What’s In Your Pocket. (Giving Out Of Love)
Matthew 6:1-4TPT
Every day, Glenn purchases his morning coffee at a nearby drive-through. And every day he also pays for the order of the person in the car behind him, asking the cashier to wish that person a good day.
Glenn has no connection to them. He's not aware of their reaction; he simply believes the small jester is the least he can do.
On one occasion, however, he learned of the impact of his actions when he read an anonymous letter to the editor of his local newspaper. He discovered that the kindness of his gift on July 18, 2017, caused the person in the car behind him to reconsider their plans to take their own life later that day.
Glenn gives daily to the people in the car behind him without receiving credit for it. Only on the single occasion did he get a glimpse of the impact of his small gift.(The Living Bread)
Jesus speaks in, Matthew 6:1-4TPT “Examine your motives to make sure you’re not showing off when you do your good deeds, only to be admired by others; otherwise, you will lose the reward of your heavenly Father. 2 So when you give to the poor, don’t announce it and make a show of it just to be seen by people, like the hypocrites in the streets and in the marketplace. They’ve already received their reward! 3 But when you demonstrate generosity, do it with pure motives and without drawing attention to yourself. 4 Give secretly and your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you openly.”
“Heartfelt Giving moves God, and in return,
blessings flow down from the throne room of heaven.” P.H
Thomas Watson wrote in his book, A Body Of Practical Divinity—Jesus Christ incarnate is nothing but love covered with flesh. Christ took our flesh upon him, that he might take our sins upon him. He was… The greatest sinner, having the weight of the sins of the whole world lying upon him… Christ took our flesh that he might make the human nature appear lovely to God, and the divine nature appear lovely to man… Jesus Christ united himself to man, that man might be drawn nearer to God… he was poor that he might make us rich… He was born of a virgin that we might be born of God. He took our flesh that he might give us the spirit. He lay in the manger that we may lie in Paradise. He came down from heaven that he might bring us to heaven.
What was all this about? Love. (The love of our Savior)!
Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus is saying, Do everything out of love…let love be your overflow…
One man stated, “If your heart be not rocks, this love of Jesus Christ should affect us.”
The prophet Ezekiel spoke these words to a heart of stone nation, (Israel).
Ezekiel 11:19NASB And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
Again in, Ezekiel 36:26NASB “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
This change from stone to flesh is the same as the difference between spiritual death and spiritual life.
We see this supported in the book of 1 Samuel that speaks of the heart dying and becoming like stone.
1 Samuel 25, Nabal was very rich, but his heart was terribly calloused. The Bible records that he was, "harsh and badly behaved.” At this time David was fleeing from King Saul. David sent 10 of his mighty men ahead to Nabal, to show kindness, and find favor, but Nabal refused David’s kindness.Nabal’s wife, Abigail, heard about the contempt Nabal, displayed to King David. Abigail decided to go to King David’s camp and take him hot-baked-bread, and other gifts. Abigail found favor with David. When Abigail arrived back home, Nabal was having a drunken party. Abigail went to bed, but in the morning, Abigail speaks to a more sober, Nabal about the favor she received from King David. And…
Listen to the results, 1 Samuel 25:37NLT In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him what had happened. As a result he had a stroke, and he lay paralyzed on his bed like a stone.
A little farther into the chapter, and you’ll read: “Nabal lived another 10 days, and died in bed, like a stone.”
However, remember, The prophet Samuel classifies this as a heart of stone or a heart that represented, spiritual death!
Testimony—Personally, In my Spirit, I sense these times we are living in are scary. The whole earth seems to be groaning, or rumbling. To me things seem frail, and ready to unravel. It’s a time of uncertainty. Things seem really weird. I told Jenny I don’t think its a great time to be far from home. I’ve never had these feelings, and I believe it’s spiritual.
However, I believe this is the time that believers need to practice love. God’s word commands every believer, to put on love.
Listen to, Colossians 3:14NLT Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
I think that’s what the text is speaking about, Matthew 6:1-4TM “Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. 2-4 “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
Five truths in closing—
Give as unto the Lord.
1. Not here’s my tithe, No, it’s God’s tithe. Your blessing can’t be stolen if you give it as unto the Lord. —You attitude in giving is— everything.
Again, throughout—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Jesus admonished giving, with no agenda.
2. The second truth, Call attention only to the Lord.
Refuse any credit when it comes to a giving accomplishment. —Brag on God.
3. The third truth, Give constantly, fakes can’t do that.
Jesus called them play actors or hypocrites, they sound bells as they gave. They would drop their money in a container wanting everyone to notice.
Listen to this promise from, Psalm 112:1-3NIV Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. 2 Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.
4. Give quietly.
Give only to please God. Give with a smile. Give expecting…Why? You’re His children.
5. Give, and let God bless it. —All you need is the blessings of the Lord.
For several years I ministered at Bartow county jail and then in the Gordon jail. I’ve also preached at Jackson prison, and after I preached over 800 men came and shook my hand and hugged my neck. I’ve never been so tired. Lol.
I read about a prisoner who finally got out of prison, Kevin was his name. The first phone Kevin made was his prison chaplain. The chaplain answered, Kevin was so excited because he had a pair of paints with pockets. (You see, prison clothes don’t come with pockets, no place to hide anything).
The prisoner shouted over the phone to his chaplain friend, “I’ve got pockets!”
His chaplain replied back to Kevin, “Be really careful what you put in them, Kevin.”
This thought came to me to ask everyone of you, “We all have pockets. What do you put in them, or keep in them that can become distractions.
Kenneth Hayes—Regrets, worry, resentment, hurts, un-forgiveness, misunderstandings, or maybe hidden secrets. All these things and more can become huge distractions.”
What you got in your pockets? Regrets?Resentment? Hurts? Misunderstandings?
It doesn’t matter who you are, the question is, “What’s in your pockets?”
Patrick Reed, Prayer and fasting, compassion for the weak, Love for your enemies, Generous giving, Hospitality that cannot be repaid, Endurance through pressures in ministry, Quality work for your employer, Faithfulness through trials, and Faithfulness to the truth.
* What’s in your pocket? Hate, Fear, Cheating, Name calling, Wrong motives, Bad attitude, or maybe living a lie
Matthew 6:4 Jesus states, Give with a heart of flesh. Refuse stones. And Jesus will reward you.
Benediction.
In my pocket there is: ( Give this to a member and let him or her, put it in their pocket, and when called upon, read out loud).
Let’s find out—Prayer and fasting, compassion for the weak, Love for my enemies, Generous in giving, Hospitality that cannot be repaid, Endurance through pressures in life and ministry, Quality work for my employer, Faithfulness through trials, and Faithfulness to the truth.
“I choose what I put in my pocket.”
In my pocket there is: ( Give this to a member and let him or her, put it in their pocket, and when called upon, read out loud).
—Regrets, worry, resentment, past hurt, un- forgiveness, misunderstandings, name calling, or maybe some other hidden secret.
“I choose what I put in my pocket.”
