A Crucified Life - - Is Enriched For Purpose

 

2 Corinthians 9:11

You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, so that through us your giving will produce thanksgiving to God.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4148

Enriched: cause to abound in

From the Greek word 'ploutizó' (pronounced ploo-tid'-zo): to bring fullness, make abundant.

    Used three times in the New Testament. In addition to today's verse: 1 Corinthians 1:5 and 2 Corinthians 6:10.

    1 Chronicles 29:12-14

Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. In Your hand are power and might, and in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank You, our God, and praise Your glorious Name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to You? Everything we have has come from You, and we give You only what You first gave us!

    James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

    What is the purpose of God giving His people increase? (To Praise Him & Thank Him. (2) That we might give our increase back to Him through our giving to advance His kingdom. We are the conduit through which the Power of God (His Holy Spirit) flows, dispensing and dispersing His gifts where He so chooses. 

    1 Corinthians 12 describes the spiritual gifts which we receive as the body of Christ. Verse 4: many gifts, one Spirit. Verse 5: different administrations, same Lord. Verse 6: diverse operations, same God. 

    1 Corinthians 12:7

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man for the  profit of all." 

    Manifestation simply means 'disclosure', a revealing of; bringing into the light (illuminating). In other words, making clearly known. It is not a shimmering, vague spirit, but The Holy Spirit Who makes known the gifts God has given His people. 

    Gifts which advance God's kingdom. These gifts are the tools and weapons whereby we are able to spread and share the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. God loves us and wants nothing but the best for us. This best includes His Son, His Spirit and His enriching power which is given us in the gifts He gives us.

    Whatever gifts God gives His people we are meant to share with all of His people in the way in which the Spirit leads us to share said gifts. We are to be good stewards of the blessings we receive. We learn this lesson in the Parable of Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). And again, in The Sheep and The Goats (Matthew 25:31-46 [the least of these]).   

    We need to take responsibility for our gifts and how we use them. It is not for our personal gain that God gives us good gifts and perfect gifts: it is for our spiritual gain. Are we using that which God has given us for His glory and honor? Are we a people after God's own heart? 

ENRICHED FOR PURPOSE

Who Are We - Mercy Me

Spirit of God - Canyon Hills Worship

Live Like That - Sidewalk Prophets

To Live Is Christ - Sidewalk Prophets

Torches - Forerunner Music/Lauren Alexandria

Build Your Kingdom Here - Rend Collective

By Our Love - For King & Country

Storm All Around You - Forerunner Music/Jon Thurlow, Mike Bickle, Todd White

    

A Crucified Life - - Receives Its Increase From God

 

2 Corinthians 9:10

Now the One supplying seed to the one sowing and bread for food will supply and will multiply your seed for sowing and will increase the fruits of your righteousness. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 837

Increase: mature, to cause to grow, to augment

From the Greek word 'auxanó' (pronounced owx-an'-o): For the believer it is non-stop progress in discipleship, continually growing in the Lord as we walk our our Faith in Him.

    Hosea 10:12

Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.

    Ecclesiastes 11:6,7

  As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. 

  Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.

    What is the seed that I must sow? The love of God to us through Christ Jesus. When do I sow it (plant it)? In the morning, the early part of the day, as the sun's rays hit the horizon. Early in life when our children are young and eager to learn, we sow the seed of Christ into their lives:

    Reading them Bible stories

    Worship music/songs 

    Praying together (teaching them to seek God at all times),            Studying the Bible together 

    Speaking words of Love within our homes and in all our relationships 

    Speaking words of Forgiveness to each other and to those who have done us wrong

    

    Throughout the day the seed gets watered and receives sunlight. Our seed gets watered when we weep, when we cry out to God to hear our prayers and answer them. 

    Sometimes our children turn from the path we have set them on, making their own decisions independent from the way we have raised them, making their own mistakes and finding their way back to God. Just like we did. How? Somebody was praying for them just like somebody was praying for us. 

    We let them go so they can grow. In the evening of life we draw near to God and strive to stay there. In his presence is where prayers get answered. We need to learn to listen in our prayers, as well as speak our needs and requests. 

    In order to reap the harvest of souls whom we have been teaching, leading and praying for, we need to remain near the One who supplied us in the first place. It is God who gives both the seed and the fruits of that seed. 

    Let us work together in His fields, doing the work He has set forth for us to do: Seek and to Save the Lost; Seek God's Kingdom; Seek His Face. The day is waning, the hours to complete this work are fast arriving and soon the harvest will be ended. 

HARVESTING SEEDS

Heart In Hand Overture - Christy Nockels

All of Me - River Valley Worship

What If Cartoons Got Saved? - Chris Rice

The B-I-B-L-E - Heritage Kids

Somebody's Prayin' - Ricky Skaggs

'Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus - classic hymn

Jesus Keep Me Near The Cross - classic hymn

Seek First - Jason Upton

    

A Crucified Life - - Afflictions Produce Increase

 

2 Corinthians 4:17

For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. 

#Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2716

Producing: to work out, to accomplish

From the Greek word ' katergazomai' (pronounced kat-er-gad'-zom-ahee): to an exact definite conclusion; bring to decisive finality.

LIGHT AND MOMENTARY AFFLICTIONS

    In other words, whatever affliction or trial or tribulation the Christian goes through is not as valuable as what we gain after we have gone through said affliction. 

    Paul went through many, many afflictions to deliver the gospel wherever the Lord brought him. 1 Corinthians 4:10-13; 2 Corinthians 11:19-29. Yet, Paul considers that everything that he has experienced in order that the gospel Truth may go forth was 'light and momentary'. That all his trials were necessary. And he's right. 

    For the seed which is planted into the ground cannot produce fruit unless it first goes through its own tribulations: being buried beneath the ground, bursting through its outer shell, pushing through the dirt to reach the sun. It is then transforming from a seed to a seedling (young plant); from a seedling to a shoot; from a shoot to a stalk which flowers briefly before small fruits begin to appear. It is the same in our spiritual growth. 

    The seed of the Word of God gets planted into the hearts of men by the actuation of their faith in Christ. This living faith in Christ is transformed through daily meditation on God's Word. We are transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit: the only thing we can do is believe. As the seed cannot be transformed by outward actions, neither can the believer be transformed by his or her own actions. God saves us; we cannot save ourselves. 

PRODUCING FOR US

    The believer in Christ is promised many rewards. Some rewards we receive in this life, some after this life has ended and our heavenly life in Christ begins. These rewards are earned by the believer who endures, perseveres, overcomes. By this we are made aware that being a believer is not going to be an easy road to travel. Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:22 that we will be hated by everyone because we bear His name. But with that promise of what we receive in this world: hate, we also are given a promise of what we receive when we believe: salvation. 

    Matthew 5:1-12; Matthew 10:22, 24:9, 13; Mark 13:13; Luke 6:22, 21:17; Isaiah 66:5; John 15:20-21. 

    Ephesians 6:12 tells us who we are fighting against when we struggle to live the holy life we have been called to live in Christ. But verses 13-20 tell us how to arm ourselves that we might be better prepared to not only fight against them (endure, persevere) but win (overcome) and defeat them. Our greatest weapon is Love: the Love of God.

     We do not hate people: we hate sin in people. We hate the very garments of unrighteousness in which they are clothed, but we pray daily for their salvation (Jude 1:23). 

    Sometimes we appear to hate ourselves, but it is not ourself we hate (being made in the image of God, how can we?), it is the sin we have committed whether consciously or unconsciously. But the Christian who stumbles and falls in the fight against spiritual darkness gets back up again and lives to fight another day.

     For this race we run is run in the valley of the shadow of darkness: things do always appear as they are, for they are in the shadows: watching, waiting for us to fall and despair. But we will not. For we are overcomers who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of His Testimony. 

    Daniel 11:35 says we are "being refined, purified and made spotless". John 15:2 says we are being pruned that we may produce more fruit. We may be humiliated at times, but we are to remain humble and place ourselves under the blood of forgiveness and redemption in Christ when we repent of our sins. 

AN ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY

    > Rewards: Revelations 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 11-12, 21. 

    >Crowns: James 1:12, Revelation 2:10; 1 Corinthians 9:25; Psalm 103:4; Psalm 8:4, 5; Leviticus 21:12; Proverbs 14:18; 2 Timothy 4:8; Esther 2:17; Isaiah 28:5, 1 Peter 5:4; Philippians 4:1, Proverbs 11:30, Daniel 12:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:19.

AFFLIcTIONS PRODUcE INcREASE

Give Me Faith - Elevation Worship

Just As I Am (I Come Broken) - Travis Cottrell

Mercy Came Running - Phillips, Craig and Dean

Where You Go I Go - Jesus Culture

Nothing Compares - Third Day

    

    

    

Blessed Increase_Deuteronomy

The increase, the fruitfulness, of the one who obeys God, is promised to the believer over time, since one's property cannot multiply over night. 

This verse reminds us that God will bless every living thing we have in our household as long as we follow His Word. 

I have found it is best to follow Him willingly and with my whole heart (all my love) than in increments. 

Blessed, to be envied, happy shall be the increase of your children,  your lands (including, but not limited to, gardens, fields), the increase of your cattle, the increase of your kine (four-footed animals not related to cows, i.e. horses, oxen, buffalo, yak, deer, etc), the increase of the flocks of your sheep. 

Not only do our souls prosper under the watchful guidance of our Lord and Savior God, but everything around us will prosper, as well.