Hallo people! I am blessed to be sharing a few words with you today. Thankful to be here and I hope you are too.
Last time I was sharing about how God is extravagant with us. He is so loving and so generous to the point of extravagance. Even when we give Him leftovers of ourselves He is still good to us and blesses us continually allowing us to see another day, as is written:
[16] Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
[17] Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Acts 14:16, 17.
Even as we choose to walk in our own ways, He continually blesses us and sustains us:
[27] That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
[28] For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Acts 17:27, 28.
He was so generous even to the point of dying for us while we were His enemies. There's no greater love and sacrifice than to die for those who do not appreciate and even hate you, as is written:
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:,...And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. Philippians 3:18, Colossians 1:21.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 John 3:16.
Just from these which are a few texts, we see God's extravagance in not only blessing and sustaining us continually in our everyday lives but more importantly in dying for our sins when we were undeserving of the grace.
Christ has done all these things for us, giving us nothing short of the best of Himself. What do we do? We give Him leftovers!
We hold onto the best of ourselves and give Him leftovers, if there is anything left!
Yet we expect Him to bless us somehow beyond measure when we give Him last place in everything that we do. We expect Him to be on time when we ask for something and even when we ask, it is usually for wants not needs, as is written;
[3] Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4:3.
God by giving us His Son was teaching us the principle of giving as is written:
[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
He gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins, and there is no greater sacrifice than that which He could have made.
He has done all and infinite riches of His glory are at our disposal to meet not only spiritual needs, but also to take care of our daily needs as well as is written;
[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Ephesians 3:16.
[19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.
He desires to bless us spiritually and to supply all our needs by the infinite riches of His glory. There is nothing He has witheld from us but has done all possible to bless us.
But in His giving all to us, He was teaching us something. Just as He gave all to us, we ought to give all of ourselves to Him. Eternal life we gain only by giving of ourselves to Him or denying self and following Him.
Even though He is more than generous, even being extravagant with His grace towards us, we are very frugal with ourselves towards Him. We give little if any of ourselves to Him, yet He has done all possible and even blesses us when our hearts are far from Him.
By His dying for us, Christ was teaching us that just as He died to enable us to live, we have to give of ourselves by dying to self for us to partake of His salvation, as is written:
[24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. matthew 16;24.
For Him to bless us with Eternal life, we have to die to self and that is the condition for us live.
If we die or give of ourself to Him, we live. If we hold onto self and refuse to deny ourselves, we die. If we give we receive, and if we are selfish by holding onto ourselves, we die.
It is a universal principle and applies in all aspects of life as it is written:
It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35.
By giving all of ourselves through denying self, carrying the cross and following Him, we are blessed with Eternal life. We seem to lose in this life but we gain ultimately for eternity. By holding to self or refusing to deny self, we deny Eternal life in the process and ultimately die because of sin, as is written:
[35] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
[36] For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
[37] Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:35-37.
We lose our lives for His sake by denying self and live yet in the other instance, gaining this world is all there is to gain and eternal life is lost.
If we give much of ourselves by denying self, He will richly bless us by His infinite riches in glory to overcome self and be victorious by his power. By dying to self or giving of ourselves to Him, we allow to allow Him to:
[13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.
and:
[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Ephesians 3:16.
His riches in glory are infinite therefore the power at our disposal to enable us to overcome our bondages to sin are immeasurable. But they are available to us only when we give of ourselves to Him by dying to self. By denying self, we allow God to work in in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
By denying self, we put Him first and by putting Him first he has promised that if we :
[33] ...seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
By putting Him first we are promised that he will take care of our needs according to His riches in glory, which are also immeasurable as is written:
[19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.
By putting Him first he not only takes care of our spiritual needs which are most important,He also takes care of our physical needs.
So friends, there is more than enough at our disposal given that God's riches are infinite to supply both sopiritual and temporal needs.
Access to them however depends on our willingness to give of ourselves. If we are willing to give all of ourselves by denying self, he will surely richly bless us both spiritually and physically in supplying our needs.
The more we give of ourselves, the more he gives of himself for us, as is written:
[24] 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.
[25] For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. Mark 4:24, 25.
[38] 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.
By giving we receive. By giving of ourselves we seem to to lose in this life but gain everything in the next. But even in this life, He supplies all our needs so in essence, we gain both now and for Eternity. By holding on to self we deny God the opportunity not only to provide and supply for all our needs in the present for this is promised when we put Him first, but also for us to live eternally.
By saving our lives or holding on to self, we lose eternal life and by losing our lives for His sake, we gain eternal life, as is written:
[24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
[25] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
[26] For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:24-26.
I will end for now with this verse which summarises this principle in general:
[24] There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
Last time I was sharing about how God is extravagant with us. He is so loving and so generous to the point of extravagance. Even when we give Him leftovers of ourselves He is still good to us and blesses us continually allowing us to see another day, as is written:
[16] Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
[17] Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Acts 14:16, 17.
Even as we choose to walk in our own ways, He continually blesses us and sustains us:
[27] That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
[28] For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Acts 17:27, 28.
He was so generous even to the point of dying for us while we were His enemies. There's no greater love and sacrifice than to die for those who do not appreciate and even hate you, as is written:
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:,...And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. Philippians 3:18, Colossians 1:21.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 John 3:16.
Just from these which are a few texts, we see God's extravagance in not only blessing and sustaining us continually in our everyday lives but more importantly in dying for our sins when we were undeserving of the grace.
Christ has done all these things for us, giving us nothing short of the best of Himself. What do we do? We give Him leftovers!
We hold onto the best of ourselves and give Him leftovers, if there is anything left!
Yet we expect Him to bless us somehow beyond measure when we give Him last place in everything that we do. We expect Him to be on time when we ask for something and even when we ask, it is usually for wants not needs, as is written;
[3] Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4:3.
God by giving us His Son was teaching us the principle of giving as is written:
[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
He gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins, and there is no greater sacrifice than that which He could have made.
He has done all and infinite riches of His glory are at our disposal to meet not only spiritual needs, but also to take care of our daily needs as well as is written;
[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Ephesians 3:16.
[19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.
He desires to bless us spiritually and to supply all our needs by the infinite riches of His glory. There is nothing He has witheld from us but has done all possible to bless us.
But in His giving all to us, He was teaching us something. Just as He gave all to us, we ought to give all of ourselves to Him. Eternal life we gain only by giving of ourselves to Him or denying self and following Him.
Even though He is more than generous, even being extravagant with His grace towards us, we are very frugal with ourselves towards Him. We give little if any of ourselves to Him, yet He has done all possible and even blesses us when our hearts are far from Him.
By His dying for us, Christ was teaching us that just as He died to enable us to live, we have to give of ourselves by dying to self for us to partake of His salvation, as is written:
[24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. matthew 16;24.
For Him to bless us with Eternal life, we have to die to self and that is the condition for us live.
If we die or give of ourself to Him, we live. If we hold onto self and refuse to deny ourselves, we die. If we give we receive, and if we are selfish by holding onto ourselves, we die.
It is a universal principle and applies in all aspects of life as it is written:
It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35.
By giving all of ourselves through denying self, carrying the cross and following Him, we are blessed with Eternal life. We seem to lose in this life but we gain ultimately for eternity. By holding to self or refusing to deny self, we deny Eternal life in the process and ultimately die because of sin, as is written:
[35] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
[36] For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
[37] Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:35-37.
We lose our lives for His sake by denying self and live yet in the other instance, gaining this world is all there is to gain and eternal life is lost.
If we give much of ourselves by denying self, He will richly bless us by His infinite riches in glory to overcome self and be victorious by his power. By dying to self or giving of ourselves to Him, we allow to allow Him to:
[13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.
and:
[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Ephesians 3:16.
His riches in glory are infinite therefore the power at our disposal to enable us to overcome our bondages to sin are immeasurable. But they are available to us only when we give of ourselves to Him by dying to self. By denying self, we allow God to work in in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
By denying self, we put Him first and by putting Him first he has promised that if we :
[33] ...seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
By putting Him first we are promised that he will take care of our needs according to His riches in glory, which are also immeasurable as is written:
[19] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19.
By putting Him first he not only takes care of our spiritual needs which are most important,He also takes care of our physical needs.
So friends, there is more than enough at our disposal given that God's riches are infinite to supply both sopiritual and temporal needs.
Access to them however depends on our willingness to give of ourselves. If we are willing to give all of ourselves by denying self, he will surely richly bless us both spiritually and physically in supplying our needs.
The more we give of ourselves, the more he gives of himself for us, as is written:
[24] 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.
[25] For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. Mark 4:24, 25.
[38] 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.
By giving we receive. By giving of ourselves we seem to to lose in this life but gain everything in the next. But even in this life, He supplies all our needs so in essence, we gain both now and for Eternity. By holding on to self we deny God the opportunity not only to provide and supply for all our needs in the present for this is promised when we put Him first, but also for us to live eternally.
By saving our lives or holding on to self, we lose eternal life and by losing our lives for His sake, we gain eternal life, as is written:
[24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
[25] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
[26] For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:24-26.
I will end for now with this verse which summarises this principle in general:
[24] There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
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