WHOSE REPORT WILL WE ENPOWER?
TO TRUST OR NOT TO TRUST? THAT IS THE QUESTION?
WILL WE POSSESS THE PROMISE?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This is a 3 part lesson.
DO WE KNOW THE COUSINS FEAR AND DOUBT?
I. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU KNOW?
SURE, I TRUST GOD!
SURE LIGHT AND DARKNESS CAN NOT CO-EXIST...
A. First thing you know, Jed's a millionaire,
Kin folk say Jed move away from there,
Said California is the place you ought to be...
So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly...
Hills that is... Movie Stars...
Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG) I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—
plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to his purpose.
II. A PERSON'S FOCUS HAS MUCH TO DO WITH WHAT HE SEES...
Luke 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole
body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of
light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
A. My neighbor and I was talking and he looked down and saw a four leaf clover,
he bend down and picked the four leaf clover and he pulled out his billfold and
placed his NEW FIND in a pocket with probably 20 other four leaf clovers.
I admired his work? He asked me: How many four leaf clovers do you have?
I said: NONE.
B. You see I have never found one! But I will be honest with you, I have never
looked for four leaf clovers, I probably try to look up more than I look down.
I besides that I SEE NO VALUE IN A FOUR LEAF CLOVER unless you are
a cow?
C. There was a hit song in the 1040's, I have heard my dad sing:
I OVER LOOKED AN ORCHID WHILE SEARCHING FOR A ROSE...
What is the story in the story?
OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS---
D. YOU FIND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING --- YOUR VALUE SYSTEM?
PERHAPS LIFE IS NOT WAITING FOR THE STORMS TO PASS---
MAYBE IT IS MORE ABOUT LEARNING TO SING IN THE RAIN---
MAYBE EVEN FINDING A LOVE TO DANCE IN THE RAIN?
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you.
E. LIFE MAY BE ABOUT YOUR FOCUS---
WE TEND TO BLAME OTHERS FOR WHAT HAPPENS INSTEAD OF REALIZING
MY ATTITUDES AND MY DAILY CHOICES HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH WHERE
I FIND MYSELF.
III. EVERY PERSON MUST BRING THEIR HEART TO A POINT TO TRUST OR
NOT TO TRUST ---- NOW, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine
own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG) Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out
everything on your own. 6 Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Proverbs 28:26 (KJV) He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely,
he shall be delivered.
Proverbs 28:26 (MSG) If you think you know it all, you're a fool for sure; real
survivors learn wisdom from others.
A. I JUST REFUSE TO TRUST A DOCTOR, HAVEN'T YOU HEARD THE TERROR
STORIES ABOUT DOCTORS?
REUTERS records a REAL STORY from 1994.
There was an 63 year old ACCOUNTANT in London England.
He had a terrible fear of doctors, nurses, needles and hospitals.
He had read tons of materials. He had a friend that was in the hospital that
had to have his leg amputated and the doctors removed the wrong leg.
The same day his wife told the doctors and back into surgery he had his
other leg removed.
B. This man was so worried and afraid. He had a serious BLADDER PROBLEM
THAT REQUIRED MINOR SURGERY. This would require a simple surgery and then
several days in the hospital.
C. The man studied, he read, he made the preparations and DECIDED TO
DO SELF SURGERY... The man's fear was so bad, he could not trust the
hospital and he would save a ton of money.
So he purchased all the medicine and equipment.
D. THE MAN'S FEAR RULED HIS SPIRIT SO MUCH, THAT HE PERFORMED THE
BLADDER SURGERY HIMSELF.
The man successfully finished the self surgery and a terrible INFECTION
started eating away.
E. THE CORONER'S REPORT RECORDED:
"UNFORTUNATEY, SOMETHING IN HIS DRASTIC REMEDYWENT WRONG.
A SIMPLE OPERATION WOULD HAVE SOLVED HIS PROBLEM"
F. This man's extreme FEAR and MISTRUST of doctors became his OWN TRAP.
IV. LET US REASON TOGETHER ABOUT GOD'S FOUNDATIONAL PROMISE ---
EACH LIFE WILL BUILD ON SOME KIND OF A FOUNDATION...
A. THE RAINS WILL BE FREQUENT ---
THE WINDS WILL BLOW ---
THE FLOODS WILL COME ---
B. THE LESSON OF THE REPORT IS NOT ABOUT THE STORMS ---
THE LESSONS MUST FOCUS ON THE FOUNDATION ---
WHOSE FOUNDATIONAL REPORT WILL WE BUILD UPON ---???
Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them,
I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon
that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be
likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
C. REASON ABOUT THE PROBLEM?
REASON ABOUT THE PROMISE...???
1. There were several reports rumored around. Several reports were casting their
shadows off the promise.
2. Moses is listed as the greatest leader ever, and he is dying...
NOW WHAT?
3. JOSHUA WAS A FOLLOWER...
JOSHUA WAS THE ROD HOLDER... A FRIEND AND HELPER OF MOSES...
D. WILL WE FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM? OR ON GOD'S PROMISE...
Joshua 1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou,
and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
E. Is the focus to be on the REAL, IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERCOME PROBLEMS...
or are we to FOCUS ON THE FOUNDATIONAL GOD PROMISES...
Boils down to CHOICES === FOCUS
V. EACH BELIEVER MUST FOCUS ON THE ROCK FOUNDATION OF GOD'S
PROMISES... THERE IS A LAND BEYOND THE JORDAN ---
A. IT IS ONE THING TO HEAR THE PROMISES AND BUILD UPON THEM,
IT IS CLEAR NOT ALL WILL ACCEPT THE PROMISE FOR THEIR FAMILY AND
LIFE?
Joshua 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto
you, as I said unto Moses.
B. Will we accept the opportunity for a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with the God of
Moses?
Never forget GOD GIVES HIS PEOPLE BLESSINGS AND BENEFITS?
C. Just because we have build upon the PROMISES DOES NOT EXEMPT US FROM
PROBLEMS--- WE ARE IN A WAR --- BY FAITH ---
Joshua 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life:
as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
D. IS NOT THIS FOUDATIONAL PROMISE GIVEN TO JOSHUA THE SAME PROMISE
GIVEN TO EVERY PERSON AS THEY FACE THEIR BATTLES, STRUGGLES, PAINS,
DISAPPOINTMENTS?
E. SHALL WE FOCUS ON THE PROBLEMS OR THE PROMISE?
VI. TO POSSESS THE PROMISE LAND, THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE MAINTAINED
BY FAITH --- BELIEVE --- TRUST --- YOUR EMOTIONS WILL PLAY GAMES
WITH YOUR HEART AND YOUR MIND...
A. THE FOUNDATION THAT EMPOWERS GOD IS:
1. BY FAITH
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
2. OBEDIENCE.
1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to hearken than the fat of rams.
B. BELIEVER MUST SEE THEY HAVE A DUTY TO POSSESS THE PROMISE...
Joshua 1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an
inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to
all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand
or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
VII. DOES A CANDLE FEAR LIGHT? DOES LIGHT FEAR DARKNESS?
THE DARKER THE NIGHT, THE GREATER THE LIGHT...
OR DOES A CANDLE KNOW: FOR THIS LIGHT I WAS CREATED?
A. WHY SHOULD I BE AFRAID?
We were made to PENETRATE DARKNESS?
Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth
light unto all that are in the house.
B.WHY CRY OVER DARK NIGHTS?
THE LIGHT MUST BE PLACED ON A CANDLESTICK...
Matthew 5:15 (MSG) If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under
a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand.
Luke 11:33 (KJV) No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place,
neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is
full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light,
as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
C. THERE ARE 7 CANDLESTICKS IN REVELATIONS AND ALL THE DARKNESS OF
THE DEVIL, THE FLESH, OR SIN CAN DIM THE GOD PLAN OF THE LIGHT.
THE LIGHT WILL ALWAYS REVEAL THE SON OF GOD AND THE PLAN OF GOD.
Revelation 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw
seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a
garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
VIII. DID YOU KNOW YOU MUST LEARN IF YOU DON'T SWING THE BAT YOU CAN
NEVER GET A HIT?
1 John 4:18 (KJV) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear
hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18 (NIV) There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has
to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18 (MSG) There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear.
Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully
formed in love.
A. Have you ever heard of a baseball player: BABE RUTH?
Boston Red Socks, and Boston's Braves, and New York Yankees.
714 home runs.
B. While we know THE BABE AS THE HOME RUN KING he also holds another
record with over 1330 STRIKE OUTS...
C. THE BABE was the strike out KING. In 3 times at the bat, he stuck out 2 times,
to every home run... YET FEW KNOW THE NEGATIVE PLANS...
D. We have to swing and trust the eye and the bat?
ARE YOU SWINGING THE BAT OR CHASING BUTTERFLIES?
CHOICES...
E. IF YOU WOULD BE GREAT YOU MUST LEARN THE VALUE OF A STRIKE OUT?
IX. DOUBT CAN TAKE MANY FORMS...
THEY SAID CAN BE ONE OF THE CRUELEST ACTS OF MAN IS TO HIDE HIS
THOUGHTS IN THE MEAN WORDS--- THEY SAID....
A. THEY SAID?
Who is they?
If you can not say WHO THEY ARE? Then do not tell me what THEY SAID?
B. Recently I wrote about LIFE'S MIRROR EFFECT...
We tend to find what we are looking for....
C. I came upon a person that seemed AGGATATED and ANGRY?
I asked them: HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY?
In a LOUD, high volume voice the person spoke very clearly.
THERE IS NOT ONE NICE, KIND PERSON IN THE WHOLE WORLD.
I have never known ONE NICE PERSON in my whole life!
WHAT DID THEY REALLY SAY?
IF THERE IS NOT ONE NICE PERSON IN THE WHOLE WHOLE WHAT ARE THEY
SAYING ABOUT THEIR MOM? DAD? FRIENDS?
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT SELF?
Numbers 13:32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched
unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is
a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men
of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we
were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Numbers 13:32-33 (MSG) They spread scary rumors among the People of Israel.
They said, "We scouted out the land from one end to the other—it's a land that swallows
people whole. Everybody we saw was huge.
33 Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants (the Anak giants come from the Nephilim).
Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were
grasshoppers."
The last week of October 2014 I was listening to Christian radio and the Preacher
told a story from Pennsylvania. The story goes something like this. A boy was raised in
a Christian home and became involved with a terrible sin lifestyle. The young man
committed some violent crimes and was put on trial.
The young man was SENTENCE TO DEATH BY HANGING... He became very
hardened and mean.
One day his mother had prayed and went to the Governor's office and asked to speak
with the Governor. They asked: DO YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT?
She said: No, I will wait as long as I have too to see the Governor?
She sat there for hours, then she decided she would just go on in un-invited...
She stormed in the Governor's office and was weeping and crying, the Governor
jumped to his feet, the MOTHER FELL AT the Governor's feet and begged and begged
for her son's life. Please, DO NOT HANG MY SON, HE IS A GOOD BOY AND
FELL IN WITH THE WRONG CROWD AND MADE BAD DESISIONS, PLEASE
FORGIVE HIM! Spare his life. Keep him in prison, but spare his life.
The Pennsylvania Governor explained to the Mother, this is in the judge and court
systems hands, the order is clear: HANG HIM.
The Governor was so touched by the Mother's plea for mercy as he checked in the
facts of the case. The records were clear the young man was guilty as charged and
deserved death by hanging.
The Governor was so touched by the Mother's plea for mercy he decided to go
to the prison and visit the criminal. The had the man clean up and had him in
the cell awaiting the Governor's visit. The Governor stepped into the cell with
the CRIMINAL. The Governor had a list of questions to ask the young man to
learn of his attitudes and see if there was remorse. The young man was cold
and very hardened. The criminal was a smart aleck, and was cutting and sarcastic,
he even said bad language?
The Governor left the prison cell and gave the orders to HANG UNTIL DEATH...
The warden asked: WHY WERE YOU SO MEAN AND DISRESPECTFUL TO THE
GOVERNOR? HE COULD HAVE PARDONED YOU!
The prisoner condemned to death said: THAT WAS THE GOVERNOR? I DID
NOT KNOW THAT WAS THE GOVERNOR? I WOULD HAVE TALKED
DIFFERENTLY IF ONLY I HAD KNOWN THAT WAS THE GOVERNOR.
The next day as the Young criminal stepped to the gallows and they put a black
hood over his head, then the rope around his neck... The guard reported
his last words... IF ONLY I KNEW THAT WAS THE GOVERNOR IN THE CELL
WITH ME, I WOULD HAVE ACTED AND TALKED MUCH DIFFERENTLY.
IF ONLY I KNEW THAT WAS THE GOVERNOR.
IF ONLY WE HAD KNOWN THAT GOD'S ONLY SON WAS IN THE ROOM...
IF ONLY WE HAD REALIZED THE ANSWER FOR MERCY WAS WALKING
AMONG US... THE ANSWER IS HERE... WE REFUSE THE MERCY...
X. TO TRUST OR NOT TO TRUST THAT IS THE QUESTION?
WHOSE REPORT WILL I BELIEVE... THERE ARE TWO REPORTS IN REAL LIFE?
1. WE CAN NOT DO THIS? THE LIGHT IS TOO DIM...
2. OF COURSE WE CAN GOD IS BEHIND THIS PROBLEM
WE A MIRACLE?
A. IN THE AVERAGE CASE BOTH REPORTS WILL BE RECORDED NEAR EACH OTHER...
B. The majority report sates clearly: NO WAY, THE DARKNESS IS GREATER?
Numbers 13:30-31 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once,
and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for
they are stronger than we.
C. Most people will BELEIVE THE NEGATIVE REPORT...
THIS FOUNDATION CAN NOT STAND?
D. WE ARE FREE MORAL AGENTS... WE HAVE A FREE WILL ---
THE CHOICE IS YOURS... WHICH REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE?
Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
John 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord,
who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath
believed our report?
E. WILL WE TEACH OUTHERS BY EXAMPLE:
GOD IS IN CONTROL OF EVERY SITUATION...
GOD IS NOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD?
CONCLUSION:
God, my mind and heart may not understand what is going on today?
I may not be able to see how these problems will turn out for my good?
I may not be able to see a good conclusion to all these problems and difficulties?
But I know Father, You will make a way! And I will trust you completely.
By faith I know that in this moment, God, you are changing things and changing lifes
to open the doors for miracles. God, I trust you are lining up opportunities for Your
plans and purpose to be launched. Today may appear gloomy, bleak and hopeless
but I HAVE FAITH A NEW DAY AND A NEW DREAM IS DAWNING.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr Kyfingers@aol.com
This is a three part lesson...
