LET US ASK A RHETORIAL QUESTION: FOR WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? CAN LITTLE PEOPLE RE-WRITE FAMILY HISTORY?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Watch YouTube: Wade Hughes
WHAT MEAL WOULD YOU ORDER IF YOU KNEW IT WAS YOUR LAST? WHAT TALE ARE YOU TELLING?
SEVERAL YEARS AGO I WAS WITH A 38 YEAR OLD MAN ON DEATH ROW. At midnight we would take a walk to the death chamber. He was given his last request what to eat. He had ordered 2 REUBEN SANDWICHES AND CURLY FRIES. He ate the meal and we visited.
I read where JAMES EDWARD SMITH requested a “CLUMP OF DIRT” for his last meal. The prison officials denied his request and instead OF THE “CLUMP OF DIRT.” They gave him YOGURT.
A man named LAWRENCE RUSSELL BREWER put in his order for chicken fried steak, barbecue, pizza and ice cream. When it was delivered he started thinking about death and he never touched the meal.
One of the most unusual request was made by VICTOR FEGUER in 1963. Victor was in Iowa. He would be hung. Victor ordered ONE OLIVE WITH THE PIT STILL IN IT. After his death they found the PIT (SEED) IN HIS POCKET. One might wonder what message Victor was leaving behind. WHAT TALE ARE YOU TELLING?
JAMES ASKS A RHETORICAL QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? JAMES HAS A CHALLENGE HE PUTS BEFORE THE CHURCH. JAMES WAS TEACHING TIME IS FLEETING AND LIFE IS SO SHORT. WHAT TALE ARE WE TELLING? CAN I MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
SOMEDAY THE BLANKET OVER ME WILL BE THE SOD. MY PERMANENT ADDRESS WILL BE SECTION? LOT? OF THE CEMENTARY. THERE WILL BE A COLD HEADSTONE THAT WILL HAVE DEC. 1951, A LITTLE DASH AND THE LAST YEAR OF MY LIFE. THE DASH WILL BE WHAT MATTERS. MY LIFE WILL BE “AS A TALE THAT IS TOLD.”
It is believed that MOSES wrote Psalm 90. He talked about 3 score (3 x’s 20 = 60) plus 10 =70 years. If by reason those 70 years will be stretched to 4 score (4 x’s 20 = 80) life will be like a vapor.
Psalm 90:9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
**WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR HAS A LESSON THAT MACBETH SPOKE. “ IT IS A TALE TOLD BY AN IDIOT, FULL OF SOUND AND FURY SIGNIFYING NOTHING.”
MY QUESTION TODAY IS WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH OUR LIFE? IS WHAT I AM DOING DAILY WHAT THE STORY TOLD OF ME? DO I NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE IN MY COURSE OF ACTION? IS THE STORY THAT WILL BE TOLD WHAT I WANT OTHERS TO HEAR? AS A TALE THAT IS TOLD? DO WE SEE CLEARLY? IN OUR MENIAL DAILY LIIVING WE OFTEN DISTORT THE REAL ISSUES OF TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL VALUES. WE ARE LOOKING THROUGH A MIST, A FOG OF A TEMPORARY LIFE ACTING AS IF WE HAVE FOREVER.
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
LORD, TEACH ME TO NUMBER MY DAYS? YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO LIVE UNTIL YOU COME FACE TO FACE WITH DEATH. I WANT TO LIVE WELL AND WISELY. AT BEST LIFE IS FULL OF TROUBLE, SORROW, PAIN AND TRIALS. THE GRAVE IS SURE.
Psalm 39:4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
Psalm 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
WHAT IS MY LIFE? MY TALE THAT WILL BE TOLD DEPENDS ON MY ATTITUDES, WORDS AND DEEDS WHILE I AM LIVING.
I was in a room at a funeral home. A man asked to speak to me privately. We walked down the hall and I smelled alcohol on the man’s breath. He then spoke: PREACHER, I WILL GIVE YOU $100.00 TO SAY OUR FRIEND WENT TO HEAVEN. He then added: WE BOTH KNOW HE DIDN’T BUT IT WOULD COMFORT THE FAMILY. I have often said: LIVE SO THE PREACHER CAN TELL THE TRUTH AT YOUR FUNERAL.
CAN MY STORY SHINE A LIGHT FOR OTHERS TO SEE? WILL MY TALE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
I AM A LITTLE NO BODY?
Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
SOMEBODY GO GET PETER! TABITHA, DORCAS TOLD A TALE OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITH HER NEEDLE AND THREAD. HER TALE TO BE TOLD: THERE IS MORE SOWING TO DO.
Acts 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. 37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. 38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
NO BODY KNOWS MY NAME, BUT MY TALE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I AM A LITTLE NOBODY GIRL THAT IS A SLAVE IN A STRANGE LAND.
2 Kings 5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. 3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
MY TALE THAT WILL BE TOLD MAY NOT BE REAL POSITIVE. DEMAS NEVER REALIZED HISTORY WOULD RECORD HIS TALE IN A VERY NEGATIVE LIGHT. WHY DID DEMAS QUIT?
2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
HOW ABOUT THE TALE THAT WE ALL KNOW ABOUT DANIEL --- A SLAVE BOY FAR FROM HOME? NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW MY TALE?
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
WHY ACHAN? WHY? MY TALE DOES NOT MATTER? WHAT ABOUT THE TALE THAT ACHAN TOLD. SEVERAL GOOD SOLDIERS WILL DIE AND LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES ORPHANS. ACHAN THOUGHT HIS STORY WOULD NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Joshua 7:20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Joshua 7:25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
LET ME TELL YOU MY STORY. I AM A WIDOW WITH ONE SON. WE ARE GOING TO EAT AND DIE. THIS PREACHER SAYS FEED ME FIRST. MY TALE?
1 Kings 17:12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
CONCLUSION: THE TALE OF YOUR DAILY LIFE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR THE GOOD OR FOR THE BAD. IT IS UP TO YOU. ASK JEZEBEL?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch YouTube: Wade Hughes)
