WEARY? BAD, BAD, REALLY BAD…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
I HAVE A MESSAGE LET US NOT GET TIRED… WE HAVE DIVINE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MIDST OF OUR HOPELESSNESS… FOR MOTHERS? FAMILIES? CHURCHES? WELL DOING? DOING WELL? WE CAN NOT ALLOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO CAUSE US TO WALK BY SIGHT, FEELINGS OR EMOTIONS… WE MUST LIVE BY FAITH…
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY HOPELESS… LIFE IS A DISAPPOINTMENT. THE FUNERAL HOME KNOWS US BY NAME… WILL WE ALLOW THIS TERRIBLE SITUATION OF DEATH TO CRUSH US … DO WE ALLOW OUR CIRCUMSTANCES TO DEFINE OUR EMOTIONS? …
BAD! BAD! REALLY BAD! 1. There is a FAMINE in the land? That is bad! 2. The family packs up the essentials and moves to MOAB. 3. The sons marry MOABITE WOMEN? 4. ELIMELECH, the husband dies. 5. MAHLON the oldest son dies. 6. CHILION the second son dies… 7. POVERTY BRINGS DOOM.
Ruth 1:21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?
IN BAD TIMES… RUTH KEPT A GOOD ATTITUDE OF HOPE AND PEACE IN AN IMPOSSIBLE, TERRIBLE SITUATION… WE CAN HAVE HOPE BEYOND HOPE. THEY TURNED THEIR HEARTS TOWARD HOME…
Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
A DECLARATION OF FAITH DECLARED BY A STRANGER? THE STEP OF FAITH NOT DEFINED BY THE HOPELESSNESS OF THE SITUATION.
Ruth 2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.
WHEN LIFE SLAPS YOU IN THE FACE WE ARE BECOME A WELFARE CASE. SHE HAS TO GLEAN THE CORNERS OF THE FIELD. THEN GOD TAKES RUTH FROM GLEANING TO OWNING THE FIELD. THERE IS A LAW OF THE KINSMEN REDEEMER.
Ruth 2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
GOD’S PLAN FOR TWO HOPELESS WIDOWS TURNED THEIR HEARTS TO HOME AND GOD HAD A DIVINE PLAN AND DIVINE PROVISIONS.
Ruth 2:16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
Ruth 4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
RUTH THE MOABITE MARRIES BOAZ… THEY HAVE A SON OBED. OBED HAS A SON NAMED JESSE. JESSE HAS A SON NAMED DAVID… DOWN THE LINE … DAVID HAS THE SEED OF JESUS.. RUTH IS ONE OF FIVE WOMEN MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT GENEALOGY.
1,100 YEARS LATER JESUS WAS BORN ON THE PROPERTY THAT BELONGED TO BOAZ AND RUTH! God gives hope to the helpless and hopeless.
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME? WHAT IS GOD DOING FOR ME? WHAT IS HAPPENING IN ME? THE STORY IS TOLD OF A MOTHER THAT HAD A HOPELESS CHILD.
Proverbs 12:18 warns: THOUGHTLESS WORDS CUT LIKE A SWORD. BUT THE TONGUE OF THE WISE BRINGS HEALING.
THE BOY HAND DELIVERED A NOTE. HE SAID: THE TEACHER TOLD ME TO GIVE THIS PAPER ONLY TO MY MOTHER. THE MOTHER READ THE NOTE AND HER EYES FILLED WITH TEARS. THE BOY ASKED HIS MOTHER WHAT THE NOTE SAID. SHE READ ALOUD TO HER SON. “YOUR SON IS A GENIUS. THIS SCHOOL IS TOO SMALL FOR HIM AND DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH GOOD TEACHERS FOR TRAINING HIM. PLEASE TEACH HIM YOURSELF.”
THIS MOTHER DID EXACTLY WHAT THE TEACHER SAID. SHE HOME SCHOOLED HER SON WITH DEVOTION AND DEDICATION. WE KNOW THIS BOY. HE IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST INVENTORS. HIS NAME: THOMAS EDISON. MANY YEARS LATER AFTER HIS MOTHER PASSED ON--- HE FOUND A FOLDED PAPER AMONG OTHER FAMILY ITEMS. HE OPENED THE VERY SAME PAPER THAT HAD BEEN HANDED HIM TO GIVE TO HIS MOTHER AND READ THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE. “YOUR SON IS MENTALLY ILL AND WE WON’T LET HIM COME TO SCHOOL ANYMORE.”
AT THAT MOMENT HE REALIZED WHAT HIS MOTHER HAD DONE FOR HIM SO MANY YEARS AGO. HE WROTE IN HIS DIARY: THOMAS ALVA EDISON WAS AN ADDLED CHILD THAT WAS TAUGHT BY A HERO MOTHER. HE BECAME THE GENIUS OF THE CENTURY.
TIRED? FATIGUE? WILL WE RETAIN AND MAINTAIN FAITHFULNESS AS WE NEAR THE END OF THE GAME. NOT ME? NOT ME? I AM TIRED, I EXPECT SOMEONE ELSE TO CARRY THE LOAD. GOD HAS A PLAN AND A PURPOSE… WE MUST STRESS HOW IMPORTANT PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE IS DAILY. GROW NOT WEARY.
There was a wonderful old woman that had many children. Her daily prayer was to see all her children serving the Lord and faithful to church before she died. I witnessed to the only one not serving the Lord. I told him his mother’s prayer. He said: I can’t accept Jesus as my Savior. Mom’s prayer is to not die until all the children are Christians. He said: IF I ACCEPT JESUS MY MOM WILL DIE. The sad story is the old lady died in the rest home. She never saw her son repent.
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Conclusion: LET’S TAKE THIS MESSAGE TO HEART, we might be hopeless and helpless… WE might be in a SEASON OF TESTING… WE MIGHT HAVE FAILED MISERABLY? THE ONE’S THAT NEED OUR LOVE THE MOST PROBABLY DESERVE IT THE LEAST. OUR CHALLENGES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE NOT REALLY DOING AND PERFORMING WELL. MAY THE WORDS, ATTITUDES AND DEEDS OF THIS DAY LAUNCH OTHERS INTO A REAL CHANGE OF HOPE AND A BRIGHTER FUTURE. Vince Lombardi said:
QUITTERS NEVER WIN… WINNERS NEVER QUIT. FATIGUE MAKES SPIRITUAL COWARDS… Maya Angelou said: “DO THE BEST YOU CAN UNTIL YOU KNOW BETTER. THEN WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER DO BETTER.”
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube Wade Hughes)
