THERE IS A RIVER --- SAFE ZONE VS FAITH ZONE?
PROBLEMS ARE OPPORTUNITIES
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. INTRODUCTION:
DO WE ALLOW PROBLEMS TO DEFINE OUR LIMITATIONS...
Have you ever seen a dog that has been chained all his days?
There is a dirt ring around his house.
He has learned his limited space is defined by the length of his chain.
He will run until the chain jerks him?
I once was at a circus with my small sons.
We watched the animal trainer walk the huge elephant and my sons told me
how strong that elephant must be.
As the trainer finished the walk, he used a metal rod a foot into the ground
and attached a chain around the elephants foot. The elephant just stood around.
I was amazed that could hold the elephant.
I asked the trainer: THAT CAN HOLD THE ELEPHANT BACK?
The trainer replied: NO! THE ELEPHANT CAN PULL THAT OUT OF THE
GROUND WITH EASE... JUST AS HE MOVES HE FEELS THE TUG AND
HE QUITS TRYING THINKING HE IS CONFINED. He will stay there for days
if we do not move him?
SAFE ZONE VS FAITH ZONE?
II. WHAT DO YOU SEE? SON OF MAN DO YOU SEE?
THERE IS A RIVER...
THE RIVER FLOWS FROM THE ALTAR... SAFE ZONE VS FAITH ZONE?
Ezekiel 47:1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters
issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house
stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house,
at the south side of the altar.
2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without
unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on
the right side.
3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand
cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the
knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters
were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to
return to the brink of the river.
A. I AM DROWNING IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD...
B. SAFE ZONE VS FAITH ZONE? WE COME TO SEEK MORE...
III. SAFE ZONE VS FAITH ZONE?
MY PROBLEMS HAVE BROUGHT ME TO MY KNEES ---
I AM HOPELESS --- MY LITTLE DAUGHTER IS GOING TO DIE...
A. We do not have any Tylenol, or Pepto-bismo ---
B. JAIRUS HEARD ABOUT A HOPE GIVER...
Mark 5:21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people
gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when
he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee,
come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
C. NOW WE HAVE HOPE WITH OUR PROBLEM ---
JESUS IS WITH US...
IV. WELL, HERE WE GO --- LOOKS LIKE OUR RIVER HAS DRIED UP?
OUR PROBLEM IS HOPELESS --- SHE IS DEAD...
WHY BOTHER JESUS ANY LONGER... SAFE ZONE VS FAITH ZONE?
Mark 5:35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain
which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
A. HAVE YOU EVER HAD YOUR HOPE DASHED AND THE PROBLEM GREAT WORSE?
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE NEGATIVE NEWS?
Mark 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the
synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
B. YOU HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM THE NEGATIVE CROWD...
REFUSE THE WHISPERING FRIENDS... SAFE ZONE VS FAITH ZONE?
37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
C. YOUR EMOTIONS WILL PLAY GAMES WITH YOU MIND AND YOUR FAITH...
THIS PROBLEM CAN NOT DICTATE AND LIMIT OUR MIRACLE.
38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and
them that wept and wailed greatly.
D. WHY ARE YOU ACTING THIS WAY?
JESUS CAN HANDLE THIS PROBLEM... SAFE ZONE VS FAITH ZONE?
39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the
damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
E. DOUBT MOCKS MIRACLES... SAFE ZONE VS FAITH ZONE?
WHAT PROGRAM WILL RUN OUR COMPUTER?
WE WILL ALLOW OUR EMOTIONS TO DEFINE OUR MIRACLE?
40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the
father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where
the damsel was lying.
41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being
interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years.
And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
V. HAVE WE ACCEPTED OUR PROBLEM AS A WAY OF LIFE?
I OFTEN SEE SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS WHEN PEOPLE MIS-IDENTIFY WHO
THEIR REAL ENEMY IS...
A. CAN WE DEFINE OUR REAL PROBLEM?
1. PROBLEM:
a question raised for inquiry, consideration or solution,
difficult to decide or solve,
a source of perplexity, stress, distress, or vexation,
dealing with trouble in a relationship of conduct, words, actions...
B. PROBLEMATIC:
difficult to solve, resolve
puzzling, doubtful
open to the question of debate.
C. THERE IS A TABLE PREPARED --- LET US RUN OVER WITH VICTORY.
Psalm 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
VI. YOU ARE ASKING FOR A DIFFICULT, HARD THING --- NEVERTHELESS
THIS MIRACLE YOU SEEK IS CONDITIONAL...
A. YOU SEEK A DOUBLE PORTION?
2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha,
Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee,
let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken
from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
B. YOU HAVE TO STAY CLOSE TO THE RIVER...
CONCLUSION:
Happiness is not the absence of problems...
Happiness is learning to develop the ability to deal with problems...
And to learn this PROBLEM is going to be a great opportunity for me to find God.
In God this problem has a SOLUTION.
Life is an opportunity --- benefit from it.
Life is beauty --- admire it.
Life is a dream --- realize it.
Life is a challenge --- meet it.
Life is a duty --- complete it.
Life is a game --- play it. MOTHER TERESA
Life is a promise --- fulfil it.
Life is sorrow --- overcome it.
Life is a song --- sing it.
Life is a struggle --- accept it.
Life is a tragedy --- confront it.
Life is an adventure --- dare it.
Life is luck --- Prepare for it, make it.
LIFE IS LIFE --- FIGHT FOR IT.
Albert Einstein stated that you cannot change your circumstance with the same thinking
that created it.
I often have said:
IT IS INSANE TO THINK YOU CAN KEEP DOING THINGS THE SAME OLD WAY
AND RECEIVE A DIFFERENT OUT COME...
Learning is required as a person.
IN THIS PROBLEM WE MAY FIND THE PLAN OF GOD...
THERE ARE TIMES THAT THE PROBLEM BRINGS ABOUT A MIRACLE.
In 1975 NBC was covering the WORLD SERIES at FENWAY PARK.
CARLTON FISK was batting and standing at the home plate.
The pitch was made. CARLTON stepped up to the plate and hit the ball
with all his might. The ball appeared the it might go foul.
The camera man was suppose to follow the ball ---
INSTEAD THERE WAS A EAT IN THE SCOREBOARD where the camera man
was working. The RAT came near the camera man, so he left the camera
focused CLOSE-UP on CARLTON FISK AS HE WAS JUMPING UP AND DOWN,
SCREAMING, WAVING HIS ARMS, WANTING TO COAX THE BALL TO STAY
FAIR. IT DID --- IT STAYED FAIR --- FISK HAD A HOME RUN ---
IT WAS ALL CAUGHT BY THE CAMERA.
The camera man should have been focusing on the ball's flight, but because
of a PROBLEM WITH THE RAT --- We have this rare footage.
MAY I SUGGEST OUR PROBLEMS COULD BE MUCH AS THIS EXPERIENCE
WITH THE RAT --- AS WE ENCOUNTER OUR PROBLEMS WE MAY RELEASE
GOD --- WE MAY SEE GOD WORK IN A WAY THAT COULD HAVE NEVER
HAPPENED WITHOUT THE PROBLEM...
His servant, Wade martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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