COUNT THE COST OF QUITTING? CAN WE AFFORD TO QUIT? QUITTING HAS CONSEQUENCES ---I QUIT!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
Deut.30:19... I call on heaven and earth to record this day against you, that
I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore CHOOSE
LIFE, that you and your children may live.
Joshua 24:15 ... CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE?
Today, I ponder CONSEQUENCES OF QUITTING?
We cannot underestimate the power of choices and our attitudes, as to where we
are? And where we will end?
Today’s choices can have eternal consequences.
LET US CONSIDER A NEW TESTAMENT QUITTER NAMED DEMAS...
Demas was a co-worker of Paul and made some missionary trips with Paul
when Paul was first thrown in jail. (Philemon 1:24)
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed
unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Bible records record that Demas DESERTED the faith and Apostle Paul, because
he developed a love for the world... PLEASURE, IT WAS EASIER...
WATCH THE LIFE OF JOHN MARK... HE WORKED WITH THE BEST...
JOHN MARK QUIT, BUT HE GOT UP AND TRIED AGAIN...
Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother
of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
John Mark's mother was a lady named Mary, one of Jesus' first coverts.
Mary helped Paul in his early ministry, and lead her brother to Christ.
John Mark's uncle was a man named BARNABAS, Paul's friend.
JOHN MARK WENT ON A MISSIONARY JOURNEY WITH PAUL AND UNCLE BARNABAS
Acts 12:25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their
ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.
JOHN MARK QUIT --- HE LEFT PAUL AND BARNABAS AND RETURNED HOME,
WHEN THE GOING GOT ROUGH.
WHILE PAUL AND BARNABAS WERE A GREAT MISSIONARY TEAM...
BARNABAS SAID GIVE THE KID A SECOND CHANCE --- PAUL SAID NO!
THIS WAS A SHARP CONTENTION...
Acts 15:37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia,
and went not with them to the work.
BARNABUS WAS RIGHT, PAUL WAS WRONG...FOR LATER PAUL WAS RECONCILED
AND CALLED JOHN MARK A GOOD PROFITABLE LEADER...
2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable
to me for the ministry.
THOMAS MADE A VERY BAD CHOICE AND HIS NAME WAS CHANGED...
John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them
when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the
Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails,
and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side,
I will not believe.
Thomas was known as Didymus, until one day he made a poor choice and skipped
a prayer meeting.
His last name shall be changed forever ... today we know Thomas the Doubter.
One choice opened several other doors. Will your choices slide?
Perhaps, you have developed the skill to walk on the edge of a slippery brink and
come to victory by an ever so small margin.
Can your children walk the tight rope and not fall? The grandchildren?
Can we gamble with life?
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Can't you see, others follow you?
Your choices will have consequences.
NOAH COULD HAVE QUIT? I AM SURE HE THOUGHT ABOUT IT?
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Sure, he could have quit.
Noah was 480 years old, when God gave him the plans of the ark.
Why did God wait until Noah was 480?
Maybe, Noah was a slow learner?
Maybe Noah had to learn to not quit when big projects are assigned to you?
I cannot understand why God waited to tell Noah his purpose until he was 480?
Noah means rest? Yet, he had an impossible job?
Did Noah ever want to quit? SURE!
The ARK was the size of 75 average houses of today?
Longer than a football field? Almost 5 stories high? 75 feet wide?
All of this was assigned to a poor 480 year old man with 3 sons?
Need I remind you, there were no Lowe’s or 84 Lumber Stores?
Need I remind you there were no chain saws, no power saws, no power tools,
no air hammers?
No movement would have credential this crazy man?
I heard a Religious Leader say, if you haven't won so many souls a year,
you should resign and quit. I ponder how many numbers is enough?
Not one neighbor accepted Noah’s hair brained message.
After 119 years of hard labor, and blistered hands and hurting backs, the
project neared the dedication phase.
Would you have quit? What about those counting on you?
Imagine how many trophies and religious success sheets Noah had hanging
in his office?
The headlines would have read...
CRAZY OLD MAN HAS A BIG BOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT? GET READY?
Noah could have worried many years...
HOW CAN WE CATCH ALL THESE ANIMALS? Maybe God was joking?
I think Sister Noah had some serious doubts at times about this VISION?
But, thank God Noah never quit for long. He always returned to the hammer.
One day, out of no where, here comes 2 elephants and walk on board?
Finally two snails climb the loading ramp.
Noah starts working one day, he and his family and all the animals are on board,
and God shuts the door. Noah can't get the door to open.
Someone sees rain hitting the one window on board.
Thousands of people that mocked Noah start running towards the ARK,
but Noah never closed the door, nor could he open it.
The fate was a choice made years prior to the rain. How about you?
Don't forget it had never rained before, the water prior to this event came up
through the ground.
Remember, it was not raining when Noah started building the ARK.
REMEMBER NOAH, HIS WIFE, THE THREE SONS, AND THE THREE DAUGHTER IN
LAWS, 8 PEOPLE WERE SAVED. All because --- ONE MAN WOULD NOT QUIT!!!!!
Every living creature owes a debt to Pastor Noah for keeping’ on, for continuing,
enduring hardship, sawing tons of wood, persisting, for lasting, overcoming mockery
and misunderstanding, for holding on to the WORD AND VISION OF GOD.
TAKE IT EASY?
R&R, DAVID MADE A VERY POOR CHOICE, REST AND RELAXATION?
LET’S LOOK AT THE CHOICE TO QUIT, NOT PREPARE, STAY AT HOME!
We seem blind to the consequences of QUITTING and sin.
2 Samuel 11:1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when
kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel;
and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried
still at Jerusalem.
David made a choice, "I will not go into battle, I will stay at home and send someone
else to fight for me?"
The mighty warrior DID NOTQUIT, rested, and relaxed.
This was a poor choice, the consequences of this one little choice shall haunt David
all the days of his life. Sin and regret will follow the choice to play hooky from the battle.
This choice, David made opened many painful doors.
There was a wild sexual affair? The death of a brilliant soldier? Rebellion in the house?
VACATIONS FROM YOUR DUTY REALLY HURTS!
1. David visits the funeral home and buys a coffin for his baby son?
Bathsheba buys a coffin for her hero husband?
2. Bathsheba’s grandfather, Ahitophel, in great disappoint, sets his house in order
and decides to call it quits.
3. Ahitophel, ties a hangman’s noose and ends it all?
4. How sad, when David notices his daughter, Tamar, has quit wearing the many
colored virgin dress?
5. Absalom kills Ammon for the sexual sin to his sister?
6. David goes 5 years without seeing his handsome son?
7. All this trail of tears go back to one sad day, the General, the King, decided
to not report for active duty.
David had allowed a VACATION FROM SPIRITUAL VALUES TO BE BIRTHED.
The consequences shall leave a bitter trail of many tears? What if David had
been in battle?
All men great and small are given the opportunity to quit!
Small people quit. Great people over come every problem and obstacle, they learn
to continue in the face of opposition.
They develop the skills to thrive and develop, while the crowd cries and complains!
Imagine how many trophies and religious success sheets Noah had hanging in his office?
What if God were counting on you?
What if the Pastor attended church like you do?
What if your temper got in the way of the WORK OF GOD?
What if you only work when the shout is there?
What if your emotions played games with you?
Is your faith showing?
Does the work progress?
YOU ARE NOT WISE IF YOU WILL QUIT.
Are you holding on to the WORD AND VISION OF GOD?
Are you forgetting heaven? DON’T FORGET HEAVEN!
Are you seeking fun and entertainment?
Can you afford to quit?
Can your friends and family afford you to quit?
WHY DO PEOPLE QUIT? Study --- WHY QUIT in the light of eternity?
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
