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August 5, 2001
The Principle of Increase: Part III
The Reconciling of Tribulation With Increase
How do you reconcile "The Principle of Increase" with the fact that we all face persecution, suffering, and tribulation?
How do you reconcile verses like?
- Proverbs 10:22 ………It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it.
- With the words of Jesus (John 16:33) ………In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.
- These verses appear to be in conflict.
The Truth is, we do grow through times of hardship, struggle, and tribulation especially if we keep our eyes on Jesus (James 1:2-4) [READ]
- When we faces the trials of life with joy it produces "endurance" in our lives which in turn leads to maturity and complete spiritual adulthood.
- The keys is our attitude and walking in what Jesus said in John 16:33.
- These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world .
There is a very real Principle of Increase and Multiplication that God wants to bring into our lives.
- In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:8) Jesus talks about "the seed" bring an increase of thirty, sixty, and hundredfold.
- In Matthew 13:38, Jesus says that the "good seed" is "the sons of the kingdom".
- Clearly, God wants to bring about "increase" into every area of your life (spiritually, and materially.
The Ear of Corn (Dan Miller’s figures)
An ear of corn will always have an even number of rows: 12, 14, 16, or 18.
Each row on an average ear has 40 kernels.
An ear with 12 rows = 480 kernels.
An ear with 14 rows = 560 kernels.
An ear with 16 rows = 640 kernels.
An ear with 18 rows = 720 kernels.
That means if you plant one (1) kernel of corn and it "multiplies" in 640 kernels……….you owe God 64 kernels (the tithe).
Walk in the Wisdom of God
(Three things)- Keep a balanced, Biblical Perspective
- People will try to force you into an "either or" position (i.e. Prosperity with never a problems or a Poverty mentality where you barely survive).
- We know that as believers, we have the Blessing of Abraham on our lives. (Galatians 3).
- Listen to what Jesus says in Mark 10:29-31
Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,
But that he will receive a hundred times as much
But many who are first will be last, and the last, first".
- Walk in the wisdom of Luke 12:21, by being "rich toward God".
- Practice Matthew 6:33, and "seek first (and foremost) the Kingdom of God in your life" and God will take care of the rest.
- Exercise Luke 6:38, in every area of your life.
- Walk in the wisdom of the Book of James.
- When troubles and tribulations come "count it all joy".
- Let God teach you……..let Him perfect you in the hard times.
- Guard you attitude when it comes to money and material possessions.
- Remember, as Ed Cole says, "Your attitude toward money will determine the direction of its flow in your life".
- Money is not the root of all evil………I Timothy 6:10 says that it is the "love of money". There is a difference! Make sure you understand that difference.
- The minute we make "Riches…..Wealth" our goal, we fall into poverty. The issue becomes one of "greed". Look at what happened to the rich man in Luke 12:15-21.
- Remember James 1:9-11 (READ)
- None of us will take anything of this earth out of this world!
- The issue is our attitude and our stewardship of the resources God places in our hands.