“GOD IS NOT A MAN, THAT HE SHOULD LIE, Nor a son of man, THAT HE SHOULD REPENT. Has He said, AND WILL HE NOT DO? Or HAS He SPOKEN, AND WILL HE NOT MAKE IT GOOD?"
Numbers 23:19 (NKJV)
22 BUT I [Jesus] SAY TO YOU THAT WHOEVER IS ANGRY WITH HIS BROTHER WITHOUT A CAUSE shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother [sister], ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 THEREFORE IF YOU BRING YOUR GIFT TO THE ALTAR, and there remember that your brother [sister] has something against you,
24 LEAVE YOUR GIFT THERE BEFORE THE ALTAR, and go your way. FIRST BE RECONCILED TO YOUR BROTHER [sister], AND THEN COME AND OFFER YOUR GIFT."
Matthew 5:22-24 (NKJV)
• If you had been Giving, but you had not experienced the commensurate Return on what you had been Giving; there should be a reason for it.
- God cannot lie, He is a faithful God. The principle of Giving works! It produces results, when it is done as instructed in God's Word.
- The principle is a cardinal principle in
the Kingdom of God on earth. It is one of the mysteries, hidden truths, of the Kingdom. - For the principle of Giving to work and produce results, you have to abide by the laws that govern it. Some Believers do give, but do not experience Returns. WHAT could have been the cause?
• You have to consider these basic things while you are sowing your SEEDS:
(i) You consider the quality of the seed you are sowing. Whatever you are giving should be what God has demanded for, and it should be a quality one:
6 “A son honours his father, and a slave his master. If I AM A FATHER, where is the honour due me? IF I AM A MASTER, WHERE IS THE RESPECT DUE ME?” says the LORD Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “BUT you ask, ‘HOW HAVE WE SHOWN CONTEMPT FOR YOUR NAME?’ 7 “BY OFFERING DEFILED FOOD ON MY ALTAR. “BUT you ask, ‘HOW have we defiled you?’ “BY saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible. 8 WHEN YOU OFFER BLIND ANIMALS FOR SACRIFICE, IS THAT NOT WRONG? WHEN YOU SACRIFICE LAME OR DISEASED ANIMALS, IS THAT NOT WRONG? TRY offering them to your governor! WOULD he be pleased with you? WOULD he accept you?” SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY" (Malachi 1:6-8 NKJV). (Also see verses 13 and 14).
(ii) You would need to consider the Land that the seed is being sown.
WHATEVER you are sowing or giving should be sown or planted in a good soil—a fertile land. In other words, the ministry or the life of the minister or the person you wanted to sow the seed matters.
(iii) You also consider the timing.
IF you planted your Seed at the wrong time or season of the year, your seed and effort might be wasted.
a. You must be prompt in obeying. Do it at the time which God has commanded you to do it. There should be no procrastination. When God called on Abraham to offer his son, Isaac, he was prompt about it. When he was told by God, the next morning of it, he was Set and on his way to the place of Sacrifice. HE did not even deliberate with his wife on it, he was just passionate about doing God's Will—obeying Him (Genesis 22:1-3).
b. If the timing of the planting of your seed is wrong, there would be no harvest. If you planted a seed at the dry season of the year, when there was no rain, how would the seed germinate and bear fruits?
c. You are expected to be obedient to all His instructions, before you can experience a bountiful harvest.
• That said, there are some other things you would need to consider also:
I. You must know your assignment, know what God has called you to do and be faithful in doing it.
a. Even in the secular work, you still need God's leading, for you to prosper in whatever you do—vocation or business. b. God told Isaac to sow in the time of famine, and that he should remain in Gerah, and should not go down to Egypt (Genesis 26:1-6,12-14).
c. He became the Envy of the people of that land, because he obeyed God by remaining in the land where God said to be and he was blessed by Him and became prosperous:
12 THEN ISAAC SOWED IN THAT LAND, AND REAPED IN THE SAME YEAR A HUNDREDFOLD; AND THE LORD BLESSED HIM. 13 THE man began to PROSPER, and CONTINUED PROSPERING until he became VERY PROSPEROUS; 14 FOR he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. SO THE PHILISTINES ENVIED HIM" (Genesis 26:12-14 NKJV).
d. You cannot just move to a city or Nation, thinking you would prosper there as a Believer, when you actually did not know God's mind about it (Proverbs 3:5,6).
e. You cannot just prosper anywhere, as a Believer, you have to submit to God's leadership; except you have not fully submitted and surrendered your life to Him:
13 LOOK HERE, YOU WHO SAY, “TODAY OR TOMORROW WE ARE GOING TO A CERTAIN TOWN AND WILL STAY THERE A YEAR. WE WILL DO BUSINESS THERE AND MAKE A PROFIT.” 14 HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR LIFE WILL BE LIKE TOMORROW? YOUR life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 WHAT YOU OUGHT TO SAY IS, “IF THE LORD WANTS US TO, WE WILL LIVE AND DO THIS OR THAT.” 16 OTHERWISE YOU ARE BOASTING ABOUT YOUR OWN PRETENTIOUS PLANS, AND ALL SUCH BOASTING IS EVIL" (James 4:13-16 NLT).
f. You have to be at the right place, where God wanted you to be; town, city, or Nation, before you CAN prosper.
II. Faith is an important factor as well.
- You give by faith and receive by Faith.
When you planted your SEED, give as you are expected or instructed, you water what you have planted with a confession of Faith:
"WE must continue to HOLD FIRMLY TO OUR DECLARATION OF FAITH. The ONE WHO MADE THE PROMISE IS FAITHFUL" (Hebrews 10:23 GOD’S WORD Translation).
THERE is a colourful future for you!
TO BE CONTINUED
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
- Should there be any ailment in your body, receive your healing now in Jesus' name.
- Whatever is working against your health is rebuked and uprooted in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Peace!