Too Painful For Me...

TOO PAINFUL FOR ME, UNTIL…

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

SEEMS WE ALLOW OURSELF TO BE ROBBED OF THE BLESSINGS THAT COULD RELEASE THE GROWTH OF GOD’S PLANS FOR OUR LIFE? HAVE YOU EVER WALKED THROUGH PAINFUL SEASONS THAT SEEM TO LAST FOREVER?

Today in our churches and society there seems to grow an unhealthy attitude of running away from our problems and throwing up our hands in defeat… There follows hot on the heels the spirit of QUITTING. We must learn persistence and perseverance. WE NEED TO FIND A SPIRITUAL SANCTUARY?

FOR WHAT ARE WE LOOKING?

Matthew 7:7 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.

I have a friend that has a great collection of four leaf clovers. He has many storied in a notebook. At any given time he has 8 to 10 in his billfold. Then he transfers the four leave clovers into his note book. While we were standing together, he picked a four leave clover and put it in his billfold and asked me: HOW MANY HAVE YOU FOUND? I lowered my head and said, I don’t remember ever finding one? I don’t ever remember looking for one? (I see no greater value in a four leave clover than a three leave clover?)

I guess I love to look at clouds. I love to look up much more than looking down? I watched a helicopter crash years ago. I was the first one to help the pilot? I saw a plane crash and hit a cow once while I was in Johnson County, Kentucky? But I have never found a four leave clover?

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO FIND? I REALLY THINK WE ARE LIVING IN PAINFUL TIMES AND WE NEED TO FIND A PERSONAL PLACE OF REFUGE? A SANCTUARY OF REST AND PEACE.

ARE WE STUPID? OR IS THERE A PLACE OF SAFETY AND REFUGE?

I LOVE THE LESSON THAT ALBERT EINSTEIN WARNED US ABOUT.

ALBERT SAID: MOST HUMANS HAVE A DANGEROUS HABIT AND TEND TO DO THIS.

HE SAID “EVERYONE IS A GENIUS, BUT IF YOU JUDGE A FISH BY ITS ABILITY TO CLIMB A TREE, IT WILL SPEND IT’S WHOLE LIFE BELIEVING THAT IT IS STUPID!”

Job said: HONEY, YOU TALK LIKE A FOOLISH WOMAN!” Job never said: DEAR, YOU ARE STUPID AND VERY FOOLISH.

I continually warn people: If you SCREAM to people how stupid they are, they will ROLE PLAY and will be STUPID AS STUPID DOES.

GOD HAS A REFUGE WHERE WE CAN RUN… THERE IS A HAVEN OF REST… WHEN LIFE GETS PAINFUL THERE IS A GOD DESIGNED PLACE FOR YOU!

TEXT:

Psalm 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

TODAY WE HEAR MUCH ABOUT SANCTUARY CITIES?

A place where the local authority provides limited cooperation to federal officials in the enforcement of immigration laws or policies. God designed spiritual sanctuaries for hurting people.

Often in history we find churches have been places where certain fugitives could seek temporary protection from the law. God’s sanctuary cities were part of his plans. GOD CALLED HIS PLAN CITIES OF REFUGE. There were 6 in the original plan with room for more as the population grew.

TODAY WE OFTEN FIND WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES THAT WILL PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR SOME SPECIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES. This protection protects from harm as long as you are in the limits. These areas will stop hunting, abuse, starvation or death within the protected area. A refuge for wildlife where predators are controlled and hunting is illegal.

SANCTUARY: THE IMMUNITY FROM THE LAW ATTACHED TO A SANCTURARY, a consecrated place, Hebrew temple --- Holy of Holies, the most sacred part of a religious building, the place where the altar is placed, the place where worship is offered, THE PLACE OF REFUGE AND PROTECTION.

WE ALSO FIND THAT AFTER MANY NATURUAL DISASTERS CHURCHES OPEN THE DOORS FOR USE OF THEIR PROPERTY TO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE DISASTER.

COME WITH ME AND LET ME INTRODUCE A FRIEND OF MINE. I MET THIS FRIEND A VERY HOT DAY IN JULY. I WAS IN EASTERN KENTUCKY AND I HAD A BROKEN 3 WHEEL LAWN MOWER.

My heart had been bothering me and I felt like I was going to pass out. I had trouble starting the lawn mower so once I had the mower running I would not turn it off. So here I was sitting on a steep bank sitting behind a blue smoking mower. I pulled my small Bible out of my back pocket and started reading. I turned to PSALMS 73.