There are times in a church leader's life when he reaches a pivotal point of his ministry where God will bring correction to him for something of importance that he continues to ignore. I had one of those sobering moments last week as I was preparing to minister to my congregation on finances. I realize that revealing some things is not wise, but I feel this is one of those times that it is necessary in order that others in the church may benefit. I know it fancies some folks with great pleasure to hear of a minister being corrected for a change, and without a doubt ministers do need correction when their stance is wrong. Thanks be to God for those who will listen when those times may arrive in their life. I continually tell my Bible School students to always remain teachable and they will have good success. So, I live by what I teach, otherwise what I say, is not much good for those that I speak to.
This week's devotional is one that is derived from Sunday's message on sowing where you want to go. We are all going somewhere, and that direction is always fueled by the things that we choose to sow with each day. I know by now some are probably curious to know what the Lord had rebuked me about. Therefore, I will let you in on the words of correction that I received of the Lord. First of all, as many of you know, I minister to a great deal of low income families and have throughout the time we started this ministry in 1994. However, this ministry is filled with wonderful and awesome people that Kim and I love dearly and would not take anything for any of them. They are special to us and we know that we are connected to them for a reason that benefits both them and us. This is not to mean that I am without knowing what poverty feels like. I fully no what it is to have only a jam sandwhich to eat (two pieces of bread jammed together for those who do not know what that is).
I have regrettably refused to teach on finances throughout the years because I concentrated too much on the level that many of these families were living from. And because of this I was unwilling to take anything that they did possess a way from them by getting them to support the work of this ministry. This may sound as an honorable thing to some, but actually the Lord insisted that I was hurting them by keeping the truth at bay. I was told in my spirit that I was really more concerned about being branded as one of those prosperity teachers that only focused on finances. I don't mean to imply that all ministries that teach or emphasize mostly finances are evil hearted and full of greed. I know truthfully that there are fewer that have this motive even though there are those who make it their life mission to attack them as though that's all they are after. God will deal with these as He sees fit and this is no concern of mine.
However, getting back to the point of this dissertation the Lord told me that I was identifying in the people's poverty rather than the potential that was inside of them. In other words, I was making provision to help them stay where they were instead of provoking them to act on their faith by sowing seed. The Bible teaches that it is more blessed to give than to receive; and yet, most people attach being blessed as to what they receive; not what they give. The focus is all wrong. We are majoring on the premise of I will be happy when I have something that I want. That is the root of greed that pulls our affections to what we selfishly want for ourselves. Therefore, we hold on to what we have because we are in survival mode or self-preservation. God gave! And God still gives! And God will continue to give! Why? It is because that it is His nature. He reveals the blessing is always in the giving. That is why He is continually blessed within Himself and in need of nothing, because He has sowed into everything that exists and it is bringing forth its harvest constantly. God the Father, sowed His Son that there might be sons and daughters added to the kingdom.
If a person sows friendliness to others he will therefore, reap many friends in this life. As we look at this we can now see why giving is the blessing, not the receiving. There can be no harvest without first there be a planting. Releasing something that it may multiply is necessary if we want to see a never ending supply. God created the system of seed-time and harvest-time. Sowing and reaping. It is quite ridiculous to ever believe that receiving is the blessing, while "nothing" is ever sowed to replenish that everlasting flow in our life. In addition, I believe it is safe to say that someone who is always a receiver without ever feeling the need to sow towards others is basically a thief; no matter their financial status. Look with me at a few Scriptures that impacted me as I shared these truths with my congregation. The testimonies that have been coming in from this message has proven that God was in this completely.
Psalms 107:31-43 (KJV)
31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
I led off with this passage to show how a land is filled with barrenness because of the wickedness of those that dwell in that place (vs. 33-34). However, if we continue to read we will see that the transformation of those same places that were desolate changed once the sowers took possession of it and planted their vineyards. They made their habitations in the wasteland; yet, through their sowing they multiplied and everything they had increased. When corrupt leaders are in charge the people suffer, but God will redeem the poor and increase his family when he is a sower.
John 8:30-32 (KJV)
30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The Word of God is described as being sharper than any two-edged sword. It is also referred to as the sword of the Spirit. Jesus told these that had believed on Him that if they continued in His Word, then they indeed were His disciples. We are not a disciple until we start in the Word; and you can always tell His disciples because they will continue in His Word. If we continue in His Word then we shall know the truth. God's Word is an undisputable truth. Therefore, if you know the truth, that same truth will make you free. What does this mean? It means that where truth is known and continued in, it will free you from whatever bondage may have held you captive. Are you free from sickness? Are you free from poverty? Are you free from fear? These are a few questions that have a reliable answer in the truth. If that truth is known then it will make you free from these limitations that keep you living beneath your privileges in God. We dethrone all excuses when we continue in the Word. The truth empowers you to prevail and that same truth will make you more than a conqueror through Christ.
Luke 16:10-12 (KJV)
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
This passage discloses some truths that must be adhered to if we expect to have increase in our life. You can't despise small beginnings of where you are at and expect that it is going to change. You must stop despising it and do something that changes it. What might that be? In context to our lesson you need to be a sower; and not just someone who does it sparingly, but bountifully! A person who is cheerful to sow his goods is someone that catches the eye of God. Scriptures teach us that God loves a cheerful giver. On the other hand, if a person sows sparingly, they shall reap sparingly. These are truths that rest in a book that we call the Bible. When we ignore these truths, we will live with limitations within our life. Let us look at something over in Jeremiah that I believe will speak to us regarding this subject that we are on.
Jeremiah 35:1-2 (KJV)
1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
2 Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.
As I was reading this I began to see that God had a legitimate complaint to make here regarding to those of us who do not adhere to His Words over our own or someone else who influences us. Here we find a linage of people that were charged by their forefather, Jonadab, that they were not to drink any wine or build any houses to dwell in; have no vineyards, no fields of their own, nor seed. They were instructed to live in tents in whatever land they may have been. The interesting part of this story is that God wanted these Rechabites to be brought into the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink while the people of God observed what they would do. The point is that these Rechabites refused to drink the wine because they would not violate the command of their forefather which he gave to all his descendents that would follow after him. God's intention to bring out this truth is to show how we will trust and make all kinds of creeds that we allow to govern our lives; but when it comes to God's Word we will neglect it, ignore it, or change it to fit our liking rather than obey it as He spoke it.
1 Timothy 6:3-6 (KJV)
3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
I think this is pretty much explanatory to what it means. God's Word is truth, and if that truth is known and continued in, it will make you free. Jesus said that the poor you will have with you always. But I believe you don't have to be one of them. Jesus became poor that we might become rich. I realize there are many definitions to what that rich might actually mean to a number of folks here. I do know this, there are some that believe great gain is a sign of godliness, but God's Word says we are to withdraw ourselves from them that think like this. For godliness by God's definition is contentment. I have learned over my 53 years of being on this earth that a person who is always wanting to be receiver of something is never ever content. On the other hand, when I find a person who loves to give and share the things they have with others and without strings attached, they seem to be much more happier people than those who hold on to everything as though its their last meal.
Ecclesiastes 11:1-4 (KJV)
1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
When we consider this passage I want to zero in on verse 4, as it reveals another truth that can afford to set you free if you will heed to its wisdom. If you ignore it, then you will continue to do what it predicts, and therefore, reaping the sparing results. The Spirit of God is consistent throughout the Word declaring that all things created were meant to be sowed that there can be a harvest. To withhold from sowing, is to violate the principle of God by which I believe is the reason for so much lack in peoples lives. Our welfare system is a prime example of this truth. There are generations of families that attach their whole lives onto this system of help. Now, don't get me wrong here, when help is needed that's one thing; but when the person seeking help decides that being codependent on that assistance and assumes that this is a life long right that belongs to them, then we are seeing this principle that God spoke of being violated.
We must be sowers or there is no harvest to be had. Most generally, our requests in prayers concerning finances evolve around the notion that we will be blessed once God puts what we have been asking for into our possession. However, when that person just sits around and waits and begs that they might receive their blessing; they will only reinforce a sense of lack which essentially will rob them of the real blessing, the ability to give. The Bible teaches what you have freely received, freely give. Can you see once again how God's Word reveals the principle of sowing before you receive? Let me close with one more passage found over in the gospel of Mark.
Mark 10:28-30 (KJV)
28 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.
I conclude this devotional on the precedence that you can never exhaust what you give to God. Our Lord multiplies a sack lunch into enough to feed thousands. He speaks a miracle to pay the taxes that may be due; but you will have to believe that Word enough to act on it and be willing to go look in a fishes mouth once you catch it. Most folks won't do that because they don't believe the money would be there even though the Word said go catch the fish and receive the payment. God's Word is supernatural and holds the bountifulness of everything one might need in this life. But that Word requires activity on your and my part in order to get the results. Ignore the principles of God's Word, and you shall reap the meager collections that you have been scraping by on without every entering into the blessing of giving.
If you don't like the place you are at. Then stop despising that small place and begin operating in the trustworthiness of God's Word by becoming a doer of it. Poverty is a continuation of sowing "nothing" which cannot help but produce "nothing." Never again, will I allow myself to identify with someone's poverty so as to be sensitive to their situation in life at the expense of not telling them how to get out of it. I am anointed to preach to the poor, and that message says give and it shall be given unto you. Amen!
* This devotional is excerpts from a message by Pastor Tommy Morgan on 1/24/2010. If you would like to receive this teaching in its full content on DVD please write us at: P.O. Box 2290 Rowlett, Texas 75030 or email us at admin@potterswheel.org The cost of our teaching DVD's are $10.00 each.
