Sow Your Seed And Reap: Devotion for Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Devotion for Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Topic: Sow Your Seed And Reap               
Text: Genesis 26:12 – 14                         
The instruction God gave Isaac in 26:2, 3 was "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.”
Isaac obeyed and stayed in Gerar (26:6).
He didn’t just stay, waiting for fulfillment of God’s promise.
He sowed in the land where he was a stranger and God blessed him 100 times more than what he sowed.
The blessing attracted envy of his landlords the Philistines (26:7). They made Isaac go out of their country.
Wisdom teaches us to give up our right, and to draw back from contentions. If we are wrongfully driven from one place, the Lord will make room for us in another.
So it was in the case of Isaac.
One thing we should understand in this text is that Isaac didn’t wait for God’s blessings as promised to start manifesting.
He went ahead to do something for himself. It was what he was doing that God blessed and he prospered therein.
God has promised to bless us. But we still have a part to play in bringing the promises to fulfillment. We have to sow our seed. That seed maybe money, training, studies, investment and many other numerous ways.
When God provided manna, He kept them outside and not inside their tent. He could have sent them into their tents but not so because He wanted to teach them that they have a part to play in their blessings.
Again it was to test their obedience. Isaac obeyed God and stayed in Gerar when God blessed him and he prospered.
How obedient are you to God’s instructions?
Food for Thought: Obedience is the very key that opens the door of miracles, blessings and favour
Memory verse: Genesis 26:12
Prayer: Lord help me to obey your instructions and to sow my seed so you will use it to bless me.

Isaac Sowed

My Daily Covenant with God Devotional

Devotion for Saturday January 5

Topic: Isaac Sowed

Text: Genesis 26:12 – 14                           

The instruction God gave Isaac in Genesis chapter 26 verses 2 and 3 was "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.” Isaac obeyed and stayed in Gerar (Genesis 26:6). He didn’t just stay, waiting for fulfillment of God’s promise. He sowed in the land where he was a stranger and God blessed him 100 times more than what he sowed. The blessing attracted envy of his landlords the Philistines (Genesis 26:7). They made Isaac go out of their country. Wisdom teaches us to give up our right, and to draw back from contentions. If we are wrongfully driven from one place, the Lord will make room for us in another. So it was in the case of Isaac. He left without contending with them and that attracted God’s favour the more. This should be a great lesson for us.

One thing we should understand in this text is that Isaac didn’t wait for God’s blessings as promised to start manifesting. He went ahead to do something for himself. It was what he was doing that God blessed and he prospered therein. God has promised to bless us in this New Year. But we still have a part to play in bringing the promises to fulfillment. When God provided manna, He kept them outside and not inside their tent. He could have sent them into their tents but not so because He wanted to teach them that they have a part to play in bringing their blessings to fulfillment. Again it was to test their obedience. Isaac obeyed God and stayed in Gerar when God blessed him and he prospered. How obedient are you to God’s instructions and how prepared are you to obey him this year and beyond?

Food for Thought: How prepared are you to obey God and sow seeds that will last for you?

Memory verse: Genesis 26 v 12

Prayer: Lord, teach me to sow seeds because without sowing my seeds, I will not reap.

Sow What You Wish To Reap

Devotion for Saturday January 6, 2018

Topic: Sow What You Wish To Reap

2 Corinthians 9:6 – 7

An aphorism of Anioma people says that “he who plants unworthy yam in his farm is only deceiving himself.” The secret of reaping abundantly is to sow seeds that are worthy. No wonder Paul wrote: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” Galatians 6:7 and 8. In our text, Paul teaches that alms must be given neither grudgingly, nor with an unwilling mind, or sparingly but cheerfully. Thus he compares generous alms to sowing a seed in the farm which has a plentiful harvest of abundant blessing following it. We should have this in mind as we start our year and as we make plans of how to succeed in life. Our commitment, efforts, investment and input into our career, business and every other thing we lay our hands to do will determine the output we will receive. Don’t think you will have a bountiful harvest this year when you are not willing to sow good seed? Paul says, “Don’t be deceived.” Beloved, what have you planned to sow as seed this year? Where have you planned to sow your seeds? What quality of seed do you want to sow? Do your seeds correspond with what you desire to get as result? Think about these as you begin your year. Sing A&M 335; Abu 200

Food for Thought: He who plants unworthy yam in his farm is only deceiving himself

Memory verse: Galatians 6:7

Prayer: Lord God, may I sow seeds that will bring desired blessings to me this year and beyond in Jesus name. Amen

SOW INTO THE SPIRIT

DEVOTION FOR FRIDAY DECEMBER 9, 2016

Topic: SOW INTO THE SPIRIT       

Text: Galatians 6:5 – 8                        

Sowing and reaping is part of our life; physically and spiritually. We sow through the words of our mouth (our speech/utterance), through what we give and through what we plant. For us to actually benefit from our world and be useful to one another, we need to sow. Sowing is a way of maximizing our gifts and talents. It holds therefore, that we sow seeds, directly and indirectly. Again, it is also a natural law that whatever one sows, he reaps (Galatians 6:7).

Another interesting fact about the consequences of sowing is that we are known by the fruit we bear (Matthew 7:16 & 20). What you sow as seed is what you will definitely get in returns. The life we live is like seed sowing. Some people sow to the flesh, the devil and the world while some others sow to the Spirit. Jesus taught us that where our treasure is there would our heart be also (Matthew 6:21).

Apostle Paul says in our text that flesh yields nothing but corruption. When you sow into the flesh, you will end up reaping greed, selfishness, etc. Its end effect would be destruction because such person can’t please God. His message here is very important for us in this present generation filled with greed and covetousness. How can someone sow to the flesh? See 1 Corinthians 10:6; compare Numbers 11:4 & 34. The flesh, lusts after material/worldly things (Genesis 3:6 & 1 John 2:16). Are these things manifesting in your life? Repent, before it will be too late. Remember what happened to people like Esau, Samson, Judas, etc.

We can sow to the spirit through self-denial (Matthew 10:24) and commitment to the advancement of God’s kingdom with the wealth God has bestowed on us. Can you mention other ways we can sow to the Spirit? Those who want to acquire heaven and earth without investing their wealth for the well-being of others are sowing to the flesh. There are benefits in pleasing God; obeying God and not our flesh. When we please God with our deeds, we are sowing seeds that we will certainly reap in righteousness.

Food for Thought: Sowing in the flesh is carnal indulgence that will end in moral ruin.

Memory verse: Galatians 6 verse 8

Prayer: God, grant me the enabling grace to sow in the spirit and not in the flesh so I will harvest eternal life in Jesus name. Amen.

SOWING AND REAPING: Devotion for Sunday September 11, 2016

SOWING AND REAPING: Devotion for Sunday September 11, 2016

Text: Ecclesiastics 11:1 – 6       Memory verse: v 6

Sowing does not necessarily mean planting seed only. It is much more than planting. It involves working in a bid to earn a living and giving out what we have in anticipation for something better. It involves investing into something. An example of sowing is investing your time towards the service of God and humanity. When you spend your time in the service of others, you are sowing a seed or making investment. Such investment has rewards that go with it.

So many people are afraid of sowing for so many reasons. Ecclesiastics 11:4 gives insight into reasons why people do not want to sow seed and it is one reason some people don’t pay their tithes too. Tithing and sowing are similar. The wind mentioned in our bible reading for the day could be the house rent, school fees, car maintenance, new clothes, development of a landed property, etc. All these are some of the things people consider and become afraid of sowing seeds or what people consider as more important than sowing a seed.   

Sowing is the only way to reap and to have. You can never reap without sowing. That is very impossible and we cannot avoid sowing seeds because it is what we need to have what we desire. The quality of what you reap is determined by the quality of what you sow as seed. If you sow sparingly, you will certainly reap sparingly. Therefore in sowing, consider these 1. Is what you want to sow, of good quality? Good quality here means what is appreciable. If what you are sowing is not of good quality, you will not reap in good quality (Gal. 6:7–10). 2. Where you sow your seed determines what you will reap at the end (Luke 8:4–8). The best place to sow your seed should be where you will expect reward from God. These include the church (God and His work), the poor, widows, orphans, the destitute, priests, etc (Prov. 19:17). 3. Consider your motive for giving (Matthew 6:1–4). Let it not be to please man, get recognition or in anticipation of a reward from recipients. Summarily, the advice in Eccl. 11:6 should be our guide as we go into the world this week. Sow a seed this week and definitely God will reward you abundantly.

Food for Thought: Certainly, what we sow is what we will reap. If it is sparingly, you will reap sparingly. If you sow bountifully, you will reap bountifully.

Prayer: Lord, may I sow the good seeds always in words and deed. 

ISAAC SOWED: Devotion for Saturday September 3, 2016

ISAAC SOWED: Devotion for Saturday September 3, 2016

Text: Genesis 26:12 – 14           Memory verse: Genesis 26:12     

The instruction God gave Isaac in Genesis 26:2 & 3 was "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.” Isaac obeyed God’s instruction and stayed in Gerar (Genesis 26:6). He didn’t just stay, waiting for fulfillment of God’s promise. In the interim, he sowed in the land where he was a stranger and God blessed him 100 times more than what he sowed. He was not waiting for the death of the Philistines to inherit their blessings. The blessing of God upon him attracted envy of his landlords, the Philistines (Genesis 26:7). They forced Isaac go out of their country. Wisdom and discretion teaches us to give up our right, and to draw back from contentions. That was what David did when Saul went after him. He ran to the Philistines.  If we are wrongfully driven out from one place, the Lord will make room for us in another. So it was in the case of Isaac.

We should understand that Isaac didn’t wait for God’s blessings as promised to start manifesting. He went ahead to do something for himself. It was what he was doing that God blessed and he prospered therein. God has promised to bless us. But we still have a part to play in bringing the promises to fulfillment. When God provided manna, He kept them outside and not inside the tent. He could have sent them into their tents but it wasn’t so because He wanted to teach them that they have a part to play in their blessings. Again it was to test their obedience. Isaac obeyed God and stayed in Gerar when God blessed him and he prospered. How obedient are you to God’s instructions?

Food for Thought: What and where can you sow so as to reap abundantly?

Prayer: As I sow, O Lord, may I reap in abundance in Jesus name. Grant that I will not reap into a leaking pocket in Jesus name.

SOW ALWAYS: Devotion for Thursday November 19, 2015

SOW ALWAYS              Thursday November 19, 2015

Text: Ecclesiastics 11:1 – 6             Memory verse: v 6

Life involves both risk and opportunity. Ecclesiastics 11:4 says, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” There are people who are afraid to sow seeds. They have reasons why they won’t do it. Just as stated here, some consider the wind, the sky, the seed, the condition, their pocket, the need for sowing at all, etc. However, our bible reading advocates liberality without questioning, urging us to give freely, though it may seem thrown away and lost. Again we should give to as many as we can. We should not give excuse for whatever we give is not lost, but well laid out.

Giving (sowing) is our call. Paul stated it in Galatians 6:9. Life Application Notes says, “Solomon does not support a stingy, despairing attitude. Just because life is uncertain does not mean we should do nothing. We need a spirit of trust and adventure, facing life’s risks and opportunities with God- directed enthusiasm and faith.” Do you give and without questions? Give and secure your future by it.

Food for Thought: Sow generously because you are not sure which seed will be the one to bear fruit.

Prayer: God give me the spirit of sowing and grace to do it without questioning why I should do so in Jesus name.

GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED: Devotion for Wednesday October 21, 2015

GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED       Wednesday October 21, 2015

Text: Galatians 6:1 – 10                            Memory verse: v 7

In Luke 16:19 – 31, is the story of an unnamed rich man and Lazarus who had sores all over his body. Lazarus wanted only crumbs from the rich man’s table but the rich man mocked Lazarus as his dog also came and licked his sores till he died. Both received their rewards. The rich man by his action against Lazarus mocked God his creator (Proverbs 14:31; 17:5). Paul warns us in this epistle that we cannot mock God. Mock is to treat something or somebody with scorn or to mimic somebody. He compares charity and Christian bounty to seed sown, and assures us, that the crop we reap shall be answerable, both in quality and kind, and also in measure and degree, to the seed we sow.

We sow seeds through our words and deeds. In this seed-time, we should be mindful of where we sow our seeds. If you sow in the flesh – beauty, sexual satisfaction, worldly affairs, etc, which are ways of mocking God; we will reap same at the end (Galatians 6:8). Beloved, do not mock God by taking his words lightly. Many who tried it are regretting now. Remember Herod, Goliath, Belshazzar, etc. The worst undoing of your life would be to mock God by compromising his word. Beware

Food for Thought: Job 13:9.

Prayer: God, grant that I may sow in the spirit so I can reap eternal life.'