SEE SACRIFICE IS NOT A SACRIFICE WHERE ONE IS COMMITTED IN LOVE...
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
CAN WE UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF A GOOD QUESTION?
Psalm 116:12 (KJV) What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
Psalm 116:12 (NLT) What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?
Psalm 116:12 (MSG) What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me?
BLOW THE TRUMPET GIVERS... SEE ME?
The New York Times recorded a story in 1997.
Central Park was remodeling the Children's Zoo, THEY NEEDED $6 MILLION.
ONE COUPLE PLEDGE 3 MILLION DOLLARS, 1/2 OF THE NEEDED MONEY.
Later the officials received bad news... THE COUPLE RESCINDED THEIR GIFT.
The couple found out their names would be on a PLAQUE 2 1/2 INCHES TALL IN
THE CENTER PIER OF THE ENTRANCE GATE.
The couple insisted that the couple that donated $500,000 36 years earlier name
be removed and their names displayed in a large display.
The commission refused, the couple rescinded their gift?
BAD ATTITUDE WILL SHOW UP IN STRANGE PLACES...
JEALOUSY AND THE LACK OF LOVE WILL SHOW IN OUR GIVING...
God accepted ABEL'S OFFERING...
CAIN GAVE "OF THE FRUIT" --- HE COULD HAVE BROUGHT THE FIRST FRUIT...
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?
GIVING REVEALS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE PROBLEM OF THE HEART.
Genesis 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said,
I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
THE LACK OF GIVING ALWAYS TRIES TO HIDE THE FACTS AND SELF JUSTIFICATION.
HAVE TO GIVING... OR GRUDGE GIVING ---
THE PAYING OF RENT SHOWS WHO THE HAS THE REAL OWNERSHIP...
TO GIVE, DO OR ALLOW SOMETHING IN A RELUCTANT OR UNWILLING WAY...
To dislike or feel angry...
To be unwilling to give or admit...
A strong feeling of anger toward someone that last a long time.
Resentment, ill will.
1 Peter 4:9 (KJV) Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
To say, to do, to give in an unwilling or doubtful way.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER...
DO WE EVER THING ABOUT THE COST OF A GIFT?
One year right before Christmas I was teaching the sixth grade, I taught a little boy named Joe.
Joe came from a very sad home where their lifestyle was deplorable. His family was made
up of alcoholics. Often, his Mom and Dad were passed out in a floor with a pile of vomit.
Joe was in my self-contained classroom and would often cause trouble, I was broken for Joe.
One day JOE KISSED A GIRL, SOME BOYS GAVE HIM A QUARTER AND WAS SENT TO
THE OFFICE.
Joe had to answer to the principal and Joe got 3 licks. ( Old school?)
Later, I asked Joe: WHY? WHY DID YOU DO THAT JOE? YOU KNEW YOU WOULD
GET IN TROUBLE?
Joe said: It is a secret, I can't tell you.
I noticed several days Joe was working diligently. he borrowed the stapler, the glue and
my markers and he worked where I could not see him. I accepted his behavior.
The last day before Christmas Joe came to my desk and he was crying. He told me
he loved me and pulled a crudely wrapped gift out of his coat. He gave it to me.
I UNDERSTOOD THE SACRIFICE OF GIVING.
A girl in the class Dad owned a fabric store. She had little sample pieces of leather and
naugahyde. She sold Joe three pieces of the naugahyde for a quarter. He could not afford
the leather. Joe did not have the money, so HE KISSED THE GIRL FOR A QUARTER.
AND BOUGHT THE NAUGAHYDE TO MAKE ME A LITTLE POUCH.
HE SAID:
MR. HUGHES, TIMES ARE HARD AND A MAN HAS TO DO WHAT A MAN HAS TO
DO?
I TREASURED JOE'S GIFT... IT WAS MORE THAN THE QUARTER? IT WAS MORE THAN
THE LABOR OF HIS HANDS, IT COST JOE A WHIPPING. THAT WAS AN EXPENSIVE
GIFT JOE GAVE HIS TEACHER.
YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVE ---
BUT YOU CAN NEVER LOVE WITHOUT GIVING...
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.
KING JAMES this verse has 25 words...
113 letters
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD --- is a prepositional phrase ...
--- FOR is a preposition...
--- so loved is HOW MUCH God loved us...
THE SUBJECT OF THIS SENTENCE IS --- HE
THE VERB OF THIS SENTENCE IS --- GAVE
THE MIDDLE OF THE VERSE IS SO --- WHO --- (SO) --- EVER
JOHN 3:16 IS THE GOSPEL IN A NUTSHELL...
GOD GAVE...
God's love is demonstrated by GIVING...
WHAT DID GOD GIVE... He never gave leftovers or seconds...
God did not give gold, frankincense, myrrh ---
GOD GAVE THE BEST THING IN HEAVEN.
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is
why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and
lasting life.
ARE WE LEAVING THE HERITAGE OF GIVING?
I would say:
My inheritance day is coming when my rich uncle gets out of the POOR HOUSE
I used to say when we leaving a friends house... LET'S GO TO THE POOR HOUSE.
One of the boys picked up on this phrase when they were little and said:
DAD DO WE LIVE IN THE POOR HOUSE?
WHAT IS A POOR HOUSE...
I have heard my Dad say about his dad that was born in 1878 that he was not a giver.
For the offering each Sunday Grandfather would give each family member their offering
as the walked the mile to church. Grand paw had a quarter. He gave Grandmother a nickel.
Then he gave the twins a penny each. When the offering plate was passed the family
GAVE A TOTAL OF 32 CENTS...
When my Mom and Dad heard of my first missionary trip to Haiti. His church gave $300 to help.
Dad gave $1,000 to invest in Haiti.
My dad dreamed of owning a F5 THE GIBSON MANDOLIN all his life. He always played a
copy of the F5. He could never afford THE GIBSON.
Finally when he was 65, he found a sweet deal on THE GIBSON F5. The family pitched
together and helped Dad purchase HIS OWN F5 THE GIBSON...
Mom said Dad made her drive the two and half hour trip home and Dad played THE GIBSON
all the way home. THEIR CHURCH FOOD BANK WAS IN DESPERATE NEED, DAD QUIETLY
SOLD THE GIBSON FOR $5,000 AND GAVE THE MONEY TO THE CHURCH.
HIS THE GIBSON F5 PURCHASED FOOD FOR UNGRATEFUL PEOPLE, NO ONE EVER SAID
THANK YOU. DAD SOLD HIS 50 YEAR DREAM TO GIVE.
My Dad had another dream. He always wanted to own a little two seater sports car. With
7 in the family we had a station wagon. When Dad was 70, he did a funeral for an old lady.
He saw in the barn a beautiful white convertible TRIUMPH in absolute mint condition. It was brand
new when her husband died in 1970. Dad made an offer and the lady accepted. He had new tires
and a new top put on. How he loved to drive it with the top down.
The food bank was again in desperate need for the money to buy food.
Very quietly dad sold the car for $4,000 and gave the money to the church.
I said: Dad, why? You wanted that car most of your life.
Dad said: Son, I had trouble getting in and out of it and THE LORD NEEDED A GIFT.
AGAIN HE SOLD HIS DREAM TO HELP SOME THAT WOULD NEVER APPRECIATE OR
SAY THANK YOU.
SEE SACRIFICE IS NOT A SACRIFICE WHERE ONE IS COMMITTED IN LOVE...
DO NOT JUST COUNT THE COST OF GIVING====
COUNT THE COST OF NOT GIVING === ARE WE BUILDING A DAM?
SEE SACRIFICE IS NOT A SACRIFICE WHERE ONE IS COMMITTED IN LOVE...
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.
CONCLUSION:
Can you imagine going to a birthday party and giving everyone there a present but the
birthday person?
God gave us His creation...
Mary gave her body...
Joseph gave her reputation...
Wise men gave gold,frankincense, myrrh.
God gave His only begotten son...
Jesus gave us THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE GIFT GOES ON...
Psalm 116:12 (MSG) What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
