GOING AWAY SAD? WHAT DOES YOUR GIVING SHOW?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
IS BEING BUSY SUCCESS?
THE MOSQUITO IS SWATTED FOR IT’S BUSYNESS.
THE BEE IS PRAISED?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
I. YOU CAN GIVE AND NOT LOVE,
BUT ONE CAN NEVER LOVE WITHOUT GIVING?
LET US TRY TO DEFINE GIVING?
A. GIVE:
To make a present of.
In accord to yield to another.
To administer as a sacrament.
To commit to another’s trust or responsibility.
To offer for the action of another.
To share a portion.
To bring forth, BEAR.
To allow one to take or to have.
B. There are givers and takers.
II. ARE WE BLESSED? IT IS NOT JUST WHAT YOU GIVE,
GOD KNOWS THE MOTIVE BEHIND OUR GIVING?
A. The old King neared death and he did not have a son that would be a heir the throne. So the King stood above the castle wall and yelled across the mote.
To the brave man that will be the first to swim across this crocodile infested mote I will give my daughter’s hand in marriage and make him the next King.
B. All the young men were standing near the edge of the mote, watching the starving crocodiles swimming back and forth.
C. About that time one young man hit the water and started swimming with all he had across the mote. The crocodiles were fast after the brave young man.
D. Finally, the young man jumped out of the water on the King’s side of the mote.
E. The King sent a knight in armor to pull him out, and the King announced the handsome brave lad as the next King of the Kingdom.
F. The young lad was whispering over and over, I will kill whoever pushed me in there with those crocodiles.
G. While the young man appeared brave, he knew the truth. He had been pushed into the waters.
H. GOD KNOWS US AND HE KNOWS OUR MOTIVES.
Have you ever been pushed?
Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
III. WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE MAD? FOLLOW THE OFFERING PLATE AS IT GOES AROUND THE CHURCH AND SEE WHAT EVERY PERSON PUTS IN THE BASKET?
A. When I was a boy my Dad pastored a little church near Kokomo, Indiana. The norm was that all of us kids had some change for the offering. That night Dad had forgotten to give us offering money.
B. Right before the offering time, my little brother Tim asked Mom for money. Mom told Tim she didn’t have any change, go asked Dad.
C. Dad was sitting up front, so Tim slipped up to Dad to ask for some money for the offering.
D. Dad told Tim he didn’t have any money.
E. Tim ran back to our pew, and the music stopped just as my little brother yelled to Mom, "DAD DOESN’T HAVE ANY CENTS!"
F. Everybody laughed, and Tim was embarrassed.
IV. YOUR GIVING TELLS A LOT ABOUT YOU.
WHAT IF GOD GAVE YOU BACK WHAT YOU GAVE OTHERS?
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 ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
A. A family was going home after the church service.
All the way home the Dad complained and complained. The air conditioning was too cold, the music was too loud, the songs were to fast, the preacher talked too loud, and he spoke the everlasting Gospel. Besides that the service lasted far too long.
The little boy unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over his Dad’s shoulder, then the boy said, DAD I SAW WHAT YOU PUT IN THE OFFERING, TWO CENTS! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FOR TWO CENTS?
B. IF YOU HAVE A LOT GIVE A LOT.
BUT IF YOU HAVE LITTLE, BE NOT AFRAID TO GIVE ACCORDING TO THE LITTLE.
C. LOOK WHAT JESUS DID WITH THE OFFERING THE LITTLE BOY
GAVE OF A FEW FISH AND BISCUITS.
Mark 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
V. HAVE WE MADE UP OUR MINDS TO GIVE? MUCH GIVING IS AN ACCIDENT, OR BECAUSE WE HEARD OF A NEED.
GOOD GIVING IS ON PURPOSE AND DOES NOT WAIT FOR THE NEED TO BE KNOWN.
KJV
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.
LIVING
2 Cor. 9:7 Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give. Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful
givers are the ones God prizes.
NIV
2 Cor. 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
VI. I HEARD MISSIONARY PAUL BRANNAN SAY:
GIVING IS NOT A SACRIFRICE IF YOU REALLY LOVE!
THERE IS MORE THAN THE PRICE OF A GIFT, IT IS THE LOVE
OF THE GIVER THAT BUILDS THE TREASURED VALUE.
A. There may be a big difference in the price of something and the value.
B. I taught school in Lee county Virginia during Christmas season.
Some boys dared Joe to kiss two pretty girls and if he would they would give him two quarters.
Joe got in trouble and had to go to the office and Joe received a paddling.
Joe came out of the office very happy.
He took his 50 cents and bought some pieces of leather that a little girl had and sold him.
Joe came up to my desk and asked to borrow the glue and the stapler. Joe worked diligently and made a nice little leather pouch.
As the kids opened their exchange presents from under the old silver tree, there was a package for Mr. Hughes.
Joe wanted to give me, his teacher something for Christmas. I opened the gift, the gift was more than a little pouch, the gift had cost Joe dearly.
I always treasured that pouch and have it stored some where.
VII. WHAT YOU LOVE YOU WILL FIND TIME FOR ---
WHAT YOU GIVE AND HOW YOU GIVE WILL SHOW YOUR LOVE.
A. Here we are back to the issue: DO I HAVE TO GIVE?
B. DO WE ASK GOD FOR TOYS OR TOOLS?
C. YOU CAN NOT KEEP GIVING PEOPLE FISH.
REAL WISDOM WILL TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO FISH.
D. WHAT IF GOD GAVE YOU BACK WHAT YOU GAVE OTHERS?
Do we want no cost giving?
VIII. GOING AWAY SAD. COULD THERE BE A CORRELATION BETWEEN GIVING AND HAPPINESS?
CHOICES:
MAN IS THE CREATOR OR DESTROYER OF HIS OWN HAPPINESS.
Matthew 19:21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
A. PARADOX: A STATEMENT THAT SEEMS CONTRADICTORY OR OPPOSED TO COMMON SENSE.
B. HAPPINESS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST PARADOXS IN NATURE.
C. The multi- millionaire Mr. Rockefeller was asked HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
He answered ONE MORE DOLLAR.
D. IN CARTER COUNTY a tombstone says:
HERE LIES OLD 33 AND 1/3 PERCENT,
THE MORE HE GOT THE MORE HE LENT.
THE MORE HE LENT THE MORE HE CRAVED.
DEAR LORD HOW CAN A MAN LIKE THAT BE SAVED?
E. HAPPINESS DOES NOT GROW IN SOIL.
HAPPINESS IS HARMONY AND AGREEMENT.
YOU CANNOT BUY HAPPINESS.
YOU CANNOT EARN HAPPINESS.
YOU CANNOT GIVE ANOTHER HAPPINESS.
HAPPINESS IS NOT A GIFT OF THE IGNORANT OR THE EDUCATED.
HAPPINESS DOES NOT DEPEND ON WHAT YOU HAVE OR DON’T HAVE.
HAPPINESS DOES NOT DEPEND ON YOUR PEERS OR THE ENVIRONMENT.
F. HAPPINESS IS THE GLOW OF PEACE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HEART OF STORMS AND TRIALS.
IX. DO WE BUILD DAMS THAT BLOCK THE FLOW OF BLESSINGS?
Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
A. BE BETTER NOT BITTER.
YOU GIVE:
Matthew 14:16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."
B. HOW SHALL I GIVE:
SACRIFICE, SHARE, PREFER, FEED, YIELD, SERVE,
SURRENDER, OFFER, TRIBUTE.
C. GOD GIVES, SATAN TAKES.
D. ASESOP TAUGHT A LESSON THAT THE ONLY ARROW THAT COULD KILL A FLYING EAGLE WAS THE ARROW MADE WITH THE FEATHER OR PLUM FROM THE EAGLE.
DON’T GIVE THE ENEMY THE SECRET MEANS TO BRING YOUR
OWN DESTRUCTION.
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Pass this on to another?
