SWEETER GETS THE JOURNEY, CONTRARY WINDS
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT: Matthew 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
ANY SHIP AND CAPTAIN CAN SAIL THE CALM, PEACEFUL WATERS OF LIFE. LIFE IS MORE THAN SAILING ON CALM WATERS. SOMETIMES LIFE THROWS CONTRARY WINDS THAT CAN DESTROY NOT ONLY THE SHIP BUT ALSO THE CARGO AND THE PASSENGERS.
We must learn CONTRARY WINDS can be great teachers of strengthening and teach us how to be better captains. These contrary winds can also be preparation for greater things ahead.
HISTORY HAS RECORDED SAMSON AS A STRONG BUT WEAK MAN THAT WAS AT BEST A SLOW LEARNER. GOD ALLOWED SOME STORMS, TRIALS AND PROBLEMS TO DEVELOP SAMSON. SAMSON FAILED IN THE JOURNEY OF APPLYING GOD’S LESSONS TO RELEASE THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S PLANS.
A few of these storms Samson learned and few he failed miserably. SAMSON LEARNED NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE WAS EASY. SAMSON WAS GOD CALLED FROM BIRTH, YET MANY WINDS BLEW CONTRARY TO WHAT HE THOUGHT ABOUT HIS JOURNEY.
Samson was raised in a bubble. God was trying to prepare Samson. God allowed the LION to ROAR, Samson faced his problem head on…
Judges 14:5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
THE JOURNEY TAUGHT SAMSON A VALUABLE LESSON. TRUST GOD!
Judges 14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
BY FACING THE LION AND TASTING VICTORY, SAMSON NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE JOURNEY. THIS ENEMY SAMSON FACED AND DEFEATED BECAME A LIFE GIVING SOURCE NOT ONLY TO SAMSON BUT HIS MOM AND DAD.
THE TASTE OF VICTORY WAS SO SWEET, HONEY!
Judges 14:8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
WE LOVE THE SWEET TASTE OF VICTORY, BUT WHAT WAS SO SWEET IN SAMSON’S JOURNEY BECAUSE A COMPLETE PITFALL AND A TOTAL DIASTER.
CAN WE REALLY UNDERSTAND OUR JOURNEY AND NOT SEE THE PITFALLS AHEAD. This victory becomes a trap of a nagging woman and a BIG MOUTH releasing secrets to the enemy?
Judges 14:14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
Judges 14:18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
MY FRIEND COME TO THE FOOT OF THE CROSS WITH ME AND LET US UNDERSTAND A FEW THINGS ABOUT LIFE’S
JOURNEY. LIFE CAN BE SO SWEET…
Psalm 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
* Often we fail to understand each day is a journey. This journey will lead us to be better or to be bitter. A 1,000 mile journey starts with one step. To be honest the journey is defined by your daily choices. Life is a great journey, it is more than a destination… Life is about the journey. No matter how rough the roads may be, we must continue. Fear and worry will cause more pain in your journey than will faith. A healthy journey must be about growth and improvement. We walk like a horse that has blinders. Haste makes waste, sometimes healthy progress is made by making small baby steps. Giant steps can lead us into many traps and pitfalls.
* One of the most danger areas in our journey might just be LOSSING OUR PASSION AND ZEAL FOR OUR FAMILY AND WHAT WE DO. We are as frail as a spider’s web when we focus more on our destination than on our daily journey. Why can’t we find peace and joy in doing small activities instead of pursuing TROPHIES? Life should be seen
through a child’s eyes, KISS… Keep in Simple Stupid! Adults seem to make everything complicated and hard.
* Look deep into your journey: THE MAIN THING IS TO KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING! BY THE WAY WHAT IS YOUR MAIN THING?
* Seems to me we know many blind people, spiritual blind, that refuse to open their eyes or unplug their ears. Can we ever learn this about the journey? Just because we lose sight of the ship does not mean the journey is over. How many mothers smother their children and hinder progress? Sometimes in the journey the ship has traveled around a bend or just over the horizon but it is still there. Death is no more than a ship slowly fading from this shore heading to a better landing.
* How sad is the journey where we lose sight of our goals. Seems we can’t see the trees for the forest. Or we can’t see the forest for the trees? Who have you refreshed, encouraged, spurred in their journey today? Grab you coat of love and let’s press forward.
Psalm 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Sure we love the sweet, but often our journey is about BITTER SWEET.
LIFE’S BITTER SWEET JOURNEY MAY SEEM TWISTED AND A MESS, BUT GOD DESIRES US TO TAKE THE BITTER SWEET AND COME TO BETTER NOT BITTER. THE POWER OF DENIAL CAN BE FATAL?
WHY DO WE GET ANGRY WHEN WE FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR CHOICES? Are we going to live in DENIAL?
I had a friend go to the doctor, after the examination the doctor came into the room and say: SIR, WOULD YOU PLEASE SPELL DIET? My friend started: D-I-E… THEN THE DOCTOR TOLD MY FRIEND STOP RIGHT THERE … YOU ARE GOING TO DIE IF YOU DON’T START WATCHING WHAT YOU EAT AND CHANGE YOUR EXERCISE LIFE STYLE. The friend heard the doctor and went home. He sat in the lazy boy recliner and had his wife bring him food. In a few months the man weighed more than 350 pounds and could not get out of his chair. Someone had to care for him. In 6 months we attended his funeral. Is this a sad story? WHAT MAKES THIS A SAD STORY?
*SWEETER AS THE DAYS GO BY (An old black spiritual)
THE MORE I TRUST HIM, THE MORE I LOVE HIM, NOTHING GOOD FOR ME HE WILL DENY,
THE LONGER I KNOW HIM, THE BETTER I CAN SHOW HIM, I COULDN’T STOP NOW IF I TRIED.
IT GETS SWEETER AS THE DAYS GO BY, IT GETS SWEETER AS THE MOMENTS FLY,
HIS LOVE IS RICHER, DEEPER, FULLER, SWEETER…
SWEETER, SWEETER, SWEETER AS THE DAYS GO BY…
OH THE MOMENT HE SAVED ME, HIS GRACE HE GAVE ME.
HE PUT HIS LOVE DOWN DEEP IN MY HEART, THERE IS GREAT JOY IN KNOWING
WITH HIM AS I AM AND NEVER MORE TO DEPART.
IT GETS SWEETER AS THE DAYS GO BY, IT GETS SWEETER AS THE MOMENTS FLY
HIS LOVE IS RICHER, DEEPER, RICHER, FULLER SWEETER…
SWEETER, SWEETER, SWEETER AS THE DAYS GO BY…
CONCLUSION: GOD’S GOAL FOR US IS THAT WE DEVELOP SPIRITUAL STAMINA SO WHEN A PROBLEM ARISES WE NEVER REACT BY OUR EMOTIONS BUT WE ACT IN WISDOM AND PATIENCE. FALLING DOWN MAY BE AN ACCIDENT, BUT STAYING DOWN IS A CHOICE. YOU MAY FEEL LIKE THROWING IN THE TOWEL, BUT GOD THROWS THE TOWEL BACK TO YOU AND HE SAYS WIPE OFF THE SWEAT AND GET BACK UP, THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER…
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
