ERODED CONFIDENCE
DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A CHANGE OF LOCATION? OR A CHANGE
OF HEART.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I do this is two parts...
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.
2 Tim. 4:3 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; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
ERODE:
To diminish, to destroy by degrees.
To eat into or to eat away by slow, gradual destruction.
To slowly deteriorate
I. WE LIVE IN THE MOST MOBILE SOCIETY THAT HAS EVER LIVED!
A. In Biblical times few people ever went 100 miles away from their birth place.
People stayed very close to where they were born.
B. Traditions and lack of good, fast transportation, poor road systems, and often a lack of education kept most individuals and families land locked to the places of their family’s history.
C. Because of this land locking effect of the times, neighbors knew their neighbors, neighbors were often family or married to family, and everybody knew their neighbors.
D. Life has changed, we are a mobile society and often we do not know who our neighbors or their family history?
E. We are capable of moving very easy? We can run from our problems.
F. We have the abilitiy to change in appearance, mood, and purpose!
We are a very adaptable, versatile people.
G. We have vehicles and roads to transport us to new places very quickly.
H. It seems much easier to talk faith than to walk by faith?
II. WE ARE A SOCIETY OF OFTEN CHANGES, AND FEW CORRECTIONS?
I DON’T LIKE YOU! SO I WILL JUST GO... RUN AWAY ...
A. We get mad at church --- we get mad at some person or we get mad at the Preacher, so we will just find us another church.
B. A group of people will get mad at another group of people, and we will go across the street and build another church. Then we call this growth?
C. We are so mobile that people make a circuit from this church to that church to that church, and then the pastors have changed and we start our circle all over again.
D. I knew a lady that bought a church a beautiful organ, when she was mad at the Pastor or someone in church she had a sheet and she would cover up the Kimball organ and they were not allowed to use it.
The church had an Evangelist that did not know this.
They introduced him and he pulled the sheet off the organ and began to play and sing. There was war after the service?
See, the lady forget that when that organ was in the church, it belonged to God.
She was an Indian giver?
E. I can take you a little farther in this story.
Pastors did not stay at this church very long, strangely enough they would get a better opportunity at another church and they would take it.
One young pastor had the men carry the organ, load it in a pick up truck, and take it to the old woman’s house, they knocked on the door and carried the organ in...
F. NOW THE REST OF THE STORY...
Mice and rats took up residency in the organ, and over a period of time, the rats had picked off the plastic linings of the wires and the organ looked good, but it was not playable.
G. I was in another church one night playing music.
Two ladies got in a fist fight over who was going to play the piano that night for service. One lady yelled while laying in the floor, I can play better than you?
The other said, Yes, but I can fight better than you?
Who won that night?
Now don’t you know Jesus was so happy about this childish behavior?
III. IT IS EASIER TO GET A DIVORCE THAN TO CORRECT WHAT IS WRONG!
A. God gave man a special gift that most nature does not have.
B. A good family is an incredible act of hope.
C. We can change. We can adapt.
D. How insane is it to want things differently and keep doing things the same old way?
E. DO WE ADAPT?
We need to make fit for a specific or new use or situation by modification.
F. How about reconcile? Adjust? Harmony? Unity? Accommodate?
G. A dog is a dog, his behavior is as a dog.
He does not think ahead, he is a dog.
The male dog has little to do with his offspring, he is a dog.
The dog spends little time in the education process, he is a dog.
When a dog gets ticks and fleas he will just have to scratch a lot.
By himself the dog has little ability to correct serious problems, he must depend on others to help him.
H. CAN YOU BE CORRECTED?
DO YOU HAVE A TEACHABLE SPIRIT?
One of the greatest obstacles to being teachable and learning is:
A KNOW IT ALL ATTITUDE?
If you know everything already then you are limited in learning?
I. Growing up my older brother used to say:
I am not conceited, I am convinced!
He would also say:
I thought I made a mistake several years ago, but I was mistaken.
IV. WILL WE FOREVER STAY A SHEPHERD BOY?
WITHOUT FACING THE BEARS, LIONS, AND GIANTS WE MAY BE DOOMED TO STAY IN THE FIELD AS A LOWLY SHEPHERD.
A. EVERY MORNING YOU WAKE UP --- YOU MAKE A CHOICE?
WHAT KIND OF MOOD SHALL I FUNCTION IN THIS DAY?
IT IS UP TO YOU!
B. OFTEN TIMES LIFE IS NOT HOW YOU HANDLE PROMOTION,
BUT HOW YOU HANDLE DEMOTION?
Are you faithful in the little things?
C. SHALL WE RUN?
THIS PROBLEM IS BUT AN OPPORTUNITY!
GOLIATH WAS:
1. A CHAMPION
2. A MAN OF RANK
3. HE WAS A GIANT, 9+ FEET TALL
4. 200 POUND CHEST PROTECTOR
5. A BRONZE HELMET
6. BRONZE LEGGINGS
7. A BRONZE JAVELIN SEVERAL INCHES THICK
8. 25 POUND IRON SPEARHEAD
AND ON TOP OF ALL OF THIS THERE IS A TRAINED ARMOUR BEARER WALKING AHEAD OF HIM WITH A HUGE SHIELD.
D. WHAT WE CALL STORMS, TRIALS, PROBLEMS, TRIBULATIONS --- GOD CALLS GREAT OPPORTUNITY!
E. GOD GIVE ME A CLEARER PICTURE OF YOUR PURPOSE.
I CAN’T SEE? I CAN’T SEE?
V. WILL WE BE FAITHFUL AND EXCITED IN THE LITTLE THINGS? THIS LITTLE WILL OPEN UP SOMETHING BIG?
1 Samuel 17:15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
1 Samuel 17:17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how
thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
VI. THE OLDER BROTHER HAD A FACTUAL OPINION OF THE SNOT NOSE LITTLE BOY! FEW CAN SEE BEYOND THE PROBLEMS OF TODAY. THIS KID WILL BE THE NEXT KING!
1 Samuel 17:28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
A. I don’t get it --- COME TO SEE A BATTLE?
1 Samuel 17:24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
B. YOU CAN NOT RUN AWAY FROM YOUR PROBLEMS!
VII. GOD HAS BEEN PREPARING ME FOR THIS BATTLE FOR SOME TIME! GOD IS BUILDING PEOPLE AND MINISTRY!
1 Samuel 17:34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall
be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.
A. Five smooth stones in a boys hand?
Vs. a smooth stone in a MIGHTY GOD’S HAND?
B. THE WORLD SHALL KNOW!!!!
C. THE CHURCH SHALL KNOW!
1 Samuel 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword,
and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of
hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth
may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.
VIII. LIFE HAS ERODED MY CONFIDENCE!
I HAVE NO HEROS, I HAVE SPIRITUAL EROSION!
I JUST HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!
I AM SO DISAPPOINTED AND DISUSTED WITH YOU AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED?
OXYMORON OR JUST PLAIN MORON?
A. ERODE:
To diminish, to destroy by degrees.
To eat into or to eat away by slow, gradual destruction.
To slowly deteriorate
B. WANT TO DISCUSS A CONTRDICTION?
HOW ABOUT A GREAT PARADOX?
You want to hear a seemingly contradictory or opposed state of common sense?
C. JUST ASK AHITHOPHEL (uh-HITH-uh-fel) ABOUT DAVID.
Ahithophel was one of the wises men of his day.
He was a counselor to three different Kings and several preachers.
He was so smart and his words were so wise, victory followed Ahithophel.
D. Ahithophel judged by the outward appearance.
Ahithophel knew David was a GROSS SINNER, Ahithophel was wise enough to see lazy, sinful habits.
2 Samuel 11:1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still
at Jerusalem.
E. HISTORY TEACHES THAT BATHSHEBA WAS THE DAUGHTER OF ELIAM, ELIAM WAS THE SON OF AHITHOPEL, SO AHITHOPEL WAS BATHSHEBA’S GRANDFATHER.
F. URIAIAH THE HITTITE WAS AHITHOPEL’S GRANDSON IN LAW...
Ahithophel had to visit the funeral home because of David’s sin...
G. AHITHOPEL STOOD IN THE SILENT HALLWAY OF THE FUNERALHOME AND MOURNED WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN! URIAH THE HITTITE WAS FALLEN!
IX. THERE WILL ALWAYS GROW A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO RUN!
EROSION IN THE PAST CAN NOT DICTATE THE FUTURE.
BECAUSE I KNOW THE HUMAN, I WILL LET IT DRIVE THE SPIRITUAL!
LIFE HAS ERODED MY CONFIDENCE!
A. David committed adultery.
B. He fathered a child out of wedlock.
C. He had Uriah killed and thus guitly of mansluaghter if not out right murder.
David was a liar.
D. David did not always manage God’s nation properly.
E. David’s choices and counting the people cost death in the whole nation.
F. MOST OF ALL DAVID HAD A ROTTEN HOME LIFE,
HIS SON RAPED HIS DAUGHTER? AHITHOPEL KNEW ALL ABOUT THE ROTTEN HOME LIFE AND JUDGED OTHERS BECAUSE HE KNEW!
G. ALONG COMES AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE HUMAN SIDE.
Ahithophel joined with the rebellion against David.
Absalom and was among the conspirators against King David and Ahithophel was quick to seize the opportunity.
2 Samuel 17:23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and
put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
X. GOD SEES THINGS DIFFERENT THAN MEN SEE THINGS.
1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
A. HOW CAN WE EXPLAIN HOW GOD SEES THINGS?
Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
B. WITH EVERY MISTAKE --- SEEMS DAVID WOULD COME TO GOD AND REPENT.
C. ALONG WITH REAL REPENTANCE, DAVID LEARNED FROM HIS MISTAKES.
D. DAVID LISTENED TO THE PREACHER.
2 Samuel 12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
E. David was correctable, humble, teachable ...
David heeded the men of God and their lessons.
XI. THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR SPIRIT MAN WILL DETERMINE THE OUTCOME?
WILL WE ALLOW SPIRITUAL EROSION AND WATCHING OTHER PEOPLE KEEP US CRYING IN OUR TENTS?
1 Samuel 17:11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17:26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach
from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
Will we step up and allow God to bring victory to the camp through our teachable, humble, submissive, repentant hearts?
Will we listen?
Will we learn from our mistakes?
Will we heed the Preacher and the Word of God?
Do you need to move? Or DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Will you help my team advance? Will you pass this on to another?
