Planned on PURPOSE, last week of November
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
2 Cor. 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Matthew 26:15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they convenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
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 YOU MEASURE, IT SHALL BE MEASURED UNTO YOU
Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. [8] For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. [9] And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. [10] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Mat. 26:15 Judas said, What will you give me? They covenanted...
Is the question what will you give me? or --- What can I give?
Today as I ponder I must honor a vow I made to God about 25 years ago.
Please read this.
Many years ago, before Linda and I had children, we were at my Mom and Dad’s house. As was the norm, we were all gathered around the Christmas tree in the parsonage in Frankfort.
We gathered around the tree. Nina and Linda were passing the gifts out to each one. Dad, in his Archie Bunker chair, I, in the floor at their bedroom door, we were blessed ... there were many gifts for each individual, the wrapping paper was flying every where, and I started crying in my heart.
Linda and I had purchased gifts and received gifts from every one, but I realized a ...
1) PAINFUL TRUTH, ...
THERE WAS NOT ONE GIFT UNDER THE TREE FOR JESUS, --- FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE ... THE BABY CHILD WE ADORED, THE SAVIOR THAT GAVE HIS LIFE... THE HOLY SPIRIT--- THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING, AND I HAD FAILED, THERE WAS NOT ONE GIFT FOR THE BIRTHDAY OF MY MASTER AND LORD, NOT ONE.
At this time, I was not a pastor nor even acknowledged the call of God on my life, I was a school teacher and a musician.
Later, when things settled down, I went to the basement, and watched the fire burning in the stove and cried--- HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN?
I loved Jesus and served Him many years, but I thought I should receive; and I forgot IT WAS JESUS’ BIRTHDAY, not mine.
2) I made a promise that day, if I had the chance to teach, preach, or tell any one --- that I would remind every body the last week of November to prepare and purpose a gift for Jesus on His birthday.
I promised to have a planned, purposed gift at the foot of the Christmas tree and that I would ask others to plan a special birthday gift for Jesus, as they considered their own personal family and friends.
3) So I write today, to ask you to think and make plans to give Jesus a present.
The next year I promised to win 5 souls in December. I had a jail ministry, I worked very hard all month. On the 25th, as the gifts were unwrapped, I was warmed to present the present of 6 souls I had lead to the cross.
One year, I promised to read the whole Bible in December, I started Genesis on Dec. 1; I finished Revelations on Dec. 31.
I cleaned the church’s rest rooms top to bottom one year.
I have given special offerings to missions in December, when the Lord blessed.
I have visited the rest homes 25 times in December.
What ever gift I presented to the cross on the 25th, was because I planned and purposed.
Love must learn to give beyond generous impulses, generosity should be a matter of discretion and planning, not just grudgingly or, OF NECESSITY --- BUT ACCORDING AS HE PURPOSED. (2 Cor. 9:7)
While you go Christmas shopping, think of and plan a GIFT for Jesus!
4) HELP A CHILD TO PLAN A BIRTHDAY PRESENT. STEER YOUR FAMILY TO A DISCUSSION AND PLAN ON GIVING!
I know many I write to have limited incomes, good presents for Jesus birthday don’t have to cost money.
Let a child draw with much effort and give it to an old person.
Bake some cookies. Make a pie.
Take a shut in for a ride to see the Christmas decorations.
Buy some canned food. Help at a soup kitchen.
CLEAN SOME OLD PERSONS HOUSE, wash their windows.
Sneak in church and clean a spit shine on God’s house.
Invite some lost people to church. Don’t miss any services in the month.
Give up something you love for the month.
Don’t give some no effort, easy trinket!
Give the best you have, and the best will return.
Let me illustrate this. I was in front of this store.
There was a box set in front to give toys for poor kids.
This lady in a fur coat and a huge Lincoln Continental pulled up, her kids had designer jeans and Starter coats.
I watched them place their toys in the box, I saw their offering.
They left smiling and laughing, they gave to the poor.
I walked over and looked at their gifts for the poor.
The boy had placed a Tonka truck with only two wheels on it, scratched and rusted from rain.
The girl placed a doll baby that 1/2 of its hair was torn out, and had been drawn all over with a permanent marker. It was naked.
As I stood next to the Toy Box, I thought --- if I were Santa Claus, I would wrap the rusty truck in a big box with pretty paper and the doll in a beautiful box with bows and take it to their fancy house and GIVE IT BACK TO THEM!
5) WE ARE BLESSED SO WE CAN BLESS OTHERS!
(Thanks to Tom Nelson for this illustration)
If we view the microcosm of the human body, we find that the heart does not receive blood to store it up. While it pumps blood in at one valve, it sends it out at another. The blood is always circulating everywhere, and is never stagnant.
The same is true of all the fluids in a healthy body; they are in a constant state of expenditure. If one cell stores for a few moments its particular secretion, it only retains it until it is perfectly fitted for its appointed use in the body.
For if any cell in the body should begin to store up its secretion, its store would soon become the cause of inveterate disease. The organ would soon lose the power to secrete at all, if it did not give forth its products. The whole of the human system lives by giving.
The eye cannot say to the foot, I have no need of thee and will not guide thee; for if it does not perform its watchful office, the whole man will be in the ditch, and the eye will be covered with mire.
If the members refuse to contribute to the general stock, the whole body will become poverty-stricken and be given up to the bankruptcy of death. Let us learn, then, from the analogy of nature, the great lesson, that to get we must give; that to accumulate we must scatter, that to make ourselves happy, we must make others happy; and that to get good and become spiritually vigorous, we must do good and seek the spiritual good of others. -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon
6) It’s not what you would do with a million dollars, should you win the lottery. But what are you going to do at the present with that $1.25 in your hand?
Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. [8] For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. [9] And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. [10] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
It would certainly be a surprise if you planted corn and pumpkins came up. It’s a natural law to reap what we sow. It’s true in other areas too.
If you gossip about your friends, you will lose their friendship.
Every action has results.
If you plant to please your own desires, you’ll reap a crop of sorrow and evil.
If you plant to please God, you’ll reap joy and everlasting life.
What kind of seeds are you sowing? It is discouraging to continue to do right and receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results.
But Paul challenged the Galatians and he challenges us to keep on doing good and to trust God for the results. In due time, we will reap a harvest of blessing.
7) IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU ARE GETTING, CHANGE WHAT YOU ARE GIVING!
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 YOU MEASURE, IT SHALL BE MEASURED UNTO YOU.
The best gift we can give to an enemy is forgiveness;
to an opponent tolerance; to a friend your heart;
to a child a good example; to self -- respect; and love to all.
What if we give according to our means and or God will make your means according to your giving?
The world says, "How much does he give?"
God might ask, " Why does he give?"
If we have to wait to be asked to give, you waited too long!
8) IS IT AN ACCIDENT THAT 17 OF THE 36 PARABLES OF OUR LORD DEAL WITH LOVE OF PROPERTY AND STEWARDSHIP?
How sad when the rich man loved things more than people and God?
9) The Wise men came with gifts to give.
It is not the value of the gift, it is the value of the giver and the giver’s effort.
There was much effort for the wise men to come and present their gifts to the King. Their gifts cost --- gold, frankincense, myrrh.
See the gift is meaningless without the giver.
For the gift without the giver is bare.
Who gives himself with his alms feeds three, -- himself, the one in need, and God.
9) Hidden giving reaches the farthest.
Mat. 6:1--3: warns us not to give to be seen, or for big trophies of success.
What I kept, I lost! What I spent, I had! What I give, I HAVE!
10) THERE ARE 3 KINDS OF GIVING!
A. Grudge Giving --- I have to give, ... this is constraint.
B. DUTY GIVING --- I ought to give, it is expected of me... this obligation.
C. THANKSGIVING... I want to give... opens a gate to the throne and a song in the night.
11) Judas is in trouble, his attitude and heart comes forth in one question: WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME?
Look at the difference, Mat. 26: 8, 13 --- Mary gives her best, and the religious crowd doesn’t understand, but her heart knows! Love gives, what is the difference in Mary and Judas? Attitude of giving? God owes you nothing!
WILL YOU PLAN A GIFT TO JESUS FOR HIS BIRTHDAY?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com Please help me, enlarge my hands, and pass to others?
