BEING THERE… MY HANDS…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
WHERE DO WE FIND GOD?
I have learned that I find Jesus is some of the strangest. I love to study nature, bees, birds, and ants. I have laid on the ground and watched the ants and been amazed. Linda knew my love of ants and for college graduation in 1974 she got me a gold cross and this cool little ant farm. For hours we would watch the ants make tunnels and rooms. I found God’s hand in that little ant farm.
Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
There was this little bird hopping around our patio. He would hop up the steps and sit and watch me. I noted he could not fly? One day I was watching him and he was watching me. I heard him with my heart. He told me he was hungry? (Just call me crazy?) We would talk back and forth and I told him I understood he could not fly anymore and I appreciated the songs that he would sing to me. I said: You sing, and I will feed you. He would come to the patio door and sing. One day I somehow understood he was thirsty. So I got a little pan and put some water. He was so happy. I put a larger pan and he took a bath. I would sing to the bird, and when I was lonely I would talk to him.
The bird was afraid of the cat. So I placed the bird where the cat could not catch him. I learned to love that little bird. I so enjoyed giving him water and food. He would sing to me about God. Sometimes the bird and I would praise God together. Little bird taught me: TRUST GOD… GOD TAKES CARE OF SPARROWS AND GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF US.
One day I was taking some bread and seed out to my little friend. His lifeless body lay there. But the day before he spent a long time singing. I knew bird was THANKING me for befriending him. I never knew it was the last time we would sing to each other. I dug him a little grave and I stood and thanked God for the time that bird taught me a new attitude or angle about God. My time with the little bird taught me GOD IS SO GOOD. While God is so busy telling the sun to shine and the rain to fall. God loves little things, when I am weak, He is strong. I found God talking to a little bird. Wow?
WHAT COULD WE HEAR IF WE WOULD LISTEN?
The older I grow the sweeter God grows. The words CHURCH, HOME and FRIENDS are so special to me. Could we hear the VOICE of the Lord. The Lord needs you.
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
The Lord needs you. There is a little child that feels like no one loves them. There is a teenager confused and making wrong decisions. There is a widow that feels so a lone. There is an older person peering out their window, they have their phone close. No one calls, no one visits. Depression is smothering? I heard a lady say: IF I WERE A DOG, SOMEONE WOULD LOVE ME.
I went to visit a retired preacher and his wife. I took them some food. Their television was silent and they were just sitting in their rocking chairs crying. I sat the food on the stove and sat down and I starting crying too. The retired preacher’s wife said: My husband has pastored over 60 years at 8 churches. We raised our children and they all live distances away. She said we prayed this morning that someone would call or come to see us. All our visitations, funerals, weddings and lessons and we never hear or see any one. Her words echo in my ears: DOES ANYONE HEAR? DOES ANYONE REMEMBER? Our organization, people and family never… MY HEART WAS BURST ASUNDER…
We cried a long time and my only REPLY WAS EVERYONE IS BUSY… BUT GOD… BUT WE ARE NOT HOME YET. Soon after this the wife passed away? A small funeral? Broken and spilled out:
WHOM SHALL GOD SEND. HERE GOD!!! HERE SEND ME… IT IS AMAZING WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH YOUR HANDS? COULD YOU BE THERE?
WHILE EVERY ONE DECIDED TO SLEEP A LITTLE LONGER --- THERE WAS A LADY THAT LEARNED THE LESSON OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO THERE… MARY (MAGDALENE) AND THE OTHER MARY LEARN HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD… THEY WERE THERE…
Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
WANT TO DISCUSS BEING THERE? The was a middle age man living in the desert. He had learned how important BEING THERE CAN REALLY BE. He woke up one morning. His wife packed his brown bag special. He got dressed
And put on his sandals. His wife Zipporah kissed him that morning and off he went. He found GOD --- LIFE HAD REALLY CHANGED BUT TO MOSES WILL BE THERE AND FIND, GOD… AT THE BURNING BUSH.
Exodus 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
Every common bush is aflame with the glory of God but ONLY HE THAT IS THERE WILL RECOGNIZE THE HOLY GROUND. WHEN YOU ARE THERE YOU WILL TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF…
BEING THERE? THIS LITTLE WIDOW LADY WAS HOPELESS. THE DROUGHT? THERE MONEY WAS GONE? THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT… BUT THE LADY WAS THERE… HER MIRACLE WAS SIMPLE --- BE THERE.
One morning a lady got up and looked in the cupboard. I believe she cried herself to sleep. I believe getting out of bed was a labor. NOTHING, NOTHING… ONE MORE MEAL… THEN WATCH MY SON STARVE TO DEATH.
NO, WAIT A MINUTE, GOD HAS A PLAN… THE LADY WENT OUT TO PICK OF STICKS, FIRE WOOD… THERE LADY WALKED TO HER MIRACLE.
1 Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. 12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
Are you going to lay in bed and die? GET UP--- GET IN POSITION FOR YOUR MIRACLE. God was going to send the Preacher with the dumbest plan ever: FEED ME FIRST. Because she was in the right place at the right time,
BEING THERE? A YOUNG MAN GOT UP EARLY ONE MORNING. HE TOOK HIS SHOWER, ATE BREAKFAST … WENT TO THE BARN AND HITCHED UP 12 OXEN AND WENT INTO A FIELD AND STARTED PLOWING AND BREAKING THE GROUND… THE YOU WAS IN THE RIGHT SPOT AT THE RIGHT TIME. ELISHA CAST HIS MANTLE OH ELISHA’S SHOULDER… ELISHA YOU WERE THERE… YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
1 Kings 19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
ANDRAE CROUCH WAS A PASTOR’S SON. His Dad was called to a little country church and he needed some music. He prayed for his son… years later Andréa has sang in over 50 countries of the world. He penned some words that have sustained me through some difficult days and seasons.
THROUGH IT ALL By Andréa Crouch
I HAVE HAD MANY TEARS AND SORROWS, I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT TOMORROW,
THERE ‘S BEEN TIMES I DIDN’T KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG.
BUT IN EVERY SITUATION, GOD GAVE ME BLESSED CONSOLATION
THAT ALL MY TRIALS COME TO MAKE ME STRONG.
THROUGH IT ALL, THROUGH IT ALL, I HAVE LEARNED TO TRUST IN JESUS.
I’VE LEARN TO TRUST IN GOD. THROUGH IT ALL, THROUGH IT ALL,
I’VE LEARNED TO DEPEND UPON HIS WORD.
I THANK GOD FOR THE MOUNTAINS, I THANK HIM FOR THE VALLEYS,
I THANK HIM FOR THE STORMS HE BROUGHT ME THROUGH.
FOR IF I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM, I WOULD NOT KNOW GOD COULD SOLVE THEM,
I WOULD NEVER KNOW WHAT FAITH IN GOD COULD DO.
I’VE BEEN TO LOTS OF PLACES, I’VE SEEN LOTS OF FACES,
THERE’S BEEN TIMES I FELTSO ALL ALONE.
BUT IN MY LONELY HOURS, YES THOSE PRECIOUS LONELY HOURS,
JESUS LETS ME KNOW THAT I WAS HIS OWN.
THROUGH IT ALL, THROUGH IT ALL,
I’VE LEARNED TO TRUST IN JESUS, I’VE LEARNED TO TRUST IN GOD.
THROUGH IT ALL I LEARNED TO DEPEND ON HIS WORD.
There was a man that had been there 38 years, 38 long year --- when JESUS COMES WALKING BY… He was there.
There was a lady been sick 12 years. SHE FOUND WHERE JESUS WAS…. SHE WAS THERE: WHO TOUCHED ME?
THERE WAS A BOY THAT WAS THERE WITH HIS LUNCH OF BISCUITS AND MINNOWS.
THERE WAS A BLIND MAN, HEARD ALL KINDS OF NOISE: IT IS JESUS… JESUS CALLS HIM TO COME… HE WAS THERE… HE WAS THERE AND RECEIVED HIS MIRACLE, A REAL MIRACLE.
IF JESUS ONLY KNEW HOW BAD THAT LADY REALLY IS… JESUS SAID: THAT MEAN, BAD LADY IS THERE, SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD.
Matthew 26:9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my buria
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU LORD …
Robert Deel
I just want to thank you, Lord, for every time you heard me prayer.
I just want to thank you Lord for always being there.
When I was so down and out, you came along and made
You came along and made we want to shout, I just want to thank you Lord. Thank you Lord.
For making the sun to shine, and putting the stars in the sky,
For the flowers that bloom. And the oceans so blue, Thank you Lord.
For every sparrow that sings, and makes sweet melody,
For rivers that flow, the rain and the snow, THANK YOU, LORD.
If I had a thousand lives to live, I give them all to my Lord.
He’s been so good to me that is the least I could afford.
He’s made the good times outnumber the bad,
Been the dearest friend I’ve ever had.
I just want to THANK YOU, LORD, THANK YOU LORD.
For being a friend so dear, for giving my sad heart cheer,
For holding my hand when I could not stand, Thank You Lord.
For giving your life for me on the cross of Calvary, for taking my place,
For mercy and Grace, THANK YOU LORD.
For my home and family, for the joy that children bring,
For the shoes on my feet, and plenty to eat, Thank You Lord.
For our church to worship and pray, for the freedom I have today,
For your spirit that I feel, your presence is so real, Thank You Lord.
CONCLUSION: WILL YOU BE THERE?
THOMAS WAS NOT THERE… HERE THOMAS TOUCH ME… THOMAS NEW NAME FOR NOT BEING THERE IS:
THOMAS THE DOUBTER.
Can the Preacher count on you to be there? Can the church see your faithfulness because you are there?
They all with one consent began to make excuse WHY I CAN’T BE THERE… ALL EXCUSES CEASE: BE THERE…
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Help me, pass it on…???
