GOT TO --- DO I HAVE TO?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I do this in two parts.
I. THERE IS A CRY FROM THE PEW TO THE PULPIT, CAN WE HEAR IT?
DO WE CRY IT?
A. We walk in a day when control and manipulation can become a norm.
Often those that are power hungry are so driven that they can not see there is a problem with the lack of submission and yielding.
B. By gaining control of the messenger we can control the message, and can distort and refuse God’s real word.
C. ISAIAH WAS A MIGHTY MAN OF GOD.
Isaiah means "Yahweh is Salvation!"
Isaiah was so on target with God that his work is directly quoted 21 times in the New Testament.
D. ISAIAH’S MESSAGES AND WORDS WERE AT A CRITICAL TIME IN THE HISTORY OF GOD’S PEOPLE.
Isaiah 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
E. ISAIAH WAS NOT A REAL POPULAR PREACHER.
Isaiah’s message was a great warning to a people that had slowly and gradually drifted into moral and spiritual sin.
F. In Isaiah’s day there were many secret, hidden places given to CARNAL PLEASURE.
Just because you think you have sin hidden, there are some all-seeing eyes watching you.
Isaiah warned of serious judgment that was looming in the near future.
Isaiah preached great hope and promise to those that would repent and be faithful.
G. MANY LEADERS AND COMMON PEOPLE THAT DID NOT LIKE ISAIAH’S MESSAGE AND DID NOT LIKE HIM. THEY SOUGHT OUT THEIR OWN PREACHERS THAT THEY COULD CONTROL AND MANIPULATE AND THEN DICTATE A SMOOTH, EASY MESSAGE.
H. TODAY ISAIAH’S BOOK SPEAKS VERY POWERFULLY TO THE MODERN CHURCH. WILL WE ACCEPT THE CORRECTION AND LATCH ON TO THE HOPE?
I. Maybe we need some like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel that would stand and proclaim
what thus saith the word of the Lord.
II. WHY IS SUBMISSION A DIRTY WORD TODAY?
A. I have a preacher friend named Gerald Hogan.
Gerald tells a story about when he was in high school.
Seems the English teacher called him to the chalk board and invited him to diagram a sentence.
Gerald said to the teacher: " DO I HAVE TO ... ? "
The teacher replied: " No, sir, you get to ...! "
B. Many times we approach life with a "HAVE TO ..." or a "GET TO ..." ATTITUDE.
C. Well, many use the word submission to control and manipulate others and this gives submission a bad name?
D. What is submission?
Yield, give way, to concede, to bend.
To humble, obedient.
E. WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF SUBMISSION?
Demanding, selfishness, greedy, grudging, inconsiderate, independent, rebellion.
F. WHAT DOES GOD THINK OF SUBMISSION?
Ephes. 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
G. YOU CAN RUN AND FIGHT THE DEVIL ALL DAY,
VICTORY COMES BY SUBMITTING TOTALLY TO GOD.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
H. OFTEN TIMES WITH YOUTH THERE COMES AN ELEVATED OPINION OF SELF. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE OLDER PEOPLE.
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God
resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
I. WE HAVE HOME GROWN ATTITUDES OF INDEPENDENCE AND A LACK OF HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they
may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
III. GOT TO... ? There are 10 Commandments, they are much more than suggestions or optional attitudes.
A. Again, we walk in a day that people do not like to be told what they have to do.
WE WANT LIFE OUR WAY! Life is more than a hamburger at Burger King.
Eccles. 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.
B. The Jewish say there are 613 moral laws for people to follow. Jesus reduced all to two laws on which all the others fall.
Matthew 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
C. THE QUESTION IS NOT CAN WE AFFORD TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS? THE QUESTION IS CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO...?
D. There is a big difference in cost and value.
What is the cost of a quart of oil? --- $2.19 ?
What is the cost of three quarts of oil? --- $6.57?
The cost of three quarts of oil could be $3,500.00?
If you run your engine low on oil and blow the engine?
IV. GOT TO ...? WHATSOEVER JESUS SAYS: DO IT...
A. Jesus was about 30 years old.
Jesus went to a wedding. While there Jesus’ mother, Mary, exposed a problem of this sweet young couple.
B. Their plans had failed, and their finances could not rescue the embarrassment of the moment.
The Governor was there?
John 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
C. Mary did not know how to solve the problem, but she knew the problem solver was in the midst.
D. Mary had simple instructions:
JUST DO IT! NIKE SAYS: JUST DO IT!
E. There were 6 water pots of stone--- empty!
There was a well --- to carry 150 to 180 gallons of water from the well was not an easy task.
F. At some point between the water pots and the governor’s table there was a miracle.
They did not HAVE TO FILL THE WATER POTS? --- but they had to --- to receive their miracle.
F. TO RELEASE THE MIRACLE SOMEONE HAD TO DO ALOT OF SEEMINGLY USELESS WORK ---
G. WILL WE --- GOT TO --- AND OBEY --- DO IT?
V. GOT TO ---? YOU HAVE TO ASK? YOU HAVE TO ASK IN THE RIGHT MOTIVE?
A. The other day I was driving down the road and I was thinking about a need I had.
I said to myself, I am not going to ask the Father to meet my need, HE KNOWS.
I was driving and the Holy Spirit spoke gently to my heart.
YOU ARE WRONG. IT IS YOUR DUTY TO ASK.
B. IT IS THE FATHER’S DESIRE THAT HIS CHILDREN ASK!
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
C. Our enemy wants us to be afraid to ask or at least too busy to ask the Father.
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
D. If your son asks for bread will you give him a stone? If your son asks for fish will you give him a snake?
GOD KNOWS HOW TO GIVE --- ASK!
ASK AND BELIEVE.
Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
E. WE MUST AVOID ASKING FOR SELFISH MOTIVES.
James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
VI. GOT TO --- ? GIVE, LOVE GIVES.
A. You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving!
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
B. GOD DOES NOT LIKE GRUDGE GIVING... BUT LOVE AND FREE WILL...
2 Cor. 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
C. IF YOU DON’T LOVE TO GIVE, THERE IS A LACK OF LOVE AND A HEART PROBLEM SOMEWHERE.
VII. GOT TO ...? PRAISE.
A. We call the seventh entry into Jerusalem the TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. But you know, we are all waiting for HIS EIGHTH ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.
Luke 19:39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
B. ON THE SEVENTH ENTRY JESUS IS RIDING ON A DONKEY,
ON THE EIGHTH VISIT HE WILL BE RIDING A WHITE HORSE.
C. LET EVERYTHING PRAISE THE LORD.
Psalm 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
D. You know in the end of writing the theme is covered again?
In Psalms 150 the word PRAISE is mentioned 13 times in 6 verses.
VIII. GOT TO ---? WE MUST FORGIVE, FOR FORGIVENESS IS THE BRIDGE ON WHICH WE MUST TRAVEL.
A. I had a dream, one of my church workers died in my dream. The enemy came and in his stink was taking my church member and worker to Hell.
I ran up to Jesus and I begged Jesus, she is my worker and been very faithful, there is a terrible mistake here.
Jesus said, I don’t know her. She is full of bitterness, hatred and unforgiveness.
I screamed begging for mercy, and away they went.
I shall never forget the look on her face as she looked in my eyes.
B. Anger, wrath, bitterness, and the lack of forgiveness will take many to Hell.
We feel like I have been hurt and I have the right to be bitter.
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
IX. GOT TO ... ? TRY AND TRY AGAIN. IT IS ALWAYS TOO SOON TO QUIT!
A. How many people have quit on the brink of their miracle?
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Proverbs 24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
B. THE FIRE WILL TELL.
X. GOT TO ...? YOU HAVE TO DREAM AND DREAM AGAIN.
A. The saddest people in life are the people that have lost their dreaming ability.
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Habakkuk 2:2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
B. People don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan and then they are snared in a trap
of failure.
CONCLUSION:
PERHAPS THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE WE HAVE GOT
TO DO --- BUT TO APPROACH LIFE AS HAVE TO --- IS A SAD STATE OF MIND.
GOD TEACH US TO LOVE TO ---
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Pass it on?
