Beloved, as I was in fellowship with the Lord, a word came to me that I rejoiced in. I was not confident to share such things with you before, but God has encouraged me that now is the time! With that being said, I now invite you into my HEART...
This is what the Lord says and shows me, “in the same measure you give here on earth is the same measure you will receive from heaven.” This is not about amounts but of a sincere heart towards a relationship— it reveals the character of a person.
DO NOT MUZZLE AN OXES MOUTH
I use the illustration of the Ox as the Ox was used to thresh the floor in preparation for the harvest. Though the Oxes master spurred him on with a prod, the master never denied the Ox food from the ground as he worked. Therefore, receive the blessing. This is what the Lord says and shows me, “You cannot force anyone to give generously, but out of the abundance of a good character, they will notice the opportunity to be blessed by giving and it will be received gladly by Me as a pleasing aroma. If they are good in their dealings with you, as the master is with the Ox in allowing him to eat generously from his work, your Master who resides in heaven shall reward them in like manner.” Amen.
This is instruction that benefits all who look at it with a sincere heart to honor the laborers of the Word of God and above all, to honor God who honors all of His Creation in His gracious dealings towards it:
Am I not free (free in Christ by His blood and resurrection)? Am I not an apostle (Yes! For the Lord has charged me with such an office to overlook a flock He sends to me)? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord (indeed I have as He mercifully came to me in my darkness on July 3, 2009)? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord (You know who you are)? Even though I may not be an apostle to others (that is my position in the church building), surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship (my calling bestowed upon me by Divine provocation) in the Lord. This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. Don’t we have the right to food and drink (to be sustained for our righteous work)? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense (It is good and pleasing to the Lord that His ministers are supported by those who receive the Gospel, that His ministers will rejoice in the Lord their Provider)? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes (The Gospel of Christ is freely preached, but His ministers deserved to be paid generously for their work for their commission from the Lord is to take it to all the world, in which, does cost money)? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk (the fruit of his labor from the people of God)? Do I say this merely on human authority (No! I have been raised up from the world into His grace, to be a minister onto God’s people)? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing (click here)? For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel. Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible (1 Corinthians 9:1-4; 7-19 NIV emphasis added by me).
Beloved, the threshing floor in which we the ministers of the Lord are working in preparation for the coming harvest is the very body of Christ in which you are, and you as the believer are the harvest being prepared; that is, built up in the ways of the Lord, that He Himself by His right hand shall pluck you up from the ground you stand on at the appointed time. Amen!
Therefore, receive the blessing! Be generous in your dealings with people, even greater with His ministers of His Word that build you up in the ways of the Lord and above all, with God Himself and He will reward you in like manner.
Let us not look at our situation when we have abundance to give generously, but let us give generously whether we have much or little, for in that, God is content to be generous with you, where He is not limited but has an abundance of all that we need. And remember this! You can never outdo or out give God. Amen.
As always... YOU ARE LOVED.
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