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Friday, November
9, 2007
Hundredfold Return
Ever hear the one
about giving God a certain amount of money, and receiving a hundred times
more. Since when did God become some ATM machine, and since when does God
owe us anything?
Romans 11:34-35 For
who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (35) Or
who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? (KJV)
The only reason we
are able to love Him, is because He first loved us. God has done a complete
job on our behalf, having supplied all our need according to His riches in
glory by Christ Jesus. So, is it so much we are waiting for our hundredfold
return, or should the question be, is God getting His hundredfold return
from us?
Luke 8:11-14 Now
the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. (12) Those by the way
side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word
out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. (13) They on
the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and
these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation
fall away. (14) And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they
have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of
this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. (KJV)
When you see
perfection, it refers to maturity, as well as hundred, or hundredfold. The
reason many don’t bring forth fruit to perfection, is because they have
allowed something or someone to enter in and choke the word, and they
become unfruitful.
Luke 8:8 And other
fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when
he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him
hear. (KJV)
For those that
continue to hear the message, as well as being a doer of it, they will
continue to bear the fruit of the spirit to perfection, the way the Lord
intended for us.
Mark 4:23-25 If
any man have ears to hear, let him hear. (24) And he said unto them, Take
heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you:
and unto you that hear shall more be given. (25) For he that hath, to him
shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that
which he hath. (KJV)
We have been
grafted into the tree of life, to bear the fruit of the spirit. If you have
become disconnected from the tree, it is a result of your hearing, and what
or who you are now taking counsel from. So again I ask, is it God that owes
us a hundredfold, or is it us that need to be bringing forth fruit
hundredfold?
John 15:2-6 Every
branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (3) Now
ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (4) Abide in
me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it
abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the
vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (6) If a man
abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men
gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (KJV)
There is a fruit
inspector checking His crops to see who is bearing fruit. Are you bringing
forth a ripe crop, or have you become rotten to the core? Someday you will
have to stand before God and give an account of your walk, and how much of
His word you allowed to work in you so you can pass His inspection as well.
Mark 10:28-30 Then
Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. (29)
And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that
hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or
children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, (30) But he shall
receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters,
and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world
to come eternal life. (KJV)
God has blessed us
with all spiritual blessings, which many desire to partake of. But with the
blessings, comes the persecutions and that is where so many draw the line,
and are not willing to endure anymore. In order to walk in the newness of
His life, we will need to let go of some of the old things, or people in
our life that are hindering us from receiving the living waters to bring
forth fruit a hundredfold. What are you willing to do to abide in His vine?
Is there anything or anyone that needs to be cut off, that is choking the
life out of you or holding you back from bearing fruit? Simply put, either
the hindrance gets cut out or you get cut out. So, if you are withering and
drying out, watch out that you don’t end up getting burned as well. In
order to bear fruit hundredfold, you need to receive the hundredfold
message from God, or you are in for a long dry spell.
Luke 14:28-33 For
which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and
counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? (29) Lest haply,
after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that
behold it begin to mock him, (30) Saying, This man began to build, and was
not able to finish. (31) Or what king, going to make war against another
king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten
thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? (32) Or
else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and
desireth conditions of peace. (33) So likewise, whosoever he be of you that
forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (KJV)
A tower was a
place of defense or observation, erected on high places or in vineyards, to
guard against enemies. It was made "high," so as to enable one to
see an enemy when he approached; and "strong," so that it could
not be easily taken. Have you counted the cost for your own spiritual
vineyard, are you in it for the long haul; will you endure to the end and
bring forth a hundredfold crop? Many begin with good intentions, but fall
away in time of trial. Are you willing to forsake anything or anyone as
well, so you can be a follower of Christ? The choice is yours, time to
count the cost and ask yourself this honest question; ‘is there really
anything or anyone that I would allow to come between myself and God, and
separate me from the love of Christ?’ Is it really worth dying for?
Remember you can’t buy your way into the kingdom of God, so when you count
the cost don’t measure it by dollars and nonsense as some refer to the hundredfold
return; but rather realize that it will cost you your life if you want
Father’s hundredfold reward, which will be unending to those that trust in
Him.
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