TRAPPED, FOREVER TRAPPED? FOCUS?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13 (MSG) Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
*WE ARE NOT TRAPPED HERE. WE CAN CHANGE OUR CHOICES AND CHANGE THE WORLD.
YOU ARE NOT THE PROBLEM… YOU AND GOD ARE THE SOLUTION…
We can never correct a problem until we ACKNOWLEDGE we have a problem. One we ACKNOWLEDGE our problems we can develop a plan to correct and find a solution.
*TRAP: a device for taking that springs shut suddenly, a condition or position which is difficult or impossible to escape, to catch unaware, to restrict, to stop, to hold,
*THE TRAP OF SAYING THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE I CAN NEVER CHANGE. I AM TRAPPED IN THIS MESS! I AM FOREVER TRAPPED.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13 (MSG) Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
I am this way. My Mom was this way. My grandmother was this way. I AM ETERNALLY DOOMED?
Change is possible! YOU CAN DO IT.
*FOUR RULES OF CHANGE:
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 (MSG) Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
ESTABLISH 4 RULES TO HELP BRING ABOUT CHANGE…
1. BE KIND to your family.
2. BE KIND to friends.
3. BE KIND to strangers.
4. BE KIND to yourself.
THINK BEFORE YOU LAUNCH THAT ATOMIC EXPLOSION OF YOUR YOURS…
YOUR BODY LANGUAGE AND VOLUME SPEAK MORE THAN YOUR WORDS?
*THE TRAP OF I AM RIGHT AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS WRONG. WHAT IS MY MOTIVE IN DOING THIS? DO WE LOVE TO DISAGREE?
Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
Proverbs 21:8 The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.
*THE TRAP OF THE LACK OF PATIENCE: I WANT PATIENCE BUT I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE PATIENCE?
Matthew 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Matthew 18:29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Wise people must learn PATIENCE IS A CHOICE.
PATIENCE CARRIES A LOT OF WAIT!
Ask yourself: DO I REALLY HAVE TO HAVE THIS RIGHT NOW?
Interest is what we pay for not waiting… People will pay 4 times the value and worth of something rather than wait.
Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
*THE TRAP OF VENTING OR THE BLOW UP CYCLE. ANGER CAN STOP MIRACLES.
2 Kings 5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
Years ago, I knew a man on oxygen long term. He got braver and braver, or maybe stupid, and he would smoke while on the oxygen. One day the cigarette ignited and seriously burned the man, not just his nose and mouth, but internally down to the air sacs in his lungs. The doctor told him it was flames up to 1,800*. You never had to tell him again.
*DOES YOUR TONGUE BURN OTHERS? Can you SPIT FIRE?
James 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Have you ever seen a person try to spit fire? I have seen on TV some person take a very flammable liquid in their mouth and the spit fire. The flame throwing person has to intake air to breath. Then the flame goes in the mouth into the lungs and the cost can be deadly.
You are not really venting, you are blowing off steam.
I just have to get this off my chest?
Do we remember the old pressure cooker. The jangler of top.
WHAT IS THE MOTIVE BEHIND MY VENTING?
*THE TRAP OF SEED, PATTERNS, HABITS OF MEANNESS, UNKINDNESS
James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Thoughts give way to words. Words give way to attitudes. Attitudes give way to DEEDS.
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
*THE TRAP OF REVENGE, I DON’T GET MAD, I GET EVEN.
Do we realize stealing is a sin? Do you take things that are not yours?
People STEAL TITHES AND OFFERINGS… BUT THEY STEAL VENGEANCE?
VENGEANCE IS UNFORGIVENESS. I DO NOT TRUST GOD!
Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
*THE TRAP OF DENIAL, I AM STRONG!
Peter said NO, LORD, IF EVERYONE ELSE DENY YOU --- NOT ME --- I WILL NEVER DO THAT.
I AM TOO STRONG.
Matthew 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
*THE TRAP OF NEGATIVE VISUAL FIELDS:
Near sighted --- Far sighted --- Tunnel vision
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
THE TRAP OF THE POWER OF VERBALIZATION OF WORDS.
Do we know that are words can give birth to MORE WORDS? To EMOTIONAL FEELINGS.
THE TRAP OF EMOTIONS, FEELINGS: I just want to be happy? Get real?
Feelings and words are REVEALERS…
THE TRAP OF FRUSTRATION: (DISAPPOINTMENT)
To put forth your best effort and then see little to no fruit?
THE TRAP OF BAD ATTITUDES AND INVALID CONCLUSIONS:
THE TRAP OF ANGER, BITTERNESS:
We must learn if the pot is boiling and burning, we can remove the source of the fire and learn to COOL OFF.
Hebrews 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
CONCLUSION: We must learn to identify traps. Traps purpose are often hidden. There must be a desirable bait. There must be a sudden catch. A setting of the hook. Beware eternity is ahead.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Pass it on? 2/21/18
