WHO WILL TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I love to start with a question. Will you answer this: ARE YOU THE PROBLEM? OR ARE YOU THE SOLUTION? IS THE BEST OFFERING YOU CAN GIVE TO GOD THE OFFERING OF MAKING EXCUSES?
Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
Luke 14:18 (MSG) "Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, 'I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.'
SOMETHING IS TERRIBLE WRONG WHEN ADULTS NEVER GROW UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE?
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:11 (MSG) When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.
A baby is born in this world without a care and without any personal responsibilities. Everything a baby needs is provided by other people. Someone else is responsible for every need a baby has. A toddler learns to walk and jabber and we see mental and physical progress is started. Then the toddler grows into childhood, we should be learning to be more and more responsible? The diapers should be replaced. We must learn personal hygiene, etc. One of the goals in life is to “STAND ON YOUR OWN TWO FEET.”
We must learn SELF-DISCIPLINE that is a mark of maturity. Immature people have to be corrected by others. This is every parents’and teachers’ desire. We must learn to take on more and more activities. A mature student does not require the parents to force them to clean their rooms, to take a bath, or do their homework. When teaching school I quit giving homework. Every answer was right, but the handwriting was not the students. Every time a mom does her child’s homework, she weakens the child’s maturity level. Every time you clean their room? Every time you TAKE THE CHILD’S RESPONSIBILITY YOU ARE GROWING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL MIDGETS.
Do we recognize that one of the greatest differences in a child and an adult is how they handle maturity and responsibility.
Galatians 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden. What is on your plate?
What does responsible mean?
Something that you should do, something you should do because it is right. Are you trustworthy? Able. To answer for your actions? Doing your obligations. Answer for your conduct.
The person that causes something to happen. A duty or task that is required or expected for you to do.
The person that is morally, legally, mentally accountable. Reliable, trustworthy,
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE:
1. FOR YOUR THINKING PATTERNS? 2. FOR YOU CHOICES?
3. FOR YOUR SUCCESS? 4. FOR YOUR PROGRESS?
5. FOR YOUR WORDS? 6. FOR YOUR ACTIONS?
7. FOR YOUR JOY?
Is there individual responsibility? Is there family responsibility? Is there corporate responsibility?
DO WE UNDERSTAND THE 80-20 RULE IN LIFE? 20% OF PEOPLE DO 80% OF THE WORK? 80% OF PEOPLE DO LITTLE TO NO WORK? This 80-20 rule applies to families, work places and churches.
The Bible makes provisions for people that lack. THERE IS A GLEANING RULE. Any Biblical farmer knew you never reaped the corners of your fields. This was the welfare system of the Bible. Might I add, it worked. Several places in the Bible people ENLARGED their corners.
Isaiah 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
God will bless those that help, but we still have personal responsibility.
Leviticus 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
IF YOU DON’T WORK YOU DON’T EAT IS A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE…
2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
Jabez seeks God’s blessings.
1 Chronicles 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
WE TRY TO AVOID PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES BY PASSING THE BUCK…
Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Adam blames Eve and he also said: God that woman that YOU GAVE ME… Eve blamed the serpent… THEY LEARNED TO DENY RESPONSIBILITY AND DENY BY BLAMING…
President Truman had a sign on his desk: THE BUCK STOPS HERE…
2 PEOPLE (JOSHUA AND CALEB) OF SEVERAL MILLION PEOPLE, BUT THEY WERE THE ONLY TWO TO ACCEPTED PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY… THEY ACCEPTED THEIR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE NATION, THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR GOD…
Seems the majority of the people of Israel could always gripe and complain. They were so very good at defining problems and seeing how big the obstacles were…
Numbers 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
There is a PAYDAY AT THE END OF THE ROAD. Your choices have clear CONSEQUENCES…
Numbers 14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
SEEMS THE BIBLE RECORDS GOD’S PEOPLE WERE THE PROBLEM FOR NOT ACCEPTING THEIR PERSONAL SPIRITUAL DUTIES. PEOPLE BECOME THEIR OWN PROBLEMS… GOD WOULD ALWAYS SHOW HIS POWER TO OVERCOME EVERY TRIAL, EVERY PROBLEM AND EVERY OBSTACLE… SEEMS GOD’S PEOPLE WOULD ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM NOT THE SOLUTION OF GOD’S PLAN…
Are we honest enough to recognize every problem came directly or indirectly from sin? The trials and obstacles grew out of REBELLION, DISOBEDIENCE, ANGER, DEPRESSION, SEXUAL SIN, IDOLATRY, BITTERNESS, GOSSIP AND NEGATIVE MOUTHS. GOD’S PEOPLE FACED PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY SOWED THE WRONG SEEDS AND REFUSE TO BE RESPONSIBLE. THE HARVEST WAS SURE.
REWARDER OF THOSE THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK….
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.
ANY RESPONSIBLE STUDENT KNOWS THERE COMES A REPORT CARD… THERE ARE BLESSINGS FOR DILIGENT WORK. Then there are those that learn laziness breeds laziness… and there are real PENALTIES and low grades for laziness.
THERE WAS A TIME IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT CHILDREN MIGHT ANSWER FOR THE PARENTS…BUT THE RULES CHANGED AS EACH ADULT PERSON WILL ANSWER FOR HIS DEEDS…
Ezekiel 18:2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? 3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
We shall all stand and pay the consequences of our own choices.
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Ezekiel 18:20 (MSG) The soul that sins is the soul that dies. The child does not share the guilt of the parent, nor the parent the guilt of the child. If you live upright and well, you get the credit; if you live a wicked life, you're guilty as charged.
CONCLUSION: IF WE REFUSE TO TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHO WE ARE? WHO WE HAVE BECOME? AND WHO WE WILL BE…? WE WILL NEVER CORRECT OUR PROBLEMS. We cry for the fire to fall, but seems we are prone to settle FOR SMOKE? Who do you blame for your words? Moods? Your lack of zeal? Fathers must step up! Mothers must step up! Our rebellion gets rather expensive. Quit blaming others! You become the product of your menial daily choices. Have you created a Frankenstein? A friend told me their marriage was hell. I asked who made it that way. God made today for one reason. Are you making the choice to find joy?
Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
TAKE YOUR MEDICINE… MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE… Quit blaming others and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHO YOU ARE?
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Proverbs 17:22 (MSG) A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aolcom
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