In reading through Genesis 26: 12 – 13, the lead text of yesterday’s devotional, we will see that Isaac sowed seed into the land where the natives had sown but got nothing and he reaped a hundred times over. We must know that Isaac might had invested his agricultural knowledge, acquired techniques and personal energy to tilt the land, manured it and put extra strength to prepare the land for better harvest. He could have gone extra miles in laboring to keep off rodents and insects from damaging the crops. All these, the natives probably did not do. His commitment and investment now increased God’s concern to make the farm it wonderful harvest of hundreds of hundreds. This translates to concluding that every good yields attract first, greater investment. Greater farmers, investors, academicians and manufacturers spent days and nights, money and energies to turn out quality and quantity harvests.
In the churches, we have people with different shades of harvest. Some are always seen harvesting bountifully at all side. At the other end is seen people struggling with everything they do. Major reason behind this is how much of the word of God they believed in and agree to work with. The way we hear God’s words, believe in the words and run with the words determine how blessed or cursed we get from the same words. This is what the Parable of the Sower Jesus told in Matthew 13: 1 – 8, 18 – 24 illustrated. Many heard teaching of Holy Ghost baptism but refuse receiving, and left without the blessings of the Holy Spirit. Others ever vehemently refuse to tithe or sow seed of faith. Others still see giving to the poor as great waste of recourses. These are seed they sow to themselves. To these people dryness, lack and poverty are seen around them all the time. In speech, what we say and how we say it is seed sowing. If word is spoken well and positively good reaping follows, anything otherwise brings up regret. The Bible says: – “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin” (Proverbs 13: 3).
It will be important to point out here that God is generous with the number of hours and days allotted to mankind. He gave us equal time, seasons and days. Those who invest their times, seasons and days positively ever come out reaping bountiful harvests. But those who waste their times, seasons and days frivolously end up having no harvest to reap. We must move from desiring financial and business breakthrough to investing our quality and quantity times, knowledge and executions of our plans fruitfully to reap bountiful harvests. This is why The Preacher says: – “The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich” (Proverbs 13: 4 NKJV). No one harvests good yields from a farm planted but not tended to properly. The beloved, how do you spend your times every day? How have you painstakingly invested your skills, talents, knowledge etc. with an aim of good harvest return? Whatever we sow is what we reap!
PRAYER:
JEHOVAH my FATHER, give me diligent Spirit and Divine Wisdom to know how to invest my time, knowledge, skills and talents fruitfully so as to reap bountiful harvest all around!
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch