Sowing Generously to Reap Generously

In 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 I read, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (NIV)

When it comes to your giving, there are two principles you need to remember, and they’re based on 2 Corinthians 9:6-8: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (NIV).

The first is the principle of harvest: What I sow, I’m going to reap, for good or for bad. In other words, I’ll harvest whatever I plant. This is true about money, but it’s also true about everything else, too.

If I sow criticism, people will criticize me. If I sow gossip, guess what? Others will gossip about me. If I plant resentment, people will resent me.

What do I need more of? Whatever it is, give it away, and I’ll get more back. Do I need more energy? Then I’ll have to spend energy through exercise. Do I need more affirmation in my life? Give it away by affirming others.

If I take a kernel of corn and plant it in the ground, do I get one kernel back? No, I get hundreds back. I’ll always get back more than I put in.

The second principle is that there’s always a delay between planting and harvest. When I plant a seed in the ground, I don’t get an ear of corn the next day. I plant in one season, and I harvest in another.

The same is true in giving. I give to others. I give to God. I give my life away, but I don’t reap the results the next day. There is a season of waiting before God gives me the harvest. Why? Because God is testing my faith to see if I’ll trust him while there’s a delay between planting and harvesting.

While I’m planting and waiting, I can trust God will provide grace so that “having all that I need, I will abound in every good work.”

Remember these two principles: First, I reap what I sow; second, I plant in one season but have to wait and harvest in another. Learn these principles and apply them to life, and I'll have so much joy in giving!

In summary, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. So give what I have decided in my heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to bless me abundantly, at all times, and having all that I need, I will abound in every good work. When it comes to my giving, there are two principles I need to remember. The first is the principle of harvest: What I sow, I’m going to reap, good or for bad. I’ll harvest whatever I plant. This is not only true about money, but about everything else. What do I need more of? Whatever it is, give it away, and I’ll get more back. If I take a kernel of corn and plant it in the ground, do I get one kernel back? No, I get hundreds back. I’ll always get back more than I put in. The second principle is that there’s always a delay between planting and harvest. When I plant a seed in the ground, I don’t get a crop the next day. I plant in one season, and I harvest in another. The same is true in giving. I give, but I don’t reap the results the next day. There is a season of waiting before God gives me the harvest. This occurs because God is testing my faith to see if I’ll trust him while there’s a delay between planting and harvesting. Meanwhile, while I’m planting and waiting, I can trust God will provide grace. Remember these two principles: First, I reap what I sow; second, I plant in one season but have to wait and harvest in another. 

It's easy to hesitate to give generously to God because of the worry about having enough left over for my own needs. Paul assured the Corinthians and me that God is able to meet needs. The person who gives only a little will receive only a little in return. I shouldn't let a lack of faith keep me from giving cheerfully and generously. A giving attitude is more important than the amount given. God is concerned about how a person gives from their resources. Letting go of money may reflect ungratefulness to God.

Father, thank you for Word and Jesus as my savior and example. You want me and I need you in my life. Please give me Your strength for today and remind me in little ways that I can always believe in, have faith in and can trust you in everything. This includes being the authority for my life, the source of my self-worth and my hope for the future. You have my best interests in mind. So I ask you to help me to embrace the way you’ve made me; my gifting and passions. Help me to serve and fulfill the mission you have in mind for me. 

Father, help me with my attitude in giving and my trust in you to provide. Help me to remember that what I harvest is what I’ll reap and there’s always a delay between planting and harvest. Help me to trust you in the periods of waiting. 

I ask for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, doing well and making a difference in my new job.  I pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.

Change the Way I Think, Change My Life

In Galatians 6:7 I read, “Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest.” (GW)

I can’t plant apple seeds and get tomatoes. In the same way, I can’t plant bitterness and get love. I can’t plant criticism and then get encouragement from others.

Galatians 6:7 says, “Make no mistake about this: You can never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest” (GW).

Whatever I plant is what I’ll harvest. If I plant in the soil of my sinful nature, I’ll harvest destruction. But if I plant in the soil of my spiritual nature, I’ll harvest everlasting life.

God has said for thousands of years that my sins can affect future generations. For instance, when you’re angry and you lose your temper with your kids, you’re setting them up to lose their temper with their kids. Sins get perpetuated in families, possibly for multiple generations. Not only does it work relationally and environmentally but it also works physically. We now know your brain can actually be changed by repetitive behavior, for good or for bad.

Everyone used to think the brain was pretty much set in stone by the time you were an adolescent. Now it's known about brain plasticity and how my brain can continue to be molded for the rest of my life.

That’s good to know! It means if a brain has been naturally molded toward depression or a quick temper or anxiety, it can change.

But I’ve got to change the way I think. The Bible refers to this as repentance or changing my mind. I can change my mind, and when I do, it changes the way I feel. And when I change the way I feel, it changes the way I act.

Then, I plant in my spiritual nature and watch what amazing fruit God will reap in my life.

In summary, I cannot mock the justice of God, I will always harvest what I plant. I can’t plant bitterness and get love. I can’t plant criticism and then get encouragement. Whatever I plant is what I’ll harvest. If I plant in the soil of my sinful nature, I’ll harvest destruction. But if I plant in the soil of my spiritual nature, I’ll harvest everlasting life. My sins can affect future generations. However, my brain can be remolded throughout my life. To do so means that I’ve got to change the way I think. This is repentance or changing my mind. When I do, it will change the way I feel. And when I change the way I feel, it will change the way I act. Therefore I need to plant in my spiritual nature and then watch what amazing fruit God will reap in my life.

This morning's study helps point out that allowing bitterness in my life, especially about the way my leadership is treating me won’t bring about love. I can’t express criticism and get encouragement. What I need to do is repent and change the way I see things. I need to plant from my spiritual nature and let God do things from it. I ask you Father for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. I pray these things in your Son Jesus’ name, amen.   

 

I Will Reap My Harvest in Just the Right Time

In review of Galatians 6:9 it says, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (NLT).

Today’s verse comes from Galatians 6:7-10. With in it, I reminded that I will always harvest what I plant. If I live to satisfy my own sinful nature, I will only end up harvesting decay and death from that sinful nature. But if I live to please the Spirit I will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So don't get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time I will reap a harvest of blessing if I don't give up. Therefore, whenever I have the opportunity, I should do good to everyone, especially to those in the family of faith.

It's a natural law to harvest what I plant. I'm finding that it's true in other areas as well. It would be surprise to plant corn but have pumpkins come up. Every action has results. If I plant to please my own desires, I'll end up harvesting sorrow and evil. However, if I plant to please God, I'll harvest joy and everlasting life. So today I should consider what kind of seeds am I planting?

It is discouraging to continue to do right and receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results. But Paul challenged the Galatians and myself, to keep on doing good and to trust God for the results. In due time, I will reap a harvest of blessing.

Between the then and the now, or the now and the what’s coming next, there is always a delay. This can be irritating: to make a deposit or an investment or a plan and not have it instantly come to fruition.

But I must remember that fruit ripens slowly. Would you rather eat a vine-ripened tomato or one that has been picked green and then gassed to turn it red? There’s no comparison between a vine-ripened tomato, which was allowed to grow slowly, and a tomato that was picked prematurely. If I pick too soon, I’ll miss the flavor.

In money management, I will always reap in a different season than I sow. And by the way, not all fruit ripens at the same time. When you grow peaches, they’re not all ripe at once. They come in little by little; I pick a few a day. When I start planting and following God’s money management principles, I’m not going to get a windfall tomorrow. It’s going to come in over time. (And my wife and myself have experienced this first hand). I’m going to have to wait to reap in a different season.

I’m reminded this morning that while I’m waiting, God is working. When I’m waiting for the fulfillment of the efforts or money or energy that I’ve put into something, I may think nothing’s happening. Oh, it’s happening! While that seed is hidden in the ground, it is slowly germinating. And when that seed bursts with God’s blessing on it, it will continue growing and growing. One day a little shoot will stick up out of the ground, and then I’ll will see that it’s working.

But until then, I need to trust that God is working, even when I can’t see the fruit of my labor.

Plants take time to grow. There’s no such thing as instant maturity. No farmer goes out, plants the seed in the ground, comes back an hour later, digs it up, and expects it to have grown. I’ve just got to let it be. Leave it covered, and let God grow it in his time.

Galatians 6:9 says, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (NLT).

Bottom Line:

Don’t give up doing what is right. God will provide a harvest of blessing at just the right time.

What this means to me:

I shouldn’t get tired of doing what is good, even though the tangible results are not present or easy to see. If I don’t give up, God will provide a harvest of blessing, and just at the right time.

In summary, I will always harvest what I plant. At just the right time, I will reap a harvest of blessing If I don't give up. Therefore, in every opportunity I should do good to everyone. Every action of mine will have some type of result. There will always be a delay in receiving the harvest. Fruit takes time to ripen. Just know that while I"m waiting, God is working. Until then, trust that God is working, even when the fruit is not evident or seen yet. Just leave it to God and let him grow it in his timing.

Father I thank you for the blessings I’ve received from you and for the ones you’ll give me in the future. Today’s verse is a great reminder for me to not give up. I pray this morning Father for your wisdom, encouragement and reminders to help me to continue to good in every opportunity. I want to serve and love you, and serve and love others. I ask for wisdom to help me select the right activities to complete and to communicate well with others. In Jesus name I pray, amen!

God Is Aware of My Needs

In review of Galatians 6:9 it says, “So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up” (HCSB).

In Galatians 6 Paul explains that I’ll harvest what I plant. I’m to share in other's burdens, and in doing so obey the law of Christ. If I think I'm too important to help someone, I'm only fooling myself, as I'm not really that important. I should concentrate on and give careful attention to my own work. When I do so, I will get the satisfaction of a job well done. I won't need to compare myself to anyone else. I am too be responsible for my own conduct.

Also, I will always harvest what I plant. Therefore if I live to satisfy my own selfish nature I will harvest decay and death from my sinful nature. However if I live to please the Spirit, I'll harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So this means that no matter what, I shouldn’t get tired of doing what is good. If I do, then at just the right time I will end up reaping a harvest of blessing. Therefore, whenever I have the opportunity, I need to do good to everyone, especially to my brothers and sisters.

For when I do my very best, I'll feel good about the results. There is will be no need for me to compare myself with others. People will always make comparisons for many reasons. Some point out others' flaws in order to feel better about themselves. Others simply want reassurance that they are doing well. When I'm tempted to compare, I just need to look to Christ. His example should inspire me to do my very best, and his loving acceptance will comfort me when I fall short of my own expectations. In life, if I plant to please my own desires, I'll end up harvesting a crop of sorrow and evil. However when I seek to plant to please God, I'll harvest joy and everlasting life.

God is omniscient, he knows everything, including everything about me and my life. God knows about my faults and failures, my feelings and frustrations, and my future. God also knows my fears. He knows everything that gets me stressed out. God is aware of all my needs. Prayer is never giving information to God. He already knows what is going on; he already knows all about me. The Bible says, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8 NIV). He’s aware of every single need you have: financial, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional.

God also knows my faithfulness. He sees everything I do that is good and right. Every time I choose not to sin, every time I resist temptation, every time I take a stand because of God’s truth, he sees my faithfulness to him.

His Word reminds me that every good deed will be rewarded, no matter how insignificant it is and regardless of whether anybody else on Earth sees it. Every encouragement I give to other people, every time you pick up around the office when it’s not your job, every time you set up chairs in church, every time I refuse to gossip, God sees it all, no matter how small, according to Matthew 10:40-42. God says, “I see it, and it doesn’t matter who else sees it.” Nothing good I do is ever done in vain: “So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9 HCSB).

So, I should never be discouraged. Just keep on doing good and trusting God to provide for me. I know I’m always looking for reassurance that I’m doing well. This makes me want to compare myself to others. This mornings passages remind me that it is God’s approval that is the only thing I should be concerned with. It’s easy for me to get caught up in my own desires. I just need to continually remind myself that if I plant to please my own desires, I'll end up harvesting a crop of sorrow and evil. Therefore my goal should be to plant to please God. This way I'll harvest joy and everlasting life.

Today’s passages also help remind me that even when things get tough at work, like it did yesterday with so many requests and demands to bring lots of things to conclusion, that I shouldn’t give up. I just need to turn my frustrations to doing to right thing in the right way and asking him for help.

Bottom Line:

Don’t give up. Do what is good and right. It will benefit me down the road.

What this means to me:

I shouldn’t give up doing what is good and right. For in the end I’ll reap blessings at the proper time.

Learning To Plant Today, Then Learning To Be Patient for the Harvest

In review of Galatians 6:9 it says, “Let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest.”

Bottom Line:

Do not get tired of doing what is good, for if you don’t give up, a time will come when you will be rewarded.

What this means to me:

I should never get tired of helping others or doing what is good. If I persist and not give up, I’ll reap a harvest of blessing when the time is right.

Given this, the time to start planting is now! It’s a natural tendency to say, “One of these days, I’m going to …” indicating that I’m going to serve more one of these days.

Unfortunately, “One of these days”equates to “none of these days.” What I’m learning is that I shouldn’t wait for things to get better or a situation to change; I should start planting now. The sooner I plant, the longer I’ll enjoy the harvest in my life.

However, one thing to keep in mind is that the harvest will not always come in my time or timing. There’s always a delay between sowing and reaping. A farmer plants in one season, and harvests in another. I can’t plant this morning and expect a harvest this afternoon.

I simply need to be patient and never give up doing what I know I should be doing!

This is one of the principles that the Kingdom of God operates on. This verse in Mark 4:26-29 says, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain — first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head” (NIV).

The results will come, but they will come slowly and as part of a process. And because it takes time I’m reminded to, “Let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest” (Galatians 6:9 GNT).

I should also forget about last year’s crop failure. Rather, I should start focusing on the long-term harvest in life. I didn’t get the way I am overnight. It took years to mess things up, and it’s going to take a while to put things back together. There is a time of delay between sowing and reaping.

The Bible says in Psalm 126:5-6, “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest” (NLT).

I should consider what need I may have been grieving over. Mourning is ok; however moaning is not. Instead of moaning, I need to plant a seed, because whatever I need more of, I need to give away.

Today is the day for me to plant the seed.

As I reflect on this, the one thing I would like to receive more of, is the good feeling I get when I can meet with and help someone out. I need to make sure I can make time to follow-up with some of those in my life that I can meet with before I move.  I would like God to help me give myself away today so that I can make a difference in the lives of others and one day reap the harvest he has planned for me.