Reaping the Harvest
Many times, we’ve believed God for something, but years have passed and we have not seen the manifestation of the miracle or promise.
A) We’ve been believing God, taking it to the Lord in prayer, confessing the Word of God over our plans, dreams, visions or promise from the Word, yet we still see no fruit, no manifestation, or very little.
1) We’ve even been planting seed for that harvest. And sometimes we’ve sown much seed and reap very little if anything at all.
a) Sometimes when people fail to receive the harvest they begin to wonder if God’s Word really works. And if we’re not careful, Satan will bring all kinds of discouragement and if possible, cause them to quit.
(i) And of course that the worst thing to do. If you quit, Satan got the victory.
2) God wants us to have His very best.
a) When we’re sick and we’re healed that’s great, but why settle for healing from time to time?
(i) Healing is great and I love to see people receive their healing by the power of God, but divine health is better.
(ii) We need to strive for God’s best.
3) Most Christians are living from paycheck to paycheck, and somewhere along the line, they need a financial miracle just to get them by.
a) I like financial miracles, but God says that we should have more than enough.
(i) Financial miracles are great, but living in abundance is better.
4) I like what God told the Israelites in (Deuteronomy 8:9). He said, “thou shalt not lack anything and there’ll be no scarceness.”
a) The Amplified translation says, “You’ll lack nothing and there shall be no shortage.”
b) Well, if God has a way for us to enjoy his best and abundance then why settle for anything less?
B) Now turn with me to Mark 4:3-4. (We’ve been looking at this are Wednesday nights, but I want look at it in a different light).
1) This man was sowing seed, but the birds came and consumed it. HIS SEED PRODUCED NO HARVEST.
a) That tells me that it is a possibility that even though you’re sowing seed into the kingdom of God, some of our seed can be consumed and not produce a harvest.
(i) There are some reasons why and if we have time in today’s message will get into it. But let’s go on reading.
2) Mark 4:5-6.
a) Notice the seed did what it was supposed to do. Seed doesn’t know anything else but to grow, increase and multiply.
(i) But something happened to the seed that it produced no harvest.
b) So far, we’ve seen this man sowing much seed but no harvest.
(i) First the birds consumed it, and 2nd the sun scorched it.
(ii) In other words, he sowing, but he’s not reaping.
c) There’s nothing wrong with the seed. The Amplified translation brings out that each time this man sows seed it is seed of the same kind.
(i) Sometimes people will say, “It’s the ground that he was sowing in which was the problem.”
(ii) There are sometimes that people sow in the wrong ground (in the wrong place), for instance, if you’re giving to further the kingdom of darkness or giving to evil works.
(iii) But even if you’re giving a glass of cold water to someone in need, you will get your reward. It will produce a harvest.
d) This man’s problem was HOW he was sowing.
3) Many times when we’re not getting the kind of return on our sowing that we should be getting, we begin to question the VALIDITY of God’s Word. “Well, I’ve tried that it doesn’t work.”
a) Or we begin to blame someone else for our failures.
(i) That’s when he failed. He could not accept the blame, so he blamed God and Eve.
(ii) He said, “God it’s the woman’s fault.” Then he began to blame God by saying, “After all you created her.”
b) This is where we began to point to blame everywhere but where the blame should be pointed.
(i) If you asked someone, “How did you get in this condition?” They’ll say, “It’s my husband’s fault.”
(ii) If you asked the husband the same question, he’ll say, “It’s that wife of mind.”
(iii) If you asked the children, they’ll say, “It’s my parents fault.”
(iv) If you asked the parents, they’ll say, “It’s those rebellious kids.”
(v) If you asked the church congregation, they’ll say, “It’s the Pastors fault.”
(vi) If you asked the pastor, he’ll say, “I asked for sheep do I got his goats, it’s their fault.”
c) Everybody is pointing the blamed somewhere else.
(i) When was the last time you asked somebody, “How did you get in this mess?” And they said, “ME! It’s all my fault!”
d) We have a hard time excepting the blame, but that’s where the blame is.
(i) Quit blaming God, quit blaming his Word, and quit blaming others.
C) Let’s go on reading here in Mark 4:7.
1) Now this is the third time this man has sown; yet, he’s received no results.
a) First the birds consumed it, 2nd the sun scorched it, and now the weeds are choking the seeds.
2) Let’s go on reading verse 8. Mark 4:8.
a) He was finally getting results.
b) I know that THIRTYFOLD is great, and 60 FOLD is even better, but notice other seed produced a HUNDREDFOLD, or other words maximum results.
(i) Let’s strive for maximum results in every seed that we sow.
(ii) It’s time to begin to believe God for His best.
II) In the book of Genesis chapter 1, we see some of the 1st gifts that God gave to man.
A) Turn to Genesis 1:26-28.
1) This is the FIRST gift that God gave man and it was DOMINION AND AUTHORITY over all the earth.
2) Does anybody know what the 2nd gift was? It’s found in Genesis 1:29. (Read).
a) Some of you might have a cross-reference or a definition in your Bible to the phrase “HERB BEARING SEED.”
b) Its actual Hebrew meaning is “SEEDING SEED.”
(i) And what is seeding seed?
(ii) If you’re familiar with farming, then you’ll know that seeding seed is the seed you keep back for replanting. And it’s your best seed.
(iii) When the crop comes in, the 1st thing a farmer does is to find the best part. He doesn’t consumed it or sell it because it’s his seeding seed for the next year’s planting.
(iv) That’s the reason God wants the tithe of your income off the top; it’s your seeding seed.
(a) It’s your best seed and the best seed will produce the best harvest.
(b) The leftover seed that a farmer has will deteriorate the harvest until it is absolutely useless.
(v) If you spend your tithe and only give God what’s leftover, don’t blame Him because you’re not getting maximum results.
3) That let’s turn to Genesis 8:22.
a) Is the earth still here? Of course it is. Then this law is still in effect.
b) It’s amazing how we adapt to day and night. We just accept it.
(i) And we adapt to summer and winter. We know that’s coming and we except it.
(ii) But the Bible also says that as long as the earth remains SEEDTIME AND HARVEST SHALL NOT CEASE.
(iii) That seems to be the only law that we ignore and it’s the one that this entire planet revolves around.
c) Turn over to Galatians 6:7.
(i) The Phillips translation says, “A man’s harvest in life depends entirely upon the seed which he sows.”
(ii) The way we live today is a product and result of the seeds we have sown.
(iii) If you don’t like the way your life is now, then you need to start replanting.
III) The Bible reveals another law regarding sowing and reaping, and it’s found in 2nd Corinthians 9:6.
A) It is not only how you sow and what kind of seed you sow but also the quantity of seed that you sow that has a tremendous impact on the size of harvest you will reap.
1) If you sow little, you get little. If you so much, you get much. That’s a spiritual law.
2) A farmer knows if ye sows 10 acres that he can expect a 10-acre return. If he sows one acre that he can expect a one-acre return.
a) That’s part of the law of seedtime and harvest.
B) But there’s another example in the Word of God of a group of people, who have been sowing, but have no harvest or very little return.
1) But this verse clearly tells us why.
2) Turn to Haggai 1:5-7. (Verse 6) from the NIV translation says, “You have planted much, but have harvested little.”
a) It’s very important that you notice that he was sowing much and reaping little.
b) God revealed in verse 5 the answer to why this was happening, “CONSIDER YOUR WAYS.”
(i) Then he repeated it in (verse 7), “THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOST CONSIDER YOUR WAYS.”
c) The Amplified translation says, “Consider your ways, your previous and present conduct.”
(i) If you’re sowing much and reaping little, then you need to stop and analyze your ways. Don’t question the Word and don’t question whether God is faithful are not. Put the blame where the blame is due; “CONSIDER YOUR WAYS.”
W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, February 21, 1999 from Jerry Savelle’s book entitled, “Are You Tired of “Sowing much and Reaping Little?” From page 17 to page 34. W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, January 27, 2002.