BE A PENNCIL IN THE HAND OF GOD...
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.co.
Isaiah 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine
habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
I. HEADS YOU WIN, TAILS YOU LOSE... IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHICH ONE YOU USE?
The Lord gives men two ends... one to sit on and the other to use for THINKING...
WHAT IS SUCCESS? HOW DOES ONE MEASURE SUCCESS? IS SUCCESS HAPPINESS?
A. WISE YOUNG MEN LISTEN CLOSELY TO WISE OLD MEN...
2 Tim. 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
[7] I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
[8] Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall
give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
B. Many years ago a reporter was interviewing MOTHER TERESA...
Mother Teresa explained her call... Teresa was from Poland and she was riding a train.
She heard a voice say: GO TO INDIA AND WORLD WITH THE POOR AND THE HUNGRY.
She never again heard that voice... SHE WORKED OVER 60 YEARS ON THAT ONE CALL...
She started in a ORPHANAGE with cast-away children...
Years later Mother Teresa took on the AIDS PATIENCES THAT NO ONE WANTED.
The reporter asked Mother Teresa: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO FAIL? YOU HAVE WORKED OVER
60 YEARS IN INDIA and there are more hungry -poor people than when you started...
C. MOTHER TERESA BOWED HER HEAD LOW...
I AM BUT A PENCIL IN THE HAND OF THE LORD...
GOD NEVER CALLED ME TO BE SUCCESSFUL, GOD CALLED ME TO BE FAITHFUL TO
MY POST OF DUTY...
D. My opinion is THAT A PERSON OF SUCCESS NEVER HAS TO PROVE IT...
SUCCESS MAY NOT BE FLASHLY AND MAY NEVER BE MEASURERED BY BANK ACCOUNTS?
We must remember character and intregity....
II. IS EXTERNAL CONDITIONS AND THE REALITIES OF LIFE THE MEASURE WE LOOK TO...?
MAYBE REAL SUCCESS COMES FROM WITH-IN... LOVE, SERVICE, PURPOSE, ---
IT TAKES GREAT RESOLVE TO KEEP HAPPY IN THE STORMS OF DIFFICULTY...
A. NAOMI MEANS SWEET, --- MARA MEANS BITTER...
LIFE HAD BEEN CRUEL... dead husband, dead son, another dead son...
Ruth 1:20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very
bitterly with me.
B. NAOMI SAYS: I LEFT FULL, AND I RETURN EMPTY...
ARE WE WILLING TO BE A FAILURE IN MAN'S SIGHT?
C. RUTH STICKS LIKE GLUE TO HER MOTHER IN LAW...
THIS PAGAN WOMAN KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT FAITH...
Ruth 2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn
after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
III. GOD IS THE FINAL JUDGE, SUCCESS --- NO SUCCESS IS UP TO HIM...
DEVELOP A PLAN --- HANDFFULS OF PURPOSE ---
A. THERE IS A NEAR KINS-MEN RULE... A KINSMAN REDEEMER
Ruth 2:16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them,
and rebuke her not.
NIV
Ruth 2:16 Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and
don't rebuke her."
B. RUTH MARRIES BOAZ...
THEY HAVE A SON OBED...
OBED HAS A SON JESSIE
JESSIE HAS A SON --- DAVID... JESUS COMES THROUGH THIS SEED...
IV. BECOME A MAN OF SUCCESS OR A MAN OF VALUE???
PRICE VS. VALUE VS. WORTH --- THERE IS NO DEFEAT IN TRUTH...
Luke 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in
the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
[16] And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
[17] And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
[18] And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits
and my goods.
[19] And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat,
drink, and be merry.
[20] But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those
things be, which thou hast provided?
[21] So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
V. WEIGH, EVALUATE, EXAMINE, TAKE EVERYTHING INTO ACCOUNT...
CONSIDER THE LILIES...
A. THE LILY SPEAKS OF BEAUTY AND DESIRE...
B. THE LILY ILLUSTRATES CAREFUL PLANS AND GOD'S PURPOSE...
Matthew 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil
not, neither do they spin:
[29] And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
[30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven,
shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
[31] Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall
we be clothed?
[32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need
of all these things. [33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you.
[34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
C. March and April showers bring flowers in the desert and wilderness.
D. In Hebrew the word is SHUSHAN or SHOSHAN
E. THERE ARE WHITE LILIES:
1. PURITY
2. INNOCENCE
F. THE RED LILY... natagon (Lilium Chaleedonicum)
1. speaks of blood,
2. high, happy thoughts
G. THE LILY'S ROOTS ARE A SYMBOL OF FAITH...
H. THE LILY'S BLOOM SPEAKS OF LOVE AND HEALING...
SHUSHAN-EDUTH --- SPEAKS OF LILY OF THE TESTIMONY...
Psalm 60:1 To the chief Musician upon Shushan-eduth, Michtam of David, to teach;
I. THE LILY'S ROOT SYSTEM SPEAKS TO FAITH...
THE LILY'S BLOOM SPEAKS TO LOVE
J. THE LORD IS OUR LILY IN THE VALLEY...
VI. REVEALED BY THE FIRE...
THE PENCIL OF GOD WRITES WHEN THE WINDS ARE CONTRARY...
Matthew 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind
was contrary.
A. CONTRARY, SELF-WILLED... UNFAVORABLE,OPPOSITE
B. PRAY ALL YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE WIND, BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CHANGE THE SAIL...
C. THE RAINBOW IS A VERY TEMPORARY THING...
It is almost like writing in the sand...
D. WOOD, HAY, STUBBLE...
I Cor. 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
[13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed
by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
Isaiah 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations:
spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Pass it on? tell another?
