THE BOX OF “I CAN’T!” THE CHOICE?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch YouTube: Wade Hughes)
“BUNDY THE BOOK” IS MENTIONED IN SEVERAL TV SHOWS AND MOVIES.
“HE THOUGHT HE COULD” WAS A BOOK MENTIONED IN: MARRIED WITH CHILDREN. THERE WAS AN EPISODE WHERE AL BUNDY HAD CHECKED OUT A BOOK IN 1957. HIS TEACHER THOUGHT THIS BOOK COULD HELP AL WITH HIS ATTITUDES. Many years later AL BUNDY TRIES TO RETURN THE BOOK. THE OVER DUE FUNDS WERE OVER $2,000.00. SO AL TRIES TO SNEAK THE BOOK BACK INTO THE LIBRARY. There were security cameras and a mean librarian that catches him. The book was: “HE THOUGHT HE COULD!” There is a story published in 1930 about a “little” train engine. The LITTLE ENGING had a good attitude. DESPITE ITS SIZE, HIS ATTITUDE WAS THAT THOUGH HE HAD A HEAVY LOAD AND THERE WAS A MOUNTAIN OBSTACLE IN FRONT OF HIM. The little engine was full of gifts for the other side of the mountain. This story is a lesson of hard work and positive optimism. THE MAIN LINE IN THE BOOK IS: I THINK I CAN! I THINK I CAN. The story ends when the little engine tops the mountain and delivers the heavy load: I THINK I CAN.
HOW DO WE DEFINE: “I CAN’T?” I can’t is a statement of weakness or the inability to accomplish the task.
LET ME LINGER? PLEASE! I CAN’T! LOT MOCKS GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS… I CAN’T DO WHAT GOD ASK ME TO… IT IS TOO HARD. REMEMBER ABRAHAM INTERCEDES FOR LOT, HIS WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS. LOT HAS A BAD ATTITUDE.
Genesis 19:16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
I CAN’T! HEAR ME: HEAR ME, CLEARLY: I CAN’T DO WHAT YOU ARE ASKING!
Genesis 19:19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
THE PROBLEM OF THE HEART IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO I CAN’T.
Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
I CAN’T GIVES BIRTH TO THE ATTITUDE OF FEAR, WORRY, DEPRESSION AND SIN.
Genesis 19:30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
LOT’S LIFE GETS VERY COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF “I CAN’T!” Lot’s grandkids called him DADDY?
Genesis 19:36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
There are many consequences by hiding behind the words I can’t!
THE BOX IS A TRAP! THERE IS AN ATTITUDE THAT GRIPS MANY HEARTS: THE ATTITUDE OF “I CAN’T.”
Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
If we were to be real honest the words “I CAN’T” IN REALITY COULD BE: I DON’T WANT TOO… “I WON’T!”
CAN WE COME TO THE CONCLUSION “I CAN’T” COULD BE BECAUSE I THINK I CAN’T? If we were honest LIFE DOES NOT ALWAYS ALLOW US TO PICK CERTAIN THINGS: YOUR PARENTS, YOUR BROTHERS OR SISTERS. GOD ENTRUSTED ME WITH THIS TALENT… I KNEW? I AM SO COMFORTABLE IN MY LITTLE BOX. PEOPLE DEFINE LIFE BY ACCEPTING LITTLE BOXES. WE COULD DO WHAT WE DESIRE TO DO IF WE DESIRED TO DO IT? I CAN’T IS A CHOICE.
Matthew 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
MANY GREAT MEN OF GOD HAD THE BOX OF THE BAD ATTITUDE OF I CAN’T. YOU ARE THE KEY THAT LOCKS OR UNLOCKS BOXES. WE LIMIT OURSELVES BY WHAT WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE LIMITED: OUR OWN FEARS, WORRIES AND OUR OWN MINDS. I CAN’T?
Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
THE BOX? I CAN’T HELP IT, THAT WOMAN YOU GAVE ME? ADAM BUILT A BOX, IT IS NOT MY FAULT. THERE IS NO RECORD THAT ADAM AND EVE EVER REPENTED. I CAN’T HELP IT. THAT TREE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE.
Genesis 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
THE BOX? LORD, I HAVE HEARD SOME BAD NEWS, GOD WHAT ARE YOU TELLING ME TO DO? I CAN’T DO THAT: I KNOW SOME HISTORY HERE.
Acts 9:13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
THE BOX OF IGNORANCE: I CAN’T DO ANYTHING?
Matthew 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
THE PANDORA’S BOX IS OPENED. IT MEANS WE ACCEPT I CAN’T AS THE NORM. THE BOX CAN BE CONTAGIOUS AND TOTAL ENTRAPMENT AND WE CAN BELIEVE OUR OWN EXCUSES. YOU DEFINE THE LIMITATIONS OF THE BOX.
Luke 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
CONCLUSION: NEVER SAY YOU CAN’T --- NEVER SAY THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE --- NEVER SAY THAT CAN’T BE DONE ---
Tell me I can’t, then watch me. The box I can’t will not work. We must work twice as hard to prove that is wrong. It can be done. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON WHAT “I CAN’T DO” WE MUST FOCUS ON WHAT “I CAN DO”… What you think you can’t do could probably be done.
James Ellis was the Superintendant of the Kentucky Assemblies of God. One of his often quoted lines was: THE PEOPLE THAT SAY IT CAN’T BE DONE ARE BEING PASSED BY THOSE THAT ARE DOING IT.
Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
HATRED AND DARKNESS CAN’T DRIVE OUT HATRED AND DARKNESS. YOU CAN IF YOU WANT TOO? BELIEVE IN GOD AND YOURSELF. HAVE FAITH IN GOD.
DO WE REALIZE PROGRESS IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT CHANGE? I CAN’T CHANGE? HOW SAD THAT MOST PEOPLE REFUSE TO CHANGE THEIR WORDS, ATTITUDES AND MIND. ARE WE TRAPPED IN THE BOX OF “I CAN’T?” We must change. GIVE WHAT YOU CAN NOT KEEP TO GAIN WHAT YOU CAN NOT LOSE. You must change I CAN’T to I CAN.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch YouTube: Wade Hughes)
