5 of a 12 part series.
#4 REMOVE THE WEIGHTS ... GREED
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
Hebrews 12: 1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT AND SIN WHICH DOTH SO EASILY BESET US, AND LET SO RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US...
1Timothy 6:9 But they that WILL BE RICH (does not say are rich) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, (desires), which have drown in destruction and perdition.
10. FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Let us ponder Laying aside weight to attain victory.
This is the 4rd in series of Weight to remove, text, Heb. 12:1
I. Remove the weight: Introduction
II. REMOVE THE WEIGHT OF SIN.
III. Remove the weight of no evaluation.
IV. Remove the weight: Blame Game.
V. Remove the weight of GREED.
I am wearing a backpack with 40 pounds of rock,
the first rock was labeled SIN. This rock is labeled GREED.
I have a friend remove the one rock from my backpack,
I have painted the word Greed on the rock.
I have SIN the biggest rock, it is a little larger than three fist,
the rest are little bigger than soft ball size.
I note my load is getting lighter as I remove the weights.
Today the 4th rock is removed.
I wear the back pack for the whole service, the load sure gets heavy.
We have the great ability of giving or hoarding.
We can be so blessed and not see.
We can detach ourselves from our words and behaviors, we can say:
BE WARMED and FED from the comfort of being warm and full.
We can claim no responsibilities for the consequences of our poor choices
in giving.
One of my must used lines is this:
If you don’t like what you are getting, change what you are giving!
Greed is a great disaster.
Can we pile on another man our burdens, to satisfy our own greeds?
Can we define greed?
Excessive or reprehensible acquisitiveness.
One of the sins of greed is it is self up-lifting and putting down of others.
Giving is more than money, we can give honor? We can give love?
We can give our talents? We can give time?
Lord make me an instrument of giving!
May I give peace where there is strife.
May I give love where there is hatred.
May I pardon others where I am hurt and injuried.
May I give faith where others are drowning in doubt and worry.
May I give hope where there is despair.
May I give light where there is darkness.
May I give joy where all seem sad.
Seems we fail to see the value of the giver more than the price of the gift?
I have never looked at the price of the card, I look into the eyes of the giver.
Is it more blessed to give than receive?
Do you believe this?
Do you practice this?
Some learn to give as a bribery tool to force God to action?
While I believe in seed faith, seed giving can be dangerous.
God is above bribery.
God loves a cheerful giver,
can you laugh after you give? Do you cry after you give?
I am told one of the ways they capture monkeys out of the wild,’
is by putting a few peanuts in a heavy jar.
The heavy jar has a small neck opening.
The opening is just big enough for the monkey to place his opened hand into the jar.
The monkey will close his hand around the peanuts, when he makes a fist he is trapped.
The monkey will not open his hand to let the peanuts go, and he will spend his life in a cage, all because he will not let go of a few peanuts?
How sad?
V. REMOVE THE WEIGHT OF GREED or THE LOVE OF MONEY.
FIRST REALIZE, MONEY IS NEITHER GOOD OR EVIL.
Money and materialism are neutral, it is your action and motive that will tell.
MONEY IS JUST A TOOL MAN USES.
MANY THINK MONEY IS THE ANSWER FOR ALL QUESTIONS,
NOT SO!
As a small boy a Sunday School teacher taught a lesson that no one in the class would learn for years.
The teacher said, "What is better than a whole candy bar?"
We couldn’t imagine? What?
The teacher said, " A half of a candy bar and a brother to share the other half with...
We laughed and said sure.
Today, at 50 I understand this.
I have brothers and a sister I have not seen since my Mother’s death.
I would give them the whole candy bar for a HUG!
A. DO WE POSSESS MONEY,
OR DOES MONEY POSSESS US?
Many years ago, Rockefellow, the millionare was as How much money is enough? He replied, ONE MORE DOLLAR.
Mother Teresa made the choice to store money in stomachs more than banks.
1Timothy 6:9 But they that WILL BE RICH (does not say are rich) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, (desires), which have drown in destruction and perdition.
10. FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1. You can be poor and GREEDY.
excessive desire,
2. COVET,
envious, painful awareness others have more than you.
B. POOR RICH MAN?
I have a tithing envelope on my desk, it has a little girls scribbles and $0.48 in it.
I can’t bear to open this offering. The little girl’s Mom and Dad are divorcing, and she is heart broken. I have a love gift.
Luke 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet one thing thou LACKEST, SELL ALL THAT HAST, and GIVE ....
23. And when he heard this, HE WAS VERY SORROWFUL, BOWS HEAD AND WALKS AWAY...
HE NEVER UNDERSTOOD ... WORTH AND VALUE
C. SAD LESSON OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA ...
Acts 5, Hold back and lie...
Giving was not requirement. WHY want to hold back?
Where is the love?
Several years ago a little girl called me Creature, instead of Preacher. She went outside the church and picked up a rock brought it and gave it to me.
Her Dad spanked her very hard, she cried, when he was done, the little girl gave me the rock and said, Creature, I got this rock for you.
I knew the pain she suffered to give me that rock, I must keep that rock to remind me --- little gifts matter from little people.
It is not the rock, it is the little girl that gave. Today she is a teenager in a distant state, but I remember her and her gift.
D. WILL A MAN ROB GOD? CURSED?
Mal. 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But you say, where with have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9. ye are cursed with a curse.
E. GIVING IS BASED ON ABILITY.
Mark 12: 42 This widow cast in more than they all...
44. They cast in of abundance, she cast in all that she had.
GIVING ALL IS RARE TRAIT.
F. I AM GLAD TO GIVE,
I GIVE ON PURPOSE, PLANNED GIVING.
2 Cor. 9:7 Every man according as he purposed in his heart, SO LET HIM GIVE, not grudgingly, or of NECESSITY: FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER.
THE LOVE OF GIVING IS THE ROOT OF ALL GOOD THINGS.
YOU CAN GIVE AND NOT LOVE, BUT YOU CANNOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING.
Jude says: Some having compassion make a difference.
God help me make a difference...
PLEASE!
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
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