hard work

Grab Another Gear and Go

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In Matthew 11:12 we read “ From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” For a long time, I did not understand this verse. I would read it, scratch my head and ask God “What in the world are you talking about?” The Bible says to ask and you will receive, so one day while I was driving He showed me what this verse meant.

I was driving up the road in my little pickup when I met a truck pulling an open-sided trailer hauling 10 or 12 cars. As the air went over, under, and around these cars, a forceful turbulence was created. As I encountered this turbulent air, it was like a violent force that almost stopped my pickup. To continue on my way I had to become more forceful than this wall of invisible air. So I grabbed another gear, stepped on the gas, and powered through the violence.

This is the lesson I learned. The kingdom of heaven and God’s children have always faced violent attacks from Satanic forces. These attacks have and will increase as the Great Day of the Lord draws nearer. God’s people must not be fooled by those who tell us we should be tolerant and compromising. Like David, we must fill our pockets with stones and like Jesus, we must prepare to turn some tables over.

Jesus told us in this world we would face turbulence. But we need not be afraid, He has overcome the world. Satan will continue to attack us with violence and force. But with God, we will gain the victory and He will trample down the enemy. So when the enemy comes at us with a wall of turbulence and trouble, don’t let it slow you down. Lean into it, grab another gear, step on the gas, and go.

Douglas & Deborah Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

Email- pavementendsministry@gmail.com

It is Good

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In the first chapter of the Bible we read the glorious story of how all things came to be. It is a marvelously simple record of God coming from nowhere, standing on nothing, and by the power of His Word, speaking everything into existence. After the creation of all things, He created one more thing. He created rest. In the day of rest, He looked around at all things and said “This is good”.

Deborah and I once spent a weekend on top of Lookout Mountain. Now this mountain is well named because from its peak you can look out and see a beautiful and majestic world. The grandeur of the river and woods remind you of God’s opinion that this world is good.

Also, from the top of Lookout Mountain, you could smell the smoke of a distant fire and hear the lonesome whistle of a faraway train. As I looked at the cities and towns, with their busy factories and highways, I knew this too was God’s plan. Because after He created all things, He turned to man and said “This is yours to have dominion over.” I believe that when God looks at the works of man He smiles and says “ This is good.”

It is good to go up a mountain sometimes. Because down here the world looks pretty messed up. Wars and rumors of wars and the wickedness of man make this world look hopelessly bad. But on the mountain, you can see the world as God sees it. He is The Great I AM. He has said, I am God and I change not. Because He does not change, His creation is still good. Jesus Christ is the Light of the world and God the Father still says, “It is good.”

Douglas & Deborah Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

I Believe

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I believe that laughter of children is sweet music and the love of a child can put a song in your heart. I believe that the sweat from hard work feels good and the reward of working hard is a good feeling. I believe that reading the Bible while the sun comes up is the best way to start the day. A cup of coffee while talking to God will make the day good to the last drop. The Bible tells us in Romans 15:13 “ The God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus said whoever believes in Him will never die and I know this to be true. I also am convinced that whoever does not believe in Jesus has never lived. Belief is a powerful thing. It can imprint on your life unending hope and it can erase from your life debilitating fear. Belief in the Savior has caused crippled men to walk, blind men to see and dead men to live. I believe that God is good and greatly to be praised. I will praise God in all things, good and bad.

God has promised that with a little faith, we can prayerfully move mountains. If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, your prayers can bring healing to the sick, salvation to the lost and hope to the hopeless. This is true for all of us who believe in the power of Jesus our Savior. Sometimes in our human frailties, we struggle to believe this. But if we cry out to Jesus, He will help us in our unbelief.

I believe that my sins are great but God’s forgiveness is greater. I believe that when I fall my Jesus will be there to pick me up. In my weakness, I often stumble but I have this certain assurance that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. I know that I am righteous, but only because of the shed blood of Jesus. So for this reason I have firmly planted my feet on the Rock of my salvation. This salvation is found only in Jesus Christ the Son of God. HE is the One in whom I believe.

Douglas & Deborah Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

Nothing Special

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God specializes in nothing special. That which is ordinary is His specialty. You might think God would specialize in the extraordinary and would deal only with superiority. After all, the Bible tells us that God, “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think?

Yes, He is an omnipotent God with unimaginable power and ability. He is the God who spoke the universe into existence and directed light to come from darkness. He is superior to all things because He is The Maker of all things. He is the grand and glorious God, who specializes in nothing special.

Think about the ordinary things that throughout history God has used. For example, look at God’s greatest treasure, mankind. God formed man from a handful of ordinary dirt. Later He told Moses to use a simple staff to divide the Red Sea. And later still a plain shepherd boy named David would use an ordinary rock to kill a loud mouth giant. Even Jesus, our Savior was born in a cow shed and His first bed was a feed trough. Jesus then called twelve ordinary men to be the ones who would saturate the world with an extraordinary Gospel. You see God really does specialize in nothing special.

So, what does all this mean to us? Well, I think it is time to stop waiting on the doctors of divinity and professors of preaching to deliver revival. And don’t expect the mega-churches and tv preachers to bring about a great awakening. The Bible tells us “That not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” Because, “God gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases their strength.” He reveals His supernatural power by using ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Here lies the strength of God. He can use stone cutters and carpenters to hammer out Satan’s influence. He will employ truck drivers and mailmen to deliver the gospel and farmers and sewing machine operators to sow seeds of hope. Meanwhile crane operators and Godly parents are raising up a new generation of evangelists. You see it does not matter who you are, where you are or what you are doing, God has a special calling for you. Maybe you are nothing special, but you are just what God wants, because He specializes in using nothing special for His glory.

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. “I Corinthians 1:26-28”

Douglas and Deborah Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

Email-pavementendsministry@gmail.com

Zaccheaus, You Come Down

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Have you ever been thirsty or hungry or tired and not know it? I have, there have been times when I would be busy doing something and simply forget to take time to eat or drink or rest. But then I would hit a wall. I would realize that I could not keep going one more minute, because I had a need. I needed food or water or rest. When I would take a drink of cool water it would rejuvenate my whole body. It would make me wonder why it took me so long to realize that I had a need.

Zacchaeus was a man with a need. He had been so busy becoming a rich man that he did not realize how poor and tired and hungry he really was. One day he heard a crowd coming, and asked, “what is going on.?” Some one said,”Jesus is coming.” So Zaccheaus climbed a tree to see who Jesus was. When Jesus saw him in the tree He said,”Zaccheaus, come on down I am going to your house today.” That day Zaccheaus found that Jesus met a need he did not know he had.

I know that many of you today are spiritually thirsty, hungry and tired. You have been so busy trying to live life that you have neglected to care for your soul. Now, you are out on a limb and you have a need that you can not fill.

Jesus is the Son of Man who came to seek and save the lost. He is looking up at you on your limb and saying, “ come on down I want to go to your house today.” If you will receive Him, He will bring salvation to your house. Then you can quince your thirst with His living water, satisfying your hunger with the Bread of Life and rest your weary head on His gentle shoulder.

Douglas Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

Being Old Is Not The Same As Being Done

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In Joshua 13:1 we read these words; “Joshua was now old, getting on in years, and the Lord said to him, “You have become old, getting on in years, but a great deal of the land remains to be possessed.” Now I wonder, was God displaying a sense of humor here. Really, as Joshua stood there with all the aches and pains that come with age and the long years of service to God, do you think that he needed God to tell him that he was old? No, i don’t think so,I really think that God may have chuckled when He said this.

I have had a good many birthdays. When I crawl out of bed in the morning my bones creak and pop. Then I reach for my glasses because the years have blurred my eyesight. Old wounds and scars I have accumulated throughout the years remind me of some of the dumb things I have done to myself. So if God where to say to me, ” Doug, you are old and advanced in years” I would chuckle and say, ” you think.”

Now, when God told Joshua that he was old, He also told him that there was a lot more land to possess. In other words God said, Joshua you are old, but you ain’t done. So rub some oil on those creaky old bones and get up and get busy.

In my years on this earth I have seen a lot and done a lot. But I am not finished yet. There is still a lot more to do and see. I believe that God has said to me, Doug, you are old and advanced in years but you ain’t done yet. There is more work to do, so get up and get busy.

Now many of you like me, have had a lot of birthdays. All those birthdays are making your bones ache and your muscles hurt. However if you have pain that is proof that you are alive and if you are alive that is proof that you ain’t done yet. God is saying rub some creme on those old muscles then get up and get busy. Remember, make plans for the future as if you have many tomorrows, but live today as if you have none.

Douglas Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

Finish Strong

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Joash was a King of the nation of Judah. His mentor and advisor was a priest named Jehoiada. For many years the King was a great leader. Because of the influence of Jehoiada he made wise decisions and his leadership was pleasing to God. For this reason the nation was blessed. But then, Jehoiada died.

With the death of his Godly mentor, Joash lost his mooring. He then surrounded himself with ungodly men who led him to make poor choices. These men influenced the King to turn from worshiping God. This led to great suffering in Judah. The first part of his reign was filled with greatness, the second part was marred with failure. Joash was a good man who listened to the advice of wicked people, for this reason he died in shame and disgrace.

A local college football team was often encouraged by their coach to “Finish the drill”.

The coach was telling them to stay focused on the goal. They had to stay strong, remain grounded in their training and finish what they started. King Joash was a good man who started strong. But he did not remain grounded in his faith and he did not finish the drill.

Years ago I was watching the World Series when the announcer made a profound statement. He said that the championship teams did not get to the top by practicing the doing of great things. These teams were great champions because they hit the field every day and practiced simple and fundamental baseball. Practice keeping both hands on the glove and the impossible over the shoulder catches will come.

In the Bible Jesus promised that we can do great things. However, He taught us to do the simple things. As children of God, the greatest trophy we can hope to receive is to hear Jesus say “Well done My good and faithful servant.” This will happen only if we stay focused on the fundamentals. We must read the Bible daily, pray constantly and surround ourselves with Godly people.

Remember, it does not matter where you started, it is where you finish that counts. So focus on God, be led by the Holy Spirit, put on the mind of Christ, and finish strong.

Douglas & Deborah Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

My Daddy

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In Honor of my Daddy; Russell Huff, He served God and dedicated his life to loving my Momma and raising nine children. He was the greatest man I have ever known!

My Daddy, My Hero
Big bucks, deep deer trails, squirrels cutting hickory nuts,
Cane cutter rabbits, cold November mornings
Deer stands, and my daddy,
Thank you God!
Broad River, wooden boat, 5-horse motor,
bank hooks, trotlines, and fish baskets
Big carps, big catfish and my daddy
Thank you God
Oak trees, hickory trees, popular trees
Chainsaw, axe, log splitter, old pickup truck
Warm house and my daddy,
Thank you God
A Farmall, B Allis Chalmers, Cornfield,
Tomater rows, pea patch and butter beans
A cold drink of water, Suppertime and my daddy
Thank you God
Five sisters, three brothers, mommas smile
Laughter, tears, riding sweet gum saplings
Hickory switch when needed, lotsa love always
And my daddy, my precious Daddy,
Thank you God!
Thank you God; for my daddy, my hero, he taught me how to be a man!

Douglas Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

Close Enough to Perfect for Me

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““Many women are capable, but you surpass them all! ” Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates.”

Proverbs 31:29-31 HCSB

I have often described the Proverbs 31 woman as the biblical Barbie Doll. Why? Because just as it is impossible for a young girl to attain the perfect form of a Barbie doll, it is also impossible for any woman to attain to the perfection of the Proverbs 31 woman. No, perfection cannot be attained this side of Glory. However, in Proverb 31:30, King Lemuel’s mother is telling him that a Godly woman who fears the Lord is close enough to perfect for her.

My Mama, Roosa Lou Moon Huff will be the first to tell you that she is not perfect. But, homemade biscuits and pear preserves for breakfast, macaroni and tomato soup for dinner and fresh vegetables from the garden for supper, were just about perfect meals. Never having much money, but raising nine children who always felt like they were rich, could only be done with love from an almost perfect heart. Because of my Mama’s love and prayer, all of her children grew up to love Jesus. She also taught Sunday School for years and years. Hundreds of children learned about Jesus because Mama always had a perfect love for Him and the little ones He loved.

So Mama, all of your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, your daughters-in-laws and sons-in-laws, your sisters and nieces and nephews, all of the children you taught in Sunday School and the G.A.s, that you hauled around in that green and white van, are going to rise up and call you blessed. Many women are capable, but you surpass them all. We love you Mama. Thank you for always being a Godly woman who fears the Lord. You are close enough to perfect for us.

Douglas Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

pavementendsministry@gmail.com