Luke 6:37-38
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
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.
Good Measure
These two verses from Luke are quoted all the time by non-believers as well as believers. The thing is, most people leave out that there is a colon and not a period between the statements.
From Dictionary.com
co·lon[koh-luhn] 1. the sign (:) used to mark a major division in a sentence, to indicate that what follows is an elaboration, summation, implication, etc., of what precedes; or to separate groups of numbers referring to different things, as hours from minutes in 5:30; or the members of a ratio or proportion, as in 1 : 2 = 3 : 6.
Ok, so what Sis. Stephanie. There's a colon. Other than being a grammar nerd, what's your point?
My point is Jesus was telling us that good or bad, righteous or unrighteous, our works, our thoughts, our words produce results, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Other people relate to us based on how we relate to them. This short passage is another example repeated throughout the Bible that we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:6-8).
What we have to keep in mind as believers in Christ resurrected is that we not only reap, but we reap bountifully because our hearts have been turned from stony, unproductive ground into rich, life affirming soil by the Blood of Christ.
Dearest, when you consider your life in Christ, does it seem like you feel things more deeply? You care more now when you do something wrong than you used to? You're more sensitive to how people treat you? That isn't coincidence. That's an intentional result from being grafted in with the Savior. Good or bad, what we take in produces fruit; abundantly.
So, as you move through your days, remember what you take in, what you speak, what you feel gets multiplied in your life. If you need a picture of this, remember that a single kernal of corn produces a stalk full of corn cobs full of corn kernals. How much more can your words, work, actions, thoughts produce if you a part of the very Body of Christ?
My advice? Galatians 5:16 and Philipians 4:8.
Speak, give and think life. Speak, give and think faith. Speak, give and think encouragement. Study how Jesus spoke (speaks), gave (gives) and thought (thinks). Speak to Him, and you'll know what to say, do and think. And you will be joyful and grateful for the harvest you reap.
Need to know how to get that started? I look forward to meeting you at Fellowship. We know where to get good seed; straight from the Father's hand.
Philippians 4:4-13
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Peace that passes all understanding be with you!
Evg. Stephanie Robinson
Lifeline is the evangelistic ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA.
The church website is www.fcchosengeneration.com.
Where Passions Become Reality
Because you are a CHOSEN GENERATION!
455 Hwy 138, Ste C
Jonesboro, GA 30238
Alton Watkins, Pastor
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