HOW DID I GET HERE? DON’T STAY HERE!
GOD HAS SOME NEW THINGS FOR YOU!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I. CATCH THE MORAL OF THE STORY?
In 1995 several young men decided to go to Kenya, Africa on a SAFARI. They studied ahead of time and had prepared their minds with information so to make the most out of their journey. They spent several days on a wild life reservation.
One day they hiked for hours to see ELEPHANTS in their native surroundings. After hiking for hours the tour guide led the young men to a heavy bush area,
and right before them were a huge herd of elephants. They watched a baby feed from it’s mother.
They were all amazed as they watched the elephants using their trunks to gather food. The tour guide explained that elephants in the wild are hard to manage and control, they can be very dangerous.
One daring young man got nearer and nearer. His pictures were going to be the best. As the young man got real close to a young bull elephant, the elephant got closer and closer to him. The man just froze and was amazed how close the elephant was to him. He just kept snapping pictures.
Finally the big bull elephant turned and backed up to the man. The elephant raised up his hind leg, and the young man could see a rock embedded in the elephant’s foot and infection was invested around the rock.
The young man took some pictures of the deep wound, and then quietly backed away from the animal in distress. The young man refused to help the limping
elephant, he feared the elephant might mistake his efforts as causing pain.
The elephant turned and placed his trunk in the air and made a loud trumpet sound.
After a face to face encounter with the huge mammal, the man ran to the waiting vehicle and could not wait to leave and have his pictures developed.
Years passed by, and the young man had shown the pictures to all his friends of the day he spent close to the herd of elephants.
12 years later the man was with several friends at a huge zoo. The man remembered his experience and avoiding the wounded elephant.
While at the ELEPHANT AREA the man noticed this huge bull elephant looking at him. The bull elephant would reach his trunk toward the young man like he
remembered him.
The man turned away and the bull elephant started trumpeting very loud toward the man.
The young man thought, this can’t be that same elephant that I spent time with in the wild? What are the chances of us meeting again in the zoo?
The elephant trumpeted loudly and turned his rear foot toward the man.
The elephant stomped it’s foot at the man.
So the man got real brave and jumped over the fence to be reunited with his old friend from the wild in Africa. He was absolutely convinced this was the same
elephant.
The man approached the elephant slowly. The elephant backed toward him.
Then suddenly the elephant turned, wrapped his trunk around the young man and threw the man to the ground several times. The elephant pulled water into it’s
trunk and blew water into the man’s face. In great anger the elephant stepped on the man a few times. The man was hurt, bruised and battered.
The man remembered not helping the elephant’s wounded foot, and he was so sorry.
THE MAN LOOKED INTO THE ELEPHANTS EYES AND SAID, I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT HELPING YOU WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY.
The elephant spit water into the man’s face again. When the gate keeper got the door opened and rescued the man. The man had learned a valuable lesson about helping when you have the opportunity.
WHAT IS THE MORAL OF THIS STORY?
Could it have been the same elephant? NO! NO WAY!
BUT THAT IS NOT THE MORAL OF THE STORY ---
THE MORAL OF THE STORY: GETTING HERE WAS NOT THE SMARTEST THING YOU EVER ACHIEVED. THE MORAL IS SIMPLE: DON’T CLIMB INTO WILD ANIMALS’ CAGES.
YOU WILL ALWAYS FACE THE TERRIBLE CHANCE OF GETTING HURT.
HOW DID I GET IN THIS ELEPHANT’S CAGE?
II. THERE IS MORE THAN A SHOUT! HOW DOES A PERSON LOSE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING? THERE IS MORE THAN EXTERNAL FORMS IN REAL WORSHIP.
A. I have this line I first heard in Haiti.
THE MAIN THING IS TO KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING.
That is true --- WHAT IS THE MAIN THING?
B. Just having religion is never enough.
James warns us of :
2 Tim. 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
III. ELI --- HOW DID YOU GET HERE? HOPHNI AND PHINEHAS HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
A. ELI HAD BEEN A VERY FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST BEFORE GOD AND MAN.
Eli was polished in the externals of worship. Over a period of time Eli lost a personal
relationship with God? HOW ELI?
B. Eli knew how to slay the animals. He knew how to wash his hands and his clothes.
Eli was an expert on the external forms for WORSHIP.
SOMEWHERE DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS ELI’S POLISHED MINISTRY SKILLS HAD FORSAKEN THE PRESENCE OF A HOLY GOD.
C. OFTEN HOW I GOT HERE CAN INFLUENCE OTHERS?
Eli’s two sons were groomed to EXTERNAL MINISTRY without FEAR and RESPECT for GOD and GOD’S WORD.
D. But for the family NAME?
MEET HOPHNI AND PHINEPHAS?
HOPHNI AND PHINEPHAS CAN IMPRESS THE RELIGIOUS WHO-WHO’S OF THEIR DAY.
1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.
1 Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
E. NOT ONLY DOES EXTERNAL, VAIN WORSHIP AFFECT THE INDIVIDUAL, IT AFFECTS
THE GROUP AS A WHOLE.
1 Samuel 2:24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.
IV. CAN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE WORSHIP BECOME A SOUNDING BRASS AND A TINKLING CYMBAL? YOU CAN NEVER ARISE ABOVE IN PUBLIC WHAT YOU ARE IN PRIVATE!
A. We all love the shout! We love the emotional highs and call this very spiritual?
You can shout and shake the earth and ring the bells, and miss God.
1 Samuel 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
B. Leadership? Teachers? Preachers? Cold, indifferent, unfaithful leadership will almost always gender cold, indifferent, unfaithful disciples?
V. TWICE BLIND? CAN WE KNOW THE TORCH AND FAIL TO PASS IT ON? WE MUST BRING OTHERS BEHIND THE VEIL!
A. THE LAST PERSON IN THE CAMP OF GOD WOULD HAVE FOUGHT UNTIL DEATH TO PROTECT THE ARK OF THE COVENANT.
B. Even the women and children would have died for the PRESENCE OF GOD.
IS IT EASIER TO DIE FOR GOD THAN TO LIVE EVERYDAY FOR HIM?
C. Physical blindness is terrible, but there ARE NONE SO BLIND AS THOSE THAT REFUSE TO OPEN THEIR EYES.
1 Samuel 4:15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
D. I AM SO SORRY, BUT REVIVAL OF THE PAST WILL NOT SUFFICE FOR TODAY!
1 Samuel 4:17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
E. ELI KNEW BETTER.
GOD WARNED ELI --- ERE THE LAMP OF GOD WENT OUT IN THE HOUSE OF GOD.
F. Twice in I Samuel 4: 6 and then verse 14:
WHAT MEANETH THE NOISE?
Hear the warning! Just because there is noise in the youth group, does not mean God is there? Just because there is noise in the prayer group does not mean people
are praying? There could be gossip in the noise?
G. YOU MAY HAVE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT AND NOT HAVE GOD. HOW DID THIS NATION GET HERE? HOW DID THEY LOSE THE MOST COVETED ITEM IN THEIR NATION?
H. HOW DID THE ARK OF THE COVENANT FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTINES?
VI. EVEN THE HEATHERNS KNEW BETTER THAN TO SEND THE ARK OF THE COVENANT BACK EMPTY!
A. The ark of the covenant spent sometime away from God’s people.
God’s people had taken THE PRESENCE OF GOD FOR-GRANTED.
B. THERE IS A DIVINE PRINCIPLE ABOUT GIVING.
Seems PAGAN people feared God more than the cold, indifferent, and unfaithful people around Shiloh. (ZION)
1 Samuel 6:3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
VII. GOD HAS A PLAN IF HE HAS TO BYPASS THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITYS OF THE DAY HE WILL? THERE WAS A PRAYING MOM NAMED HANNAH AND A YOUNG BOY NAMED SAMUEL THAT WILL IGNITE THE FLAME AND SHINE A BRIGHT LIGHT IN THE TEMPLE.
A. THERE IS A RESURRECTION POWER STILL ALIVE AND WELL IN GOD’S HOUSE.
Will you hear the call --- GOD IS GOING TO RAISE UP A FAITHFUL PRIEST!
God’s heart and mind can again thrive in ZION!
1 Samuel 2:35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
B. THERE IS A GREAT BENEFIT OF KNOWING WHERE YOU ARE IN THE LIGHT OF THE LAMP OF THE WORD OF GOD. GOD’S PRESENCE WILL BREAK THE YOKE!
IN BIBLICAL DAYS THEY WOULD PUT A YOKE ON A DEFEATED PERSON TO SHOW ALL THAT THE PERSON WAS A DEFEATED FOE.
Yoke: servitude, bondage,
Yoke: two pull together to lighten the strain.
Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
C. FOUR TIMES IN II SAMUEL 3 --- GOD CALLS --- LISTEN GOD CALLS... THE LORD CALLS ---
D. FINALLY A LITTLE BOY NAMED SAMUEL RISES FROM HIS LITTLE BED AND SAYS:
SPEAK LORD FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS...
VIII. HOW DID I GET HERE? I DIDN’T EVEN REALIZE GOD WAS GONE?
A. Can you imagine the day that Joseph and Mary lost Jesus?
Mary prayed and said: GOD SOMEHOW TODAY I LOST YOUR ONLY SON?
Mary assumed Joseph had Jesus?
Joseph assumed Mary had Jesus?
Have you ever assumed you had Jesus close by, and turned and found He was gone?
B. Samson was a SON OF PROMISE.
Samson knew better. Samson slowly, gradually drifted aimlessly in to more and more dangerous territory until the trap was set.
Judges 16:20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.
C. HOW DID YOU DO IT SAMSON?
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
D. THIS RUT DOES NOT HAVE TO BECOME A DEATH TRAP.
CRITICISM CAN BE THE DEATH GARGLE OF THE DYING?
IX. THE LORD RETURNS AND A MIRACLE PLAN WILL BE RELEASED. GOD HAS A NEW THING FOR YOU! IT IS ALL ABOUT HIS SWEET PRESENCE.
A. GOD WILL DO A NEW THING IN THE MIDST OF SOME FALLING AWAY.
1 Samuel 3:11 And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
21 And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
B. COME TO GOD, DREAM BIG, AND CLAIM THE NEW THING.
Isaiah 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
C. LISTEN, HEAR, ACCEPT --- QUIT CRYING OVER THE TESTS!
ARISE, TESTIMONY AND OVERCOME!
Isaiah 48:6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
D. CLAIM OUR NEW CREATURE STATUS.
2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
E. DELIGHT YOUR SELF IN HIS PRESENCE.
Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Pass it on?
