Monday, August 9, 2010

Bountiful Sowing and Reaping (2 Cor 9:1-9)

The more put in, the more received

“But this I say, He which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:6-7).

The Lord Jesus bids us to be cheerful and atonement motivated givers. We don’t give to GET God’s favor, but we give because all things are ours, both temporal and eternal, in Christ the Lord (1 Cor 3:21-23). He blesses us freely.

We give as a matter of duty, moved by the example of others, exhorted by the apostles, and to the proving of our own soul.  We reveal our love by our actions, and these actions are to be abundant, so we get the more.  We don’t get more physically but spiritually, and He cares for the physical too - “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may about to every good work: (as it is written, He has dispersed abroad; he has given to the poor: his righteousness remains forever)” (2 Cor 9:8-9).

Don’t make the boasting of others void concerning you.  Let the praise of the saints harmonize with your character, and let your gifts flow from love and not guilt or covetousness.  Don’t give with strings attached or from the wrong spirit. Give as obtainers of mercy; give as BEING blessed of God with heath, family, income, etc, and all that you have.  Like Job, He could take away all, so all that I have, I must be thankful and blush before Him.  The best way to live is GIVING God myself, so that I get more of Him as well.

(2 Cor 9:1-6) “For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:  For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.  Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:  Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.   Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. “

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Heshimu Colar, Pastor

Heshimu Colar, Pastor
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