TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING HARVESTS
MEMORIZE:
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22
READ: Mark 4:26-29
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
MESSAGE
The first thing to understand about harvests is that they ultimately come from God. 1 Corinthians 3:6 says, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." Also, harvests come in different levels, which Jesus identified as thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold (Mark 4:20).
Some Bible scholars believe that a thirtyfold harvest results from giving to the household of faith (Galatians 6:9-10). When you help a fellow Christian, you are sowing into a soil that will bring forth at least thirtyfold. When Dorcas was sowing into the lives of the people in her church, she didn't know that she would reap a harvest of resurrection. Her seeds were so precious that they sent for Peter to raise her from the dead (Acts 9:36-42).
There are Bible scholars who also believe that you will reap a sixtyfold harvest when you sow to a minister of God (Matthew 10:41). When you do something for your pastor, and he or she says, "God bless you," your seed will return at least a sixtyfold harvest, just as we see in 1 Kings 17:10- 16. The widow of Zarephath and her son had given up on life before she honored Elijah with their last meal. She experienced a massive turnaround, and throughout the grievous famine, her jar of flour never ran out, and her jug of oil never became empty (1 Kings 17:16). Furthermore, apart from material blessings, when her son died, God brought him back to life (1 Kings 17:17-24).
Some Bible scholars also believe that giving to the high priest will yield a hundredfold harvest. Hebrews 5:1-4 tells us that the high priest is someone God has chosen to represent men before Him. The highest spiritual authority God has ordained over you is a representative of Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16), and if you give to such a fellow, you can rest assured that God will bless you a hundredfold and more in return.
Where and how you sow your seeds play a significant role in determining the level of harvests you can get from God. You should, however, ensures your sowing is done out of love to honor God and not just because you want a harvest from Him. God wants you to give cheerfully and sacrificially (2 Corinthians 9:7, Mark 12:41-44), and He judges the intent of your heart (1 Samuel 1 6:7). I pray that you will experience bountiful blessings as you honor Him with your giving, in Jesus' name.
PRAYER POINT
Father, I receive a bountiful harvest of every good seed I have sown, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 23-25
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 26: THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS
1. There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Refrain
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
2. There shall be showers of blessing—
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
3. There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord!
Grant to us now a refreshing;
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
4. There shall be showers of blessing;
O that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
5. There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
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