NOT OF LORDS --- NOT OF SWORDS ---
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. GOD HAS MADE A CHOICE. GOD’S SYSTEM IS NOT OF LORDS AND SWORDS. MANY WOULD DIE FOR THE LORD? THEY JUST WON’T LIVE FOR HIM? DO YOU DESIRE AN ADVISORY POSITION WITH GOD? BOSS OR SERVANT?
A. God has often baffled the religious crowds and educational systems by how He chooses to advance THE CHURCH.
B. GOD HAS NEVER CONDUCTED A POPULARITY POLL OR SOUGHT MAJORITY RULE.
1 Cor. 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things
which are mighty; 28. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
C. GOD’S LOVE IS TO DO HIS PLAN WITHOUT THE STARDOM AND WEALTH AND RELIGIOUS POWER OF THE ESTABLISHMENT.
D. I love to feed the birds in my neighborhood.
I love to watch the birds and hear the birds sing.
While I fill up the bird feeders all over my yard, I remember when the birds fed the discouraged preacher.
When the King was mad at the preacher and his message, the King and his wife refused to support the Preacher and his ministry, but God had a plan!
The birds brought the Preacher’s meals to him and kept the Ministry alive and well.
For this reason I place several hundred pounds of bird seed for the birds each winter.
E. As I watch the birds they seem to be frightened by every movement and sound. The birds are so timid and fly away and sit in a tree until the fear passes by ...
I would not let anything harm the birds, but the birds nature is ruled by fear.
Seems the birds are so watchful and fearful, that another bird or the wind blowing will send the birds in a panic to fly and hide.
One bird is dominate and mean and he will pick on the other birds, and off they fly.
F. WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING AND WISDOM WE ARE MUCH LIKE THE BIRDS.
Every little news report, every negative message, every failure of the past, will cause us to FLY AWAY FROM OUR SOURCE OF SUSTENANCE?
G. I REALY LIKE THE BIRDS THAT JUST STAY AND EAT UNTIL THEY ARE FULL. They refuse to allow FEAR AND DREAD DICTATE TO THEM.
II. JOHN THE BAPTIST COMES ALONG AS A SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE TIME. JOHN CAME IN GREAT BOLDNESS AND DECLARED: THERE COMES ONE, NOT IN STRIFE, NOT IN FLIGHT, --- FOR LOVE NEVER FAILS. GOD CHOSE ONE THAT APPEARED WEAK AND REJECTED, BUT GOD’S PLAN WILL
RAISE UP A MINISTER.
Matthew 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
A. Jesus has a plan. Jesus offers His people --- love, compassion, tender mercies, grace, we don’t have to fly away.
B. We don’t have to grow weary in well doing.
We don’t have to faint.
C. Very few things seem weaker than a bruised reed?
A water fowl can land in a marsh and the reed will snap, and be broken, and wither away?
D. Every wind that blows around the water shakes the reed. A bruised reed is much weaker and frail than just a regular reed.
E. Dry FLAX THAT IS SMOKING has been exposed to a spark or flame. God chooses weak things to confound the wise.
F. What appeared as a bruised reed, and the weaker smoking flax appears to man’s eyes as so weak it is useless and vain, BUT NOT TO GOD!
G. MANY WANT TO ACT AND CLAIM THEY HAVE POWER THAT HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD NOR KNOWN JESUS IN A PERSONAL WAY.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
III. MINISTRY WITHOUT PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE WILL ALWAYS LEAD TO GREAT TROUBLE. WE MUST DEVELOP PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND KNOW THE SON OF GOD AS OUR LORD AS WELL AS SAVIOR.
A. MANY WANT TO FOLLOW SIGNS AND MIRACLES, WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING
SIGNS FOLLOW BELIEVERS NOT THE INVERSE.
Acts 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying,
We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
B. WE MUST DEVELOP AND NOURISH A THRIVING PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ON A DAILY BASIS WITH JESUS.
Acts 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
C. AS THE BIRD FLEW AWAY, SO DOES A PERSON THAT KNOWS GOD BY HIS OWN MOTIVATION AND NOT BY GOD’S.
Acts 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
IV. HOW CAN I KNOW HIM? MY ARMS ARE TOO SHORT, MY HEART REACHES FARTHER THAN MY HANDS CAN --- THAT I MAY KNOW HIM ... ARE WE ACTIVELY SEEKING TO HAVE A MORE SPIRITUAL AND INTELLIGENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD OF GOD
A. There was a man from Ethiopia that was limited, the words were weights, his understanding could never span the gap.
B. The Eunuch was a material over achiever, BUT HE KNEW THERE HAD TO BE MORE.
Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
C. THE EUNUCH CAME TO A DEEP UNDERSTANDING AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE DRYNESS OF THE DESERT.
D. HERE IS WATER: WHAT DOTH HINDER ME FROM BEING BAPTIZED?
E. Philip said: IF YOU BELIEVE?
He answered: I BELIEVE.
V. DEPRESSION, FEAR, SELF- DOUBT AND MISUNDERSTANDING CAN DISTORT AND HIDE THE LIGHT OF THE CANDLE OF HOPE.
A. SEEMS JESUS DID NOT WORK WITH TITLES, BUT WITH TOWELS AND WASHING OF FEET?
Peter said, Jesus, You are not washing my feet!
B. Peter did not understand --- When Peter understood, he said, not just my feet, wash me ---
C. TWO MEN WERE HEART BROKEN, THEIR DREAMS WERE DASHED.
THEIR EXPECTATIONS WERE IMPLODED BY DEATH.
D. The two men walked down THE ROAD OF DISCOURAGEMENT,
WHEN SOMEONE DECIDED TO WALK WITH THEM, AND TALK,
AND TEACH THEM, AND THEY REACH BEYOND THE HEART BREAK OF THEIR LET DOWN!
E. WE TRUSTED --- ED IS PAST TENSE ---
Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
F. As the three men ate together --- SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THEIR UNDERSTANDING! WHEN THEIR HEARTS CLAIMED UNDERSTANDING THEIR EYES WERE OPENED
AND THEIR MINISTRY WAS RECLAIMED.
Luke 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
G. WHY CAN’T BELIEVERS UNDERSTAND IN TIMES OF HEARTACHE?
Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
VI. JESUS MUST NEEDS GO THROUGH SAMARIA ---
THERE WAS A WOMAN THAT WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD AND SHE DID NOT UNDERSTAND ---
A. THERE WAS A LITTLE LADY DOOMED BY HER PAST LIFE CHOICES AND HER SINFUL LIFE STYLE.
B. JESUS CAME TO HER IN A PERSONAL WAY, HER EXCUSES WERE ALL THROWN AWAY, HER UNDERSTANDING WAS OPENED.
SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING THE TOWN OUT TO MEET THE SON OF GOD.
C. JESUS OFFERED ALL A WELL OF WATER SPRINGING UP UNTO EVERLASTING LIFE.
John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
D. Our enemy is trying to hinder your dreams and keep you imprisoned by the past failures of others and your own stupid failures.
E. Many seek freedom and stay bound.
THERE ARE KEYS TO LOOSE US FROM ALL THAT BINDS.
God has a spirit of liberty to break the fetters and open the prison doors.
F. We must arise above just having the ability to quote precious memory verses, we must know Him . We must arise above just listening to tapes and CD’s and slay the giant of DOUBT AND UNDERSTANDING --- JESUS WANTS YOU!
G. Often doubt hides behind many MASKS.
WE MUST DEVELOP WISDOM TO OVERCOME FEAR, DOUBT, AND WORRY, and RELEASE GOD IN A PERSONAL WAY IN OUR DAILY WALK AND TALK.
H. We believe we have a teacher, the Holy Spirit co-authored the Bible.
The Spirit can enlighten and open our minds to better understand the Heart of God.
VII. GOD CAN OPEN THE EYES OF THE BELIEVER TO KNOW HOW TO RECEIVE AND REACH BEYOND OUR LIMITATIONS AND ALLOW GOD TO REIGN SUPREME.
A. God opened Daniel’s eyes and heart as he interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
B. God helped Joseph to understand the crisis approaching Egypt, and God helped Joseph to rise above his limitations to start a government program to save the whole nation and Joseph’s family. 70 people in Joseph’s family will live because Joseph was faithful to his dream.
C. While on the isle of Patmos, John saw the seven seals, and there was no one worthy to open the books. John cried and cried and his tears and his prayers of faith caused John to see beyond man’s failures.
D. John saw and understood God had a Lamb of the tribe of Judah that would open the book.
God gave John wisdom and knowledge beyond his educational level.
E. We are facing terrible hard and difficult times.
The family is under attack.
There are enemies of the church in powerful places, we must have the anointed power of the Holy Spirit to break the barriers.
F. NOT BY MIGHT
Zech. 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit,
saith the Lord of hosts.
G. LET THE WEAK SAY---
Joel 3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
H. COME ALL THAT ARE HEAVY ---
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
COME, UNDERSTAND AND GROW BEYOND THE REACH OF YOUR ARMS.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Pas it on?
