Now What?

NOW WHAT?

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

WE HAD A WONDERFUL FAMILY IN THIS AREA. FOE SEVERAL GENERATIONS THE FISHBACK FAMILY HAD SEVERAL PREACHERS THAT STOOD SOLID FOR THEIR CHURCH FOR MANY YEARS.

One of the Fishback Preachers had a personal motto he would tell his friends as he was leaving, he would say: BUT TO DO GOOD… Few understood what Vernon was really saying, he based “BUT TO DO GOOD” on a Bible verse. His personal motto still speaks from his grave:

Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

This would be a better world if we could listen, learn and apply Fishback’s motto: “BUT TO DO GOOD.”

NOW WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

NOW WHAT? THERE IS A TRAP: BONDAGE AGAIN? BONDAGE AGAIN! HAVE WE EVER LEARNED THAT PROCRASTINATION IS A TERRIBLE PRISON OF GREAT BONDAGE?

Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Procrastination brings bondage again. Procrastination’s bondage brings tears and troubles. WE MUST LEARN TO FREE OURSELVES. So we say: IT IS A FACT WE NEED TO FREE OURSELVES FROM THIS BONDAGE? I think I will DO THAT TOMORROW.

NOW WHAT? I READ ONCE THAT A WISE MAN SUGGESTED THAT EVERY LIVING PERSON SHOULD BE LOCKED UP IN A HOPELESS PRISON FOR ONE YEAR.

His suggestion was that few could ever learn the beauty of freedom until they understood prison life. If each person were imprisoned for a year they would learn the reality of bondage and the beauty of freedom.

NOW WHAT? I read about a strong BLACK MAN that lived in the 1850’s as a slave. The life was nothing but oppression and fear. So in the early 1860’s the man ran away from the plantation and lived several years in hiding. He would rob people’s gardens in the summer. In the winter food was much harder to get. One Friday the SLAVE went into a store and stole enough food to live. The store keeper asked what he was doing. The slave explained he had to live and someday he would repay the store keeper WHEN HE WAS FREE.

The store keeper said: Listen to me for a minute before you run off. It is 1865, several years ago our President Abraham Lincoln signed the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION on January 1, 1863 THAT DECLARED ALL PERSONS HELD AS SLAVES HENCEFORWARD SHALL BE FREE. SIR, YOU HAVE BEEN FREE FOR TWO YEARS BUT YOU ARE STILL LIVING AS A SLAVE?

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

NOW WHAT? THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF BONDAGE OR IMPRISONMENT:

1. METAL BARS

2. MENTAL BARS.

NOW WHAT? GOD CAN USE MANY WAYS TO GET HIS PLAYERS IN PLACE. JOSEPH WAS 17 WHEN HIS MEAN BROTHERS SOLD HIM TO SLAVE TRADERS… 13 LONG YEARS JOSEPH’S JOURNEY SEEMED HOPELESS, DOOM AND DESPAIR?

A friend told me this week… I just can’t understand what God is doing. I think GOD NEEDS TO EXPLAIN somethings to me! God is sovereign and HE DOES NOT HAVE TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING…

NOW WHAT? Joseph found great favor in Potiphar’s house: UNTIL Potiphar’s wife made false accusations--- NOW WHAT?

NOW WHAT? GOD HAS A PLAN --- TRUST THE PLAN?

Genesis 39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

HOW MANY NIGHTS DID JOSEPH LAY IN HIS PRISON CELL AND THINK ABOUT HOME? He probably dreamed of his dad? He probably thought “I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DO OVER” … I would be nicer and not so proud. I PONDER DID JOSEPH KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE? Did Joseph’s dream fade? They will bow before me?

Now what? GOD IS NOT FINISHED JOSEPH THE PRISON IS BUT A STEPPING STONE? God knows what he is doing: The BAKER and the Butler were locked up with Joseph.

Joseph goes into their PRISON CELL and the Pharoah’s servants were SAD, VERY SAD? They tell Joseph their dream. Joseph was not mean, angry or screaming. JOSEPH LISTENED WITH COMPASSION.

Genesis 40:4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

The Butler’s dream was good, you will return to Pharoah.

The Baker’s dream was heart breaking, HE WILL BE HANGED.