Reaping and Sowing
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Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Gal 6:8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one
who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (NIV)
Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do
not give up. (NIV)
Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who
belong to the family of believers. (NIV)
You reap what you sow. (You grow what you plant.) If you plant apples, you will end up picking
apples. If you plant grapes, you will get grapes. But too many people plant one thing and expect to
pick another.
You always reap exactly what you sow. The only time that works differently is when God’s grace
overrides what you have done. For example, if we always reaped what we sowed, then we would all
be lost and bound for hell. But God’s grace has saved us from that.
However, under normal circumstances, you reap what you sow. That means that what you do returns
to you. If you do bad things, then you will get bad things. If you do good things, you will get good
things. If you are mean, people will probably be mean to you. If you are nice, eventually people will
be nice to you. And eventually, God will reward you or punish you.
If you prove you can be trusted, people will trust you. If you prove to be a good worker, people will
hire you. If you prove that you are not a gossip, people will tell you things.
Now this reaping and sowing principle is a spiritual law. If you invest your life in spiritual things, you
will enjoy spiritual things. And the opposite is also true. We are dealing with spiritual truth here.
Ga 6:8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one
who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (NIV)
If you feed your flesh, your flesh will grow. If you feed your spirit, your spirit will grow. Whatever you
feed tends to grow. If you continue to feed sin, then the results of sin will be the result of your life. If
you dwell on temptation, temptation will overtake you. If you follow worldly things, you will become
worldly.
But if you follow spiritual things, think on spiritual things, pursue spiritual goals, then you will become
spiritual. What you feed will grow.
Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do
not give up. (NIV)
Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who
belong to the family of believers. (NIV)
What he is saying here is this – Sometimes we get tired of sowing good things when we don’t get good
things back immediately. But any good farmer knows that it takes time to reap the harvest of the
seeds sown. Keep on planting, watering and waiting. Don’t give up. “At the proper time, we will
reap.” Never give up.
Not only do you reap what you sow, but you reap to the same degree that you sow.
2Co 9:6 But this [I say], He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth
bountifully shall reap also bountifully. (AV)
2Co 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of
necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (AV)
2Co 9:8 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: (AV)
If you sow a little, you will reap a little. If you sow a lot, you will reap a lot. If you plant one tree, how
many trees will you grow? One!
Now he is talking here about financial giving – sowing and reaping – but the principle works in all
areas of life. Now let me say a little about that.
Your attitude toward money is a good indicator of your spiritual condition. Jesus talked a lot about
money and our attitudes towards money. He did that because our attitude toward worldly gain –
money and possessions – reveals our priorities.
The NT tells us many things about this:
“You cannot serve God and mammon.”
“The love of money is the root of all evil.”
“The love of the world is enmity (opposition) with God.”
“They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare (trap), and into many foolish and hurtful lusts.”
“… think that godliness is a means to financial gain - man of God, flee from all this.”
But, on the other hand:
“Give and it shall be given you.”
“Give to him who asks of you.”
“Freely you have received, freely give.”
“Put your treasures in heaven.”
“Give cheerfully.”
Now maybe you want to start out small and test this thing. That’s okay. But remember, if you sow
small, you will reap small. So, be prepared and watch closely.
Finally, you reap after you sow – not before.
Ec 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
You never reap before you sow. That is impossible. How can you reap a harvest you never planted?
But that’s what many people do. They say, “Okay, Lord. If you give me some money, I will give some
back to you. If you give me a talent, then I will serve you. If you give me a position, then I will use it
for your glory.”
But God says, “Give me something to work with.”
Now I have heard the comment, “We Albanians don’t have much money.” You know, I used to hear
that in America all the time. Someone would say, “Pastor, the ladies are going out to a luncheon, but I
can’t afford to go.” Or, “Pastor, you want me to pay to take this course, but I don’t have any money.”
But do you know what I noticed? Those people who could not afford to go to church functions could
afford 3 packs of cigarettes each day. They could afford to rent movies and video games all week.
But they could not afford to invest in the work of the Lord.
Do you know what I have discovered? People afford whatever is important to them. You don’t have
to have a lot of money to invest in God. You just have to use what you have wisely.
Let me close with this:
Hag 1:2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, `The time has not yet come for the
LORD's house to be built.'" (NIV)
Hag 1:3 Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: (NIV)
Hag 1:4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains
a ruin?" (NIV)
Hag 1:5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. (NIV)
Hag 1:6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You
drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put
them in a purse with holes in it." (NIV)
Hag 1:7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. (NIV)
Hag 1:8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take
pleasure in it and be honoured," says the LORD. (NIV)
I say this to you. Give careful thought to your ways. What are you investing in? Have you put the
Lord’s priority where it should be?
Gal 6:8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one
who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (NIV)
Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do
not give up. (NIV)
Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who
belong to the family of believers. (NIV)
You reap what you sow. (You grow what you plant.) If you plant apples, you will end up picking
apples. If you plant grapes, you will get grapes. But too many people plant one thing and expect to
pick another.
You always reap exactly what you sow. The only time that works differently is when God’s grace
overrides what you have done. For example, if we always reaped what we sowed, then we would all
be lost and bound for hell. But God’s grace has saved us from that.
However, under normal circumstances, you reap what you sow. That means that what you do returns
to you. If you do bad things, then you will get bad things. If you do good things, you will get good
things. If you are mean, people will probably be mean to you. If you are nice, eventually people will
be nice to you. And eventually, God will reward you or punish you.
If you prove you can be trusted, people will trust you. If you prove to be a good worker, people will
hire you. If you prove that you are not a gossip, people will tell you things.
Now this reaping and sowing principle is a spiritual law. If you invest your life in spiritual things, you
will enjoy spiritual things. And the opposite is also true. We are dealing with spiritual truth here.
Ga 6:8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one
who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (NIV)
If you feed your flesh, your flesh will grow. If you feed your spirit, your spirit will grow. Whatever you
feed tends to grow. If you continue to feed sin, then the results of sin will be the result of your life. If
you dwell on temptation, temptation will overtake you. If you follow worldly things, you will become
worldly.
But if you follow spiritual things, think on spiritual things, pursue spiritual goals, then you will become
spiritual. What you feed will grow.
Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do
not give up. (NIV)
Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who
belong to the family of believers. (NIV)
What he is saying here is this – Sometimes we get tired of sowing good things when we don’t get good
things back immediately. But any good farmer knows that it takes time to reap the harvest of the
seeds sown. Keep on planting, watering and waiting. Don’t give up. “At the proper time, we will
reap.” Never give up.
Not only do you reap what you sow, but you reap to the same degree that you sow.
2Co 9:6 But this [I say], He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth
bountifully shall reap also bountifully. (AV)
2Co 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of
necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (AV)
2Co 9:8 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: (AV)
If you sow a little, you will reap a little. If you sow a lot, you will reap a lot. If you plant one tree, how
many trees will you grow? One!
Now he is talking here about financial giving – sowing and reaping – but the principle works in all
areas of life. Now let me say a little about that.
Your attitude toward money is a good indicator of your spiritual condition. Jesus talked a lot about
money and our attitudes towards money. He did that because our attitude toward worldly gain –
money and possessions – reveals our priorities.
The NT tells us many things about this:
“You cannot serve God and mammon.”
“The love of money is the root of all evil.”
“The love of the world is enmity (opposition) with God.”
“They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare (trap), and into many foolish and hurtful lusts.”
“… think that godliness is a means to financial gain - man of God, flee from all this.”
But, on the other hand:
“Give and it shall be given you.”
“Give to him who asks of you.”
“Freely you have received, freely give.”
“Put your treasures in heaven.”
“Give cheerfully.”
Now maybe you want to start out small and test this thing. That’s okay. But remember, if you sow
small, you will reap small. So, be prepared and watch closely.
Finally, you reap after you sow – not before.
Ec 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
You never reap before you sow. That is impossible. How can you reap a harvest you never planted?
But that’s what many people do. They say, “Okay, Lord. If you give me some money, I will give some
back to you. If you give me a talent, then I will serve you. If you give me a position, then I will use it
for your glory.”
But God says, “Give me something to work with.”
Now I have heard the comment, “We Albanians don’t have much money.” You know, I used to hear
that in America all the time. Someone would say, “Pastor, the ladies are going out to a luncheon, but I
can’t afford to go.” Or, “Pastor, you want me to pay to take this course, but I don’t have any money.”
But do you know what I noticed? Those people who could not afford to go to church functions could
afford 3 packs of cigarettes each day. They could afford to rent movies and video games all week.
But they could not afford to invest in the work of the Lord.
Do you know what I have discovered? People afford whatever is important to them. You don’t have
to have a lot of money to invest in God. You just have to use what you have wisely.
Let me close with this:
Hag 1:2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, `The time has not yet come for the
LORD's house to be built.'" (NIV)
Hag 1:3 Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: (NIV)
Hag 1:4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains
a ruin?" (NIV)
Hag 1:5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. (NIV)
Hag 1:6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You
drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put
them in a purse with holes in it." (NIV)
Hag 1:7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. (NIV)
Hag 1:8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take
pleasure in it and be honoured," says the LORD. (NIV)
I say this to you. Give careful thought to your ways. What are you investing in? Have you put the
Lord’s priority where it should be?