A CANDLE FOR THE LORD... MAKE ME...
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Matthew 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 6:23 (MSG) If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is
a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!
INTRODUCTION:
I USE AN ENVELOPE AND A CANDLE IN THIS LESSON:
INVESTING IN THE ETERNAL... investing love... RETURN... to surround
INVEST: to furnish with power, to cover completely, to envelope, to commit,
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
I. DO YOU KNOW THE FIRST THING GIVEN IN THE BIBLE...???
A. ALL LIFE COMES FROM GOD...
B. All life on earth comes from the power of LIGHT...
C. GOD'S GIFT OF LIGHT STARTS A PROCESS THAT PRODUCES LIFE...
D. All mankind in totally blind with out light.
Genesis 1:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon
the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
II. GOD IS A GIVER THAT IN SETS THE EXAMPLE...
WHERE IS THE FIRST BLOOD OFFERING GIVEN IN THE BIBLE?
A. WHY ARE YOU HIDING FROM GOD?
God says: WHERE ARE YOU?
God knew where they were and WHY THEY WERE HIDING...
B. NO ADMITTING GUILT, NO REPENTANCE...
Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and
clothed them.
III. WHAT IS THE FIRST RECORD OF MAN'S GIVING?
A. GIVING IS ALWAYS BASED ON ABILITY...
God never expected what you do not have...
B. The issue is often hidden... many say: the blood offering...
C. LEVITICUS informs us GOD ACCEPTS GRAIN OFFERINGS...
Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground
an offering unto the LORD.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had
respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his
countenance fell.
6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
D. THE REAL ISSUE IS CLEAR:
1. Cain brought of the ground... LEFT OVERS...
2. ABEL GAVE OF THE FIRSTLINGS
E. THE LACK OF LOVE GIVING WILL ALWAYS BIRTH ANGER, AND A FALLEN
COUNTENANCE...
F. Do not do the crime... without thinking of the COST...
Genesis 4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
IV. GOD LOVES TO GIVE US FRESH GIFTS...
BY DAILY GIVING ... GOD DESIRES US TO DEPEND ON HIM...
A. MORE THAN AN OMER WOULD ROT, STINK AND WORMS...
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
B. GOD LOVES YOU TO:
1. LEAN
2. LOVE
3. LEARN OF HIM...
V. I AM AMAZED THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE ALWAYS CHILDREN...
Why didn't they become THE ADULTS OF ISRAEL...???
A. GOD WANTS US TO COME AS CHILDREN ... ADOPTED CHILDREN...
B. God desires us to be child like, NOT CHILDISH...
Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me:
for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
C. A CHILD ... RE-INFORCED BEHAVIOR?
John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto
the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you
VI. INVESTING IN THE ETERNAL... investing love... RETURN... to surround
INVEST: to furnish with power, to cover completely, to envelope, to commit,
A. HOW SHALL I GIVE?
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together,
and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete
withal it shall be measured to you again.
B. COVETOUSNESS IS A GIVING KILLER...
C. PLANNED OR PURPOSED GIVING...
2 Corinthians 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before
unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might
be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully
shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity:
for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in
all things, may abound to every good work:
Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have
received, freely give
VII. HARD LIFE CAN CHANGE YOUR INVESTMENT ATTITUDE...
A. GIVE ME
Luke 15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that
falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
B. MAKE ME...
Luke 15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
CONCLUSION:
AS A CANDLE GIVES OF ITSELF FOR THE LIGHT SO MUST WE GIVE AS UNTO THE LORD.
MOLD ME, MAKE ME, BROKEN AND SPILLED OUT...
As David gave 5 smooth stones...
AS DAVID LONGED FOR WATER FROM HOME... HE INVESTED THE WATER AND POURED IT
OUT AS AN OFFERING...
As the boy gave his biscuits and minnows...
As the widow made the last cake for the Preacher...
As the woman broke her ALABASTER BOX...
Matthew 26:7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment,
and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
Matthew 26:13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world,
there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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