SPIRITUAL SCURVY? --- WHAT ARE WE LACKING?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr Kyfingers@aol.com
I use several magnets of varying sizes...
Text
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
JOY IS A MAGNET--- IT DRAWS GOOD, POSITIVE THINGS...
JOY MAY OFTEN REPEL NEGATIVE, DOOMS DAYERS...
I can not control life --- but I can control how I react to stuff...
You can overcome all negative things if you will not murmur, complain, or bellyache...
LIFE IS NOT JUST KNOWING HOW TO PLAY A GOOD HAND...
BUT IN PLAYINGA BAD HAND WELL...
Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure
for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
IF THE FREEDOM OF BEING A CHRISTIAN IS CAKE ---
THEN JOY IS THE ICING ON THE CAKE...
JOY ADDS VALUE, INTEREST, APPEAL TO SERVING JESUS CHRIST.
CHRISTIANITY IS MUCH MORE THAN A RELIGION ---
CHRISTIANITY IS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP --- THE LAW KILLS
The letter of the law kills --- DWARFTS --- SPIRITUAL MIDGETS....
THROUGH HISTORY --- GLOOMY CHRISTIANS DO MORE HARM TO THE CROSS WEARING
THEIR LONG DARK SUITS AND LONG RAZOR BLADE TONGUES...
2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter,
but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Did you hear about the lad that asked his grandfather: PAW, DOES THE MULE HAVE
RELIGION?
The grandfather said: WHY WOULD YOU ASK A QUESTION LIKE THAT?
The boy said: WELL, PAW, THE MULE HAS THE SAME FACE AS THE PREACHER
AND THE DECONS HAVE?
I MUST KNOW JESUS --- I MUST MEET HIM ---
They come to PHILIP, PHILIP COMES TO ANDREW... ANDREW TELLS PETER:
John 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him,
saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
WE DESIRE MORE THAN THE LAW OF NECESSITY ---
The more you know Jesus the less we will be satisfied with the SUPERFICIAL, SURFACE
VIEWS OF THE SON OF GOD...
THAT I MAY KNOW HIM!!!
Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his
sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
TO KNOW JESUS WILL EXPRESS ITSELF IN TWO VIRTUES:
THE FRUIT WILL TELL THE TRUTH...
The apple tree may claim to be a peach tree...
but we will see...
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Matthew 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and
his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
THERE ARE TWO CRITERION --- TO BASE OUR RELATIONSHIP ON...
1. KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS ---
1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth
is not in him.
2. LOVE EACH OTHER ---
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
SCURVY IS A DISEASE CAUSED BY THE LACK OF VITAMIN C...
The lacking of fruits & vegetables... One looses their teeth...spongy gums, bleeding...
Where there grows doubt, fear, worry, anger, gloom, despair ---
IS JOY A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT? JOY IS MORE THAN SEEKING PLEASURE!
SCURVY IS THE LACK OF SOMETHING ---
Where there grows doubt, fear, worry, anger, gloom, despair --- SOMETHING IS LACKING...
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22 (NIV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
JOY IS THE FLAG THAT FLIES HIGH FROM THE CASTLE OF OUR HEARTS
JOY IS THE FLAG THAT ANNOUNCES THE KING IS IN THE RESIDENCE TODAY....
Are we proclaiming THE GOOD NEWS ---
GOOD NEWS BRINGS HOPE AND CHEER
If we are walking in the PRESENCE OF THE MOST HOLY GOD ---
WE MUST ACCEPT THAT JOY IS INEVITABLE... a joyless Christian could be a discredit to
the plan of God.
JOY IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE GREATEST SIGNS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE AND
WELL.
WILL I ENJOY THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND ACCEPT THE GOOD THINGS THAT COMES
FROM HIS HAND...
TWO THINGS ARE SPIRITUAL BOOMERANGS: JOY AND GIVING....
The boomerang, a flat-curved implement that when thrown properly will return to the hand that
threw it...
GIVING & JOY CAN BE CONTAGIOUS...
The joy of living is found in the joy of giving...
JOY IS NOT FOUND IN THINGS...
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together,
and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal
it shall be measured to you again.
2 Corinthians 9:11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us
thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9:11 (MSG) wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way,
producing with us great praise to God.
CONCLUSION: THE LACK OF VITAMIN C WILL LEAD TO SCURVY.
SCURVY IS A TERRIBLE DISEASE THAT WILL LEAD TO SUFFERING AND DEATH...
THE LACK OF JOY WILL LEAD TO A SAD PAINFUL LIFE STYLE AND A TERRIBLE END...
Learn to find joy in little things...
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
