THERE ARE LIONS OUT THERE… UNREAL EXPECTATIONS!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
I HAVE FOUND GOOD EXCUSES ARE SITTING PEOPLE UP FOR OPPRESSION, DEFEAT AND A DOWNFALL? WE MUST SET CLEAR GOALS.
Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Proverbs 16:3 (MSG) Put GOD in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place.
We need to have short term goals that are easily attained. We also need long term goals that will require endurance and persistence. We can develop expectations that are not attainable.
WHO BELIEVES OUR EXCUSES? WE DO. TO OFFER AN EXCUSE IS TO ACCUSE SELF. PEOPLE WOULD REFUSE TO HEAR US IF WE SAID “I DON’T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL, I DON’T WANT TO GET OUT OF BED.” IT SOUNDS BETTER TO MAKE UP A TALL EXCUSE… LIONS WILL KILL ME?
WE CAN GET SO GOOD AT BLAMING OTHERS AND CIRCUMSTANCES TO EXCUSE OURSELVES AND LOSE OUR FOCUS ON THE SPIRITUAL PRIORITIES. ARE WE CREATING IMAGINARY CIRCUMSTANCES TO JUSTIFY NOT DOING GOD’S WORK PROPERLY?
Proverbs 22:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
Proverbs 22:13 (AMP) The lazy one (manufactures excuses and) says, “ THERE IS A LION OUTSIDE! I WILL BE KILLED IN THE STREETS (IF I GO OUT TO WORK)
IF THE EXCUSE WORKS ONCE, DO IT AGAIN…WILL WE CREATE IMAGINARY CIRCUMSTANCES TO JUSTIFY NOT DOING THE WILL OF GOD? SEEMS THERE ARE MANY THAT WANT TO JUST STAY HOME AND DO NOTHING. WILL THE HOLY SPIRIT SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR EXCUSES?
Proverbs 26:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
Proverbs 26:13 (MSG) Loafers say, "It's dangerous out there! Tigers are prowling the streets!" and then pull the covers back over their heads.
We tend to JUSTIFY and EXCUSE --- LET US SHIFT THE ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE TRUTH AND CREATE AN ILLUSION. We will speak words to hide the real truth. GOD PLEASE EXPOSE THE TRUTH ABOUT SELF-JUSTIFICATION.
WHY HAS YOUR COUNTENANCE FALLEN? HOW SHOULD I KNOW? AM I MY BROTHER’S BABYSITTER? WE CAN DEFLECT THE TRUTH OF THE SITUATION?
Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
KING SAUL LIES TO PREACHER SAMUEL: SURE I OBEYED THE LORD PLANS. BUT THE PEOPLE?
1 Samuel 15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
3 CLASSIFICATIONS OF OFFERINGS OF EXCUSES. EXCUSES ARE CONTAGIOUS AND ENLARGE THEMSELVES.
Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse.
*MATERIALISM: (A TENDENCY TO CONSIDER POSSESSIONS AND PHYSICAL COMFORT MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPIRITUAL VALUES) he bought a piece of ground, and he needs to go and see it. (He had already seen?)
* BUSINESS/ PLEASURE. (5 YOKE OF OXEN.) He had already proven.
*RELATIONSHIP/ SCHEDULING: I have married me a wife…
Each class of excuses justifies itself.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? LET’S ALL RUN AND HIDE IN THE CAVE OF DEPRESSION? WHERE CAN I FIND GOD? I AM THE ONLY ONE REALLY SERVING GOD? EVIL HAS WON. THEY ARE OUT TO DESTROY ME.
1 Kings 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the
LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
WHAT ARE ELIJAH’S EXPECTATIONS? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? GO STAND ON THE MOUNTAIN… YOU CAN SEE MORE CLEARLY!
Elijah was tired and exhausted from ministry. He expected God in THE STRONG WIND? No, Not God! He expected in an EARTHQUAKE, shaking, No, Not God. Expected God in THE FIRE? No, Not God. After the FIRE PASSES, GOD COMES IN A STILL SMALL VOICE. Hey that was not what we were expecting.
BURIED IN UNREAL EXPECTATIONS? LET’S FACE THE TRUTH IT IS EASY TO LET OUR EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS TO BECOME DISTORTED AND INVALID. ELIJAH WAS SEARCHING FOR GOD IN A CIRCUS LIKE ENVIRONMENT. THANK GOD FOR THE SECOND MERCIFUL TOUCH. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? ELIJAH JUST DIDN’T GET IT! HE SAID: JUST KILL ME…
1 Kings 19: 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? Once again we find the preacher discouraged, tired and weary. Jumping to false conclusions. I AM THE ONLY ONE!!! JUST KILL ME! I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
UNREAL EXPECTATIONS. WE NEED TO CHANGE. IS IT POSSIBLE TO TEACH OLD DOGS NEW TRICKS? DO WE SET OURSELVES UP FOR DOOM, GLOOM AND DEFEAT? GOD’S PLAN IS WE ARE TO DREAM AND HAVE GOALS.
Proverbs 29:18 (AMP) Where there is no vision (no revelation of God and his word) the people are unrestrained; blessed is he who keeps the law (of God.)
Proverbs 29:18 (MSG) If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.
PERCEPTION? DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEE AND BE AWARE? TO LISTEN TO SPIRITUAL TRUTHS? DO WE SET UNREALISTIC, UNATTAINABLE GOALS? WE MUST EMPHASIZE THAT GOD’S WORD REVEALS A HEALTHY VISION AND FOCUS OR WE WILL AIMLESSLY WANDER FROM HERE TO THERE. WE WILL END UP IN DEFEAT AND DESTRUCTION.
DO WE BELIEVE? WILL WE SET OURSELVES UP FOR AUTOMATIC DEFEAT? DON QUIXOTE HAS A HUGE EGO AND HE DESIRES TO BE A KNIGHT. THE DAYS OF KNIGHTHOOD ARE DEAD. SO QUIXOTE SETS OFF TO BECOME FAMOUS.
Don is going to allow his emotions and mind games to rule his desires. He allows his feeling, emotions and passions to control him. Don is a very stubborn person and is bull headed or pig headed? ARE WE FIGHTING WINDMILLS? IT IS ALL IN OUR PERCEPTION… MIS-IDENTIFYING THE ROOT OF OUR PROBLEMS SETS US UP FOR DOOM AND GLOOM.
DON ‘S LANCE IS SHATTERED AND HE IS THROWN OFF HIS HORSE. HE IS DEFEATED.
DON HAD A DREAM, THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM… HE WANTED INVALID CONCLUSIONS THAT CAN CAUSE US TO ATTACK IMAGINARY ENEMIES AND EVILS. DON QUIXOTE SEES SEVERAL WINDMILLS. HE HAD NEVER SEEN A WINDMILL BEFORE. WITH HIS DISTORTED VIEW HIS VISION. DON THINKS THE WINDMILLS ARE GIANTS. He will build his ego by facing these imaginary giants.
DON QUIXOTE HAS SOME SERIOUS PERSONALITY TRAITS. First he is a terrible worrier. He had insomnia. His lack of sleep caused serious problems in his mind. He would not listen to those that cared and tried to help him. Don TALKED STUPID. HE THOUGHT STUPID, THEN HE ACTED STUPID.
THANK GOD FOR FRIENDS THAT TRY TO TELL THE TRUTH. DON HAS A GOOD NEIGHBOR. SANCHO IS A DEAR FRIEND AND HE TRIES HIS BEST TO WARN QUIXOTE. Quixote’s perception is these giants must be defeated. So he attacks the windmills as terrible giants. These terrible giants are emotional and mental distortions. Don will be defeated. SANCHO clearly warns “THOSE ARE NOT GIANTS. THEY ARE WINDMILLS. WHAT YOU SEE AS ARMS ARE SAILS BEING BLOWN BY THE WIND, THEY JUST GO ROUND AND ROUND. When Quixote is defeated he returns home. He gets sick and dies.
CONCLUSION: OFTEN TO MOVE A MOUNTAIN THERE IS NOT A GREAT SUDDEN CHANGE. OFTEN MOUNTAINS ARE MOVED ONE PEBBLE AT A TIME. WE MUST STAND IN PERSISTENCE AND ENDURANCE .
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. (Kyfinggers@aol.com) (Please watch YouTube: Wade Hughes)
