Looking For The Easy?

WHEN OUR GOAL IS TO TAKE IT EASY?

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

TEXT:

1 Cor. 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

KJV

1 Tim. 5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

NASB

1 Tim. 5:6 But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives.

LB.

1 Tim. 5:6 but not if they are spending their time running around gossiping, seeking only pleasure and thus ruining their souls.

I. WE SEARCH FOR SMOOTH, EASY DOWN HILL ROADS?

HOW EASY CAN IT BE TO BELIEVE A LIE AND BE DAMNED?

A. The road to hell is easily traveled?

B. There is nothing easy when we do everything reluctantly.

C. Criticism comes easier than craftsmanship.

I would much rather be an artist than an art critic? How about you?

D. Once you make the choice of sin, sin becomes an easier, an easier choice.

E. TODAY WE TEND TO LOOK FOR GRAY AND NOT BLACK OR WHITE? WE SAY THIS IS A LITTLE WHITE LIE?

2 Thes. 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the

truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

II. WHY DO YOU NEED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF SCUBBA AND DIVING EQUIPMENT WHEN YOU ARE ONLY GOING SWIMMING IN A BATH TUB?

Luke 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

A. When we face a terrible hard decision, do we seek an easy way out?

B. Every man must live with the man he makes of himself.

III. HE WHO DOES NOT ENJOY HIMSELF IS USUALLY RIGHT...

OUR CHOICES AND ATTITUDES CAN MAKE LIFE EASY OR HARD?

A. We had a terrible alcoholic come to the altar and have a wonderful experience with the Lord. He changed so much that the community and the family could hardly believe it.

ONE NIGHT IN A TESTIMONY HE STATED:

WHEN I WAS A DRUNK I COULD NOT STAND MYSELF, AND I COULD NOT STAND TO BE ALONE.

He said he had to be at a party with others, or be drunk, he could not stand who he had become. In his drunkenness he added more and more wrong to his behavior and scarred his family and his own life.

B. After meeting Jesus and accepting forgiveness he loved to spend time alone walking down a dusty road spending time just he and his Savior!

C. If you have a red letter edition of the Bible ---

will you note that these words are the words of the Messiah?

Matthew 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and,

Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

D. WE DEVELOP MANY PERSONAL PROBLEMS BECAUSE WE DO NOT LOVE OUR SELF.

E. Sometimes it is hard to like yourself. Jesus said: Love your neighbor as your self, God help us to build good people.

IV. TO WISH TO BE SOMEONE ELSE IS TO WASTE WHO YOU ARE.

A. TO WISH FOR ANOTHER LOT IN LIFE, A DIFFERENT JOB, A NEW FAMILY IS TO BE WASTING THE OPPORTUNTITY TO ACCEPT GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU.

B. A great deal of talent is lost from the church because of the lack of personal encouragement.

V. THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO BE RICH:

A. HAVE SO MUCH MONEY THAT YOU CAN BUY ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU WANT.

B. OR BEING CONTENT AND APPRECIATING WHAT YOU HAVE.

Having riches will not keep a man from heaven, but riches having man certainly will.

VI. WE COME TO UNDERSTANDING BY ONE OF TWO WAYS:

A. Remember years ago they found some children that could not walk nor eat with forks and spoons. The kids could not talk?

Many people thought the kids were retarded?

The kids had been raised locked in a cave, they had never seen an adult walk?

They had never heard a conversation, they grunted like animals. Their food had been poured into a slop trough, they ate like pigs.

B. A family took the kids in, soon they were watching people walk, and they started walking.

They were taken to a table and watched adults eat with a fork and spoon, soon the children were assimilated into society.

C. WE NEED GOOD EXAMPLES TO STAND UP AND WALK IN OUR CHURCH SO OTHERS WILL SAY WALKING IS BETTER THAN CRAWLING, FLYING IN FAITH BEATS CRAWLING!

VII. A DISCONTENT MAN FINDS NO EASY CHAIRS.

A. INSTINCT:

A NATURUAL OR INHERENT APTITUDE, IMPULSE, OR CAPACITY.

An inherited tendency.