**PULL THE COVERS BACK OVER YOUR HEAD.**
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. PULL THE COVERS BACK OVER YOUR HEAD!
I CAN'T. YOU KNOW I CAN'T. THERE IS A LION IN THE WAY?
I MUST WARN YOU --- DO NOT EVEN TRY --- THERE IS A LION OUT THERE SOME WHERE AND THAT LION WILL EAT YOU UP...
A. Listen to me. Listen to me... I MUST WARN YOU... DO NOT EVEN TRY...
YOU CAN'T DO IT... Better people than you have tried --- they failed, THUS YOU WILL FAIL.
Proverbs 26:13 (KJV) The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
Proverbs 26:13 (MSG) Loafers say, "It's dangerous out there! Tigers are prowling the streets!" and then pull the covers back over their heads.
B. LET ME WARN YOU, I HEARD IT FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE---
THERE ARE LIONS OUT THERE...
Proverbs 22:13 (KJV) The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
Proverbs 22:13 (MSG) The loafer says, "There's a lion on the loose! If I go out I'll be eaten alive!"
C. EXCUSES ARE A DIME A DOZEN:
• I just bought land (materialism)
• I just purchased some OXEN (business, pleasure)
• I am getting MARRIED (scheduling conflicts)
• I heard there are some LIONS out there. (imaginary)
• I am out of PEANUT BUTTER. (as good as any other excuse)
II. ARE YOU STILL HOLDING ON?
I CAN NOT SEE GOD IN ALL THIS MESS ---
JUST GO AHEAD AND CURSE GOD AND DIE...
A. JOB HAS BEEN THROUGH A TERRIBLE TIME...
His precious wife is upset and allowing her EMOTIONS & FEELINGS TO DICTATE HER WORDS. Sister JOB speaks some terrible words:
Job 2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
B. Job gives sacrifices for his children: JUST IN CASE.
The storms blow and destroy everything: THIS DESTRUCTION IS A DISTORTION ---
IT IS NOT OVER UNTIL THE FAT LADY SINGS...
Job 2:9 (MSG) His wife said, "Still holding on to your precious integrity, are you? Curse God and be done with it!"
C. IT IS A DISTORTION OF THE FACTS, IT IS NOT OVER...
Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
D. JOB COULD HAVE QUIT BEFORE HIS MIRACLE... QUITTER NEVER WIN...
WINNERS NEVER QUIT.
III. NOT YO CHEETOS: THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS --- THE BATTLE HAS NEVER BEEN YOURS...
A. We have the LILIES OF THE VALLEY (purity) and the ROSE OF SHARON ( atonement)
B. WHY WOULD A PERSON GO THROUGH SCHOOL & BASIC TRAINING?
As conflicts around us RAGE we can know SWEET PEACE...
C. NOT YO CHEETOS? Do not take what is not YOURS.
2 Chronicles 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
IV. HAVE WE LOST OUR DREAMING ABILITY?
COME, LET US REASON TOGETHER AND SURVEY, WHAT IS HINDERING US?
FAITH DRIVEN BY LOVE MUST BE THE DRIVING FORCE.
Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. 7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
A. No matter what the circumstances, what I see or feel --- THE WORD IS WOKING MIGHTILY IN US.
We must not allow our emotions and feelings govern our dream.
What appears to our eyes and heart may not be what GOD HAS PLANNED.
What you see, how you feel may be A DETERRENT TO GOD'S PLANS FOR YOU.
B. We often find ourselves in an HOUR OF TRIALS.
WE TEND TO LOSE OUR PASSION and then RESIGN THAT THIS OBSTACLE will be the DEATH of our HOPE.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
V. I PRAY AND I PRAY --- WHAT IS IN THE WAY?
A. ANYONE THAT KNOWS MUCH ABOUT THE BIBLE KNOWS DANIEL WAS A PERSON OF DEEP PRAYER. Daniel was a HABITUAL PRAYER. His friends knew Daniel would disappear for a while and he would spend TIME IN PRAYING and communion with God.
B. As a man of prayer Daniel was used to God hearing and answering him. One day Daniel prayer in faith and DARKNESS TRIED TO HINDER THE LIGHT. Day one God heard Daniel's prayer...
Daniel 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
C. GOD HEARD DANIEL ON DAY ONE --- BUT THERE WERE 21 DAYS BEFORE THE ASSURANCE OF THE BLESSINGS WERE HINDERED... 21 DAYS TO DOUBT SELF? My friend, God is not like instant coffee, instant oats.
D. THERE IS THE QUALIFIER OF DIVINE TIMING --- DO NOT PULL THE BLANKET BACK UP AROUND YOUR NECK.
Daniel 10:18 Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, 19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
VI. COULD THERE BE SOMETHING THAT IS HINDERING YOU SPIRITUALLY FROM THE OBEDIENCE OF GOD'S PERFECT WILL?
• PERFECT WILL OF GOD?
• SUBMISSIVE WILL OF GOD?
• OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD?
Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
A. It was CORNATION DAY: The queen of England send out INVITATIONS. The invitations were printed: ALL EXCUSES CEASE!
B. Today we tend to teach that EXCUSES are acceptable and will be tolerated. God's lessons are much more than optional suggestions yielding to public opinion.
VII. CONSIDER THE WEIGHTIER? HINDERANCES CAN COME FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES...
SOME BATTLES COME FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES --- WITHOUT...
OTHER BATTLES COME FROM INTERNAL SOURCES--- WITHIN...
A. What is really important to you? Is what is important to you important to God? The battle is not yours--- DO WE TRUST GOD
2 Corinthians 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
B. THE MAIN THING IS TO KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING.
No one can define to you what your main thing really is...
Show me where you spend your time and money and your definition of your main thing will be clear.
Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
C. CONSIDER YOUR PRIORITY SYSTEM?
Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
VIII. COME. LET US AVOID ANY HINDERANCE WITHIN AND WITHOUT...
THERE ARE NO LIONS OUT THERE.
1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Do we see a way of progress, triumph, glory... PERSERVANCE IS THE FLAG WE CARRY... THERE IS MORE THAN BEGINNING WE MUST UNDERSTAND WE MUST FINISH...
Jesus triumph started us in this race --- IT WILL BE JESUS' TRIUMPH THAT FINISHES THIS RACE. OUR ENEMY WILL CONSTANTLY INSINUATE THAT YOU ARE A NOBODY AND YOU ARE DOING NOTHING. Just go ahead and SLEEP... JESUS HAD TO TELL HIS BOYS: SLEEP ON MY FRIENDS.
MORE THAN A CONQUERER...
Do we carry the WHOLE ARMOR? Do we maintain OIL IN OUR LAMP?
Are we REMOVING THE OLD LANDMARKS?
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom
CONCLUSION: It is high time to pull the blanket off the sleeping saints and arise to GOD'S ETERNAL VALUE SYSTEM. Lord, help us live with eternities values in view for there is too much to gain to lose.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
