WHATEVER YOUR NEED PLANT A SEED!
By Doug Pierce
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat (a seed) fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” John 12:24
WHATEVER YOUR NEED PLANT A SEED!
Several years ago I was in Anacoco, LA preaching a revival. I had preached all week and would be heading home after the final service that Friday night. As I was getting packed up so I could leave right after the service, I thought I’d get gassed up and be ready to go. I looked in my wallet and all I had was 11 bucks! (This was before debit cards). I thought, “Well…that won’t fill my tank so I can get home! What am I gonna do?” I knew the church would pay me for coming, but it’d probably be a check. That’s when the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “Why don’t you trust me for the gas money?” I prayed, “Ok, Lord…You meet my need! I’m trusting You!” After I prayed, He spoke to my heart again and said, “Give away what you have!” I said, “Ok, Lord…I’ll do it, but who do I give it to?” I loaded my truck and went on to the church a little early. I went inside and placed the 11 bucks in one of the offering plates in the sanctuary. About that time, a lady came in (who was saved that week) and we talked for a moment. Then she went in the back. I knew from talking with her that week she was very poor. It seemed the Lord impressed upon me to give her the money but not let her know it. I saw her Bible where she’d left it. I walked over and planted that money in her Bible like it was seed. As I walked away, it seemed the devil whispered, “Now what are you gonna do? You don’t even have a penny!” I’ll tell you what I did. I started looking for a miracle! Every hand I shook before and after the service, I was expecting gas money to be in it! I think I shook everybody’s hand at church that night at least once…some of them… maybe twice, lol! But no gas money! It wasn’t until I was about to leave the church, a couple walked up to me and said, “Bro Doug, You’ve been a blessing to us this week! We knew the church would pay you, but we felt the Lord wanted us to give you a little extra!” And they handed me 6 twenty dollar bills! WOW! Then another lady walked up and gave me a big basket of fried chicken! Now what would a preacher possibly like better on the ride home than to devour a load of FRIED CHICKEN?! Praise God! He is FAITHFUL! I had a need and planted a seed!
GET THE SEED OUT OF THE BARN!
I love the question the Lord challenged His people with in Haggai 2:19 when He asked them, “Is the seed yet in the barn?” In other words, “What are you waiting on? Do your part! Start planting and trust me to bring the harvest. But I’ll not bless you till you step out by faith and plant the seed!” Get the seed out of the barn!
GOD IS WAITING ON YOU!
Maybe you think you’re waiting on God. You think you’re waiting on God for that job. You think you’re waiting on God for a spouse. You think you’re waiting on God to save your loved one or friend. You think you’re waiting on God to meet a financial need. But God says, “You think you’re waiting on me? I’m waiting on you! I’m waiting for you to plant a seed.” Sowing and reaping is not limited to just finances. It can be in any area of our lives where we have a need. Everything in life starts as a seed: a relationship, a marriage, a business, a church. And nothing happens until the seed is planted.
WHY DOES GOD REQUIRE YOU TO PLANT A SEED?
Because planting is an act of faith. You take what you’ve got and you give it away. That takes faith and it brings glory to God!
Jesus described the principle of sowing and reaping in our verse for today. He was explaining why he came to earth to die on the cross. In John 12:24 Jesus said, “Except a corn of wheat (a seed) fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Jesus was saying, “People will be saved and go to heaven because of my death and resurrection. I’m going to plant a seed, and the seed is going to be my life.” Here’s the principle of sowing and reaping: Whenever you have a need, plant a seed! Whatever you need—more time, more friends, more money, more support, more wisdom—just plant a seed. If you need more time, give more time to your kids. If you want more friends, plant seeds of being friendly to others (Prov.18:24). If you need more money, give some away to someone who needs it. If you need more wisdom, share what wisdom you have with others. If you want God to use you to help someone get saved, you must plant the seed of His Word in their heart (Psalm 126:5-6).
Give your faith away! It may not make sense to you to give away something that you need more of, but that is exactly the kind of attitude that God wants to bless and that will produce fruit in your life. Listen to the promise of Jesus in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” What’s that mean? You can’t out give God! He honors faith! GET THE SEED OUT OF THE BARN! Seed is no good to a farmer sitting in the barn! Plant the seed of God’s Word and watch Him work!
Think it over . . .
Doug Pierce is a Church planter and a pastor. In 2003 he started, and continues to pastor First Independent Methodist Church in Madison, Mississippi. His #1 priority is to glorify God in all aspects of ministry. He does this through teaching his congregation to Love God, Love One Another, and Love Others to God. Prayer, outreach, and church growth through evangelism are vital parts of his ministry. He and his wife Suzanne live in Madison, Mississippi where they also enjoy their children and grandchildren. To find out more about Doug‘s ministry visit the FIMC Website
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