“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” (2 Cor. 9:10 ESV)

• Plant the seeds of giving: “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”

(Prov. 11:24-25 ESV) “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35 ESV)

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38 ESV)

• Plant the seeds of the Word of God: “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11 ESV)

“As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (Matt. 13:23 ESV)

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”Isa. 55:10-11 ESV)

• Plant the seeds of righteousness: “The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.” (Prov. 11:18 ESV)

“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hos. 10:12 ESV)

• Plant the seeds of doing good: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Gal. 6:9 ESV)

• Plant the seeds of spiritual things: “If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?” (1 Cor. 9:11 ESV)

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Gal. 6:7 ESV)

God’s rule about seeds

The interesting thing about the above verse is that God has a hard fast rule about seeds. You ALWAYS get what you plant! Period! No exceptions! You will never plant a radish seed and have a turnip sprout from it! Radish seeds will always produce radishes and that’s the same for all seeds. “Don’t be deceived… you reap what you sow.”

Seedtime and harvest shall continue

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Gen. 8:22 ESV

In the above verse are found three words: 1) seed, 2) time, and 3) harvest. God says these shall not cease as long as the earth remains. Seeds take time to grow to bring a harvest. You plant them and then you wait. Eventually, if they have been planted in good soil, given the right amount of water, given fertilizer and receive sunlight, they will produce, in time.

Seeds produce more than planted

“And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him…” (Gen. 26:12 ESV)

When you plant one radish seed, it produces a bunch of radishes, not just one. You get more than you planted. It’s how God blesses. And, the more you plant, the more you get.

To recap

1) You always get the same thing you plant,

2) you get it later, and

3) you get more.

This rule of seed planting and harvest applies to everything you plant.

Therefore…

“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Cor. 9:6 ESV)

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” (Prov. 13:4 ESV)

The slacker vs the diligent

“A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” (Prov. 10:4 ESV)

“Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.” (Prov. 18:15 ESV)

“The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.” (Prov. 12:24 ESV)

A lazy person lacks sense and will end in poverty

“I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” (Prov. 24:30-34 ESV)

Therefore…

“Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.” (Prov. 29:13 ESV)

“For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” (2 Thess. 3:10 ESV)

“Then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.” (Lev. 24:16 ESV)

The rain and the snow come down from heaven

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater…” (Isa. 55:10 ESV)

He did good by giving you rains

“Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:17 ESV

A question

“Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O Lord our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.” (Jer. 14:22 ESV)

Therefore…

“May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth!” (Psalm 72:6 ESV)

“Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.” (Zech. 10:1 ESV)

“Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.” James 5:18 ESV)

“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7:25 ESV)

We were reconciled through His death and saved through His life

“For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!” (Rom. 5:10)

No one can condemn us because Jesus is interceding for us

“Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God--and He is interceding for us.” (Rom. 8:34)

God was pleased to save those who believe

“For since in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” (1 Cor. 1:21)

By grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”(Heb. 2:9)

Therefore…

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 John 2:1)

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 28:29 NIV)

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jer. 29:37 ESV)

“Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jer. 32:17 ESV)

With God all things are possible

“But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matt. 18:26 ESV)

“Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Jer. 17:14 ESV)

God can do all things

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job. 42:2 ESV)

Therefore…

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21 ESV)

“I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.” (Isa. 45:12 ESV)

He is bigger than any problem or challenge you may have

God is the creator of everything! Nothing is beyond His ability or His resources. He can handle any problem you give him, no matter how big!

By Him the world and heavens were made

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1 ESV

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” (Col. 1:16 ESV)

He holds all things together!

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:17 NIV)

Therefore…

“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them…” (Neh. 1:6 ESV)

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Eph. 3:20 NLT)

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 NASB)

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matt. 10:30 NASV)

Is anything too small to ask God to help you with?

What about asking God to help you find a parking place or to find lost car keys? Actually, God is concerned about every care you have, no matter how small! The Bible says He even knows the number of hairs on your head! And, in both the Old and New Testaments He to cast your cares on Him.” Some Bible versions substitute the word “cares” with other words, such as “anxieties”, or “burdens”, or “troubles”, or “worries”. But, what’re Word is used, it is clear that you should cast your concerns on Him, no matter the size.

He will sustain you

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”(Psalm 55:22 NIV)

Because he cares for you!

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 KJV)

Therefore…

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6 ESV)

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15:3 NASB)

God is in your midst

“The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (Zeph. 3:17 NASB)

God fills the heavens and the earth

“Am I a God who is near," declares the LORD, "And not a God far off? "Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?" declares the LORD "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the LORD.” (Jer. 23:23-24 NASB)

“…but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.” (Num. 14:21 NASB)

He is always near

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night," Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day Darkness and light are alike to You.” (Psalms 139:7-12 NASB)

Therefore…

“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18 NASB)

“For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” (2 Chron. 16:9 NASB)

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NASB)

“I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8 NASB)