WHAT SHALL I GIVE? YOUR GIVING REVEALS YOUR TREASURE.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Maybe 1974, we were gathered around my Mom and Dad's Christmas tree. Everyone was happy.
The gifts were passed to each person, the unwrapping was joyful time. When it was all over there
was not one present under the tree for Jesus. Not one. It was not my birthday, it was the SON OF
GOD'S BIRTHDAY AND NOT ONE PRESENT FOR HIM... I was sad and promised myself, NEVER
AGAIN... If I were a preacher I would warn everyone to do better... LET'S GIVE JESUS SOME
THING SPECIAL THIS YEAR...
I. YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVE, BUT YOU CAN NEVER LOVE WITHOUT GIVING...
A. A GIFT WITHOUT LOVE IS SO EMPTY...
1 Cor. 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
[2] And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and
though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
[3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
B. ALL GIVING, NOT PART...
Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the
soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole
burnt offerings and sacrifices.
II. THERE IS MORE TO SERVING GOD THAN EMPTY GIVING...
CAIN GAVE, GOD WAS NOT PLEASED WITH HIS GIFT...
A. WE CAN GIVE LESS THAN OUR BEST... ???
1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than
the fat of rams.
B. GIVING MUST BE FROM THE HEART...
Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering
and sin offering hast thou not required.
III. THE GIFT OF HIS WORD --- THE WORD OF GOD DOES THE WORK OF GOD!
A. HIS WORD... OUR HEART...
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
B. LACK OF THE WORD IS SUDDEN DEATH...
Mark 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard,
Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
C. DELIVERANCE COMES FROM THE WORD...
Psalm 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
IV. JESUS CARES FOR YOU --- GIVE IT ALL --- GIVE IT ALL TO JESUS!
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
A. GIVE YOUR CARES TO JESUS,
Life can become HEAVY...
We can STAGGER BENEATH THE WEIGHT of our load.
Burdens and pain can become crushing...
B. Our heavy weights are not more than the weight of dust to God...
WHEN IT IS OVER OUR HEADS, IT IS UNDER HIS FEET...
Jesus cares for me and invites me to GIVE my BURDENS, problems, trials, family... TO HIM...
C. Despair? Hope!
Opposition? Faith!
Trouble? JOY!
Dark night? JOY COMES IN THE MORNING...
D. FAMINE? Little oil, little meal...
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
V. I GIVE MYSELF TO PRAYER...
Psalm 109:4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
A. David had some problems, people took some truth and distorted the facts about him...
DAVID PLEADS HIS CASE IN A HIGHER COURT...
B. DAVID GAVE HIMSELF TO PRAYER...
EXERCISE
PRACTICE
C. JUST AS JACOB WRESTLED ALL NIGHT...
VII. YOUR GIVING BUILDS A DAM OR BRINGS A RELEASE...???
YOUR GIVING TELLS ALOT ABOUT YOU...
WHAT YOU LOVE YOU WILL GIVE TO...
TO I HAVE TO GIVE REVEALS A HEART PROBLEM...
A. YOUR GIVING IS THE HINGE OF YOUR RECEIVING...
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. LOVE LOVES TO GIVE... GIVING IS NEVER A SACRIFICE WHERE LOVE ABOUNDS...
VII. ACCIDENTAL--- NEED GIVING VERUS PLANNED--- DELIBERATE GIVING...
MATTHEW 10:8 FREELY YE HAVE RECEIVED--- FREELY GIVE...
A. RECEIVE ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN...
1 Cor. 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall
receive his own reward according to his own labour.
B. GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER...
GIVE A LITTLE GET A LITTLE
2 Cor. 9:6 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.
VIII. GIVING REVEALS THE HEART'S VALUE SYSTEM...
Matthew 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and
his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
[34] O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance
of the heart the mouth speaketh.
[35] A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man
out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
LET US GIVE THE BEST GIFT WE CAN FOR CHRISTMAS...
PLANNED, MEASURED AND ON PURPOSE GIVING...
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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