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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? 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 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. 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. 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. 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, 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? Lest
haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all
that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was
not able to finish. 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? Or else, while
the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth
conditions of peace. 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 I would allow to come between me 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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