Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1346615
Investing in Our Motorcycle Ministry Marty Edwards It doesn't take a genius to understand that if you put junk gas in your bike it's not going to run right. Furthermore, if you have cheap parts installed by a n incompetent mechanic, that's not going to work out very well either. It's the PRINCIPLE of "garbage in, garbage out." It's the Biblical principle of SOWING and REAPING. To "sow" is to cast seed. (Not to carefully plant one seed at a time, but to cast see ds everywhere! ) It's actually called, "broadcasting." To "reap" is to gather the fruit that came from the sowing. Both the Old and New Testaments were written during agrarian times. Many of the parables and stories speak about livestock and agriculture. Fo r this article we need to unders tand that the principle of "sowing and reaping" applies to more than agriculture. 1. Everything starts with a seed: Human life starts not with an egg, bu t with a seed. Every idea starts with a seed of thought or a dream or a vision. Every mile starts with the investment of a first step. Every relationship or business deal begins with a walk across the room, a handshake and an introduction; and all of those seeds hopefully produce a crop o f desired fruit (results). In most cases , one seed can result in a great deal of fruit. The saying goes, "Anybody can count the seeds in an apple…but only God knows the number of apples in a seed." One or two apple seeds planted are the beginning of a tre e. That tree in turn produces hundreds of apples and thousands of seeds and eventually an entire orchard. Likewise, one word…one handshake…one introduction can lead to much more. The Bible tells us to " n ot despise small beginning s ." (Zechariah). The poor self - image will say, "Oh, my seeds are n't going to produce much! " Consider this: Walt Disney was told he had no imagination! Elvis Presley was told he would be a better truck d river than a singer! Einstein didn't even talk until he was four years old and Michael Jordon was cut from his high - school basketball team. The largest living thing on this planet is a giant redwood tree that is three hundred and eighty feet tall…and it began as a small seed. 2. Nothing happens until a seed is planted : The best fuel, the best spark plugs and the best air cleaner will do our bike s absolutely no good if they are left in a box on the shelf. They have to be installed to make a ny difference. Likewise, The most wonderful seeds in the world, left in the box, will produc e nothing! What if a farmer look s out over his acres… and then looks at the sacks of seed he ha s s pent good money for… maybe even all of his saving s from the previous year… and then de cide s that planting the seeds is too big of a risk? Some might say he is cautious or j ust trying to be a good steward , but I would say he is a fool! 100% of your ideas and dreams will never come to pass unless you start the process by plant ing the seed. So w hy don't people take that first step ? Because planting is a RISK! I t takes an act of faith to let go of those seeds (time, money, energy, ego, fear of failure). The little devils in our brains say: What if I start a business and it fails? What if I tithe to my local church and I starve to death? What if I invest in this r elationship and she rejects me? What if they laugh at me…embarrass me? Jesus took that risk. In the Gospel of John 12:24 Jesus said, " Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it d ies, it produces many seeds." He was talking about his own death on the cross. Two thousand years this side of the crucifixion , we forget that Jesus did not have to go to the cross. He wasn't on auto drive or cru i se control. He could have said, "No" at any time, but He trusted His Father enough to risk it all. The seed (Jesus) had to fall to the ground and die so that our sins would be atoned for and billions of people could have eternal life. 3. What we sow is w hat we reap : Take care of your bike and your bike will take care of you. (You have conscientiously sown good seeds by servicing your motorcycle, changing the tires, etc. Now you can reap the satisfaction of confidence in your machine. Galatians 6:7 - 9 " Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. " To summarize, " What goes around, comes around !" • Sow mercy, reap mercy • Sow judgment, reap judgment • Sow blessing s , reap blessings • Sow curses and be cursed • Sow generosity, reap generosity • Sow trust, reap trust • Sow forgiveness, reap forgiveness • Sow a smile, reap a smile If a drunk gets in a car and drives, he's likely to reap a world of hurt and trouble. If you slap a bull you're going get the horns! Sometimes it's referred to as the Law o f Reciprocity. I'm not so sure that it's so much God's punishment as it is that stupid - evil - selfish - stingy - reckless behavior will produce a n undesirable result. Likewise, loving - generous - thoughtful - prudent behavior will produce a positive return. Jesus said, " Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38 NIV) Give away your life; you'll find life g iven back, but not merely given back — given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity." Now let the farmer in you come out!