# 1 IRRITATION, SHOW ME WHAT TICKS YOU OFF?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Two parts)
I have a fly swatter and I am constantly swinging it to the point of frustration. I also have several rubber flies.
I would like to thank Phil Walton for the fodder for this lesson. Thank you Phil.
HAVE YOU EVER FOUND OUT HOW IRRITATING AND FRUSTRATING A FLY CAN BE?
FLY: a two winged, six legged insect. Goes through complete metamorphosis, egg, larva (maggot, will eat on anything), adult fly. Flies often travel in groups we call: SWARMS. * Irritate: aggravation, frustration, causing trouble, difficult, to provoke impatience, anger or to displease; annoy, bother, bug, often by repeated acts, quick brief attacks, source of vexation, nuisance.
Ecclesiastes 10:1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. (To be addressed in part #2)
YOU DON’T KNOW HOW BAD LIFE CAN BE? I HAVE A ROUGH TIME? THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS ON MY BACK? LIFE AT BEST IS LUMPY?
HEY, ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD DAY? Me: A GOOD DAY? What shall I say? I have a FLY SWATTER in my hand. These flies are a BIG IRRITATION TO ME? Swing the fly swatter? Get away from me you stupid fly! Swing the fly swatter? Good day? How can I have a good day with all these little irritations? Swing the fly swatter? LITTLE FLIES CAUSE ME TO LOSE MY FOCUS ON WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON? Swing the fly swatter? These little flies are such an IRRITATION? Swing the fly swatter? HOW CAN I HAVE A GOOD DAY WITH THESE CONSTANT LITTLE IRRITATIONS? IN MY BATTLE OF AGGRAVATION I FACE WITH THE FLIES, I LOSE MY PERSPECTIVE?
2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME? AM I FOCUSING ON MY LITTLE AGGRAVATIONS AND IRRITATIONS? IS THIS FLY MY REAL PROBLEM? Is this an external or internal problem? HAVING A GOOD DAY? The flies are stealing my internal joy?
Am I focusing on the TEMPORAL or on the ETERNAL? FOR OUR AFFLICTIONS ARE LIGHT?
Wait a minute, what about the 2 hour wait for the oil change? $54? The yellow engine light came on… What about the $378 Chevy repair? I didn’t even know I had intake and exhaust CAMSHAFT SOLENOIDS? By the way, do you think I made God mad and he is punishing me? BY THE WAY, ARE WE FOCUSING WRONG? WHAT WE SEE AS A HUGE PROBLEM MAKES US THINK WE WILL JUST THROW IN THE TOWEL AND QUIT? IS THIS A QUITTING PROBLEM? OR IS THIS A LIGHT AFFLICTION? IS THIS A FLY IRRITATING ME? OR IS THIS A REAL PROBLEM? Show me what ticks you off and I will tell you what makes you tick!
AM I HAVING A GOOD DAY? LET US ASK PAUL IF LIFE CAN BECOME LUMPY? HOW ABOUT FLIES? IS THIS AN IRRITATION OR A BIG PROBLEM? PAUL EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENCES IN IRRITANTS AND REAL PROBLEMS… LISTEN TO REAL PROBLEMS?
2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
PAUL HAVE YOU FACED THEM IRRITATING BITING FLIES?
• 1. Beaten with many stripes. 2. Locked up prison.
• 3. Left for death. 4. 235 stripes with a whip.
• 5. 3 times beat with a rod. 6. Stoned to death.
• 7. 3 times ship wrecked. 8. Almost drowned.
• 9. Robbed by cruel men. 10. In trouble by my own.
• 11. In trouble by heathen and strangers. 12. In perils in the wilderness.
• 13. In perils at sea. 14. False brethren tried to destroy me.
• 15. I have been so weary. 16. I suffered great pain.
• 17. I was hungry and thirsty. 18. I fast often.
• 19. I was cold, sleepless, and my clothes were lacking.
• 20. I WAS LET DOWN THROUGH A WINDOW TO RUN FOR MY LIFE? GOOD DAY?
PAUL SAW THE LIIGHT AND HEARD THE CALL… GOD TOLD PAUL ANANIAS IS COMING TO VISIT YOU… HE WILL TELL YOU SOMETHINGS AND YOUR BLINDNESS WILL OPEN YOUR HEART AND EYES… FLIES ARE LIGHT AFFLICTIONS. I WILL BE WITH YOU.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
PAUL CARRIED PERMANENT SCARS AFTER SEEING THE LIGHT. PAUL ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD DAY?
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
MAYBE JAMES THE BROTHER OF JESUS CAN HELP US? ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD DAY?
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
COME ON LET US ASK PETER: ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD DAY?
1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
CONCLUSION: I read about a man that got so angry at the flies that as he swatted the fly he broke the kitchen table. In his anger he grabbed a double barrel shot gun and shot at the flies now there are holes in the wall. Wow, let us keep flies in PERSPECTIVE. OUR PERSPECTIVE MUST BE: THIS IS A GOOD DAY! Flies are irritants that try to get us to lose our focus. What is really important to me?
I am told in ALASKA there are often great dangers with WOLVES TRAVELING IN PACKS. The packs of wolves get bolder and bolder in their attacks. The pack of wolves become so very sensitive they smell the hunters coming after them and they allude being caught. The winter holds great danger for all life in Alaska.
The hunters have a system to destroy the dangerous wolves. The natives sharpen knives razor blade sharp.
They coat the sharp knife with blood. They freeze the knife. They coat another layer of blood and freeze it. Over and over until the knife has ½ inch of frozen blood. The natives then bury the razor blade sharp knives’ handle in the frozen ground. In a few days the smell erodes and the knives’ smell of the blood attracts the wild wolves. The wolves lick the frozen blood. The wolf tastes the blood and licks and licks the frozen blood. Finally the wolf licks until the razor sharp knife cuts the wolf’s tongue so deeply. He loves the taste of the frozen blood until the razor sharp knife starts cutting into the wolf’s tongue releasing the warm blood of the wolf. He loves the taste of the warm blood in his mouth. Soon the wolf will die --- tasting his own blood.
That is what happens to people: I CAN’T HAVE A GOOD DAY BECAUSE THE FLIES ARE IRRITATING ME?
Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
