Bro. James Hughes shares a story with us about his grandson going through the house looking for him. As the boy continued to look, he became more desperate to find him. Bro. Hughes relates this story to how God feels when we come into the house of God and fervently seek him. Bro. Hughes’ parents did not grow up in a house where church and a relationship with God was an important thing. Mom and Pop Hughes came to the Lord later in life. Someone took the time to show the elder Hughes the joy of living for God. They in turn imparted to their children this joy. It is important for each generation to teach the next the joy and importance of living for the Lord. We have the power to influence lives today now and in the future. If we want our children and grandchildren to know about Pentecost, we must show them both directly and by the way we live our lives. We live in a drastically changing world, but the God we serve has not changed. He desires to have the same relationship with us that He has always had. Bro. Hughes tells us that it is the responsibility of the older generation to show the younger generation how it is done. If we want another generation to see who God is and how He loves us, we have to show them through our life.

We often meet people who are failures, but rarely if ever do we meet someone who set out to fail. There are many things in life, which we cannot control. We did not get to choose the circumstances of our birth. We had no say in where, when or to whom we were born. There are things that happen to us that we cannot control. Storms (physical or spiritual) come at their own pace and on their own schedule. Our text is from the Sermon on the Mount. It is a message that is full of principles of living on which we can build our life. The life built upon these principles is a life of success. Although we may not have gotten to choose how things have gone up to now, by living by the principles in the Sermon on the Mount, we can determine the rest of our life from now to eternity. He says that if we take his message to heart and make it part of our life, we get to choose how the story ends. Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with the story of two builders. Both builders set out to build a house. Both had building skills, desire, and the ability to get the job done. Both had to face the same challenges building their homes. One made a choice that ensured that his house would be strong and last for a long time. The other also made a choice, but his choice produced results that did not end well. Both men made choices, but only one looked down the road and chose to take the path that would yield the best possible results. Bro. Hughes asks us to look down the road of our life and ask the question: “Will I like how the story will end if I continue on this path?” Like the two homebuilders, we all have a choice to make. We must decide how the story ends.

We often meet people who are failures, but rarely if ever do we meet someone who set out to fail. There are many things in life, which we cannot control. We did not get to choose the circumstances of our birth. We had no say in where, when or to whom we were born. There are things that happen to us that we cannot control. Storms (physical or spiritual) come at their own pace and on their own schedule. Our text is from the Sermon on the Mount. It is a message that is full of principles of living on which we can build our life. The life built upon these principles is a life of success. Although we may not have gotten to choose how things have gone up to now, by living by the principles in the Sermon on the Mount, we can determine the rest of our life from now to eternity. He says that if we take his message to heart and make it part of our life, we get to choose how the story ends. Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with the story of two builders. Both builders set out to build a house. Both had building skills, desire, and the ability to get the job done. Both had to face the same challenges building their homes. One made a choice that ensured that his house would be strong and last for a long time. The other also made a choice, but his choice produced results that did not end well. Both men made choices, but only one looked down the road and chose to take the path that would yield the best possible results. Bro. Hughes asks us to look down the road of our life and ask the question: “Will I like how the story will end if I continue on this path?” Like the two homebuilders, we all have a choice to make. We must decide how the story ends.

The Christmas story is full of wonderful and powerful messages. Bro. Hughes notes that it is unfortunate that the Christmas message is only talked about during the Christmas season. The Christmas story is full of what Bro. Hughes calls Stars of Hope. Mary’s entire life was forever transformed by a word from God. The bible is full of stories where a situation or a life was changed by a word from God. A word from God, even from an unlikely source, can transform everything. In another part of the Christmas story is that God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary and Elizabeth. There are times in life when God will send a messenger with a word. The wise men from our text said that a star led them. The sign given by God led them and the entire world to a specific place. God didn’t give general directions, but provided a direct route to the presence of Jesus. God gives specific directions if we will simply follow them. The wise men came from far away. Many who were close did not even know He had come. Often it is that we miss what is closest. We do not realize the gift that is with us always. Bro. Hughes reminds us to not miss what is closest to us during this season.

The Christmas story is full of wonderful and powerful messages. Bro. Hughes notes that it is unfortunate that the Christmas message is only talked about during the Christmas season. The Christmas story is full of what Bro. Hughes calls Stars of Hope. Mary’s entire life was forever transformed by a word from God. The bible is full of stories where a situation or a life was changed by a word from God. A word from God, even from an unlikely source, can transform everything. In another part of the Christmas story is that God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary and Elizabeth. There are times in life when God will send a messenger with a word. The wise men from our text said that a star led them. The sign given by God led them and the entire world to a specific place. God didn’t give general directions, but provided a direct route to the presence of Jesus. God gives specific directions if we will simply follow them. The wise men came from far away. Many who were close did not even know He had come. Often it is that we miss what is closest. We do not realize the gift that is with us always. Bro. Hughes reminds us to not miss what is closest to us during this season.

In the story from our scripture text in Mark, we see one of the most prolific displays of how evil can ruin a life. Many read this story and dismiss it as not applying to their life because they do not perceive their situation to be as dire as the man Jesus found when he got off the boat. Bro. Hughes points out that often in scripture an example is taken to the extreme to illustrate a point. The story in Mark 5 is the story of what evil can and will do to any of us when allowed to enter into and remain in our life. Evil had taken over and controlled this man’s life to the point where it had driven him away from the people who loved him and everything that was good and worthwhile in his life. When we let evil in the first time, it does not appear as it does in Mark 5, but it disguises itself as something else and lies to gain entry. Once there, it begins to reveal itself for what it is and to multiply and grow. Evil will always separate us from the people that love us and can best help us recover from our failures. Evil has an ulterior motive and it always wants more and more control in our life.

The bible tells us that this man was at the lowest point he could be. But when he saw Jesus afar off, the man recognized the presence of the Lord and he ran to Jesus and worshiped. In spite of his pitiful situation and the demons that had control of him, he realized an opportunity to worship the Lord and change his life. Bro. Hughes remarks that it is amazing that Jesus would even come to such a place. The Lord knew what he would find when he got there. He knew of the mess that this man’s life was and yet He was not afraid to go to where the need was. Jesus was not afraid of the mess that this man’s life was, and He is not afraid of the mess that we may have in our life. Our life may not be where we need or want it to be, but no matter what situation we have in our life, God is not afraid to step into that situation. He won’t even make us come to him, Jesus traveled across the sea to find this man in his pitiful situation. He is not afraid of our sin, our failures or our iniquities. He will come all the way to hell to save us if He needs to. This story illustrates a simple truth: No matter what our trouble, problem or situation, the best thing to do is to run to Jesus. He is not afraid of our mess.

In the story from our scripture text in Mark, we see one of the most prolific displays of how evil can ruin a life. Many read this story and dismiss it as not applying to their life because they do not perceive their situation to be as dire as the man Jesus found when he got off the boat. Bro. Hughes points out that often in scripture an example is taken to the extreme to illustrate a point. The story in Mark 5 is the story of what evil can and will do to any of us when allowed to enter into and remain in our life. Evil had taken over and controlled this man’s life to the point where it had driven him away from the people who loved him and everything that was good and worthwhile in his life. When we let evil in the first time, it does not appear as it does in Mark 5, but it disguises itself as something else and lies to gain entry. Once there, it begins to reveal itself for what it is and to multiply and grow. Evil will always separate us from the people that love us and can best help us recover from our failures. Evil has an ulterior motive and it always wants more and more control in our life.

The bible tells us that this man was at the lowest point he could be. But when he saw Jesus afar off, the man recognized the presence of the Lord and he ran to Jesus and worshiped. In spite of his pitiful situation and the demons that had control of him, he realized an opportunity to worship the Lord and change his life. Bro. Hughes remarks that it is amazing that Jesus would even come to such a place. The Lord knew what he would find when he got there. He knew of the mess that this man’s life was and yet He was not afraid to go to where the need was. Jesus was not afraid of the mess that this man’s life was, and He is not afraid of the mess that we may have in our life. Our life may not be where we need or want it to be, but no matter what situation we have in our life, God is not afraid to step into that situation. He won’t even make us come to him, Jesus traveled across the sea to find this man in his pitiful situation. He is not afraid of our sin, our failures or our iniquities. He will come all the way to hell to save us if He needs to. This story illustrates a simple truth: No matter what our trouble, problem or situation, the best thing to do is to run to Jesus. He is not afraid of our mess.

Our ability to see is often taken for granted. We do not usually wake each day and thank God for our sight. However if we were to lose the ability to see, it would greatly affect our life. In addition to being able to see, the ability to look ahead and see what is coming in life is vitally important. If we cannot see past the present moment, we run the risk of making miserable mistakes. What we are doing now has the potential to have long lasting affects on our lives. Peter was writing to a people who had been saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, but that had never grown or gotten past the initial experience of when they first believed. Bro. Hughes asks: “Are you a better person now than when God saved you?” The people in our scripture text still held on to the lifestyle and vices from which they had been delivered. Our lifestyle and culture has conditioned us to only focus on the here and now. Decisions are made based upon expediency and convenience rather than evaluating the consequences of those decisions down the road. Our world is focused on instant gratification with no consideration of the long term. The inability to see how the decisions we are making (or not making) today will lead us in the future can have serious consequences in our future.

Life confronts us with many complexities and dilemmas. Many times in life where we are called to face situations that are greater than we can face with the resources we have available to us. Often we are staggered when viewing the difference in what we have available to us and what we are called upon to do. Our text sets up such a situation. The multitude gathered that day numbered in excess of 10,000 people. The disciples knew that they could not feed that crowd with five loaves and two fish. The disciples could not imagine that the resources to meet the need before them were on that hillside. This miracle teaches many things, but Bro. Hughes points out that one of the most important things it teaches is that Jesus awakens possibilities that otherwise are not available. When He becomes involved, the situation changes.

This miracle teaches us many things. It teaches us that we have to use what we have no matter how meager it may be. It also teaches us, that until we use what we have, we will only have what we have. Until we are willing to put what we have in His hands, we will only have what we have. Until we use what we have, we will never have more than we have now. If it is going to grow it has to be developed. The third lesson this story teaches is that no matter what our failings or limitations may be, He has none! Finally this miracle teaches us that God wants what we have to bless us. He can take whatever we have and use it to bless our life. The multitude was fed with the loaves and fishes that they brought. Human nature is to wait for things to get better. Life does not give us that opportunity. Bro. Hughes tells us that we have to play the game of life with what we have. We have to use what we have right now and give it to God to meet the situation that presents itself.

When the question is “what do we have?” and the answer is “not much” we have to learn to put what we have into God’s hands and He will use what we have to rise and meet the challenge.

Our ability to see is often taken for granted. We do not usually wake each day and thank God for our sight. However if we were to lose the ability to see, it would greatly affect our life. In addition to being able to see, the ability to look ahead and see what is coming in life is vitally important. If we cannot see past the present moment, we run the risk of making miserable mistakes. What we are doing now has the potential to have long lasting affects on our lives. Peter was writing to a people who had been saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, but that had never grown or gotten past the initial experience of when they first believed. Bro. Hughes asks: “Are you a better person now than when God saved you?” The people in our scripture text still held on to the lifestyle and vices from which they had been delivered. Our lifestyle and culture has conditioned us to only focus on the here and now. Decisions are made based upon expediency and convenience rather than evaluating the consequences of those decisions down the road. Our world is focused on instant gratification with no consideration of the long term. The inability to see how the decisions we are making (or not making) today will lead us in the future can have serious consequences in our future.