REACHING BEYOND THIS MESS --- GOD CAN ---TRUST HIM.
LEARN GOOD SPIRITUAL PUNTUATION
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This is part two of a punctuation series, and part five of a series on failure.
I. IT IS AMAZING HOW IMPORTANT PROPER PUNCTUATION REALLY IS TO UNDERSTANDING.
A. Is it possible to have wisdom without understanding?
We need to have a great understanding of God’s word, His church, and the family.
B. There are several punctuation marks.
A system or arrangement of marks used in writing to separate or arrange words in a good logical order.
1. ? --- a question mark. In Spanish, they have an upside question mark to start a question
so you know it is a question as you begin reading.
2. , --- a comma indicates a pause or division.
3. . ---period used at the end of a sentence or abbreviation used to indicate finality.
4. ! --- exclamation mark is used to show excitement, sharp vehement expression or to give a command or order.
5. : colon’s chief function is between a major sentence and listed elements or clauses.
6. ; semi-colon punctuation that directs attention that follows.
II. WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN? SOMETIMES I FEEL A SERMON THAT I COULD NEVER PREACH?
A. Sometimes I look into the eyes individuals and I see a great potential --- THAT WHAT IF ---
B. An old friend used to tell me, Youth --- it is a shame to waste it on young people.
Then she would add:
NO SADDER WORDS OF PEN OR TONGUE ---
THAN THE WORDS WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
C. SEEMS MOST PEOPLE ARE CONTENT TO LIVE PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY IN VERY RESTRICTED CIRCLES OF THEIR POTENTIAL BEING.
Could we make better resources of our total being?
Could we write a better book?
D. The world will pay great money to see someone that has disciplined their talents for good use.
Think of Michael Jordan, Chet Atkins, Walter Peyton?
E. POTENTIAL:
Existing in possibility.
Capable of development.
That which might be the case.
Likelihood of becoming successful.
THE WORK REQUIRED TO MOVE A UNIT IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
III. WE MUST LEARN TO INTERPRET PUNCTUATION PROPERLY TO UNDERSTAND LIFE. WILL WE TURN TO THE WALL?
A. GOD HAS A PLAN AND A PURPOSE FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL.
We must know the danger of the WEAKEST LINK, and build strong individuals that know how to apply wisdom to understanding.
B. We have studied POOR OLD HEZEKIAH IN 2 KINGS 20.
Hezekiah had a period in the punctuation, there was a great indication of FINALITY, IT IS OVER!
C. The Master Preacher Isaiah had brought Hezekiah a personal message. The message was short and very clear.
There was little room for misunderstanding God’s message. SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE.
D. I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT WOULD WE DO IF WE HEARD A MESSAGE LIKE THIS? Would we just accept it and die?
E. HEZEKIAH BELIEVED ISAIAH, AND HE SET HIS FACE TO THE WALL ... HEKEKIAH HAD A PARADIGM SHIFT --- AND ATTIDUDE ADJUSTMENT.
F. While he heard the message, there came over Hezekiah a big change.
He lost all the focus on the externals and focused on the internal.
G. Hezekiah knew how to pray.
What do you think might have happened if Hezekiah in his sickness would have just accepted the status quo?
He did not just roll over and play dead, Hezekiah --- TURNED HIS FACE TO THE WALL.
He prayed intensely and wept sorely.
H. BEFORE THE PREACHER ISAIAH GOT OUT OF THE COURT YARD, GOD CHANGED HEZEKIAH’S JUDGMENT AND SENT THE PREACHER BACK --- GOD HEARD THE PRAYERS, GOD SAW THE TEARS, AND ON THE THIRD DAY --- MERCY WILL REACH DOWN AND CHANGE THE PERIOD, THE FINALITY, THE END ---
TO 180 MORE MONTHS, 780 MORE WEEKS, 5,475 MORE DAYS ---
THE PUNCTUATION IN HEZEKIAH’S LIFE WAS CHANGED TO A COMMA, GOD GAVE HEZEKIAH ANOTHER CHANCE.
I. WHAT WILL WE DO IF GOD’S MERCY WOULD GIVE US ANOTHER CHANCE?
J. NOT ONLY DID GOD GIVE HEZEKIAH ANOTHER CHANCE,
GOD GAVE HEALING.
GOD GAVE DIVINE DELIVERANCE.
AND GOD PROMISED TO DEFEND THE CITY.
IV. WHEN A COMMA BECOMES A PERIOD?
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FAILURE DRIVES OUR PUNCTUATION AND PRAYERS?
A. WANT TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL?
God promised, and God’s promise brought great blessings.
Judges 13:24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
B. IT IS A SAD DAY IN THE LORD’S CAMP WHEN THE STRONG OPERATE THEIR PUNCTUATION SYSTEM BY FAILURE DRIVEN MISTAKES.
Samson’s failure could have brought more victories.
C. SOMETIMES THE BLIND CAN SEE MORE THAN THOSE WITH VISION.
D. WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A COMMA IN SAMSON SOON BECAME A FINAL PERIOD!
This finality was birthed because Samson could not accept his weakness and go on...
Judges 16:28 And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
E. What might have been if Samson prayed, Lord, remember me this day and bring many great victories to God’s people through my hands? He prayed ONLY ONCE!
F. We will never know what Samson MIGHT HAVE DONE, he died with the heathren.
G. Samson’s Mom and dad came and got his body and took him home, but never forget --- God uses broken and spilled out vessels.
H. MY OPINION IS THAT GOD COULD HAVE USED SAMSON MANY MORE YEARS.
V. WISE PEOPLE OF GOD HAVE TO SEE THIS IS NOT A PERIOD, THIS IS A COMMA... IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE AND A PARADIGM SHIFT.
A. WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PERIOD, MAY BE A COMMA?
IT IS ALL IN THE ATTITUDE WE TAKE TOWARD THIS PROBLEM?
2 Samuel 12:15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?
B. Listen very intensely and you can here the foot steps of unwelcomed guest walking down the polished corridors of one of the greatest Palaces ever known.
C. The armed guards and the King’s mighty men could not stop this horrible guest out of the hallways of this Jerusalem Palace. The grim reaper silently moves
where is is not welcomed.
D. The Prophet Nathan had warned King David, sin is at the door, and has lured in many complex results.
E. Down the polished hall ways of marble the silent guest approaches the ROYAL NURSERY ROOM, there was a handsome baby prince running a high temperature and he would not respond to the medical treatment that was given to save the lads life.
F. WHO KNOWS MAYBE MERCY WILL COME TO THE PALACE?
Down another hallway close by lay a man on his chest, he had cried and fasted 7 days. The King knew his spiritual and legal duties to his son and family.
The custom of the day was to rent his clothes and rub ashes on his face and chest. The sack cloth was upon this Dad’s back, he fasted and prayed 7 days
and 7 nights? Maybe God will hear?
Maybe history will be changed, God has done it before. God can do it again.
G. ON THE SEVENTH DAY THE KING WAS DREAMING OF DELIVERANCE, AND DELIVERANCE CAME, BUT NOT AS HOPED --- DAVID KNEW THE WHISPERS OF HIS SERVANTS.
BEFORE DAVID UNDERSTOOD A SPOKEN WORD, DAVID KNEW THE WHISPERS IN THE ROYAL POLISHED CORRIDORS COULD BE ---
COULD BE --- COULD BE ---
H. David’s servants dreaded to bear the news of the death of the lad to the King?
What will the King do?
I. DAVID SAID:
IS THE CHILD DEAD?
HAS MY SON DIED?
J. THEY ANSWERED: HE IS DEAD!
God put a period, accept it.
VI. THERE IS A MOST UNUSUAL EVENT THAT HAPPENED IN THE PALACE, THERE IS A CHANGE, THERE IS A PARADIGM SHIFT...
2 Samuel 12:20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was
dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
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.
A. NOT ONE SERVANT IN THE PALACE COULD BELIEVE WHAT DAVID DID AFTER DEATH ROBBED THE PALACE OF DAVID AND BATHSHEBA’S SON ...
B. DAVID GETS UP --- HE AROSE ---
DAVID TAKES A ROYAL BATH AND CLEANSED HIMSELF.
DAVID HAD THE BEST HOLY PERFUME OF HIS DAY APPLIED TO ANOINT HIS BODY.
C. DAVID GOT OUT HIS BEST ROYAL APPARREL AND DRESSED TO GO MEET THE REAL KING --- GOD.
D. DAVID LEFT THE HALL WAY OF HIS ROYAL PALACE AND HE WENT TO CHURCH. DAVID HAD BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN RETURNING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT TO THE HOLY HILL IN JERUSALEM, DAVID KNEW IN THE SOLEMEN DAY OF DEATH
THERE WAS ONLY ONE PLACE TO TURN --- TURN TO GOD --- GO TO GOD’S HOUSE.
E. WHILE AT GOD’S HOUSE DAVID WORSHIPPED THE HIGH AND MOST HOLY GOD. GOD THE PROVIDER DID WHAT WAS RIGHT AND BEST, DAVID HAD TO TRUST THE HEART AND PLAN OF GOD. The period was there, but there comes a comma.
F. AFTER RETURNING TO THE PALACE FROM THE HOUSE OF GOD, DAVID HAD THE TABLE SPREAD, COME AND DINE ... FRIENDS WERE ENTERTAINED IN THE ROYAL DINING ROOM.
2 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.
G. DAVID KNEW THE PUNCTUATION, IT WAS A PERIOD, THE FINALITY AND THE RESULTS OF SIN HAD VISITED THE ROYAL PALACE.
VII. DAVID’S SERVANTS CAN NOT UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE KING? HAS HE HAD A ROYAL BREAKDOWN?
SATAN LAUGHED, DAVID FAILED, PEOPLE REMEMBERED HIS BLACK SPOT ... BUT GOD IS NOT FINISHED, WHAT APPEARS TO BE A FINALTY, A STUMBLING BLOCK, IS BUT A STEPPING STONE --- A NEW START.
A. There is a Divine Miracle released in the darkest hour of the palace.
There is a God DELIVERANCE ABOUT TO COME, THE FINALITY, THE END, WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, KING DAVID WILL STEP BEFORE HIS PEOPLE CHALLENGED TO REACH BEYOUND THIS MESS.
B. WHILE THE ENEMY, THE DEVIL, TRIED TO PUT A PERIOD IN DAVID’S MESS, DAVID ALLOWED GOD TO MAKE THIS A COMMA.
C. THE STORY IS NOT OVER.
While the child was alive the story was not over.
And when the little prince lay in his casket the story was not over.
D. WHO CAN TELL WHAT GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY SHALL BRING?
VIII. DAVID --- THE GOOD NEWS IS THE BAD NEWS IS NOT THE TRUTH. HANG IN THERE LITTLE SHEPHERD BOY --- GOD HAS A PLAN...
Where there is a period, it is not done --- IT MIGHT BE A NEW CHAPTER.
A. WHEN EVERYONE SAW A SHEPHERD BOY OUT ON THE FARM,
GOD SAW A KING.
B. WHEN DEATH AND THE FUNERAL HOME BRINGS DARKNESS, REMEMBER GOD HAS A GREAT PLAN.
2 Samuel 12:24 And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.
C. BECAUSE DAVID HUMBLED HIM SELF, AND PRAYED AND WENT TO CHURCH, GOD HONORED HIM --- THE PERIOD WAS BUT A COMMA.
SOLOMON WAS BORN TO THE PALACE, AND HISTORY WAS CHANGED.
D. WHAT THE ENEMY MEANT TO DESTROY WAS GOD’S RELEASE.
IX. WATCH OUT --- DISCOURAGED LIPS CAN DICTATE WHETHER THIS IS A PERIOD OR A COMMA.
A. JOB’S DISCOURAGED WIFE SAID A TERRIBLE STATEMENT.
Job 2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
B. Job did not call his wife foolish, he said what she said was foolish.
Job understood this is a comma.
Job’s wife saw all this test as a period.
Your attitude will make the difference.
C. JOB KNEW --- MAYBE GOD WILL DELIVER US ... AND HE DID...
Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:12 So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand
yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
D. GOD TURNS PERIODS INTO COMMAS.
Job 42:16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and
his sons’ sons, even four generations.
17 So Job died, being old and full of days.
CONCLUSION:
GOD WALKS THE DARK HILLS.
God knows your case.
God knows you by the first name.
God watched over you in your Mother’s womb.
God has a plan.
Don’t forget what we know.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
God can make this mess a message.
God can make this test a testimony.
This is not a period, THE END, THIS IS BUT A START TOWARD DELIVERANCE AND YOUR
MIRACLE!
It is always too soon to quit.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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