THINGS, IS LIFE ABOUT THINGS?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com This is at least a two part lesson…
TEXT:
Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
PLEASE COMPLETE THIS LINE: I WOULD BE HAPPY IF _________________________________________?
If I just had this “THING?” or maybe that “THING” I would be happy?
HELP ME? LET US DEFINE: THING/THINGS… a material object, --- I AM NOT SURE I CAN DEFINE “THING?”
Things: WE DESERVE IT! WE DESERVE MORE! WE NEED IT TODAY. WE SUFFER FROM THE PAIN OF DEBT…
We face the danger of “THINGS” becoming more important than “RELATIONSHIPS.”
The little boy was crying so hard kneeling at the altar: He said: Preacher, pray that Mom would love me as much as she loves the dog? Wow!
Another child said to me: Pastor could you make mom get off her phone and computer. Wow!
A husband told me: When he got home he had to call his wife on the phone, in the other room to ask her something? Wow!
THINGS? We bury our minds in Netflix, sports, and hobbies and miss the REALITY THAT SATISFACTION IS FOUND IN RELATIONSHIPS and not MONEY or “THINGS.”
I read where a restaurant was offering a 10% discount if a family would leave their phones in a rack at the counter so they could spent quality time together.
Reba Macintyre sang a song: THE GREATEST MAN I NEVER KNEW. The song is so sad. After singing a while Reba confesses the greatest man she NEVER KNEW was her FATHER? She was always so busy?
THINGS? There is a family driving around in a big Cadillac Escalade that thinks life is about his “THINGS.” He has made it to the top, 4,000 SQUARE FEET HOME, private school, IS LIFE ABOUT THINGS?
THINGS? IS IT TRUE THAT HE THAT DIES WITH THE BIGGEST AND BEST TOYS AND POSSESSIONS IS THE BEST PERSON?
WATCH YOUR EYES, WATCH YOUR HANDS AND WATCH YOUR FEET… WATCH OUT AND GUARD YOUR HEART…
LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE “THINGS” WE POSSESS.
Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Luke 12:15 (NLT) Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
Luke 12:15 (MSG) Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."
Life is never defined in our abundance nor in the lack of “THINGS.”
THINGS? THE “ME GENERATION?” THE NUMBER ONE THING I HEAR IS ME, MYSELF, AND I. I JUST WANT TO BE HAPPY, LIFE IS ABOUT ME!
The Baby Boomers are called the “ME GENERATION.” Due to the NARCISSISM many walk in anger, bitterness and loud opinions. NARCISSISM: excessive or erotic interest in one’s self. No accountability, no remorse, no repentance. Narcissism expresses itself in ABUSE. WE TEND TO WALK AROUND IN BITTERNESS, ANGER, HURT, PAIN, FEAR… We must recognize HURT people HURT PEOPLE. This narcissism is nothing new to the BABY BOOMER GENERATION. This selfishness attitudes and spirits have been around many generations! I DESERVE MORE!
There was a CERTAIN RICH MAN…
Luke 12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
***1. He thought within HIMSELF, he never considered God or God’s plan. 2. What shall I do?
3. I have no room… 4. Bestow MY fruits… 5. He said…
6. This will I DO… 7. I will pull down 8. MY barns.
9. I will build greater… 10. I will bestow 11. MY fruits
12 MY goods 13. I will say to MY soul, take it easy, eat, drink and BE HAPPY
Things? NOW WHOSE SHALL THESE THINGS BE? His brother? Next brother married the widow?
Luke 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Luke 12:21 (NIV) "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Luke 12:21 (MSG) "That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."
Luke 12:21 (NLT) “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
THINGS? WHAT IS MY PLAN? WHAT IS MY PURPOSE? WHAT AM I SEEKING? Am I chasing rainbows?
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33 (MSG) Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
JUST THINGS? I was a pastor in eastern Kentucky in what was considered a poverty area. The valleys are like a bowl and when heavy rain comes the flood waters and back waters do major flood damage. I was in one of several canoes riding down the middle of a major 4 lane road. As we came around some larges trees, we approached my friend’s home. The water was covering his home. I searched for some wisdom and I did not have any. I was lost for words. We laid the oars inside the canoes and just drifted for a while. My friend said: IT IS JUST THINGS! IT IS JUST THINGS! We are alive… we can rebuild. We can replace. Everything this family had accumulated was covered in two feet thick mud. I will long remember: IT IS JUST THINGS?
THINGS? GOD’S THINGS OF GREAT VALUE ARE NOT LIKE MAN’S VALUE SYSTEMS… IT IS VERY OBVIOUS GOD DELIBERATELY USES HIS OWN PATH… DO WE TRUST “GOD’S THINGS.”
1 Corinthians 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
THINGS? Seems we trust a PUZZLE COMPANY to put the right 1,000 pieces of the puzzle in the box, more than we TRUST THAT IT IS ALL JUST THINGS TO GOD! GOD WILL USE THINGS AS HE PLEASES… The jaw bone of a donkey? What a strange thing? Handful of flour and little oil? The old preacher ran 18 miles when a small thing: a Cloud the size of a man’s hand? GOD CAN USE ANYTHING HE PLEASES, WHERE HE PLEASES, WHEN HE PLEASES… IT IS ALL JUST THINGS…
THINGS? WHOSE THINGS ARE WE SEEKING? SEEMS WE DESIRE TO LOWER THE STANDARDS AND LOWER THE EXPECTATION OF WHAT GOD CAN DO… DO WE SEEK GOD THINGS OR MAN THINGS?
Used to be an A was 95 to 100, B was 85 to 94, C was 84 to 76, D was 75 to 70, f was 69 or below…
Now an A is 100 TO 90, B is 90 to 80, C is 80 to 70, a D is 69 to 60… I am not talking just about numbers I AM DISCUSSING THE ROLE OF THINGS AND HOW WE COMPROMISE THE STANDARDS OF TRUTH TO OBTAIN THINGS.
Are we so SEEKER SENSITIVE that we focus on earthly things?
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
THINGS? WAIT JUST A MINUTE, GOD DEFINES SOMETHING ABOUT THINGS…
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Matthew 19:26 (MSG) Jesus looked hard at them and said, "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."
THINGS? BE FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS? DO WE UNDERSTAND THE MATHEMATICAL LAW OF ZERO IN MULTIPLICATION? ANY NUMBER TIMES ZERO WILL ALWAYS BE ZERO… NO EFFORT, JUST DRIFTING? QUE SERA, SERA?
Matthew 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
THINGS? WE BECOME ACCUSTOM AND ACCEPT DYSFUNCTIONAL AS THE NORM… HAND ME DOWN CLOTHES, HAND ME DOWN ROSE… WHY ACCEPT THE OLD WHEN WE HAVE THE NEW AVAIL TO US…
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Isaiah 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Isaiah 43:18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
THINGS? IT IS JUST THINGS, MY FRIENDS… JUST THINGS…
SOMETIMES MY FRIEND, WE HAVE TO JUST KEEP OUR MOUTH SHUT AND TRUST THE LORD OF THE HARVEST…
1 Corinthians 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1 Corinthians 13:7 (MSG) Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
THINGS? WHAT THINGS DO WE ALLOW TO LIVE IN OUR MINDS RENT FREE?
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
THINGS? MY FRIEND, THINGS ARE JUST THINGS IF GOD IS FOR US… GOD DESIRES TO FREELY GIVE US THE THINGS THAT WE NEED. WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERERS IF WE STAY FOCUSED ON THE ETERNAL NOT THE THINGS?
Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
THINGS? THE ENEMY HAS NO PLACE ON YOUR BACK, OR IN YOUR HEAD… HIS PLACE IS UNDER OUR FEET…
1 Corinthians 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
CONCLUSION: COME AND GO WITH ME WHERE ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW…
Revelation 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I do this lesson in two parts.
Will you help me? Pass this on to another? Please?
