Grace Church

I have always thought of verse 6 as being separate from verses 7-10, but now I see that it is all tied together.
It seems to me that if we are regularly being taught by anyone–whether in church, through the media, or even by mail–we should at least contribute to their support.

Giving of ourselves or our money is always an expression of faith because we know that the word says as we sow we will also reap. This is a spiritual principle brought out in many ways in the scriptures.
Roy used to have a big garden every year. He could sow just a few kernels of corn and reap many ears! This is also true in spiritual things–we reap what we sow, on an increase. Sometimes (unless we are planting a garden and watching for a crop) we forget that we reap in another season what we have sown! We wonder where the increase went!

Of course, when we sow to our lower nature we can expect to reap from that as well. However, with it coming forth in another season, we may not connect it with our sowing! Paul says not to lose heart or grow weary or impatient. God never forgets–nor is He ever late. We can trust Him with our sowing–positively or negatively–because He is a loving and benevolent Father, who wants us conformed to the image of His Son.

In Luke 6:36-38, Jesus talks about this “boomerang effect” of sowing:
Give (sow) mercy–receive (reap) mercy.
Don’t judge (sow judging) and you will not be judged (reap judgment.)
Don’t condemn (sow condemnation) and you will not be condemned (reap condemnation.)
(Sow) Pardon and you will be pardoned (reap it.)
Look at the huge increase noted in verse 38: “Give and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For whatever measure you deal out to others, it will be dealt to you in return.”

I have certainly done my share of fleshly sowing! That is why I know the following is true: We can sow money because we want to look righteous and good. We can sow with resentment because we feel obligated. We can give out of a sense of “needing to be needed,” or to cause others to be dependent on us. Paul says not to be deceived, because we can be deceived!

As Jim Reklis said in his July 13th sermon, “The flesh operates by itself and seeks to feed and satisfy itself but the Spirit indwells us and produces holy desires which….produce fruit.”
Help! I need a Savior every moment of every day! And I have One!
I was reading Andrew Murray’s devotional this week. He said, “The one marvelous secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh.”
“Christ in you,” is our liberating answer!