PRETENDERS? WOUNDED SPIRITS? THE CAVE YOU FEAR?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube:Wade Hughes)
I am very limited but I think PEOPLE DO NOT PRETEND TO BE HURT. PEOPLE PRETEND TO BE OK AND EVERYTHING IS FINE.
JESUS HAS CLIMBED THE MOUNT OF OLIVES AND HIS BOYS GATHERED AROUND HIM AND ASKED: WHEN LORD, WHEN? WE WALK IN A DAY OF A SPIRIT OF OFFENSE… We want to discuss WHO HURT ME? The question could be: WHO HAVE I HURT?
Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Matthew 24:10 (MSG) And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other's throat, everyone hating each other.
Doctor Phil says: NO MATTER HOW FLAT THE PANCAKE, IT STILL HAS TWO SIDES.
SOMEONE TOLD ME IT IS PAINFUL TO LISTEN… THE BIBLE MIGHT SUGGEST IT IS MORE PAIN TO NOT PAY ATTENTION AND LISTEN… PART OF ANY CURE IS TO IDENTIFY THE ROOTS OF THE PROBLEM.
I read of a wealthy woman that owned a very rare and expensive MACAW. It was so beautiful. It was so smart it could talk unbelievable. Over a period of time the MACAW developed an extremely irritating and terrible hacking cough. The lady called the local vet and they discussed the problem and the doctor warned it could be dangerous. If the cough persisted she needed to bring the bird in to the office. The doctor listened and sure enough there was a terrible cough. The vet gave the lady some medicine and sent them home. A week later she returned with the bird. The vet said: I CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. He recommended going to the specialist. She said spare no expense, run every test possible. They ended up at prestigious university famous for treatment of birds. They did multiple blood draws and ran every test twice. They did x-rays and checked the bird’s lungs. Nothing! The lady demanded attention. On the third visit the doctor took the bird into a room and left the lady in the waiting room. The head doctor listened. He heard the lady in the waiting room coughing so hard. She was a heavy smoker and had a smoker’s cough. The doctor listened to the bird and listened to the lady. The doctor came and informed the lady: I GIVE THIS BIRD A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH. She refused what he said. He explained: HONEY MACAWS MIMIC, IMITATE AND COPY THE SOUNDS AROUND THEM. THE DOCTOR SAID: YOUR BELOVED BIRD HAS A CIGARETTE BARK. The lady walked out in anger. When she got home she listened to the bird and then herself. THE BIRD WAS NOT SICK. THE BIRD MIMIC THE OWNER.
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED SOME OF THE ENEMIES OF GOD AND THE CHURCH COULD BE… MAYBE WE WILL BE POOR MODELS TO THE CHURCH AND THE FAMILY.
DOUBT…, FEAR…, WORRY…, ANGER…, LONELINESS…, DEPRESSION…, UNFAITHFULNESS…, REJECTION…, LYING…, JUDGMENTAL… REBELLION…, NOT GIVING…, SIGN SEEKERS…, NOT LISTENING…, HOPELESSNESS…, BEING OFFENDED...
LET US CONSIDER THINGS IN A BALANCED WAY:
**THE CAVE YOU FEAR TO ENTER MAY JUST HOLD THE TREASURE YOU SEEK.
Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.
Job 3:25-26 (MSG) The worst of my fears has come true, what I've dreaded most has happened.
26 My repose is shattered, my peace destroyed. No rest for me, ever—death has invaded life."
*A LOT OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED IN MY LIFE THAT HAVE SEVERELY BROKEN MY HEART, WHILE IT WAS FIXING ME WITH A CLEARER VISION.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
THREE KINDS OF SHIP CAPTAINS:
The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist says the wind will change. The good leader commands the sailor to change and adjust the sails in preparation of where the wind may lead.
DO WE BLAME THE PREACHER? PAUL WILL NEVER PREACH HERE BE AGAIN. WILL WE UNDERSTAND THE PASSAGE FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS… UTYCUS IS LISTENING TO ONE OF THE GREATEST PREACHERS AND ORATORS OF ALL TIMES… THE PREACHER SEEMED TO BE VERY LONG WINDED. (Fodder from Randy Weeks)
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. 12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
1. UTYCUS COMPROMISED AND PUT HIMSELF IN THE MOST DANGEROUS SEAT IN THIS UPPER ROOM. HE SHOULD HAVE NEVER SAT IN THE WINDOW SILL. This window is on the 3rd story of the building.
2. UTYCUS WAS SLEEPING THROUGH THE MESSAGE. A sleeping person is very vulnerable to miss the point.
UTYCUS FELL THE WAY THAT HE LEANED THE MOST TOO. He should have been leaning toward the messenger. Maybe like Lot’s wife and her look back --- DID UTYCUS HAVE SOMETHING HE WAS WATCHING OUT THE WINDOW?
3. How embarrassing it must have been to disrupt the service when someone yell, ETYCUS LEFT US… he fell out the window. Can you imagine what his wife said to him?
4. GOD’S SWEET SECOND CHANCE… mercy, grace, restitution and love RESTORED THE SLEEPING SAINT. Utycus should have never been sitting in the window. He should have been on the altar. Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit UTYCUS was touched by the preacher and A NEW OPPORTUNITY was given this sleepy head.
5. Let me ask you a question: WHEN THE PEOPLE RETURNED TO THE ROOM, DO YOU THINK UTYCUS SLEPT IN THE WINDOW AGAIN?
BE KIND ON PURPOSE. Recall with me: Humpty Dumpy sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the King's men could not put Humpty back together again? To be honest Humpty should not have been sitting on the wall. My opinion Humpty never jumped off his wall of protection. I think he was pushed. There was no human power that could fix him. BUT GOD!
BUT GOD NEVER GIVES UP… BE KIND ON PURPOSE… HAVE A PLAN… ENCOURAGE AND INTERCEDE…
Will you be kind to some hurting person today? People do not pretend to be hurt. They pretend to be ok. Do you know someone that was pushed off their wall and they are trying their best to not fall apart? Hurt people hurt people.
Let us on purpose encourage, edify and love the broken. Cancer, misunderstanding, sin, pain and disappointments... YOU COULD HAVE COMPASSION AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BE KIND TODAY, BE KIND TOMORROW... SOMEONE IS FIGHTING WITH ALL THEY HAVE TO NOT FALL APART. YOU COULD BE THE ANSWER TO THEIR PRAYERS.
LOVE NEVER FAILS. Someone is near a breaking point. Perhaps they are ready to throw in the towel?
YOU COULD ANSWER SOMEONES PRAYERS… YOU COULD GIVE MEANINGFUL NURTURING LOVE.
Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
MY TUNNEL VISION APPROACH IS VERY SIMPLE… EVERY PERSON YOU MEET IS HURTING INSIDE. WILL WE DISCERN AND BE SENSITIVE… AND SEEK GOD’S FACE?
Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
IF I LIVE IT IS GREAT GAIN BECAUSE JESUS PROMISED TO BE WITH ME.
IF I DIE I WILL GO BE WITH JESUS FOREVER AND EVER --- EITHER WAY I WIN…
***I AM ON THE WINNING SIDE.
Once I wondered out in sin, had no hope nor joy within,
And my soul was burdened down with pride;
But my Savior came along and he showed me I was wrong
And He placed me on the winning side.
Chorus-
I'm on the winning side, yes I'm on the winning side,
No more in sin will I abide,
I've enlisted in the fight for the cause of truth and right
Praise the Lord- I'm on the winning side
From the straight and narrow way I was drifting every day,
Out upon the waters deep and wide;
But it all is over now, glory light is on my brow,
And my soul is on the winning side
I will never have a fear, for my Lord is ever near,
And in him so often I confide;
He's the keeper of my soul since, I gave him full control,
And he placed me on the winning side. (Unknown)
CONCLUSIONS: WE HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO MINISTER TO HURTING PEOPLE. May this start in our homes. I cannot change the world, but I can change me. God help me see the hurt, the lost and dying world around me … THEN CAUSE ME TO SEEK A GODLY SOLUTION TO HELP OTHERS IN PAIN.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
