Sow to Grow
Ecclesiastes 11:6
Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you
do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do
equally well.
Genesis 8:22
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and
winter, day and night will never cease
What Does it Mean to Sow?
To plant (seed) by scattering it on or in the earth:
What Can We Sow?
1. Money
Deuteronomy 8:18
But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is He that giveth thee power to
get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore unto thy fathers,
as it is this day.
2 Corinthians 9:10
New King James Version
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,
New Living Translation
For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the
same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great
harvest of generosity in you.
2. Yourself through the fruits of the Spirit
Fruit of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
3. Love
The world define love as romance or a warm feeling, but love is not based
on what we feel, but rather what we do.
Love is self-sacrifice, it is about putting others’ needs before our own,
following Jesus’ example and humbling ourselves as servants.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is
not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not
brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
4. Joy
Joy is more than a temporary happiness; joy is lasting
Is not based emotional reaction to our circumstances
It is an active choice of attitude
As followers of Christ, we rejoice, because in him, we have redemption.
Psalm 94:18-19
“When I say, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your mercy, LORD, holds me up. When cares
increase within me, your comfort gives me joy.”
Joy comes when you know you have eternal hope in Christ
5. Peace
This world is full of strife and division, frustrated by sin and evil. As Christians, we
are not spared from sin’s effects on the world, but we are able to take our worries
to God through prayer.
Philippians 4:6-7
“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that
surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
John 16:33
“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will
have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
6. Patience
As Christians, we are called to be patient, especially with our brothers and sisters
in the church.
Colossians 3:12-13
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and
forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has
forgiven you, so must you also do.”
As some of us struggle to practice patience and forgiveness, we look to God,
who is patient with us even as we continue to fall into habits of sin.
1 Peter 3:9
“The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard ‘delay,’ but he is patient
with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance.”
James 5:7-8
“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer
waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the
early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because
the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
7. Kindness
Kindness is looking beyond our interests to the interests of others. It often
requires going out of our way or setting aside things that may seem important. It
means not being wicked to your enemies.
Luke 6:35-36
“But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing
back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for
he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as [also] your
Father is merciful.”
Titus 3:4-5
“But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not
because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved
us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit.”
Romans 2:3-4
“Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do
them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you hold his
priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience in low esteem, unaware that the
kindness of God would lead you to repentance?”
8. Goodness
Goodness means uprightness of heart and life. Being honorable, charitable
and giving.
We need to be generous with what we have.
Romans 12:8
“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise
them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a
teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in
generosity…”
Philippians 4:19
We are not to worry about having enough; we should share both out of our
abundance and our need, and God will not let us go without.
God blesses us so that we in turn might bless others. We should also give with
an open heart, not reluctantly.
2 Corinthians 9:7-9
“Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God
loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for
you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance
for every good work.”
9. Faithfulness
As Christians, we are called to be faithful to Him who is always faithful to us. If we
are faithful in the small things, God will reward us
Matthew 25:22-23
“The one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you
gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well
done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will
give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’”
When we make an effort to be faithful God sees and help us
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
10. Gentleness
Gentleness is a character of Jesus that every Christian must have
Matthew 11:28-29
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you
will find rest for yourselves.
As a child of God people should not be afraid to come to you
James 3:16-17
“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul
practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle,
compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.”
1 Peter 3:15-16
“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for
your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear,
so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ
may themselves be put to shame.”
11. Self-Control
Self-control is one of the difficult fruit to cultivate It could be your anger, your
appetite or emotions but with the help of the HS
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and
self-control.”
Proverbs 15:1
A mild answer turns back wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
No comments:
Post a Comment