POUR YOURSELF INTO OTHERS...
GREAT IS THE YIELD OF A FERTILE FIELD...
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I have a small pitcher and several varying size glasses.
I pour what each vessel is capable of holding.
On the night of Sep’t. 25, 2008 I dreamed a beautiful dream.
I dreamed about POURING YOURSELF into other people.
In my dream I saw people investing and helping others, and the
outcome was those people arising and investing in others. I also
dreamed on investing effort and love in some and the dividend
was not as rewarding? I woke up and developed this sermon.
I. THERE ARE REAL ENEMIES TO LIVING IN THE PALACE! ---
LIVING, THINKING, ACTING AND TALKING LIKE A SLAVE!!!
THERE ARE ENEMIES OF THE MESSAGE THAT WILL TRY TO
STARVE THE MEN OF GOD... THUS HINDER THE MESSAGE ...
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever
a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
A. I had a dear old friend --- Watt Hale. Watt was in his 80’s. He would often ask me to drive him to the family cemetery. We would park on the
hill side and he would climb out and walk around the graves.
He would stop at his brother’s grave, his son’s grave and his daughter’s
grave. He would show me where he and Wilma would be. His little
deed of love was to pull any weeds around the tombstones. He would
often tell me stories. Some were happy. Some were sad.
He was around 85 and he learned to quote from memory the poem
"THE OAKEN BUCKET." Watt would sit on the front porch with the old
book and learn a line and then another line. Then Wilma, his wife,
would hold the book and Watt would rattle off the lines.
One day another old timer asked Watt, "Why are you working so hard
learning that old poem?"
Watt answered: I JUST WANT TO SEE IF I CAN!
Well, Watt did! I heard him recite the poem to people. It was very
impressive to hear him.
B. One day I was sitting on the porch, Watt and Wilma were in the swing.
Watt had recited the poem and I had the book to keep him true. He
never missed a word. As we were sitting there, I so enjoyed watching
the birds come to Watt’s bird feeders. Watt had built his own bird feeders and they were all over the yard.
C. Watt said to me, "Preacher, you know why I feed the birds?"
I said, "No, Watt, why do you feed the birds?"
Watt’s little voice trembled, he watched a bird land and eat and fly away.
Watt said, "Times were tough. There was a crowd that did not like the
message the preacher was preaching. When people don’t like the
message they don’t like the messenger. The Preacher ran for his life.
He was so hungry. It appeared the messenger and the message of God
would be stopped."
D. "Then God had a plan. THE BIRDS STARTED SERVING THE PREACHER
HIS MEALS --- THUS THE MESSENGER AND THE MESSAGE CONTINUES
TODAY. I OWE THE BIRDS A THANK YOU FOR HELPING THE MAN OF
GOD CONTINUE THE WORD OF GOD."
E. I saw a tear run down Watt’s face. We bowed our heads and Watt
prayed a simple little prayer: GOD WOULD YOU PLEASE BLESS PEOPLE
TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE MESSAGE OF GOD IS! THAT MEN
CARRY THE MESSAGE, MORTAL MEN, IMPERFECT MEN --- AND THAT
WE MUST SUPPORT THE MEN OF GOD WITH LOVE AND RESPECT.
LORD, DON’T LET THE ENEMIES OF THE MEN OF GOD HINDER THE
MESSAGE OF GOD...
F. ARE WE POURING OUR EFFORTS INTO THE MAN OF GOD AND THE
MESSAGE OF GOD?
II. WILL I TRY? WILL I TRY AGAIN? HOW MUCH EFFORT WILL I INVEST?
YOUR ABILITY: is what you are capable of...
YOUR MOTIVATION: will determine what you do...
YOUR ATTITUDE: will determine how well you will do something...
YOUR EFFORT: will determine how much you will invest into this field...
COMMITMENT, PASSION: if you will finish the project.
KJV
Luke 13:6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree
planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and
found none.
[7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these
three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none:
cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
[8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also,
till I shall dig about it, and dung it: [9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
LIVING
Luke 13:6 Then he used this illustration: "A man planted a fig tree
in his garden and came again and again to see if he could find any
fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.
[7] Finally he told his gardener to cut it down. ’I’ve waited three
years and there hasn’t been a single fig!’ he said.
’Why bother with it any longer? It’s taking up space we can use for
something else.’
8] " ’Give it one more chance,’ the gardener answered. ’Leave it
another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer.
[9] If we get figs next year, fine; if not, I’ll cut it down.’ "
III. POUR YOURSELF INTO OTHERS: AM I GOING TO STAY HERE?
AM I HUNGRY? HAVE I A PLAN TO GROW?
I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD: YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER...
BUT YOU CAN’T MAKE HIM DRINK...
THIS IS NOT TRUE... YOU CAN BUY A SALT BLOCK!
A. I have never seen a huge orchard that just started producing apples?
There must be preparation, planting, watering, fertilizing and great
patience.
B. Most growth is not by accident but by a plan.
SOMEONE HAD TO POUR GREAT EFFORT INTO THE PROJECT.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after
righteousness: for they shall be filled.
C. WE NEED A TASTE OF SALT IN THE CHURCH.
I have often heard about you can’t make a horse drink water.
I have lived in the country long enough to know better.
You can buy a 50 pound salt block and place it in the field.
The horse will get around and LICK THE SALT BLOCK...
Then you will not stop the horse from getting to the water and
drinking the water.
D. ALL GREAT MEN OF GOD LEARNED TO LOVE THE SALT AND DEVELOP
A HUNGER AND THRIST FOR SPIRITUAL THINGS.
*** AMRAM and JOCEBED had three world changing children: MIRIAM,
AARON, --- little baby MOSES!
*** MOSES --- he passed it on to JOSHUA.
*** ELIJAH loved God and passed it on to ELISAH!
*** MORDECAI had a great love for God and passed that love to ESTHER.
*** PAUL passed his love on to TIMOTHY.
IV. THERE MUST BE WILLING VESSELS TO POUR THEIR TIME, TALENT,
ENERGY AND EFFORT INTO OTHERS. WE NEED AN EXAMPLE TO MAKE
A PATTERN!
A. A baby is born, he or she is so cute.
They lay around all day. They watch the adults move around.
The baby sees something over there --- the baby wants what is
over there and the baby needs to move.
***At first the baby SCOOTS. There is a better way...
***The baby learns that CRAWLING IS BETTER than scooting.
I am told a good crawling baby is slower to learn how to walk.
***The baby watches adults walking and sees WALKING BEATS
CRAWLING. I am told a baby that never sees an adult’s example
of walking may never learn to walk...
***Once the toddler learns to walk and grows he learns THAT
RUNNING is faster than walking...
*** As a teenager --- the runner learns DRIVING SURE BEATS WALKING
OR RUNNING...
V. THERE IS A TERRIBLE IMPENETRABLE VEIL:
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING YOU HAVE NEVER HAD ---
YOU MUST DO SOMETHING YOU HAVE NEVER DONE.
A. We need teachers and preachers that can reach beyond the EAR.
We need people that have PREPARED THEIR MIND that the WORD
of God will REACH THE HEART!
Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might
understand the scriptures,
B. There is a SCHOOL OF GRACE!
Sure there is the LETTER OF THE LAW --- the OUTWARD MAN ...
but there is the PRESENCE OF JESUS --- the LOVE of the TASTE OF
TRUTH.
C. There is a HOLY ANOINTING that the invisible becomes visible.
THE IGNORANCE OF HOLY AND ETERNAL THINGS BECOMES A
TERRIBLE GIANT MOCKING GOD’S PEOPLE.
Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest
through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee.
D. We try to run the church as a business? Great danger lies ahead!
Will a house with no foundation survive on the SAND?
Can a two year old baby climb MT. EVEREST?
Can a CHICKEN fly above the STORM CLOUDS?
E. THERE IS A VEIL OVER THE HEART ---
CARNAL/FLESHLY THINKING AND REASONING WILL NEVER
PENETRATE BEHIND THE VEIL!
VI. WILL I POUR OUT WHAT I VALUE? DO I GIVE JUNK?
WILL I GIVE WHAT I LOVE? CAN I POUR OUT MY BLESSING?
YOU HAVE TO BREAK THAT LOVE GIFT AND BRING IT TO JESUS.
A. MARY’S OFFERING?
VALUE? WORTH? COST?
300 denarius --- a denarius is ONE DAYS WAGE...
52 weeks a year. 104 days off ---weekend,
The cost of this offering would be OVER ONE YEAR’S SALARY.
Mark 14:3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as
he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of
ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and
poured it on his head.
Luke 7:38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to
wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head,
and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
B. Mary had a very expensive bottle... (BOX) ... made out of stone.
The bottle or BOX was from ALASTRON, EGYPT.
The bottle alone was very expensive and dear to the owner.
C. This alabaster box had a very long neck and it would be BROKEN
to open the sweet smell of the contents.
D. THE SPIKENARD OINTMENT IN THE BOX WAS VERY
PRECIOUS AND EXPENSIVE.
Once opened the shelf life of the material was very limited.
E. DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED? THEN POUR YOURSELF
OUT FOR OTHERS!
VII. ARE YOU DOING WHAT YOU COULD?
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WILL TALK ABOUT AND PUT OTHERS DOWN
FOR POURING OUT THEIR PRECIOUS GIIFTS.
A. DON’T BE SURPRISED WHEN SOME PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHAT
THEY SEE AS A WASTE?
Luke 7:44-46 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest
thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water
for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them
with the hairs of her head. [45] Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman
since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
[46] My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
B. THIS GIFT HAD TO BE BROKEN AND POURED OUT.
C. Mary POURED OUT HER LOVE THAT DAY.
SHE GAVE HER MOST PRECIOUS GIFT ... IT BECAME A MEMORIAL!
D. WHAT A TESTIMONY OF POURING OUT?
SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD...
Mark 14:8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint
my body to the burying.
VIII. POUR YOURSELF INTO OTHERS:
IF YOUR PRESENCE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE...
YOUR ABSENCE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE...
A. THOMAS HAS A NEW MIDDLE NAME ... THE.
He also has a new last name: DOUBTER.
WHY? He skipped prayer meeting and missed Jesus.
B. Great expectations? Low expectations? No expectations?
If you sow nothing, why expect a HARVEST OF MUCH?
IX. POUR YOURSELF INTO OTHERS: DON’T THROW AWAY THE CLAY!
THE PERSON THAT NEEDS YOUR LOVE AND GIFTING THE MOST
DESERVES IT THE LEAST!
Matthew 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants
said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
[29] But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
A. There are people watching you?
There are people listening to you?
What kind of example are you?
B. There are many ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACKS eating chips and
sandwiches sitting in a leather chair so fat they head toward a
heart attack yelling at people that have run so hard they can’t hardly
take another step.
C. Do you think you can scream, yell and nag yourself to victory?
D. It is insane to think you can keep doing things the same old way,
and get a different outcome.
E. Be kind and tenderly affectioned...
LOVE --- REACH --- TEACH --- TEACH AGAIN... KEEP!
E. Don’t throw away the clay, try again, apply some water and
make it pliable again.
X. POUR YOURSELF INTO OTHERS:
LITTLE THINGS MATTER... IF YOU WILL NOT BE FAITHFUL IN THE
LITTLE, YOU WILL NOT BE FAITHFUL IN THE BIG!
A. There was a little man we know little about.
One thing we know is HUR was married to MIRIAM, Moses’ older
sister.
Exodus 17:10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with
Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
[11] And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel
prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
[12] But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it
under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands,
the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands
were steady until the going down of the sun.
B. HUR is always mentioned in supportive roles.
God saw HUR as POURING HIMSELF INTO THE MINISTER.
C. A little lad came with the LUNCH HIS MOMMA PACKED...
John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two
small fishes: but what are they among so many?
D. Two small fishes and 5 little biscuits?
5000 men, there is always more women and children than men...
THE BOY WAS WILLING TO POUR HIMSELF AND TO OFFER HIS LUNCH
TO THE SON OF GOD --- POUR IN SELF --- AND TELL THE STORY ON
YOUR DEATH BED!
E. Four men are carrying an adult several miles ---
they POUR THEIR TIME, TALENT AND ENERGY INTO A MIRACLE...
They could not get to Jesus... POUR IN SOME MORE...
Climb the wall, tear out a hole, let him down... POURED OUT!
XI. POUR YOURSELF INTO OTHERS: DO YOU HAVE A GAME PLAN?
DISCIPLINE IS A SEED... PERMISSIVENESS IS A SEED... YOU WILL REAP WHAT YOU SOW...
1 Cor. 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:
lest that by any means, when I have preached to others,
I myself should be a castaway.
A. Sometime back I was sitting in a waiting room. I read this about
Memory Problems. The article suggested that many Memory Problems
were real hidden issue about the lack of discipline.
He discussed loosing a person’s keys...
The real issue is not loosing your keys but not having a consistent place
where you put your keys. He stated you just come in and leave your keys
in the door or maybe throw your keys on the table or take them in the
bathroom? He stated if you had a place to always place your keys,
you would not loose them.
B. He went on to discuss loosing important papers?
He warned, You don’t have a good filing system. If you filed your papers
you would know where they were.
C. He then dealt with the common enemy of PROCRASTINATION.
If we delay doing what we should have done, we may not get back
to the issue in a timely matter.
D. The doctor stated the real problem is laziness, procrastination and
not developing a GOOD GAME PLAN.
XII. POUR YOURSELF IN OTHERS:
GOD WILL INSPECT THE QUALITY AND QUANITY OF YOUR EFFORT!
Col. 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,
longsuffering;
A. GOD HOLD’S HIS PEOPLE AND THE CHURCH ACCOUNTABLE.
We must develop a good ACCOUNTIBILITY PLAN...
How often will you have a honest evaluation yourself?
Ephes. 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
B. Do you judge by a double standard? One stick for you and yours?
Another stick for those not like you?
C. DON’T MAGNIFY PEOPLE’S PROBLEMS, LOVE THEM ANYWAY.
MINIMIZE FAULTS AND CRITICISMS...
MAGNIFY GOD!
XIII. GOD LOVES PEOPLE. YOU ARE THE APPLE OF HIS EYE!
GOD LOVES PEOPLE THAT WILL NOT GIVE UP ON PEOPLE.
A. Jonah was a mad preacher. He was angry because of the past.
Jonah could remember how mean and bad the Ninevites had been.
Jonah did not want to pour himself into Ninevites.
Zech. 2:8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent
me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you
toucheth the apple of his eye.
B. BE POSITIVE --- STAY FOCUSED ON THE CROSS...
REFRESH AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS... POUR YOURSELF OUT GLADLY...
Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow
of thy wings,
CONCLUSION:
DON’T GIVE UP! THIS MIGHT BE THE BRINK OF A MIGHTY MOVE OF
GOD. IF IT IS OVER YOUR HEAD, IT IS UNDER HIS FEET!
IF GOD BRINGS US TO IT --- HE CAN BRING US THROUGH IT.
Bury the past, before it buries you! Invest in people.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Pass this to another?
