SOWING AND REAPING: WE REAP ONLY WHAT HAS BEEN SOWN I

MEMORY VERSE: Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.Psalm 51:5

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 9-10

Except something is sowed, there will be nothing to reap. What we reap was either planted naturally or purposely, either by God or by man, and either for positive or for negative results. Firstly, we reap fruits from the labours of others. John 4:38 says, “I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” We reap blessings from the seeds others have sown. For instance, the seed of the blessings of Abraham we are reaping today was sown over 4000 years ago (Genesis 22). Verse 16-18 says, “And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”

Several years back, in late 1800s a Scottish missionary, a young woman, sowed a powerful seed in Calabar area of Nigeria, West Africa. Prior to her arrival in Calabar, Natives considered the birth of twins an evil curse. They feared that the father of one of the infants was an evil spirit, and that the mother had been guilty of a great sin. Unable to determine which twin was fathered by the evil spirit, the natives often abandoned both babies in the forest. It was known as the ‘twin murder superstition of the Dark Continent’. A lot of young twins were killed during this period. Whilst working in Calabar, someone brought a twin which had been left for dead in the forest to this lady missionary. She took the child into her home as her own. This marked the beginning of a marvelous career of twin-rescuing which finally resulted in the natives abandoning the practice entirely. Today, many families are reaping from the seed she sowed over 100 years ago. A lot of twins born in that part of Nigeria have now become doctors, surgeons, lawyers, etc. The young woman’s name is Mary Slessor. This brings us to this soul searching question, 'what are you sowing today that the next generation can benefit from' ?

We reap blessing because of what God has done on our behalf. One of the blessings we reap from what God did on our behalf is that of common grace. Matthew 5:45 says, “that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” The Lord is good to all (believers and unbelievers) and everyone benefits from His goodness even atheists. Every good gift we enjoy comes from God. James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Had He not given them to us, we would not have been in receipt of them. John 3:27 says, “John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.”

QUESTION: What are you sowing into you spiritual life? How is your quiet time with the Lord? Do you still read the bible? What do you want to be remembered for when the Lord calls you home? What are you sowing today that your children can reap from?

PRAYER POINTS: Father, please make me a world changer for Jesus.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

GOD’S WORD IS A SEED.

MEMORY VERSE: But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 12-16

READ: Luke 8:4-8

To help us appreciate the word of God, its potential and what we stand to benefit when we spend quality time reading, studying, memorizing and meditating on it, Jesus likens the word of God to a (viable) seed. Luke 8:11says, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” (Viable simply means that the seeds can germinate and sprout i.e. they are ‘live’ seeds that will grow.) The word of God is alive. Jesus said, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life (John 6:63)”. Just as (viable) seeds have potentials, the word of God has potentials. Because of the life in the seed, it has the potential to grow into a tree that can serve as a ‘wind-breaker’; a tree that can bear fruit for food; a tree that can serve as shelter or shade from heat; a tree that can produce other fruits that can be planted; a tree whose wood can be sold or used to build houses and so on. Also, because of the life in the word of God, it has the potential to grow and bear fruits in our lives. One of the fruits it bears is good success (Joshua 1:8).

However, a seed does nothing until planted. The word of God will not do us any good if we don’t open our bibles and study, read, memorize or meditate on what is written in there. Not until we plant the Word in our heart and mind, it will not produce any results in our lives. Putting our bibles underneath our pillows or beds and sleeping on them will not benefit us in anyway. Actually doing so will only destroy the bible cover. Not until we speak the Word to our situations, the changes we are praying for may not come. Not until we learn to use the Word as a sword, we will not be able to confront the enemy. Jesus used the Word as a sword to finish the devil in Matthew 4:1-11. Just as a seed is powerful, the word of God is also powerful. Hebrew 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful...” As a seed begins to grow, it will push up dirty, rocks, etc. So also, whatever the obstacles are, God’s Word planted in our heart will push them out of the way. A seed needs a good soil to germinate and produce fruits. A seed planted in the Sahara desert will be a waste. The word of God will not germinate and produce result unless planted on a good soil. The soil where the word of God is planted is our hearts. It will not grow on hard ground i.e. heart hardened by sin. It will not grow on stony ground i.e. the heart of a fellow who professes delight in the Word but whose heart is not changed. Neither will it grow on a thorny ground i.e. heart that is full of riches, pleasures, and lusts.

A seed takes time to grow and bear fruit, so also the word of God. You will not reap results the day you plant it in your heart. It will take time. The growth of the seed is in the secret (underground). When the Word starts to grow in one’s heart, it is not immediately obvious but with time the results will show. Also, the seed grows from within and shoots out. The Word grows from your heart and manifests outside. A seed is small than what is produces. The problem you face may seem huge. In comparison, a scripture may seem very small. But when planted, that Word will grow in you and overcome that problem. A seed will stop growing without nourishment. The same with the Word of God, quote it, speak it to your situation, pray on what you have read, etc. The seed thrives on heat underneath the soil to grow. So also, challenges are part of the heat required to hasten the growth of the Word you have stored in your heart. A seed produces after its kind. Whatever you need, or desire, find scriptures relating to that. Then plant those scriptures inside you in abundance. Those seeds will grow up and produce a harvest of what you need or desire. A seed is not affected by other seeds. The more seeds you plant, the larger your harvest will be. 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

QUESTION: How much time do you dedicate to the study of the word of God?

ACTION: Get a bible reading plan and add the Word of God to your daily diet.

Twitter@BroOluwatoki

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

SOW THE SEED

MEMORY VERSE: Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit, John 12:24.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deut 2, Ps 83-84, Isa 29, Jude 1

It is compulsory for every born again Christians to evangelize. A believer who does not evangelize is simply not a friend of Christ. Matthew 12:30 says He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. A believer that is not evangelizing on a regular basis is not fulfilling the terms and conditions of his salvation. John 15:16 says ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Seed sowing and evangelism are very similar. There are one or two things you need to understand about evangelism. Firstly, just as it is God that makes things grow, it is the Holy Spirit that convicts and saves a fellow. Our role as believers is to witness and do follow up, it is the role of the Holy Spirit to perfect the work of Salvation. Souls are not won by spiritual gymnastics or what you say, they are simply won by the Holy Spirit. Souls are not won by multitude of words or social skills; they are won by the Holy Spirit. You do not need any skill to win souls for Christ; all you need is the Holy Spirit and your willingness to be used by God.

Secondly, just as seeds don’t grow in a day don’t expect people to give their lives to Christ the same day you preach to them. It takes a bit of time and continuous watering for a seed to grow. It takes prayers and follow -ups for a fellow to be saved. All Christ expects from you is to witness, leave the rest to Him. A brother was taking drugs in a lonely place on top of a hill, when the seeds of evangelism that had been sown into his life began to grow. From nowhere the thought about whether Christ was really alive or not came into his heart. Immediately he felt the mighty presence of the Jesus and began to cry. That same day that brother gave his life to Christ and stopped taking drugs. There is no one who the Lord cannot saved, if the Lord can save that drug addict on that hill He can save any soul. Don’t lose hope over that family member or colleague or friend who despite all efforts has refused to give his or her life to Christ. There was a brother who virtually all of us had preached to (talking of people around him) but refused to give his life. This brother wasn’t really interested in the church because of his past experience with a fake pastor. At a point we all lost hope but one day something happened and I witnessed to him again and within 2 minutes this brother gave his life to Christ. Today he now attends church after a 15 year break from church. The seeds we had all sown into his heart germinated.

ACTION POINT: Nobody is too lost to be saved , just witness to them and leave the rest to the Holy Spirit.

FOR WHO?

Proverbs 11:17 the merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ex 18, Luke 21, Job 36, 2 Cor 6

Ecclesiastes 9:10a says whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Why do we have to do everything with our might? It is because whatever we do, we are doing it for ourselves. When you give a cup of water to a thirsty fellow, you are only preparing a cup of water for yourself in the day you will be thirsty. Proverbs 11:25 says he that waters shall be watered also himself. When the bible talks of been diligent, it is not because God hates us or dislikes seeing us having fun. It is because He wants us to make it to the top. God is not interested in sitting before kings as a matter of fact; it is kings that beg to sit before Him. It is me and you that needs to sit before kings, this is why He admonishes us to be diligent. Proverbs 22:29 says seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. The diligent will sit before kings, if you are diligent and you are yet to sit before kings I can assure you it will happen soon. The diligent will not only sit before kings, they will rule. Proverbs 12:24 says the hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. So if you are diligent, you are doing it for yourself and if you are not well start today.

When you show mercy, you are not doing it for the other party but for your own self. Proverbs 11:17 the merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. When you decide not to forgive because you are hurt, you are only inviting tormentors. The bible says love your neighbor as yourself, Mark 12:31. Many consider it robbery and unfair to love their neighbor as themselves. When you love your neighbor as yourself, it is for your own good. Why? Galatians 5:6 says faith works by love. Faith without love is the equivalent of unbelief or doubt.  Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it is impossible to please God. When the bible talks of living a life of holiness, it is for your sake. 1 Thessalonians 4:7 says for God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. The main reason why we have to live holy is so that we can see God after death. Hebrews 12:14 says follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Whatever you do for God, it is for your sake. When you join the sanctuary cleaners or workers in the church, to you it might seem as if you are helping the church but in all sincerity it is for your sake and good. What you do is what you will get rewarded for. You can not be a bench warmer in the vine yard of God and expect the reward of a worker. You cannot be serving in the vine yard of God with a carefree attitude and expect the reward of those that are diligent. God does not work that way. When they say come to weekly services, it is not because of offerings it is because of your own good. Everything we do is a seed and whether we like it or not, the seed will grow.

KEYWORD: EVERYTHING WE DO IS A SEED.