STUMBLING BLOCK VS STEPPING STONE ---
MORE THAN A CONQUEROR?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 1 :12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed; and am persuaded that HE is ABLE to KEEP that which I have committed unto Him against that day.
Romans 8:28 And WE KNOW that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His Purpose.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US!
Jude 24 Now unto Him that is ABLE to KEEP you from falling, and present you faultless before the presence of HIS glory with exceeding joy.
I. ILLUSTRATION!
I use several things, to ponder visually. I have an egg (I use a plastic egg), and a carrot, and a tea bag. I discuss what will hot water will do to these? Boiling water will harden the egg, soften the carrot, and bring out the taste of the tea leaves.
If you walk on dirt, you will make a harden path?
Walk on a rose, and a sweet fragrance will be released?
II. A HARD LESSON TO LEARN?
A. DID YOU EVER FACE A LESSON SOMETHING LIKE THIS:
SOMETIMES THE WORSE THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU ---
MAY BE THE BEST THING THAT COULD EVER HAPPEN TO YOU!
B. You talk about a deep, hard lesson this is it.
WE THINK THIS IS AN ENEMY, THIS IS AN ATTACK?
But if our problems push us closer to God, then the problem has been our friend.
C. Many have great faith until they face a great problem?
Where grows our trust?
D. Was God with Moses at his Mother’s knee? Was God with Moses at Pharaoh’s palace?
Was God with Moses as he wandered seemingly endlessly across the hot burning desert?
When Miriam spoke against Moses’ wife, was God there?
Sure God was there through every phase of Moses’ life.
E. DO YOU KNOW? What do you know? Do you know what you know? Do others know that you know?
III. BASIC TRAINING?
A. 2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
B.Any good soldier knows basic training will be very important for the battles ahead.
A good soldier must be alert, ready, prepared, watchful, mature, and ever learning.
Yesterdays battle skills may not be adequate tomorrow?
IV. CROWNS WITHOUT CROSSES?
A. I guess it may take a crucified individual to take a crucified church to the feet of a crucified Savior. We need someone with vision out of this emotion
driven society into the realm of the EYES OF THE WORD!
B. The Word is easier to preach than to teach. The Bible is easier to teach than to live.
It seems easier to preach about the fiery furnace and the three Hebrew boys, than it is to feel the heat from flames seven times hotter than we expected?
We don’t expect any flames, do we?
C. I think of what the eyes of the crucified Savior saw as He was looking down from the cross?
What did Jesus’ eyes see? Can I see through crucified eyes?
I am not for sure what Jesus on the cross must have seen?
Sure, I know, Jesus saw a group of women, Jesus saw His Mother. Mary saw the worst vision any Mother could have seen.
I am sure Jesus looked into His Momma’s eyes? I am sure Jesus saw her pain?
I am sure, Jesus saw Mary’s view as her eyes focused on her HOPE, her son, her HOPE was hanging crucified between two thieves?
D. Maybe the crucified Jesus saw a hurt and lost, rejecting society?
Maybe Jesus looked down through the kaleidoscope of time and maybe Jesus saw what you would be facing today?
E. The crucified Savior exposes, I can never be good enough. I can never give enough.
We hear so much about THE CROWNS OF LIFE.
I fret not over the crowns, it is the suffering cross that we want to avoid.
F. TODAY the suffering of the cross is like leprosy?
Yet, suffering is THE HIGHEST GRADUATE SCHOOL OF LEARNING KNOWN TO MANKIND.
If I have any understanding of the CROWNS, there is a CROSS BEARING ERA BEFORE the crown.
To wear a crown, we need to BEAR THE CROSS.
We need to be calm and trusting, patient and submissive. These are all dirty words in the modern
church.
V. I have a PROMISE, IF I WILL CARRY THE CROSS, AS I BREATHE MY LAST BREATH, THE CROSS WILL CARRY ME!
A. We hear of many losing their cross? The cross has become an ornament of jewelry.
You can never lose the cross if you are nailed to it?
B. Remember the old hymn, we need to return to some of the old hymns!
The old hymn Rock of Ages: --- NOTHING IN MY HAND I BRING, SIMPLY TO THE CROSS I CLING!
Another version says it this way: IN MY HAND NO PRICE I BRING, SIMPLY TO THY CROSS I CLING.
VI. WHERE IS THE CALM TRUST?
A. Sometimes God reaches down and calms the storm! I love when Jesus calms the storm.
But there are other times, when God sees the best for His Child is to let the storm rage high,
the dark clouds rise they won’t worry me --- (Dottie Rambo --- Sheltered in the Arms of God.)
If God will not calm the storm, maybe the lesson is to release faith and accept the calmness
of the plan.
B. I have always been amazed at people selling numbers that are winning numbers for the lottery? If they know the winning numbers, why don’t they play them?
Well, there is a godly prediction. There is Biblical prophecy if God brings you to it, God can bring you through it. If God allows the problem, it is prophecy that HE will GIVE you the STRENGTH TO OVERCOME.
VII. MORE THAN CONQUEROR? HOW?
A. AS A CHILD ONE VERSE IN THE BIBLE AMAZED ME, I COULDN’T UNDERSTAND IT.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM
THAT LOVED US!
B. I pondered: HOW CAN YOU BE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR?
You can’t beat a champion, a winner?
I was watching ABC Wide World of Sports.
Sugar Ray Leonard had just won the World Championship Title.
He was beat up. He was sweaty, bruised, bleeding lips, and hurting really bad.
He walked around the ring, holding up the Title Belt.
They presented Sugar Ray with a check for over a million dollars.
There was a stirring in the ring, someone lifted one of the ropes and a beautiful little lady climbed into the ring and walked over to Sugar Ray.
It was Sugar’s wife, she reached and took the check out of her husband’s hand.
She was the champ without ever being hit or bruised!
This is HOW WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS!
Jesus has gone to the cross, He was crucified, WE CAN MAKE IT.
VIII. CAN DISCORDS, TRIALS, AND PROBLEMS LEAD US CLOSER TO GOD?
A. We must learn to grow FAITH.
We must grow FAITH THAT ALLOWS THAT THE DISCORDS OF THE PRESENT CAN GROW INTO PERFECT HARMONY IN THE FUTURE.
B. Seems we can train elephants. We can train our kidneys.
But there is something much more important to discipline.
We must learn how to keep our emotions and disappointments in check.
We must be HOPE GIVERS. We must offer PEACE and LOVE with the HOPE of Jesus.
IX. FAILURE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ALL BAD.
A. YOU CAN FALL AND GO NO WHERE?
You can never learn, stay in the same o’ place, always doing the same o’ thing, the same o’ way.
B. YOU CAN FALL BACKWARDS?
You can get worse and worse, deeper and deeper?
C. YOU CAN FAIL FORWARD!
Pruning can lead to growth and more fruit. Get up, arise and return to the Father’s plan.
D. BIG MESSES MAKE GOOD MESSAGES.
GREAT TEST MAKE GREAT TESTIMONIES!
No roots, no fruits! Weaknesses can become strengths.
IS YOUR FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM OR THE PROMISE?
Your attitude determines your altitude.
E. I owed a debt I couldn’t pay. He paid a debt He didn’t owe. I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song, AMAZING GRACE.
Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.
X. FAITH MOVES MOUNTAINS, BUT PRAISE MOVES GOD.
Hang in there, hang on. THIS TOO SHALL PASS!
THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A STUMBLING BLOCK.
THIS CAN BE A STEPPING STONE!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Pass this on to others?
