Be A Candle For The Lord...

A CANDLE FOR THE LORD... MAKE ME...

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

Matthew 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Matthew 6:23 (MSG) If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is

a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!

INTRODUCTION:

I USE AN ENVELOPE AND A CANDLE IN THIS LESSON:

INVESTING IN THE ETERNAL... investing love... RETURN... to surround

INVEST: to furnish with power, to cover completely, to envelope, to commit,

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose

his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

I. DO YOU KNOW THE FIRST THING GIVEN IN THE BIBLE...???

A. ALL LIFE COMES FROM GOD...

B. All life on earth comes from the power of LIGHT...

C. GOD'S GIFT OF LIGHT STARTS A PROCESS THAT PRODUCES LIFE...

D. All mankind in totally blind with out light.

Genesis 1:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon

the earth: and it was so.

Genesis 1:17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

II. GOD IS A GIVER THAT IN SETS THE EXAMPLE...

WHERE IS THE FIRST BLOOD OFFERING GIVEN IN THE BIBLE?

A. WHY ARE YOU HIDING FROM GOD?

God says: WHERE ARE YOU?

God knew where they were and WHY THEY WERE HIDING...

B. NO ADMITTING GUILT, NO REPENTANCE...

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and

clothed them.

III. WHAT IS THE FIRST RECORD OF MAN'S GIVING?

A. GIVING IS ALWAYS BASED ON ABILITY...

God never expected what you do not have...

B. The issue is often hidden... many say: the blood offering...

C. LEVITICUS informs us GOD ACCEPTS GRAIN OFFERINGS...

Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground

an offering unto the LORD.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had

respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his

countenance fell.

6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

D. THE REAL ISSUE IS CLEAR:

1. Cain brought of the ground... LEFT OVERS...

2. ABEL GAVE OF THE FIRSTLINGS

E. THE LACK OF LOVE GIVING WILL ALWAYS BIRTH ANGER, AND A FALLEN

COUNTENANCE...

F. Do not do the crime... without thinking of the COST...

Genesis 4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

IV. GOD LOVES TO GIVE US FRESH GIFTS...

BY DAILY GIVING ... GOD DESIRES US TO DEPEND ON HIM...

A. MORE THAN AN OMER WOULD ROT, STINK AND WORMS...

Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

B. GOD LOVES YOU TO:

1. LEAN

2. LOVE

3. LEARN OF HIM...

V. I AM AMAZED THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE ALWAYS CHILDREN...

Why didn't they become THE ADULTS OF ISRAEL...???

A. GOD WANTS US TO COME AS CHILDREN ... ADOPTED CHILDREN...

B. God desires us to be child like, NOT CHILDISH...

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me:

for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

C. A CHILD ... RE-INFORCED BEHAVIOR?

John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto

the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you

VI. INVESTING IN THE ETERNAL... investing love... RETURN... to surround

INVEST: to furnish with power, to cover completely, to envelope, to commit,

A. HOW SHALL I GIVE?

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.

B. COVETOUSNESS IS A GIVING KILLER...

C. PLANNED OR PURPOSED GIVING...

2 Corinthians 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before

unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might

be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully

shall reap also bountifully.

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: