SOWING A SEED

Turn on any Religious TV channel and every programme seems to telling you that if you want God to bless you, you need to ‘Sow a seed’. What do they mean?

The idea is that by investing in something small you can gain a rich reward. In gardening terms you plant a small seed and in time it grows a thousand fold to produce a tree or plant. The inference is that if you give a little then God will reward you in some way which is greater than the initial investment.

When it is in the context of Christian preaching the ‘seed’ always seems to be an amount of cash. Whether a single payment or a monthly amount the answer is the same, give US some money and WE guarantee God will bless you.

Let me make this as clear as I can if anyone guarantees God’s blessings by asking you to part with money DO NOT under any circumstances give them your money. Sowing a seed is a modern day con, and shame on any so called Christian for promising something which is out of their control. If you are one of those who have given money over then you need to read on and pray about it.

I am in no doubt that the pastors that ‘take part’ and I don’t mean the ones who run it but those who go along to give support to these people will be judged for their part in this wicked scam. As for the organizers who profit directly I can only remember the scripture Hebrews 10:26-31;

26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Not only are they sinning against God but they are also hurting God’s Church, his sons and daughters. In Matthew, Mark and Luke Jesus had something to say about this. Matthew 18:6

6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

It is a fact that God blesses you when you give there is no argument about this. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 tells us;

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

This scripture does relate to money, Paul was reminding the Corinthian’s that they had promised to give money to the Church in Jerusalem, but in doing so he also gave a caution to them that to give is good but only if your heart is in it, if you are doing so willingly otherwise it was a pointless exercise. I also believe he was warning them not to give for receiving sake. The scripture never promised that they would get money back, He says 'all things'.

Equally though God will bless the giver of anything if it is done willingly and for God. People all over the world who don’t have money are not destined to a blessless world, far from it. They can give their time, their homes or car, there’s can be the gift of prayer, love, compassion. All the attributes God loves, which if given to the needy will result in blessings for the giver and receiver.

Unfortunately what these wicked Pastors do is play on the natural side of the Christian, the side which wants to be able to buy their way out of whatever problem they are going though. The idea of a quick fix is always a good crowd puller.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say you can buy a blessing, buy a healing or get rich quick by investing in God. If you could then there would be no sick people, no poor people and definitely no atheists. Remember when Jesus spoke to the rich man, He told him to get rid of all his riches, and the man went away and didn't follow Jesus.

If you want to give then first pray and ask God what He wants, and if it is money then where or who needs it. I have heard of some wonderful miracles about God providing for His own. Pastors who lived by Faith and God provided by touching people to give ‘anonymously’ so the Pastor could eat for another month or pay the petrol so he could visit his congregation. If you come to God with a gift He will use it.

Does God say anything about money, apart from the obvious scripture which is always quoted in 1 Timothy 6:10

10 For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Take a look at Hebrews 13:5 which the prosperity preachers never mention, it would stop them in their tracks if they did.

5 Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.”

What more can you say, yes God will look after you, He may give you money, but money isn’t always the answer and if someone tells you it is they are not speaking on behalf of God. Remember Acts 3:6,7

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.

Peter saw His need, not His wants. God sees our needs over our wants, so don’t get disappointed if God doesn’t make you a millionaire, but gives you a life time of good health. YOU might think you could bless people better with cash, but God sees that with a long life He could use you to bless a nation over the period of your life.

We are not called to be poor, God doesn’t want you to give up all you have, that was a call to the disciples in Jesus day. But don’t fall for the prosperity preaching sweeping the world, telling you that if you don’t have $ and £ then you aren’t in the will of God.

Look at 1 Timothy 6:6-10 which ends with the well known scripture, here God tells us to be content to be happy with what we have. He isn’t saying put up with being poor, He isn’t saying I will never give you anything. He wants you to be different from the world which loves money, which sees money as God.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be there with content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

If I have a message to the prosperity preachers and to the leaders who are getting drawn into the great con of our time then it is this, Gods warning in James 5:3-6

3 Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh in hell. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment.
4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every whim. Now your hearts are nice and fat, ready for the slaughter.
6 You have condemned and killed good people who had no power to defend themselves against you.

Give to God, not man, start with prayer not money and God will do the rest based on how he finds your heart.