouraged...

There is a man that is under a heavy load. He has pressures at work. He does not feel well. His wife has hounded and griped at him. His kids are ungrateful and demanding more and more. His car has some mechanical issues. His dad is very sick... He needs encouragement.

There is a wonderful old lady sitting looking out her window. She has her phone in her hand. She would love to hear from her kids and grandkids. She has taught Sunday School for 50 years. She prays for her family, church and friends, she would love to hear a word of encouragement.

GOD HAS A WORD FOR US! ARE WE WILLING TO HEAR GOD'S WORDS? THE REAL QUESTION IS WILL WE RECEIVE THE CALL TO THE MINISTRY OF ENCOURAGEMENT!

Romans 14:19 (KJV) Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.