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
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
N. ANGER, WRATH, AND BITTERNESS ARE ALL SYMPTONS OF A LARGER PROBLEM!
Quit playing games, see the real problem as ATTITUDES!
II. QUIT CRYING, FIND SOME PALM, OLIVE, MYRTLE, PALM BRANCHES
AND LET US BUILD A BOOTH OR TENT OF GREAT GLADNESS.
A. NEHEMIAH and EZRA WERE MEN OF GOD.
Nehemah and Ezra made a good team.
They knew the power of the WORD OF GOD.
The WORD OF GOD does the WORK OF GOD.
B. Nehemiah set up a SYSTEM TO READ AND STUDY THE WORD OF GOD PUBLICLY.
Ezra and Nehemiah had a way of helping the people UNDERSTAND GOD’S WORD.
When the reading of God’s word was accomplished, THE PEOPLE WERE GREATLY
COMFORTED.
C. The Word of God was read, and the people yelled out:
AMEN! AMEN! LET IT BE SO! WE BELIEVE! WE ACCEPT!
Neh. 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,
and caused them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the
Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord
your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of
the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and
send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our
Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither
be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make
great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
D. THE POWER OF GOD’S WORD MADE THE PEOPLE CRY.
THE TWO PREACHERS STOOD BEFORE THE PEOPLE AND SAID:
QUIT CRYING, REJOICE!
E. COOK, EAT, PRAISE GOD.
SHARE YOUR FOOD.
COOK EXTRA AND GIVE FOOD TO THOSE THAT HAVE NO FOOD.
F. SO THE PEOPLE WENT ON TOP OF THEIR HOUSES OR MAYBE IN THE COURT YARD,
AND MADE TENTS OR BOOTHS OUT OF OLIVE TREES, MYTLE TREES, PINE TREES,
PALM TREES ...
Neh. 8:17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity
made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun
unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
III. HAVEN’T YOU HEARD THE BAD NEWS?
WE ARE WALKING WITH OUR HEADS DOWN?
WHAT ATTITUDE DO WE CARRY THAT MAKES OUR HEADS HANG DOWN?
A. THERE ARE TWO CHRISTIAN BROTHERS WALKING DOWN THE EMMAUS ROAD.
Their HOPES are forever dashed.
They thought this man named JESUS was the answer.
Yesterday, or maybe the day before the Roman’s soldiers DASHED THEIR HOPES
ON A TREE.
B. HOW WILL WE HANDLE DISCOURAGEMENT?
How do we talk when we are discouraged?
Luke 24:17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye
have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou
only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass
there in these days?
C. ARE YOU THE ONLY STRANGER AROUND HERE THAT DOES NOT KNOW THE BAD NEWS?
Let us wallow in our SELF-PITY?
D. THE TOMB IS EMPTY? --- YET WE CHOOSE TO BE SAD AND DOOMS-DAYERS?
E. THE OBSTACLES OF EVERY DAY NEGATIVISM CAN HIDE WHO WE ARE WALKING WITH?
F. PAST TENSE? (ED) We trusted --- now it is dashed?
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.
G. GOD WILL YOU OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE?
Luke 24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it,
and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
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?
H. WHAT WILL WE SEE? The negative, dashed hope?
HOW ABOUT THE HOPE AGAINST HOPE?
I. COULD JESUS BE WALKING WITH YOU AND YOU DON’T EVEN REALIZE WHO HE IS?
WHEN YOUR VISION IS DASHED WHAT HAPPENS TO DOUBT? FEAR? WORRY?
J. COULD IT BE A SIN TO RECOGNIZE THIS IS OF GOD? THIS IS JESUS?
K. God turns bad things to good!
THEY SPOKE ALL THE BAD NEWS WHILE THE GOOD NEWS WAS WALKING WITH THEM.
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall
call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
IV. WHEN THE WORLD SEEMS TO BE COMING UNGLUED AND EVERY ONE IS EXPECTING THE
WORSE, IT IS HIGH TIME WE LIFT OUR HEADS AND OUR HANDS. OUR GOD HAS A GREAT
PLAN AND WE ARE PART OF THE PLAN.
A. Can you see what is coming? I think a blind man can see what is coming!
B. The powers of the earth are being manipulated and the control for this world’s systems
are a great battle ground.
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.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for
your redemption draweth nigh.
C. OUR GOD HAS BEEN PREPARING A PLACE!
THERE IS A PREPARED PLACE FOR A PREPARED PEOPLE.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also.
D. I WAS WATCHING A NFL FOOTBALL GAME THE OTHER NIGHT.
I watched several minutes in the fourth quarter, the sports announcers had not shown the
score.
I told my wife who was winning and who was losing.
She said how do you know, I said watch the side lines.
She watched, and agreed with me. Sure enough we were right.
E. Can others see you are on the winning side.
Jesus is coming.
ARE WE READY?
V. LIFT UP YOUR HEAD! LIFT UP YOUR VOICE! LIFT UP YOUR HANDS!
A. BE A LIFTER OF THE ARMS! HAVE HOPE!
GIVE HOPE.
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
B. The first up lifted hands I see in the Bible was Abraham:
Genesis 14:22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord,
the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
C. David knew the beauty of uplifted hands.
Psalm 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.
Psalm 121:1 A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh
my help.
Psalm 63:4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
Luke 17:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
D. How long will we make the choice of anger and bitterness and walk with our heads down?
Let us agree to LIFT OUR HEADS, REDEMPTION DRAWS NIGH.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
His servant,
Kyfingers@aol.com
It is much easier to swim, <*(((((>< when you know a shark is swimming behind you!
GET YOUR HEAD UP! AND KEEP IT UP!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
