REVELATIONS V

by Proverbs 31 Woman

GIVE, AND IT WILL COME BACK TO YOU

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not”.
(Gal. 6: 7- 9 KJV)

Bible Passage: Exodus 34:1-10

Real Life:
In the Scripture passage you will read that Moses met up with God at Mt. Sinai, a barren place. During this encounter, Moses received specific instructions meant to prepare the Israelites for the crossing of the Jordan River and to equip them for the possession of the Promised Land. I, too had to meet God in a specific place during my desert experience. At this point in time, I only need to get away and find answers to my questions.

The Hebrew word for desert comes from a verb which means, “to speak”. Indeed, in my desert experience, God was not silent. As I shared with you God’s Revelations, God was communicating to me in my most barren time. But firstly, I have to be broken enough to be teachable and secondly, I have to be humble enough for Him to commit to me wisdom while waiting for His instructions. My communing with Him through fervent prayer was His way of giving me clear instructions to equip me in my desert experience for my crossroads journey ahead.

Giving was one of His significant instructions as I continued to commune with Him. In the Bible, it reads: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38 KJV).

But take note of this verse: "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: (Luke 6: 37 KJV) Did you notice this verse immediately precedes the one quoted above, and that there is not even a period after it? It continues right into the ‘give, and it shall be given unto you’ verse! My impression is that the scriptures was not merely talking about tithing, it talked about forgiving!

These two verses tend not to be seen in the same context. The judging portion is often regarded as a separate subject from the 'giving and getting' part. I pondered on these verses for a while until He showed me some more. It was important for me to read at least a number of verses in sequence in order to get the full meaning of God’s Word.

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6: 7- 9)

Sometimes, I often feel I’m not getting rewarded for my tithes, offerings, and goodwill gifts and services. Is it maybe because I may have judged, condemned, or harbored unforgiveness towards others?

Then it hit me! There are consequences to every action I take.

I have sinned! I have judged, condemned and harbored unforgiveness in my heart. It was this very time when I asked the Lord to forgive me from of all the grievances I have of Him, of my loved ones, and of my friends.

And my God, in all His mercy, graciously forgave me through the enlightening of these verses:

”Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little. Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Luke 7:47-48

“If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,” 2 Corinthians 2:10

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-34

With this instruction, it’s not about what I can give, but it’s about whom I will forgive.

To Ponder Upon:
Have you taken time off to examine yourself and bring your barren self to God? Do you think you need to hear from Him? Do you need to forgive someone? If you haven’t done that yet, come away in a quiet place with the Lord. Read your Bible and record God’s instructions in your journal. You need to meet God with sensitive ears to hear, a willing heart to obey and a desire to be cleansed, and the attitude of honor and respect for the One True God. You will reap your blessings in due season!

Prayer:

“Almighty God, I come to You in humility and strip myself of self-conceit. You have been gracious to me as You have listened patiently to my concerns and consoled me in times of hardship. Let me remember Your love for me when I am called upon to forgive another person. May I recognize this failing in myself and remember Your words and example whenever I have a need of a forgiving spirit. In Your name Jesus, I pray. Amen.”

Revelations VI coming soon.