July 28, 2014 SOWING BOUNTIFULLY
The natural way, they say, is to “get all you can and can all you get.” Our culture places great emphasis on self and the acquiring of possessions and reputation. Commercials appealing to all age groups fill the airways encouraging the purchase of their products or services. Due to this acquiring mentality, many find themselves saddled with debt which in turn enslaves them. I do want to say that I am grateful that I live in a place where the products and services I need are available. There is nothing wrong with possessions if acquired under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Scriptures tell us that God gives us good things to enjoy. The scriptures instruct us to work and to be industrious so that we can meet our needs and have to bless others. However, if our life’s focus is to acquire material possessions for our personal pleasure only, then we will not find contentment. We need to be reminded of those familiar words of Jesus: “My ways are not your ways.” In the Kingdom of God, the emphasis is on sowing, not acquiring, and there are a lot of scriptures dealing with reaping and sowing. 2 Corinthians 9:6 “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.” Verse seven goes on to say that God loves a cheerful giver. When we become “sowers”, God gives us more to sow. Verse eight is an awesome verse: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed:” God promises that will we have “sufficiency in everything” and out of this sufficiency we can engage in good deeds. God will also multiply our seed as we see in verses ten and eleven: “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.” For each of us today, it is not so important how much seed we have to sow, but it is about sowing the seeds we have. As we sow, we will discover that our seed is multiplying! There are many types of seed to sow including financial, teaching, training, prayer, helping, encouragement, hospitality, visiting, and the list goes on. Let us be counter-culture; let us focus on sowing the good seed.
Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
Blessings,
Buddy
The natural way, they say, is to “get all you can and can all you get.” Our culture places great emphasis on self and the acquiring of possessions and reputation. Commercials appealing to all age groups fill the airways encouraging the purchase of their products or services. Due to this acquiring mentality, many find themselves saddled with debt which in turn enslaves them. I do want to say that I am grateful that I live in a place where the products and services I need are available. There is nothing wrong with possessions if acquired under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Scriptures tell us that God gives us good things to enjoy. The scriptures instruct us to work and to be industrious so that we can meet our needs and have to bless others. However, if our life’s focus is to acquire material possessions for our personal pleasure only, then we will not find contentment. We need to be reminded of those familiar words of Jesus: “My ways are not your ways.” In the Kingdom of God, the emphasis is on sowing, not acquiring, and there are a lot of scriptures dealing with reaping and sowing. 2 Corinthians 9:6 “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.” Verse seven goes on to say that God loves a cheerful giver. When we become “sowers”, God gives us more to sow. Verse eight is an awesome verse: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed:” God promises that will we have “sufficiency in everything” and out of this sufficiency we can engage in good deeds. God will also multiply our seed as we see in verses ten and eleven: “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.” For each of us today, it is not so important how much seed we have to sow, but it is about sowing the seeds we have. As we sow, we will discover that our seed is multiplying! There are many types of seed to sow including financial, teaching, training, prayer, helping, encouragement, hospitality, visiting, and the list goes on. Let us be counter-culture; let us focus on sowing the good seed.
Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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