SPEAK TO THE DIVINE POSSIBILITIES:
#12--- DIVINE POSSIBILITIES: THE GREAT PRETENDER!
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
forgiveness; 6. Rising above the Minimum; 7. Rising above the scars; 8. Every miracle starts with a problem! 9. Walking in Divine blessings;
10. Cheese with your whine? Importunity/Determination
11. KILL THE SACRED COW? Leaving your comfort zone
12. The Great pretender?
We are in part #12 of a 12 part series, Divine Possibilities.
INTRODUCTION:
God has a plan for you and for your church.
God wants to grow you and to stretch your faith.
You can, if you want to.
God wants to get us out of our bubble into the realm of His purpose.
Some see the little picture, some see the bigger picture. We need the total picture in a balanced way. We can stay here if we want to, or we can reach
to His higher plan. We need to speak to our Divine Possibilities.
May we launch into what God desires for us, in us, and through us?
IF WE DESIRE CHANGE, WE MUST GET OUT OF THE DEATH RUT
OF THE SAMENESS!
Do you see? Do you hear? Do you understand?
Divine Possibilities can never be known where there is spiritual blindness and spiritual deafness.
Don’t be afraid to see! Don’t be afraid to hear! Then we can correct what is wrong and healing will come to the camp of believers!
May we quit pretending in the church?
DO WE CORRECT PROBLEMS, OR DO WE DRIFT IN TROUBLED
WATERS?
I. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING?
A. Recently I heard a wonderful story, Doctor Billy Graham was invited to a meeting of the leaders of Charlotte, NC.
They wanted to honor Graham for all of his wonderful achievements.
Billy was 86 and has Parkinson’s Disease and he thought he might not go.
The group said Billy did not have to speak, they just wanted to honor their native son. Dr. Graham was honored greatly at the meeting.
B. There was an opportunity for Dr. Graham to speak. He rose to the podium and looked over the crowd.
C. Doctor Graham told a story about Albert Einstein, one of the greatest physicist of all time.
Albert Einstein had been voted the Man of the Century by Time magazine.
The story goes that Albert Einstein was traveling from Princeton by train.
The conductor started around punching the passengers tickets.
Mr. Einstein had lost his ticket and could not find it.
The conductor was very polite to his famous passenger, and told him he was sure that Mr. Einstein had his ticket, and it was not needed.
The conductor trusted him.
Albert dug around looking for his ticket, and could not find it.
The ticket was not in his luggage, pockets, or anywhere to be found.
Again the conductor told Albert it was OK, because everyone on the train knew who he was, so the conductor reassured the famous rider not to worry.
Long after the conductor was gone, Albert was looking on his hands and knees for his train ticket.
Doctor Albert Einstein said, "I know who I am, but I don’t remember where I am going?"
E. Doctor Graham went on with the story, that he was wearing a brand new suit,he had purchased it to wear in the casket at his burial as well as to this wonderful meeting of honor.
Doctor Graham went further with his words, Thank you for this honor, but don’t just remember me for my new suit I wear today. But I want you to remember,
I NOT ONLY KNOW WHO I AM, AND I KNOW WHERE I AM GOING!
II. MAN HAS DEVELOPED THIS GREAT ABILITY TO PRETEND AND ACT.
A. PRETEND:
*** to give a false appearance of being
*** to act or perform
*** to make believe
*** imaginary
B. PRETENDER:
*** one that lays a false claim
*** one who makes a false or hypocritical show
C. WE TEND TO THINK GREED IS A RICH PEOPLE PROBLEM?
BUT GREED CAN INFECT POOR PEOPLE JUST AS RICH PEOPLE.
Greed stops Divine Possibilities. God loves a cheerful giver.
D. WHAT IS THE INTENTION OF YOUR HEART?
E. SIN IS MORE THAN DOING WRONG!
TWO KINDS OF SIN:
COMMISSION Acting, doing, performing
OMISSION The things that we do not do that we should do.
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to DO GOOD,
and DOETH IT NOT, to him it is sin!
F. WE HAVE GROWN AND DEVELOPED THIS GREAT ABILITY TO DENY THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THEN AFTER WE DENY, WE PRETEND EVERYTHING IS OK!
When I taught school I learned much more than I ever did in my college classes. I loved trying to challenge a student to learn and apply the lesson.
Learning is one thing, that may be the easy part?
Applying the lesson may be the difficult part.
Seems Christians can learn great lessons and just sit on their pew?
God wants to grow, develop, and stretch your faith.
We can have the attitude I am happy right here.
III. CAN YOU SEE THE GREAT POWER IN DENIAL?
DENIAL AND THE LACK OF CORRECTING OF THE PROBLEMS
WILL BRING GREATER PROBLEMS!
A. THE ORDER WAS VERY CLEAR
I Samuel 15:3 Now go and smite the Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare not;
B.THE GREAT DIVINE POSSIBILITIES RESTED IN SAUL’S HANDS. KEEP THE BEST, DESTROY THE REST, WAS NOT THE ORDERS!
I Samuel 15: 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse that they destroyed utterly.
C. DENIAL FIRST CLASS? SAUL WORE A MASK!
THE BLEATING OF THE SHEEP TOLD WHAT GOD HAD ALREADY SAID.
I Samuel 15: 13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord, I HAVE PERFORMED THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD.
D. THERE WAS A GOOD DENIAL PLAN!
I Samuel 15:15 For the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God, THE REST WE UTTERLY DESTROYED.
E. SAUL DENIES HIS DISOBEDIENCE AGAIN, AFTER HE WAS CAUGHT RED HANDED.
I Samuel 15: 20 And Saul said unto Samuel, YEA, I HAVE OBEYED THE VOICE OF THE LORD, AND HAVE GONE THE WAY WHICH THE LORD SENT...
F. THERE IS A TERRIBLE ROLE OF PALLIATION!
SAUL’S EXCUSES HIS DISOBEDIENCE, AND PASSES THE BUCK!
BLAME ALWAYS HINDERS REPENTANCE!
I Samuel 15: 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.
G. NOTICE SAUL ALWAYS CALLS GOD SAMUEL’S GOD,
NOT HIS GOD?
LET ME WEAR A MASK IN FRONT OF THE PEOPLE?
THE MASK WILL HINDER THE DIVINE POSSIBILITIES!
I Samuel 15: 30 Then Saul said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me,
that I may worship the Lord thy God!
H. IN A FEW YEARS, AT SUN SET KING SAUL WILL LOOK AROUND HIM AND SEE HIS SONS LAYING DEAD. THE BATTLE WAS TERRIBLE,THE DEFEAT WAS A DISGRACE.
SAUL’S OWN MAN WILL NOT KILL HIM, SO HE RUNS AND FALLS ON HIS OWN SWORD.
I. SAUL, WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
SAUL, WHAT IF YOU HAD ACCEPTED THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WAS YOURS?
WHAT IF SAUL HAD REPENTED?
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
J. NO SADDER WORDS OF PEN OR TONGUE,
THAN THE WORDS WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
WHAT ARE YOU HIDING IN YOUR CLOSET?
WHAT IS HIDING IN YOUR HEART?
IV. DO WE PRETEND IN WORSHIP? DO YOU WEAR A MASK?
ARE WE SOMEONE DIFFERENT AT CHURCH THAN WE ARE AT
WORK?
CAN WE SEE SPIRITUAL DANGER?
A. Are you growing and developing?
B. Do you have a plan to arise to the Divine Possibilities?
C. Have you grown calloused and hard?
D. Where is your trust?
E. Do we accept problems as the norm?
F. ARE YOU DENYING WHAT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU?
V. DAVID DISCUSSED THE STUPIDITY OF WORSHIPPING FALSE GODS, THAT THOSE THAT WORSHIP THEM ARE JUST LIKE THEM.
TODAY THERE ARE MANY FALSE IDOLS HIDDEN IN THE HEARTS
OF SOME BELIEVERS?
Psalms 115: 5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
6 They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not,
7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
8. They that make them are like them; so is everyone that trusts in them.
9 O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: He is their help and their shield.
11 Ye that fear the Lord, TRUST THE LORD: He is their help and shield.
A. DEFINE IDOL.
*** pretender, impostor,
*** a form or appearance visible but without substance
*** a false conception
B. WE CAN DEVELOP THE TENDENCY TO WORSHIP WORSHIP,
TO PRAISE PRAISE, AND SING SO POLISHED AND LOUD THAT
WE WORK UP THE MOVE UP GOD.
C. Is love our motive? Do we tend to show the flesh?
D. Do we live consistently devoted to whole heartedly zeal of good attitudes?
E. Do you match in public what you are in private?
Integrity is what you are in the dark when no one can see!
VI. HEAR INDEED? SEE INDEED? UNDERSTAND INDEED!
HEALED INDEED! WE CANNOT MOVE IN DIVINE POSSIBILITIES
WITHOUT FOCUSED EYES, LISTENING EARS, AND AN
UNDERSTANDING HEART!
Isaiah 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
10 MAKE THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE FAT, AND MAKE THEIR
EARS HEAVY, AND SHUT THEIR EYES; LEST THEY SEE WITH THEIR EYES, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and covert, and be healed.
Acts 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see
with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them!
A. Some people ABUSE THE GOSPEL.
Other people would never abuse the Gospel, they will NEGLECT
B. HEARING IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GROWTH!
Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
VII. GOD CAN AT ANYTIME!
WE NEED TO HAVE BLESSED EYES AND EARS!
HAVE YOU DEVELOPED EYES THAT SEE? EARS THAT HEAR?
AND HEART TO PERCEIVE? FORGET NOT THE BENEFITS!
PRETENDING WILL HINDER THE REAL MOVE OF GOD!
Matthew 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; LEST AT ANY TIME they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should
understand with their heart, and should be coverted, and I SHOULD HEAL THEM.
16 BUT BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES, FOR THEY SEE:
AND YOUR EARS FOR THEY HEAR!
VIII. IF YOU DO WHAT GOD SAYS TO DO;
GOD WILL DO WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO!
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
A. WE FIND MANY HIDING BEHIND THE EXCUSE OF HYPOCRITES?
As a young pastor I was visiting door to door in our community inviting people to church. One man opened the door and we talked, I invited him to church.
He asked is that where so in so goes to church, I smiled and replied, YES!
He slammed the door in my face.
B. I had someone tell me, they could not go to church, there were hypocrites at church.
C. What amazes me about the terrible excuse that I can not go because of hypocrites is that they go to Walmart with those hypocrites.
They go to the lake with those hypocrites.
They go to the gas station with the same hypocrites.
They will go to the grave with those hypocrites.
WHY CAN’T THEY GO TO CHURCH WITH THEM?
IX. WANT TO SEE MORE CLEARLY?
WHAT COLOR ROBE DO SAINTS WEAR? WHITE?
WHAT COLOR ROBE DOES A JUDGE WEAR?
Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again! 3. And why beholdest the mote that is in your brother’s eye, but considerest the beam that is in your eye? 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in your eye? 5. First, cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and THEN THOU SHALL SEE CLEARLY
A. To pretend to know when you do not know is a terrible disease.
B. Some can pretend that the doubt in their heart makes no difference in their walk and talk.
C. Eve found the pretender to be valid and good?
D. TWO GREAT TESTING SITUATIONS:
1. PROMOTION ---advancement, raised, growth, elevation
2. DEMOTION --- REDUCE, LOWER, LESS,
E. OMITTED THE WEIGHTIER?
Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and HAVE OMITTED THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS OF THE LAW, judgment, mercy, and faith. These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
CONCLUSION:
God has a great plan and purpose for you.
To release the Divine Possibilities you must be honest and truthful with God and yourself and with others.
Don’t palliate and excuse bad behavior and bad attitudes.
Bury the pride! Quit looking for the anointing with your eyes!
Repent! Come clean!
Don’t pretend and presume!
Are you playing church? Are you role playing?
Get your heart right. Honor God by obeying His Commandments.
Get serious with God.
God search us, cleanse us and set us free!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me and pass this on?
