WHAT IS LIFE? TENDER MERCIES?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Luke 13:8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
ARISTOTLE WAS A GREAT TEACHER BEFORE JESUS… HE TAUGHT THE GREAT TEACHERS OF HIS DAY TO VALUE QUESTIONS…
My Dad taught me as a child the value of a question. Dad told me: Many will come to you very opinionated and want to trick you into an argument. Dad said in the Bible Jesus would be asked a difficult question and Jesus would answer with a question. This lesson has been a powerful tool to me. Someone would ask a “trap question” and demand an answer. The lesson dad taught has saved me much grief. Answer the question: “WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK?” My friend it has worked for me many times.
GOD’S WORD HAS MANY QUESTIONS… A GREAT QUESTION IS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF JAMES… “FOR WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?” WOW, PONDER THAT QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?” THAT QUESTION IS A BIG STEAK ON WHICH TO CHEW?
James 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
We may seem very smart? But get real, we don't have today figured out. What makes us think we know how to handle tomorrow today? We don’t know what the next call holds. FOR WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?
1. LIFE AT BEST IS VERY BRIEF.
2. LIFE IS BRIEF BUT WE NEED TO LEARN LIFE IS SO FRAGILE.
3. YOU HAVE TWO APPOINTMENTS SET: DEATH AND THE JUDGMENT. As sure as you are born you are going to die. Adam lived, he died. Eve lived, she died. Abel lived and he died. Abraham lived and he died. Isaac lived and he died. Methuselah lived 969 years --- and he died. Abraham Lincoln lived, HE DIED, over his grave is written: HE BELONGS TO THE AGES. My friend, no matter what the TV preachers say: YOU ARE GOING TO DIE.
4. I have heard a TV Preacher say: he picks the day he will die. He and his wife will be sitting on their front porch in rocking chairs and they will die at the same time… GET REAL? You do not know the time, the date or the hour you will die.
5. THE SECRET IS SIMPLE… LIVE EVERYDAY AS IF IT IS YOUR LAST. BE READY! You can’t live like a devil and die like a saint. Death is sure, yet death is very uncertain. BE READY, BE PREPARED… WHAT IS LIFE?
WHAT IS LIFE? I HAVE ASKED A MILLION TIMES TELL ME THE BENEFITS OF FEAR, WORRY AND NEGATIVITY? WHAT IS LIFE? WHY CAN’T WE SEE…THE TRAPS OF FEAR AND NEGATIVITY … HUMANS ARE THE ONLY VARMINT THAT BUILDS HIS OWN TRAP, SETS IT AND THEN BAITS IT… THEN STICKS HIS HEAD IN IT? IF WE LISTEN TO GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT AND GOD’S WORD FAITH WILL GROW. What is life?
IF WE REALLY TRUST GOD BY FAITH, THEN WHY WOULD WE DOUBT AND DEMAND OF GOD, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE YOU DOING? EXPLAIN THIS TO ME RIGHT NOW, GOD! Eve was isolated from Adam and God when she started listening to the negative lies of the enemy. EVE LISTENED and the trap of fear and negativity was set. THE BIRTH OF FEAR WAS SELF-INFLICTED AND SELF FED… God walked with them daily. Why fear now?
Genesis 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
WHAT IS LIFE? IF WE BUILD ON A FIRM FOUNDATION OF FAITH AND THE WORD --- IF YOU ARE ANEMIC IN THE WORD, YOU WILL BE ANEMIC AND LIVE IN FEAR, WORRY, DEPRESSION AND NEGATIVITY.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
You cannot overcome fear and negativity by human reasoning. You must overwhelm fear and negativity by FAITH AND TRUSTING THE WORD OF GOD.
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.
WHAT IS LIFE? A CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A PLACE TO SHOW GOD’S STUFF. GOD CAN AND WILL HANDLE THIS!
HOW CAN YOU SINK THROUGH A SOLID ROCK… THE ANSWER TO WHAT IS LIFE MIGHT BE FOUND IN IF I KNOW THE WORD OF GOD AND IF I BELIEVE HIS WORD BY FAITH… A FIRM FOUNDATION?
Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
WHAT IS LIFE? FEW EVER LEARN… WHAT IS LIFE? THERE ARE MANY TERRIBLE WEIGHTS AND SINS THAT WILL HINDER AND IMPEDE THE WORK OF GOD? WHAT IS LIFE? DO I TRUST GOD? CAN WE SEE “THE WORDS RUN WITH PATIENCE…”
Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
WHAT IS LIFE? IT IS EASY TO DRIFT INTO THE DANGEROUS WATERS AND NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE WRONG? Were you born in the RIGHT FAMILY? Seems you think you are always right?
WHAT IS LIFE? RUN WITH PATIENCE… JONAH HATED NINEVEH? HE HATED NINEVITES?
JONAH WAS PREJUDICE… HE REMEMBERED ALL THE PAST HURTS THAT NINEVITES HAD CAUSED TO ISRAEL AND GOD’S PEOPLE.
Jonah 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
Jonah 4:3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. 4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?
Jonah 4:9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
WHAT IS LIFE? JONAH WAS BITTER… JONAH WAS UNFORGIVING… JONAH’S WEIGHT AND SIN IS VERY CLEAR: HE WAS IMPATIENT. His wrong was IMPATIENCE WITH PEOPLE. Jonah didn’t love ministry to hurting and lost people.
JONAH EXPECTED AN IMMEDIATE, NOW GOD, RIGHT NOW… Change the Ninevites right now. Jonah refused to see the peoples’ weaknesses and hurt. WHAT IS LIFE? Life is love and understanding. Ministry is if I ERR MAY I ERR TO THE SIDE OF MERCY AND GRACE. Jonah expected too much too quick. WHAT IS LIFE? TENDER MERCIES? Jonah loved the gourd plant more than people.
WHAT IS LIFE? WHY WOULD YOU CALL SOME ONE THE SONS OF THUNDER? LET US INCINERATE THEM? JESUS KNEW THE MEN HE CALLED. JAMES AND JOHN CAN WE SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE? YOU EVER DESIRE TO BE THE SONS OF THUNDER AND BURN THE TOWN DOWN?
Mark 3:13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: 16 And Simon he surnamed Peter; 17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
John and James were not afraid of conflict and confrontation. They were known to be opinionated and aggressive.
Luke 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
When James and John DID NOT LIKE THE WAY Samaria was treating Jesus and the good old boys. James and John were rough red necks. They had a lesson to learn. They said, "Master, do you want us to call a bolt of lightning down out of the sky and incinerate them?"
THE NEXT TIME JAMES AND JOHN ENTER SAMARIA THERE WAS A WOMAN AT THE WELL AND A GREAT MIRACLE REVIVAL CAME. GOD TRANSFORMED THE THUNDER BOYS.
TRANSFORMATION! JAMES WAS THE FIRST APOSTLE TO BE MARTYRED. JOHN BECAME KNOWN AS THE APOSTLE OF LOVE. Change.
CONCLUSION: What is life? Transformation of attitude! God can change ministers of judgmentalism and make them minsters of love and mercy. Edify? Encourage? Our words must never be about controlling and manipulation of people. We need to submit and control our words and emotions to be edifying and encouraging. God desires us to avoid the traps of fear and grow to be mature in our words and actions.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TO MINISTER YOU MUST BE AN AGENT OF LOVE AND MERCY… WHAT IS LIFE? DO YOU GIVE SECOND CHANGE… DUNG AGAIN.
Luke 13:8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
