Day 13 | 21-Day Growth Challenge | "How Scattering Seed Brings Increase"

Saturday, September 11, 2010 Bryan Hudson 10 Comments







SELECTED SCRIPTURES & INSIGHT FROM PROVERBS 11:


Proverbs 11:3 (NLT), Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

We live in a world of deception and dishonesty. People seem to be all too willing to gain an advantage over others by being dishonest. The Great Recession of 2008 occurred, by-in-large, from dishonest motivations and greedy home loan lenders and borrowers. Bernie Madoff swindled his own friends and investors out of some $50 billion. Greed and dishonesty go hand-in-hand. In time, these behaviors destroy those who participate

Proverbs 11:11 (NLT), Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.

The lifestyles of godly people always improve places where they dwell. When I visit my father's house in the inner city, I am always impressed with the appearance of my dad's little house. In fact, the street he lives on looks better than the other streets to the immediate east and west of dad's street. There are several believers on that street. The influence of "upright citizens" in any community always makes a positive difference.

Poverbs 11:24-25 (NKJV), There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. 25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.

Giving and generosity have always been a part of prospering God's way. Even though we scatter our seed, God causes us to increase. However, if we withhold too much, it leads to poverty. It does not seem logical that giving won't lead to lack, and failing to give does not help one accumulate wealth.

According to Genesis 8:22, there is a principle working in the earth called "Seedtime and harvest." I like to think of this as 1) Seed 2) Time, 3) Harvest. The text also indicates that life has cycles and seasons. When give our three "T's" (remember that lesson?), its like putting good SEED into good soil. After a period of TIME, we can expect a HARVEST.

I have witnessed this promise in my 53 years of life, over and over again, "And he who waters will also be watered himself." We are overly focused on what we get out of someone or something. We should be more focused on "watering" or nourishing and refreshing others.

PRAYER:
"Lord, help me to maintain honesty and integrity at all times. Show me how sowing and scattering seed brings harvest increase, even though it seems like I'll have less for being generous."

ACTIVATION:
(Use comment section below to share your insights. Record sensitive items in your personal journal. You can login or simply use your first name.)
  1. How does giving part of what I have, help me gain more?
  2. What other verse(s) in Proverbs 11 stand out to you, and why?
  3. What actions will you take today related to this lesson?
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COMMENT SECTION:
Click on "Comments" to read others and add yours afterwards.



10 comments :

  1. 1.) I view God's resources as a constant flow of his provision. When we freely give what already belongs to him, he replenishes that supply as freely as we gave it.

    2.)"Good people [those who live righteously] will be rewarded on earth, but the wicked and the sinners will be punished." Prov. 11:31

    Scriptures like these help me to realize that my reward from Christ doesn't just come in heaven, after I die. God has rewards stored up for me right now while I am still here on the Earth.

    3.) I will make sure I am one of those people who is making their neighborhood, town, city and world better simply because I am in it. That is part of what Jesus Christ has called his people to do when he said we should be bright lights in a dark world.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1. I'm a withness to God's generosity many times in my life and in the lives of my children. As I have been obedient and a doer of God's word, he has more that supplied the things I need and desire. As I have given of my time, talent, and finances.

    2. Verses 25, 30 speak of prosperity and life to those that are generous; how they refresh others and how they are befriended. Another confirmation of God's word and the promises; in Ruth 2:12, I Samuel 22:21,25 and Psalms 18: 20,24, God rewarded His people for their righteouness and the things that they had done.
    3. I pray that God will be glorified in my obedience to give and I give Him praise and thanksgiving for being generous to His children.

    3.

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  3. How does giving part of what I have, help me gain more?

    Giving causes blessings to return to you. God is not mocked, he says, whatsoever you sow, that is what you reap. I believe God. I am blessed in more ways than just monetarily. I see the blessings that others receive when I sow time, talent resources - and money. Seeing the gratitude that others show is rewarding. Knowing that you were able to "give a drink of water to those who are thirsty, or food to those who are hungry, or clothes to those who are in need" is better than just saying be warmed and be blessed (James 2:16).

    We find another scripture to support this same idea in Matt 25. "Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we you an hungered, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

    God expects us to do more. He wants us to be faithful just as he is faithful.


    What other verse(s) in Proverbs 11 stand out to you, and why?
    v. 25 - The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that waters shall be watered also himself. This is a promise from God's word.

    I believe it. If we give to others, a blessing will return to us.

    What actions will you take today related to this lesson?

    I will trust God to know when to give and - be ready to move when he prompts me to.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 1. Giving part of what I have allows me to gain more because that is what God’s Word promises based on his seed and harvest principle. I like the way God’s Word Translation, II Corinthians 9:6, expresses this principle, Remember this: The farmer who plants a few seeds will have a very small harvest. But the farmer who plants because he has received God's blessings will receive a harvest of God's blessings in return. Thus, we are not to obtain God’s blessings and hoard them, for if we do, we will find that He will not be as free with His blessings as a result.

    2. The verse that stands out to me is Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. It is a reminder that we are not to be selfish. If we freely give, others will be provoked to bless us abundantly also. However, if we are miserly, others will not be so eager to help us in our time of need.

    3. I will continue to bless others as the Lord has blessed me.

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  5. 1. How does giving part of what I have help me gain more? It helps me to gain because it is the principle of God to do so, He has set this in motion and it can't be disproved. Luke 6:38 says-give and it shall be given unto you in good measures, pressed down,shaken together and running over shall men give unto me, for with the same measure I give so shall it be measured to me. When you don't give all sorts of things can eat up your money and you will stand looking as a dear into an on coming cars head lights thinking--where did my money go?? Our body is made to reproduce a type of giving, a farmer gives to the ground or soil(seeds) and the ground yeilds back in many cases 10 times what was planted.
    2. Other verses in Prov.11 that stand out are: v.2 when pride comes, then comes shame, but with the lowly is wisdom. (pride is always about ourself, it is also boasting of 1/2 of what is the whole truth, so when that part of us comes out that is hidden, it produces shame. Wisdom is being low key..it brings balance.) v.17 The merciful man does good to his own soul, but he that is cruel troubles his own flesh.(There again..mercy begets mercy,but when we measure out cruelty our mind plays back to us the cruel things that weight heavy in our body or flesh.
    3. Action Taken: Pray that I will continue to see the good in giving, even when I am running on empty, to not loose sight of God's promises...that to give is gain financially and spiritually.

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  6. 1.Giving part of what I have helps me gain more because it is the way God designed for how things are to operate to cause increase to be returned to the giver, the generous person He has established, set in motion, the principle of giving and receiving, reaping and sowing, scattering and gathering.
    The ways of the Lord are mysterious, higher than our ways, and past finding out. If one obeys Him and does that He requires, the result will follow. If we give, it will be given back to us, in good measure, and even in abundant, overflowing measure. This results in being able to give again, and the cycle continues. Giving allows the plans and purposes of His kingdom and His church to advance, the needs of people who lack to be met, and His name to be exalted.
    2. The other verses in Proverbs 11 that stand out to me are verses 11:19 and 11:23. Both verses give the totally different expectations of the godly and the evil person. The godly can expect (look forward to) happiness, and to find life, however, in striking contrast, the evil can expect only wrath and to find death.
    The reason why this stands out is because for both type of persons it speaks of rewards based on the principle of giving and receiving, sowing and reaping, scattering and gathering. Goodness is rewarded, and so is evil. Due to the choices of persons living these different lifestyles rewards will be received accordingly at the hand of people and God in this life on earth and in final judgment in eternity from the Lord.
    3. The action I will take today is to pray, asking the Lord to help me maintain integrity in all the dealings in my life and in my relationship with Him.

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  7. 1.Giving apart of what I have is something I enjoy doing. I can never give enough before God gives something back to me. It doesn't matter whether I have a little or a lot,money, time or talent; God always causes me to give.I like that part of God that lives inside of me.I understand the "SEED, TIME AND HARVEST " principle.Wisdom shows me how to give and when.
    2.The Proverb that stands out to me is Prov.11:25
    "The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself."
    I never have to worry about my giving too much or not having enough for myself and family. When I pour out waters of encouragement and life to someone else, someone is watering me, causing me to prosper.
    3. I will remember to continue to give out of my lack or abundance as God leads me.
    Ecc. 11:1 says, Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
    -Davis

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  8. Dennis, Joycell and TiaraSeptember 13, 2010 at 10:14 PM

    1.How does giving part of what I have, help me gain more?
    It's a principle in the kingbom of the Lord that when you give it shall be given unto you. The golden rule says that its better to give then to receive. Always keep in mind that as you give you unto to Lord and the more he gives to you and blesses you.

    2.What other verse(s) in Proverbs 11 stand out to you, and why?
    Verse 8: A righteous person is rescued from trouble and a wicked person takes his place.
    This verse stands out to me becaus it is saying when you do the right thing god saves you from trouble and unsaved or wicked take the place of the righteous.

    3.What actions will you take today related to this lesson?
    I will be a much better person to live with and be nice and respectful to my elders.I will be dilligent in obeying God word were it talkes about the principle of giving.

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  9. 1. When you give you simply make room for more.
    2. verse 11:
    As long as you in a place you can make a difference through your life.

    3.I will continue to give inspite of my finances.

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  10. 1) God promises to give seed to the sower meaning to those who give the promises resources. We give and out our resources or seed.

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