Focal Point: Arise! Get Up!

THE FOCAL POINT: ARISE --- THERE IS A TIME TO GET UP ----

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

I do this in two parts.

I went to Lowes and bought a PLUMMET, or a PLUMBLINE. I hold the

plumb line and tell how important a plumb line is as one starts to build.

A GREAT WORK CAN START WITH A SMALL TOOL CALLED A PLUMMET, OR PLUMB LINE, PLUMB BOB. We need a process to establish the FOCAL POINT.

A plumb line drops or falls perpendicularly.

To make a straight line.

I. INTRODUCTION:

GOD CARES FOR PEOPLE THROUGH PEOPLE!

A. Great people’s vision see beyond what things are ...

THEY SEE INTO THE REALM OF POSSIBILIES.

B. Poor vision looks back --- GOOD VISION DREAMS WHAT MIGHT BE.

C. I am not for sure who invented the ALARM CLOCK?

I guess I am glad they did. We need that machine to help us.

There are many days I would like to shoot that ALARM CLOCK when it sounds

out the alarm...

D. My wife has our ALARM CLOOCK set 20 minutes fast. Her reasoning is that it allows her more time to sleep. She will hit the SNOOZE BUTTON several times, and fall back to sleep. Now that is not smart to me. Wake me up and get out of my way.

E. I guess that the ALARM SOUNDS A NEW DAY OF OPPORTUNITY, while we grumble at the NOISE?

Yesterday is gone.

Tomorrow may never be?

All we have is TODAY? Will we make the best of today?

Seldom can we find LOST OPPORTUNTIES?

F. Is it easier to JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS than to JUMP AT OPPORTUNITIES?

One great opportunity few ever take is to KEEP THEIR MOUTH CLOSED?

G. WATER BAPTISM ILLUSTRATES SEVERAL GOOD POINTS.

1. Death

2. Burial ---

There have been times when I took the individual under the water that

I would have loved to held them under until their toes came up blue.

They might have learned a valuable lesson.

3. The RESURRECTION: WE MUST GET UP!

WE NEVER LEAVE THEM UNDER THE WATER, THE BEST ILLUSTRATION IS

TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE SURFACE TO SERVICE AND LIVE IN THE

RESURRECTION POWER.

GET UP! MY FRIEND: WE MUST GET UP AND HAVE AT IT!

II. DO WE EVER MISS THE POINT? A CERTAIN MAN HAD TWO SONS?

DO WE PRAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS: GOD CHANGE MY SPOUSE? GOD CHANGE

MY KIDS? GOD CHANGE MY FRIENDS? GOD CHANGE MY CHURCH? GOD

CHANGE MY JOB? WITHOUT SEEING THE NEED TO CHANGE OURSELVES?

Luke 15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

A. EVERY ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE PRODIGAL SON --- HE CHANGED?

WHY DON’T WE WANT TO DISCUSS THE OLDER SON?

B. Have you ever purchased new shoes and they hurt your feet?

Can new IDEAS hurt for a while?

C. DO WE CHANGE WHEN WE SEE THE LIGHT?

OR WHEN WE FEEL THE HEAT?

D. Do we desire LAST YEARS WEATHER FORECAST?

E. WE CAN ONLY CHANGE THE WORLD BY CHANGING MEN AND WOMEN!

F. ONE SON MAKES A TWO WORD DEMAND: FATHER, GIVE ME ---

TEXT:

Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants

of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father,

I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

G. CHANGE COMES WHEN THE SON DECLARES: SIN IS INSANE!

I AM NOT STAYING HERE! I WILL ARISE, I AM GETTING UP! I AM WASHING OFF!

I AM GOING HOME.

III. THE SECOND SON IN THE STORY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT A LESSON AS THE

PRODIGAL... THE SECOND SON IS JUDGMENTAL AND ANGRY --- HE IS RIGHTFULLY

DISAPPOINTED?

A. The older brother refused to talk to Dad. This son wanted the GOSSIP?

He deals in HEARSAY!

Luke 15:25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

B. The older son was BITTER and UNFORGIVING? He wanted to throw up the PIG PEN!

Luke 15:28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

C. The older brother had LIMITED VISION, he did not VALUE HIS BROTHER.

He was not willing for CHANGE... He knew the rest of the INHERITANCE WAS HIS!!!

The Prodigal was a threat to His future?

D. The older brother spirit resists change.

E. THE OLDER BROTHER SHOULD HAVE MADE THE DECISION: I WILL ARISE...

He refused to take the HIGH ROAD!

IV. HELLO --- MY NAME IS MARA? I AM BIITER? I AM EMPTY? LIFE HAS NOT BEEN FAIR TO ME?