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Transcript

Living with an Open Hand · Men's Morning Devotional

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Gentlemen, every day is a battle.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: A battle for your faith, your family, and your purple.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: The men who stand strong don't prepare when the battle arrives.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: They prepare before it begins.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the men's morning devotional.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get into God's word.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's time to man up.
• 0:27
  Steve Alessi: Good morning, gentlemen.
• 0:28
  Steve Alessi: It's Steve Aleste, and it's time for another man up moment.
• 0:31
  Steve Alessi: And I want to talk about living with an open hand.
• 0:35
  Steve Alessi: Proverbs 11, 24, and 25 says, one man gives freely yet gains even more.
• 0:42
  Steve Alessi: Another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
• 0:46
  Steve Alessi: A generous man will prosper.
• 0:49
  Steve Alessi: He who refreshes others will refresh himself.
• 0:53
  Steve Alessi: I'm going to be honest with you right now.
• 0:56
  Steve Alessi: This one is a challenge for me, especially when it comes to saying yes to my wife's purchases.
• 1:03
  Steve Alessi: So I need to man up.
• 1:05
  Steve Alessi: Now most men understand working hard, saving and providing for our families, and even protecting what we've been working for.
• 1:13
  Steve Alessi: It's called responsibility.
• 1:14
  Steve Alessi: But if we're not careful, being responsible can turn into holding on too tightly.
• 1:21
  Steve Alessi: Proverbs 11, 24 and 25 is teaching us that one man gives freely and gains even more, then it gives us a great principle.
• 1:32
  Steve Alessi: You ready?
• 1:33
  Steve Alessi: The generous man prospers, and the man who refreshes others will be refreshed himself.
• 1:42
  Steve Alessi: Guys, that's completely opposite to the way most of us think.
• 1:48
  Steve Alessi: We say, if you want more, you got to hold on to more.
• 1:51
  Steve Alessi: But God says, learn to release what I've placed into your hands.
• 1:56
  Steve Alessi: There's a story about a farmer who constantly grew some of the best corn in his county.
• 2:01
  Steve Alessi: Year after year he won awards.
• 2:03
  Steve Alessi: Someone finally asked him his secret, and the farmer explained that every year he shared his best seed corn with the farmers around him.
• 2:12
  Steve Alessi: One guy asked, Why would you give your best seed to the farmers you're competing against?
• 2:17
  Steve Alessi: The farmer explained that when the wind blows, pollen travels from one field to another.
• 2:23
  Steve Alessi: If his neighbors grew corn that was poor, eventually it would affect the quality of his own crop.
• 2:31
  Steve Alessi: So he said, if I want to grow good corn, I have to help my neighbors grow good corn too.
• 2:39
  Steve Alessi: Man, there's a great principle right there.
• 2:43
  Steve Alessi: Sometimes the best way to improve your own life is to help improve somebody else's life.
• 2:50
  Steve Alessi: When we hear generosity, we usually think about money.
• 2:53
  Steve Alessi: And yes, generosity includes our finances.
• 2:56
  Steve Alessi: But a generous man gives more than money.
• 2:59
  Steve Alessi: He gives us time, he gives us encouragement, his wisdom, he gives people opportunities.
• 3:06
  Steve Alessi: He even gives credit instead of always needing to take the credit.
• 3:10
  Steve Alessi: A generous man doesn't walk into every room asking, what can I get from these people?
• 3:16
  Steve Alessi: But instead he asks, what can I add to these people?
• 3:19
  Steve Alessi: And that's a mind shift because it's so different than the way most of us live today.
• 3:26
  Steve Alessi: I especially love the last thought in this proverb.
• 3:29
  Steve Alessi: It says, the man who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
• 3:35
  Steve Alessi: Listen, brothers, somebody around you today needs refreshing.
• 3:41
  Steve Alessi: One of your brothers needs to be encouraged because he's dealing with discouragement.
• 3:46
  Steve Alessi: Another is carrying a burden you know nothing about, and he needs encouragement.
• 3:53
  Steve Alessi: Somebody needs an opportunity, or maybe even needs some financial help.
• 3:59
  Steve Alessi: And here's the thought God may have already put in your hand what somebody else needs.
• 4:06
  Steve Alessi: So don't let God's blessing stop with you.
• 4:10
  Steve Alessi: If God gives you more, don't just build a bigger container.
• 4:14
  Steve Alessi: Build a bigger pipeline and let more flow through you.
• 4:20
  Steve Alessi: Because your family should be better because you're there.
• 4:23
  Steve Alessi: And the workplace, better because you work there.
• 4:27
  Steve Alessi: The church, our church, should be better because you're part of what we do, and your friends should be stronger because you're in their lives.
• 4:36
  Steve Alessi: That's the life of a generous man.
• 4:38
  Steve Alessi: So, gentlemen, here's your man-up challenge.
• 4:42
  Steve Alessi: Refresh one person today.
• 4:45
  Steve Alessi: Now don't wait for them to ask, but instead go out and bless them.
• 4:51
  Steve Alessi: Maybe buy them lunch, leave the bigger tip after dinner, send the encouraging text, give somebody some extra time of yours.
• 5:00
  Steve Alessi: Maybe even share some wisdom with a younger person that's around you.
• 5:03
  Steve Alessi: Open the door for somebody.
• 5:05
  Steve Alessi: Whatever you're doing, just help someone else who is struggling.
• 5:10
  Steve Alessi: And don't do it because you're trying to get something back.
• 5:14
  Steve Alessi: Do it because that's the kind of man you've decided to become.
• 5:19
  Steve Alessi: And then trust the principle of Proverbs.
• 5:22
  Steve Alessi: When you refresh others, God has a way of refreshing you.
• 5:29
  Steve Alessi: So live with an open hand and refresh somebody today.
• 5:34
  Steve Alessi: Let's pray.
• 5:35
  Steve Alessi: Father, thank you for everything you've placed in our hands.
• 5:39
  Steve Alessi: Help us not to hold too tightly to what you've given us.
• 5:43
  Steve Alessi: Make us generous men, generous with our finances, our time, our encouragement, our wisdom, and even our opportunities.
• 5:52
  Steve Alessi: Show us somebody today who needs refreshing and give us the willingness to do something about it.
• 5:59
  Steve Alessi: Keep our hands open, our hearts generous, and make our lives a blessing to the people that are around us.
• 6:07
  Steve Alessi: In Jesus' name, amen.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: All right, gentlemen, you've heard God's word.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Now go live it.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: Lead well, stand strong, honor God in everything you do.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: Share this devotional with another brother.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, every day is another opportunity to man up.