IN THE CHAOS COMES THE OPPORTUNITY
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I have used the onion many times in my 40 years of full time ministry. The onion can be a powerful tool in the lessons of the struggles and chaos.
Martin Luther King once stated: Seems we can learn to fly high in the skies. We can learn to swim like fish in the ocean. But somehow it seems we have difficulty to learn how to walk with our brothers and sisters?
I recently read: I believe in miracles because I am one. There is no doubt in my mind that the only reason I have made it this far is because God has always made a way for me.
IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS I SEEM TO FIND A GOD OPPORTUNITY.
CHAOS? THE TEST OF HOW WILL I HANDLE CHAOS? The test of confusion? Disorder?
Smith Wigglesworth said: Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.
1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
THE CRUSHING OF LIFE DOES NOT HAVE TO CRUSH YOU.
The new Corvette rolls off the assembly line but before it rolls out of the GM Plant the new vehicle rolls into a TESTING BOOTH. Many computer lines are connected around the car. A man crawls into the cockpit and starts the engine. For the next few minutes the car is pushed to the limits. It will go 70 to 90 mph. It will turn left and right. The brakes will be pushed to the floor. The new car will be tested in this little room. When the test driver is finished the Corvette will roll out of the plant or it will be taken to the repair shop. PASS OR FAIL.
CHAOS WAS A DAILY CHORE WHERE THE BULL DOG LIVED NEAR THE SKUNK…
There was a big bull dog that lived up the street from a pesky old skunk. Several times a day the bull dog had to walk passed where the stinky old skunk lived. The skunk would see the bull dog coming down the road so the skunk would torment the poor bull dog. The bull dog never even looked at the skunk. He pretended like he never heard the mean stuff the skunk said. He just kept walking and humming to himself. The bull dog made the choice to “BE HAPPY!”
One day the cat heard the skunk torment the bull dog and the cat said: BULL DOG CAN’T YOU BEAT UP THE SKUNK? The bull dog turned back to the cat and said: I COULD BEAT THAT OLD SKUNK UP ANY DAY OF THE WEEK, BUT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND: IT IS NOT WORTH THE STINK!
WE ARE A WORK IN PROGRESS…
He is still working on me to make me what I ought to be… It took him just a week to make the moon and the stars, the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient he must be, HE IS STILL WORKING ON ME…
Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT AN ONION?
People complain, the onion makes me cry? It might be true: Absence makes the heart grow fonder! Onions make the breath grow stronger! There are some hidden lessons the onion can teach us… Onions were worshipped in Egypt--- because it is a circle within a circle. Wow. This might help us understand Numbers?
Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
CORRECTION AND DISCIPLINE AND CHASTISEMENT COME SOMETHING LIKE AN ONION…WE MIGHT NEED TO SLOWLY PEEL BACK THE LAYERS… GOD PEEL US BACK, EXPOSE… 2 KINDS OF CORRECTION. 1. BY OTHERS, 2. SELF-DISCIPLINE. (OUR GOAL)
Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…) EACH TIME A PEEL AWAY A LAYER.
THE OUT LAYER, THE SKIN, THE PROTECTION, KEEPS IT MOIST… MY ANGER, PEEL IT AWAY.
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…)
THE NEXT LAYER: DENIAL, NOT ME?
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…)
THE NEXT LAYER: WITH ONE CONSENT MADE EXCUSES.
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…)
ANOTHER LAYER: UNFORGIVENESS…
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…)
NAAMAN, I THOUGHT THE PREACHER SHOULD?
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…)
FACE BOOK, COMPUTER, TV…
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…)
I HAVE BEEN ABUSED IN MY PAST? HURT SO DEEP? DISAPPOINTED?
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…)
ANXIETY, WORRY, DEPRESSION, DISCOURAGED…
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…)
EACH LAYER GETS SMALLER, SOFTER, TASTE BETTER
ANOTHER LAYER: MY EATING HABITS
POPEYE (ME’S HAD ALLS MES CAN STAND AND ME CAN’T STANDS NO MORE…)
I REFUSE TO ALLOW THIS CHAOS TO DICTATE TO MY SITUATION. NATURE TEACHES US THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE BIRD THAT WILL FIGHT WITH AN EAGLE.
The old pesky crow has been known to try to pick on the mighty eagle when the eagle is near to the ground. The crow will fly around the eagle and peck at the eagle. Many times it has been observed that CROW will get above the eagle and land on the eagle’s back. The crow rides on the back and pecks and aggravates the mighty eagle.
The eagle totally ignores the old pesky crow. He just quietly circles around climbing higher and higher. The crow is not paying any attention to the altitude the eagle climbs above all the distractions. Finally the oxygen is so thin that the crow passes out and falls to the earth.
The eagle never allowed the CHAOS OF THE OLD CROW BOTHER HIM. The eagle just stayed focused and determined to RISE ABOVE EVERY OBSTACLE AND PROBLEM. He is flying at heights few ever attain.
CONCLUSION: COME ON MY FRIEND LET THE HOLY SPIRIT PEEL US TO THE VERY HEART OF GOD. IN THE CHAOS COMES OPPORTUNITY. His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Thanks Phil Walton for reminding me the onion lesson. Pass it on?
