Funny thing happened the last couple of weeks. As I was writing the third book of the Christian’s Promised Land series, an acquaintance came over to my table in the church cafe to say “hello”. We briefly engaged in the formalities and niceties of two Christian’s who know nothing about each other, yet attend the same services. When he asked me what I was doing, I replied, “Writing a book on advanced strategies and tactics for spiritual warfare.” The color drained from his cheeks as he replied, “Well I just pray the blood of Jesus over you for that. No telling what trouble may come on you for trying that.” Then he walked away as though my leprosy finally shined through. Is that where we are now? So utterly convinced of our disability that we shrink away from the topic entirely? What happened to “with God, all things are possible”?Not long after that our church had its occasional healing service, prayer time, hands on ministry etc. Not certain what to call it, but it’s something. As I was listening to the Pastor introduce the topic of the evening, some things he said rang hollow in me. No, this is not a slam on my preacher so get your head out of the gutter. “With God” came back to me again as it did when the warfare topic came up. As I muttered that around with the Lord He brought me this: With means with. Example. If God is center stage and you are on the far left wing, you are not “with” God. Yes, you can see Him. You can turn at any time and say, “Hey Dad, how’s it going?” You can praise Him from that distance. But when it comes time to do the work He requires, there is no “with”.

Hard to believe, but it only takes a few short centuries for us to redefine things in our own terms. Yet God is unmoved. This generally leads to failures of performance, and that leads to depression and resentment, and that leads to people wondering if God cares at all! But the truth is a lack of “with”. It reminds me of words attributed to Abraham Lincoln (if I’m wrong, Don can correct me. He’s such an amazing historian). During the Civil War a man mentioned to Lincoln, “I hope God is on our side.” To which Lincoln responds, “No. I hope we are on His.” If this simple change of perspective would simply infiltrate the church, what a tremendous change that would bring!
Love you all,
Mark

The other day a storm ran through town. We were busy working on a remodel project and had two other trades there as well. The monsoon was quick, dark and hit with vengeance. For those who have lived in the Valley any amount of time, you know how these storms can get.

Let me tell you what is marginally ahead in Christendom.
A segment of the Church (a remnant if you will) is going to become fully trained in the message that was from the beginning. Not only will a handful of trainers be actively participating in it, but Jesus Himself will lead the way. Because of this, a vast number of fence sitters will commit. That will also result in those who aren’t anywhere near the fence yet, coming into the fold.
All of the newbies will begin their formal training as well. This will result in the hurt, disillusioned, abandoned believers rushing back to Church like a flood. They will have a tremendous impact on Church life as we know it. Because of their return, you can expect to see massive change in clique consciousness within the congregation. Many of the bs things we tolerate in our peaceful Christian coexistence will be tossed out the door with little concern.
The Holy Spirit will cheer for this and rise up among the trained and the trainees as one. So much so that casual observers will believe there was a river of the Spirit washing over the Church. What will get their attention, however, will be the power present in the Pastors of the individual congregations. Impressive oratory will no longer be required. Five point sermons will fade away like smoke in the wind. Power will reign in the congregation.
But all is not rosy. Secularists will mock us terribly, even to the point of deliberately slandering many members. Many denominations will take the secularist’s side but they will have their own reasoning for doing so. And, sadly, those groups that have had “success” doing it their way will belittle and shun the upcoming movement.
I’d tell you more, but that would spoil the book!
Keep your head up. Time is short and shorter still.

Love you all,
Mark

Seeing as Don is teaching on the covenants and we recently discussed accountability and responsibility in the pulpit, I thought this would be a proper place for this little item.

I was minding my own business at my place of employment when I was hit with a spiritual decision that I had faced in the past, but only now recognized so clearly…“Do you work for Dreamworks?” I questioned a female client after seeing her sleek, black jacket with the emblem on it.

“Yes,” she replied.

“What do you do?” I asked.

I expected the answer to be something like, “I am the assistant to the assistant to the assistant of a producer.”  Instead, she said (rather matter-of-factly), “I work for Steven Speilberg.” Well, this brand spanking new L.A./Hollywood resident was quite taken aback by this bit of information!

I thought perhaps she might be teasing, so I prodded again by saying, “Really?”  

I received a rather uninspired answer of “Yes.” Apparently, she did not understand that Mr. Speilberg is famous. My carnal antennas went up rather quickly. I need to be extra nice to her…she’s important, I thought to myself. I’m sure I was imagining her introducing me to the great film director, and him immediately casting me as the lead in his next blockbuster! Thank heavens for the Holy Spirit correcting our wrong thoughts and attitudes! Just as quickly, I recognized Him speaking to my heart that this is not an attitude that he wanted me to receive.

Favoritism…it doesn’t sound like such a bad word, does it? The problem with the type of favoritism that I described earlier is that its underlying motive is selfishness. “What can you do for me?” it asks. Love always asks, “What can I do for you? How can I serve you?” My friend described to me a heartbreaking situation in which a leader in her church was transferred to a much less visible position. Suddenly, people that the leader knew for years and were supposed “friends” walked passed her in the church corridors as if they had never laid eyes on her before. What a rude awakening to realize that people have only been interested in you because of your title and position.

James 2:1-9 (The Message):
 My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children and proved that you are judges who can’t be trusted?
 Listen, dear friends. Isn’t it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. And here you are abusing these same citizens! Isn’t it the high and mighty who exploit you, who use the courts to rob you blind? Aren’t they the ones who scorn the new name—”Christian”—used in your baptisms?
 You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: “Love others as you love yourself.” But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it.
Along the same vein, I was recently reading a book in which a famous food critic went undercover in a prestigious New York City Restaurant. She disguised herself as a somewhat plain, matronly type of woman and received horrendous service. When she visited the restaurant as ‘herself,’ it was a much different scenario. The staff knew who she was, and they ran circles around her to make sure that her experience was a memorable one. This shallow and self-absorbed behavior is not where we want to live as believers, but many of us have been guilty of it.

My encouragement to those of us in the Church is to recognize when this attitude of ‘favoritism’ tries to rear its ugly head in our lives and stop it dead in its tracks. I began this blog by saying that I have encountered this fleshly thought process in times past.  But, it was only when I decided to yield to the Holy Spirit and the Word, that I overcame such a deceptive emotional luxury. I think we can all overcome if we will heed the wise words of James written so many years ago.

Kathy

By: Kathy
“God says that you are going to get married within a year.” “God says that this isn’t the man for you.” “Ohhhh, I feel the anointing. Maybe this is the man for you.”

I heard many such statements from well-intentioned church members as I was seeking God about marriage several years ago. I am still single, thank you very much. I really only wanted to get married so I could kick back and be a country club wife, anyway. I didn’t really have a desire for the intimacy of a mate at the time. My real desire was to see an increase in my bank account, and I figured a husband was a sure-fire way to achieve my goals! I bought all kinds of marriage tapes and books. I started getting manicures, got my hair done, etc. The “increase” was more of a “decrease.” I questioned the Lord about the hold up in my quest for a spouse…What is taking so long? All of these spiritual people keep saying that I’m going to get married, but nothing is happening! Well, my wonderful Father showed me something about my psyche that I didn’t know was there. He basically pointed out the fact that I had a tendency to put people on a “pedestal” that I deemed more spiritual than myself. I sometimes would even put their thoughts and opinions above what I believed Him to be speaking to my heart. What He was speaking to me was, “For your Maker is your husband, The Lord of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.” (Isa 54:5, NKJV). I do not believe He was not saying that I would never get married, but that this was a time for me to draw closer to Him.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I believe in seeking wisdom and counsel from those in the Church that are more mature and stable. The Bible clearly says, “Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding,” (Job 12:12, NKJV). But, what I do not agree with is putting man above God, or disobeying God’s instructions because a person is older or they speak in a very “spiritual voice.” Why do we change our voice when we speak about spiritual things? [sing-preaching] “Well, you know, uh, the Laaawd said, uh,”…or [whispering as if floating on a cloud] “The Lord sayeth that thou shalt go and do thusly.”

Freedictionary.com defines putting someone on a pedestal as such: to behave as if someone is more important than others or to believe that someone is perfect. It doesn’t sound reasonable that we would actually think that another human being is perfect, does it? But, that is essentially the belief system we have when we choose to accept what man says over God. Obviously, my little tale about believing every word told to me about my future husband did not produce any catastrophic results. It was not God’s timing, and I am still unattached. This kind of attitude can produce much more than just a ring-less left finger, though. A story in 1 Kings is a great illustration of this type of behavior, and the horrific consequences that can occur because of it:

1 Kings 13:1-24 (The Message): 

Just as Jeroboam was at the Altar, about to make an offering, a holy man came from Judah by God’s command and preached (these were God’s orders) to the Altar: “Altar, Altar! God’s message! ‘A son will be born into David’s family named Josiah. The priests from the shrines who are making offerings on you, he will sacrifice—on you! Human bones burned on you!’” At the same time he announced a sign: “This is the proof God gives—the Altar will split into pieces and the holy offerings spill into the dirt.”When the king heard the message the holy man preached against the Altar at Bethel, he reached out to grab him, yelling, “Arrest him!” But his arm was paralyzed and hung useless. At the same time the Altar broke apart and the holy offerings all spilled into the dirt—the very sign the holy man had announced by God’s command.
The king pleaded with the holy man, “Help me! Pray to your God for the healing of my arm.” The holy man prayed for him and the king’s arm was healed—as good as new!
 Then the king invited the holy man, “Join me for a meal; I have a gift for you.”
 The holy man told the king, “Not on your life! You couldn’t pay me enough to get me to sit down with you at a meal in this place. I’m here under God’s orders, and he commanded, ‘Don’t eat a crumb, don’t drink a drop, and don’t go back the way you came.’” Then he left by a different road than the one on which he had walked to Bethel.
There was an old prophet who lived in Bethel. His sons came and told him the story of what the holy man had done that day in Bethel, told him everything that had happened and what the holy man had said to the king.
Their father said, “Which way did he go?” His sons pointed out the road that the holy man from Judah had taken.
 He told his sons, “Saddle my donkey.” When they had saddled it, he got on and rode after the holy man. He found him sitting under an oak tree.
 He asked him, “Are you the holy man who came from Judah?”
 ”Yes, I am,” he said.
“Well, come home with me and have a meal.”
“Sorry, I can’t do that,” the holy man said. “I can neither go back with you nor eat with you in this country. I’m under strict orders from God: ‘Don’t eat a crumb; don’t drink a drop; and don’t come back the way you came.’”
But he said, “I am also a prophet, just like you. And an angel came to me with a message from God: ‘Bring him home with you, and give him a good meal!’” But the man was lying. So the holy man went home with him and they had a meal together.
There they were, sitting at the table together, when the word of God came to the prophet who had brought him back. He confronted the holy man who had come from Judah: “God’s word to you: You disobeyed God’s command; you didn’t keep the strict orders your God gave you; you came back and sat down to a good meal in the very place God told you, ‘Don’t eat a crumb; don’t drink a drop.’ For that you’re going to die far from home and not be buried in your ancestral tomb.”
 When the meal was over, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. Down the road a way, a lion met him and killed him. His corpse lay crumpled on the road, the lion on one side and the donkey on the other. Some passersby saw the corpse in a heap on the road, with the lion standing guard beside it. They went to the village where the old prophet lived and told what they had seen.
 When the prophet who had gotten him off track heard it, he said, “It’s the holy man who disobeyed God’s strict orders. God turned him over to the lion who knocked him around and killed him, just as God had told him.”
Did you notice that the ‘holy man’ did not listen to the King, but he did indeed listen to what the older prophet had to say? This seems to imply that the ‘holy man’ was younger and probably less sure of himself. I believe that, just as I did, he made the mistake of thinking that an older, more “spiritual” person knew more about what God would say than listening to the instructions he knew he had been given. I don’t know that I can really even call it a mistake as much as it was disobedience. I think most of the time we know what the Holy Spirit is speaking to our hearts, but we sometimes choose to ignore Him. Perhaps we are hoping that He will change His mind and see things our way! This choice of disobedience cost the young prophet his life, sadly. Perhaps similar situations you and I might face might not be so extreme, but this is most assuredly an eye-opener. I do know of many instances in which believers did choose to obey the voice of the Lord, and it quite literally saved their life.

Whether it be a minister, older believer, a parent, or whomever you think to be mature…let us make a decision to seek God for ourselves and obey His instruction. Any believer that wants to help us in our walk with the Lord should only be confirming what we know to be true, anyway. Staying in the Word and fellowshipping with God will help ensure that we are receiving sound counsel and advice.  Push, pull, drag, or do whatever it takes to knock others off a “pedestal” that should be reserved only for our Lord and Savior.

The following is from an email we received from our Canadian friends, Angela and Ryan.  They recently returned from a mission trip to Africa, where God worked through them and the team they were with.  It was so good to hear how blessed they were to see first hand how God shows himself to others around the world.  I thought Angela’s observations, now that they’re home, were interesting:

The last thing-Ryan and I were talking and both agreed on one thing we learned. Sometimes we go looking for God. Maybe He is in a certain ministry or maybe He is in Africa.  We are only going to find Him as much as we are looking. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. (Jer 29:13-14) When we search Him with all of our hearts, we can find Him anywhere.  It is not in what we do or where we go.  That being said, I am expecting to see Him a lot more places than I did before…I shouldn’t have to go across the world for it!!!

After a recent trip to Africa I got back home to Calgary and began to battle the physical stuff…jet lag, angry digestive system, and general mental disarray. Before going to Africa, I saw myself coming back fired-up for God, preaching like I’ve never preached down on the streets of Calgary, and basically burning the city down with the fire of God.

I have been studying a topic for several years because of an interesting event in my own life.  As a younger man, I learned this topic from others respected in our community and assimilated it into my own life.  It was after I had actually delivered the topic from the pulpit a handful of times (years and years ago) that the Spirit checked me and said, “Don’t ever do that again.”  Now, if you are a person who truly enjoys studying with the Holy Spirit, that isn’t just a rebuke, but also a challenge!  So off we went on the debate that lasts for years.Before I pull the veil and show it to you outright, I would like to go through some of the things we considered during the process.

I guess the basic building block involved here would be, “Why are idioms, idioms?”  Think of a few that you are very familiar with.  How did they become idioms?  Let’s take an example.

Suppose someone you know and love comes to you and describes a set of options opened to them.  One option will allow them to maintain a fairly comfortable existence; feed the family, pay the bills etc.  The other option would take an enormous amount of effort for the short term (perhaps even longer) but the rewards associated with that burst of energy would be a sumptuous life.  Not a comfortable existence, but luxury and plenty.  What would be your advice?  Of course, you would consider all of the variables and how the near term will affect the people directly involved.  You would consider a detailed risk assessment.  But if you conclude that the risk is worth it, what do you tell them?  You tell them to reach for the brass ring!  The brass ring – where does that come from?  Well, years ago, if no longer, the State Fair used to bring carnival rides into town.  At the carousel would be a post some distance off the edge and suspended there was a shiny brass ring.  If you could stretch yourself out from seated upon a carousel horse and grab that brass ring, you could win a prize for your sweetheart.  Therefore making that strenuous effort to attain the prize became known as reaching for the brass ring.

Have you ever been a citizen activist?  Have you ever taken up an issue and crossed swords with your City Council?  (Crossed swords – another idiom).  Sometimes the arguments that come from the gallery can be so compelling that the Council must take an action to settle the issue.  Generally, depending on the complexity of the issue, that means they will form a panel of relative experts on the various intricacies involved.  What do we call such a panel?  A blue ribbon commission.  I reckon pretty much everybody is familiar with first prize in small contests being a blue ribbon, but no one on such a panel had to win one.  The best available people for the process have been chosen and the blue ribbon assignation is deserved.

Need we go further?  I really believe that we do not.  You all know many other idioms used in common parlance and the concept is not foreign to you.  If you consider your own discussions over the past month, you may find that you, too, have incorporated idioms into your speech.

All right, everybody get a rock because I’m going to tell you why I have gone to this degree.

Thirtyfold, sixtyfold and hundredfold are idioms.

I reckon that the best way to start is at the foundation.  So if you would please consider Mark Chapter 4 we’ll get going.  Jesus delivers THE fundamental parable and the disciples don’t get it.  In reality, they still didn’t get it when they wrote the books.  So let’s start with the parable.  Seed is sown and the scattering results in strewn seed on four listed types of ground: path, rocks, weeds and good soil.  The capability of the seed to perform its function is then described with amazing accuracy. (Why I was amazed, I don’t know.  He’s God Almighty, he ought to know how things work).  In the concept of 30, 60, 100 the obvious is left unmentioned.  Did you see it?  Yep, it’s zero.  The path did not allow the seed to even begin its function.  Not a total loss, because the birds need food too, but the seed did not perform its designed intent.  Among the rocks the design begins to unfold but cannot withstand the drastic opposition.  It is incomplete in its efforts.  Not merely incomplete, but rather emphatically interrupted.  This is the 30.

Where the weeds are flourishing, the seed does a much better job of completing its assignment.  The trouble is that the surrounding plants of no value (hence “weeds”) are using up the nutrients the seed requires.  It looks nice and one may expect fruition in its future, but to no avail.  The weeds simply choke the new plant to death and it cannot go on to completion.  This is the 60. 

On the loam the seed is set free to do as God designed.  Jesus was fully aware of this design even as He explained it to His disciples.  (Oh, in case you haven’t noticed, His disciples weren’t much smarter than you and I are today).  They didn’t understand it even after Jesus detailed it.  So He continued on with His explanation in the hope that they would grasp this fundamental parable, thus allowing them to grasp the rest of His teachings down the road.  Jesus goes on to explain that mysteries, those concepts that are hidden from logical minds, are not meant to remain hidden.  God’s great desire is that men give up their own sense of logic and invite Him to explain things His way.  In this manner the necessary knowledge is made available to all who would partake of it.  (Lamp on a stand)  Then He continues by emphasizing how important it is to be able to accept the instruction of the Holy Spirit (ears to hear) and to pry Him for all you can get out of Him (consider carefully is to extract detailed information).  Upon completion of this lesson Jesus obviously sees that at the very least Peter isn’t getting it (Just Kidding Pete) and He returns to the seed concept once again.  The design function of seed is to produce a stalk, then the bud (head) and then the grain in the bud (full kernel).  This also describes the 30, 60, 100 concept with fruition being the 100. The stalk is of little use.  Sure, if required it can be utilized for ancillary purposes: feed the sheep, the cows, the camels.  Perhaps a first century Martha Stewart could weave the stalks into baskets, or lawn furniture.  Die hard apologists in the early days will swear up and down that some parts of the stalk are edible.  Great!  Enjoy, but please pass the cheeseburgers.  As for the buds, I think one of my attempts at tomatoes might describe this to a degree.  I used to grow a dozen tomato plants in my garden every year.  My neighbors loved them!  I, personally, don’t like tomatoes.  One year I had flowers all over these plants and I was wondering what I was going to do with such a large number of tomatoes.  Then, in a couple of days, half the flowers were on the ground!  I didn’t have any weeds in my garden, but that didn’t matter much.  I had insufficient nutrients in the hard, dry, dusty Arizona dirt.  (I didn’t know this; I had to have the nursery guy tell me).  So after I had conditioned the soil properly, I never had trouble again.  Nevertheless, I had lots of buds and not so many fruit.  The plants had been robbed of their necessary nutrients.  This is the same condition related in the weeds concept.  Lots of nice showy plants, not so much spaghetti sauce.

Fact is, fruition is expected in the Kingdom of God.  Anything less than complete fruition is considered a curse.  Achieving that place of fruition is what the hundredfold is all about, and that is ALL it is about.  Now, if you want to talk about corn and carrots, rabbits and elephants, then I’m totally prepared for that.  But the simple truth is that the Lord was trying to get across to us that stewarding the garden of God’s revelation within us is the only way to get that revelation to its point of ultimate fruition, and fruition is the designed intent of explained mystery.

Because this is such a touchy subject in some circles, and utterly neglected in others, I want to point to just a few other examples that display the realization of fruition vice multiplication.

I’m certain you are aware of Isaac and the famine.  Genesis 26.  Now just for the record, famine is a time when the earth refuses to produce crops.  It is not that the earth cannot produce, but rather will not.  I don’t want to argue wills of non-sentient creation so feel free to ignore that last statement.  Nonetheless, crops are not being harvested anywhere in the region in measurable quantity.  But Isaac, blessed by Abraham, inheritor of the promise of God, plants his seed in ground that everyone knows will not produce crops.  And his crops grow to fruition.  It is described as the hundredfold.  I can tell you right now that he produced many times over 100 fold of his seed.  Anyway, fruition is the concept.  Now let’s go to the most definitive passages against multiplication and supporting completeness of design.  Matthew 19:29 and Mark 10:30.  In brief :

“No one who has left houses or fields, spouses or children, parents or siblings, for Christ and the Kingdom, will fail to receive the hekatonplassia  (hundredfold) in this life (houses and fields, spouses and children, parents and siblings) and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Of course, you are absolutely welcome to believe that if you have to choose between following Jesus for the Kingdom and raising your children, that He will give you 100 times as many children as you did have.  Just don’t call me if you need a sitter Friday night.  And I’m certain that there are those who would abruptly walk out of their houses and acreages knowing full well that they will receive 100 times as many as they left, thus making them wealthy beyond their imaginations, stretched though they are.  The only problem with the whole thing is that reality exists without fail.  You’re free to believe in the Easter Bunny, but reality is unimpressed.  So it is here.  Yes, should you find yourself in a situation that requires you to sacrifice one thing for Christ and the Kingdom, then you have the absolute right (and good reason) to expect and believe that He will not only provide you with what you sacrificed, but at the designed fruition of that “seed”.  The ultimate house and field.  The epitome of a good spouse and children who serve the Lord from their own hearts.  The ultimate fruit of seed planted in the garden of God.  This, loved ones, is the undiluted message of the hundredfold without any strings attached.

There is one more portion where the 30, 60, 100 applies.  It is Matthew 10: 40-42.  Let me go ahead and write this one out for you from the NIV.

 ”He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.  Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

The ultimate expression and acceptance is when we come to the place where we can accept the man of God assigned to us as the representation of Jesus Christ in our time.  There is nothing that exceeds this condition and it cannot be overwhelmed by the world or anything in it.  It is the design and intent of God the Father.  It is the hundredfold of ministerial relations.  It is when we begin to view our men of God in ways subordinate to Christ Himself, the examples given being a prophet for the sake of him being a prophet and a righteous man for the sake of him being a righteous man, that we descend into the condition of having the design intent choked out or scorched out of our relations to God through His ministers; His priesthood.  The only overarching hope that countermands the prior order is that Jesus will not allow what you have to be taken from you if you find yourself fallen into the condition where you merely refresh your man of God because He’s a Christian, or a Pastor, or whatever position he is labeled.  There is no growth involved, but you will not lose out as was dictated in Mark 4:25.

If you find yourself in a condition where you are not quite ready to accept your Pastor as the reflection of Jesus Christ in your day, hold on for a bit.  There is a wind blowing and will soon blow strongly, where your Pastor will actually earn your respect and you will find it easy to see his assignment being His assignment.

I really do love you all,

Mark

By Mark Bristow 

Since we have been through the hundredfold lesson and we have the basic information necessary to formulate our understanding of exactly what Jesus was driving at in the Gospels, we are now able to troubleshoot some of the things we have gone through over the years. 

One of my personal favorites is “Name That Seed”. I told you about my garden in the last portion.  Here are some things for you to consider.  When you plant radishes, in about 30 days you have radishes.  When you plant corn, in about 90-120 days you have corn.  Carrots run about 45 days.  I actually got pretty good at the garden thing.  But not once did I ever plant a carrot and grow a cabbage.  Not one time did I decide that I wanted strawberries, so I planted corn seeds to get them.  Not once.  In the extreme you could say that you cannot plant zucchini and reap Zamboni.  Ever need a new car?  Can’t plant basil and reap Buick. 

What am I trying to tell you?  You have zero authority to name your harvest.  The seed is what the seed is. God, and or His representative on the planet determine what the design of the seed is to be. This is the Law of Genesis and it is still in effect. 

 The trouble, as I read it, is that the seed we plant gets limited by the field in which we plant it.  (Incidentally, have you ever heard a preacher say, “This ministry is poor ground to plant in.”?)  Let’s go back to the offeratory for a moment.  If your minister declares to the congregation that the offering they are about to participate in is the means God uses to pay the bills, keep the lights on, provide air conditioning et al, then that sets the standard of fruition for the planting.  Remember:  The Hundredfold is entirely about fruition.  Therefore, when I contribute my portion to such an offering, and the administration cuts the checks that pay the bills, I have received my fruition in whole.  My seed has performed its designed intention.  My reward is complete. 

 There is always hope, however, even in misdirection.  Generous people will always be refreshed.  Always.  That by no means is to say that the ultimate harvest is made available for simple generosity, but God will not allow a generous heart to go without blessing.  Will not allow it.  So when you hear Malachi 3 concerning “Test me in this… windows of heaven…” don’t expect the windows.  Without completing Mal 1 and 2, the ministry is not qualified for Mal 3.  But if the generosity in your heart moves you toward participation, then expect to be refreshed.  The system relies on your own heart – generous and glad to be so.  That is what will refresh you until the day arrives. 

How’s your heart?