Sermon Central
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Success By Chance? Persistence!
Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 13, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: Can these bones? What is failure? Success is get up more times than you fail. Let us look at some cases that many would have called failures that are known today as great successes.
SUCCESS: BY CHANCE? PERSISTENCE!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
CHOICES? I WILL BE PART OF THE SOLUTION --- I MAKE THE CHOICE TO SUPPORT AND EDIFY OTHERS IN GOOD TIMES? IN BAD TIMES? SUCCESS WILL COME.
We often perceive that our deepest need as a human being is that of being loved. There is a deeper reality, we have a greater need: to be loving and to be kind. There is peace and joy in giving love. Many things in life seem to be by chance or by luck. This is not the truth. The truth is WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO --- YOUR CHOICES. Life is not just about the circumstances. A good life is about how will we handle the circumstances. LIFE IS ABOUT THE CHOICES YOU MAKE. There is a big difference between knowing God’s word and DOING GOD’S WORD. WE MUST DECLARING GOD’S WORD.
WILL WE FAIL? WILL WE WALK IN SUCCESS? WHO WILL STAND FOR THE TRUTH? WE HAVE A HOPELESS SITUATION… WE MUST RECOGNIZE WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THIS IS MORE THAN DRY BONES --- THESE ARE VERY DRY BONES… WE HAVE TO ASK: CAN THESE BONES LIVE AGAIN?
Ezekiel 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, 2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
GOD ASK A HARD TO ANSWER QUESTION. THE QUESTION MUST REACH BEYOND HEAD KNOWLEDGE SOLUTIONS. TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION WILL REQUIRE A MEASURE OF FAITH.
Ezekiel 37:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
The son of man COPS OUT: O, LORD GOD, THOU KNOWEST? The Preacher is not sure how to answer the question? If he looks at the facts: BONES? DRY BONES? VERY DRY BONES --- This problem is not scientifically possible. This is not logically possible. NO! NO WAY! Is this religiously possible? Is this historically possible?
EZEKIEL HAS A ROLE TO PLAY TO RELEASE THIS IMPOSSIBLE --- EZEKIEL HAS TO VERBALLY DECLARE A STATEMENT BY FAITH.
Ezekiel 37:4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO COME INTO THIS VALLEY OF VERY DRY BONES?
Ezekiel 37:6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 37:13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
WE HAVE THE CHOICE OF FIGHTING AND WAR OR TRUSTING GOD’S PLAN OF WALKING IN SUCCESS.
TIME AND EFFORT…ARE WE AFRAID OF FAILURE? Let us consider some PHOBIAS. Sure 30% fear spiders. It is known that 49% of people have a great fear they will die being consider a failure. The fear of failure. We desire to be successful. We must overcome the setbacks. FAILURE? SUCCESS?
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
Define FAILURE: lack of success, not reach the goal, living in fear, doomed,
DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE A FAILURE? DO WE KNOW A FAILURE?
Have you ever hear of THOMAS EDISON? Edison’s teacher told him he could never succeed HE WAS TOO DUMB. Thomas’ mind would often wonder in day dreams. Discussion all the failures with the light bulb. I HAVE NOT FAILED, I JUST FOUND 10,000 THINGS THAT WON’T WORK.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: mother died at 10. In 1816 Abe had to go to work to help support his family as they were kicked out of their home. He had no formal education. In 1831 he failed in his business. In 1832 he lost his job. He was not accepted into law school. In 1833 Lincoln borrowed money to start his own business. He went bankrupt. It took 17 years to pay off his debts. he lost the election. 1858 Lincoln lost senate bid. He lost every election he ran in… 1846 lost for House of Representatives. 1849 rejected as land officer, 1854, 1858--- lost 2 bids for US senate, in 1860 he won the office of President of USA.
