GIVE, FORGIVE, AND LIVE
IS 58 VS 6-14
TODAY MY HEART TRULY BREAKS FOR SAVED PEOPLE THAT INDEED ARE STRUGGLING BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY NEGLECT THE BASICS OF WHAT LIVING IS TRULY ABOUT. I BELIEVE THAT OUR GENERATION IS SEEKING FOR SOMETHING MONUMENTAL AND COMPLEX THAT WE SHOULD DO OR NOT DO TO BE PLEASING TO OUR FATHER AND WE ARE OVERLOOKING THE BASICS- THE THINGS THAT WILL TRULY CAUSE US TO BE BLESSED BY GOD. TODAY I WANT TO SHARE 2 BASICS THAT WILL PRODUCE THE “LIFE” THAT WE ALL DESIRE TO HAVE, OR SHOULD DESIRE TO HAVE.
1. TO BE FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF OUR LORD WE NEED TO BE GIVERS, WE NEED TO GIVE-
John 3:16-17 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
A. GIVE TO THE NEEDY:
Isaiah 58:7-8 (NKJV)
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
**HOW DO I DO THAT??- ONE WAY IS TO SUPPORT THE MINISTRY HERE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR MISSIONARIES DO IS TO PROVIDE THE NEEDS TO THE ONE’S THAT THEY ARE MINISTERING TO. THE 9-10K MISSIONARIES THAT THE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS SUPPORT NOT ONLY PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL WITH WORD, BUT WITH
DEED. OUR CHURCH GIVES 20% OF WHAT WE BRING IN TO
SUPPORT SUCH CAUSES AS THIS.
**ANOTHER WAY IS TO BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND HE WILL PLACE PEOPLE IN YOUR PATH IN WHICH YOU NEED TO GIVE TO, HE PLACES THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE PATHS OF THE ONE’S THAT ARE ABLE TO MEET THEIR NEED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER**
B. THE TITHE- SIMPLY MEANS 10%. GOD HAS USED THE TITHE TO SUPPORT “HIS WORK” SINCE BEFORE “THE LAW” WAS INSTITUTED(FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT TITHING IS “A LAW THING” THAT ISN’T SUPPOSED TO BE KEPT ANYMORE).
Genesis 14:18-20 (NKJV)
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.
19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all.
C. THE OFFERING- THIS IS WHAT WE GIVE WHICH IS OVER AND ABOVE THE TITHE- WHAT WE CHOOSE TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE POOR INDIVIDUALLY COULD BE CALLED AN OFFERING, IF WE GIVE TO A SPECIAL NEED OR MINISTRY IS AN OFFERING ( GOSPEL SING ) OR (TECH FUND) – SPECIAL SINGING OR ANOTHER MINISTRY.
Luke 6:38 (NKJV)
38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
Isaiah 58:8-9a (NKJV)
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "
**2. FORGIVE:- MENTIONED IN THE NKJV 53 TIMES
**THE FIRST CRY FROM JESUS FROM THE CROSS WAS THIS:
Luke 23:34 (NKJV)
34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.
**IF WE ARE TO EMMULATE JESUS, WE MUST PRACTICE FORGIVENESS!!
Isaiah 58:9b-10 (NKJV)
"If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
Isaiah 58:10 (NKJV)
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
Matthew 6:9-15 (NKJV)
9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Luke 6:37 (NKJV)
37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 17:3-4 (NKJV)
3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."
**FORGIVENESS IS A CHOICE THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE** WE CAN CHOOSE TO FORGIVE, MATTER OF FACT WE MUST CHOOSE TO FORGIVE!! WE CAN SAY WITHING OURSELVES- I CHOOSE TO FORGIVE YOU AND LIVE IT OUT!!**
** WHO WILL YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE FORGIVENESS ON THE MOST?? ** THE ONES THAT ARE CLOSEST TO YOU!!
A. FAMILY:
Matthew 10:36 (NKJV)
36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'
1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV)
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
B. FRIENDS:
Matthew 18:22 (NKJV)
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
*WHEN TO FORGIVE:
Ephesians 4:26 (NKJV)
26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
C. HOW TO FORGIVE- WE CAN KNOW THE OTHER TWO POINTS BUT IT IS MEANINGLESS UNLESS WE KNOW HOW TO FORGIVE:
A. THE ATTITUDE OF FORGIVENESS:
Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 (NKJV)
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
B. THE EXAMPLE OF FORGIVENESS:
** WE MUST BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, HAVE OUR EYES FIXED ON THE PROPER PLACE, IN THE PROPER PERSON TO BE ABLE TO FORGIVE THE WAY GOD WOULD BE PLEASED WITH- LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF A MAN THAT HAD HIS EYES FIXED ON HEAVEN AND ON JESUS AS HE WAS STONED TO DEATH:
Acts 7:54-60 (NKJV)
54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;
58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
**IF WE HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE AND FOLLOW THE RIGHT EXAMPLE, WE CAN FORGIVE- AND WE WILL BE BETTER OFF FOR IT!!
**Isaiah 58:12 (NKJV)
12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
3. GOD’S DEFINITION OF LIVING IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE WORLD SYSTEM’S DEFINITION:
John 10:10 (NKJV)
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Romans 14:17 (NKJV)
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
I. A LIFE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS- WHICH MEANS “RIGHT STANDING” WITH GOD- WHAT IS BETTER TO KNOW THAT YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND THAT YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN? :
Isaiah 58:8,10-11 (NKJV)
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
10 b. Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
II. RIGHTEOUSNESS PRODUCES PEACE:
Isaiah 58:8-9 (NKJV)
8b; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
Isaiah 58:11-12 (NKJV)
11 The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
III. PEACE PRODUCES JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT:
John 15:9-14 (NKJV)
9 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV)
10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Isaiah 58:14 (NKJV)
14 Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken."
**THAT MY FRIENDS IS WHAT GOD CALLS LIVING!
