Lift Up Your Head And Keep It Up!

GET YOUR HEAD UP! AND KEEP IT UP!

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

Luke 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which

are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

DON’T WE HAVE A REASON TO BE HEAVY?

AS JONAH SAID, YOU ARE DOG-GONE RIGHT I HAVE A REASON TO BE ANGRY?

Christmas time can be very heavy?

Think ingabout those that passed away and are forever gone from us? Cold tombstones?

Easter, when the HOPE OF THE AGES came out of a borrowed tomb can be

commercialized to be eggs and bunnies and we miss the point??

Birthdays can be sad because we have grown older and have a few more aches?

I made money? Now I have to pay TAXES?

Wow, how far do we have to look to be angry and sad?

I. WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON HERE?

WHY IS YOUR COUNTENANCE FALLEN? WHY ARE YOU MAD?

LOOK FOR THE ROOT?

A. WE CAN GET VERY GOOD AT ANALYZING AND AVOIDING THE ROOT CAUSE!

OFTEN THE PROPER DIAGNOSIS CAN BE HIDDEN BY MANY OTHER ARGUMENTS.

We must be able to identify problems by looking at the signs and symptoms.

B. AS PARENTS AND CHRISTIANS WE TEND TO WANT TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM.

GOD NEEDS PEOPLE THAT FIND SOLUTIONS.

C. Have you watched the news lately?

We seem to be seeing society taking some terrible steps.

D. School shootings? Church shootings? Father’s killing their family?

Mother’s drowning their babies, while searching for a boyfriend?

E. We can easily blame guns?

But Cain killed his brother Abel with a homemade weapon.

The reasoning behind the first death is the same as the killings today:

ANGER AND BITTERNESS!

F. Any good Doctor knows he must look beyond the SYMPTOM.

WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM?

G. I read where a lady had an expensive pet McCaw.

The bird had a terrible cough.

She called the Vet. He had her come by the office and gave her some medicine.

She gave the medicine to the bird and the cough persisted.

The lady brought the beautiful bird to the Vet’s office and the Vet examined the bird.

The Vet heard the cough, but could not find a problem.

He gave the bird stronger medicine, and the cough continued.

He had the lady bring the bird into his office and they drew blood samples and sent them

to the University of California for study. The lab tests were all negative.

One day the cough was so bad, the lady brought the bird back to the Vet’s office.

She ran outside to smoke, and started coughing real bad.

The Doctor now knew the problem: THE BIRD WAS MIMICING THE OWNER.

The birds cough was not because it was ill, the cough was the mimic power of the bird

of it’s owner.

Genesis 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very

wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

H. God did not have RESPECT for Cain’s offering?

Instead of repenting and correcting his ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORIAL PROBLEMS,

Cain lets the infection of S-I-N infect his total being.

I. Wrath is long term anger. WHAT ABOUT DAILY CHOICES?

The un-vented and unjustified ANGER and BITTERNESS of Cain will dictate to

CAIN HIS MOOD AND HIS COUNTENANCE.

J. Cain ’s whole bearing in life? His whole demeanor will be forever changed?

How will Cain express his mental and emotional state?

K. CAIN HAS THIS GREAT ABILITY TO DENY AND PALLIATE HIS ANGER?

Cain says: I DON’T KNOW WHERE MY BROTHER IS?

L. ONE SIN LEADS TO ANOTHER SIN.

Sin takes you farther than you planned on going!

Sin keeps you longer than you planned on staying!

Sin cost you more than you planned on paying!

Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well,

sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

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?

M. CAIN’S EXCUSE? AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?

This becomes the first of the great questions of the Bible.

An angry, bitter brother asked his Creator, AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?

Hebrews 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the

way; but let it rather be healed.

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness