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The Law Of Sowing And Reaping Pt.3 Series
Contributed by Mark Baker on Sep 2, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: In the first 2 parts of this study we defined sowing and the purpose of the seed, as well as the purpose of the harvest. In the third part of this study I would like to talk about obedience in giving and how God supernaturally increases our seed.
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In the first 2 parts of this study we defined sowing and the purpose of the seed, as well as the purpose of the harvest. In the third part of this study I would like to talk about obedience in giving and how God supernaturally increases our seed. Let’s start again with the words of Jesus.
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.
And again using the Young’s Bible Translation.
Luke 6:38 ’Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed, and shaken, and running over, they shall give into your bosom; for with that measure with which ye measure, it shall be measured to you again.’
I want to point out that this Scripture is definitely talking about monetary gain and not just spiritual gain. I believe that the law of sowing and reaping applies to both, but in this case it is talking about monetary increase. In the King James translation it says that (men) will give unto your bosom and Young’s says, (they) shall give into your bosom. If this were talking about spiritual blessing it would definitely not have said (men) or (they) would give unto our bosom. Because we know as James said … James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
This was talking about us giving and us receiving. You give unto men as unto God and you receive from men as from God but God uses men to bless us in this natural world. This is not only talking about just receiving, but receiving in such a way that it is truly more than we can even handle. It says these blessing would be running over, not only running over but pressed down, shaken, and then running over. Your basket will be so totally and completely full that it can absolutely hold no more, then on top of that it will keep on spilling over the top. In other words, the blessing keep on coming even when all your space for receiving is used up. WOW!! I want to point out something here. Motives are important to God. If you give out of impure motives for selfish gain then you will miss your blessing. The people you are giving to will be blessed but you will not. Let me show you what the Lord Jesus said about giving and motives.
Mark 12: 41. Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43. So He called His disciples to Him and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44. "for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.’’
God not only looked at the gift, but at the motive for giving did He not? I truly believe our willingness to give is just as crucial as the gift itself. You can not give a lot if you don’t have a lot to give, but your desire to be a blessing is irrespective to the size of the gift when obedience is concerned. God will not tell you to give something you don’t have will He? We see throughout the Word of God that when we are obedient we will be blessed. There is a very good reason for this. Obedience brings the will of God to pass. Blessings must be God’s will if He wants us to be obedient in the first place, since the outcome of that obedience is blessings, not only financial but in all the areas of our life. If He wants us to be blessed then we should want those blessings that He has ordained for us. Have you ever thought about this in this light? If you don’t want His blessings then you don’t want His will in your life!
Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
When I was younger I was praying about a promotion at work. In the natural there was no way. I was the most inexperienced person in the group I was with at this company. I had been praying about this promotion for several weeks when one day the Holy Spirit spoke this Scripture to me; the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land.