Get Out Of This Mess -- Good Punctuation

REACHING BEYOND THIS MESS --- GOD CAN ---TRUST HIM.

LEARN GOOD SPIRITUAL PUNTUATION

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

This is part two of a punctuation series, and part five of a series on failure.

I. IT IS AMAZING HOW IMPORTANT PROPER PUNCTUATION REALLY IS TO UNDERSTANDING.

A. Is it possible to have wisdom without understanding?

We need to have a great understanding of God’s word, His church, and the family.

B. There are several punctuation marks.

A system or arrangement of marks used in writing to separate or arrange words in a good logical order.

1. ? --- a question mark. In Spanish, they have an upside question mark to start a question

so you know it is a question as you begin reading.

2. , --- a comma indicates a pause or division.

3. . ---period used at the end of a sentence or abbreviation used to indicate finality.

4. ! --- exclamation mark is used to show excitement, sharp vehement expression or to give a command or order.

5. : colon’s chief function is between a major sentence and listed elements or clauses.

6. ; semi-colon punctuation that directs attention that follows.

II. WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN? SOMETIMES I FEEL A SERMON THAT I COULD NEVER PREACH?

A. Sometimes I look into the eyes individuals and I see a great potential --- THAT WHAT IF ---

B. An old friend used to tell me, Youth --- it is a shame to waste it on young people.

Then she would add:

NO SADDER WORDS OF PEN OR TONGUE ---

THAN THE WORDS WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?

C. SEEMS MOST PEOPLE ARE CONTENT TO LIVE PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY IN VERY RESTRICTED CIRCLES OF THEIR POTENTIAL BEING.

Could we make better resources of our total being?

Could we write a better book?

D. The world will pay great money to see someone that has disciplined their talents for good use.

Think of Michael Jordan, Chet Atkins, Walter Peyton?

E. POTENTIAL:

Existing in possibility.

Capable of development.

That which might be the case.

Likelihood of becoming successful.

THE WORK REQUIRED TO MOVE A UNIT IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.

III. WE MUST LEARN TO INTERPRET PUNCTUATION PROPERLY TO UNDERSTAND LIFE. WILL WE TURN TO THE WALL?

A. GOD HAS A PLAN AND A PURPOSE FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL.

We must know the danger of the WEAKEST LINK, and build strong individuals that know how to apply wisdom to understanding.

B. We have studied POOR OLD HEZEKIAH IN 2 KINGS 20.

Hezekiah had a period in the punctuation, there was a great indication of FINALITY, IT IS OVER!

C. The Master Preacher Isaiah had brought Hezekiah a personal message. The message was short and very clear.

There was little room for misunderstanding God’s message. SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE.

D. I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT WOULD WE DO IF WE HEARD A MESSAGE LIKE THIS? Would we just accept it and die?

E. HEZEKIAH BELIEVED ISAIAH, AND HE SET HIS FACE TO THE WALL ... HEKEKIAH HAD A PARADIGM SHIFT --- AND ATTIDUDE ADJUSTMENT.

F. While he heard the message, there came over Hezekiah a big change.

He lost all the focus on the externals and focused on the internal.

G. Hezekiah knew how to pray.

What do you think might have happened if Hezekiah in his sickness would have just accepted the status quo?

He did not just roll over and play dead, Hezekiah --- TURNED HIS FACE TO THE WALL.

He prayed intensely and wept sorely.

H. BEFORE THE PREACHER ISAIAH GOT OUT OF THE COURT YARD, GOD CHANGED HEZEKIAH’S JUDGMENT AND SENT THE PREACHER BACK --- GOD HEARD THE PRAYERS, GOD SAW THE TEARS, AND ON THE THIRD DAY --- MERCY WILL REACH DOWN AND CHANGE THE PERIOD, THE FINALITY, THE END ---

TO 180 MORE MONTHS, 780 MORE WEEKS, 5,475 MORE DAYS ---

THE PUNCTUATION IN HEZEKIAH’S LIFE WAS CHANGED TO A COMMA, GOD GAVE HEZEKIAH ANOTHER CHANCE.

I. WHAT WILL WE DO IF GOD’S MERCY WOULD GIVE US ANOTHER CHANCE?

J. NOT ONLY DID GOD GIVE HEZEKIAH ANOTHER CHANCE,

GOD GAVE HEALING.

GOD GAVE DIVINE DELIVERANCE.

AND GOD PROMISED TO DEFEND THE CITY.

IV. WHEN A COMMA BECOMES A PERIOD?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FAILURE DRIVES OUR PUNCTUATION AND PRAYERS?

A. WANT TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL?

God promised, and God’s promise brought great blessings.

Judges 13:24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

B. IT IS A SAD DAY IN THE LORD’S CAMP WHEN THE STRONG OPERATE THEIR PUNCTUATION SYSTEM BY FAILURE DRIVEN MISTAKES.

Samson’s failure could have brought more victories.