SOMETHING AGAINST YOU? COA VS DOA?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
If we really trust Jesus by faith we must give up all of our rights of personal understanding and personal opinions and say: GOD BY FAITH I WILL COMPLETELY TRUST YOUR PLAN.
TEXT: Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Revelation 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
GET REAL? ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT YOUR LIFE? FAMILY? CHURCH? JOB? ARE YOU EXCITED WHEN THEY SAY: LET US GO TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD? TELL ME WHAT TICKS YOU OFF AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT MAKES YOU TICK. Have we lost our first love? Can others see your passion and zeal?
DEFINE:
*PASSION: strong emotion, zeal, desire, intense enthusiasm, eager interest, enjoyment.
*ZEAL: great energy or enthusiasm of an objective, fervor, eager, deep stirring, fervent.
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Do we really love the CHURCH and GOD? God? Sure we say God I love you more than words can say. JESUS we are head over hills in love with you. Do we work with our hands or from our heart? Remember when you first accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord? Everything was greener. Everyone was so pretty and wonderful. Then later someone becomes an irritant to you. You still love the lovely, but there is someone that just rubs you the wrong way? YOU LOVE JESUS THE MOST AS THE ONE YOU LOVE THE LEAST? Will you help IGNITE OTHERS’ PASSIONS?
YOU CAN GIVE AND NOT LOVE. IF YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME: YOU CAN NEVER LOVE WITHOUT GIVING… CHRISTIAN LOVE HAS TO PREFER THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND THOSE AROUND US.
WE CAN GROW A SPIRITUAL CANCER OF SELF-LOVE THAT THINKS MORE HIGHLY OF ME AND OURS THAN WE OUGHT TO THINK. WE FACE AN EXCEEDING GREAT DANGER IN THE MODERN CHURCH. JESUS CLEARLY WARNED US:
WHAT ARE OUR EXPECTATIONS? CAN OUR JOURNEY LEAD US TO GOD POTENTIAL WHERE WE SHALL FIND GOD’S MANTLE!
We are all on a journey! We walk on a spiritual PILGRIMAGE… We search for more. We desire to find God’s holy place of sacred growth. God has a course of action (COA) for your life. Will we be content in accepting less than our best for God? Get up! Get up now and let us find the heart of God. Come and go with me to the very HEART OF A HOLY GOD. Will we be DOA, dead on arrival?
Are we human beings having a spiritual experience? Or are we spiritual beings having a human experience?
WE HAVE A GREAT DUTY TO GROW DEEP ROOTS AND MODEL GOD TO OUR FAMILY, CHURCH AND SOCIETY. Define for me your COURSE OF ACTION (COA.) Are you clearly making progress or are you in the RUT of sameness? Let us study THE PILGRIMAGE TO FINDING THE VERY HEART OF GOD. Then we must pass on the torch to able hands to advance the Kingdom of God.
WILL WE FOLLOW THE LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE OF GOD’S PLAN? ARE WE INVESTING IN THE TEAM? PREPARATION! EFFORT! Is our journey to find God defined by hurt and disappointment? This can destroy the progress of the team. Hurt people never hurt you because of who you are? They hurt you because of who they are! We must allow the Holy Spirit to guide us beyond our potential into the realm of DIVINE POTENTIAL! WE NEED TO FIND THE PATH THAT GOD LEADS US EVER UPWARD. Many confuse the JOURNEY WITH THE DESTINATION, WHEN REAL GROWTH IS ABOUT THE JOURNEY!
God is looking for opportunities to reveal Himself to mankind. Seems we want to yield to opposition and limit the HAND OF GOD… we are weak, BUT GOD IS STRONG! God’s eyes are running to and fro looking for opportunities to REVEAL HIS LOVE AND POWER. God is not reluctant to help His people. 2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. OPPORTUNITY, JOURNEY, POTENTIAL:
ALL OF LIFE IS A JOURNEY, THERE ARE MANY PATHS YOU CAN TAKE.BEFORE YOU. WILL MAKE THE DECISION WHICH PATH YOU WILL TAKE. You make the decisions how far you will go and how long you will stay? What are you expecting? What dream will you pursue? You decide if you will have joy? Anger? Peace? War?
2 KINGS 2, TELLS OF ELIJAH’S JOURNEY OF ETERNAL VALUES THAT TEACHES ELISHA TO GROW IN MINISTRY… THE MANTLE OF GOD IS A SOUND INVESTMENT. GOD HAS A PLAN, A LOGICAL ORDER OF PROGRESS. ELIJAH WAS A GOOD MODEL, MOLDER, AND MOTIVATOR. THERE COMES A PARADIGM SHIFT… THE PILGRIMAGE OR JOURNEY BECOMES CLEARER. WHILE ELISHA IS FOLLOWING ELIJAH THERE IS A PURPOSE OF EACH STOP ALONG THE JOURNEY. GOD HAD A LESSON AT EACH VISITATION SIGHT. Elisha cannot see the journey’s plan.
2 Kings 2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
I. DESIRE GOD’S MANTLE. LET US STUDY THE PHYSICAL PROGRESS ON THE JOURNEY. THE FIRST STOP ON THE JOURNEY IS GILGAL---
Little growth, no progress, shallowness, no roots, no fruits, not deep, surface relationship. Up and down, seasons. Emotion driven.
STUDY THE SPIRITUAL PROGRESSION, GILGAL MEANS: ROLLING STONES, the Ark of the Covenant was at Gilgal temporally. YOU CAN TURN AROUND AND QUIT IF YOU WANT TO? 2 Kings 2:2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
WHY DOES ELIJAH KEEP TELLING ELISHA TO STAY HERE? YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO? ELIJAH WAS TESTING THE YOUNG MAN. .. WILL YOU REMAIN HERE, WITHOUT PROGRESS?
2. THERE ARE STEPS TO RECEIVE THE MANTLE OF GOD. THE JOURNEY IS UPHILL AND REQUIRES A GREATER EFFORT TO CLIMB… BETHEL 2 Kings 2:3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
BETHEL MEANS THE HOUSE OF GOD, SHEKINAH GLORY, DEEP PRAYER, GREATER DEVOTIONS and A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH GOD… SANCTUARY. It was here that Jacob had his personal encounter with God and saw angels ascend and descend with a ladder from heaven to earth. In troubled times people traveled to Bethel to ask God’s counsel.
3. GO FOR THE MANTLE OF GOD… THE CLIMB BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT AS ELIJAH HEADS TO JERICHO. 2 Kings 2:4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. JERICHO MEANS FIRST FRUITS, THE FIRST CITY OF BATTLE FOR PROMISE LAND. It means: PRAISE, SWEET FRAGRANCE, VICTORY… worship, the presence of God’s help. 2 Kings 2: And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. It was here Achan sinned. A DOOR OF HOPE. Trouble turns into JOY! Despair to HOPE!
ONCE AGAIN THE OLD PREACHER GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ELISHA TO BACK OUT…
4. THE JOURNEY AGAINS IS A HARD CLIMB. NOW ELIJAH‘S SPIRITUAL BATTLE EXTENDS TO THE JORDAN RIVER… GO FOR THE MANTLE OF GOD. THE JORDAN RIVER WHERE JOSHUA LEADS GOD’S PEOPLE ACROSS THE JORDAN… THE JORDAN SEPARATES GOD’S PEOPLE FROM THE PROMISE.
THE JORDAN MEANS SEPARATED, HOLY, DEATH OF HUMAN DESIRES, A WATERING PLACE. The source is the Sea of Galilee, life. It descends to the Dead Sea. The Jordan waters come from Mt. Herman’s snow peaks. Springs of living water. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, death, burial and resurrection.
ELISHA HAD TO KEEP FOLLOWING ELIJAH TO QUALIFY TO TAKE THE OFFICE… EACH STOP IS AN UPWARD CLIMB… ARE YOU AWARE THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE IS GOING TO SNATCH YOUR MENTOR AWAY? AFTER ELISHA PROVES HIMSELF TO BE FAITHFULL THE OLD PREACHER HAS A QUESTION.
WHAT DO YOU WANT? GOD’S JOURNEY OR YOUR OWN? 2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
2 Kings 2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
CONCLUSION: Have we lost our first love? Where is your zeal? Are you watching people or God? Good spiritual progress is never easy, nor is it cheap. We must CLIMB and press on. While many people stand and watch from a distance, we know the journey is before us. God has a plan and a purpose. May there grow a deep sense of direction to avoid the ruts of sameness and dream of a miracle of progress. Elijah did 7 great miracles! Did you know Elisha did 14? Elijah had seasons of doom and gloom. Elisha has no episodes of recorded depression? We tend to think growth is a one day quest. NO, IT WAS A LIFE LONG DESIRE of FAITHFUL FOLLOWING THE LEADER. Are you faithful? You can, IF YOU WANT TO…God has a plan, a clear plan… GOD IS OMNIPOTENT AND OMNIPRESENT... We see that humanity has the finite mindset that often has trouble seeing DIVINE POTENTIAL. WE OFTEN ACCEPT THE COMPROMISE PARALYSES OF OUR MIND AND OUR FAITH. Yes, God is able to do whatsoever we ask, in the name of His Son, that His will might be done… Sing it… We must LET GOD ARISE, BUT WE MUST ARISE ALSO. Elijah and ELISHA ACCEPTED the MANTLE of God’s potential and released obedience and faith in action. Are we willing to SELL all for the PEARL OF GREAT PRICE? If we really trust Jesus by faith we must give up all of our rights of personal understanding and personal opinions and say: GOD BY FAITH I WILL COMPLETELY TRUST YOUR PLAN. Go for the DOUBLE PORTION, THE MANTLE OF GOD. His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Do we recognize we are on a progressive journey of trust?
