DID YOU FILL YOUR PRESCRIPTION?
YOU COULD BE ONE HEARTBEAT FROM ETERNITY...
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
INTRODUCTION: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SEASONS OF TESTING?
How can your attitude and thinking process effect//affect how you do when tested?
**TRAIN: to teach skills that are needed, to instruct, to be taught or to learn, to cause one to
improve or develop, to direct growth, to be prepared, drill
**DISCIPLINE: control that is gained by requiring rules and orders to obey and punishing bad behavior,
a way of behaving that shows a willingness to obey rules and order,
behavior that is judged by how well one follows orders...
training that corrects, molds, or perfects one mentally and morally,
I. LIFE AT BEST CARRIES MANY ISSUES:
1. WHAT WILL OUR VALUE SYSTEM /// PRIORITY SYSTEM BE... ???
2. WHAT WILL I DO WITH THE TIME ALLOTTED TO ME?
3. DO WE REALIZE LIFE IS ABOUT TEST?
4. DO I REALLY UNDERSTAND MY DAYS ARE NUMBERED?
Psalm 90:12 (KJV) So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 (NLT) Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 (NIV) Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 (MSG) Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!
A. Our society does not like to speak of death... WHY?
You can only ignore death so long...
B. You ever read the ROLL CALL OF LIFE FROM GENESIS 5?
1. The first death was not in God's original plans --- ABEL lived --- and HE DIED
2. Adam lived 930 years and HE DIED...
3. SETH lived 905 years and HE DIED...
4. ENOS lived 905 years and HE DIED...
5. THE LONGEST LIVING MAN WAS METHSELAH AT 969 YEARS ---but history records
AND HE DIED...
6. History records a day when EVERYONE on earth died but 8 people...
7. In ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S TOMB in Springfield, Illinois is recorded on the wall behind
his grave: HE BELONGS TO THE AGES...
C. Man makes CHOICES? CHOICES HAVE CONQUENCES...!!!
Because man CHOOSE SIN THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY GHOST HAD TO MAKE A CHANGE
OF PLANS... instead of nearly 1,000 years --- TIME WOULD BE REDUCED TO THE AVERAGE OF
70 YEARS --- Yet man still never changed his attitudes and behavior?
Psalm 90:10 (KJV) The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength
they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Psalm 90:10 (NLT) Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years
are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away.
D. Ponder this thought long and hard...
YOU COULD BE ONE HEARTBEAT FROM HELL?
YOU COULD BE ONE HEARTBEAT FROM HEAVEN?
Consider YOUR WAYS...
Haggai 1:5 (KJV) Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Haggai 1:7 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Haggai 1:5 (MSG) And then a little later, God-of-the-Angel-Armies spoke out again: "Take a good,
hard look at your life. Think it over.
Haggai 1:7 (MSG) That's why God-of-the-Angel-Armies said: "Take a good, hard look at your life.
Think it over."
E. You do not know how to live until you know how to die?
II. SEASONS OF TESTING ARE PART OF BEING ABOVE THE GROUND...
CONTRARY TO SOME MODERNING TEACHINGS, NO ONE IS EXEMPT FROM
THE TESTINGS OF DAILY LIVING...
A. Any honest study of Bible characters will reveal they were tested, tried, and buffeted all
their days. Christians and sinners will all be tested.
Job 14:1 (KJV) Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
B. our enemy knows to TEST US IN OUR WEAK AREAS, when we are TIRED & WEAK.
Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
C. THE SEASON OF TESTING DOES NOT STOP AT ONE...
1. You hungry? Turn the ROCKS TO BREAD? Abuse of power?
Jesus counters with IT IS WRITTEN...The word of God.
2. The enemy takes him to a high place and says: JUMP?
THE ENEMY EVEN KNOWS THE WORD and abuses it... Not the right context.
Jesus uses the WORD... proper context...
3. The enemy makes an INVALID PROMISE: I WILL GIVE YOU THE WORLD?
Satan never GIVES, he only takes.
Jesus knows who the RIGHTFUL OWNER really is...
D. GOD LIMITS THE DURATION OF THE SEASONS OF TESTING...
BUT THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER --- THE ENEMY WILL RETURN WITH A VENGEANCE...
Matthew 4:11 (KJV) Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Matthew 4:11 (MSG) The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and
took care of Jesus' needs.
E. EVERY TESTED EVER DESIGNED --- THERE HAS TO ALWAYS BE A WAY OF ESCAPE...
EVERY TEST HAS A SOLUTION.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
III. THERE IS A PRESCRIPTION CLEARLY WRITTEN IN GOD'S WORD WHEN WE FACE
TEMPTATION... LET US HAVE A GOD ENCOUNTER DAILY...
A. Prescription: a diagnosis of the problem, an officially written telling how to correct the problem
or sickness...SOMETHING THAT IS WRITTEN SUGGESTING A WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN...
THE ACT OF WRITTEN DIRECTION FOR THERAPEUTIC OR CORRECTIVE AGENT...
A RECOMMENDATION, SOMETHING TO BRING ON A CURE OR CORRECTION...
This test that is meant to destroy you --- CAN BRING NEW HOPE, NEW PEACE, AND
A NEW LIFE LESSON TO GROW AND STRETCH YOUR FAITH TO GREATER HEIGHTS
THEN EVER BEFORE.
B. Today we tend to try to BYPASS THE GOD FACTOR during seasons of testing?
If we are anemic in the word we will be ANEMIC during the seasons of testing?
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your
hearts, ye double minded.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things
shall be added unto you.
C. The same SEASON OF TESTING that kills some, CAUSES OTHERS TO THRIVE...
Saul vs David? 10 negative spies vs 2 positive? Lot vs Abraham? 11 boat sitters vs one water walker?
WE LEARN HOW TO TRAIN ANIMALS? OUR HAIR? OUR KIDNEYS? OUR BOWELS?
BUT WE SELDOM WANT TO BE HONEST ENOUGH TO TRAIN OUR SPIRIT-PERSON...
WE HAVE A GREAT LACK OF SELF-CONTROL AND SELF DISCIPLINE...
A. It is good to TRAIN AND DISCIPLINE YOUR SELF IN MANY AREAS...
BUT WE WOULD DO WELL TO TRAIN OUR HEARTS, FAITH AND THINKING PATTERNS THAT
SEASONS OF TESTING WILL COME AND GO... God has a plan and a purpose.
1 Timothy 4:6 (MSG) You've been raised on the Message of the faith and have followed sound teaching.
Now pass on this counsel to the Christians there, and you'll be a good servant of Jesus.
7 Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual
flabbiness, please! 8 Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so,
making you fit both today and forever. 9 You can count on this. Take it to heart.
10 This is why we've thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We're banking on the living God, Savior
of all men and women, especially believers. 11 Get the word out. Teach all these things.
12 And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by
demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. 13 Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching.
14 And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and
prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.
B. TRAIN YOUR MIND AND SPIRIT TO EXPECT THE SEASONS OF TESTING AND LEARN
TO LOVE THE TEST.
When I taught in the 6th grade I had a boy that loved test.
I asked him one day: WHY DO YOU LOVE THE TEST?
He replied: I GET TO PROVE I STUDIED!
1 Timothy 4:6 (ESV) If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ
Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training
is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life
to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive,
because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers
an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public
reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you
by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
C. TRAIN: to teach skills that are needed, to instruct, to be taught or to learn, to cause one to
improve or develop, to direct growth, to be prepared, drill
DISCIPLINE: control that is gained by requiring rules and orders to obey and punishing bad behavior,
a way of behaving that shows a willingness to obey rules and order,
behavior that is judged by how well one follows orders...
training that corrects, molds, or perfects one mentally and morally,
CONCLUSION: Do not neglect your call and your gifts. Realize you may be one heartbeat away
from eternity. The lack of a priority///value system and goals may be accidentally or purposefully
come about by the absence of SELF-CONTROL and SELF DISCIPLINE. Are you allowing
SEEDS TO BE DORMAINT AND UNDEVELOPED? Have you accepted seasons of test are part
of daily living? Will you learn to EXPECT these testing seasons? WHY NOT LEARN TO
LOVE AND THRIVE DURING THE STORMS, TRIALS AND SEASONS OF TESTING?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
