INFATUATED WITH INFATUATION… MORE THAN MEETS THE EYES!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch YouTube: Wade Hughes)
2 Corinthians 4:18 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.
2 Corinthians 4:18 (MSG) There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.
INFATUATION: HAVE WE EVER CHASED THE POT OF GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW?
Go to a store that sells LOTTERY TICKETS and watch the LOTTERY MENTALITY. Watch people put good cash in the machine. The machine spits out a little piece of paper. They scratch it off and throw the paper in the garbage can? WOW! NOTHING?
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
*VALUE: cash, the importance, regard, WORTH, VALUE, PRICE, your standard.
*INFATUATION: an intense but short lived passion or admiration, carried away, often a fantasy, addicted to love.
*ACCUMULATE: to gather together, increase, build up little by little, hoard.
A millionaire was asked: HOW MUCH MONEY IS ENOUGH? He replied: ONE MORE DOLLAR!
INFATUATION:
I was teaching the sixth grade at a small rural elementary school. I was young. I was the only male teacher in the school that went from kindergarten to the sixth grade. I loved teaching school. I had several girls that really liked me. One day a girl named LISA asked to speak to me while the class went to P.E. She was very nervous as she approached my desk. I asked her if there was something wrong. She gathered herself and batted her eyes a few times. She leaned over my desk and spoke very kindly to me. Lisa said: MR. HUGHES, IF ANYTHING EVER HAPPENS TO YOUR WIFE, LINDA. I WOULD LIKE TO MARRY YOU! I was flattered and I told her: we will see.
40 years later LISA reconnected with me on Facebook. She told me she was happily married and had children and life had been kind to her. I told her she was the only woman that proposed marriage to me. She went on to say she remembered that. She also said: I HOPED YOU FORGOT ABOUT THAT. Lisa was a good student. I was the only male teacher that she had and she was INFATUATED WITH HER TEACHER.
INFATUATION IS OFTEN IMMATURITY. I WILL SELL ETERNITY TO ATTAIN THE UNREALISTIC GOALS OF NOTHINGNESS.
Years ago we knew a woman that was married and had adult children. Every day at a certain time “HER SHOW” came on TV. When her “SOAP OPERA” came on she would drop everything to watch her show. She refused to miss one program. She fell in love with one of the stars. In the show the man’s wife had an affair. He got so mad. A few days later her “man” had a car wreck and was not expected to live. At church she requested prayer that this man would live and be OK. She boldly proclaimed she would gladly leave her husband today. She became addicted to this continued show. She told everyone that would listen she would gladly run away with this good looking rich man.
This really broke her husband’s heart. Her adult child would come for a visit and all she wanted to talk about was “HER LOVE FOR THIS MAN.” She had never met the man. She had never talked to this man. She was ready to dump her grandkids, children and husband. Her husband was a talented musician, super singer and well-loved in the community. She was willing to sell all to marry this pretender and actor. INFATUATION?
WHERE WILL I INVEST MY TRUST? WHERE ARE THE TREASURES OF MY HEART? YOUR INNER VALUE SYSTEM?
Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:19 (MSG) "Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. 20 Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. 21 It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
ETERNAL VISION VS EARTHLY VISION: DO WE HAVE MICROSCOPIC OR TELESCOPIC VISION?
Microscopic vision: 10 spies. Telescopic vision: Moses leaving the palace.
WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT? LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS OF ETERNITY? START SMALL TO LAY UP TREASURES. WE MUST COMMIT EVERY ASPECT AND MOTIVE TO GIVE EVERYTHING TO GOD AND FELLOW MAN. GIVING DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A TREASURE TO BE TREASURED…
Matthew 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
NOTE: EFFORT IS REQUIRED, WE MUST GIVE FRESH WATER, COLD OR COOL. YOU NEVER KNOW THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING. Sometimes the smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a student to learn to be a true apprentice.
REMEMBER THE STORY ABOUT THE DOG AND HIS BONE?
There was a real smart dog that had searched and searched for just the right bone. After several hours the dog found a real big wonderful bone. He picked the good bone up and started home with his prized bone. On the way home the dog had to pass over a bridge across the pond. The dog looked down in the water and saw a dog had a much larger bone than he had. He growled at the dog, MY BONE IS MUCH SMALLER THAN YOURS, I WANT YOUR BIG BONE NOW! The dog on the bridge decided to scare the other dog and take his bone. The growl didn’t work. The dog on the bridge barked real loud to intimidate the dog with the bigger bone. When the dog barked at the other dog his bone fell out of his mouth and hit the water. His bone made a ripple effect and now his bone was gone. The dog then realized what he saw as a bigger bone was no more than a reflection now his bone was forever gone. He was not satisfied with what he had… His infatuation was soon gone.
INFATUATION? CAN WE RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT?
*ABUSE: to misuse, bad purpose, cruel, violent, pattern of behavior verbal, physical, mental or spirit to hurt, weaken.
* NEGLECT: to ignore, not giving due care, the lack of attention, enough care, failure to help, does not provide.
Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
WE ARE PASSING THROUGH ONCE… DO WE INVEST IN THE TEMPORAL ISSUES AND NEGLECT THE ETERNAL VALUES?
Life at best is temporary. David said TEACH ME LORD TO NUMBER MY DAYS…
Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
We develop the tendencies to consider materialism and physical comfort more important than SPIRITUAL VALUES of the word of God. We listen to the humanistic teachings that nothing is really important more than our happiness and we seek entertainment.
We are infatuated with infatuation. We are infatuated with the accumulation of things, trophies and achievements.
Our motivation is to feel good, entertained and being happy. IF IT FEELS GOOD DO IT. IF IT DOESN’T FEEL GOOD FORGET IT. We focus on what we can see and feel.
The tendency develops to focus on the temporal not the eternal. We are headed toward eternity at 1440 minutes a day. Have you ever seen a funeral coach pulling a U-Haul trailer?
THINK WHEN YOU ENTER THAT BEAUTIFUL CITY AND THE SAVED ALL AROUND YOU APPEAR, JUST IMAGINE WHEN SOMEONE COMES UP TO YOU TO SAY: IT WAS YOU WHO INVITED ME HERE…
CONCLUSION: JOY AND FOCUSING ON ETERNITY IS A CHOICE NOT A HAPPENSTANCE. NOTHING CAN BRING REAL HAPPINESS AND JOY UNTIL YOU MAKE THE CHOICE TO PREPARE FOR ETERNITY. JOY AND HAPPINESS ARE INTERNAL CHOICES AND CAN NEVER BE ACHIEVED BY MATERIALISM … GOD OPEN OUR EYES!
2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
ARE WE LOOKING FOR A FIRE ESCAPE OR THE LORD OF ALL?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch: YouTube: Wade Hughes)
Loving God, loving each other.
