FAN THE FLAME... CHANGE OR FIVE LONG YEARS ?
By Kyfingers@aol.com
Exodus 32:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Exodus 32:9 (NLT) Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are.
Exodus 32:9 (MSG) God said to Moses, "I look at this people—oh! what a stubborn, hard-headed people!
THERE IS A TERRIBLE COST IN NOT CHANGING BAD HABITS AND BAD ATTITUDES...
*CHANGE? STAY THE SAME? IT IS UP TO YOU?
*WHAT WILL MOTIVATE US TO CHANGE? ARE WE STIFF-NECKED AND REFUSE TO CHANGE?
*LET US LOOK AT 2 IMPORTANT ITEMS OF CHANGE.
*1. IT IS INSANE TO THINK YOU CAN KEEP DOING SOMETHING THE SAME OLD WAY AND *EXPECT A DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
*2. YOU WILL CHANGE WHEN THE PAIN OF STAYING THE SAME BECOMES GREATER THAN
* THE PAIN OF CHANGE.
A person will or should change their eating habits when they can't walk anymore? They have a toe cut off? A foot cut off?
A person should quit smoking after COPD & a HEART ATTACK?
A wife will want to change after being served D-I-V-O-R-C-E PAPERS & her husband walks out the door?
THE RICH MAN IN HELL LIFTED UP HIS EYES IN TORMENT...
HE WAS MISSIONARY MINDED THEN --- I HAVE BROTHERS HEADED TO HELL...
LET ME CHANGE AND GO BACK AND TEACH THEM?
CHANGE? I WILL GET YOUR ATTENTION TO HELP ME---
I WILL SET YOUR FIELDS ON FIRE.... 5 LONG YEARS WITHOUT SEEING THE KING?
THERE ARE THREE MAIN CHARACTERS IN THIS LESSON:
1. DAVID THE MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART.
2. JOAB THE MIIGHTY GENERAL THAT DAVID HAD COMPLETE TRUST.
3. ABSALOM, DAVID'S AND BATHSHEBA'S SON...
Absalom was good looking and had a head full of hair.
If you remember Absalom's half brother AMNON.
AMNON was so in love with his step sister (TAMAR) that he got LOVE SICK.
So with the help of a friend AMNON had TAMAR cook him a meal.
At this meal Amnon raped his sister TAMAR.
Tamar had to lay aside her beautiful dress because AMNON.
TAMAR'S BROTHER NOTICED THE COLORFUL DRESS OF A VIRGIN WAS GONE.
SO ABSALOM HAD A PARTY AND HAD HIS BROTHER AMNON KILLED.
DAVID BANISHED ABSALOM FROM HIS SIGHT.
5 LONG YEARS --- ABSALOM DID NOT SEE HIS FATHER, DAVID...
ABSALOM GOT HOME SICK...
ABSALOM BEGGED ONE OF HIS FATHER'S BEST FRIENDS (JOAB) TO ARRANGE A MEETING BETWEEN KING DAVID AND HIS SON...
JOAB PROMISED AND PROMISED TO ARRANGE THE MEETING.
JOAB NEVER GOT-A-ROUND-TO-IT.
SO ABSOLOM WAS A MAN OF ACTION...
2 Samuel 14:30 Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire. 31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire? 32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me. 33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.
WHY? O WHY DID YOU SET MY FIELDS ON FIRE?
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO GET THE GENERAL'S ATTENTION TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE KING!!!
IN A MATTER OF HOURS AFTER SETTING THE FIELDS ON FIRE ABSALOM WAS WITH HIS FATHER...
ARE YOU FOREVER TRAPPED --- WHAT ABOUT YOUR CHOICES?
PRAISE? COMPLAIN? STIFF-NECKED?
What does stiff-necked mean?
Exodus 32:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people:
I have a relative on my Grandmother's side that was called MULEHEAD BRYANT...
I never knew his real name. All I ever heard him called was MULEHEAD?
HOW DOES ONE GET THE NAME: MULEHEAD?
Is stiff-necked a good term or a bad term?
Could stiff-necked mean: refusing to change your ideas...
Refuse to stop doing something?
Difficult to deal with...
Mulish, unyielding, lack of submission, bullheaded,
Please, don't be angry with me?
SEEMS STIFF-NECKED PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO BLAME OTHERS AND MAKE BIG EXCUSES!!!
--- IT IS NOT MY FAULT? STIFF-NECKED????
WE FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US...
TEMPORAL VS. ETERNAL...
IT APPEARS WE MOLD OUR IDOLS --- THEN OUR IDOLS MOLD US?
WE SEEM TO THRIVE WITH DIVIDED DEVOTIONS AND DIVIDED COMMITMENTS...
LIFE IS ABOUT 10% WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU...
LIFE IS ABOUT 90% WHAT HAPPENS IN YOU...
Psalm 55:21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
ALL PROBLEMS WILL BRING OUT ONE OF TWO TRAITS IN YOU...
WILL I BELLYACHE, FUSS & COMPLAIN OR WILL I MAKE THE WILLFUL CHOICE THAT I WILL PRAISE THE LORD...
ANGRY: to be strongly annoyed, rage
MURMUR: a complaint, grumble, bellyache, point in protest.
a low sound, under your breath expressing negative opinions and negative feelings.
John 6:43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
COMPLAIN: to say or write how unhappy, sick, uncomfortable, etc. to discuss what you don't like.
To be annoyed, unhappy, discontent,
GRIPE: to complain, fuss, to be irritated...
MY FRIEND, MURMUR, CRITIZE, COMPLAIN, GRIP, FUSS ---
GO AHEAD AND ANALYZE EVERY AND CRITICIZE EVERY PERSON AROUND YOU!
YOU MAY BE CARRYING THE STINK WITH YOU...
CAN WE SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT AN ARTIST AND THE ART CRITIC'S ATTITUDE?
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? HAVE WE JUST GOT ADJUSTED AND ACCEPT THE SMELL.
Yesterday I was talking to a pastor. The Pastor discussed a problem with me that was on-going at their church.
A man that attended faithfully smelled so bad that no one would sit near him.
Several people, even key leaders in the church had discussed this offensive problem with the pastor?
The pastor could not understand
WHY? THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME? WHY?
SEEMS WE LEARN BEST THAT THE LORD IS ALL NEED,
WHEN HE IS ALL WE HAVE.
Sometimes the worst thing that can ever happen to us is the best thing that could ever happen to us.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET US "FIRED UP!"
I read the story several years ago about a man named ROBERT BROOKS, NFL player.
Robert played for the GREEN BAY PACKERS and was a STAR RECEIVER in the 1997 SUPER BOWL.
Robert had a SEASON ENDING KNEE INJURY in the sixth game of 1996. Robert was in great pain and he knew this injury ended his playing for this year.
Robert was very discouraged, he was a Christian man and trusted the Lord. But Robert just could NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HE HERE IN THIS PAIN. In his discouragement and pain ROBERT COULD NOT SEE THE PLAN AND PURPOSE OF GOD.
Later Robert Brooks said that God spoke to him in a gentle way,
GOD WAS TELLING ME HE NEEDED TO USE ME TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT THROUGH CHRISTYOU CAN OVERCOME ANYTHIN ---- BASED ON THE WAY THAT I WAS GOING TO HANDLE MY INJURY.
ROBERT SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND THIS INJURY WAS GOING TO BE A TESTIMONY TO MANY PEOPLE, and that he was going to touch the heart and lives of people that were going through battles and struggles. Robert felt assured that he was going to be OK. He may not get to be in the Super Bowl, but GOD WAS GOING TO USE HIM TO SHOW OTHERS HE MADE IT AND THEY CAN MAKE IT.
STEVE NEWMAN, the TEAM CHAPLAIN went to Brook's home and shared two verses.
2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
These verse from the Bible confirmed Brooks' understanding. Brooks said: "IT WAS THIS EXACT REASON GOD WAS TELLING ME HE WAS USING ME. THIS TOOK ME TO ANOTHER SPIRITUAL LEVEL WITH GOD.IF I HAD NOT HAVE KNOWN GOD WAS USING ME, I WOULD NOT HAVE HANDLED THIS AS WELL."
EUGENE ROBINSON was Brooks teammate and free safety for the PACKERS. Eugene told everyone he saw A DIFFERENCE IN ROBERT BROOKS. Eugene describes his friend as: "REAL FIRED UP, THE LORD GOT HOLD OF ROBERT!"
LORD, LET ME LEARN FROM MY ADVERSITIES...
FOREVER REMEMBER WORDS AND ATTITUDES ARE CONTAINERS THAT RELEASE OR HINDER GOD... LET US SET THE FIELDS ON FIRE...
LET THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH LAUNCH MIRACLES AND LIFE...
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF POWER IN YOUR WORDS...
DEATH AND LIFE --- NOT DEATH OR LIFE ---
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
DO WE RELEASE COMPLAINING, CRITICIZING, FAULT-FINDING, GRIPING, FUSSING, ANGER HINDER THE MOVE OF A MIGHTY GOD? CORRUPT WORDS BECOME ADDICTIVE HABITS...
James 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
ARE WE DRINKING FROM CORRUPTED --- POLLUTED SPRINGS THAT KEEP US FROM GOOD CHANGE??
Verbal pollution can become TOXIC and DEADLY and BACKFIRE on those that play games with the negative... IT IS TIME TO SET THE FIELDS ON FIRE...
NEGATIVE WORDS COME OUT OF NEGATIVE, DOUBT --- LIFE HURTING...
FULL HEARTS THAT DO NOT BELIEVE OR TRUST GOD...
HONEY, YOU CAN NOT BE THANKFUL AND PRAISING GOD WHILE YOU ARE UNGRATEFUL...
ARE YOU GIVING SWEET WATER OF LIFE OR POISON TOXIC WATER OF GRUMBLE AND COMPLAINING...
CONCLUSION: HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE. ANGRY PEOPLE ANGER PEOPLE.GROW UP...
LET US CHANGE WITHOUT SOMEONE BURNING OUR FIELDS.
Are you praising God??
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
