EXPECTING? IT SHALL BE WELL! IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL… WHAT AM I EXPECTING?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
ACCIDENT? IT IS WELL? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A MAN NAMED CLIFF BARROWS?
Cliff Barrows was born in 1923 and lived to be 93 years old. Barrows was born in California, his father was a farmer. .He attended Bob Jones University and graduated in 1944. Cliff was an ordained Baptist minister. Cliff became the assistant pastor of TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH in St. Paul, Minnesota.
In 1945 Cliff married Billie and they had limited funds. They decided to attend a YOUTH FOR CHRIST RALLY IN ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. The special speaker was a young man named BILLY GRAHAM. The meetings had a scheduled song leader and piano player. The song leader was very sick and had a sore throat. The crusade was in deep trouble. Someone mentioned there was a nice young song leader there to attend the meetings. His name was CLIFF AND HE WAS VERY CAPABLE TO LEAD THE SERVICES. CLIFF BARROWS became a lifelong friend OF Billy Graham. Cliff was the song leader, music director and master of ceremonies for Billy.
While in California BILLY GRAHAM, GEORGE BEVERLY SHEA, GRADY WILSON AND CLIFF BARROWS thought about the failures of other evangelist and they came in an agreement called the MODESTO MANIFESTO to stay pure before God. They agreed on 4 points: 1. Financial integrity, 2. Sexual purity, 3. Handling criticism, 4. Reporting with integrity… THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION lasted a life time. CLIFF BARROWS would have never met and become lifelong ministry partner that touched the world… ALL BECAUSE OF A SICK SORE THROAT… accident? IT IS WELL! CLIFF WAS INDUCTED IN THE GOSPEL MUSIC HALL OF FAME IN 1988… over 70 years of faithful ministry. ACCIDENT? IT IS WELL.
IT SHALL BE WELL IS A DECLARATION OF FAITH. WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING?
IT SHALL BE WELL DOES NOT ELIMINATE TRIALS, STORMS, PROBLEMS, SICKNESS OR EVEN DEATH. It shall be well is a statement of faith that we shall find purpose, peace, joy and love by trusting the DIVINE PLAN. This storm, this trial, this problem is a great opportunity: IT SHALL BE WELL.
WILL WE LISTEN TO A NOBODY, UNNAMED WOMAN AS SHE MAKES THE DECLARATION: IT SHALL BE WELL…
There was a difficult problem in Israel. The old preacher had served God faithfully. He traveled and was a CIRCUIT PREACHER. He (ELISHA) and his servant (GEHAZI) often had to sleep on the ground. The ministers traveled through SHUNEM very often. There was a woman, we don’t know her name, so we call her the SHUNAMITE WOMAN. We may not know her name but the preacher and God knew her. THE SHUNAMITE WOMAN HAD DISCERNMENT AND SHE RECOGNIZED ELISHA WAS A MAN OF GOD… SHE OFTEN INVITED ELISHA AND GEHAZI to come over and eat with her and her husband… The Lord blessed this woman and her husband. They had compassion for the HOLY MAN.
2 Kings 4:9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
CAN WE RECOGNIZE SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL NEEDS? THIS SHUNAMITE WOMAN HAD A HEART TO HEART TALK WITH HER HUSBAND… IT HURTS ME TO SEE THIS MAN OF GOD SLEEPING OUT IN THE WEATHER… SHE HAS A SUGGESTION FOR HER HUSBAND… LET US REMODEL OUR HOME AND ADD ON A ROOM FOR THE MAN OF GOD!
2 Kings 4:10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
ONE DAY ELISHA ASKED: YOU HAVE BLESSED US… HOW CAN WE BLESS YOU? SHE SAID: GOD HAS BLESSED US, WE NEED NOTHING… GEHAZI TALKED TO ELISHA AND SAID: I KNOW… I KNOW A NEED…
2 Kings 4:14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
EXPECTING? ARE YOU LYING? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? ELISHA CALLED THE SHUNAMITE WOMAN TO COME TO OUR ROOM… WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING? NOTHING?
2 Kings 4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
EXPECTING? LET US FAST FORWARD MAYBE 16 YEARS? … IT IS HARVEST TIME… WE ARE EXPECTING A GOOD HARVEST?
Of all times you need all hands on deck it is harvest time. The promise was true. THE SON HAD A SERIOUS HEADACHE! MY HEAD! MY HEAD! Dad kept working and sent his son to the house… THE SON DIED AND SHE DID NOT TAKE HER SON INTO HIS BEDROOM… SHE REMEMBERED THE PREACHER’S ROOM.
2 Kings 4:21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS… NOW WHAT? NOW WHAT? WHAT AM I EXPECTING? IT SHALL BE WELL IS A DECLARATION OF FAITH. WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING?
IT SHALL BE WELL DOES NOT ELIMINATE TRIALS, STORMS, PROBLEMS, SICKNESS OR EVEN DEATH. It shall be well is a statement of faith that we shall find purpose, peace, joy and love by trusting the DIVINE PLAN. This storm, this trial, this problem is a great opportunity: IT SHALL BE WELL. EXPECTATION? IT SHALL BE WELL!
2 Kings 4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
EXPECTING? GET ME THE FASTEST MUSTANG WE HAVE? Well, the donkey and the buggy and THE SHUNAMMITE WOMAN HEADED TO THE ONLY PLACE SHE KNEW TO GO… AS SHE PULLED INTO THE PREACHER’S DRIVEWAY HER MESSAGE BECAME EVEN MORE A DECLARATION OF FAITH AND PURPOSE…
2 Kings 4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.
WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING? WILL WE MAKE THE DECLARATION OF FAITH? IT SHALL BE WELL! CAN WE MOVE FORWARD BY FAITH, IT IS WELL. MY FRIEND, AGREE WITH ME… IT SHALL BE WELL! IT IS WELL…
WILL YOU AGREE WITH ME AND EXPECT GOD TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE AND TURN POSSIBILITY INTO PROBABILITY? IT SHALL BE WELL? IT IS WELL.
Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Remember PAUL AND JAN CROUCH of TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK? Paul had traveled to West Virginia. Paul had traveled for a fund raiser. Late that night PAUL COULD NOT SLEEP. He got up and turned on the old TV. There was only a local cable channel. There was a heavy black preacher teaching. PAUL LISTENED and was TOUCHED. The black man was pastoring a small church and was on food stamps. The rest is history. PAUL CROUCH CALLED THE BIG BLACK PREACHER … YOU KNOW HIS NAME: T.D. JAKES…This miracle was because the PREACHER COULD NOT SLEEP? WAS THIS AN ACCIDENT? WAS THIS EXPECTED? THIS HAD TO BE GOD! IT IS WELL!
CAN WE MAKE THE DECLARATION OF FAITH: IT IS WELL: THERE HAS BEEN A HOOK UP IN HEAVEN…
There was a young black man traveling from Los Angeles on EASTERN AIRLINES. The young black man had recorded this first cassette tape of his singing Gospel songs. On this flight the black man noticed the FLIGHT ATTENDANT seemed to be down and discouraged. So the young man went and got one of his new cassette tapes and gave it to the lady and told her when she got the time would she please listen to the tape. She agreed.
Now let us move several weeks down the road. The same FLIGHT ATTENDANT was working a flight and she recognized the singer from the BILLY GRAHAM program. She knew it was CLIFF BARROWS the famous song leader and a personal friend of GRAHAM. They visited and talked. While they talked the stewardess asked CLIFF BARROWS have you ever heard of a young black Gospel singer named WHITLEY PHIPPS. Cliff said he had never heard that name before… later the stewardess was looking through her purse and she saw the PHIPPS CASSETTE. She went to CLIFF BARROWS and said I have really enjoyed this tape and I feel like I should give this to you.
3 weeks after that date CLIFF BARROWS called WHITLEY PHIPPS and asked if he would be interested in becoming a soloist for the BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADES. Whitley met with Cliff and Billy and became a featured soloist for the great evangelist BILLY GRAHAM and he traveled around the world singing. TODAY WHITLEY HAS SANG FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. He has sang on some of the largest stages known. Whitney Phipps has sang for the president of the USA. All this was by an accidental meeting with a FLIGHT ATTENDANT ON AN EASTERN AIRLINE JET… One of PHIPPS GREATEST SONGS IS: “IT IS WELL, IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.”
* Phipps said: IN THE QUIET CRUCIBLE OF YOUR PERSONAL PRIVATE SUFFERING THAT YOUR NOBLEST DREAMS ARE BORN AND GOD'S GREATEST GIFTS ARE GIVEN IN COMPENSATION FOR WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH. IT IS WELL.
CONCLUSION: If God be for us who can be against us? EVERY TONGUE THAT SHALL BE AGAINST YOU, NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US CAN PROSPER? WILL YOU DECLARE WITH ME: IT SHALL BE WELL! IT IS WELL! I AM EXPECTING GOD!
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
EXPECTATION: RESTORE DOUBLE… IT IS WELL!
Zechariah 9:12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Check me out on YOUTUBE)
