IF THE LORD IS WITH US, WHY ARE WE HAVING ALL THIS TROUBLE?
THE CHALLENGE: GOD'S PERSPECTIVE & CHANGE!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I have a bucket, and I asked someone to bring me a bucket of water.
They can not see that I have cut the bottom of the bucket out.
Always they gladly will go, but as they are going they see the bottom of
the bucket is gone.
WE AS CHRISTIAN MUST REALIZE THE BOTTOM OF THE BUCKET IS HOPE.
I. A COMPUTER WILL RUN WHAT EVER YOU HAVE PROGRAMED...
SO WILL YOUR MIND. WE NEED A RENEWAL OF THE MIND...
CHANGE THE WAY WE SEE PEOPLE? WE SEE THINGS?
A. Have you ever seen someone take a rusty old car and RESTORE IT?
B. RENEW: To make something new, fresh, strong again, to begin again with greater force
& enthusiasm, to bring about change.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Ephesians 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
II. WHY ARE WE OUT FOCUS? HOW DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM BEFORE US?
WHAT IS MY PERSPECTIVE?
A. FOCUS:
The point at which rays converge, clear understanding, a fixed point, the center of activity...
USE THE PROJECTOR TO DEMOSTRATE...
B. PERSPECTIVE:
How will I interpret the facts by experience, emotions, or what is before you right now...
How we mentally view things; the capacity to view things in their true relationship...
To have different meanings from same facts...
C. I am 6'2", my wife is 5'2"... we see things from different perspectives...
LIKE THE TOP OF THE REFRIGERATOR...
Experts says: Parents get down on the child's level and look them in the eyes...
III. WHAT IS OUR SHORT TERM FOCUS? WHAT IS OUR LONG TERM FOCUS?
A. LESSON OF THE GLASS:
The pessimist says: The glass is half empty...
The optimistic person says: The glass is half full...
The realist says: Just a half a glass of water...
A SMART PERSON JUST DRINKS THE WATER... WHILE THE OTHERS ARGUE.
B. PESSIMISM:
To expect the worse possible outcome, everything is evil,
The doctrine that bad overbalances happiness...
C. OPTIMISM:
The doctrine that this world is the best possible, inclined to anticipate the best
possible outcome.
D. REALISM:
Concerned with facts, the theory of sense nothing to do with idealization
E. Did you hear about OPTIMIST that fell out the window of the 100 story building?
He was heard to say as he passed the 50th floor: SO FAR SO GOOD
IV. WE CAN NOT ALWAYS SEE...
A CARPENTER STANDS AT THE END OF 8 HOURS AND CAN SEE HIS LABOR?
NOT SO IN FAMILIES.
There was an old man and his wife lived in a small town. They would sit on their
porch and swing and wave at all the kids as they went by.
They always raised flowers and a garden and all the neighbors enjoyed looking
at the results of their green thumbs.
The old man died suddenly and the old lady decided not to plant anything.
One day while she was out swinging see decided to plant some seeds that her
husband had saved. They were beautiful bright red flowers on a vine.
She fired up the rotor tiller, it started on the first try.
In a space next to their drive way she planted all the seeds.
Soon the rain came and the green vines grew and grew.
They covered the wall of concrete blocks that lined the driveway.
There was a block and a space, a block and a space.
Her neighbors would wave as they passed by her house.
Mid summer there was not one red flower, just a green vine that overgrew
everything. One day while swinging she noted no flowers and decided to cut the
vine down. She grabbed the hoe and started.
The neighbor pulled in his drive way and saw her starting to hoe down the vine.
He asked her: WHY? WHY CUT IT DOWN?
She answered: IT IS MY VINE! I PLANTED IT FOR RED FLOWERS,
THERE IS NOT ONE FLOWER, I AM CUTTING IT DOWN.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his side of the wall, there were 10 million
huge, bright red flowers.
MY FRIEND, WE CAN NOT SEE ON THIS SIDE OF THE WALL WHAT
WE HAVE DONE.
V. GOD HAS A DIVINE PLAN... THIS MESS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
FOR GOD TO ARISE.
A. GIDEON: JERUBBAAL...
First judge in the second round of JUDGES in Israel.
B. There had been a HUGE VISTORY WITH DEBORAH and BARAK
over a terrible enemy GENERAL SISERA.
JAEL NAILS SISERA TO THE FLOOR.
C. After the victory God's people SANK back into IDOLATRY.
D. Each year for 7 YEARS the MIDIANITES and the AMALEKITES crossed the JORDAN RIVER
and STOLE THE HARVEST and PLUNDERED God's people
Judges 6:10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that
pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress,
to hide it from the Midianites.
VI. WHO ARE YOU KIDDING LOOK AT THE TROUBLE? 7 YEARS OF TROUBLE?
GOD IS SEARCHING FOR AN IGNITER...
YOU MIGHTY MAN OF VALOUR?
A. WHY CALL ME MIGHTY? Can't you see?
Judges 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD
is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. 13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD
be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told
us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us,
and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
B. IF GOD BE FOR US WHY ALL THIS PAIN?
VII. IGNITORS MUST QUIT THE BLAME GAME...
DO NOT GIVE OFFERINGS OF EXCUSES...
Judges 6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my
family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
A. JUDGES 7:2 TOO MANY?
32,000 MEN?
SEND HOME ALL THE CHICKENS, FEAR, DOUBT, ...
32,000 - 22,000= 10,000
B. 10,000 men?
Judges 7:4 TOO MANY... Drink water...
10,000 - 9,700= 300...
C. 300 MEN WITH PITCHER, TRUMPET AND A TORCH?
IV. CRAWLING IN MUD VS RIDING THE WIND...
GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO SEE HOW MIGHTY GOD CAN BE...
USE THE CATERPILLAR AND BUTTERFLY...
METAMORPHOSIS.
A. I have a life cycle of a butterfly in my pocket. I will be making the point that
we may feel as we are stuck in the mud forever. We can grow and change...
The day can come when we start riding the wind and fly.
B. CHANGE:
1. EGG
2. LARVA (CATEPILLAR) CRAWLS IN THE DIRT...
3. PUPA
4. ADULT ( FLIES AND RIDES THE WIND)
Psalm 68:1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
X. WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL?
TO LEARN FAITH---WE MUST FACE SOME BIG WALLS...
IN MY GOD, BY MY GOD I CAN LEAP OVER A WALL...
WHAT IS A WALL? SOMETHING THAT STANDS BETWEEN ME AND GOD'S PROMISES
CONCLUSION:
My friend, come let us leap over our walls and obstacles.
This is nothing to God. Let's take our promise!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Pass it on?
