SPEAK TO THE DIVINE POSSIBILITIES: RISE ABOVE THE MINIMUM?
GROW PRIORITIES THAT INVEST IN THE ETERNAL! SEEK FIRST?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
We are studying Divine Possibilities:
1. Climb into God’s Envelope; 2. Accept the Mantle; 3. Starving at a feast; 4. Let God! 5. DYING IN A RUT! When an unforgiving preacher preaches
6. Rising above the Minimum; 7. Rising above the scars; 8. Every miracle starts with a problem! 9. Walking in Divine blessings;
10. Importunity/Determination
TEXT:
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
THIS IS THE HERITAGE OF THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.
Galatians 6:7 BE NOT DECEIVED; GOD IS NOT MOCKED: FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP.
8 for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the
Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not grow weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, IF WE FAINT NOT.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Matthew 19:29 And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall INHERIT everlasting life.
30. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
I. INTRODUCTION!
A. IT PAYS TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
A man named Jack was walking along the beach. He was kicking rocks and picking up sea shells. Jack saw a glass bottle reflecting the sunlight, Jack stooped over and picked up the bottle and opened it. Jack would forever be changed.
Did you ever hear about the Singer Corporation?
Singer was a multimillionaire that developed sewing machines and his name is known around
the world. When Mr. Singer was getting up in years, he was thinking who would he leave all his factories and millions of dollars for his inheritance to others. He knew he would make some people very angry, and Mr. Singer knew that a lot of family and friends around him was just using him to get to his money and fame.
Mr. Singer got a heavy glass bottle and wrote a note and placed it inside.
WHO EVER FINDS THIS BOTTLE WILL INHERIT ALL MY EARTHY GOODS, this was signed and dated by Mr. Singer. Then Mr. Singer threw the bottle into the ocean.
Several years later, a man named Jack was walking along the beach. He was kicking rocks and
picking up sea shells. Jack saw a glass bottle reflecting the sunlight, Jack stooped over picked up and the bottle and opened it. Out fell the note, hand written by Mr. Singer.
Jack took the note to the authorities and upon verification that the document was the last will
and testament of the Singer Sewing machine founder, Jack became a multimillionaire.
B. WHAT KIND OF INHERITANCE HAVE YOU RECEIVED?
WHAT KIND OF INHERITANCE WILL YOU LEAVE TO OTHERS?
C. DEFINE:
Heritage
--- property that descends to an heir,
--- something acquired and given by a predecessor,
Birthright
--- a right, privilege, or possession which a person is entitled by birth.
---legacy.
Inherit
--- to come into possession as a right or Divine Portion.
--- To come into.
Inheritance
--- to give or leave to by will, to hand down to another.
II. UNHEALTHY VIEWS OF THE CHURCH AND OUR RELIGIOUS LEADERS ARE STOPPING THE DIVINE POSSIBILITIES THAT COULD FLOW FREELY.
A. WHAT IS THE CHURCH?
DO WE HAVE A PROPER VIEW OF THE CHURCH AND IT’S LEADERS?
B. Today many want to claim godly views and bypass the Biblical values of the family and the church. Divorce is so easy!
C. We live in such a mobile society, if we get mad at this church, or somebody in the church, instead of making peace, we move on to another church or just start another one.
E. Do you realize you have a great duty to God and to the church?
F. Some time ago a man told me he would not align membership with any church because he was a member of the church in heaven.
He does not know the Bible! The church is not in heaven, the church is here.
Someday Jesus and the angels will come back to earth and take the church to be with Him.
If the church was already in heaven, why would Jesus return?
III. There are many UNFAITHFUL GRASSHOPPER PROPHETS JUMPING FROM ONE CAMP TO ANOTHER TELLING EVERYONE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM.
A. Revival and change comes by being rooted and grounded, and weathering the storms.
We must reach the hurting, the untouchables, and the outcasts without judging and bathe
others in tender mercy!
B. A self-elevated conceited us four and no more attitude will kill Divine Possibilities.
Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, BEING ROOTED and GROUNDED in LOVE
C. Let’s make a partnership and buy a seedling apple tree?
I will pay half, and you pay half?
We will plant it in your yard.
I get to thinking about my investment in the tree in your yard, so in the cover of darkness, I come
and dig up the tree we planted and I plant it in my yard? In anger, you come and dig up the tree
and transplant it.
Be honest, HOW MUCH FRUIT WILL EVER GROW ON THIS TREE?
IV. TODAY WITHIN THE CHURCH WE WANT TO BYPASS FAITHFULNESS.
I CORINTHIANS 4:2 Moreover it is REQUIRED in stewards, that a man BE FOUND FAITHFUL.
A. Right DOCTRINES without righteousness is VANITY!
B. REAL CHRISTIANITY IS BEYOND WORDS, JESUS APPEARS IN ACTIONS AND COMPASSION!
C. We will never know the realm of Divine possibilities without LOVE, COMPASSION, AND
SUBMISSION.
V. WE MUST HONOR, ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT, AND DEVELOP A PROPER RESPECT FOR CHURCH LEADERS.
A. Part of good healthy church etiquette and procedure is a healthy respect of the leadership.
We may discuss many reasons why people do not respect church leadership, but this is a cancer to the church.
I Timothy 5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and younger men as brethren.
II Chronicles 16:22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
Psalms 105:15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophet no harm.
B. Saul fell and made some stupid, sinful choices, but DAVID REFUSED TO DISCUSS OR REBEL, DAVID TRUSTED GOD TO BRING ABOUT THE PROMISE.
II Samuel 1:20 TELL IT NOT IN GATH, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
VI. YOU DID NOT DO THE MINIMUM.
A. MINIMUM:
---The least quality possible.
--- the lowest degree to reach.
--- the boundary value
that barely makes it.
--- a figure which you cannot go any lower.
--- the critical point.
--- the lowest, the least, the smallest.
--- rock bottom.
THE MESSAGE By Eugene H. Peterson
Revelations 3:15 I know you inside and out, and I find little to my liking, You are not cold, you are not hot --- far better to be either cold or hot!
YOU ARE STALE. YOU ARE STAGNANT.
B. DEFINE:
STALE:
--- TEDIOUS FROM FAMILIARITY.
--- rest without timely use, action, or demand.
--- not fresh,
--- to loose effectiveness,
--- to cheapen,
STAGNANT:
--- not flowing in a current.
--- not advancing, not developing,
C. THE MESSAGE By Eugene H. Peterson states Isaiah 43 in a very powerful way.
I would like us to read Mr. Peterson’s work and consider how we hinder the DIVINE POSSIBILITIES, THAT WE HINDER AND DO NOT RECEIVE BECAUSE OF A
LACKADAISICAL, SLOTHFULNESS IN US AS INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND THE CHURCH!
D. Does apathy reign in our families? Do we lack feeling, emotions?
Are we indifferent, not concerned, or not interested?
Is our Christian walk and love of the church sluggish, indifferent?
E. MORE DEFINITIONS.
LACKADAISICAL:
--- lacking life, spirit, or cost.
--- lacking vigor or vitality.
APATHY:
--- the lack of feeling and emotion, the lack of concern, indifference, uncaring, lukewarmness.
SLOTHFUL:
--- not desire to put forth effort,
--- to not focus on goals,
--- to not take aim,
not wanting to work, spiritual apathy, not being active, relying on others to do your
work, slow moving,
Isaiah 43 THE MESSAGE By Eugene Peterson.
Don’t be afraid, I have redeemed you.
I have called your name. You are mine.
When you are in over your head, I will be there with you.
When you are in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you are between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end.
Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, Your Savior.
I paid a hugh price for you: that’s how much you mean to me!
That’s how much I love you!
I would sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.
So don’t be afraid: I am with you.
I will round up all your scattered children.
I will send orders to the North and South: SEND THEM BACK.
YOU ARE MY HAND PICKED SERVANT.
So that you come to know me and to trust me, and understand but
THAT I AM AND WHO THAT I AM!
Yes, I am God, I am the only Savior there is.
Yes, I am God, I have always been God, and I will always be God.
No one can take anything from me.
I make; who can unmake?
YOU DIDN’T EVEN DO THE MINIMUM ...
Forget about what has happened;
DON’T KEEP GOING OVER OLD HISTORY.
BE ALERT, BE PRESENT. I AM ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING BRAND NEW!
It is bursting out, don’t you see it?
There it is! I am making a road through the desert, rivers in drylands,
wild animals will say THANK YOU!
But you did not pay a bit of attention to me, you so quickly tired of God.
You could not be bothered with giving and sacrifices.
I the Lord God did not ask for much from you.
I did not expect expensive presents.
BUT YOU DID NOT EVEN DO THE MINIMUM ---
YOU WERE STINGY WITH GOD. SO CLOSEFISTED.
But, I, yes I, am the one who takes care of your sins --- THAT IS WHAT I DO!
I DON’T KEEP A LIST OF YOUR SINS IF YOU REPENT.
VII. CLAIM IT, STAKE IT, POSSESS THE DIVINE POSSIBILITIES! DON’T BE SLOTHFUL!
Judges 18:9 And they said, Arise, that we may go against them: for we have see the land,
and behold it is very good: and ARE YE STILL? BE NOT SLOTHFUL TO GO, and to enter in and possess.
Proverbs 15:19 THE WAY OF THE SLOTHFUL MAN IS AS AN HEDGE OF THORNS:but the way of the righteous is made plain.
Proverbs 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a waster.
Proverbs 22:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
Proverbs 26:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
14 As the door turns upon hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in the Spirit; serving the Lord.
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulations; continuing instant in prayer.
VIII. THERE COMES A GREAT TURN AROUND!
A. We must know there is more than applause and trophies within the church!
Matthew 19:29 And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or children,
or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall INHERIT everlasting life.
30. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
B. Do you remember the movie: HOOSIER?
The coach told the boys, " WE ARE A NO NAME TEAM. FORGET ABOUT THE CROWD, AND FOCUS ON THE FUNDAMENTALS!"
Today within the church we need to heed this advice.
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to LIGHT, and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
INHERITANCE among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
C. WE NEED SPIRITUAL VISION TO RELEASE THE DIVINE POSSIBILITIES!
LIFE IS MORE THAN THE ACCUMULATION OF TOYS!
D. HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS?
IX. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A LADY NAMED LOIS ANDERSON!
HAVE WE MADE A DEPOSIT IN THE HEAVENLY INVESTMENTS?
TO REACH FOR DIVINE POSSIBILITIES WE MUST DO MORE THAN THE MINIMUM!
Matthew 19:29 And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall INHERIT everlasting life.
30. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
A. In the early 1950’s there was a young woman in New York, her name was Lois Anderson.
Lois Anderson was a very timid and shy young woman. But one night after much prayer,
Lois Anderson felt God call her to the mission field of eastern Kentucky.
Lois was a woman of very few words, but she was a good helper.
Lois purchased a bus ticket for eastern Kentucky, not knowing where she was going, and what
she was going to do? But Lois said farewell to her family and left with two suitcases with all
that she owned. Lois had saved a little money, but she knew she was to help God and reach
to the poor people of the Appalachian mountain area.
Lois found an old preacher that had given up his all and was preaching to the poor, uneducated
people of eastern Kentucky. Lois and this pastor and his wife made a good team for Jesus.
God blessed them with a special anointing, and they helped many people.
After several years of success, the old preacher died during the night.
The Preacher’s wife and Lois carried on the work, Lois was very timid, but she had a great
ministry to the children. The Pastor’s wife carried on the church.
One night the Pastor’s wife came and told Lois, I am near death, I am leaving
by bus tomorrow and returning home to be near family.
Lois was crushed, she knew she could not carry this work on by herself.
Lois prayed God would raise up another couple to come along side her, and minister.
After a while Lois’ prayers were not answered, and no one came to help her.
So, little Lois Anderson went to the bus stop and bought her a ticket to go home to
New York, she would be with her family again.
Lois packed her few belongings and readied to catch the bus the next morning.
During the night, Lois had a dream --- Lois saw a little light on the hill side,
it was just a little light, but as Lois was watching the little light go out, she realized:
If Lois Anderson left the mountains the light would go out.
The next morning Lois went to the bus stop and redeemed her ticket for cash.
Lois took her life savings and bought a piece of land on a steep mountain side in Magoffin
County Kentucky.
Lois was not a preacher, she was very timid and shy and would seldom look anyone in the face.
But Lois would not let The Light GO OUT.
Lois started with her shovel digging a footer for the foundation. Lois prayed for a Preacher and
his family to come and help.
Lois did not know how to lay the blocks, she saved enough money and hired a local man to lay
the first row of blocks. She did not have any more money. But Lois stood and watched the block
layer as he did his work.
Lois prayed for some men to come and help. None came. The light could not dim.
Lois prayed and mixed sand and concrete and started laying block. One day Lois’ sister from
New York came to see her, and she decided she would help her sister.
One concrete block, another block, soon the round was finished and they lay another round,
one day with great joy, Lois had her building finished.
Now, God would send a man to pastor, and she could help him as they touched the mountain
kids for Jesus.
Lois started Sunday School, and she taught hundreds of mountain children.
Lois helped them learn to read and write. The would grow up and move away.
From time to time Lois would hear from a person she had helped.
During the summer Lois Anderson would work at the Kentucky Assemblies of God camp ground.
Lois faithfully worked during the summers at Camp Cresswood. She would sleep in a little bed,
and cook for the hundreds of kids that passed through the camp.
Lois would watch the kids around the altar and hope for a miracle and a revival in her poor
Magofflin County.
Lois saved her money and worked in the church. She and her sister built a building.
Down through the years Lois mixed concrete and poured the concrete pads for the driveway,
so cars could get up the steep mountain driveway.
In cold weather Lois would wear a coat and hat inside the church, she lived in little quarters in the
back.
By wearing a coat and gloves to stay warm she would save the gas heat for when the kids would be
there.
Lois always had a junky old station wagon, and she would run up and down the hollers picking up
kids, bringing them to church, feeding them, teaching them and they would grow up and move away.
Once Lois told me, she could teach kids, but she lost them at 16.
I said Lois, you have never lost a kid!
The was a beautiful arched doorway entry into the church. Lois told me, she wanted the church to be
pretty for Jesus.
I asked Lois, Who built the archway?
She said, I did!
She told me she had laid the stone but could not lift the KEYSTONE into place for it was too heavy
for her. Lois prayed God would send a man to help her lay the keystone in the archway, and no
one came.
Lois told me she fasted for three days, mixed the concrete, placed the ladder, and picked up the
Keystone and laid it in place, and she guessed an angel helped her with laying the mortar
to dry and finish the doorway.
One day my wife had a burden for Lois, we pastored a mountain missions work in the Floyd
county in eastern Kentucky. The Lord had blessed us this Christmas.
My wife felt we had to take Lois food.
We went around and gathered a Pinto Station wagon full of food and went to Lois’ love,
the church.
Lois never dated or married in life, she gave herself for that small mountain work.
We drove up the steep drive into the church, it was cold winter time.
My little boys jumped out and knocked on the door of the church, there was no answer.
In the darkness, we could see lights, we could hear power tools, then finally we got Lois’ attention
to open the door.
Lois had on two winter coats, several pair of pants, a big hat, and gloves.
Lois saw the food, and said, How did you know I was hungry?
We didn’t, we just wanted to share Christmas.
It was a cold dark wintery night, it was cold inside the church.
We noticed Lois had a timer set, I asked Lois was the timer for cooking.
Lois said NO!
Lois had received some Christmas money from a grown kid, and she had bought some finished
lumber and she was building some bookshelves for the church.
Lois told me, if she did not set the timer, she would forget and work all night long.
Lois did more than the minimum.
B. NOW, THIS IS OUR HERITAGE! SOMEONE PAVED THE WAY!
SOMEONE DID MORE THAN THE MINIMUM.
Someone gave! Someone encouraged a tired worker! Someone dug the footer and laid the
foundation on which we stand today!
I knew Lois Anderson. I loved her. I told her story to the Superintendent of the Kentucky
Assemblies of God, I watched Lois receive a great award for her faithfulness to the little
works of eastern Kentucky.
You may not know Lois? But there are many Lois’s in this nation that have sacrificed
greatly for the church to advance.
C. I TOLD YOU ABOUT LOIS TO ASK YOU WHAT ARE YOU LEAVING?
WHAT KIND OF HERITAGE IS YOUR COUNTY GOING TO RECEIVE TO GIVE TO OTHERS?
HAVE YOU RELEASED DIVINE POSSIBILITIES?
X. WHAT IS THE PRICE OF REVIVAL THAT WILL BRING THE RELEASE OF
GOD’S POSSIBILITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, OUR CHURCH AND OUR FAMILIES?
A. IN A RECENT LETTER I RECEIVED IT SAID 2000 MINISTERS ARE LEAVING THE MINISTRY
EACH MONTH. That is 500 a week. We are not replacing them as quick as some are quitting?
Could church leadership be walking the trail of the dinosaur toward extinction?
B. How could you encourage leadership?
C. We can’t keep Sunday School teachers in the church? They see the mean bad boys?
From where will the next Billy Graham come?
D. How can we speak to God’s possibilities with little to no effort?
E. We come in and sit on padded pews, with air conditioning and heated furnaces.
F. We have polished worship leaders and professional sound equipment, we have computers and
Power Point. We have 20 versions of the Bible.
G. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOST PEOPLE WITHIN A 20 MILE RADIUS OF THE
CHURCH THAT WE WILL NEVER REACH AND WE WILL NEVER TOUCH WITH THE GOSPEL
OF DIVINE POSSIBILITIES.
H. WE ARE NURSING GRUDGES FROM YEARS AGO.
I. We are so fed with the television and Nintendo.
J. Each month, the average church member spends more on premium cable or satellite than
they give to foreign missions.
20% of the average financial budget is spent eating out. We are a fast food generation.
XI. DON’T TELL ME WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE, SHOW ME BY ACTION! AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED.
A. Where are our priorities?
Matthew 6: 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where the moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.
20. But LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, where neither moth not rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO!
B. I lived in the mountains of eastern Kentucky where flooding is a real problem.
One flood had covered our area. The National Guard had been called out to help.
The rains stopped and we got out to survey the damage.
We rode in a car up the main road, and stopped at the flood waters, and got in a canoe and we traveled in the backwaters of the flood.
We finally got into view of my friends house, only the roof of his house was above the water.
I looked for something wise to say? I could think of nothing.
I looked at my friend, we were crying hard, and my friend said,
"IT IS JUST THINGS, IT IS JUST THINGS!"
C. Few of us have ever gotten to this lesson, that all we have is just things.
D. One day the floods will come? Maybe the doctors report will bear bad news?
Maybe our money and the financial system will fail us, and we will learn the hard lesson:
"IT IS JUST THINGS!"
Matthew 6:33 But SEEK ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED!
XII. SUDDENLY THE PALACE HALLS GET VERY QUIET: THE PRIORITIES OF THE KING HAD BEEN ALL WRONG!
A. How many parents are telling their children, SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!
In a few more years the house will be so quiet, and you would long to hear their laughter
and their voice.
B. DAVID HAD A PARADIGM SHIFT! DAVID WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!
DAVID WILL STEP ABOVE THE MINIMUM.
II Samuel 12:23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again?
I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
C. How many people are mad about something of trivial pursuit?
When you are standing at the funeral home picking out a casket, it will not matter at all?
D. TO RELEASE THE PARADIGM SHIFT AND ARISE ABOVE THE MINIMUM,
WE MUST ESTABLISH BIBLICAL PRIORITIES.
E. The family and the church must arise above the television, baseball games, work,
and we must see beyond the minimum!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Will you join my team? Teach another this lesson? Pass it on to others?
This is #6 of a 12 part series.
