I DID NOT KNOW? WHEN SAW WE?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
LET US START WITH PONDERING THIS PREMISE: CAN YOUR PRESENCE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? IS THE INVERSE OF THAT TRUE, CAN YOUR ABSENCE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
TEXT:
Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Matthew 22:29 (NLT) Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.
Matthew 22:29 (MSG) Jesus answered, "You're off base on two counts: You don't know your Bibles, and you don't know how God works.
SOMETIMES WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW CAN KILL YOU!
Have you ever been driving down the road and someone’s blinker is on that they are turning and you go ahead and pull out? The car almost hits you and the other driver is yelling how stupid you are? He did not realize his blinker was on signaling he was going to turn. You trusted his signal and almost in a terrible wreck? He did not know?
A friend of mine did not know… A few years ago a friend of mine was 79 years old. His wife had passed away and he lived alone in the big old house. He woke up one morning and said he felt strange but he went ahead and did his daily chores. His daughter and her son was thinking about her dad and they drove two hours to get to his house and surprised her dad. They were alarmed when they saw him. He could not smile. He could not hold his arms up. Drool was flowing out one side of his mouth. He was dragging the left side of his body and his speech was slurred and his vision was blurred. He had a major STROKE that morning. He did not know. His daughter was a nurse. Immediately she knew her dad was in trouble. They dialed 911 and took him to Louisville to the hospital. He was in the hospital a long time and in rehab even longer. He did not realize he had a stroke. He would have died had his daughter not felt the need to visit him that morning. Thank God after a while he returned to his normal life style. HE DID NOT KNOW HE HAD A STROKE?
One says: I have really been feeling weak and tired lately and drinking a lot of water… I did not know my blood sugar sky high? I did not know? Diabetes can cause you to go blind, kidneys to fail, and to lose your toes and feet? NOT KNOWING CAN DO LONG TERM DAMAGE.
WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW? IGNORANCE IS IGNORANT…
Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
One can KNOW and IGNORE all the warnings: A person buys a pack of cigarettes and reads the warning and lights up anyway? His uncle and father died of lung cancer. Cough? Cough? Cough? Light up another?
A family is drinking at a bar. They shoot pool until the bar closes, drinking and enjoying themselves. The 3 family members jump into their 3 cars and see who can get home first. The one family member gets home and is setting in the drive way and wondering where are the other two? The cell phone rings from a friend’s call? You might want to come over here your family member is in a terrible wreck and is dead. While on the scene the drunk man gets another call? There is another wreck and his family member is dead. 2 out of 3 of the drunken family members die that night. Two funerals, two graves… THEY WERE PROFESSIONALS THEY KNEW BETTER TO DRINK AND DRIVE.
WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW CAN ENDANGER MANY OTHER PEOPLE…
There was a well-known man that lived in the south-west side of Chicago. His name was: RUBEN BROWN. RUBEN MOVED FROM MISSISSIPPI and often times would return to visit in Mississippi. There was a terrible problem in Chicago with COCK ROACHES. Seems no one could kill the roaches. RUBEN KNEW A MAN IN MISSISSIPPI THAT HAD HUNDREDS OF GALLONS OF OLD STOCK PESTICIDE that worked wonders on exterminating the roaches. The message spread rapidly how good RUBEN was … after one spraying all the roaches died.
Ruben would travel door to door with his sprayer and he would liberally use the spray. He would soak the interior walls with his magic juice. He would return to the old farm in Mississippi and bring hundreds of gallons of THE ROACH KILLER. Ruben establish a huge business killing the roaches. METHYL PARATHION was the insecticide. METHYL PARATHION had been outlaw many years by the EPA. Seems this spray has lead and other dangerous ingredients that will not break down over time. THIS TOXIC POISON ENTERS INTO PEOPLES BLOOD SYSTEMS AND CAN KILL THEM. The EPA stepped in to clean up all this mess created by one man: RUEBEN BROWN. The walls, carpets furniture and anything sprayed had to be removed and destroyed. THE TOTAL COST OF THE CORRECTION OF IGNORNANCE WAS OVER 20 MILLION DOLLARS. But Ruben did not know, he was helping people! The harm done was not INTENTIONAL but many was sick because of Brown’s actions. Brown was in trouble with the law.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
REMEMBER WE ARE WORKING ON THE PREMISE: CAN MY PRESENCES MAKE A DIFFERENCE? CAN MY ABSENCE MAKE A DIFFERENCE? WHEN DID WE SEE? WHEN DIDN’T WE SEE?
NOW LET US SWITCH GEARS AND LOOK AT DOING THINGS OR NOT DOING THINGS THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE…
Matthew 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
GOD HAS CALLED US TO DO HIS WORK… WE MAY NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND OR KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING CAN REALLY MATTER… YOU MAY NEVER KNOW UNTIL ETERNITY WHAT YOUR TIME, TALENT AND ENERGY IS DOING.
MAYBE EVEN WHAT YOU ARE DOING GOES UN-NOTICED, UN-APPRECIATED AND UN-APPLAUDED BUT THERE IS A PAY-DAY AT THE END OF THE ROAD…
Do you think that poor widow woman knew history would know about her little offering?
Mark 12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
THERE WAS A LADY THAT HAD A NEEDLE AND THREAD, SHE WOULD SEW FOR OTHER. DO YOU THINK SHE KNEW SHE WOULD BE RECORDED IN THE BIBLE? PEOPLE THEN NEVER KNEW NOR APPRECIATED HER GIFT.
Acts 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. 37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. 38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
DO YOU THINK DANIEL KNEW HIS 3 TIMES A DAY PRAYER LIFE WOULD GET HIM IN TROUBLE? DO YOU THINK THOSE LIONS WOULD KNOW THEY WOULD BE FAMOUS?
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
DO YOU THINK MORDECIA AND ESTHER KNEW THEY WERE SAVING THE SEED OF DAVID AND THE MESSIAH?
Esther 4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
DO YOU THINK THAT WHEN HER HUSBAND AND THEN TWO SONS DIED SEE WOULD HAVE A KINSMAN REDEEMER TO MARRY RUTH? SHE WILL BE THE GRANDMOTHER OF DAVID, THE GREAT KING…
Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
DO YOU THINK THOMAS THOUGHT ABOUT THE COST OF NOT BEING AT PRAYER MEETING MIGHT BE?
John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
ANDREW NEVER SEEMED TO MAKE THE SPOT-LIGHT OF GREAT FAME… BUT HE DID SOMETHING WHEN HE BROUGHT HIS BROTHER, PETER TO JESUS…
John 1:42 And he brought him tts, o Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
WHAT ABOUT BREAKING YOUR PERFUME BOTTLE AT JESUS FEET? DO YOU THINK MARY UNDERSTOOD HER GIFT?
Matthew 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. 13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
DO YOU THINK EVE UNDERSTOOD WHEN SHE LOOKED AT THE FRUIT, THAT THEY WOULD BE BURYING HER SON?
HOW ABOUT THE WIDOW AND HER SON COOKING FOR ELIJAH?
LOOK HOW MANY WOMEN QUIETLY STOOD AND DID WHAT THEY COULD AND DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE GIFT THEY WERE BRINGING TO GOD?
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
2 Thessalonians 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
CONCLUSION: OF COURSE WE GET TIRED IN GOD’S WORK. Of course few people ever see your sleepless nights. Of course your intercession and prayers will go un-noticed by people. Of course we are un-appreciate until the well goes dry. Of course people will be critical and negative. Of course the spot light seldom shines on your work. NEVER FORGET: Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
PRESS ON MY DEAR FRIENDS, GOD IS WORKING EVEN WHEN WE CAN’T SEE AND WHEN WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND, KEEP GIVING YOUR TIME, TALENT AND ENERGY TO GOD --- HE IS A REWARDER!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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