#1 THEN GOD! The answer is knocking at the door!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This is a two part lesson. I did this part in two parts.
I. HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED HOW HEAVY LIFE CAN BECOME?
WE NEED A MOVE OF GOD!
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.
TELL YOUR OWN STORIES OF SOME HEAVY THINGS PEOPLE ARE FACING!
A. We have a precious little family and this week they received notice their precious son leaves the end of this month for some extra training and then he will be going to Iraq for 15 months. This Momma is broken.
My heart is broken and then I ponder --- what will be?
B. We have a 95 year old Mom that has a 68 year old daughter that is bedfast.
I often visit with them, and watch this 95 year old Mother tenderly care for her daughter.
Wednesday I received an emergency call someone had robbed the two ladies of over $1,000.00.
The man acted like he was with the government and was going to help them with their gas and electric bill. Before he left the home he had robbed them.
They draw so little, how could he be that cruel?
I ponder --- What will happen in this little home?
C. We have a family that has taken in three small children that were being abused by their mother. It appears the Mother took a belt buckle to the
oldest girls face. I hold the children and ponder, what does the future hold for these two girls and a boy?
D. Recently we had a 39 year old nurse, she was working the third shift and going to school during the day. The lady was returning from work to her three little kids. 14 months ago the Mom had been in a car wreck and the 9 year old daughter was ejected out of the car and killed.
This 39 year old Mom had a car wreck, crossed the interstate and was hit by an 18 wheeler. She died instantly.
That night the three kids were at church, 8, 5, 8 months old, they will notremember their Mother. I held the kids near my heart and ponder what will be?
E. Two weeks ago I was called by a young girl I knew 15 years ago.
Her Mother has locked herself in her apartment and refuses to go anywhere. The Mother does not have electricity and sets in the dark.
The daughter said, Please, Preacher can’t you do something? The Mom’s 23 year old son had overdosed on drugs and died. He has been dead a year. This Mom can not accept the death. The Mom said, I knew he was abusing drugs and did nothing?
At the funeral they found out the boy’s girlfriend was expecting a baby.
5 months after his death, the girlfriend had a baby boy. The baby’s Mom is on drugs, and my friend can’t do anything for her young grandson.
I ponder God what will happen to this little family?
F. I received a call this morning, a teenage girl has been acting differently lately. The Mother has been concerned. Late last night the Mom found out
her beautiful teenage daughter has been taking pills she has gotten from her "friends" at school?
Momma wants to know, Preacher can you do something?
G. As I was typing the second paragraph my wife called to tell me a sweet young couple’s baby died. The baby was about 11 months old?
I knew the Dad when he was in high school.
I ponder: How can I touch them for the cross?
H. Two months ago, a young girl we watched grow up came to church after several years absence.
She cried all through the service. At altar time, she cried like a baby, but she did not come to pray.
After the service she spoke privately with me.
She said, Preacher, you spoke of a person that knew what to do, and they knew what was right, but they desired to do things their own way?
She cried and said, I AM THAT PERSON!
I understand she has left her husband, taken the two small sons and has a boyfriend.
She decided to make the choice and pay the consequences?
I ponder the heartaches down the road.
I. One of my best workers at church has been in the hospital 29 days. He spent several days on the breathing machine, and has several times almost drown in his own fluids. He is so faithful to help me do God’s work?
His wife asked me: Preacher ---Is he going to die?
I ponder how bad I need his team work with me in the ministry?
Will someone else arise?
J. I spent Tuesday from 2 AM until late evening with a 53 year old business man having major colon cancer surgery, 7 hours in surgery. I drove 280 miles.
I sat with the family, we cried together several times that day.
I ponder: God bring this family together!
K. A young man purchased some guns and stepped on the Virginia Tech campus and killed 32 people, and then himself. We need a change.
L. IT APPEARS THIS IS BUT A BEGINNING OF THE WOES THAT ARE TRYING TO SMOTHER US.
BUT MAY I ADD --- I HAVE HOPE!
I HAVE HOPE BEYOND ALL THE SAD STORIES!
I HAVE HOPE BEYOND THE GRAVE.
I HAVE HOPE THAT DUST SHALL STAND... THEN GOD! THEN GOD! THEN GOD!
THEN GOD! THEN GOD! THEN GOD! THEN GOD! THEN GOD! THEN GOD!
II. DO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT AN IMPERATIVE COMMAND IS?
A. Life is more than just the facts that are before us ---
OUR LIFE BECOMES THE WAY WE INTERPETE THE FACTS BEFORE OUR HEARTS!
We have before us many choices?
Do we realize choices have consequences?
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
B. You are a sum total of your daily menial choices!
Are you living so the Pastor can tell the truth at your funeral?
C. WHAT CRUSHES ONE? --- CAN KILL ANOTHER?
OR BRING NEW LIFE TO ANOTHER? IT IS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL!
D. Are we determined to get up and TRY AGAIN?
DREAM AGAIN?
DREAM BIGGER?
OR WILL THIS WHIP US?
III. WE MUST NEVER FORGET, WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THE TRUTH.
A. More than ten years ago, my family found out that my Mom had colon cancer.
I was with my Mom and Dad as my Mom had major cancer surgery in Frankfort, KY. I drove home the next day and was rather upset.
B. I was over at my neighbor’s house, Irwin Ray.
Brother Ray had pastored the Christian Church in our community nearly 30 years.
I explained to Brother Ray about my Mom, the doctor told us we would not have Mom come Christmas.
C. Brother Ray said something so simple, but it became the nail I hung my heart on for a while.
D. Brother Ray said: NEVER FORGET WHAT WE PREACH IS THE TRUTH!
That was all he said to me that day about my Mom.
For five years we rode a terrible roller coaster ride of highs and lows.
E. On August 23, my Dad called me Late Saturday night, early Sunday morning and said, SON, SHE IS GONE.
I called most of the family and told them, Delores Hughes passed away.
F. We traveled immediately to be with Dad.
I NEVER FORGOT BROTHER RAY’S PROFOUND WORDS:
NEVER FORGET WHAT WE PREACH IS THE TRUTH.
G. Mom has been gone many years now, Dad still pastors.
The family seldom gets together any more, but I shall never forget the words Brother Ray spoke: NEVER FORGET WHAT WE PREACH IS THE TRUTH.
IV. THEN GOD! WE MUST GROW A FIXED MIND AND HEART IN TROUBLED TIMES.
Be like bubble gum and grow stickability!
A. You see what you focus your eyes to see.
A mom can hear her baby cry before any one else noticed?
A mechanic can hear something in a car that we never heard?
KJV
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
NIV
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
LIVING
Isaiah 26:3 He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!
B. FIXED:
To be settled
To focus all of one’s attention and effort toward
To be stable, firm
Securely placed or fastened, stationary
Nonvolatile
Not subject to change
Not subject to fluctuation
Firmly set in mind or heart
To set in order
C. STAYED:
A stay is a large, strong rope to support a mask on a ship.
The rope attached to the anchor
To incline forward
To remain even in the event of a trial
Endurance
To check the course
D. QUIT PRAYING FOR THE WIND TO CHANGE! SET YOUR SAIL!
V. THEN CAME GOD!
THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF STINK ABOARD THE ARK?
NOAH MEANS REST! NOAH HAD LITTLE REST!
YET NOAH RESTED HIS CASE AND PLACED HIS TRUST IN THE LORD.
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
A. NOAH HEARD FROM GOD!
Build a boat FIVE TO SIX STORIES HIGH, AND TWO AND HALF FOOTBALL FIELDS LONG.
B. There was no Lowe’s or Home Depot’s. There were no chain saws or bulldozers.
C. Noah had very clear and detailed directions.
D. GOD NEVER CALLED NOAH ONCE A WEEK TO CHECK UP ON HIM.
God never projected his directions to other people to help Noah.
As a matter of fact, the neighbors were very discouraging!
Genesis 6:22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
E. NOAH HAD TO DO WHAT HE COULD.
F. HOW WILL WE GET THE ANIMALS TO COME ABOARD THE ARK?
I think there were discussions between the three sons, wonder how Dad thinks he is going to get all the pairs of animals to board this ship?
ONLY GOD COULD DO THIS.
G. HOW MUCH FOOD WILL WE HAVE TO HAVE?
One elephant eats over 100 pounds of food a day?
I believe God caused the animals to hibernate and their food intake was limited.
ONLY GOD COULD DO THAT.
H. DOES NOT DAD REALIZE THE STINK THAT WILL BE ON BOARD?
May I add there might have been a lot of stink on the ark, BUT IT WAS STILL THE BEST THING FLOATING!
I. NOAH FINISHED THE BOAT, THEN GOD DID THE REST...
Quietly and orderly the elephant pair came and climbed up the loading ramp.
The snail and the turtle slowly arrived.
Can you imagine the mouse, the cat, the dog coming aboard?
J. NOAH DID WHAT HE COULD, --- THEY CAME BY GOD’S ORDER. THEN GOD!
K. THEN GOD SHUT THE DOOR.
Genesis 7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.
L. THEN GOD SHUT THE DOOR, IF NOAH SHUT THE DOOR, HE MIGHT HAVE OPENED THE DOOR TO SAVE HIS NEIGHBORS AND ALL OF MAN’S HOPE WOULD HAVE DROWN?
VI. PETER AND JESUS HAD A WONDERFUL, DEEP DISCUSSION ABOUT PAYING BILLS AND THE DREADED APRIL 15TH TAX DEAD LINE. --- THEN GOD!
A. Jesus taught Peter about a citizen’s duty to his government.
B. AFTER THE LESSON --- THE BILL IS DUE?
C. PETER THOUGHT: JESUS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
D. Jesus tells Peter, DO WHAT YOU CAN DO, Peter was a fisherman.
THEN GO FISHING, TRUST GOD AND FIX YOUR HEART.
E. FISH, AND THEN LET GOD!
Matthew 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
VII. YO, --- SMART BOYS TELL ME THE INTERPETATION OF MY DREAM, AND BY THE WAY, I DON’T KNOW WHAT MY DREAM WAS? THEN GOD!
A. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASSIGNED AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK?
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT?
Daniel 2:4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the i
nterpretation thereof. 7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.
B. SORRY KING? SORRY, KING?
THERE IS NOT A MAN THAT CAN INTERPETE A DREAM AND NOT KNOW WHAT
THE DREAM WAS?
Daniel 2:10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king,
lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
C. The King says: That’s OK, I will kill every one of you.
D. THEN GOD HAD SOME BOYS GET SERIOUS!
Daniel 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
E. THEN GOD HONORS HIS PEOPLE AND SAVES THEIR HEAD!
Daniel 2:19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision.
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
F. THERE IS A GOD, AND GOD CAN!
Daniel 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
G. AFTER TEST,--- THEN GOD, --- THEN PROMOTION!
Daniel 2:48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the
governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
H. DANIEL DOES NOT FORGET HIS FRIENDS! THEN GOD!
Daniel 2:49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
VIII. THEN GOD COMES INTO THE JAIL CELL, IT IS A DEATH ROW JAIL CELL! PETER TRUSTED GOD ENOUGH TO GO TO SLEEP!
A. ARE WE GOING TO BELIEVE AND FEAR A KING, OR ARE WE GOING TO TRUST GOD? DO WE KNOW THE --- THEN GOD?
Acts 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
B. ONE CAN NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PRAYER.
5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
C. A FIXED HEART CAN MAKE YOU SLEEP IN PRISON ---
KNOWING THE KING’S DESIRE FOR POPULARITY IS GOING TO HAVE YOU KILLED SOON.
Acts 12:6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers
before the door kept the prison.
D. YO, PETER --- DON’T LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THEM IF YOU DO.
Acts 12:8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and
follow me.
E. WALKING BY FAITH AND TRUSTING WITH A FIXED HEART IS HARD TO DO!
Acts 12:9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
F. NOW PETER REALIZES THE --- THEN GOD ---
Acts 12:11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the
hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
G. THEN GOD?
WHY BE SURPRISED WHEN THE ANSWER KNOCKS AT YOUR DOOR?
Acts 12:14 And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
H. THE THEN GOD MESSES UP THE PRAYER MEETING?
Acts 12:15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
I. KEEP KNOCKING, SOME OF US SLOW FAITH PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR, THE ANSWER IS HERE!
Acts 12:16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
IX. THEN GOD --- THE DROUGHT IS OVER, THE PREACHER WILL RUN 18 MILES AND BEAT THE FASTEST HORSE OF HIS DAY.
A. Have you ever got mad of running to the mountain top? On the seventh trip he saw a little cloud.
One of these trips will be the answer!
B. God says: THAT IS ENOUGH!
1 Kings 18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.
And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
C. GOD HAD A PLAN EVEN WHEN THE PLAN COULD NOT BE SEEN.
1 Kings 18:45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
D. THEN GOD? THEN GOD! IMAGINE THE KING TELLING HIS DRIVER, DON’T LET THE PREACHER BEAT US?
1 Kings 18:46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
E. THE PREACHER IS LEANING UP AGAINST THE GATE WHEN THE KING DRIVES INTO THE CITY LIMITS, RAIN WAS DRIPPING OFF THE KING’S HEAD.
BECAUSE THEN GOD!
CONCLUSION:
God loves you. God knows you by your first name.
Trust Him, FIX YOUR HEART!
YOUR SITUATION MAY SEEM HOPELESS BUT NEVER FORGET---
THEN GOD!
This is part one of a two part lesson.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Pass it on.
