GROWING A CONNOISSEUR SPIRIT
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
C.S.LEWIS IN THE BOOK SCREWTAPE LETTERS warns of a satanic goal within the church that is a CONNOISSEUR SPIRIT.
The devil never minds you going to church as long as you are not faithful. The devils loves donuts, meals, entertainment in churches. The devil loves you to flip flop from here to there as long as you are unfaithful and going to and fro and tasting, but never cooking.
Spiritually seems we have developed the CONNOISSEUR SPIRIT:
WE LOVE TO THINK WE ARE EXPERTS AT TASTING AND NOT DOING MUCH...
BUT ARE ABLE TO TASTE AND CRITICIZE AND TELL WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG TO EVERY ONE ELSE...
WHAT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST OBSTACLES TO REALIZING FAITH?
EMOTIONS, SIGHT AND FEELINGS CAN BE REAL ENEMIES OF FAITH?
2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL WE WILL DEVELOP CIRCULAR FLIGHT PATTERNS IN FAITH AND NEVER GROW OR MAKE ANY PROGRESS IN OUR PERSONAL LIFE AND IN OUR FAMILIES?
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Let me insert a basic English lesson. This verse is an IMPERATIVE COMMAND.
It is not a mere suggestion.
The subject of this verse is omitted. The subject is YOU understood.
There are 2 growth areas on which we should focus attention:
1. Grow in GRACE,
2. Grow in KNOWLEDGE (learning)
SHOW ME YOUR GROWING PLAN?
TO FAIL, TO MAKE MISTAKES COULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED?
We can face many problems, obstacles and difficulties... LIFE GETS HEAVY AT TIMES.
WE TEND TO OBSERVE MISTAKES ARE MISTAKES and THUS WE FAIL BECAUSE OF AN INVALID CONCLUSION THAT TO FAIL IS ALWAYS BAD...
Invalid conclusions: I know a family that really believes peanut butter causes cancer. They had an Uncle that loved peanut butter and ate it often. He died of cancer. They had another friend die of cancer and guess what? He loved peanut butter? Someone they went to school with died at a very young age. It was cancer. They remembered the young person loved peanut butter crackers? CONCLUSION: PEANUT BUTTER CAUSES CANCER. Ask the next cancer patient you see if the ate peanut butter and you may come to understand the role of peanut butter in the USA health issues?
MAY I SUGGEST TO YOU THAT THE ONLY WAY A MISTAKE IS A MISTAKE IS WHEN WE FAIL TO GROW, LEARN AND CHANGE FROM OUR MISTAKES.
WE MUST APPLY A SERIOUS ASPECT: CREATIVE USE OF CONFLICT... This failure could drive us to our knees? This mistake could lead us BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE US TO OPEN THE EYES OF OUR HEART AND MIND...
Failure can be an obstacle or hindrance of FAITH ACTION...
DOUBT AND UNBELIEF CAN HINDER... SEARCHING FOR SIGNS...
BLESSED ARE THE HUNGRY? BUT HUNGRY FOR WHAT?
Empty can be very dangerous?
HUNGER: need for nourishment, lack of food, craving--- urgent need, to be weakened by the lack of ...
Matthew 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK? You are not what you eat? You are not what you wear, YOU ARE WHAT YOU FOCUS ON...
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? LAUGH AND SAY: NOTHING, OR TROUBLE? YOU WILL FIND WHAT YOU LOOK FOR!
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
John 4:48 (KJV) Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
John 4:48 (MSG) Jesus put him off: "Unless you people are dazzled by a miracle, you refuse to believe."
HUNGRY? HUNGRY FOR WHAT? I WANT TO SEE ...
We see a serious hunger and craving in the church today.
WE ARE DEMANDING FREE FOOD, FAST LOUD MUSIC, FANCY LIGHTS ---
WE SEE SYMPTOMS THAT REVEAL A SICK MIND SET
WE SEE THE CHURCH CRAVING MILK AND NOT SOLID HEALTHY NOURISHMENT.
Seems there is little love for the WORD OF GOD.
Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
If you know my words you know this phrase: ANEMIC IN THE WORD OF GOD LEADS TO BE ANEMIC IN THE WORK OF GOD.
ANEMIC MEANS: (In medicine it means too few red blood cells and leaves feeling of weakness and tiredness.
Spiritual anemia means a lacking interest, lacking in substance,
weak, no strong, not impressive, LACKING IN VITALITY IN THE SPIRIT,
CAN YOU HEAR THE SCREAMING OF THE CROWDS... I DEMAND SIGNS & WONDERS or I refuse to believe.
IF YOU KEEP HOLDING THE CIRCULAR PATTERN OF FAILURE AND KEEP MAKING THE SAME OLD SAME OLD... OVER AND OVER YOU ARE NOT LEARNING...
2 Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Is it almost pure insanity to keep doing things the same way and expect a different out come?
CAN WE REMEBER THE LINE OF LEWIS CARROLL'S "ALICE IN WONDERLAND"?
" I HAVE TO RUN SO FAST JUST TO STAY IN PLACE."
MAY IT IS TIME TO STOP RUNNING AND STAND FAST AND LEARN AT JESUS' FEET.
O, LORD I AM NOT SEARCHING FOR SIGNS: I MUST SEE JESUS...
John 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
O LORD, PREACHER: WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? FEAR COMES FROM A DISTORTED VISION NOT FROM FAITH... .
2 Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
WHAT IS FAILURE? WHAT ABOUT OUR MISTAKES?
Seems today few ever make a mistake, but everybody else does but me and you and sometimes I worry about you?
TO NOT SUCCEED, bankrupt, to not do something that you should do, to get weaker-less, TO DISAPPOINT, to lack,
To fall short of goals or expectations, decay, no progress,
TO BECOME ABSENT
There are two kinds of sin:
1. COMMISSION (Things we do?)
2. OMISSION (Things we do not do?) TO KNOW TO DO GOOD AND DO IT NOT....
NEGLECT: things are not what they seem... WE WOULD NEVER EVER ABUSE SPIRITUAL ISSUES, BUT WE FACE THE REAL DANGER OF NEGLECT...
CAN WE HONESTLY CONSIDER THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ABUSE AND NEGLECT?
Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
ABUSE: to treat something in a harsh or harmful way, to treat in a way that causes damage, to use something wrongly,
CORRUPT, IMPROPER, EXCESSIVE, ANGER, to cause injury.
NEGLECT: to fail to care for properly, to lack in paying attention, to fail to do, TO LEAVE UNDONE, unattended, carelessness, ignore, to not take care of,
DO WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR?
WHAT DOES ITCHY EARS MEAN?
Have you ever heard the world discuss the 7 year itch?
What does that mean?
Spiritually seems we have developed the CONNOISSEUR SPIRIT:
WE LOVE TO THINK WE ARE EXPERTS AT TASTING AND NOT DOING MUCH...
BUT ARE ABLE TO TASTE AND CRITICIZE AND TELL WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG TO EVERY ONE ELSE...
2 Timothy 4:3 (KJV) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV) For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:3 (NLT) For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:3 (MSG) You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy.
Conclusion: OUR ENEMY IS SUBTIL AND HE IS SO PLEASED WHEN WE FALL INTO A CONNOISSEUR SPIRIT. No roots, no fruits? Spiritually seems we have developed the CONNOISSEUR SPIRIT: WE LOVE TO THINK WE ARE EXPERTS AT TASTING AND NOT DOING MUCH... BUT ARE ABLE TO TASTE AND CRITICIZE AND TELL WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG TO EVERY ONE ELSE... Don't tell me what you like to eat and judge? TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO GROW AND DEVELOP?
Romans 14:12 (KJV) So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
