| Me and My Monkey! 5/20/15 2 Corinthians 1:4 (KJV) 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. I give due tribute to the man I recently ordained, PASTOR Michael Smith! The above Verse is the Verse his life and ministry are founded upon. ME AND MY MONKEY!! Actually, the whole quote is from the Beatles: "EVERYBODY GOT SOMETHING TO HIDE 'CEPTE FOR ME AND MY MONKEY!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lngGPsJ1pQ Please "do NOT attempt at home" to figure out what they meant-I agree-It is gibberish with absolutely no meaning BUT it makes a good sermon title!! What I receive, what I "get," from those words is that EVERYBODY "got something to hide!!!!" We ALL have HIDDEN sorrow and pain and even HIDDEN sins. And few, if anybody 'cept our monkey knows, cares, or understands!!! Oftentimes, IN THIS life, no good deed goes unpunished!!! WE try to do one thing which adversely affects another thing in each of our lives. I liken it to one of those long, slender balloons that clowns use to make animal caricatures. These same balloons sometimes have weak spots which causes them to bubble. WE are like the clown balloons! We notice a bubble at one end of the long balloon and rush to try to "fix" it. That "WEAK spot" may be our marriage of our children or even our personal health or finances. We put extra effort and attention to smooth out the bubble only to see another bubble form on the other end of OUR balloon. That bubble may be our faith, that new bubble may be on YOUR job, that bubble may be car trouble and expense. EVERY TIME we "think" we have all the bubbles "fixed" another bubble pops up. How does the Bible phrase this??? 1 Corinthians 10:12 (KJV)
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Just when WE think all is well, just when WE FINALLY have true "peace in the valley" another bubble/storm arrives-most of the time unexpected!!!! Many of these bubbles/storms leave US bewildered and baffled??? WE have never walked this path before. Friends and loved ones offer good, heartfelt and sound advice and wisdom. But even then they must admit they have not walked that path themselves. The real truth is that EVERYBODY got something to hide/battle/struggle with. And that includes YOU and your monkey!!! Which brings me back around to the opening Verse: 2 Corinthians 1:4 (KJV) 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. Often, TOO OFTEN, we remark or receive another remark: "ALL I/WE can do is PRAY!!!!!!!" Sadly, as IF PRAYER is a LAST resort instead of what it should be-OUR FIRST RESORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I BELIEVE IN PRAYER, DEAR SAINTS, MEMBERS, AND READERS!!!! I BELIEVE IN PRAYER FIRST AND FOREMOST!!! I well know PRAYER makes little or no sense to our "rational, educated" minds/idiot boxes!!! WE think there must be an instant solution to every problem. Psalm 90:4 (KJV)
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. 2 Peter 3:8 (KJV)
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. God is NOT like instant potatoes, God is NOT like a microwave oven or McDonald's drive thru. Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV)
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Our Lord is NOT a Burger King- "HAVE IT YOUR WAY!!!" WE were not there when God "laid the foundations of the earth!!!!" Job 38:4 (KJV)
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. SOMETIMES, beloved, WE do not have any answer or quick solution! SOMETIMES, ALL WE CAN DO IS PRAY, BELIEVE AND TRUST!!! "EVERYBODY GOT SOMETHING TO HIDE 'CEPT FOR ME AND MY MONKEY!!!!" GOD BLESS YOU!!! PASTOR DOUG Please feel free to contact me ANYTIME at [email protected] , by phone 404-295-5644 or Church address: GOSPEL OUTREACH CHURCH 70 STONE RD. MCDONOUGH, GA. 30253 Any donations will be GREATLY appreciated and can be sent to the Church address or by accessing PAYPAL on our web site www.gospeloutreachchurch.com PS! The Pastor of the Church I mentioned Sunday-the one with the locked iron gates-replied to my inquiry and said the gates were erected to "keep the big rigs from parking in the lot!!" They were illegally parking there and breaking his curbs!! I thought you might want to know the end of the story. PS.,PS -A dear friend in Canada wrote me to say when he read the title of Sunday's sermon, he thought he had OFFENDED me and I was writing to tell him to SHUT UP!!! I quickly cleared that up with my dear brother!! SMILE!! GOD BLESS YOU AGAIN!
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