THE TEST: YOU ARE AT THE WRONG HOUSE? WHO ME?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Did you read about the man that told his Momma, I refuse to go to church today? You can’t make me go. The last time I went someone hurt my feelings and they are mad at me and I am mad at them. Give me two good reasons why I should go? Well, son the first reason you should go to church IS GOD WANTS YOU TOO… The second reason: IS YOU ARE THE PASTOR and if you expect to get paid you should go to church. That settles it.
SELF DOUBT: I know two dangerous classes of people: OVER-CONFIDENT, BIG MOUTHED, VERY OPINIONATED PEOPLE. Then there are the SELF DOUBTERS. They have little confidence in people and in themselves.
THERE ARE SEVERAL WINDOWS TO SEE IN SELF DOUBTERS.
*1. Self-doubters are always making and offering excuses.
*2.Self-doubters are often bitter and angry.
*3. Self-doubters are exclusive and rarely inclusive. They have one or two friends and want total control and no sharing.
*4. Self-doubters have PITY PARTIES.
*5. They lack faith and often see things in negative, dark, doomsayers.
*6. Self-doubters are in the norm of up and down emotionally and spiritually.
*7. Self-doubt can lead to dark depression and excessive worry.
*8. Self-doubters are full of “I CAN’TS.”
*9. SELF-DOUBT BECOMES A TRAP and behaves as a drama queen.
*10. Most self-doubters have been disappointed and feel like a disappointment.
*11. Many self-doubters have scarred histories.
*12. Many self-doubters have the green grass syndrome.
Do we accept the GREEN GRASS SYNDROME as a fact?
We walk daily in 3 areas: 1. What we know, or at least what we think we know. 2. Motive: we will do what we desire to do or love to do. 3. We tend to operate in the external and internal powers that we have.
We are flawed people. We seem to walk in vicious circles. We tend to become worried and anxious about everything? How about the loss of joy, zeal and enthusiasm? We seem to lose trust in others and then we lose trust in our selves. Seems this world measures success by the square footage of your house, the car you drive or the money you make.
SELF-DOUBT? WHO ME? YOU ARE BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE! I DON’T THINK YOU KNOW WHATYOU ARE TALKING ABOUT? YOU ARE AT THE WRONG HOUSE --- I AM POOR!
WITH ME? GOD IS WITH ME? GET REAL? THE ANGEL SAYS: YOU ARE A MIGHTY WARRIOR! I AM A SELF-DOUBTER AND THIS MESS TELLS ME I AM A NOBODY.
Judges 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
GET REAL? YOU SAY GOD IS WITH US? LET ME SHOW YOU THIS MESS IN WHICH WE ARE LIVING? Gideon wants to remind the angel: DON’T YOU KNOW: GOD WASHED HIS HANDS OF US YEARS AGO…
Judges 6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
MY OFFERING IS EASY: HERE IS MY EXCUSE… I CAN’T DO IT.
Judges 6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
Judges 6:23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR GIDEON, JUST AS GOD REASSURED GIDEON… GOD DESIRES TO reassure us. WILL WE TRUST GOD? "Easy now. Don’t worry. Don't panic. You won't die."
SELF-DOUBT? THE BIRDS ON A POWER LINE SEEM TO BE DYING?
Let me recall a dream I had years ago. I do not give credit to God or the Holy Spirit, I just had a dream. The dream could have been pizza or bologna. But the dream was so real. In my dream I saw some large electric lines. On these lines there seemed to be thousands of birds resting and looking down. Somehow I knew that the birds were very hungry. The little birds were shaking in great fear? I thought the birds should feel safe so high in the air. No prey could capture them.
As I watched the birds that were worried and in great fear I could not understand what was going on… The birds seemed abnormally skinny. I decided they were so hungry. From time to time a skinny bird fell from the power lines to the ground. The birds were dead before they hit the ground. I knew that the birds were starving to death and falling down. Not only was fear dominating their hearts, they were so weak that death was eminent. They were so hungry.
My dream opened to a wider focus and I saw this very fat bird just a singing away. He was so thankful and enjoying life. The fat happy bird was eating a plump strawberry. He would belch every now and then. I pondered why he is so fat and the others were starving to death? Later I could see a huge strawberry patch with ten million ripe strawberries. I would hear a thump and another bird fell to its death. Why were the birds dying with plenty of food below them? Needless death?
My eyes then opened to a wider screen, there was a dumb, dead SCARECROW in the middle of the field. The SCARECROW BIRTHED FEAR IN THE THOUSANDS OF BIRDS. The SCARECROW COULD NOT MOVE UNLESS THE WIND BLEW HIM? The SCARECROW could not make any noise and he could not stop the birds eating their fill. Except he MANIPULATED THEM BY FEAR. The SCARECROW had one little stick holding him up? HE COULD DO NOTHING WITHOUT CAUSING FEAR TO DOMINATE THE BIRDS’ HEARTS.
I looked away and that one big fat bird landed on the sleeve of the SCARECROW and was enjoying the juicy strawberry. There was plenty of food for every bird. Slowly, one by one the birds died… WHAT KEPT THE BIRDS FROM EATING AND RECEIVING THE SOURCE OF FOOD FOR WHAT THEY NEEDED? A LITTLE NOTHING SCARE CROW.
When I had awakened I pondered what kind of bologna or pizza had I ate that night? Then my mind pondered HOW MANY BLESSINGS HAD I MISSED BECAUSE A SCARECROW INDUCED FEAR IN MY HEART?
SELF-DOUBT IS COMPARISON TO OTHERS. IS SELF-DOUBT HOLDING US BACK? WHO OR WHAT HINDERS US FROM THE OPEN DOOR? DIFFERENCES CAN HINDER… RED NECK WISDOM?
2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Self-doubt magnifies itself …
HOW MANY KINDS OF CHICKENS ARE THERE? Roosters, hens, Biddies, RED ROCKS, Rhode Island reds, Dom nickers,
Let us come to the hot stove and A BIG POT? When it comes to DUMPLINGS we are all just THE SAME--- chickens…
SELF-DOUBT IS SELF-DEFEATING. FOR WHAT ARE WE LOOKING? FOR WHAT IS GOD LOOKING?
Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?
COVID 19 HAS INCREASED SELF-DOUBT. SOME STATS WARN US 80% OF SO CALLED CHRISTIANS WILL NOT BE IN CHURCH SUNDAY MORNING? LESS THAN 90% OF CHRISTIANS WILL BE IN THE NIGHT SERVICE. On any given day 60% of churches will be closed: FEAR…. ???
Luke 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
We are walking in PERILOUS TIMES. PEOPLES HEARTS FAILING FOR FEAR. God desires someone to stand up for His plan and go against the flow of sin and humanity. God desires us to stand in the gap for the defenseless babies and children, to take a stand for holiness and stand in the gap to protect the innocent. God wouldn't have to destroy it. Those willing to be faithful seem to get fewer and fewer. It is hard to find anyone. Not one. Will you be that one to look for ways to rebuild the path to Godly righteousness that guard others? STAND IN THE GAP MY FRIEND… HOLD UP THE STANDARD HIGH. Let us quit making excuses… LET GOD ARISE…
Psalm 68:1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
God we release your plan. We give our permission and desire for YOU, God to Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives. WE NEED REPENTANCE. WE NEED REVIVAL!
WE MUST REFUSE SELF-DOUBT AND FINISH WELL. THE LESSON OF ARCHIPPUS… MUST BE TAUGHT TODAY! NO MATTER THE HINDRANCE AND THE SELF DOUBT WE MUST TRUST GOD AND STEP UP…
Colossians 4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
Self-doubt will hinder the call and the completion of God’s work. Tell Archippus, and tell yourself: to do your best in the job you received from the Master. Do your very best. Do your best and forget the rest. We must take heed to the work set before us.
Galatians 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it."
CONCLUSION: DOUBTING OTHERS WILL LEAD TO SELF-DOUBT. SELF-DOUBT LEADS TO GOD DOUBT. We need to be certain God is a rewarder of those that seek him. We must refuse the lack of a holy conviction. Self-doubt breeds fear… Jesus says: BE NOT AFRAID. Self-doubt kills faith and confidence. Self-doubt is INDECISION and will always lead to worry and fear. DO WE HONESTLY KNOW IF WE WILL CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK --- WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD? We must be honest: self-doubt is a lack of trusting God’s word, not only could this be a bad idea, it could be SIN. CAN GOD? VS GOD CAN! YOU CAN!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com I do this in several parts.
Thank you all that read my work.
Test:
