“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows…. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal 6:7,9 NIV).
In the Word of God, you’ll find many applications of the principle of seedtime and harvest or sowing and reaping. Usually when people talk about seedtime and harvest, it’s in conjunction with giving money. But did you know you can sow your entire life into the work of God’s Kingdom!
For instance, you can seed your time in service to God. When you give God your time, you receive a harvest of blessing in return on your time. You might not be able to figure out how it happens, but when you put God first – fellowshipping with Him and giving of your time for His service – you’ll discover that you have more time to do other things!
You can also sow your talent to help in the work of the Lord. Your talent may be painting, cleaning, organizing, or something else. But whatever it is, you can get involved in your local church and your community using the talents God gave you to be a blessing to others.
Some people sit around saying, “If I could only do this or that, then I’d get involved.” No, they wouldn’t. If they won’t get involved with what they already have to give, then they wouldn’t get involved if they had the extra finances, special talents, or whatever else they might think they need.
I like what Peter said to the lame man at the gate called Beautiful. Peter said, “Such as I have, give I unto thee” (Acts 3:6). Well, you may not feel you have a lot to offer, but you can be like Peter and decide, “That which I do have, I’m going to give!”
Now there’s something else you need to know when it comes to seedtime and harvest: you can’t just get tired and quit sowing! If you stop sowing, you won’t receive your full harvest of reward!
I meet people all the time who have the attitude, I’ve worked faithfully in the church, and I’ve given for years. Now it’s my time to sit on the bench. No, it’s never time to sit on the bench. It’s time to sow more of your time, money, and talents into the work of God than ever before. Paul said, “Don’t become weary in well-doing, because you will reap a harvest at the proper time if you don’t give up” (Gal. 6:9)!
Seedtime and harvest is a law that God set into motion, and it works the same way in the spiritual realm as it does in the natural. There is a time to plant, and then there is a time to harvest. You can’t expect to sow or plant today and reap an abundant harvest overnight. Why? Because it doesn’t work that way. There’s a time lapse between the time you sow and the time you reap.
Some time back, the Lord began dealing with me about giving in every offering – whenever an offering bucket goes by – and I teach that to the RHEMA Bible Church congregation. You see, when we continually sow our finances into God’s Kingdom, we cut down on the waiting time between harvests. So after a while, money will start coming back on every wave, so to speak, because we’re giving on a consistent basis.
You see, friend, you can’t out-give God! Whatever you give to God – whether it’s your money, your time, or your talents – you can always expect to receive an abundance of blessings in return. So develop a lifestyle of sowing your best into the Kingdom of God, and you’ll reap a great harvest of reward all the days of your life!
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
Rev. Hagin began preparing for his call to ministry—a ministry that now spans 50 years—at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Faith Theological Seminary in Tampa, Florida.
In his early years of ministry, Rev. Hagin was an associate pastor and traveling evangelist. Later, he went on to organize and develop RHEMA Bible Training Centers in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and in other countries around the world.
Kenneth W. Hagin’s array of responsibilities also includes International Director of RHEMA Ministerial Association International. He hosts the annual A Call to Arms® Men’s Conference, and with his wife, Lynette, cohosts RHEMA Praise, a weekly television program, and Rhema for Today, a weekday radio program broadcast throughout the United States. They also conduct Living Faith Crusades, spreading the message of faith and healing around the world.
Recognizing the lateness of the hour before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rev. Hagin has expanded his speaking schedule beyond his regular pastoral duties. To fulfill the urgent call of God to prepare the Church for a deeper experience of His Presence, Rev. Hagin delivers messages that reveal key spiritual truths about faith, healing, and other vital subjects. He ministers with a strong healing anointing, and his ministry leads the Body of Christ into a greater experience of the glory of God!
Kenneth W. Hagin and his wife live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the son of the late Kenneth E. Hagin.