March 27, 2019 HAVING AN ABUNDANCE
2 Corinthians 9: 8, 10-11 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you might have an abundance for every good deed;” “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”
It is not God’s intent that the life of a Christian be passive or a life lacking abundance. God is about harvest. God likes increase. God’s word is full of awesome promises for the believer, and certainly the above verses are no exception. In our routines of life, paying attention to the demands of each day, we may lose sight of the greatness and the power of God and His desire to intercede in our lives. As we read the above verses, we are forced to evaluate the focus of our hearts and also have a reality check as to what is most important to us in life. The above verses are about righteousness being expressed through us. Let it be clear that apart from God’s work in us, we are unrighteous; righteousness comes from God; He makes us righteous. We can never take credit for any good deed we may do. However, with that being said, we are to be about acts of righteousness, or good deeds because that is who God is-God is righteous and He does good, or righteous deeds. God desires for the world to see what He is like and He desires to extend His kindness to mankind. Here is where it gets good-He has chosen us to be the ones who demonstrate His nature-His kindness and His righteousness to all, even in our earthly, temporal body. The amazing promise that God makes to us is that we will always have all sufficiency in everything and an abundance for every good deed! Interestingly, some believers have a tendency to focus more on their ‘un-righteousness’ and to downplay their ‘righteousness’ because either they do not know their true identity, or they feel that by doing so, others can relate to them more easily. In our culture, we resist saying ‘do as I do;’ yet that is exactly what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1. Paul said to do as he did because he was doing as Christ did-and that can be and should be our testimony as well. Certainly we are in error if we take pride or brag about our righteousness because we are righteous only in Him, not of our own doing. It is a spiritual red-letter day for us when we embrace the truth that we represent God in the earth and that He has equipped us and enabled us to live righteously, being about the good deeds that He has ordained for us. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ Ephesians 2:10. God promises to give us an “abundance for every good deed” and to give us seed, and to multiply our seed that the harvest of our righteousness might be increased! And, He will enrich us in everything so that we can be liberal in our blessing others. Do we get it? Do we see what God has called us to be about? May we take Him at His word and begin to sow the seeds that He will continually supply and may our harvest be abundant.
Titus 3:14 “Our people also must learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.”
Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Blessings,
Buddy
2 Corinthians 9: 8, 10-11 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you might have an abundance for every good deed;” “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”
It is not God’s intent that the life of a Christian be passive or a life lacking abundance. God is about harvest. God likes increase. God’s word is full of awesome promises for the believer, and certainly the above verses are no exception. In our routines of life, paying attention to the demands of each day, we may lose sight of the greatness and the power of God and His desire to intercede in our lives. As we read the above verses, we are forced to evaluate the focus of our hearts and also have a reality check as to what is most important to us in life. The above verses are about righteousness being expressed through us. Let it be clear that apart from God’s work in us, we are unrighteous; righteousness comes from God; He makes us righteous. We can never take credit for any good deed we may do. However, with that being said, we are to be about acts of righteousness, or good deeds because that is who God is-God is righteous and He does good, or righteous deeds. God desires for the world to see what He is like and He desires to extend His kindness to mankind. Here is where it gets good-He has chosen us to be the ones who demonstrate His nature-His kindness and His righteousness to all, even in our earthly, temporal body. The amazing promise that God makes to us is that we will always have all sufficiency in everything and an abundance for every good deed! Interestingly, some believers have a tendency to focus more on their ‘un-righteousness’ and to downplay their ‘righteousness’ because either they do not know their true identity, or they feel that by doing so, others can relate to them more easily. In our culture, we resist saying ‘do as I do;’ yet that is exactly what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1. Paul said to do as he did because he was doing as Christ did-and that can be and should be our testimony as well. Certainly we are in error if we take pride or brag about our righteousness because we are righteous only in Him, not of our own doing. It is a spiritual red-letter day for us when we embrace the truth that we represent God in the earth and that He has equipped us and enabled us to live righteously, being about the good deeds that He has ordained for us. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ Ephesians 2:10. God promises to give us an “abundance for every good deed” and to give us seed, and to multiply our seed that the harvest of our righteousness might be increased! And, He will enrich us in everything so that we can be liberal in our blessing others. Do we get it? Do we see what God has called us to be about? May we take Him at His word and begin to sow the seeds that He will continually supply and may our harvest be abundant.
Titus 3:14 “Our people also must learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.”
Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Blessings,
Buddy
RSS Feed