THE GUIDING LIGHT… HOW DO I DEFINE MY PURPOSE? (This is a two part lesson)
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
I use a compass, hourglass, shofar.
TODAY’S LESSON HAS SEVERAL MAIN CHARACTERS :
*DAVID (The King of Israel); *JOAB (The mighty general); *NATHAN ( The preacher, prophet); *ABSALOM (David’s good looking, rebellious, troubled son, cut his hair once a year); *CUSHI (The faithful but slow worker); *AHIMAAZ (The type of a good worker but he was clueless, aimless to fulfil his duty)
TIME IS SLOWLY SLIPPING AWAY. THE DAILY SHOW DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. This highly suggests time is filled with swift transitions will swiftly pass by. As the sand is the hour glass is limited so our time on earth is limited.
PURPOSE: THE GUIDING LIGHT is a person that is a source of inspiration and has been a positive influence on people.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
PURPOSE: JAMES WAS JESUS HALF BROTHER… JAMES HAD A REAL LESSON… HEARER… DREAMER VS DOER!
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE. *1. HEARERS THAT DO NOTHING; *2. DOERS THAT WILL NOT LISTEN; *3. LISTENERS THEN DOERS.
THERE HAS BEEN MANY QUESTIONS OF LIFE? 1. What is truth? 2. What is the purpose of human existence? What kind of mark will I leave behind? 3. WHOSE PURPOSE WILL WE FOLLOW? The enemy? Mine? God’s? 4. Can I make a difference? 5. Will I be an agent of hope and joy?
*PURPOSE: To stay focused, THE REASON FOR WHICH SOMETHING IS CREATED. To aim, intention, decisions based on goals. We need short term goals! We need LONG TERM GOALS!
*MOTIVATION: enthusiasm, energy, the reasons one acts in a particular way, your behavior, willingness, desire, set a goal, competition, direction, persistence,
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GETS GOING --- IS NOT THE TRUTH. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN WE FACE A CHALLENGED, WE HAVE THE TENDENCY TO THROW UP OUR HANDS AND QUIT. ALL HUMANS NEED A CLEAR PURPOSE TO DIRECT ONE TO STAY FOCUSED AND MOTIVATED.
HOW LONG CAN AN EAGLE FLY WITHOUT FLAPPING IT’S WINGS?
The eagle is like any other bird that has to flap their wings to get airborne. Theoretically an eagle could fly forever without flapping its wings. The eagle has adapted to soaring on rising air thermals. The eagle can fly 6 to 8 hours by riding thermals, much like a glider.
PURPOSE: WHAT METHOD SHALL WE USE TO FIND THE DIRECTION AND PURPOSE FOR OUR LIFE? WHO WILL DETERMINE TRUTH? SOCIETY? SCHOOL? CHURCH? THE BIBLE? WE NEED A COMPASS TO GIVE US A SENSE OF DIRECTION… SOCIETY NEEDS A WAY TO DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG.
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
PURPOSE: WE NEED LIGHT HOUSES… WE NEED A CLEAR SENSE OF DIRECTION…
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Are we like a ship without a COMPASS? Do we just drift from here to there?
There was a million gallon tanker transporting crude oil was passing through dangerous waters. The tactical radio aboard the ship, heard a warning… immediately change your course, immediately change your course. The captain of the vessel replied: You don’t know how big our ship is… YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE NOW. The radio was silent for a minute… the voice on the other side of the radio came back… NO, YOU DOWN UNDERSTAND, THIS IS THE LIGHTHOUSE COMMANDING YOU TO CHANGE COURSE OF DIRECTION OR YOU ARE IN GREAT DANGER… DO IT NOW!
PURPOSE: JESUS HAD A PURPOSE AND HE SET HIS FACE TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSE…
JESUS CAME TO BE A TORCH TO CARRY THE LIGHT.
John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
JESUS’ PURPOSE WAS TO GIVE AND SERVE HUMANITY.
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
JESUS CAME TO CALL AND SAVE SINNERS.
Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
THE LACK OF PURPOSE AND MOTIVATION: TROUBLE HAS TAKEN ROOT. SIN RULES.
2 Samuel 12:11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
DAVID DID NOT GO TO BATTLE. DAVID HAD AN AFFAIR WITH BATHSHEBA.
DAVID FATHERS AN ILLEGITIMATE BABY. THE BABY DIES.
DAVID HAS URIAH THE HITITE KILLED. NATHAN THE PREACHER TELLS OOF THE POOR BABY LAMB.
ABSALOM HAS A BEAUTIFUL SISTER NAMED TAMAR.
AMNON (1/2 BROTHER) LOVES (RAPES) TAMAR.
TAMAR QUITS WEARING HER DRESS OF MANY COLORS.
ABSALOM THROWS A PARTY AND KILLS AMNON. ABSALOM GOES 5 LONG YEARS WITHOUT SEEING THE KING.
ABSALOM REBELS AGAINST HIS DAD TO TAKE THE THRONE. ABSALOM SAYS: IF I WERE KING/JUDGE.
ABSALOM HAS SEX WITH SOME OF DAD’S WOMEN ON TOP OF THE PALACE.
THE PURPOSE RETURNS INTO THE FOCUS. ABSALOM IS LOVED BY DAVID. ABSALOM HANGS BY HIS HAIR AND JOAB KILLS ABSALOM WITH 3 DARTS WHILE HANGING IN THE FORKS OF A TREE.
2 Samuel 18:14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
NO PURPOSE MAKES A MAN LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT. NOW COMES TO THE RUNNING WITH NO PURPOSE. AHIMAAZ BEGS, I WANT TO RUN AND TELL THE KING. I WANT TO RUN. I CAN RUN SO FAST. I CAN OUT RUN EVERYONE. PLEASE LET ME RUN. PLEASE LET ME RUN!
2 Samuel 18:19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.
PURPOSE: NO YOU CAN’T RUN, YOU MAY BE FAST, BUT… NO.
2 Samuel 18:20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.
PURPOSE, CUSHI IS DEPENDABLE, FAITHFUL AND HE KNOWS HIS PURPOSE IS TO REPORT TO THE KING.
2 Samuel 18:21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran
PURPOSE: AHIMAAZ BEGS JOAB, PLEASE LET ME RUN… PRETTY PLEASE. I PROMISE I AM FASTER…
2 Samuel 18:22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? 23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
PURPOSE: AHIMAAZ WAS A SUPER GOOD RUNNER. AHIMAAZ RAN POWERFUL. HE WAS FAST. AHIMAAZ KNEW ALL THE SHORT CUTS… WHILE HE RAN GOOD, HE HAD NO PURPOSE. AHIMAAZ RAN FAST, BUT HE RAN WITH NO MESSAGE. AHIMAAZ
2 Samuel 18:28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.
AHIMAAZ PLAYED THE ROLE OF A FOOL. HE RAN, BUT HE FORGOT TO GET THE MESSAGE.
PURPOSE: CUSHI MMAY HAVE RAN SLOWER BUT CUSHI TOOK THE TIME TO BE PREPARED AND READY. CUSHI HAD THE MESSAGE FOR THE KING. CUSHI LEARNED THE PURPOSE OF HIS RUNNING WAS TO BE PREPARED AND TO BE READY.
2 Samuel 18:32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.
CONCLUSION: JOAB THE GENERAL KNEW THAT LIFE IS MORE THAN RUNNING AROUND IN CIRCLES. WE MUST NEVER RUN WITHOUT A MESSAGE! DO YOU KNOW YOUR PURPOSE? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE: THE TRUMPET: THE SHOFAR…
1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
COME WITH ME… WE NEED A CLEAR, TIMELY MESSAGE… SOUND OUT THE SHOFAR… THE SHOFAR IS A TYPE OF TRUMPET TO SOUND OUT THE BATTLE CRY. TO CALL TO THE PEOPLE AND TO WELCOME GOD… DO WE KNOW OUR PURPOSE?
Habakkuk 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Why am I here must be answered, and what am I doing to accomplish my purpose? May we need to find our purpose by being faithful in little things? NEVER LOSE YOUR SENSE OF PURPOSE. IF YOU DON’’T STAND FOR SOMETHING YOU WILL FALL FOR ANYTHING.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) (Two part lesson)
