WHY SOME GIVE AND SOME TAKE
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.” — ACTS 20:35-38
WHEN GIVERS LEAVE US IT IS A PAINFUL FAIRWELL
THERE IS IN AN EVER LIVING BATTLE OF TWO SUPERNATURAL BEINGS. THEY BOTH STEP OUT OF ETERNITY TO ENTER TIME. THEIR CONFLICT IS PLAYED OUT IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF PEOPLE, THEIR CONFRONTATION DISPLAYED ON THE PROPHETIC BACKDROP OF THE PREORDAINED STRATEGIES OF THE CREATOR. THEY POISE THEMSELVES IN THE FLOW OF THEIR ETERNAL NATURES. THEIR INFLUENCE IS SEEN IN AND AROUND US EVERYDAY.
THE PERSONALITIES OF GIVERS AND TAKERS
ONE IS LOVE; THE OTHER IS HATE.
ONE FUNCTIONS AS LIGHT; THE OTHER HAS HIS DEEDS DONE IN DARKNESS.
ONE HAS COME TO PROVIDE LIFE, AND THAT MORE ABUNDANTLY; THE OTHER IS COME TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY.
ONE HAS COME TO BLESS; THE OTHER TO BRUISE.
WHEN YOU REALLY NARROW DOWN THE SPECIFICS OF THEIR CHARACTERISTICS, YOU WILL FIND OVER AND OVER AGAIN – ONE IS A GIVER, THE OTHER A TAKER.
THE ORIGIN + PERSONALITY OF TAKERS
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” — JOHN 10:10 (KJV)
BEFORE CREATION
“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate: ’Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble,’” — ISA. 14:12-16
TAKING WILL PROMISE WHAT ONLY GIVING CAN GIVE YOU.
WHEN YOU TAKE, YOU LOSE YOUR POSITION
SATANS INFLUENCE IN THE BEGINNING; TEACHING TO TAKE
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” — GEN. 3:1-6
SATANS INFLUENCE IN THE FIRST FAMILY
“Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, ‘With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.’ Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’” — GEN. 4:1- 7
JEALOUSY: IT DOESN’T START OUT ALL THAT BAD
RESPECT—ELEVATE A PERSON; RESPECT OF TITLES, DR., PASTOR, OFFICER, PRESIDENT
ADMIRE—ESTEEM A PERSON; APPRECIATION OF GIFTINGS
WHEN JEALOUSY GETS OUT OF HAND
JEALOUSY > HATRED > ANGER > MURDER
EMULATE (TRY TO EQUAL) THAT PERSON
THE PATTERN— TO BE LIKE THEM IS ONE THING; PAUL SAID (‘FOLLOW ME AS I FOLLOW CHRIST”) BUT WE ARE NOT MEANT TO BE SOMEONE WE ARE NOT. WE ARE MEANT TO BE OURSELVES.
COMPETE—(COMPETITION) ENVY THE PERSON (CAIN, TAKER VS ABLE, A GIVER)
TO HAVE DISCONTENT AT ANOTHER’S SUPERIORITY
MURDER—(KILL WITH THOUGHT OR TONGUE)
EMULATE: TO TAKE THEIR PLACE
CAIN WAS JEALOUS AS HE WITNESSED ABLE’S JOY AND FAVOR WITH GOD
ELIMINATING PEOPLE WILL NOT SOLVE OUR PROBLEM
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” — JAMES 1:19-20
SATANS INFLUENCE IN ISRAEL
AFTER JERICHOS DESTRUCTION, GOD SAID DON’T TOUCH IT.
“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing (known also as cherum, or tithe): and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.” — JOSH. 7:1
SATANS INFLUENCE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
“HOW GOD STRIKES A MATCH”
“Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.’ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, ‘Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?’ ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘that is the price.’ Peter said to her, ‘How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.’ At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.” — ACTS 5:1-11
“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” — ACTS 4:36-37
THE PERSONALITY OF THE GIVER
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — JOHN 3:16
HE CREATED MAN FROM THE DUST OF THE EARTH AND HE BREATHED (GAVE) LIFE INTO HIM
“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.’ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” — EPHESIANS 4:7-13
GIVERS LIVE WITH THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
UZZIH DIES TOUCHING THE ARK DAVID PARKS THE ARK
“He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.” — 2 SAMUEL 6:10-11
OBED EDOM LIVED WITH THE PRESENCE OF GOD FOR 90 DAYS. HIS HOUSE WAS BLESSED FOREVER.
NOTHING CHANGES A LIFE MORE PROFOUNDLY THAN SEEING AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION DEVELOP POSSIBILITIES.
WHAT DO WE LEARN HERE?
GOD’S PRESENCE WILL BLESS YOUR LIFE ABUNDANTLY!
WISDOM, DIRECTION, FAVOR, PROTECTION, BLESSING, HEALING
THE PRESENCE OF GOD WILL MESS YOU UP!
YOUR OLD WAYS WON’T MATTER ANYMORE. ALL THAT MATTERS IS WALKING IN HIS PRESENCE!
OUR PROXIMITY TO GOD IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO OUR PRODUCTIVITY FOR GOD.
JESUS TAUGHT US:
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” — LUKE 6:38
PAUL SAID:
“Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.
God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,
He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out.
This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God. — 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-11 (MSG)