(Part II)

“FINANCES: The Laws of Sowing and Reaping”

Proverbs 11:18

¹⁸    The wicked man does deceptive work, But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.

INTRO:

·         The universe runs on both physical & spiritual laws

·         You don’t have to understand these laws to benefit You just have to cooperate with them.  (Even unbelievers

     EVERYTHING STARTS AS A SEED

1.      God created the word on a seed principle

Genesis 1:11

¹¹ Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.

I.                   NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL A SEED IS PLANTED

The farmer with a barren field doesn’t gripe or complain, or pray to God!

 HE JUST STARTS SOWING SEED!   No sowing= no reaping!  No harvest!

            Jesus used this principle to explain why he came to die on the cross:

            John12:24

²⁴ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

II.                WHATEVER I SOW IS WHAT I REAP (Law of Pre-Production)

                        If a farmer plants a field with peas. What crop should he expect?

                       

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                        Genesis 1:11

¹¹ Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.

                                Galatians 6:7

⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

             

`                       Proverbs 26:27

²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.                       

                        We cannot SOW irresponsibility & REAP success

                                    Laziness                                    Reward

                                     Stinginess                                          Blessing!

Sow a thought, reap an act;      Sow an act, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a character;  Sow a character, reap a destiny.

III.             I ALSO REAP FROM WHAT OTHERS HAVE SOWN

                        John 4:38

³⁸ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

                        We reap both good and bad from those who went before us.

                        Everything has consequences.          

                        Your life will affect future generations!

           

IV.              WE REAP IN A DIFFERENT SEASON THAN WE SOW

      Ecclesiastics 3:1-5

                        “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity

under heaven … A time to plant and a time to harvest … a time to scatter and a time to gather…’           

                        Fruit ripens gradually – not usually all ripe on the same day!

V.                 I ALWAYS REAP MORE THAN I SOW (Multiplication)

                        One kernel of corn…      

                                In the parable of the soils, Jesus gives an example

                        Mark 4:8

 “Some seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times."

                        This works either for/against you depending on what seeds you plant!

VI.              I CAN INCREASE MY HARVEST BY PLANTING MORE SEED

2 Corinthians 9:6-7

⁶ But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 11:24-25 (NKJV)

²⁴ There is one who scatters, yet increases more, And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. ²⁵  The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.

Proverbs 11:24-25 (MESSAGE)

²⁴ The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. ²⁵ The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

VII.          THE TIME TO START PLANTING IS NOW

Ecclesiastic 11:4

⁴ He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.

Ecclesiastic 11:6

⁶ In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.

2 Corinthians 9:10

¹⁰ Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.

VIII.        TO REAP A HARVEST I MUST HAVE FAITH AND NOT GIVE UP

Mark 4:26-28

²⁶ And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, ²⁷ and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. ²⁸ For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.

Gal 6:9

⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.