#6 UNDERSTANDING LOVE: LOVE HAS NO SACRIFICES! GIVING!
PASS THE BISCUIT! I COULD HAVE DONE MORE... REGRET
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I SET AROUND THE DEATH BED OF AN INDIVIDUAL
AND THE DISCUSS SEEMS TO ALWAYS END UP IN REGRET...
I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYONE SAY: I GAVE TOO MUCH?
TEXT: LOVE GIVES:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
GOD IS LOVE --- GOD SO LOVES!
IF WE REALLY UNDERSTAND LOVE WE LEARN THAT NOT EVERYTHING IS
ABOUT VISTORY... LOVE NEVER QUITS...
Why do we know BABE RUTH?
He was the HOME RUN KING --- 714 HOME RUNS...
Did you know he was also the STRIKE OUT KING? 1330 strike outs...
Almost 2 strike outs to every home run.
YOU EVER HEAR OF MICHAEL JACKSON?
WHO WE CALL HIM A SUCCESS?
In his career Michael Jordan missed more than 9,000 baskets?
He lost around 300 games games?
26 times Jackson was trusted by his team to make the winning shot and he missed it
and they lost?
JACKSON FAILED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT HE NEVER QUIT.
ASK ANYONE MICHAEL JACKSON IS ONE OF THE GREATST COLLEGE AND PRO
BASKETBALL PLAYERS EVER...
LOVE NEVER FAILS.
UNDERSTANDING LOVE REQUIRES THE LOVE OF GIVING---
GRUDINGLY GIVING... REVEALS A SELFISH MOTIVE...
GRUDGE: a place where a hill-billy parks his car.
Ever heard of GRUDE GIVING? To give or do something reluctantly, unwilling, to dislike
doing, a feeling of anger, resentment, ill will.
Have you ever watched children at play?
A child has many toys. Some the child has not touched a certain toy for months.
The little brother finds the old toy and starts playing with it.
INSTANTLY THAT OLD TOY BECOMES HIS FAVORITE TOY EVEN THOUGH
HE HAS NOT PLAYED WITH IT IN MONTHS.
The Mother orders the older brother: YOU LET YOUR LITTLE BROTHER PLAY WITH
THAT TRUCK.
The lad says to his mother: THAT IS MY TRUCK! IT'S MINE!!! I want to play with it.
IT'S MY TRUCK!
The mother rebukes the older son and says: I TOLD YOU, LET YOUR LITTLE BROTHER
PLAY WITH IT!
The boy in anger says: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? IT IS MINE! I TELL YOU THE
TRUCK IS MINE.
The older son grabs the truck and refuses to allow his little brother to play with it.
The boy refuses to heed his mothers command and she has to PLY THE TRUCK
away from a angry, SELFISH SON.
THE SELFISH BOY RUNS INTO THE OTHER ROOM POUTING AND CRYING:
IT'S MINE. HE GRUDGINGLY ALLOWS HIS BROTHER TO PLAY WITH "HIS TRUCK!"
2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT) You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t
give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
REAL LOVE, UNDERSTANDING REAL LOVE ACCEPTS AS FAITH IT IS BETTER
TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE...
Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and
to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
RECENTLY, I WAS STANDING IN THE GRAVE YARD VISITING SOME GRAVES OF FRIENDS
THAT HAVE FINISHED THEIR COURSE. I CAME TO A GRAVE OF A SPECIAL MAN AND
RECALLED THE LESSON ON UNDERSTANDING LOVE---ONE MUST GIVE.
Often times I have worried: HOW ARE LINDA AND I GOING TO MAKE IT WHEN WE ARE
OLD?
TWENTY YEARS AGO, my Dad is WAS IN HIS 60'S. He had been in the full ministry MANY years.
He never had a chance at a formal education. Mom or Dad never finished high school.
In 1974 I walked across the stage and received my Bachelor degree. I was the first person on
either side of the family to graduate from college.
Ten years to the day from my graduation (1984) my Dad graduated from University of Kentucky
with full honors at 53 years of age..
Dad was never the pastor of a large congregation in all of his years of experience.
The struggle has been a journey of UNDERSTANDING LOVE: A GIVING LOVE.
Dad came to my house and we drove to visited a man several years older than Dad.
The man knew that my Dad and I had devoted our adult life to PASTOR in small areas of Kentucky.
As we drove to old man's house... It was hot summer time and the man was sitting in the swing
in his front yard under a shade tree. His wife was looking out the screen door.
They both had been crying.
My Dad sat down in the swing next to the old man and put his arm on his shoulder.
The 3 of us just sat there and were crying.
The 70+ year old man said: I HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN MY LIFE. I OWN
SEVERAL PROPERITIES. I HAVE MORE THAN 6 FIGURES IN THE BANK. I DRAW A
NICE CHECK EACH MONTH. I WANT FOR NOTHING. Dad and I just set there.
The old man quietly cried, and he went on with his story.
The man explained to my Dad: I know both you and your son pastor small churches.
I felt God call me into the ministry when I first got married. I was not educated and I had a
large family. I felt like I could not make it financially and I refused to HEED THE CALL.
I made bad choices and walked down some very dark roads. Everything I touched seemed
to be blessed. I had a super job, promotions were offered me on a regular bases.
I had some famous friends. I ended up traveling many miles and was often gone from my family.
I am very successful ---BUT I AM NEAR DEATH WITH MANY REGRETS AND I REALIZE
NOW I COULD HAVE MADE IT IN THE MINISTRY. MY LIFE HAS MANY REGRETS.
The silence was deafening, I could hear the swing on the rusty hinges.
They never knew but I had been weighing my life as I was nearing my mid-forties with no security.
Had I made the wrong choice to leave teaching school to pastor at a mission work in eastern
Kentucky for 8 1/2 years, 1372 sermons? My self-doubt was smothering
Now we are here in a small church in a small farming community...
Did I rob my wife and family from a better life style?
Seems few have even noticed the sacrifice that my Dad and Mom have made?
I have no success sheets and never any standing ovations while pastoring.
Now, here I am at the feet of two old men. Two men that walked two different journeys.
One man had tasted great success and great wealth to leave the family.
One old man had give his whole life to pastor and play music in rest homes.
I felt so privileged to be sitting to share in this moment...
THIS WAS MY DOUBTS AND FEARS COMING TO FULL VISION.
Neither old man knew of my internal battle of self-doubt and fear. I never opened by mouth.
We were all wiping tears and it seemed the squeaking swing screaming.
I could almost hear our tears slowing dripping to the ground.
THE OLD MAN WAS CRYING, ALL I HAVE IS STUFF AND REGRETS. MY REGRETS
ARE GREATER THAN MY STUFF. I COULD HAVE MADE. I SEE NOW I COULD HAVE
MADE IT. IT IS TOO LATE NOW.
My Dad just listened to the success to this the sad regret.
After a space of silence, my Dad said: LIFE IS NOT OVER, GOD COULD STILL USE YOU
TO TOUCH PEOPLE AND POINT THEM TO THE CROSS. SURE YOU ARE 70 BUT YOU
HAVE SOME GOOD DAYS BEFORE YOU. Ministry is still possible.
We had a powerful prayer as the old man repented and asked God to take what time
he had remaining and if possible bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ.
A few days later the old man was driving through the area where he was born and raised.
THE OLD CHURCH HE ATTENDED AS A CHILD WAS CLOSED AND THE WINDOWS
BOARDED UP. He parked his car in the church yard and walked through the grave yard
and remember several of the people from his childhood.
A few days later the old man was praying and felt compelled to visit in the neighborhood.
The were a were old people that lived near the church, he visited and said: LET US
HAVE SOME SERVICES AND RE-OPEN THE CHURCH. They agreed. The old man
asked some friends to help him. They replaced broken windows, painted and did
some remodeling. The more work and money invested in the church the more the old
man got excited. During the night the old man saw himself preaching and the glory
returning to his boyhood church. They had the old church shining. He would pray for hours.
Finally the day came when the CHURCH HAD A REVIVAL. Every other night the old
man would preach. Several people from the community was saved and they baptize a
few. For about 12 years the old man kept the light shining brightly. He finished his
life preaching the gospel. There was never any big crowds but there was an old man
that LEARNED TO UNDERSTAND LOVE AND HE LEARNED THE BEAUTY OF GIVING.
GOD CAN! AS LONG AS WE HAVE BREATH WE HAVE HOPE.
Saturday, my dad is now 84, he performed a wedding and I drove my dad to Louisville to
preach a funeral that evening. I spoke Sunday at the church my dad has been the pastor
for almost 40 years. Sunday my dad married a couple between Sunday School and church
service. My dad turned 85 that day. I did communion and taught the lesson:
JESUS CLOSED THE BOOK AND HE SAT DOWN...
ONE OF THE LESSONS OF LOVE IS TRUST GOD --- AND CLOSE THE BOOK.
LOVE UNDERSTANDS LIFE AND LOVE ARE ABOUT GIVING.
REAL LOVE UNDERSTANDS THAT LOVE MAKES SACRIFICES...
A SACRIFICE IS GIVING UP SOMETHING YOU LOVE FOR SOMEONE YOU LOVE.
REAL SACRIFICE MEANS YOU LOVE WHAT YOU ARE GIVING TO THAN YOU LOVE
WHAT YOU ARE GIVING.
GIVING LOVE TAKES MANY FORMS --- LOVE GIVES CONSIDERATION
I heard life long Kentucky missionary Paul Brannon say something I wrote down in
my Bible. SACRIFICE IS NOT A SACRIFICE IF YOU REALLY LOVE!
Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely
ye have received, freely give.
I read a story about a farming family. The mother would get up real early and cook a breakfast
for the family. A long time preparing and shortly the family gobbled down the food. The kids
went off to school. The husband and his wife would milk the cows. Then the lady would stop
to do her house chores and she would fix lunch. Then the lady would gather eggs and
work in the barn until the kids came home and did their chores and finish their home work.
Sometimes the mother would cook breakfast for supper.
One certain day had seemed to be so long and they were all tired. The mother cooked
the eggs, fried potatoes, bacon and gravy. The mother forgot all about the biscuits in the
oven and the biscuits were VERY BURNED.
The dad came in from the barn and his precious wife placed the food on the table and they
said grace. The Father dished out the food and took two very black biscuits on his plate.
The father asked the children how their day had been?
He smiled at his wifey dear and said: GOOD SUPPER HONEY!
ALMOST IN TEARS HIS WIFE APOLOGIZED FOR THE BURNT BISCUITS.
THE FATHER SAID: "HONEY, EVERY NOW AND THEN I LOVE BURNED BISCUITS"
That night the father was tucking his daughter in the bed, they said their prayers.
The daughter said: DADDY, DO YOU REALLY LOVE BURNED BISCUITS?
The father leaned over and kiss his precious girl, HONEY, YOUR MOM HAD A REALLY
LONG, HARD DAY, SHE WORKED IN THE HOUSE AND IN THE BARN AND SHE WAS
VERY TIRED. SHE HELPED ME AND HELP WITH YOU KIDS. LISTEN TO ME:
A BURNED BISCUIT NEVER HURT ANYONE.
SEE, I LOVE YOUR MOM MORE THAN BISCUITS.
IT'S MY PARTY --- I CAN CRY IF I WANT TO...
IS THIS THE HILL ON WHICH I WANT TO DIE ?
Life has days full of laughter, but life also has days that the tears flow like rivers.
Life is not a BOWL OF CHERRIES! Asked Joseph there are some PITS!
few things go as we planned. Problems do not get in line and take turns.
WE ALL HAVE FAULTS AND FAILURES.
We need to celebrate life... not SCREAM AND FUSS ABOUT MISTAKES.
IF WE LOVE EACH OTHER WE LOVE TO GIVE.
CONCLUSION: SEE YOU CAN GIVE AND NOT LOVE,
BUT YOU CAN NEVER LOVE WITHOUT GIVING!
Life is far from perfect. We make mistakes. We pay plenty of STUPID TAXES.
LOVE UNDERSTANDS WE ACCEPT EACH OTHER IN LOVE.
Real love is not about feelings and emotions.
LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO FOCUS ON FAILURES AND REGRETS.
WAKE UP! LOVE TO GIVE --- pass the biscuits...
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
You could double the reach of my hands if you would pass this on to another.
