WHY SCARS and DARKNESS?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
REAL DAILY LIFE CAN GROW TO THE POINT THAT IT IS EASY TO SAY, I QUIT, LET US THROW THE CLAY AWAY.
Text:
Jeremiah 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
SIGMIND FREUD was a great genius. He spoke 7 different languages. His ideas changed the way we look at the human mind and how we think about ourselves.
Sigmund Freud was a neurologist and he was a psychologist founder PSYCHOANALYSIS and is world famous. Seems he was a genius and so stupid at the same time. Life had seemingly left Sigmund a BITTER, HURT, DISAPPOINTED AND DISILLUSIONED OLD MAN. He smoked cigars and had mouth cancer and could not quit smoking.
He died at 83 years of age. He loved COCAINE, nose candy. He was a frequent user of cocaine.
He just could not seem to GET ALONG with people and he had no sustaining friendships in life.
FREUD HAD EVERYTHING BUT PEOPLE SKILLS, HE LIVED BROKEN, BITTER AND FRIENDLESS.
He wrote a sad line in 1918: “ I HAVE FOUND LITTLE GOOD ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS ON THE WHOLE. IN MY EXPERIENCE MOST OF THEM ARE TRASH…”
83 years old and he comes to the conclusion of a lifelong study: “PEOPLE ARE TRASH.”
Can you hear the frustrations and disappointments of a doctor?
His death is directly caused by smoking 20 cigars a day, his cocaine addiction had consequences.
HIS CHOICES HAD A PAYDAY?
BURY THE PAST OR IT WILL BURY YOU? COULD YESTERDAY’S DEEDS STILL DEFINE TODAY’S ACTIONS?
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
There is a book: GUIDING YOUR FAMILY IN A MISGUIDED WORLD that Doctor Tony Evans wrote. Tony writes of two monks walking on their life’s journey. They we traveling from one village to another village when the two monks came upon an OLD, ELDERLY WOMAN JUST SITTING THERE CRYING. So one of the monks asked why she was crying. Seems she needed to travel to a city and there was a river between her and the city? There were no bridges to cross the river and the lady sat hopeless because she could not swim.
So the sweet monk said: WE WILL CARRY ACROSS THE RIVER. The two monks then joined hands and picked up the old lady and gently carried her across the river. When they got across the river they sat the lady down, she hugged and thanked them for their kindness as she continued her journey.
As they walked on, the second monk started complaining endlessly. He said: Look how wet I am, I am cold now. Look at the mud that I have all over me. I have wrinkles in my clothes and they are dirty now. Then he added I think my back is hurting from lifting that heavy old lady. I am getting stiff. I am in pain.
They traveled on down the road and the second monk just kept complaining. My back is hurting. It started hurting when we carried that silly old woman across the river. Now my feet are hurting, my clothes are a mess, just look at me. My feet? My back? My clothes? I DON’T THINK I CAN CONTINUE ON THIS JOURNEY. What is wrong with you that you are not complaining, he asked the other monk? Does your back hurt?
Then the kind monk said: WE DID A GOOD THING. MY BACK IS NOT HURTING. BUT I KNOW WHY YOUR BACK IS HURTING AND YOU ARE COMPLAINING SO MUCH. YOU ARE STILL CARRYING THAT OLD LADY. I SAT HER DOWN 5 MILES BACK, YOU NEED TO LET GO OF HER.
SEE THE SECOND MONK COULD NOT LET OF HIS PAINS AND THE HEAVY LOAD THAT HE CARRIED? ARE YOU STILL CARRYINGTHE BURDENS AND SCARS OF THE PAST? DO YOU REFUSE TO LET GO?
THERE IS A SPIRITUAL CANCER THAT THRIVES, THIS CANCER IS DEADLY.
OF THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS ONE WILL DESTROY MORE THAN THE OTHERS. WE TEND TO LOVE TO HANG ON TO THE PAINS, HURTS, DISAPPOINTMENTS, BITTERNESS AND SCARS OF THE PAST UNTIL THEY BECOME A SELF-FEEDING SCARS: a mark left by the healing process of injured tissue, a mark of indentation as a result of damage,
THERE ARE SOME POWERFUL MESSAGES IN LIFE.
Years ago I was attending a meeting in a large motel and a famous man was speaking. His name was DAVE ROEVER. Dave was on a boat patrolling the rivers of Viet Nam. Dave’s boat came under attack so Dave was throwing a grenade when he was shot in the hand. The grenade went off and blew Dave into pieces. He survived this phosphorus grenade attack in Viet Nam. Phosphorus . is a poisonous chemical that glows in the dark and burns when it is touched by air. So today Dave is scarred terrible.
I have seen Roever on TV many times and I am a hero of those that serve this nation. I never had money to attend but since it was a few miles from my house I thought I would go sit out in the hall and listen. I hoped maybe to meet my hero. I was sitting there enjoying the moment when Lee Williams the head of Kentucky Men’s Ministry came by. He shook hands with me and said come on in? I explained I was sorry but I never had the money to pay for the meal and the meeting and I was just going to sit and listen. Lee grabbed me by the hand and pulled me to the head table and told me to enjoy the service. I was at the table with the big shots. Dave Roever was on my left and a multimillionaire on my right. All the big shots and me, a no body. They were discussing their Lear jets and I thought of my old pinto.
As the food was served I was amazed, how is it I am sitting at this table and I have no money? The discussion turned to SCARS. The man Lee Williams was a lifelong Army man. Lee sitting at the table, was the only man from that 1988 drunk driver church bus wreck that lost every one in his family. In one day he purchase three caskets, his wife, his two daughters. Wow, talk about surviving with scars? Dave Roever discussed how scars had opened doors for him around the world. Dave has fingers made from his toes. Dave has a wig, a plastic ear and scarred so bad. Dave takes trips to Viet Nam with an open door to take love gifts, he is scarred but he is not scarred in the heart. Dave was facing major surgery and massive pain, yet his message is clear. FORGIVE.
Dave told a story about being on TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK with the Crouch family and they were talking. JAN, the head lady said: DAVE DO YOU KNOW WHAT A SCAR IS? Dave was speechless, HE WAS A LIVING SCAR.
WHILE DAVE WAS BEING BROADCAST AROUND THE WORLD JAN SAID: A SCAR IS PROOF THAT YOU SURVIVED. WOW, DAVE LEARNED A LESSON HE HAD CARRIED FORYEARS. THE SCARS THAT LEE WILLIAMS AND DAVE ROEVER CARRIED OPENED DOORS OF MINISTRY THAT ALLOWED THEM TO CARRY THE GOSPEL TO HURTING, BITTER PEOPLE.
SCARRED HANDS CAN TOUCH SCARRED LIVES…
SCARS: a mark left by the healing process of injured tissue, a mark of indentation as a result of damage, SCARS ARE A SIGN OF SURVIVAL.
Could we ever learn say: Thank you for the scars? The hurt that you gave me, made me a better person?
FEW OF US EVER LEARN, THIS PAIN, THIS DISAPPOINTMENT, THIS SCAR --- THAT THE ENEMY MEANT TO DESTROY ME WITH CAN MAKE ME A BETTER PERSON? THE WITNESS OF A SCAR…
I WILL BELIEVE WHEN I SEE THE SCARS… SCARS TESTIFY WE MADE IT…
John 20:24 (KJV) 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. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto
him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
John 20:24 (MSG) But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master." But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." 27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe." 28 Thomas said, "My Master! My God!" 29 Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."
THE SCARS IN THE HANDS AND IN THE SIDE BECAME A WITNESS THAT JESUS IS ALIVE AND WELL!
LET ME RECALL THE STORY I LEARNED IN ISRAEL ABOUT THE ALTAR AND THE SACRIFICES. GOD CAN HELP US THROUGH THIS STORM AND BATTLE.
After the sacrifice of a dove (poor people), a lamb, or a cow the portions for the offerings were burned on the altar. At the end of the day when the priest were cleaning up the altar, the people were standing behind the altar wondering were their offerings accepted.
The priests in charge of the ALTAR would carry water out of the basins and pour it over the altar and wash away any remaining blood or products not burned. When the crowd saw the water pouring over the back of the altar they knew the season of offerings were over and when the water became clear they knew GOD HAD ACCEPTED THEIR OFFERINGS AND ALL WAS WELL.
WE KNEW THAT DAY JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED THE BLOOD RAN DOWN HIS HEAD, HIS HANDS AND ARMS, WE KNEW THE BLOOD RAN DOWN HIS LEGS AND FEET. AND WHEN THAT MEAN OLD ROMAN SOLDIER RAMMED HIS SPEAR INTO THE SIDE OF JESUS. THE WATER FROM HIS STOMACH RAN DOWN HIS SIDE. THUS THE FATHER SIGNIFIED THE SIGN TO THE CHURCH AND TO THE WORLD THAT GOD HAD COMMUNICATED CLEARLY, THE SACRIFICE OF HIS SON WAS COMPLETED ONCE AND FOR ALL.
THE SCARS, THE NAIL HOLES AND THE SCAR IN THE SIDE OF JESUS BECAME A TESTIMONY TO THOMAS THE DOUBTER AND TO ALL THE WORLD THAT JESUS WAS ALIVE AND WELL.--- EXCEPT I SEE? I WILL NOT BELIEVE.
There is only one thing in heaven made by man. That is the scars of the nail prints and the slabbing of the spear. The meanness and cruelness of the humanity was OVERSHADOWED BY THE MERCY AND GRACE OF A HOLY GOD. My dear friends as JESUS OFFERED HIS HANDS AND HIS SIDE TO THOMAS THERE HAD TO BE A ELEMENT OF HURT. THOMAS, YOU WERE WITH ME AND THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL BELIEVE IS BY SEEING SIGNS, SCARS?
THERE ARE MANY LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM THE SCARS OF SUFFERINGS AND THE BROKENESS AND DARKNESS OF DAILY LIFE .
The THORNY CROWN OF THE INVOLUTED LEAVE. (the selfishness of fallen man.)
HOW CAN YOU GLORY IN A GRAVE? JUST BORROW IT FOR 3 DAYS?
Our God is awesome. He made the choice to BE GLORIFIED IN THE SUFFERINGS OF THE CROSS. The pains and wounds of Christ Jesus are his precious jewels and every believer’s heart should acknowledge this problem can be my stepping stone to victory.
THE WITNESS OF A SCAR…
I WILL BELIEVE WHEN I SEE THE SCARS… I SHOULD REJOICE…
THE SCARS IN THE HANDS AND IN THE SIDE BECAME A WITNESS THAT JESUS IS ALIVE AND WELL!
WE KNEW THAT DAY JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED THE BLOOD RAN DOWN HIS HEAD, HIS HANDS AND ARMS, WE KNEW THE BLOOD RAN DOWN HIS LEGS AND FEET. AND WHEN THAT MEAN OLD ROMAN SOLDIER RAMMED HIS SPEAR INTO THE SIDE OF JESUS. THE WATER FROM HIS STOMACH RAN DOWN HIS SIDE. THUS THE FATHER SIGNIFIED THE SIGN TO THE CHURCH AND TO THE WORLD THAT GOD HAD COMMUNICATED CLEARLY, THE SACRIFICE OF HIS SON WAS COMPLETED ONCE AND FOR ALL.
THE SCARS, THE NAIL HOLES AND THE SCAR IN THE SIDE OF JESUS BECAME A TESTIMONY TO THOMAS THE DOUBTER AND TO ALL THE WORLD THAT JESUS WAS ALIVE AND WELL.--- EXCEPT I SEE? I WILL NOT BELIEVE.
There is only one thing in heaven made by man. That is the scars of the nail prints and the slabbing of the spear. The meanness and cruelness of the humanity was OVERSHADOWED BY THE MERCY AND GRACE OF A HOLY GOD. My dear friends as JESUS OFFERED HIS HANDS AND HIS SIDE TO THOMAS THERE HAD TO BE A ELEMENT OF HURT. THOMAS, YOU WERE WITH ME AND THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL BELIEVE IS BY SEEING SIGNS, SCARS?
THERE ARE MANY LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM THE SCARS OF SUFFERINGS AND THE BROKENESS AND DARKNESS OF DAILY LIFE .
The THORNY CROWN OF THE INVOLUTED LEAVE. (the selfishness of fallen man.)
HOW CAN YOU GLORY IN A GRAVE? JUST BORROW IT FOR 3 DAYS?
Our God is awesome. He made the choice to BE GLORIFIED IN THE SUFFERINGS OF THE CROSS. The pains and wounds of Christ Jesus are his precious jewels and every believer’s heart should acknowledge GOD FOUND GLORY IN THE SUFFERING LAMB THAT HAD BEEN SLAIN.
SCARS AND WOUNDS ARE THE WORDS AND MOUTHS THAT PREACH TRUTH TO TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD.
We must acknowledge GOD’S PLAN FOUND GLORY IN THE SUFFERING LAMB THAT HAD BEEN SLAIN.
WILL WE BE WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE OF GOD’S BLESSINGS EVEN IF WE ARE SCARRED?
OFTEN TIMES WE CARRY SCARS FOR THE PRICE OF CHANGE.
OFTEN TIMES WE NEED TO CHANGE AND WILL NOT HONESTLY ACKNOWLEDGE OR SEE THE NEED OF CHANGE.
UNTIL ONE DAY IT HITS US IN THE FACE, WE MUST CHANGE OR WE ARE GOING TO DIE IN THIS TRAP.
JACOB WAS LLEFT ALL ALONE AND IN THAT MOMENT HE REALIZED HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE TO GET GOD’S BLESSINGS.
Jacob and his twin brother were OPPOSITES. Opposites attach at first, ATTRACT.
Then after REAL LIFE opposites do not attract, they ATTACK.
ESAU and JACOB just could not get along with each other.
They HATED EACH OTHER.
JACOB CHEATED, LIED AND DECEIVED HIS FATHER AND HIS BROTHER.
ESAU POLISHED TO KILL HIS BROTHER AS SOON AS THEIR DAD DIED.
JACOB HAD TO RUN FOR HIS LIFE.
As he ran away Jacob found himself at LABAN HOUSE. Laban was his Mother’s brother, HIS UNCLE.
Jacob found himself that he was running away from?
Soon Jacob was receiving WHAT HE HAD SOWN.
THE PAIN OF THE SEEDS HE HAD SOWN WERE BRINGING A HARVEST.
Laban cheated Jacob, Jacob loved RACHEL, Jacob worked 7 years and got LEAH.
That was not the deal. Jacob had to work 7 more years for RACHEL HIS LOVE.
Jacob’s WAGES were changed 7 times, WE NEED GOD’S BLESSINGS…
IN ONE NIIGHT THE PAINS OF STAYING THE SAME BECAME A REALLY AS GOD BEGAN DEALING WITH JACOB
WHEN JACOB FINALLY SETTLED DOWN AND WAS ALONE. Does God need to STOP US IN OUR TRACKS and GET US AT THE POINT WE WILLINGLY LISTEN.
All of the scars of the past come to a head in the stillness of a dark night.
Jacob faced himself, THE SPIRITUAL MIRROR was before him.
SEARCH ME O, GOD AND KNOW MY HEART, NOW THE WRESTLING MATCH BEGINS….
Genesis 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
THERE WAS A TERRIBLE PRICE FOR STAYING THE SAME, NOW JACOB IS CHANGED INSTANT TO ISRAEL --- PRINCE WITH POWER OF GOD AND MEN.
ISRAEL WILL WALK WITH A LIMB FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE, THE SCAR IS A TESTIMONY OF SURVIVAL AND CHANGE. WILL THIS SCAR FIND ME CLOSER TO THE HEART OF GOD, A CHANGED MAN?
Genesis 32:32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
INSTANTLY THE CHANGE COMES, BUT THERE IS AN OUTWARD SIGN OF THE INWARD WORK OF A MIGHTY GOD.
ISRAEL MAKES PEACE WITH HIS FATHER IN LAW, LABAN.
ISRAEL LINES UP GIIFTS FOR HIS BROTHER HE HATED. ISRAEL MAKES HIS BROTHER WEALTHY, THE HATE WAS CHANGED TO LOVE.
To this day JEWS refuse to eat this cut of meat has IT TESTIFIES GOD USES SCARS TO CHANGE HIS PEOPLE.
CONCLUSION: THIS TOO SHALL PASS. THIS SCAR WILL TESTIFY THAT GOD HAS LEAD US AND GOOD COMES OUT OF BAD. James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. THIS SCAR MEANS WE HAVE OVECOME… 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. WE MAYBE BATTLE SCARRED, BUT WE SHALL OVERCOME.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
