SOWING SEEDS FOR AN ABUNDANT HARVEST OF BLESSINGS
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OUTLINE
1.PROMISE
2.PATIENCE
3.PROSPERITY
4.PRAYER
5.PURITY
6.PROCLAMATION
7.PEACE
THE MESSAGE
SOWING SEEDS FOR AN ABUNDANT HARVEST OF BLESSINGS
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1.PROMISE
The Lord has promised to reward us for all the good seeds we sow in our life. The Lord wants us to sow good seeds so that we can get an abundant harvest in our lives. We cannot receive a harvest unless we sow the seed. We must begin sowing by faith and we must expect a harvest by faith. We must be strong in faith in order to be aggressive in sowing and diligent in reaping. Our good deeds can result in great blessings and make a significant difference in the lives of people. We can be a great blessing to the Kingdom of God if we are diligent in sowing seeds of love and kindness in the lives of people and we will surely receive great rewards and blessings in our lives. We will also receive divine favour and help in time of trouble, as the Lord will be faithful to deliver us , because we have cared for the poor and the needy. The Lord wants us to realise the power of a seed. A small mustard seed when planted grows into a large tree. We must keep sowing our seeds no matter how small they seem to be, because there is great power in a tiny seed.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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HEBREWS 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
MATTHEW 10:41-42
Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."
PSALM 41:1-3
Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.
The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.
The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.
ACTS 10:1-4
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.
He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.
One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.
ECCLESIASTES 11:1-6
Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.
Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie.
Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.
As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.
MARK 4:30-32
Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?
It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground.
Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."
GENESIS 8:22
"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
2. PATIENCE
We must have patience in order to experience the fulfillment of the promise. We must not lose our faith and confidence during the time of waiting. We must follow the example of those who inherited the promises through their faith and patience. We must keep on doing good without getting discouraged so that we can get a harvest of blessings at the right time . We must look for opportunities to do good especially to the people of God and keep on sowing good seeds. Then we can look forward with confidence to an abundant harvest of blessings in our life.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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HEBREWS 10:35-36
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
HEBREWS 6:12-15
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,
saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."
And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
GALATIANS 6:9-10
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
3.PROSPERITY
The Lord wants us to give generously so that we can receive a harvest of blessings in our life. The Lord wants us to realise that giving to Him is not losing but sowing and when we sow bountifully , we will reap bountifully. We must give cheerfully and not reluctantly and under compulsion. The Lord gives us the seed to sow. Everything we possess is what we have received from God. Therefore we give out of what we have received from the Lord. When we are faithful to give our tithes and offerings , the Lord has promised to open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings upon us. When we give to God , we cause praise and thanksgiving to rise unto God , as those who have been blessed by our giving start praising God . We also raise prayer covering over our lives as those who are blessed by our giving , intercede on our behalf.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-15
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
LUKE 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
MALACHI 3:8-12
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me."But you ask, ’How do we rob you?’ "In tithes and offerings.
You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
"Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
PROVERBS 11:24-25
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
PROVERBS 3:9-10
Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
4.PRAYER
The Lord wants us to sow our prayers so that we can get a harvest of answers to our prayers. We must pray with earnestness and passion. We must pray with the full assurance that the Lord will surely reward those who diligently seek Him. We must pour out our heart to God. We should not pray half hearted prayers which are not effective. We should not waste our time and energy in worrying and complaining . Instead we must be sowing seeds of prayer which can bring us a harvest of blessings from God. When we sow in tears we will reap with joy.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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PSALM 126:5-6
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
MATTHEW 6:5-8
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
HEBREWS 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
PSALM 62:8
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
ISAIAH 38:4-6
Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah:
"Go and tell Hezekiah, ’This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.
And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
JAMES 5:16-18
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
5.PURITY
The Lord wants us to sow seeds of purity which will bring us eternal rewards. We must realise that we will reap whatever we sow. If we sow to please our sinful nature we will reap destruction . If we sow to please the Spirit we will reap eternal life. If we sow evil and wickedness , we will surely reap a harvest of trouble and destruction.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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GALATIANS 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
GALATIANS 5:19-23
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
PROVERBS 22 :8
He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
PSALM 34:21
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
PSALM 7:14-16
He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.
He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made.
The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head.
6.PROCLAMATION
The Lord wants us to sow the word of God in the hearts of the people. The Lord wants us to get an abundant harvest of souls . The word of God is powerful and changes the hearts of people. The harvest is plenteous and the Lord wants us to have a vision for the perishing souls and the harvest that is ready for us to reap. We must keep on sharing the goodnews of Jesus Christ with the people of this world.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 13:3-9
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
He who has ears, let him hear."
MATTHEW 9:36-38
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
JOHN 4:34-36
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
Do you not say, ’Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.
1 CORINTHIANS 9:16
Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
2 TIMOTHY 4:2
Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
MARK 16:15-16
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
7.PEACE
The Lord wants us to sow seeds of peace and goodness in the lives of people. We must avoid sowing discord and division among people through our words and actions. Otherwise we will reap a bitter harvest of evil in our lives. We must also refuse to allow those with evil motives to sow their seeds of discord into our lives and families. We must keep on sowing seeds of peace through our words and actions and attitudes in order to experience abundant peace and joy in our lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
ROMANS 12:17-19
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord.
ROMANS 14:19
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
HEBREWS 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
1 PETER 3:1-12
Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,
when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.
Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands,
like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
For, Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer,but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
PSALM 34:14
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
PROVERBS 12:20
There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.
PROVERBS 6:14
who plots evil with deceit in his heart—he always stirs up dissension.
PROVERBS 6:19
a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
PROVERBS 16:28
A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.
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