Pastor Greg recaps our successful, first-ever, 6K For Water event. Next, he gives an overview of all of our missions work at Waikoloa Community Church. Then he shares Jesus’ mandate for caring for the disenfranchised of our world. Finally, Greg then focuses in on an opportunity to become a personal sponsor of a World Vision Child and invites all of us to pray about doing so.
MESSAGE NOTES
I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. ~ Edward Everett Hale
Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can. ~ John Wesley
THE MICAH MANDATE
With what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? ~ Micah 6:6-8
Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy. ~ Proverbs 31:8-9
And if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday. ~ Isaiah 58:10
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. ~ Isaiah 55:11
Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.” Then the righteous will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” The King will answer and say to them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” Then He will also say to those on His left, “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.” Then they themselves also will answer, “Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?” Then He will answer them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. ~ Matthew 25: 31-46
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be [p]food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. ~ Malachi 3:10
GO DEEPER
PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
AND ALOHA GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
READ: Notes Quotes by Edward Everett Hale and John Wesley
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) How do you feel about these two sentiments? Do you agree or disagree? How have you found this to be true or false in your life?
READ: Micah 6:6-8
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) What is “the Big Idea” of this passage? Does God not want us to sacrifice things to Him? Is it wrong to do so or is He simply suggesting and even better way?
2) If we do justly, love kindness and walk humbly are we sacrificing something because of those actions? If so, what?
3) Can you share an example of how God has called you to do these things recently in your life? What was your response?
READ: Proverbs 31:8-9 and Isaiah 58:10
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) What does God mean when He commands us to “open our mouth” for these people? In what way can you “open your mouth” for someone now? What keeps us from opening our mouths some times? How can we ensure that we will open our mouths in the future whenever it is necessary?
2) Specifically, how can you “give yourself to the hungry?” How can you “ satisfy the desire of the afflicted?” What prevents you from doing that more often? How can you overcome that limitation in order to better fulfill the commands of God in your life?
READ: Isaiah 55:11
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) What does God mean by this promise? If you were explaining it’s meaning, how it actually works, what examples can you give from your own life that might define this for a non-believer?
2) How did Pastor Greg say this promise of God is related to our ability to give financially to ministries in ways that feel like they are beyond our means?
READ: Matthew 25: 31-46
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) If Jesus were to return today, according to this passage, do you think you would find yourself standing with the sheep or the goats?
Why do you give that answer? What can you do to make sure you are standing with the sheep when that day comes?
READ: Malachi 3:10
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Pastor Greg said this Scripture is sometimes mistaught by the Prosperity Gospel Preachers. He said this isn’t a promise that God will make you rich if you give generously. Instead, Greg says it is a promise that God will 1) Bless you in spiritual ways beyond measure and 2) Multiply your giving efforts supernaturally so that what you give actually becomes larger and more powerful than if you had given it without that connection to God. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.
2) Are you willing to pray what Greg called “The Dangerous Prayer?” Are you willing to pray: “God, I recognize that all I have actually belongs to you and I am merely a steward of a very small part of your universe. Whatever you tell me to do with your possessions I will do. Even if you tell me to sell everything I have, give everything to the poor and follow you.” Are you willing to pray that prayer, knowing that it is possible God will make that request of you? Why or why not? Explain your answer.
3) If God did give you a command like that do you believe He would also have a plan to care for you and your needs with or without your possessions and wealth? Why or why not? What is God’s plan to provide for the poor and disenfranchised of our world right now? How does He want to ensure the hungry are fed, the thirsty have water, etc? If you were one of those poor, hungry, thirsty people, who would take care of you?
4) Has this study brought forth any personal epiphanies for you? Will you be making any changes in your life as a result? If so, what?