Sermon Central
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So What Love
Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 14, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: For God so loved the world! Do we have SO WHAT LOVE? Or do we just love the lovely?
SO WHAT LOVE
By Wade M. Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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.
There are some amazing features of life that go beyond by understanding. When I am having great difficulty and my mind and emotions seem to be playing games in my head, the hold I have dug seems to get deeper and deeper and I am hopelessly trapped.
When suddenly I remember the first thing to do is LAY DOWN THE SHOVEL.
God is pleased when we in love cheer, applaud and encourage others. One of our greatest tools is to become an intercessor and pray.
1. BUT NO ONE KNOWS I HAVE PRAYED?
2. I cannot see how this can help?
3. Prayer is a petition.
Greater than: SEEK AND FIND
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Grow more love, more faith, more works, more patience, more kindness, more BROTHERLY KINDNESS.
Listen? Wrong thinking
Mustard Seed Action
31 Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
We must talk to God and listen to OURSELVES. It is a fatal attraction we tend talk to self and darkness is a fog that brings depression. My friend we must quit talking negative!
Psa. 42:5
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
PSA. 42:11
11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
We count what is wrong? We tend to focus on the negative.
We murmur in depression and unhappiness. We must Remember God and His promises.
Quit talking and start listening!
Blessing in Disguise
HEAVY CARGO I have a fishing pole and I cast my line – pull it in….
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Listen before talk
Matt. 17:27
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
Aug. 23, 1998 my life changed. My mom died. We had a tradition every Christmas. My dad is a pastor and people bring a lot of fruit by the parsonage each December. As a child mom and I would make “FRUIT SALAD”. How precious are those memories. The last few years Cancer had taken its toll on my mom. I would make the fruit salad and she would set and remember the past. 1997 Christmas was painful as we knew this was our last Christmas together. Mom had tears running down her precious face. I peeled and cut and diced and we sat and cried together as we made fruit salad. The next day mom was very weak. Well mom decided to get the fruit salad and eat some. As she removed the 2 gallon bowl, she dropped it and what a mess all over the kitchen!! Mom started crying like a baby. I said mom it is OK, we will make more and laugh as we make it. My wife, sons and family began cleaning up the mess. I ran to Winn-Dixie and bought some more fruit and returned to the parsonage to make 2 more gallons. Everyone gathered around. We sang, we peeled and diced. Her spilling the fruit was a great blessing. My sons, my family will remember 1997 Christmas as one of the best.
I TELL THAT STORY WITH JOY. BUT THE REAL TEST WAS THE 1998 CHRISTMAS
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.
We did not return to my parent’s home for Christmas 1998 for the first time ever. Linda and I were home alone. They asked me to make FRUIT SALAD. I said, “You are crazy! Never again!” I sat around in gloom and despair. Linda put the tree up and I was in a dark dungeon. First Christmas ever without mom or dad! See I allowed, I made the choice to sit in misery and allow the dark poison of depression steal my Christmas light. It was my choice to focus and listen to my voice of pain.
