COULD THIS BE A BLESSING IN DISGUISE?
FOR WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING?
DO WE FOCUS ON GROWTH?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. WHAT DOES YOUR HEART DESIRE?
II Peter 3:18 But GROW IN GRACE, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
II. CAN YOU HEAR THE HEART OF ONE IN THEIR WORDS?
A. HAVE YOU EVER FELT USELESS, FOOLISH, OR EMPTY?
B. CAN YOU READ PAIN, HURT, AND THE FEELING OF USELESSNESS IN ONE’S WORDS?
C. CAN YOU REALIZE THAT SOME THOUGHTS ARE SO PAINFUL ONE CANNOT EXPRESS THE THOUGHTS THAT THEY ARE THINKING?
Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, King of Jerusalem.
2. VANITY OF VANITIES, saith the Preacher, VANITY OF VAINITIES; ALL IS VANITY.
D. DEFINE:
VANE:
Trivial --- Having no real value, idle, worthless
Marked by futility --- Not effective, unsuccessful, useless
Foolish, silly --- Being without worth or significance
VANITY:
empty, valueless, --- Inflated pride or self worth
Excessive self opinion
E. SOLOMON CHASED MANY RAINBOWS, AND MUCH MATERIALISM,
AND CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO BUILD AND GROW, BUT WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, SOLOMON WAS STILL EMPTY.
F. SOLOMON HAD A CHOICE TO TRUST IN HORSES AND ALLIANCES.
Solomon had reason to fear some of his neighboring Kings.
G. SOLOMON KNEW THE VALUE OF BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS.
So Solomon learned he could marry that King’s daughter in a distant land, and that King would never attack his grandchildren.
Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses:
but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
III. OFTEN TIMES WE WALK IN DISCOURAGEMENT, LONELINESS, AND FEAR.
A. A REAL HEARTACHE IS WHEN WE THINK OUR WORK IS IN VAIN?
Life is full of disillusion and heart break.
B. IS IT POSSIBLE TO DRAW THE CONCLUSION THAT MY FAMILY, THE CHURCH, OR THE WORLD OWES ME?
Psalms 119:28 My soul melted for heaviness: strengthen Thou me according to thy word! (KJV)
I AM FEELING TERRIBLE --- I couldn’t feel worse! Get me on my feet again. Father you promised, remember? (The Message, David Peterson)
Psalms 119:28 I weep with grief; my heart is heavy with sorrow; encourage me and cheer me with Your Words! (LB)
Psalm 119:28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. (NIV)
Psalm 119:28 My soul weeps because of grief;
Strengthen me according to Thy word.
Psalm 119:28 My sad life is dilapidated, a falling-down barn; build me up again by your Word. (NASB)
IV. DISCOURAGEMENT COMES WHEN WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE
VISION IN GOD’S WORD --- THERE IS A PURPOSE FOR YOU!
THERE IS A PURPOSE FOR THIS!
A. One of the things our enemy wants to do is to get you to forget THAT GOD REWARDS FAITHFUL WORKERS!
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE THAT GOD IS, AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.
B. I recently preached a message how pure and undefiled religion reaches the fatherless and the widows. I spent the day taking two widow women to the doctor and sitting 6 hours waiting. I returned them home. One is very hard to push her wheelchair
up the ramp. It hurts to do this.
C. As I was leaving I called to report in with my wife, I told her, Linda, I am pretty down I just wasted a day sitting in doctors offices.
D. Linda said, Did you forget pure and undefiled religion before God is helping the widows and fatherless?
E. I said, Yes, Honey, I forgot! I forgot.
I would rather speak to a large crowd and hear a bunch of amens, but this is pure and undefiled. I forgot, this was for the Father.
V. SECULAR HUMANISM TEACHES THERE IS NO DEFINED ABSOLUTE TRUTH AND NO SIGNIFICANT REALITY BEYOND YOURSELF.
Luke 9:23 And Jesus said to them all: If any man will come after me, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, and FOLLOW ME.
A. WE ARE DOOMED WHEN WE FALL FOR THIS HUMANISM:
FOR GOD HAS A PLACE AND GOD HAS A PURPOSE IN YOUR LIFE.
B. LIFE IS MORE THAN SPORTS AND COMPETITIVENESS!
Compare self to self?
II Cor. 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, ARE NOT WISE.
VI. THIS MAY BE A BLESSING IN DISGUISE?
A. TRIALS, PROBLEMS, TEMPTATIONS, HURT, PAIN, AFFLICTION CAN BE GREAT TEACHING TOOLS THAT REVEAL THE LIVING WORD OF GOD’S POSSIBLITITIES AND GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE.
B. FOR THE LESSON IS BEFORE US, THAT LIFE IS SELDOM EASY.
C. WE TEND TO FOCUS ON THE PROBLEMS INSTEAD OF GOD’S POWEr TO BRING SOLUTIONS.
D. Yes, God is able to do what so ever we ask
In the name of His Son, that His will might be done.
Teach me Lord to pray and believe and trust!
E. It is easier to pray than to trust.
F. Joseph’s 13 years as a slave had a plan and a purpose, they were preparational for God’s move.
G. THE SEVEN STEPS DOWNWARD FOR JOSEPH WERE JUST
GOING TO BRING DELIVERANCE FOR JOSEPH AND HIS MEAN
BROTHERS.
H. I wonder how Joseph felt looking out of the jail window knowing he was innocent? He had to learn to trust.
I. I love the lesson of Joseph, he is the number 1 lesson of the Old Testament in overcoming hurt and bitterness.
J. Sometimes the worse thing that could ever happen to us, is the best thing that could happen, a blessing in disguise?
Can we see through the disguise?
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, you thought evil against me; BUT GOD MEANT IT UNTO GOOD, TO BRING TO PASS, AS IT IS THIS DAY, TO SAVE MUCH PEOPLE.
K. I have trouble seeing past the end of my nose.
God takes bad, and makes good.
L. Great test make great testimonies.
How can we minister to hurting people if we have never hurt?
Jesus is growing His people!
VII. HAVE YOU LOST YOUR RESPECT IN LIFE?
A. WE CAN MAKE THE HOLY PROFANE AND LOOSE THE REVERENCE
BECAUSE WE ARE HURT, BITTER, AND SUPERFICIAL.
KEEP YOUR FOOT!
Ecclesiastes 5:1 KEEP YOUR FOOT WHEN THOU GOEST TO THE HOUSE OF GOD, AND BE MORE READY TO HEAR, THAN TO GIVE THE SACRIFICE OF FOOLS: FOR THEY CONSIDER NOT THAT THEY DO EVIL.
B. HAVE WE ESTABLISHED WHAT IS IMPORTANT?
GROWTH WILL COME WHEN WE ESTABLISH A PRIORITY
LIST BASED ON GOD’S WORDS.
C. You must learn not all clouds bring rain!
When you are tired you will make poor judgments and decisions.
D. It is always to soon to quit.
E. SOLOMON DID DRAW A GREAT CONCLUSION:
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR GOD, AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS:
FOR THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN.
F. GOD CAN POP CREATIVE IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS INTO THE
MIND OF MAN!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
