Illus: Some folks evidently think they are special individuals, and they are above these laws of God.
But as you read through the scriptures you will see they applied to some of the saints of God that was outstanding servants of God. No one is above the laws of God not even great servants like King David or Jacob.
Every time they sowed bad seeds they reaped bad seeds. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAWS OF GOD!!!
Today we want to consider another LAW that applies to everyone.
THIS LAW that we are going to deal with today is, WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW.
Before we get into dealing with this law I need to explain something.
That is:
• The law “WE REAP MORE THAN WE SOW”
• The law “WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW”
May seem to be the same!!!
However, these laws are different in who they are APPLIED TOO.
For example…
• The law, “WE REAP MORE THAN WE SOW,” has to do WITH GOD.
• The law, “WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW,” has to do WITH US.
To understand how these laws affect us, we have to understand that what happens to us is largely based on the DAILY DECISIONS WE MAKE EACH DAY.
Let me explain in two ways…
(1) We are told by the best doctors in the land that if a person chooses to eat “junk food,” every day, that person is going to pay a price physically later on in life.
That is they can enjoy the JUNK FOOD as they eat it EVERYDAY---but they are going to pay for eating it later!!!
(2) We are told by the best economists in the land that if a person chooses to make the decision to spend more than he/she makes they are going to pay for it later.
They can enjoy using their spending buying things they want to buy but they are going to pay for their sowing later.
However, in spite of the best advice people can get, many still live their lives as if they can make all kinds of “dumb decisions” and not have to suffer any serious consequences from these bad decisions.
Most of you know there are:
• PHYSICAL LAWS,
• FINANCIAL LAWS,
• NATURAL LAWS
that govern our lives each day.
The people who will be foolish enough to think they can break these laws and get away with it will eventually find out WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW.
Illus: There is a sign along the Alaskan Highway that says, “Choose your rut carefully, you’ll be in it for the next 200 miles.”
Many have made bad decisions and they are going to have to live with the consequences of these bad decisions.
For example, a person can make the decision to accept the Lord Jesus to save them from their sins or not.
BUT THAT IS ONE DECISION THEY ARE GOING TO LIVE WITH FOR ETERNITY!!!
Let me show you, from the scriptures, how this law “WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW” is similar to the other laws we covered in this series in THE POSITIVE and THE NEGATIVE.
Let us first look at...
A. The POSITIVE.
II Cor. 9:6 says, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
WHAT IS GOD SAYING?
God is saying that WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW!
Illus: Have you ever drove your car down some these interstate highways in the spring and summer and noticed literally millions of these beautiful flowers planted at some of these intersection.
BUT, HAVE YOU EVER STOPPED TO THINK HOW THOSE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS CAME TO EXIST IN THESE AREAS?
They are the result of someone’s PLANTING LOTS OF FLOWER SEEDS IN THE PREPARED SOIL.
The results are that LOTS OF FLOWERS HAVE SPRUNG UP!
It is the LAW OF NATURE, the more you plant, the more you reap.
That is, YOU REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT YOU SOW.
God’s Word tells us when you sow BOUNTIFULLY you also reap BOUNTIFULLY. If you sow SPARINGLY you also reap SPARINGLY.
Illus: If someone had come along and just thrown a small handful of seeds along the roadside we would not have these large areas of lovely flowers by the side of the road that we enjoy looking at.
One of THE LAWS OF ALMIGHTY GOD is that WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW.
Here is the good news concerning this law that I REALLY LIKE. To a large extent, God gives us control…
• THE MORE WE SOW THE MORE WE REAP!
• THE LESS WE SOW THE LESS WE REAP!
If you want a lot of the blessings of God in your life, then you have to be willing to sow lots of good seeds.
The apostle Paul taught this!
Look at Philippians 4:15-19. We read, “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church interconnected with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I HAVE ALL, AND ABOUND: I AM FULL, HAVING RECEIVED OF EPAPHRODITUS THE THINGS WHICH WERE SENT FROM YOU, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God. But MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Often this portion of scripture that state MY GOD SHALL SUPPY ALL YOUR NEED has been taken out of context.
Before the Word of God teaches that GOD SHALL SUPPY ALL OUR NEEDS they fail to put this scripture in the context OF GIVING.
Paul was saying:
• You supplied my needs!
• Now God is going to supply your needs!
• You sowed!
• Now you are going to reap!
This law of sowing and reaping in proportion to what we sow puts the ball in our court.
For example…
(1) Often we hear Christians say, “I want to draw nigh to God.”
That is good, but God puts the ball in our court, how close do you want to get to God…God’s Word says…
• DRAW NIGH TO ME (You sow)
• AND I WILL DRAW NIGH TO YOU! (You reap)
You decide how close to God you want to get. BUT THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT!
If you are not satisfied with the amount of blessings of God in your life at the present and you want to get closer to God you are going to have to sow more seeds than you are sowing now.
God said, DRAW NIGH TO ME AND I WILL DRAW NIGH TO YOU!!!
(2)We also hear Christians say, I WANT THE BLESSINGS OF GOD ON MY LIFE!
That is good also, but again God puts the ball in our court. That is, how much more of the blessings of God do you want!
The Laws of almighty God has established this LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING IN PROPORTION to what you have sowed.
You sow many good deeds you will reap many good blessings of God in your life! THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT!!!
The question we need to ask ourselves is this, “HOW MUCH OF THE BLESSINGS OF GOD DO WE WANT IN OUR LIVES?”
We determine that by how many good seeds we sow!!!
Because THE LAWS OF ALMIGHTY GOD ARE BASED ON THE PROPORTION YOU SOW!
This is contrary to everything the world teaches.
The world’s system says:
• Get all you CAN.
• CAN all you get.
• Then sit on the CAN!
This worldly philosophy is contrary to everything God’s Word teaches.
God has promised that IF WE SOW BOUNTIFULLY, we shall reap IN PROPORTION to what we sow.
There is some parallel here as to the way a bank operates.
Illus: That is, you can only WITHDRAW in proportion to what you deposited. NONE IN, NONE OUT!
The good thing about God’s LAW OF RECEIVING IN PROPORTION to what we sow THE SCRIPTURE USE TITHING AND LOVE OFFERINGS.
Look at Malachi 3:10-11 God is talking about tithing.
It states clearly, “Bring (this is a command) ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Tithes is ten percent of our gross income before any bill is paid.
Some say Preacher I tithe off of my NET INCOME not my GROSS INCOME.
Well actually you are not tithing!!! You are giving an offering.
The reason that some tithe off of their NET INCOME and not their GROSS INCOME is because they do not get anything from what the government takes out of their pay check they claim…REALLY!!!!
• What about those paved roads you rode on this morning coming to church.
(Your gross income help pay for those roads.)
• What about the Military who protect your country from enemies abroad.
(Your gross income help pay for the military.
• What about the Police force to protect you while you and your family sleep each night.
(Your gross income help pay for the police.)
• What about Medicare that provides for you when you retire.
(Your gross income help pay for that)
• What about the Veteran hospitals that take care of the medical needs of our military
(Your gross income pays for that)
• What about your Social Security
(Your gross income pays for that)
• What about the public schools that educate our children.
(Your gross income pays for that)
• What about food stamps for the poor.
(Your gross income help pay for that)
We receive many benefits from our Gross income and that is why we should tithe off of our GROSS INCOME, not our Net income.
Some people think tithing is an Old Testament teaching and does not apply to the New Testament believers.
But the Lord Jesus disagrees with this teaching by talking to a bunch of hypocrites in the New Testament.
Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
These Pharisees tithe off of everything. EVERYTHING!!!
He said “FOR YE PAY TIHE OF MINT AND ANISE AND CUMMIN….”
They counted the leaves to make sure they tithe off of every leaf.
But they omitted the law, but the Lord said, these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
The Lord here is ENDORSING tithing to the New Testament Christians.
Tithing is the TEN PERCENT OF OUR GROSS INCOME BEFORE TAXES AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE TAKEN OUT OF OUR PAY CHECK.
But notice, God does not specify the amount of our offerings.
• God will bless a man who will faithfully give to Him the tithes that are His.
• God will also bless the man who chooses to give free-will offerings.
Many want to SOW SMALL and REAP BIG!
Illus: Such was the case of the father who drove home with his family from church. He was griping all the way home.
His little boy, from the back seat, said, “Dad, look at it this way:
• “You parked your car on an asphalt parking lot that lot that others provided.”
• “You were able to look at the beautifully manicured lawn and flowers around the church that others provided.”
• “You walked on carpet the whole time you were in church that others provided.”
• “You sat in a beautiful building, on padded pews that others provided.”
• “You listened through a wonderful PA system that others provided.”
• “You were provided lights to see by that others provided.”
• “You were kept comfortable for almost three hours in an air-conditioned building that others provided.”
• “You were provided a song book to sing from that others provided.”
• “You were given a sermon by the preacher which took many hours of preparation, plus prayer, to prepare by others.”
And, it only cost you the fifty cents you put in the offering plate!”
The law of OUR REAPING IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW has to do with two things…
1) Good deeds
2) Our giving
Giving to the Lord is not a problem for people who love the Lord more than they love money.
But for people who love money more than they love God it is a BIG PROBLEM!!!
God said that YOU REAP IN PROPORTION TO YOUR SOWING.
Sow good seeds and good things will SPROUT UP IN YOUR LIFE.
However, like the other laws in the POSITIVE, this law also works in...
B. The NEGATIVE.
Look at the most ASTOUNDING QUESTION WE READ IN THE NEW TESTAMENT…
Look again at Malachi, 3:8-9. We read, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.”
This is one of the most OUTSTANDING questions one could ask of a man, “WILL A MAN ROB GOD?”
Illus: Robbery is a terrible thing. If you have ever had anything stolen from you of value you know how horrible this sin is.
Men rob God every week of His tithes and offerings.
DID YOU KNOW more robberies take place in God’s church than any other place on the face of the earth each week.
Illus: Suppose every McDonald’s fast-food restaurant was robbed this weekend. Now that would make national news!!!
However, churches are robbed of God’s tithes and offerings every week and we do not hear one WORD about it in the news broadcasts, or papers.
We can only assume that those who are doing this are getting away with it. Right? NO!
THE LAWS OF ALMIGHTY GOD SAY THAT WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW IN THE POSITIVE AND THE NEGATIVE.
Based on the LAWS OF ALMIGHTY GOD, than we can assume that if a person steals any amount of money from God, they will reap punishment in proportion to what they have sowed. THIS IS TRUE!!!
Just think on the Judgment day that those who have stolen from God for years and one day they will stand before Him and give account of the thousands of dollars they have stolen from Him and spent it on themselves.
I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE IN THEIR SHOES WHEN THEY STAND BEFORE HIM!!!
Illus: As a pastor I do not have anything to do with the money that comes into this church. I choose to have nothing to do with the money of this church.
1) I rarely go into the church office when they count the money that comes in.
2) I do not know who tithes and do not tithe. I do this for a reason because when I preach about money I do not want anyone to think that I preaching to them.
But suppose I had full access to the money and every week and I stole some of it and spent that money on myself what would you think of me?
If that was the case you should do two things:
(1) Fire me because you do not want a thief for a pastor!
(2) Call the police department and have me locked up!
Why?
Because what I did is worse than the thief that stole from the local bank, I STOLE FROM GOD!!!
Will a man rob from God?
You believe they will and they will stand up with the tithers of their church and sing, O HOW I LOVE JESUS!
God is the enforcer of this law that we SOW AND WE REAP IN PROPORITION TO WHAT WE SOW.
God said because of their robbing Him, THEY ARE CURSED WITH A CURSE!
Some people are scared that someone might put a curse on them.
Illus: Even today in the South some people call on root doctors for a variety of services—some are looking for:
• A cure for an ailment,
• Some seeking for love or wealth,
• Some want revenge against someone they believe has wronged them.
Google’s English Dictionary a curse as “a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something.”
If someone is trying to curse you, they are trying to conjure up demonic forces to bring mayhem into your life.
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger had a woman that attended his church years ago and she claimed she could put a curse on people.
Before the church knew about her claiming to have this ability to put a curse on people they hired her to work in the church nursery.
One Sunday he was asked to come to the church nursery for a problem. When he arrived this lady came to church drunk to work in the nursery.
Dr. Belger fired her!
She was very angry with him for firing her but she continued to come to church.
She finally began to speak to him and act like she was sorry for what she did.
Later, she even made him a pie and brought it to him.
However a friend of hers called Dr. Belger and told him not to eat the pie because she had placed a curse on the pie to do him harm.
Naturally he did not eat the pie! He gave it to his dog to eat.
I personally do not believe that someone can place a curse on your life.
But I know from the scriptures God does have power to curse, and God has promised that WE REAP WHAT WE SOW and also WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW.
Illus: I personally believe that hell will be hotter for some than others.
Why?
The Scripture indicates that some will have a greater damnation than others.
• Look at Luke 20:46-47 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts, Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
• Look at Luke 12:47-48 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Because some have sowed more evil seeds than others and due to God’s law of SOWING AND REAPING IN PROPORTION some will receive greater damnation than others.
However, any situation hell is going to a be terrible place to go for rejecting the Lord as their Savior for ANYONE!!!
God’s Word certainly teaches:
• We reap what we sow in the POSITIVE!
• We reap what we have sown in the NEGATIVE!
Let me close saying these two things I need to make clear…
(1) The reason a person will go to a Christ less eternity is not because of the sins they committed. They will die and go to a Christ less eternity because they rejected the Lord Jesus who died on Calvary to save them from their sins!!!
They will reap in proportion to the sins they committed.
But if they could see the price, they are going to pay for those sins at the GREAT WHITE THRONE judgment they would come running to the altars when the invitation is given.
But now let me address the child of God…
(2) Also, none of us will go to heaven because of our sowing good seeds, we will go there because we accepted the Lord Jesus as our Savior to save us from our sins.
Our good seeds are our rewards not our salvation.
However, if every child of God could see what it is going to be like for them when they stand before the Lord Jesus on Judgment Seat of Christ and they reap in PROPORTION for the good seeds they have sowed they would leave here today MOTIVATED TO SOW MORE GOOD SEEDS THAN THEY HAVE EVER SOWED IN THEIR LIFE.
I.WE REAP ONLY WHAT HAS BEEN SOWN. (#1)
II. WE REAP IN A DIFFERENT SEASON THAN WE
SOW (#2)
III.WE REAP MORE THAN WE SOW (#3)
IV.WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW. (#4)
2:53
Bill & Gloria Gaither - When We All Get to Heaven ft. Terry Blackwood, Karen Peck (Live)
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GaitherVEVO
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Nov 19, 2012
