SOWING AND REAPING: WE REAP THE FULL HARVEST OF GOOD ONLY IF WE PERSEVERE

MEMORY VERSE: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 2-3

Galatians 6:7 says,” Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Firstly, be not deceived. Some are being deluded into thinking that they can reap without sowing. That’s impossible! Unless one sows, there will be nothing to reap. Unless one sows mercy, one will not reap mercy. Matthew 5:7 says, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Not until we let go and forgive those who have wronged us, our sins will not be forgiven. According to Matthew 6:12 not until we forgive the debts of others, our own debts to God will not be forgiven. If one sows a smile, one will reap a smile too. Except one puts orange seeds into the ground, one will not reap an orange tree. Except one trains one’s children in the fear of God, they will not grow up to fear God.

It is one thing to sow; it is another thing to reap. Also, it is one thing to reap; it is another thing to reap the full harvest. Not everyone who sows reap the full harvest. To reap the full harvest one must persevere. Good edible plants must be planted and cultivated. Weeds, on the other hand, grows naturally. A godly man must be trained and mentored. A man that will fulfil destiny must be mentored. So also, a sister who will become a good wife must be trained and mentored. Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” We cannot plant a garden and then just forget it. If we do, very little will come from the planting because of the many forces that work against a good harvest. A garden requires continuous labour and care in order to reap an abundant harvest. This is true in the spiritual world and physical world. Regardless of where one plants the seed, weed will grow. It is now left to the farmer to destroy them as they grow. Circumstances that will discourage one from sowing will definitely come up. Friends that will discourage one from sowing will always show up. You may have been keeping yourself from the world, friends who will encourage you to mix with the world, go to night clubs and parties (to increase your chances of getting a wife) will come. You may have been dressing in a decent way, friends who will encourage you to ‘show some skin’ or wear something tight i.e. something that pronounces your figure so as to attract single men will turn up. To reap the full harvest, you must persevere. You must continue to witness to that friend who does not want to hear about Jesus. You must continue to witness to that colleague who makes fun of your Christian beliefs. You must continue to pray for that child that is always causing problems in school. You must continue to pray for that man who is always returning from work drunk. You must continue to preach the unadulterated word of God to people. You may not be popular for preaching against unmarried people living together. You may not be popular for preaching against fornication and other forms of immorality. But, persevere in preaching the truth. Don't preach what people want to hear but the message that will save them from hell. Persevere in teaching women that the man is the head of the family and as such, they must submit to their husbands. Persevere in instructing men to love their wives just as Christ loved the church. Continue to sow those good seeds in the midst of opposition. Continue to show love to that mother in law who thinks you are not good enough for her son.

NOTE: According to 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, it is God who gives increase and He will give increase to your seeds.

CONFESSION: I refuse to be tired of sowing good seeds. I refuse to be fed up of living a godly Christian life.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

SOWING AND REAPING: WE REAP IN PROPORTION TO WHAT WE SOW

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: Psalm 66-68

Every living thing God created is designed to produce after its own kind. Genesis 1:24 says, “Then God said, "Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds.” According to John 3:6, flesh gives birth to flesh and the Spirit gives birth to the spirit. Galatians 6:8 says, “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” One of the ways people sow into the flesh is by enjoying secular music or watching pornographic movies, viewing nude pictures, etc. These things pollute our lives. The enemy of our soul is gradually making it readily available for everyone to view. Today, there are several videos all over the internet showing these ungodly pictures and movies, and as such be on your guard. You don’t know what you are losing every time you watch these things. What many of us do not know is that we open the door for the spirit of lust and other demons to enter into our lives when we indulge in theses things.

We reap in proportion to what we sow. 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.” If an individual sows few orange seeds, he or she will get one or two orange trees. But, if the same individual sows a lot of orange seeds, he or she may end up with an orange plantation. If one sows sparingly into the life of his or her children, one will reap sparingly but if one makes the effort and sacrifices his or her time to look after them and raise them in the way they should go, one will go to the grave a happy father or a happy mother. The brother or sister who sows his or time / resources/ talents sparingly when it comes to the service of God will reap in proportion to what he or she has sown. So also, a brother or sister who sows his or her time / resources/ talents bountifully will reap in proportion to what he or she has sown. Just as those who are generous to God and His servants will reap in proportion to what they sow, those who are stingy to God and His servants will also reap in proportion. God encourages us to live as children of God, according to the principles and promises that our generosity will not be forgotten. Bountiful sowing is always to be the result of the outworking of biblical insights, values, commitment and the spirit filled life.

We give so that our God is glorified and others are blessed. When giving life uncertainties will be there. Ecclesiastes 11:4 says, “He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.” Life uncertainties are one of the things that keep people from giving and ministering to others when they have opportunities. The world’s philosophy on sowing is this: 'Get all you can, can all you get, then, sit on the can.' But the Lord’s philosophy on sowing is the opposite of this. If you want to be rich, give. According to Luke 6:38, if you give it will come back to you in big measure. If you want to be poor, grasp. Proverbs 11:24b says, “and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.” If you want abundance, scatter. Proverbs 11:24a says, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth;” If you want to be needy, hoard.

QUESTION: Are you generous to God?

Confession: I enjoy giving to God. I sow bountifully to the things of God and reap bountifully too.

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ACCORDING TO THEIR KIND

MEMORY VERSE: Then God said, "Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so. Genesis 1:24

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 5-9

It is what a man or woman sows that he or she will reap. Galatians 5:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” We have discussed few things about sowing and reaping for instance, the harvest is always greater than the seed planted. If one sows few orange seeds, one will get an orange tree in return. Not only that, we reap in a different season than we sow. One don’t harvest corn the same day one plants it. There is always a waiting period. Plants don’t grow overnight. Also, Rome was not built in a day.

Also on the subject of ‘sowing and reaping’, we reap the same kind as we sow. As we continue in this ‘sowing and reaping’ series, please take note of what the Lord is revealing to us. God determined in creation that all will multiply after its kind. Genesis 1:24 says, “Then God said, "Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds.” Just as sheep reproduce after their own kind, goats also reproduce after its kind. Just as eagles reproduce after their own kind, chickens also reproduce after its kind. You will never find an eagle giving birth to a chicken. John 3:6 says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

When we go through the Bible, we will find that people have always reaped the same kind of what they have sown. In 1 Kings 17:7-16, the widow of Zarapheth fed the prophet of God with her last meal and the Lord fed her and her child all through the famine. In 1 Samuel 1-2, Hannah gave her only child, Samuel, to God and in return she got 5 children (3 boys and 2 girls). That boy who sowed his meal (five bread and two fishes) and received in return twelve baskets of bread and fishes ( Mark 6:30-44). In 1 Kings 21, Ahab killed Naboth and took his land. The Lord sent a message to him saying “ Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine” (1 Kings 21:19). By the time we get to 1 Kings 22:38, we read about dogs licking the blood of Ahab at the same spot where Naboth’s blood was licked. It does not matter what one sows, one will reap the same kind as one has sown. In 2 Samuel 11, David coveted another man’s wife, committed adultery with her, killed the man, and stole the man’s wife. He reaped the same kind. Had it not been God's mercy he would have been murdered.Do you know that if an individual hears a person crying for help and the individual pretends as if he or she cannot hear, that individual will also cry for help one day and people around will pretend as if they cannot hear. Proverbs 21:13 says, “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.”

QUESTION: Are you sowing into the flesh or into the spirit? Remember, those who sow into the flesh will reap corruption whilst those who sow into the Spirit will reap eternal life.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, Let your death on the cross not be in vain over me.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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

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

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 37-40

What we reap was planted either naturally or purposely either by God or by man for either positive or negative results. We reap the good others have sown. We reap blessings because of what God has done on our behalf. One of the blessings we reap is that of common grace. God is gracious towards all men whether they realize it or not, or whether they give Him thanks for His blessings. Another blessing we reap as a result of what God has done on our behalf is that of salvation grace. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Regardless of man’s lack of thankfulness, God has given man the greatest gift of all in His Son who became man that we might have live by faith in Him.

We reap blessings of what others have done on our behalf. It was some missionaries who labored to bring Christianity to Africa and other parts of the world, and we are reaping blessings from their labour of love. Any honest study of Western civilization will admit that the blessings being enjoyed in the Western world today, of freedom, of law, of ministering to the suffering, the poor and the like, are all the by-products of Christianity and their godly heritage. Take for instance USA. It rests upon four cornerstones: the English Bible, the English language, the common law, and the traditional liberty. But, liberty, language, and the law were drawn from the Bible. Without the Bible, USA will not have become what she is today and when she loses its guidance and wisdom, she will be USA no more. Being a good Christian model is a form of sowing that can result in reaping Christ like changes in the lives of others.

Just as we reap the good others have sown, we also reap the wrong others have sown both before us and around us. Firstly, we reap from some of the wrong things our parents have done.Numbers14:18 says, “The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.” We may not want to hear this but it is the truth , just as our children and the next generation will reap from the good we are sowing, they will also reap the wrong we are sowing today. Secondly, we all reap from the sin of Adam and we pass that along to our children. This means not only a sinful nature, but things children can learn like how to be critical from a fault-finding parent. Psalm 51:5 says, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” Thirdly, we reap of the wrong of foolish and corrupt leaders and the consequences of a decaying society. Just as our children and the next generation will reap from the good our fore fathers have done, unfortunately they will also reap from the wrong our fore fathers have done have done. Just as our children and the next generation will reap a lot of good things from the good education we are giving to them now, sadly, they will reap a lot of not-so-good things from our unfaithfulness to God and to ourselves, destruction of natural resources, etc.

NOTE: Our children and the people around us will reap from our relationship with the Lord. Just as we reap from the good things others have done, we also reap from the bad things they have done. People will reap from the good we are doing today, and the bad things we are doing. As such, we must do good and run from everything that God hates.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, please have mercy.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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.

YOU CAN BE AN ‘ANDREW’

MEMORY VERSE: And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. John 1:42

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Corinthians 1-3

BIBLE READING: Matthew 28:18-20

Why should we talk about our Christian faith to our unsaved friends, families, work colleagues, etc? First, it is a command of Jesus himself. Mark 16:15 says,” And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Secondly, we tell people because there is a desperate need for people to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. If we were in the Sahara Desert and had discovered an oasis, it would be extremely selfish not tell the people around us who were thirsty where their thirst could be satisfied. Jesus is the only One who can satisfy the thirsty hearts of men and women. As a race we feel empty. Many have tried to fill that void unsuccessfully with alcohol, dress, sex, or money. Only Jesus can feel that void. Thirdly, we tell others because, having discovered the good news ourselves, we feel an urgent desire to pass it on. If we have received good news we want to tell others. Recently a sister shared with me that her younger sister had been cured of cancer. She was bubbling with joy hoping to share this testimony with anyone that cared to listen. This same applies to sharing the good news with our friends and family.

One of the most effective ways of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ is bringing people to hear the gospel explained by someone or invite them to Jesus. Many of us who have come to faith in Christ have lots of friends who have little or no connection with the church. This provides an excellent opportunity for us to invite them to church. There is no greater privilege and no greater joy than enabling someone to find out about Jesus Christ. A brother who stood out when it comes to inviting people to church was Brother Andrew. John 1:42 says, “And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.” We don’t hear much about Andrew except that he was always bringing people to Jesus (John 6:8; 12:22). But Simon Peter his brother went on to be one of the greatest influences in the history of Christianity. 

Albert McMakin was a twenty years old farmer who had recently come to faith in Christ. He was so full of enthusiasm that he filled a truck with people and took them to a meeting to hear about Jesus. There was a good-looking farmer’s son whom he was especially keen to get to a meeting, but this young man was hard to persuade – he was busy falling in and out of love with different girls, and did not seem to be attracted to Christianity. Eventually Albert McMakin managed to persuade him to come by asking him to drive the truck. When they arrived,  Albert’s guest decided to go in and was ‘spellbound’ and began to have thoughts he had never knew knowing before. He went back again and again until one night, he went forward and gave his life to Jesus Christ. That man, the driver of the truck, was Billy Graham. The year was 1934. Since then Billy Graham has led thousands to faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot all be like Billy Graham, but we can all be like Albert McMaken- we can all bring our friends to Jesus.

NOTE: We cannot all be Simon Peters, but we can all do what Andrew did – we can bring someone to Christ.

PRAYER POINT: Father , make me an incurable soul winner.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

RIGHTEOUSNESS VS SACRIFICE

MEMORY VERSE: To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Proverbs 11:25

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 22-26

BIBLE READING: Matthew 5:23-24

Lovers love giving gifts to each other. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He did not give because He was held to ransom, No! His decision to give His son for our sins was motivated by love. Everything He does for us is motivated by love and mercy. So whenever we give back to Him, although we give out of the much He has given to us, no matter how small it is, He appreciates it. All Abraham did was host Him for few hours (Genesis 18). While He was there, He ate bread, meat and milk, and He said “thank you”. Abraham gave a meal and He received a son! Whenever you give to any child of God, I want you to know that it is God you have given to (not man) and He will say thank you no matter how small. When we give something big to Him, He responds and says ‘a big thank you’. Oh yes! King Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings to Him and He said thank you by giving the young man a blank cheque (1 Kings 3:3-13). Verse 5, “In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.” It is not so much the size of the gift but the cost of the gift. That poor widow in Luke 21:1-4 gave the least, yet the Lord said she gave the most. Why? All the big men in the church gave out of their abundance, but this poor woman gave all she had which was two mites. Regardless of the cost of the gift, one must give cheerfully. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

God loves generous people. Proverbs 11:25 says, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” The key to financial prosperity is giving. When you look at countries that are prospering, e.g. England, although they are small in population, they give foreign aids to so many countries. Not only that, they give to the elderly and look after their citizens. While most of the countries that receive foreign aids from them  are struggling financially, they are wallowing in riches. The secret to their prosperity as a nation is giving. They give to charity a lot. Proverbs 21:3 says, “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.” The Lord is more interested in Christians living a life of purity and holiness than giving big offerings. No wonder He says peradventure whilst giving an offering, we remember a brother or sister who we are not in talking terms with, we should drop the offering, run to the person and be reconciled with the fellow. One cannot keep malice and expect God to accept his offering, No! One cannot fornicate and expect God to accept His service in the church, No!

NOTE; Obedience to the word of God is better than fat donations.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please bless me so that I can be a blessing to others.

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.