Be A Nurturer! Be A Feeder!

BE A NURTURER, BE A FEEDER!

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

This can be a two part series.

I. TEXT:

KJV

Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

NIV

Proverbs 11:25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Living

Proverbs 11:25 Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself. he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Message

Proverbs 11:25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

I heard there was a small airplane crash in the desert, two or three people survived.

The people were dying for water and starving to death.

One of the men found there was an abundance of cacti or cactuses.

They cut into the cacti and found plenty of water.

They peeled back the spines and thorns and ate the cacti.

Their stomachs were full when they found the bodies.

The cacti had no nourishment, there was not life sustaining compounds in the plant.

II. Nurture

Training, upbringing, educate, raise,

The sum of influences modifying the expression of potential

To help develop, foster

Nourish

To promote the growth

To furnish or sustain

Provisions, food,

III. WHERE ARE THE NURTURERS?

PHYSICAL?

EMOTIONAL? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH UNHAPPINESS

MENTAL? FATGUE, PRESSURE?

SPIRITUAL? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH LONELINESS

1 Cor. 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

A. GOD’S DESIGN IS FOR PEOPLE TO TOUCH, ENCOUAGE, UPLIFT OTHER PEOPLE!

B. There are a lot of Dad’s but few Fathers.

Provider

Mentor

Model

Nourish

IV. GOD RAISES UP NOURISHERS IN HARD TIMES.

GOD KNEW 15 TO 17 YEARS PRIOR TO THIS 7 YEAR DROUGHT AND GOD MOVED

A MAN TO BE NURTURER TO SUSTAIN HIS FAMILY.

A. TWO YEARS INTO THE DROUGHT JACOB SENT 10 OF HIS SONS TO EGYPT.

B. THE 11th SON IS THOUGHT TO BE DEAD.

C. THE 12th SON IS PRECIOUS TO JACOB, BENJAMIN.

Genesis 50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

V. IT IS GOD’S PLAN AND DESIGN FOR US TO NURTURE THE HUNGRY AND TIRED! WE CAN EXCUSE AND ACCUSE, BUT WE ARE CALLED TO FEED.

A. JESUS HAD A TEST FOR HIS BOYS TO LEARN.

FEED THEM? HOW CAN WE FEED THEM?

But what are they among so many?

Mark 8:2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for

divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

B. THERE IS FOOD BEYOND BREAD AND WATER!

John 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

VI. DO YOU LOVE ME? THEN FEED --- NOURISH --- GROW

OUR LOVE HINGES ON FEEDING~

John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

John 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

VII. ZIG ZIGLER IS A SOUGHT AFTER MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER:

ZIG SAYS:

You can get everything you want in life ---

if you will just help enough other people get what they want!

VIII. WE HAVE THE TENDANCY TO INVITE THOSE THAT INVITE US!

Luke 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

IX. HOW SHALL WE TEST LOVE?

Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.