PROMOTION: ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE? IRON SHARPENS IRON…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
I have a little, tiny hammer, I ask what kind of house could you build with this little, tiny hammer?
*EDIFY: construction, build up, kindness, to instruct, to teach, to improve, uplift, inspire, nurture.
*ENCOURAGE: to give confidence, continue, give support, to keep on keeping on, stimulate, to give hope, take heart, urge, cheer, to give comfort, strengthen, refuse to give up.
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
1 Thessalonians 5:11-15 (MSG) So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it. 12 And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. 13 Overwhelm them with appreciation and love! Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. 14 Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. 15 And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
YOU AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE. THERE IS POWER IN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
THAT IS BETTER THAN THIS… HOW DO WE LEARN? BY WATCHING…MENTOR, MODEL, MOTIVATE.
There is a baby laying on its back in the crib. The baby watches as the hands and feet go by and it startles itself. Wow, what was that? Then the baby watches to see that is life is better than just laying around on its back.. As others move around, so the baby learns to turn over. The adults celebrate that feat. The baby is observant and sees something better. The baby starts crawling and the adults cheer the baby. That was better than just laying here. Then the baby crawls around and it watches people and sees something better than crawling. The baby sees adults are walking. That sure beats crawling. The baby tries walking and falls again and again. The adults are applauding and cheering each step. Then the baby stabilizes the steps and is walking. That walking is sure better than crawling. After walking for several weeks, the toddler sees someone running. Running is faster than walking… that is better than this. So the child can crawl, walk and run. Wow that is so good. WAIT, THE CHILD SEES SOMEONE ZOOM BY ON A BICYCLE. That is better than this running. After much practice that child balances the bike, that is good. As the child learns tricks on the bike. As the child gets so good on the bike, the adults applaud. One day a Mustang drives by the bike… WOW SAYS THE TEEN THAT IS BETTER THAN THIS. The teen learns how to drive a car… THAT IS BETTER THAN THIS…
WHAT IS THE ENEMY THAT HINDERS US FROM BEING OUR BEST? Laziness? No, GOOD… OFTEN ONCE WE GET GOOD AT SOMETHING WE QUIT TRYING TO DO BETTER?
DO WE STRIVE TO HELP OTHERS GROW? ARE YOU MAKING OTHERS BETTER? WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING? WHAT IS THE INFLUENCE THAT YOU PROJECT TO THINKING PATTERNS? ARE YOU GETTING BETTER?
Are you a good example of bad examples? Why not be a good example of a good example? Are you working on becoming more skillful and better? ARE WE BUILDING CONFIDENCE AND SHARPNESS IN OURSELF AND IN OTHERS?
WE NEED SHARPENING AT REGULAR INTERVALS!
The lumber company was looking for a few good men. They had 2 candidates, a young man and an old man . They gave both men the same kind of chainsaw and a number of trees and gave them 8 hours to cut. The young man cut nonstop. The old man would cut and set down. Cut and set down. All day long the two were cutting trees. At the end of
the day the owners evaluated the amount of wood that was cut. The old man had cut twice as much wood. The young man said: I DON’T UNDERSTAND, I NEVER SAT DOWN TO TAKE A BREAK. THAT OLD MAN SAT DOWN REAL OFTEN. How did he beat me? THE OWNER SAID: THE OLD MAN WAS NOT SITTING TO REST. HE STOPPED TO SHARPEN HIS SAW. THE SHARPER THE SAW THE LESS EFFORT IS REQUIRED.
Ecclesiastes 10:10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
NO EMPATHY? YOUR ACTIONS AND REACTIONS HAVE AFFECT ON OTHERS…. HOW IS THAT? SHOULD WE HELP OTHERS ONLY WHEN YOU KNOW THEY CAN HELP US BACK? WE ARE IN DANGER! EDIFY OTHERS.
EVER HEARD THE LESSON OF THE MOUSE? The story says there was a little mouse that lived a good life. One day the mouse was peeking into the kitchen. The wife and her husband were looking at A BETTER MOUSE TRAP. The mouse was so alarmed it ran out to the barn and warned the other animals of the mouse trap. The chicken was busy scratching in the dirt. The frightened mouse warned the hen. THE HEN REPLIED: I DON’T CARE IF THERE IS A MOUSE TRAP IN THAT OLD HOUSE. IT MIGHT BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU, but that is not my problem. That mouse trap poses no harm to me.
The mouse runs in the stall to tell the cow of THE NEW HIDDEN DANGER OF THE MOUSE TRAP. The heifer laughed and mooed real loud. The cow said, I understand you have a big problem, I WILL PRAY FOR YOU, but that is not my problem. The mouse runs out to the pig. The mouse tells the pig of the new improved mouse trap. WE ARE IN DANGER! The pig mocked the fear of the mouse and says: THAT’S NOT MY PROBLEM. I don’t care!
That evening the mouse returned to its home all depressed, in gloom and despair. NO ONE CARED AS THAT PROBLEM DOES NOT AFFECT THEM. The mouse had no idea where the trap would be set. About 2 am the mouse heard a large snapping noise of the mouse trap. The woman jumped out of bed and ran to see what was going on in the house.
THE TAIL OF A HUGE COPPERHEAD SNAKE WAS CAUGHT IN THE TRAP. In the darkness the woman reached down to pick up the trap. The copperhead bit the woman and injected the venom in her hand. The farmer killed the snake and saw how serious the bite was. So he loaded her up. He drove the truck to the hospital. By the time they got her out of the truck the lady of the house was seriously ill.
A few days later the farmer and his wife came home. The farmer’s family gathered for lunch. They needed something quick to eat. They killed the chicken and made chicken and dumplings. Remember what the hen said: That trap is NO PROBLEM TO ME? The family, neighbors and friends gathered at the farm house. The farmer had so much company that he KILLED THE FAT PIG. They had bacon, ham, sausage and tenderloin in the stew. Remember the pig saying: THAT IS YOUR PROBLEM NOT MINE?
TAKE HEED: Later the farmer’s wife dies and he sells the cow to the slaughterhouse to cover the expenses of the funeral. Remember the cow said: MOUSE, THAT IS NOT MY PROBLEM. YOUR PROBLEM HAS NO AFFECT ON ME IN THE BARN.
TAKE HEED: We need to quit thinking that is not my problem. We as a family, as a church work together or we will die together. WHERE IS YOUR LOVE? DO YOU CARE? ITS NOT MY PROBLEM?
Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
CONCLUSION:
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Timothy 4:3 (MSG) You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy.
LEARN FROM THE CRABS? Crab hunters catch crabs and put them in a basket. When they catch one crab they throw it in the basket and put a lid over it to keep the crab in the trap. Once they catch two crabs they do not need a lid. WHY? WHEN THERE ARE TWO OR MORE CRABS IN THE BASKET THE OTHER CRAB WILL DRAG IT DOWN. THE CRABS COULD EASILY CRAWL OUT OF THE BASKET. THE OTHER CRABS WILL KEEP REACHING AND PULL THE OTHER CRABS BACK . The crabs seems to never learn. WE ARE KEEPING OURSELVES IN THE TRAP BY PULLING EACH OTHER DOWN. ARE YOU EDIFYING AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
