#2 CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES
TRY HARDER, TRY AGAIN
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
Part #2 of 3 The Choice? I QUIT! Consequences.
TEXT:
Deut.30:19... I call on heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore CHOOSE LIFE, that you and your children may live.
Joshua 24:15 ... CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE?
Today, I ponder CONSEQUENCES OF QUITTING?
Galatians 6:9, warns: AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, if we faint not.
2 Timothy 2:3: ENDURE HARDNESS AS A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS!
#2The choice... I QUIT!
We are pondering, quitting.
I wish I were smart enough to understand: WHY PEOPLE QUIT?
I am not.
I will start with the sound premise, THAT QUITTING NEVER MAKES BETTER PEOPLE, BETTER FAMILIES, NOR BETTER CHURCHES.
It is always too soon to quit!
I will also work from the conclusion, that quitting is contagious and easier to do, than to find a solution.
Practice makes perfect, the more you quit, the easier to continue quitting.
Quitting can become habitual and an accepted way of life.
One reason many quit, is there is a constant search for OZ, that great place beyond the rainbow --- UTOPIA.
If I could just be over there, I would be happy?
If I just had that, I would be fulfilled?
We long for a place of ideal perfection, and we can’t realize, OZ IS IMAGINARY.
If you found Utopia and moved there, it would not be Utopia any more?
We long to be free!
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the salaries are beyond dream?
We long to be free from obligations, where choices have no consequences? That place does not exist.
Where there are people, we must learn to persist!
How do you finish this line... When the going gets tough, ... ???
If you say when the going gets tough, the tough gets going, you haven’t been to church in a long time.
I know people --- when the going gets tough, they QUIT, resign, give up. Could resigning be an act of acknowledging defeat?
Answer me!
May I warn you, quitting is a demonic game?
I was told that 50% of all pastors, that started in the ministry in their 20’s, would leave the ministry by the age of 50.
70% of male school teachers will leave teaching.
In a 5 year period, if 50% of the congregation still worships together you are breaking the national norm.
Churches have trouble keeping leaders in office.
Why? We have lost the shame of quitting!
We have many fancy names for quitting, BURN OUT, tired, exhausted, misunderstood, apathy, stress, frustration, weariness, under paid, under appreciated, human.
Do you want to quit? Why?
Galatians 6:9, warns: AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, if we faint not.
Fainting means, I QUIT!
I ask you in the Precious Name of Jesus Christ, Don’t quit.
Don’t forget heaven!
Don’t look back!
Dream again! Press on! Don’t resign!
2 Timothy 2:3: ENDURE HARDNESS AS A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS!
One day the old preacher took his pen in his frail hand and penned this words ...
"I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH.
O, God, may these words be penned on my tombstone, or at least, in the memory of those that love me.
We must run, flee at all cost, the giant of the QUITTING SPIRIT!
Kill that giant, cut off his head!
Matthew records some last day events, one alarms this old man.
Matthew 24:10 --- many shall be offended, they shall betray one another, --- hate one another.
My heart knows, this is a warning to church people, don’t fall into the game of bitterness, hurt, and disappointments ruling your spirit.
The demonic intention is to get you to quit!
Watch other people?
Throw up your hands and say, what is the use?
Stand up and refuse to quit!
Don’t doubt in darkness what God says in the light.
Don’t forget the benefits, Psa. 68:19.
Don’t forget heaven!
Of course people will be self-centered and unreasonable, forgive them anyway!
Of course your years of building efforts can be demolished in a few minutes, but you have to build anyway!
For whom are you working? Why are you working?
Who is your KEEPER?
I love this illustration, how I long for readers, to ponder these thoughts and that will share and teach others? I have so few? But that is not my job, my call is to speak and write, then trust the seed find rich soil.
Pretend with me...
Two frogs are playing leap frog, there is a five gallon milk can before them.
As they are playing, they are not watching, one frog jumps and lands right in the middle of the milk, the other frog does not realize the danger the other frog has jumped into, so he jumps and lands next to the other frog.
They swim for a long time in the milk.
Finally, one frogs swims to the bottom and sees, there is no possible escape. He returns and bears the bad news to the other frog. They both cry and their tears make the milk can even bigger?
The one frog croaks, "knee deep!"
The other frog says, you are crazy! It ain’t knee deep, I am drowning.
The negative frog says, what is the use. We are going to drown. We are stupid for ever jumping in here. I guess, we deserve this mess. The frog was so tired, he caught a big breath and sunk to the bottom.
A few bubbles raised to the top of the milk can, and the tired frog died, angry that God put him in this milk can!
The other frog says: I can’t quit, I must fight with all my power. He focused his mind, and disciplined his muscles. He swam, and kicked and swam and kicked. After a while he started thinking about how good God had been to him. So the green frog started singing praises as he kicked away in the milk.
His arms and legs were so tired, but he never allowed his spirit to tire.
Every now and then, as the frog made it to the top of the can, he would raise his little green arms toward his Creator and smile.
Suddenly, after many hours of kicking and swimming the milk turned into butter. The living frog rested on the top of the butter and pondered the fate of the poor frog buried in the cream. Why did he live and the other frog die? The living frog went over to his girlfriend’s house?
Ponder these points...
#1. DON’T FOLLOW EVERY FROG IN FRONT OF YOU!
#2. WATCH WHERE YOU ARE JUMPING!
#3. STAY FAR AWAY FROM MILK CANS!
#4. DON’T LISTEN TO DROWNING SERMONS!
#5. YOU CAN DO MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU CAN, THAT
IS, IF YOU WANT TO... ?
#6. THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO QUIT.
#7. DROWNING BUBBLES OF OTHERS CAN MOTIVATE YOU TO
VICTORY!
#8. DON’T GET MAD AT GOD FOR YOUR MILK CAN MESS.
#9. TIRED BODIES DON’T HAVE TO DICTATE TIRED
SPIRITS!
#10. YOU CAN BLAME OTHERS FOR FALLING INTO THE CAN,
BUT IT WAS YOUR CHOICE!
#11. FOCUS YOUR HEART, MIND AND SPIRIT TO DO WHAT
YOU CAN.
#12. AFTER YOU HAVE DONE ALL YOU CAN, WAIT ON GOD,
SUDDENLY HE WILL COME...
#13. VICTORY AND ENDURANCE ARE TOTALLY UP TO YOU.
#14. GOD IS COUNTING ON YOU, OTHERS ARE WATCHING...
#15. EVERY TEST CAN MAKE A GREAT TESTIMONY... KEEP
KICKING UNTIL ---
Which frog are you?
God has a purpose.
Where are you going?
How often do you quit?
What is your goal?
Are you easily side tracked?
I ask you, TRY AGAIN! THEN TRY AGAIN! AND AGAIN!
Don’t succeed in failure!
Wait upon the Lord. TRY HARDER! Give more... press on.
Meet me at Jesus’ feet!
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
This is part #2 of 3.
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