REVEALED BY THE FIRE...
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Thanks for Dr. Garry Brackett putting me on this trail of thought.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose.
THERE IS A BOLD TRUTH YOU MUST ACKNOWLEDGE:
YOU WILL NEVER CHANGE UNLESS YOU CHANGE YOUR THINKING PATTERN.
LIFE AND MINISTRY WILL EITHER MAKE YOU OR BREAK YOU.
Wishing does not make it so.
I. A SKUNK IS A SKUNK! WHY ARE WE SURPRISED WHEN A SKUNK RAISES A STINK?
DR. LAURA SAYS: IS THIS THE HILL ON WHICH I WANT TO DIE?
Did you hear about the SMART AND STRONG BULL DOG?
The Bulldog would go down the road and the SKUNK would come out to TORMENT him.
Day after day the BULL DOG would walk by the SKUNK. The SKUNK called the BULLDOG
every name in the book, The SKUNK was so mean to the BULL DOG.
One day the CAT made an OBSERVATION, and asked the BULL DOG, WHY DO YOU TAKE
THAT FROM THE SKUNK. DO YOU NOT KNOW YOU COULD BEAT UP THE SKUNK?
Of course, I know I CAN BEAT UP THE SKUNK.
THE BULL DOG GRINNED REAL BIG AND SAID: I KNOW I CAN NOT CHANGE THE SKUNK.
IT IS NOT WORTH THE STINK.
II. THE FIRE WILL TELL ---THE FIRE WILL REVEAL --- TIME WILL TELL...
ARE YOU GOLD, SILVER OR PRECIOUS STONES, OR ARE YOU WOOD, HAY, STUBBLE?
In the early 1970's, I worked at a music store in a large mall.
One day a man came in with a large diamond ring.
He explained to me, he broke up with his girlfriend and was in need of money. He offered
me this $1,500.00 ring for $75 cash.
I said, LET ME LOCK UP THE STORE AND WALK ACROSS
THE MALL TO THE JEWERLY SHOP and have the man verify this was a diamond.
The young man grabbed the ring and ran away. I MISSED THE DEAL?
REVEAL: to make something known, to show or prove, to show plainly or clearly,
to open up to full view,
PROBLEMS, OBSTACLES, SEASONS OF TESTINGS, SICKNESS AND TRIAL ARE NEUTRAL.
They are neither good nor bad. All these things will bring a REVELATION, and expose the real
inner you.
THE TROUBLES, TRIALS, PROBLEMS, SICKNESS WILL MAKE YOU OR BREAK YOU.
1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every
man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest:
for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every
man's work of what sort it is.
III. DOES THIS ROAD LEAD ME WHERE I DESIRE TO GO?
AM I WHERE I WANT TO? OR DO I KNOW I REALLY NEED TO CHANGE?
A U-TURN--- can be very dangerous to your self and to others.
To make a sudden U-Turn without slowing down and thinking about this, could hurt?
VINCE LOMBARDI ONCE STATED:
If you can accept losing, you can't win.
If you can walk, why not learn to run?
NO ONE IS EVER HURT.
HURT IS IN YOUR MIND...
MOHAMMED ALI once say:
I HATED EVERY MINUTE OF TRAINING,
BUT I SAID: "DON'T QUIT! SUFFER NOW AND LIVE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
AS A CHAMPION...
JOHN CASH:
You build on failure and pain. Your pain and failure can be used as a STEPPING STONE.
CLOSE THE DOOR ON THE HURT AND THE PAST.
DON'T TRY TO FORGET THE MISTAKES, JUST DON'T DWELL ON THEM.
DO NOT LET HURT AND FAILURE HAVE YOUR ENERGY, OR ANY OF YOUR TIME,
NEVER GIVE PAIN, HURT OR THE PAST ANY SPACE.
IV. HOW DOES GOD HELP US CHANGE OUR THINKING PATTERNS?
THE SCHOOL OF SUFFERING AND PAIN BECOMES THE HIGHEST GRADUATE
SCHOOL OF LEARNING AND BECOMING MORE LIKE GOD.
MOSES ATTENDED SEVERAL DIFFERENT SCHOOLS --- EACH ONE TAUGHT HIM
DIFFERENTLY.
1. Moses attended THE SCHOOL OF MOMMA'S KNEE
2. Moses moved to PHAROAH'S PALACE and had the best FORMAL EDUCATION possible.
3. MOSES MOVED FROM THE PALACE TO THE DESERT:
MOSES WAS WORTHLESS AS A MAN OF GOD UNTIL HE MOVED INTO THE DORM
AT THE SCHOOL OF THE BACK SIDE OF THE DESERT---
V. WHY MUST WE LEAVE OUR COMFORT ZONE AND LIVE IN THE DORM OF
THE DESERT? I DO NOT WANT TO CHANGE... I LIKE HERE?
Jonah's comfort zone was the shade of the GOURD PLANT.
God prepared a worm and the worm KILLED JONAH'S SHADE?
JONAH, GOD IS TRYING TO TEACH YOU, QUIT SITTING HERE.
Luke 11:33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a
bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is
full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 35 Take heed therefore that
the light which is in thee be not darkness. 36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no
part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
CHANGE? DO I NEED TO CHANGE? WHAT DO I NEED TO CHANGE?
I will change when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain
of change. Pain can give birth to PATIENCE and PURPOSE?
We may learn sooner or later, that darkness has to yield to light.
Light seems to follow darkness.
Is there a correlation between PLEASURE and PAIN?
Can there be a plan or purpose behind pain?
MY THINKING PATTERN WILL DEFINE IF THIS IS A STEPPING STONE OR
A STUBBLING BLOCK...
VII. COUNTING THE COST?
WHAT DOES IT COST IF I DO? WHAT IS THE COST IF I DO NOT?
CAN WE GET A GRIB ON UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESSOF LIFE? SELDOM
DOES THE EASIEST PATH LEAD TO THE MASTERPIECES.
Wait ten years?There was a man that counted the cost of building a house?
His counting left out something. 10 years of rent?
10 years of inflation of cost of material? More than double the labor cost?
NOT BUILDING COST HIM GREATLY ---
Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost,
whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is
not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build,
and was not able to finish.
VIII. LET US TRY HARDER? EXERT A GREATER EFFORT? PRUNE THE TREE?
IF YOU CAN NOT CHANGE SOMETHING --- THEN CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT IT?
PRUNE:
TO CUT OVER SOME OF THE BRANCHES SO THAT IT WILL LOOK BETTER AND GROW BETTER.
To reduce by removing the unnecessary to receive more.
Luke 13:6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he
came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold,
these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the
ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and
dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
How does pruning feel to the tree? Pain?
God prunes and purges and cuts away my limbs and twigs.
Sure it hurts! Sure I do not understand what or why God is doing this to me.
Ouch, that hurt. Quit it. What are you doing?
God says: COME SPRING, COME HARVEST YOU MAY BETTER UNDERSTAND
THIS PROCESS...
There will be buds. Blossoms become fruit...
PAIN CAN BE GROWTH AND CORRECTIVE ---
Good management of bad experiences lead to growth.
Every problem introduces a person to himself – John McDonnell
EVERYONE'S EASY WAY MIGHT BE DESTROYING A MASTERPIECE.
IF YOU PAIN IT WHERE IT IS EASY, time might destroys the work.
Life may have something to do with pain and taking risk?
MICHELANGELO GREAT MASTER PIECE IS ON THE CEILING, NOT ON THE FLOOR.
it was difficult and harder to paint on the ceiling than the floor or the wall.
IX. MIRACLES ARE HIDDEN ---GOD'S MASTER WORK IS BIRTHED DURING DARK,
HARD, DIFFICULT TIMES. DIFFICULTY AND PAIN MAY BE THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY
OF FINDING GOD.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they
might have the life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
DO YOU HONEST THINK THE DEVIL'S PLAN IS TO TREAT YOU KIND AND NICE AND
REMOVE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS?
Do you know someone tied their shoes this morning and the funeral home director will
untie them?
X. THE FIRE WILL REVEAL THE REALITY OF YOUR HEART!
HAVE YOU HEARD? HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT JOB?
JOB LEARNED A GREAT LESSON --- LIFE IS NEVER EASY---
LIFE IS NOT A DESTINATION --- LIFE IS ABOUT THE JOURNEY ---
WHAT WILL I DO ABOUT THE PAIN, HEARTACHE, SUFFERING, THE BACK SIDE OF THE DESERT?
Do you honestly believe JOD KNEW WHAT WAS GOING DOWN?
I have heard great debates about JOB'S FRIENDS? Were they really his friends?
I think: YES! They sat several days before opening their discussions.
Sometimes, FRIENDS NEED TO PICK THEIR FRIENDS BUT NOT TO PIECES.
JOB LESSON IS CLEAR... GOD HAS A PLAN AND A PURPOSE...
James 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example
of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of
the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
PROBLEMS WERE GUIDE MISSILES TO TEACH JOB THE REAL HEART OF GOD.
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.
Do you realize some people went to bed last night to NEVER WAKE UP?
Do you know some people went to work today and will never return home?
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who
are the called according to his purpose.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
