SOW FOR A HARVEST
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease. - Genesis 8:22
Many people, when they see crops being harvested, say, “Wow! Look at the bountiful harvest. God is really blessing this farmer!” They see the harvest, but they didn’t see the sowing. They didn’t see the seeds being planted by the patient farmer.
Sometimes, when we see a believer clearly walking in God’s provision, we may forget that the person has been sowing “seeds” for a long time and that what we are seeing now is simply the reaping of his harvest. We only see the blessing. We don’t see the sowing.
God promises us that as long as the earth remains, “seedtime and harvest…shall not cease.” As long as you sow seeds, you can expect a harvest. So start sowing some seeds today for your own future harvest.
If you need a financial breakthrough, for example, start sowing money into God’s kingdom. Look for good ground and sow. If you need more health, start praying for the sick. If you need more friends, be a friend to someone who is lonely. Sow in the areas in which you want to see a harvest and start expecting God to bless you in those areas. It may take a while before you see your harvest, but as God has promised, as long as the earth remains, seedtime and harvest will not cease and your harvest will come!
SEEK GOD - NOT THINGS!
'...The Lord...gives you the ability to produce wealth...' Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV
God holds back '...no good from those who do what is right.' (Psalms 84:11 NLT) But it's important to acknowledge Him as the source of all your blessings. And on this one, we all fall short! Let's face it, more isn't always better. In fact, your dependence on God lessens as your dependence on things increases. That's why Levitical Law discouraged empire-building. In the Old Testament, loans to the poor were to be interest-free (Exodus 22:25); outstanding debts cancelled every seven years (Deuteronomy 15:1-2); slaves freed and given the means to start over (Deuteronomy 15:12-14); repossessed land redeemed by family (Leviticus 25:25); and property that was sold, or lost and not redeemed, returned to its original owner (Leviticus 25:14-17). Why? Because God wanted His people to depend on Him, not possessions. So He cautioned them, 'When...all you have is multiplied...You may say...My power and...strength...have produced this...remember the Lord...gives you the ability to produce wealth...' (Deuteronomy 8:13-18 NIV) God's principles haven't changed. Andy Stanley points out that a list of do's and don'ts is like having a man give you directions. If he hands you a map, you focus on it, but when you're following the man you focus on him. The Bible doesn't say that God is a rewarder of those diligently seeking 'things'. No - it says, '...He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.'(Hebrews 11:6 NKJV) Bottom line: if you're depending on anything but God, you'll always struggle. 'Don't worry about these things...your heavenly Father already knows...and...will give you everything you need.' (Matthew 6:31-33 NLT)
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).
The blood of Jesus is the place of God’s divine protection. Plead the blood every day so that you remain in that secret place, out of Satan’s reach.
BELIEVE THE WORD :
Matthew 2:1, "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem."
How could this be? The greatest event in the history of God's dealings with mankind was taking place and the leaders of God's people didn't even know about it. Foreigners who were unfamiliar with the covenants of God perceived what God was doing more than His own chosen people! (Eph. 2:12)
The apparent answer to this is that these Persian wise men were more in tune to the prophecies of scripture than the Jews were. Daniel had been promoted to be the head of all the wise men of Babylon (Dan. 2:48). While in Babylon, Daniel had come through the lions' den victoriously and had no doubt gained the reputation as the greatest wise man of all (Dan. 6).
It was during this time that Daniel wrote the prophecy of Dan. 9:24-27, which pinpointed the time of the Messiah's birth. This no doubt provided the inspiration for these wise men. The star simply served as a sign that the prophesied event had come and directed them towards where the king was born.
The Jews had these same prophecies. They just weren't waiting in anticipation for the birth of the Messiah. The Word of God only profits us if we believe it (Heb. 4:2). Let's not make the same mistake. Mix the truths that you know from God's Word with faith.
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease. - Genesis 8:22
Many people, when they see crops being harvested, say, “Wow! Look at the bountiful harvest. God is really blessing this farmer!” They see the harvest, but they didn’t see the sowing. They didn’t see the seeds being planted by the patient farmer.
Sometimes, when we see a believer clearly walking in God’s provision, we may forget that the person has been sowing “seeds” for a long time and that what we are seeing now is simply the reaping of his harvest. We only see the blessing. We don’t see the sowing.
God promises us that as long as the earth remains, “seedtime and harvest…shall not cease.” As long as you sow seeds, you can expect a harvest. So start sowing some seeds today for your own future harvest.
If you need a financial breakthrough, for example, start sowing money into God’s kingdom. Look for good ground and sow. If you need more health, start praying for the sick. If you need more friends, be a friend to someone who is lonely. Sow in the areas in which you want to see a harvest and start expecting God to bless you in those areas. It may take a while before you see your harvest, but as God has promised, as long as the earth remains, seedtime and harvest will not cease and your harvest will come!
SEEK GOD - NOT THINGS!
'...The Lord...gives you the ability to produce wealth...' Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV
God holds back '...no good from those who do what is right.' (Psalms 84:11 NLT) But it's important to acknowledge Him as the source of all your blessings. And on this one, we all fall short! Let's face it, more isn't always better. In fact, your dependence on God lessens as your dependence on things increases. That's why Levitical Law discouraged empire-building. In the Old Testament, loans to the poor were to be interest-free (Exodus 22:25); outstanding debts cancelled every seven years (Deuteronomy 15:1-2); slaves freed and given the means to start over (Deuteronomy 15:12-14); repossessed land redeemed by family (Leviticus 25:25); and property that was sold, or lost and not redeemed, returned to its original owner (Leviticus 25:14-17). Why? Because God wanted His people to depend on Him, not possessions. So He cautioned them, 'When...all you have is multiplied...You may say...My power and...strength...have produced this...remember the Lord...gives you the ability to produce wealth...' (Deuteronomy 8:13-18 NIV) God's principles haven't changed. Andy Stanley points out that a list of do's and don'ts is like having a man give you directions. If he hands you a map, you focus on it, but when you're following the man you focus on him. The Bible doesn't say that God is a rewarder of those diligently seeking 'things'. No - it says, '...He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.'(Hebrews 11:6 NKJV) Bottom line: if you're depending on anything but God, you'll always struggle. 'Don't worry about these things...your heavenly Father already knows...and...will give you everything you need.' (Matthew 6:31-33 NLT)
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).
The blood of Jesus is the place of God’s divine protection. Plead the blood every day so that you remain in that secret place, out of Satan’s reach.
BELIEVE THE WORD :
Matthew 2:1, "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem."
How could this be? The greatest event in the history of God's dealings with mankind was taking place and the leaders of God's people didn't even know about it. Foreigners who were unfamiliar with the covenants of God perceived what God was doing more than His own chosen people! (Eph. 2:12)
The apparent answer to this is that these Persian wise men were more in tune to the prophecies of scripture than the Jews were. Daniel had been promoted to be the head of all the wise men of Babylon (Dan. 2:48). While in Babylon, Daniel had come through the lions' den victoriously and had no doubt gained the reputation as the greatest wise man of all (Dan. 6).
It was during this time that Daniel wrote the prophecy of Dan. 9:24-27, which pinpointed the time of the Messiah's birth. This no doubt provided the inspiration for these wise men. The star simply served as a sign that the prophesied event had come and directed them towards where the king was born.
The Jews had these same prophecies. They just weren't waiting in anticipation for the birth of the Messiah. The Word of God only profits us if we believe it (Heb. 4:2). Let's not make the same mistake. Mix the truths that you know from God's Word with faith.
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