I ponder today, how life is a journey. Life is a process --- should be a progressive process. We are ever, gradually, changing. We must steer this process that life’s results leads us the way we want to go.
Life is a series of choices and actions. We need an evaluation system to determine, am I going the way I want to go? What is the value of what I determine in significance and importance?
John 6: 60 -66, records some sad words,the lessons Jesus teach are getting hard, the free fish and bread is gone from sight. Many make the decision to leave following Jesus.
Jesus turns to Peter and asks: ARE YOU LEAVING, TOO?
This journey is not always easy, the trail often is up hill, but the goal of the process of our journey, should be to find Jesus’ heart.
Life becomes the sum total of our menial daily choices. Get ready for blessings. A great lesson in this journey is giving.
Most know what DOA means? Dead on arrival. But what about COA, Course of action. What is your course of action? We often quote, No one plans to fail, they fail to plan. We must determine what our course of action is? Will our plan include the Bible? The Bible, -- news you can use if you choose? Will our plan include faithfulness to the church?
1. HATE CAN NEVER BEAT HATRED! Hate can never cease hatred. You cannot force someone to love you! Anger will never produce good fruit.
Revenge is a poor motivation. Hatred ceases by love and forgiveness. This is a law of God. God is love. Love never fails.
2. WE MUST CREATE MEANING FROM SUFFERING. Recently, I saw a TV program where a young beautiful girl was killed in an accident. The parents of the girl hated the person responsible for the tragic accident. They ran across a motto that changed their life. We must create meaning for suffering. They started reaching out to teenagers and developed a program to try and stop this terrible drinking and driving problem.
Their attitude changed as they invested love and time in others. Instead of sitting in a dark room crying, they enter the arena to arise and do something. They have helped many. They created meaning from suffering.
3. THERE ARE TWO SOURCES OF MOTIVATION!
A. I will do this because of fear and I am afraid of punishment. This attitude grows out of, "DO I HAVE TO ..." How sad life has become when I have to do this becomes our reasoning for motivation. Fear is a good motivation, temporarily. Then we forget the fear. Many look forward to rewards and expect punishment, but how sad each day becomes.
B. I will do this because of love. Love motivation is the greatest joy of life. My attitude is ... "I DO THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO... " Everything motivated and birthed in love and investment should continue to keep the love growing. This makes life worth living. Gifts of love are permanent in nature and do not have to be applauded. When love is involved, giving does not seem like a painful sacrifice.
4. You can give and not love, but you can never love without giving! Giving and forgiving are good team members. Giving means to share, to bear, to yield to another, change possessions, to commit to another’s trust, enter wholeheartedly into an activity.
5.YOU DETERMINE THE MEASURE. There is one sure way to stop getting, that is to stop giving. It is like a water hose that is pinched, there will be no flow.
Luke 6:38 Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Some interpret this verse as a way to bribe God. To give for return is not a proper attitude.
6. GIVE FREELY. Matthew 10:8 --- freely you have received, freely give. Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: he that waters shall be watered.
7. GIVE REGULARLY. 1 Cor. 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay up in store....
8. PLANNED OR PURPOSED GIVING. 2 Cor. 9:7 Every man according as he has purposed in his heart so let him give, NOT GRUDGINGLY, not of necessity, for GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER.
WHAT CAN I GIVE? I want us to consider what I can give...
1. GIVE AN EAR. James 1:9 My beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.
Mat. 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
One of the greatest acts of love is listening. Listening is more an act of love than kissing! Give ear without interruptions, not daydreaming, not listening just to know how to attack.
2. GIVE AFFECTION. Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another.
Give hugs, one size fits all. Easy to return. Give tenderness and show your love.
3. GIVE KINDNESS. 2 Peter 1:7 To godliness, brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness love.
Many can love every one but their brother. Shame on us.
4. GIVE LAUGHTER. Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
Laugh and laugh again. Learn to laugh at yourself, you are pretty funny, you know it.
5. GIVE COMPLIMENTS. We take each other forgranted, take the time to tell those around you your love and appreciation. Be a spirit lifter!
Tell those you love, give them honor. Good words rightly spoken can help.
6. GIVE A FAVOR. Show someone you love them by doing something extra. Baby-sit a poor exhausted mother’s children for a few hours. Take an elderly person for a ride. Go to the rest home and do someone’s fingernails. Cook a little extra and share. Help a friend clean their house.
7. GIVE SOME SPACE. Let family and friends have some alone time. Jesus knew he had to come a part from the crowd, or he would come a part.
Love will let fly, and real love will return. Don’t let jealousy smother.
8. GIVE A GAME. You have a friend that would love to play golf, game of cards, or some game. Friendships need some just playing time, life is serious, learn to play and have a hobby
9. GIVE A SMILE. Smiles are cheap, but they sure improve your face value. Body language speaks very loudly. Learn to smile. It takes less muscles to smile than to frown.
10. GIVE A PRAYER. I have been so down, and a friend came by to say a little prayer. Nothing earth shaking, but a little simple prayer.
I love to pray with my grandsons. I often times pray, and my friends will never know, but God knows.
11. WRITE A NOTE//SEND A CARD. Every week I write a note, send an email, or write a letter to family, friends of the past, or current friends to tell them my love and appreciation. I have several drawers of notes and expressions of love that someone took the time to tell me. When I feel small and worthless, I open the drawer and randomly read.
One way to get ready for God’s blessing is to give and be a blessing! How insane to expect things to change and be different, and you stay the same?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr Kyfingers@aol.com Please enlarge my hands and send this to others?
