There Is Danger In Staying The Same...

FACING THE STRONG MAN OF STAYING THE SAME...

CAN GOD CHANGE A MAN? ARISE MY LOVE?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

TEXT:

Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will

take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall

keep my judgments, and do them.

Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait,

till my change come.

SURE, WE BELIEVE IN GOD? THAT IS NOT ENOUGH...

WE MUST BELIEVE GOD...

THREE QUESTIONS OF CREDIBILITY:

1. CAN GOD DO THIS?

2. WILL GOD DO THIS FOR MEN?

3. WHEN WILL GOD DO THIS FOR ME?

IT IS HIGH TIME TO ARISE... STEP IN THE ACTION PLAN...

QUIT REACTING... AND RELEASE GOD...

I. SPARE TIRE MENTALITY...

HAVE WE DEVELOPED A FLAT TIRE MENTALITY? WHEN WILL I DO SOMETHING?

ONLY CHANGE WHEN YOU HAVE TO...

YOU DETERMINE HOW CLOSE TO GOD YOU WALK...

Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me

with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

A. Did you know when you buy 4 new tires you should have your car ALIGNED...

A good alignment will correct BAD TIRE WEAR...

B. Almost every person I know knows that ROTATING THE TIRES WILL MAKE THE

tire last a lot longer...

C. I KNOW WHEN YOU WILL CHANGE YOUR TIRE...

WHEN YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE...

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye

sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

James 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord

draweth nigh.

D. DO NOT WAIT ...

GOD MAKES A BETTER STEERING WHEEL THAN A SPARE TIRE...

DRAW NIGH TO GOD...

DO NOT JUST GET JESUS OUT WHEN YOU HAVE A FLAT....

II. FAITH ASK: DO YOU THINK WITH YOUR HEAD OR YOUR HEART?

IT IS IN YOUR THOUGHT PATTERNS --- THINKING HABITS... YOUR ATTITUDES

THAT YOU HAVE JOY... IT IS IN THE WORDS YOU SAY...

DO YOU THINK WITH YOUR HEAD OR YOUR HEART....

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee;

but his heart is not with thee.

A. IT IS ALL HOW YOU SAY IT.

THE YOUNG MAN WAS SO ASHAME OF HIS BROTHER.

The man's brother had killed some people and had been executed.

At school he was required to write a paper about his mean, bad brother...

B. My oldest brother was in a Federal Institution and he was in THE APPLIED

ELECTRONICS AREA, AND HIS END WAS A SUDDEN SHOCK...

It is all in HOW YOU SAY IT...

III. WE MUST KEEP GOD/JESUS IN THE CENTER...

EVER FACE THE STRONG MAN OF EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS...???

MANY TIMES PEOPLE NEVER ACT BY FAITH, THEY ONLY REACT...

LIFE IS MORE THAN REACTING TO PROBLEMS...

FAITH ACTS...

A. ALL HISTORY RECORDS ONLY TWO MEN TO WALK ON WATER...

So Peter is in EXCLUSIVE COMPANY...

B. Do not try walking on water unless you hear the INVITATION: COME...

Matthew 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he

walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried,

saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him,

O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

C. HOW DO YOU REACT?

First thing: JUMP OUT OF THE BOAT...

THEN YOU LOOK AROUND...

FAITH LEAVES THE REACTION LEVEL AND TURNS INTO ACTION...

D. PETER FELT AND SAW THE WIND BOISTEROUS...

AFTER FEELING THE WIND, THE EMOTIONS LOSE FOCUS...

Peter felt the water run up his legs...

E. PETER LOST HIS FOCUS... THE FOCUS IS NOT ON JESUS...

PETER FOCUSES ON THE WIND AND WAVES... PETER QUITS ACTING AND

IS NOW REACTING TO THE NEGATIVE THINGS PRESSING HIS 5 SENSES...

F. THERE IS A DIVINE LAW: KEEP GOD IN FOCUS...

YOU CAN NOT KEEP WALKING ON WATER WITHOUT THE STRONG

PRESENCE OF A HOLY GOD...

This world is overwhelming ... we are little nobodies...

THE SECRET TO OVERCOMING STRONG MEN IS CLEAR...

STAY CLOSE TO GOD, HIS WORD, HIS COMMANDMENTS, AND HIS CHURCH.

G. YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM DIFFICULTY SO KEEPING A BURNING

PASSION FOR GOD --- YOU CAN NEVER BE TOTALLY DEFEATED...

There is an OTHER SIDE OF DEFEAT, IF YOU WIN IT IS A GOD VICTORY...