Church 2/26/2022
Offertory scripture:
Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord . For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord . For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
Your company is a resource re finances, but God is the source of all financial blessings and provision. Even when there is drought, famine, pestilence, etc, trusting God and not in the world will keep you blessed. The world is fickle—God is consistently faithful.
Sermon message:
Thesis: you will grow if you sow
(Sow: plant a seed)
(Even the world acknowledges this.)
Even the world says to be a giver.
From the world, reasons to be a giver:
You will grow
You will help others
You will attract positive things into your life
You will create compelling relationships with other givers
You will attract success
You will cause change to happen, for you and for others
You will help you
The Bible says the same things:
There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.
Proverbs 11:24-25 - https://www.biblegateway.com/
So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ” So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.
Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
2 Corinthians 9:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 - https://www.biblegateway.com/
Point #1: when you need love, sow love
You already have love because God placed it in you when you received Jesus. Therefore share it with others.
Point #2: when you need joy, sow joy
Don’t let people vomit in your ear; also don’t vomit in other people’s ears
Sow joy—encourage others
Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Let the joy of the Lord which is in you be stirred up. Share joy and you’ll be blessed.
Point #3: When you need more of the fruit of the Spirit sow it
When you share the Gospel, the fruit of the Spirit will grow in you.
Blessers like to hang around blessers.
The world needs the character of God like never before. The fruit of the spirit is the character of God.
Point #4: You have God’s character in you; therefore, sow it.
Sow it — show it. It’ll bless you back.
Point #5: decide today to grow the fruit of God in you
Decide first by receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Doing so will produce that fruit in you. Then decide to produce and multiply that fruit.
Task for this week: “how can I sow?”