BE A NURTURER, BE A FEEDER!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
This can be a two part series.
I. TEXT:
KJV
Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
NIV
Proverbs 11:25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Living
Proverbs 11:25 Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself. he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Message
Proverbs 11:25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.
I heard there was a small airplane crash in the desert, two or three people survived.
The people were dying for water and starving to death.
One of the men found there was an abundance of cacti or cactuses.
They cut into the cacti and found plenty of water.
They peeled back the spines and thorns and ate the cacti.
Their stomachs were full when they found the bodies.
The cacti had no nourishment, there was not life sustaining compounds in the plant.
II. Nurture
Training, upbringing, educate, raise,
The sum of influences modifying the expression of potential
To help develop, foster
Nourish
To promote the growth
To furnish or sustain
Provisions, food,
III. WHERE ARE THE NURTURERS?
PHYSICAL?
EMOTIONAL? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH UNHAPPINESS
MENTAL? FATGUE, PRESSURE?
SPIRITUAL? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH LONELINESS
1 Cor. 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
A. GOD’S DESIGN IS FOR PEOPLE TO TOUCH, ENCOUAGE, UPLIFT OTHER PEOPLE!
B. There are a lot of Dad’s but few Fathers.
Provider
Mentor
Model
Nourish
IV. GOD RAISES UP NOURISHERS IN HARD TIMES.
GOD KNEW 15 TO 17 YEARS PRIOR TO THIS 7 YEAR DROUGHT AND GOD MOVED
A MAN TO BE NURTURER TO SUSTAIN HIS FAMILY.
A. TWO YEARS INTO THE DROUGHT JACOB SENT 10 OF HIS SONS TO EGYPT.
B. THE 11th SON IS THOUGHT TO BE DEAD.
C. THE 12th SON IS PRECIOUS TO JACOB, BENJAMIN.
Genesis 50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
V. IT IS GOD’S PLAN AND DESIGN FOR US TO NURTURE THE HUNGRY AND TIRED! WE CAN EXCUSE AND ACCUSE, BUT WE ARE CALLED TO FEED.
A. JESUS HAD A TEST FOR HIS BOYS TO LEARN.
FEED THEM? HOW CAN WE FEED THEM?
But what are they among so many?
Mark 8:2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for
divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
B. THERE IS FOOD BEYOND BREAD AND WATER!
John 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
VI. DO YOU LOVE ME? THEN FEED --- NOURISH --- GROW
OUR LOVE HINGES ON FEEDING~
John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
John 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
VII. ZIG ZIGLER IS A SOUGHT AFTER MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER:
ZIG SAYS:
You can get everything you want in life ---
if you will just help enough other people get what they want!
VIII. WE HAVE THE TENDANCY TO INVITE THOSE THAT INVITE US!
Luke 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
IX. HOW SHALL WE TEST LOVE?
Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matthew 5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
X. DO WE HAVE SACRIFICAL LOVE?
IN TODAY’S DARKNESS WE NEED THE LIGHT.
THE DARKER THE NIGHT, THE GREATER THE LIGHT!
KJV
Proverbs 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
LIVING
Proverbs 11:24 It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything.
25 Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself.
XI. A DOG WILL BARK IN FEAR TO TRY AND BREED FEAR!
KJV
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
LIVING
Galatians 6:7 Don’t be misled; remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it: a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows!
8 If he sows to please his own wrong desires, he will be planting seeds of evil and he will surely reap a harvest of spiritual decay and death; but if he plants the good things of the Spirit, he will reap the everlasting life that the Holy Spirit gives him.
9 And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.
XII. OUR ENEMY IS TRYING TO KILL THE MINISTRY OF NURTURING IN THE CHURCH.
ARISE! FERTILIZE! GROW! DEVELOP A PLAN TO NURTURE OTHERS.
ACCEPT THE MINISTRY OF ENCOURAGING OTHERS.
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
1 Thes. 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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