“Honest Reward”

 

Matt. 10:8 “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”

Matt. 6:25

Luke 6:33-36 Lend without expecting in return

Gen. 29:15-30         Gen. 30:25

Deut. 23:19-20 “Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.”

 

Gen. 31:3-21 & 42

 

Tell story of blind woman and physician.  Old woman lost her sight.  Ask physician to restore sight at any cost.  Physician came to blind woman’s house put on salve and take furniture etc.  Then when stolen everything she have and she could see.  Her house was empty.  Physician took her to law to pay. Came to judge who settled in case in the woman’s favor.  Those who are so ready to take what is not their own must be prepared to lose what is theirs.

 

Ecc. 9:7-11    Eat his own food....

IISam. 24:24    We need not to plan on living off the labors of others  -Government

Proverbs 9:17-18    “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.  But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.”

Copy test, pick up on side of road    “Thou shalt not steal” Deut. 5:19

Eph. 4:28 “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.”

Even in caring for widows and orphans God intended for the family to care for its own  - not the government  - not the church   ITim. 5:1-16

Paul says in fact if a person doesn’t work neither should he eat.  IIThes. 3:8-12.  From the time of the garden man is to earn his living by his own labour. Gen. 3:19 “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground”

God has promised Christians that He would provide their needs if they will work.  God is able to reward you richly for your labours  - that is if He sees fit to do so.  IICor. 9:6

But if not we must realize that it is of God and His grace is sufficient for us.  If someone sees our plite that is one thing but to go begging and expecting others to carry our burden is a different matter.

Psalms 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

Wait on God, He is able to deliver you.  Psalms 37:34 “Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.”

 

Proverbs 30: 5-9

 

“Contentment with Godliness is great gain”

 

If we live contently keeping God’s word, eternal life is ours  - This is the greatest gain we could have.

 

 

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7/15/93 Colquitt

7/18/93 Jigger