In the bible it says we bear fruit some thirtyfold some 60 some 120. I want to sow abundantly but I'm not good with his commandments. Any advice some from some vets?
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How do I sow abudantly
- Thread starter Reason2believe
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Listen guys to be honest I haven't been right with the lord, I have been a christian for a while but there somethings missing in my life. First of all I do admit its Christ and the relationship we have. These days it more of what I want to do instead of what God wants me to do. I'm just being honest here because thats what God wants is honesty. Second, morally if something is wrong I regret that situation but its hard to feel conviction in my heart to repent, I tried fasting for two days straight and I done it twice but still I feel empty. I pray to God for help and answers yet it seems unanswerd. I have a big problem with pride and trust. Its hard for me open up and trust his word because of certain situations but I know this is a step towards progress because of my faith. What do you think I should do about all this i''m facing?
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Macca
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The beginning of sowing abundantly is tithing.Reason2believe said:
That is at least 10% of your income into a work of God (usually your home Church); then giving generous offerings on top.
It does work, I can personally assure you of this.
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This is a hard question to answer without knowing you. Although I would say you have already identified the main problems. Pride & difficulty trusting. I don't know why you have trouble trusting (and I don't need to know) but I will say this. If you never trust anyone you will always have problems with relationships of all kinds. This doesn't mean trust someone 100% from the second you meet them. You do need to be careful as well. Is there a group of godly men or even just one you can meet up with on a regular basis? I've found that when I've been meeting up for discipling and accountability is when I tend to be able to hear God better and notive when he is prompting me. Sometimes also though you just need to step out in faith. Once I thought God was prompting me to go and pray for a friend at church but because it was the first time it had happened and it was the middle of the service I decided not to. Later that week I heard some news about that friend and how much they would have appreciated prayer then. You may fall flat on your face sometimes. I have heaps of times but sometimes just taking the step helps. If there is some kind of ministry you can help with that is a group ministry that could help too. As for the pride I find in most people that God tends to humble the person soon enough. Also make sure it is pride. Sometimes christians can be so caught up in avoiding pride that they practice false humility or really scold themselves if told they did a good job! We are to have a sober estimate of ourselves. That means if someone compliments you on a job well done there is nothing wrong with accepting the compliment. A friend of mine whenever someone complimented him after preaching would say thank you praise God. He was accepting the compliment and also giving God the glory.
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Reason2believe said:
can I just say you need to pray that to God
What you said there is awesome, to come out and know your problems is a brilliant step, not only that you just confessed them in public to your brothers and sisters in Christ. The fruit will come Remeber walking with God isnt born out of something you can "DO" its about "BE"ing. Out of Being with God comes the Doing. There is nothing you can Do it make Him think anymore or any less of you. I will stand with you in prayer on this, and take some time to still yourself before God "Be still and know I am God" Stop worrying about the things that can get in your way and just embrace the father
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shinbits
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Sowing is anything relating to the Kindom, whether it's giving money to God, witnessing, evangelizing, giving your time to God through prayer, meeting the needs of your brethen.......these are how we sow.
As for repentence............remember, the time is short. It really is. With the precious time left, you don't want to show God that you've waisted it in sin. More then anything, you need to get involved in church, and start spreading the Word, the Good News. The more you devote yourself to God's work, the more sin will get pushed out of your life.
Always remember, that being a Christian is not simply what you don't do. Even more, is what do, for the Name of Christ.
As for repentence............remember, the time is short. It really is. With the precious time left, you don't want to show God that you've waisted it in sin. More then anything, you need to get involved in church, and start spreading the Word, the Good News. The more you devote yourself to God's work, the more sin will get pushed out of your life.
Always remember, that being a Christian is not simply what you don't do. Even more, is what do, for the Name of Christ.
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Reason2believe said:
Hi Reason 2 Believe,
Your comments are refreshing to hear. Honesty and humility are hallmarks of a Seeker. Figuratively speaking, you're already halfway there.
The answer to your problem is that you have not been instructed properly about the walk with Jesus. The GOOD NEWS is that it is already FINISHED! You do not need to do anything, but surrender, or stop trying!
God invites you, right from the onset, to come be a part of His kingdom, and to REST!
Your need is to partake of the Holy Spirit more and more, and this is freely given to you (a sinner), by grace. What does that mean? It's no different than when you got born again. You began in the Spirit by God's grace, but now you are attempting to get more of God by works. No can do!
The error of thinking is that by doing good deeds (following Jesus' commandments), gets you greater favor from God. Obvioulsly this is not true. IF it were, then man would have a place to boast, but God has declared, "No flesh can boast in the presence of God".
You see, when Jesus died for you on the cross, He did not just die for all your sins. He died for the entire you! That "you" which has trouble with morality, being kind, doing the things that the Law reveals as good, everything. The whole problem has been dealt with by Christ, already! This is the greatest news in the world!
Jesus bids you, right from the getgo, to REST.
So, the next obvious question is, "Well then, what must I do?"
Do nothing, but acknowledge Him in all things.
Even your failure to acknowledge Him in all things, has been dealt with on the cross.
The real issue, for us, is to go onto maturity. Maturity is the thing Gods wants from us. It's okay to be a child, but it is not okay to remain a child.
How do we go onto maturity?
BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
There is such a lack of understanding about the soul vs. the spirit of man, and this is a major problem today in the "church".
Being Led by the Spirit, is the whole key to LIFE, and more LIFE abundantly.
If you are living your life in your soul (your own thinking, your own seeming good intentions, your own emotions, your feelings, you, you, you), then the Holy Spirit is not leading you. You are leading you.
Jesus said, "You must die, daily". What must die? Your soul! That is, all the YOU which wants to make decisions, and be in control.
Think on these verses:
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. (Your own understanding is from your SOUL).
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. (The Soul in control).
Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. (God's Spirit, not man's soul!)
Reason2Believe, you're okay. It's the devil who accuses you and brings guilt to you, to get you dwelling on yourself. The problem is SELF, and Self cannot fix self.
Begin to thank Jesus for all He has done, and be at rest in HIM.
If you think keeping the Law will make you better, then your confidence is not in Christ, but works. And you don't need me to explain the vanity of that, do you?
No, I didn't think so.
God bless
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There is a difference between trying to earn Gods favour by doing works and doing works as a result of having the holy spirit. We can also take steps towards what God is leading us to do without it being our own works. One of the biggest problems in the church is that we are emphasize grace not works so much that we forget that Jesus told us to stand up for those who can't speak for themselves and as seen in the parable of the sheep & goats what we do for the least of these we do for God. So pray that God will give you opportunities to show his love and that you will notice these opportunities use them for God's glory.
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continuing...
Luke 18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer.
Luke 18:11 "The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer.
Luke 18:12 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'
Luke 18:13 "But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'
Luke 18:14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."
Notice, that the one who did so many good deeds, even according to the LAW!!!, was not justified.
Furthermore, the tax gatherer, continued in a position that was equivalent to extortion - taking money and taxing the Jews, for the Romans.... who was in fact, righteous in the sight of God, because of his attitude.
What christians so utterly fail to understand, is the difference between sowing according to the soul vs. walking in the works predestined for them to walk in by God the Spirit.
Put another way, doing good "works" with good intentions, is still works of the flesh!
Paul reveals to us by the Spirit of revelation, that every man's works will be tried as by fire, and many will suffer great loss. Why? Because the only thing that is allowed into heaven, is that which is wrought by God.
Walking in the Spirit is NOT an equal partnership and meeting of the minds of God and man. No. Man does not determine his own way, even if he thinks it is good.
Prov 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
It is understandable why saints get into the fix they find themselves in, and thank God that God is patient and understanding. As saints struggle with the law of commandments, and trying to keep them, and utterly failing, they begin to grow weary and frustrated. This is God's design, too. Finally, the saint is exasperated and cries out to God, "Lord, I love you, but I just cannot do it anymore!", and then God speaks, "True. You never could. It has all been done in my Son."
Like I wrote before, saints who hear this for the first time will be prone to extoll, "What then, do nothing? Where are your works that God wants to see!?!?"
And the answer continues to be, "The works are done by God through you... and in His timing, and His way." Otherwise, all your good intentions and good deeds continue to be works of the soul.
The bible, cover to cover, continues to show this to mankind... that only that which is wrought by the Spirit has any place in heaven.
The soul must be crucified. We strive to enter into God's rest... by denying Self.
Recommended Reading:
Sit, Walk, Stand
by Watchman Nee
and
What is Man?
by T. Austin Sparks
and
The School of Christ
by T. Austin Sparks
We are not our own workmanship in Christ Jesus, are we? What does the scripture say?
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Luke 18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer.
Luke 18:11 "The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer.
Luke 18:12 'I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'
Luke 18:13 "But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'
Luke 18:14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."
Notice, that the one who did so many good deeds, even according to the LAW!!!, was not justified.
Furthermore, the tax gatherer, continued in a position that was equivalent to extortion - taking money and taxing the Jews, for the Romans.... who was in fact, righteous in the sight of God, because of his attitude.
What christians so utterly fail to understand, is the difference between sowing according to the soul vs. walking in the works predestined for them to walk in by God the Spirit.
Put another way, doing good "works" with good intentions, is still works of the flesh!
Paul reveals to us by the Spirit of revelation, that every man's works will be tried as by fire, and many will suffer great loss. Why? Because the only thing that is allowed into heaven, is that which is wrought by God.
Walking in the Spirit is NOT an equal partnership and meeting of the minds of God and man. No. Man does not determine his own way, even if he thinks it is good.
Prov 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
It is understandable why saints get into the fix they find themselves in, and thank God that God is patient and understanding. As saints struggle with the law of commandments, and trying to keep them, and utterly failing, they begin to grow weary and frustrated. This is God's design, too. Finally, the saint is exasperated and cries out to God, "Lord, I love you, but I just cannot do it anymore!", and then God speaks, "True. You never could. It has all been done in my Son."
Like I wrote before, saints who hear this for the first time will be prone to extoll, "What then, do nothing? Where are your works that God wants to see!?!?"
And the answer continues to be, "The works are done by God through you... and in His timing, and His way." Otherwise, all your good intentions and good deeds continue to be works of the soul.
The bible, cover to cover, continues to show this to mankind... that only that which is wrought by the Spirit has any place in heaven.
The soul must be crucified. We strive to enter into God's rest... by denying Self.
Recommended Reading:
Sit, Walk, Stand
by Watchman Nee
and
What is Man?
by T. Austin Sparks
and
The School of Christ
by T. Austin Sparks
We are not our own workmanship in Christ Jesus, are we? What does the scripture say?
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
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