RECIDIVISM: THE ILLUSION OF FREEDOM
Metal Bars vs. Mental Bars
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr Kyfingers@aol.com
Gal. 5:7 You did run well; who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth.
Proverbs 11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snort--
Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
I. RECIDIVISM (re --sid’ i --vizm)
A. Define recidivism
***a relapse into bad or criminal behavior.
***To return to bad behavioral habits after correction.
***The tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behavior.
B. LIFE IS MORE THAN AN ILLUSION.
C. SOME PEOPLE LIVE IN THE ILLUSION: IF I COULD JUST GET OUT OF THIS JAIL CELL --- I WOULD BE FREE.
D. It is up to 70% the recidivism (re --sid’ i --vizm) rate of people that have been in jail and return to jail with a repeat behavior.
E. Confinement, captivity, incarceration are more than a physical detainment.
We are imprisoned in the mind!
F. We can live in the past so much with the illusion that the times were better in the past than those that are now? And we miss the opportunity that today holds.
II. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN LIFE?
A. HOW SHALL WE FIND THAT FOR WHICH WE ARE LOOKING?
B. ARE WE TRAPPED BY OUR HABITS AND BEHAVIOR PATTERNS?
C. ARE WE IMPRISONED BY OUR THOUGHT PATTERNS AND PAST
HISTORY?
D. HAVE YOU EVER FELT TRAPPED?
E. HAVE YOU EVER PONDERED CAN I CHANGE?
WILL OTHER PEOPLE CHANGE? OR ARE WE TRAPPED?
III. TRAPPED EVEN WHEN I AM FREE?
A. Let us look at a man from the country of Gadarenes,
we do not know his name, but we know his nick name.
B. Legion moved out of the city limits and moved into the grave yard.
C. LEGION WAS OFTEN BOUND, BUT HE COULD NOT FIND FREEDOM, EVEN WHEN HE WAS FREE, HE WAS BOUND.
D. SEE IT WAS NOT METAL BARS THAT IMPRISONED LEGION.
LEGION WAS BOUND MY MENTAL BARS.
E. MENTAL:
***Relating to the mind and emotions and intellect
***Mad, crazy, disorder of the mind
***Psychiatric disorder
F. What is your mental attitude?
Mark 5:3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces:
neither could any man tame him.
IV. IS IT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE YOUR COUNTENANCE?
A. Define countenance:
***Mental composure ***Behavior ***Composure
***Outlook, the way we express self ***Appearance
***Your face as it expresses and indication of mood, emotion, and character
B. Is it possible that obesity and many other unhealthy habits come from a mental state of boredom and disappointment? Cyril V. Connolly.
C. We re-enforce our countenance by repetitive behavior.
V. WHY IS YOUR COUNTENANCE FALLEN?
WHY WILL YOU STAY DOWN?
A. There grows in the first family an issue about worshipping God?
Pride, envy, and jealousy grows within Cain’s heart!
Genesis 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering God had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and HIS COUNTENANCE FELL!
6 And the Lord said unto Cain, WHY ART THOU WROTH?
And WHY IS THY COUNTENANCE FALLEN?
Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, then sin lies at the door.
B. CAIN JUST DOES NOT GET IT, HIS CHOICES, HIS DAILY CHOICES HAD A LONG TERM EFFECT!
C. WE SET OUR COUNTENANCE BY OUR BEHAVIOR.
D. Palliation: AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?
VI. HANNAH HAD A PROBLEM WITH HER COUNTENANCE.
HANNAH WENT TO CHURCH AND TO THE PREACHER ELI.
A. Hannah had a very dysfunctional family.
B. Elkanah her husband spent most of his time over at Peninnah’s house. (pe-NIN-nah)
C. Hannah knew how to pray.
D. Hannah was not treated fairly by the preacher, but she did not leave in anger.
I Samuel 1:18 And Hannah said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight.
So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
E. Hannah prayed but there was no visible change in her situation.
Yet, HANNAH TRUSTED GOD’S PLAN EVEN WHEN HER EYES COULD NOT SEE IT.
VII. LET US LIVE IN THE REALM OF GOD’S BLESSINGS, AND ACCEPT HIS COUNTENANCE.
A. Do we hear what the Lord says?
B. I know the Lord never spoke to the people, the Lord spoke to Moses.
C. Moses spoke to Aaron. Aaron spoke to his sons.
D. Aaron’s sons speak to us.
E. WE MUST SPEAK AND SAY THE BLESSINGS.
F. THERE IS A DIVINE COUNTENANCE WE CAN RELEASE IN WHICH TO WALK AND TALK ON A DAILY BASIS.
Numbers 6:22 And the Lord spoke unto Moses saying,
23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying,
On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them.
24 The Lord bless you, and keep you.
25 The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you.
26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you His peace.
27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.
WILL WE FALL PREY TO RECIDIVISM AND STAY FOREVER TRAPPED?
God has a plan, and those who God sets free are free indeed.
John 8:32 And you shall know the truth and the truth shall MAKE YOU FREE.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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