THE CHALLENGE: EFFORT: STRETCH YOURSELF…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com YouTube Wade Hughes. (This is a 3 part lesson.)
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
WHY DO I DO WHAT I DO? Why don’t I do what I don’t do? We must work willingly and whatever we do, we do as unto the Lord. We are working for the Lord not the applause of people.
THE EFFORT YOU EXERT WILL CAUSE US TO LIVE LIFE AS BITTER OR BETTER?
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
My friends we must be faithful and strong. JOY AND PEACE MUST CAUSE US to always work with zeal and enthusiasm. God keeps good records of what we do and why we do it.
When we start anything it seems easy, to CONTINUE REQUIRES GREAT EFFORT. With time we tend to forget effort. PART OF THIS IS DETERMINED BY THE EFFORT WE GIVE. JUST SELL THE BUILDINGS… IS ETERNITY WORTH INVESTING OUR TIME, TALENT AND ENERGY TO ACHIEVE? Will I settle for the minimal or do I know there is more? CAN I IMPROVE? WHAT IS MY VALUE SYSTEM AND PRIORITIES? Real Effort demands ACTION!!
To be a good gardener requires more than a plow and loving plants. We must learn to hate weeds that limit and hinder growth. Will we establish the HABIT OF EFFORT? When we get tired we must not quit.
TEXT:
Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
It is said 30% of people that were faithful to church attendance before COVID will not return to faithful attendance. It is estimated that 15% OF PEOPLE IN CHURCH TODAY WILL LEAVE CHURCH in the next year. In 2 years that is a 30% loss of faithful attendance. People will get hurt. Offended, burned out, tired and just throw up their hands in disgust and quit.
Let us decide the answer to: WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR? WHAT AM I EXPECTING? WHAT EXCUSE WILL WE GIVE AS OUR OFFERING? Many churches have shut their doors. Some only have church once a week. Other churches have gone to once a month? Just sell the buildings?
THE MORE YOU FOCUS ON HURT, THE MORE YOU WILL SUFFER! Growth comes when we look beyond the pain and FOCUS ON THE LESSON! WHERE WILL WE FOCUS?
HOW MUCH EFFORT WILL WE INVEST? DEAD FISH CAN FLOAT DOWN STREAM! WILL WE FIGHT THE CURRENT? CLIMB HIGH! CLIMB HARD! WE MUST QUIT MURMURING AND COMPLAINING ….
Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
THE HARDER THE CLIMB THE GREATER THE EFFORT! THE GREATER THE EFFORT THE GREATER THE REWARD!
The smaller the effort we exert the smaller the satisfaction. JOY comes when you know you have given your all. The sign half way up the mountain reads: YOU HAVE MADE IT THIS FAR, YOU HAVE FOUND YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE. YOU ARE BUILDING YOUR STRENGTH BY CLIMBING HERE. Reach higher than you dreamed you could ever make it. THE SIGN ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN READS: See many said you could never make. At times you even doubted yourself. YOU MADE IT.
IT IS BETTER TO AIM FOR THE STARS AND HIT THE MOON THAN TO LAND IN A MUD PUDDLE EVERYTIME. Set you sights on GOD’S TARGET.
EFFORT CAN TEACH US WE CAN ACHIEVE MORE THAN WE THOUGHT. WE MUST MAKE MORE EFFORT TO LEARN AND DO MORE THINGS. THE LACK OF EFFORT CAN CAUSE US TO GIVE UP AND QUIT. YOUR EFFORT TODAY CAN DETERMINE WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH TOMORROW. EFFORT KEEPS US MOTIVATED.
PEOPLE ARE ASKING DOES ANYONE CARE? CAN YOU HEAR BEYOND MY WORDS? CAN YOU HEAR MY HEART? DO I HONESTLY MATTER TO ANYONE? EFFORT?
IDIOMATIC PHRASE: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING. OFTEN THIS IS NOT THE TRUTH. WHEN THE LESSONS GET HARD AND THE GOING GETS TOUGH MANY WILL THROW UP THEIR HANDS AND QUIT. WILL YOU LEAVE ME TOO?
JESUS WAS KNOWN TO CRY. I THINK JESUS IS CRYING IN THIS PASSAGE. Jesus begins teaching some “HARD SAYINGS.” Will you receive this lesson? The crowd of people started MURMURING and BEING OFFENDED. ARE YOU OFFENDED?
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
ANY ROMAN SOLDIER COULD MAKE A JEW CARRY HIS STUFF A MILE… THE FORCE MILE? SO WHAT? GO THE EXTRA MILE: THE FIRST MILE IS MANDATORY, THE SECOND MILE IS VOLUNTARY… EXERT MORE EFFORT THAN REQUIRED.
Matthew 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
When others are mean, treat them with love. Be generous my friend. EFFORT.
GOD ASKS US TO APPLY OURSELVES AND INCREASE OUR EFFORTS… CONDITIONAL?
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
FOR MANY YEARS I WAS SO ANGRY AT THE PREACHERS AND DECONS UNTIL I HAD BEEN IN THE MINISTRY FOR MANY YEARS --- I NOW SEE EFFORT MUCH DIFFERENTLY THAN YEARS AGO. AFTER 44 YEARS IN MINISTRY I VIEW EFFORT MUCH DIFFERENTLY.
EFFORT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? A RELIGIOUS SCHOLAR DEMANDS: WHERE SHOULD MY ETERNAL VALUES FOCUS?
WE ARE INTRODUCED TO 4 PEOPLE: EACH OF THE FOUR ARE IN DIFFERENT SPIRITUAL PLACES… LUKE 10 HAS A LESSON ON EFFORT… BEWARE EFFORT HAS AN ENEMY ---THE ENEMY IS CALLED INDIFFERENCE! HEARTLESS, NEGLECT OF EFFORT AND DUTY.
1. THE FIRST MAN WE MEET IS MR. HURT. He is a Jew. This man is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On his journey some mean people rob him, beat him and leave him half dead.
2. BY CHANCE? A CERTAIN PRIEST, I call him: MR. BURNOUT. He just happens to walk by… The priest crosses to the other side of the road… He just can’t stand to add another load to his heart. ARE WE MAD AT THE PRIEST? PITY THE PRIEST! MY HEART BREAKS FOR THIS MINISTER! HE IS SO POURED OUT THAT HE HAS NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE. HIS EFFORT HAS LEAD HIM TO BE HURTING AS MUCH AS THE SAMARITAN.
3. THEN WE MEET A CERTAIN LEVITE, A DEACON, A LEADER. I call him MR. LONGNOSE. Long Nose stops by and surveys the need, but he never puts forth the EFFORT. No doubt when he made it to church he requested prayer for the hurt man.
4. NOW LET US MEET: MR. EFFORT. The GOOD SAMARITAN. I call him BLISTERED FEET. He walked and allowed the hurt man to ride on his donkey. This man cared enough to EXERT EFFORT and do something to help bring RELIEF. MR. EFFORT saw the need. He took action and had COMPASSION.
WHAT ABOUT EFFORT? DO WE REALIZE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE LOVE US? WHY DO WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE THAT DON’T LIKE US?
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
DO WE ALLOW THE EFFORT OF YEARS OF LOVE TO BE FORGOTTEN BY ONE MINUTE OF BEING OFFENDED, HURT AND ANGRY?
Effort and courage does not always ROAR. Sometimes giving effort is a still small voice that will say: I WILL DO SOMETHING. If I can’t accomplish my task today, I WILL TRY AGAIN. THEN I WILL TRY AGAIN… I WILL EXERT EFFORT UNTIL VICTORY.
KILL YOUR EFFORT? THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE TRYING TO KILL YOUR COMPASSION BY PROVOKING YOU TO BE HURT, OFFENDED, BITTERNESS TO KILL YOUR EFFORT. YOU MUST REFUSE TO BE PROVOKED!
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Please hear my heart… I can see that people have to go through negative valleys that almost absolutely destroy their DESIRE TO EXERT EFFORT AND try again. WHO ARE YOU? The effort killers of being offended will REVEAL WHO YOU REALLY ARE.
DO WE INVEST MORE IN EXCUSES THAN EFFORT? EXCUSES WILL ALWAYS TRY TO KILL YOUR DESIRE TO APPLY GREAT EFFORTS. EXCUSES WILL KILL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE BEFORE US… EFFORT? ONCE EXCUSES START THEY ARE CONTAGIOUS.
Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
Once excuses start they destroy EFFORT. I BOUGHT LAND? I bought oxen? I married a wife? Possessions, business, relationships.
IF? IF IS A BIG WORD ABOUT EFFORT. RECIPROCATE: GOD BLESSES EFFORT…
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
ELISHA REQUIRED NAAMAN IF YOU WILL GO DIP 7 TIMES... EFFORT
2 Kings 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
MARY SAYS: JESUS THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF WINE. MARY SAYS: WHATEVER HE SA1YS:
DO IT! SIX EMPTY WATER POTS --- 150 TO 180 GALLONS OF WATER… MIRACLES REQUIRE EFFORT.
John 2:7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
IF WE PUT TIME AND EFFORT TOGETHER WE CAN OVERCOME ALL OUR IMPERFECTIONS… HEY, JESUS DON’T YOU KNOW WE FISHED ALL NIGHT? JESUS DEMANDS EFFORT…
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
YOU HAVE TO EXERT EFFORT TO RELEASE THE MIRACLE… HEY, JESUS IF YOU HAD BEEN HERE? HE STINKS BY NOW? YOU HAVE TO ROLL THE STONE AWAY! WE MUST GIVE EFFORT.
John 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
BLIND MAN YOU HAVE TO WALK ROUGH, NARROW, CURVEY, BUMPY ROADS… WHY CAN’T SOMEONE BRING ME WATER? IT IS AROUND A ½ MILE WALK? EFFORT!
John 9:7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
EFFORT? THE SICK WEAK WOMAN HAD TO PRESS THROUGH THE CROWD TO TOUCH THE HEM OF JESUS’ GARMENT…
Mark 5:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
EFFORT AND OBEDIENCE? COULD JESUS HAVE AN ANGEL BRING MONEY? WE NEED MONEY TO PAY OUR TAXES?
Matthew 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
CONCLUSION: ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE: OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE… GOD MIGHT REQUIRE GREAT EFFORT OF YOU. HE MAY REQUIRE DEMANDING CHALLENGES THAT WILL PUSH US TO OUR LIMITS. IF YOU WILL HE WILL--- RECIPROCATE: GOD WILL BLESS YOUR EFFORT… GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS CAN REQUIRE GREAT EFFORT… HOW HARD WILL WE TRY? WILL WE MAKE SERIOUS ATTEMPTS? SWEET EFFORTS BEAT SWEET WORDS. Real satisfaction lies in EFFORT. If your effort helps you improve 1% a day, look what you could do in a year? God does not work in the facts you can do. Faith moves by THE EFFORT you apply! With the effort you exert you can change you. By changing you --- YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. It is up to what kind of effort you give.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
I would love to hear from you. 3 part lesson.
WILLIE NELSON HAD A 1983 HIT: NOBODY SLIDES MY FRIEND…
NOBODY SLIDES, MY FRIEND, IT’S A TRUTH ON WHICH YOU CAN DEPEND.
YOU CAN RUN AND SHOUT BUT IT ALL EQUALS OUT, NOBODY SLIDES MY FRIEND.
