WHEN YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH
Mrs. Jones had a difficult time getting her five year old son to finish his dinner each night. He wanted sweets rather than nourishing food. One night, she told him that he could not have sweets for the rest of the night unless he ate his dinner. He got up, went to be without eating anything more. The next night, he refused to finish his dinner again.
Since the restriction on sweets did not work, she added, he could not have anything sweet during the following day. He got up from the table and went to bed without finishing. The next night the tension increased. His mother was determined to make him eat his dinner. She told him that he had to finish his dinner, or else he would not be able to come out of his room for the next day.
He got up from the table and went to bed without finishing his meal. The next day the stubborn child stayed in his room the whole day. That night he once again refused to finish dinner and went to his room. The mother was in disbelief. So, she went to his room door and wanted to find what it was which allowed him such strong staying abilities. While at the door she could hear him talking. He was talking to the puppy they had given him. As the child confided in the puppy about his mother and her insistence that he eat his dinner, the mother soon realized that the puppy had been his comfort and security. So, the next night, she said he must finish his food or go to his room. However, she added the punishment that he must surrender his puppy to his sister’s room. The child was shocked and devasted that his mother would add on such a terrible punishment. He ate everythign on his plate.
The mother found his breaking point. Sometimes it is one thing for one person, and another for someone else.
1. SOMETIMES IT TAKES ENOUGH CHASTENING TO BRING A PERSON BACK TO THEIR SENSES.
PEOPLE CAN FINALLY GET TO THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF CHASTENING.
Exodus 9:28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.
2. SOME PEOPLE FEEL THEY HAVE SERVED THE LORD ENOUGH.
OTHERS THINK THEY HAVE LIVED LONG ENOUGH. IT IS NOT UP TO US TO MAKE THAT CONCLUSION. IT IS UP TO GOD. ELIJAH FELT THAT HE HAD DONE ENOUGH IN LIFE.
1 Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
3. SOME PEOPLE FALSELY BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH OF GOD.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING CAN LEAD TO A FALSE LICENSE TO DO WRONG. MANY PEOPLE REALIZED THAT THEY WERE BLESSED, AND THEN THOUGHT THAT GOD WILL ALLOW THEM SPECIAL PRIVILEGES WHICH GOD DID NOT REALLY ALLOW.
1 Kings 10:23-24 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
4. SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE ENOUGH OF GOD WHEN THEY DON’T HAVE HIM AT ALL.
THEY KNOW ABOUT HIM, AND DEPEND ON OTHERS FOR LIGHT. THERE IS ONLY ENOUGH OF GOD FOR EACH PERSON. YOU CAN’T REST ON SOMEONE ELSE TO GET YOU IN WITH GOD OR GET YOU OUT OF TROUBLE. IT DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK THAT WAY.
Matthew 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
5. SOME PEOPLE ARE SENSITIVE ENOUGH THAT THEY GET ENOUGH INNER PAIN TO QUIT THEIR SIN.
A PERSON CAN BECOME OVERWHELMED IN GRIEF OVER THEIR SINS. THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE GRACE OF GOD, HIS FORGIVENESS, AND THE POWER OF GOD TO OVE THEM ON TO THE NEXT STAGE OF GROWTH.
2 Corinthians 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
6. WE HAVE TO GET ENOUGH OF GOD’S CHASTENING BEFORE WE TURN BACK.
IT WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR EACH PERSON.
THERE COMES A TIME OF ENOUGH FAILURES THAT WE ARE READY FOR OUR OWN PENTECOST.
Mark 14:41 And He cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
7. WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES, THERE IS THE DANGER OF DEPENDING ON THAT RATHER THAN GOD.
In preparing for a natural disaster like a large storm or hurricane, what if a family prepared and made sure there was enough stockpiled food and water. But, they didn’t know that rats got in opened the food products, and what they didn’t eat, was overcome by ants and worms. What then ?
GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST. THE DISCIPLES SHOWED JESUS ALL THAT THEY HAD BETWEEN THEMSELVES, THERE WERE ONLY TWO SWORDS AMONG TWELVE DISCIPLES.
Luke 22:38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
8. WHEN YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF DOING THINGS YOUR OWN WAY.
PRODIGAL SON.
Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
”When You’ve Had Enough”
A Bible Study with Dr. Ed J. MacWilliams
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