SOW, GROW, PROSPER
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22.
The first thing Noah did after the Flood, was to build an altar and make a sacrifice to the Lord. God was pleased with him and made promises to humanity through the faith of Noah. One of the promises given was the principle of seedtime and harvest. Life begins by this principle. Harvest springs from the good or bad seeds we have sown. The principle continues today.
"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." Ecclesiastes 11:6.
Don't hold back the seeds in your hand; get to work and start sowing because the harvest is on the way. Be diligent to sow them in the morning and again in the evening. Diligence is a refusal to quit. It is a decision to remain faithful until the desired result is achieved. You must keep sowing your seeds because you never know which of your efforts will bring prosperity.
"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Galatians 6:9.
To reap is to collect, harvest; bring in, gain, obtain, produce, receive, acquire, gather, profit, secure, win, or get as a result of doing something. The due season is God’s appointed time when we reap our rewards. These are not just rewards to be received when we get to heaven, there are rewards to be received right here on earth. God has promised to prosper us. Those who decide to sow, even in tears will harvest great joy. Psalm 126:5-6. Are you tired and weary of doing good? Don't be! There’s a due season and great rewards waiting for us.
“He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.” Ecclesiastes 11:4.
Solomon says that if you watch the winds, you will not sow, and so will have nothing to reap when its time for harvest. No one who daydreams or waste time should ever expects to reap.
PREPARE THE GROUND:
A land is allowed to lie fallow or uncultivated, in order that it might rest, replenish, and become more fruitful for a new season. But when the land is in this condition for long, it soon became overgrown with thorns and weeds. So the farmer would take careful steps to “break up” the fallow ground and clear the garden of weeds and thorns before the planting season.
A farmer tills his soil every planting season. No seed can do well in a fallow ground. Every seed deserves a perfect soil where it can germinate. The purpose of preparing or ploughing the ground is to loosen the land before sowing seeds. To prepare the land is to dig up the soil for cultivation so as to allow the seeds to germinate well. Preparing the ground is to break up the fallow ground and remove weeds hindering the full optimization of the land. A fallow ground is a land that could be productive, but for some reason has not been. It won't allow seeds grow. A fallow ground is a ground which has once been cultivated, but which now lies waste. It is a misuse land. A fallow ground is a land that's allowed to lie useless. It is a hard and dry ground. A fallow ground is a land that once was fertile but through neglect, has become fallow.
Don’t despise your season of preparation. So, get busy preparing and ploughing the ground. Remove the weed. Remove the stones and other things which gets in the way. No ploughing, no harvest! "Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground; For it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you." Hosea 10:12.
POWER IN A SEED:
You should never underrate the power of a seed. Every seed has all the potential needed to grow into a complete plant. The power inherent in a seed is the ability to multiply or reproduce. The more the seeds sown the greater the harvests. Everything starts out as a seed. Every seed will produce after its own kind. Though the seed can be very small but the end result is great. Under the right conditions, a small seed like an acorn will grow and develop into a mighty oak tree, providing food and shelter. A seed can be time, gifts, service, money, resources, faith, hope or love. Everything you do is a seed for your future. Sowing seeds is getting ready for the future. The greatness of your future is determined by the seed you sow. Every seed determines the harvest you will have, whether they are good or bad. Seeds determines your level of increase. You cannot sow small and expect to harvest much. Seeds determines your season. An evil seed produce evil while a good seed produce good results.
There are five essential environment in which all seeds need to germinate—light, water, soil, time and temperature.
1. Sunlight helps the seed to germinate at the right time. It also provides warmth and energy for plants to survive. Plants use the sun's energy to makes their own food energy. The Bible is the light of God’s Word revealing to us the path that leads to eternal life. Psalm 119:105.
2. Water is vital for the life of every plant. All seeds need to absorb and fill up with water, which is the first step in germination. When we receive God’s Spirit, a new life begins.
3. The Soil determines the health and strength of every seed and plant. The better the soil, the healthier and stronger the plant and fruits. Every plants must have a good foundation. Likewise, our our spiritual foundation must have the right foundation. Ephesians 2:19-20.
4. Timing is crucial in the life of a plant. It takes time for a seed to germinate, bears fruits and ripens. We also need to remember that it takes time for us to mature and grow. James 1:2-4.
5. Temperature is also important. If you sow a seed is in a land lacking the right temperature, its chance of success is limited, even if all the other elements are present. In the book of Revelation chapter 3 verses 15 to 16, Christ warns His people not to be lukewarm. Therefore, we must be diligent to have and maintain the right temperature to survive this wicked age.
Are you sowing seeds? What kind of seeds are you sowing for a better tomorrow? Every life, career, relationship, marriage, business, or church starts as a seed. What are you doing today to make your life better? Could it be going to school and developing yourself or saving some money to start a business. The steps you take now may appear insignificant but believe God for a great harvest. Don't hate the small things and despise the days of starting out. Take your time, pay attention, and find joy in today's seeds. Everyday you are sowing seeds. Your thoughts are seed. Your words are seed. Whatever you deposit is going to returned to you. If you sow hatred, you are going to reap it. If you sow love and kindness, you’re going to reap it. If you sow with generosity, you will reap generosity. It’s the law of seed and harvest.
THE GROWING SEASON:
Sowing is not limited to planting seeds but caring for the seeds until the harvest time. There’s always a waiting period between the planting and harvesting. If you prematurely harvest the fruits before it is ripe, we run the risk of spoiling it. There's always a time lapse between sowing and reaping. The harvest never comes suddenly. No farmer goes out, plants the seed in the ground, comes back an hour later, and expects it to have grown. The farmer has to wait through the growing season for the plants to mature, blossom, and develop fruits.
The seeds can be good, but the growth process demands patience. It is a season of waiting for the seeds to germinate. The growing season is a time for removing weeds and pests. The growth process is the time we eagerly longs for the green fruits to ripens. It is a time you prune the plant in other to get maximum harvest. The growing season is a season of faith.
Have you ever said, “When, God, when?” Are you in a time of discouragement where you see no fruit of your labour? Are you sad because despite your best efforts your sacrifice goes unrewarded? Maybe you’re waiting for a financial harvest, a breakthrough, a new relationship, a healing or restoration. Whatever it is, just hold on! It’s okay to be discourage or tired once in a while. But you can't give up! There's a set time for your harvest. That time may be today, tomorrow, next week, next month or a year from now. If you have been faithful, God will surely reward you. The harvest is near! Keep on sowing, and be expectant as the seed grows. Refuse to be discouraged. Cultivate your crops. Examine your plants daily. Prune it. Remove every pest so the locust don’t eat up your fruits. Your season of harvest is coming!
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7. So, don’t give up on your seeds.
PROSPER:
To prosper is to flourish. It is to be successful, to blossom, develop, to do well, bloom, expand, multiply, increase, succeed, thrive, and to bear fruits. It is to have an abundance. Psalm 92:12-13. God wants to prosper, bless and enrich us in everything we do.
"Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him." Genesis 26:11. A wise farmer who plants good seeds is likely to have a rich harvest. Don’t look for harvest. It’s a natural product of seeds sown.
WHAT TO DO?
1. Forget about last year’s failure. Instead, focus on the long-term harvest in your life. What do you want to reap in the coming year? Start sowing today.
2. Organise your life. Set goals and pursues them.
3. Refuse to procrastinate. Don’t wait for “one of those days.” Today is the day to plant the seed. The Bible says, “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest” Psalm 126:5-6.
4. Prepare the ground. The ground we're talking about is our hearts. Prepare your heart.
4. Plant your seeds. This is investing your life, experiences, time, wisdom, and knowledge into another person. Show kindness. Sow encouragement, hope, blessing, love and peace. Look for opportunities to plant God’s Word daily. Sow the seed of prayer and faith. Sow a seed of righteousness. Plant seeds of reconciliation. Sow the seeds of unity in your marriage or relationship. Don't be too big to say sorry. Forgive easily. Swallow your pride. Be humble. Guard your mouth. Speak soft words. Sow seeds of praise and of generosity. As you sown these seeds, you’ll reap peace. But if you evil seeds, expect to harvest them.
5. Remove the weeds and thorns. This includes unforgiveness, bitterness and strife.
6. Reach for the light with the help of the Holy Spirit. A plant always reaches for the light.
7. Water your seeds. Psalm 67:5-6. Praise and give thanks to God.
8. Have faith in God.
8. Dig deeper in the Word. Put in the sickle for your harvest. Mark 4:29. A sickle is a sharp instrument used for cutting crops during a harvest. Our sickle is the Word of God coming out of our mouths. Hebrews 4:12. The words you speak today will dictate tomorrow’s harvest.
9. Be patient. Keep ‘working your garden.’ Sow with expectancy. Harvest is coming.
ETERNAL HARVEST:
"Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the labourer's are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourer's into His harvest." Luke 10:2.
Jesus said, “The harvest is ripe” two thousand years ago. Matthew 9:35-38. The harvest is still ripe! Then what’s the problem? The labourers are few. You're God's labourer. You're a worker in the harvest field. You have a harvest waiting for you to reap for God's kingdom. You have talents and spiritual gifts that were specially given to you. 1 Corinthians 12. God has a purpose and a plan for every single person He has ever created. He sees the world as a great field to be harvested, and mankind as the most important fruit of the earth.
A ripe fruits that's left on the tree will rots, fall to the ground and die. Romans 6:23. Are you labouring in the harvest field? Or will you remain blind to the harvest all around?
So what do we do? How do we respond to that? Jesus says we pray. We pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest. Pray passionately and wholeheartedly for God to send out more labourers. Just be attentive to the fact that one of those workers could be you! Get involved raising future's hope. Get involved in a new serving God. Get involved in ministry. God's calling workers into the full-time harvest field: pastors. He also calls other Christians to serve equally important part-time roles. What seeds in your hands? Start sowing. There's a reward waiting.
PRAYER POINS:
1. Father, thank You for giving me the opportunity to sow and to harvest, in Jesus name.
2. O Lord, help me to obey you in sowing and reaping, in Jesus name.
3. Father, give me the strength to reap a bountiful harvest in due season, in Jesus name.
4. Father, create in me a soft heart, an open heart that is readily yielded to your Word and your commands, in Jesus name.
5. Thank God for answering your prayers.
