WE LIVE IN LION COUNTRY… THAT IS GOOD! THAT IS BAD!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
NEGATIVE PEOPLE CAN FIND A PROBLEM FOR EVERY SOLUTION. POSITIVE PEOPLE THINK THEY CAN… THEY WILL FIND A SOLUTION TO EVERY PROBLEM.
THAT IS SO GOOD, NO THAT IS SO BAD…
I HEARD THE PREACHER TELL A STORY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE… WELL, THAT IS GOOD? OR WELL, THAT IS BAD?
On my cue: I ASKED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CHURCH TO SAY: WELL, THAT IS GOOD. I ASKED THOSE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CHURCH TO SAY: WELL, THAT IS BAD.
His friend was lucky enough to win a ticket to ride in a small airplane over the church where he pastored and the county in which he lived. WELL, THAT IS GOOD! The plane had some difficulty taking off the run way. WELL, THAT IS BAD. The small plane was flying AND CLIMBING HIGH and his friend was so excited. WELL, THAT IS GOOD. The plane’s engine started sputtering and missing, must be water in the gas. WELL, THAT IS BAD. The pilot changed gas tanks to the other side and the plane’s engine was doing better. WELL, THAT IS GOOD. The little plane climbed to several thousand feet, the view was wonderful. WELL, THAT IS GOOD SAID THE PASTOR. Then the engine caught on fire. WELL, THAT IS BAD. There was a parachute for each person in the plane. WELL, THAT IS GOOD. His friend had great difficulty getting his parachute on properly. WELL, THAT IS BAD. The pilot made his way over to the man free falling from the plane and helped him get his ‘chute on properly. WELL, THAT IS GOOD. As the man pulled the rip cord the lines were all tangled. WELL THAT IS BAD. The parachute was slowly the man’s fall. Well, THAT IS GOOD. But finally the tangled lines were so bad, the pilot caught the up with the man. WELL, THAT IS GOOD. The pilot took a knife and cut the lines. WELL, THAT IS BAD. No, the pilot hung on to the man as that came closer and closer to the ground. WELL, THAT IS GOOD. It was until the pilot could no longer hold on and had to let the man go. WELL, THAT IS BAD. The young pilot saw a huge pile of hay in the middle of an open field, so the pilot guide the man to the pile of hay. He was going slow enough the cushion of the hay was going to save the man. WELL, THAT WAS GOOD! ALL OF A SUDDEN THE PILOT SAW A BIG PITCH FORK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HAY WHERE THE MAN WAS LANDING. OH, NO, THAT WAS BAD…
With tears in my eyes, I have to confess I DON’T REMEMBER THE REST OF THE STORY… YOU HAVE TO DRAW THE CONCLUSION: WELL, WAS IT GOOD? OR WAS IT BAD? THE STORY ENDS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE!
GOD’S CHILDREN HAVE BEEN BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE…WELL, THAT IS GOOD. WELL THAT IS BAD.
• ABRAHAMIS CALLED OF GOD, THAT IS GOOD.. HE HAS TO LEAVE HOME THAT IS BAD.
• ABE’S NEPHEW GOES WITH HIM THAT IS GOOD. LOT BECOMES DISAGREEABLE, THAT IS BAD.
• ABRAHAM GIVES LOT THE CHOICE THAT IS GOOD. LOT PITCHES HIS TENT TOWARD SODOM THAT IS BAD.
• ABRAHAM HAS A BEAUTIFUL WIFE SARAH THAT IS GOOD. SARAH’S PLOT IS NOT TRUSTING GOD’S PLAN AND SHE INTRODUCES HAGAR THAT IS BAD.
• ABRAHAM HAS THE PROMISED SON: ISSAAC THAT IS GOOD. ISHMEAL THE SON OF THE BOND WOMAN IS A THREAT TO THE FREE SON THAT IS BAD.
• ABRAHAM HAS MANY TEST THAT IS BAD. GOD DELIVERS ISSAC FROM THE ALTAR THAT IS GOOD.
• JACOB HAS A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH GOD AND WRESTLES ALL NIGHT, THAT IS GOOD. ESAU HATES HIS BROTHER THAT IS BAD.
• JACOB LEAVES HOME AND GOES TO UNCLE LABAN’S HOUSE THAT IS GOOD. JACOB WORKS SEVEN YEARS FOR HIS WIFE. THAT IS GOOD. HE IS TRICKED AND HAS TO MARRY LEAH. THAT IS BAD.
• JACOB WORKS ANOTHER 7 YEARS FOR RACHEL. THAT IS GOOD. RACHEL AND LEAH HAVE DISCORD. THAT IS BAD.
• RACHEL HAS 2 SONS, JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN. THAT IS GOOD. LEAH HAS 10 SONS THAT HATE JOSEPH. THAT IS BAD.
• JOSEPH HAD A DREAM, WHICH IS GOOD. HIS BROTHERS CAN NOT SPEAK PEACABLY TO HIM. THAT IS BAD.
• GOD GIVES JOSEPH ASSURANCE THAT IS GOOD. HIS BROTHERS THROW HIM IN A WELL. THAT IS BAD.
• THEY PULL JOSEPH OUT OF THE WELL. THAT IS GOOD. THEN SELL HIM TO SLAVE TRADERS. THAT IS BAD.
• JOSEPH FINDS FAVOR IN EGYPT. THAT IS GOOD. POTIPHAR’S WIFE ACCUSES HIM OF RAPE. THAT IS BAD.
• JOSEPH GOES TO PRISON. THAT IS BAD. JOSEPH IS FORGOTTEN IN JAIL BY THE BAKER AND BUTCHER. THAT IS BAD. JOSEPH INTERPETES THE DREAMS. THAT IS GOOD.
• FINALLY AFTER 17 YEARS, JOSEPH IS RAISED TO THE HIGHEST OFFICE UNDER THE KING. THAT IS GOOD.
• THERE WAS A TERRIBLE DROUGHT. THAT WAS BAD. GOD HAD A PLAN OF LIFE. THAT WAS GOOD.
• JOSEPH’S MEAN BROTHERS COME BEGGING FOR FOOD. THAT IS BAD…
JOSEPH HAD LEARNED THE GOD WAS IN CONTROL, ALL THE GOOD? ALL THE BAD? IT IS IN GOD’S PLAN.
Genesis 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
Genesis 50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
DO WE KNOW THAT THE BAD CAN TURN TO GOOD…
NEVER FORGET IT IS THE BAD STUFF THAT MAKES US APPRECIATE THE GOOD STUFF…
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
BAD? EVERYTHING SEEMS SO BAD? THEN IT SEEMS TO GET WORSE? REMEMBER THE BAD?
REMEMBER THEY COULD NOT TALK TO EACH OTHER? NOW LOOK WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE…
Genesis 37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
CAN WE SEE A MIRACLE: THE DOORS WERE OPENED AND THE RELATIONSHIP WAS RESTORED.
Genesis 45:15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
WHAT DO WE DO WHEN LIFE REDUSES US TO BASKET CASES… SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO PUT THE BASKET IN THE WATER AND TRUST GOD…
• THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL MULTIPIPLIED AMD AND GREW. THAT WAS GOOD.
Exodus 1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
• THE EGYPTIANS FORGOT THEIR HISTORY. THE EYGPTIANS WERE MEAN AND CRUEL TO THE CHILDREN OF GOD… THAT WAS BAD.
Exodus 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
• The Jewish nation was blessed and multiplied mightly. THAT WAS GOOD. BUT PHAROAH FORGOT WHO JOSEPH WAS. THAT IS BAD.
Exodus 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
• GOD WAS BLESSING THE JEWISH NATION. THAT IS GOOD. Pharaoh passed a law let the girls live, KILL EVERY BOY BORN. This would effectively stop the son of God’s birth.
Want to talk about bad? Every boy has to be cast into the river!
Exodus 1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
• BABY MOSES WAS SURROUNDED BY LOVE AND PRAYER. ARAM AND JOCHEBED, MIRIAM AND AARON WASA GOD FEARING FAMILY. THIS WAS GOOD. THEY KEPT MOSES 3 MONTHS. THAT WAS GOOD.
Exodus 2:2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
GOD’S PLAN WAS GOOD! MOSES’ MOM WAS THE ONLY WOMAN I EVER HEARD OF THAT GOT PAID TO BREAST FEED HER OWN BABY! IT WAS SO SAD AS MOMMA MADE THE BASKET. THE MAIN MATERIALS IN THAT BASKET WAS PRAYER AND TEARS… GOD CHANGES A BASKET CASE BABY INTO A MIGHTY MAN OF GOD… How did God do it? With BAD/GOOD.
Exodus 2:9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
GOD CAN! GOD CAN TURN BAD STUFF INTO GOOD STUFF. BE PATIENT AND PERSISTANT. BELIEVE!
CONCLUSION: DO YOU WANT TO GO ON A GREAT ADVENTURE? We need several things. We need a map! We need a compass! A big adventure may require a guide! We may need a flashlight for the dark nights! BUT LET WE TELL YOU WE MIGHT JUST NEED A BIG, DIFFICULT MOUNTAIN TO GROW US AND TEST OUR SKILLS? We demand to be spoiled and look for easy trails? MAYBE GOD HAS SOME GOOD TIMES AND SOME BAD TIMES TO STRETCH OUR FAITH?
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
NO ONE ACCIDENTLY WINS A SUPER BOWL OR A WORLD SERIES. BILL BELICHICK OFTENS TELLS HIS TEAM… YOU ARE PLAYING FOR THE TEAM, NOT THE NAME ON YOUR BACK… LOOK WHAT A TINY SNOW FLAKE CAN DO WHEN IT UNITES WITH MILLIONS OF OTHER SNOW FLAKES…
JESUS SAYS BE OF ONE MIND ONE ACCORD… THIS BAD WILL RELEASE GOOD! NEGATIVE PEOPLE CAN FIND A PROBLEM FOR EVERY SOLUTION. EVALUATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Will you help me? Pass this on to another?
