WEBVTT

1
00:00:02.430 --> 00:00:03.129
<v Speaker 1>Hey, everybody.

2
00:00:03.330 --> 00:00:06.960
<v Speaker 2>Welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Well, we're talking about

3
00:00:07.080 --> 00:00:07.740
<v Speaker 2>your money.

4
00:00:08.039 --> 00:00:08.560
<v Speaker 1>That's right.

5
00:00:08.779 --> 00:00:13.500
<v Speaker 2>We're continuing a powerful series called Financial Fit. Rick is

6
00:00:13.619 --> 00:00:16.780
<v Speaker 2>opening God's Word and showing us how to manage what

7
00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:20.750
<v Speaker 2>we've been given with wisdom, faith, and purpose. And I

8
00:00:20.829 --> 00:00:24.469
<v Speaker 2>know if you apply these biblical principles, you'll start to

9
00:00:24.550 --> 00:00:29.070
<v Speaker 2>experience true financial freedom and lasting peace. Well, what do

10
00:00:29.089 --> 00:00:31.289
<v Speaker 2>you say we wrap it up with the final part

11
00:00:31.309 --> 00:00:34.969
<v Speaker 2>of a message called The Laws of Sowing and Reaping?

12
00:00:35.390 --> 00:00:38.719
<v Speaker 1>Now, here's the next law, number six. I always reap

13
00:00:39.219 --> 00:00:44.100
<v Speaker 1>more than I sow. This is always true for good

14
00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:47.530
<v Speaker 1>or for bad, positively or negatively in your life. You

15
00:00:47.570 --> 00:00:51.670
<v Speaker 1>will always reap more than you sow. This is the

16
00:00:51.729 --> 00:00:57.009
<v Speaker 1>principle of multiplication. If I take one kernel of corn

17
00:00:57.700 --> 00:00:59.920
<v Speaker 1>and I plant that one kernel of corn in the ground,

18
00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:03.539
<v Speaker 1>I don't get one kernel of corn back. I get

19
00:01:03.579 --> 00:01:07.090
<v Speaker 1>a corn stalk. And on that corn stalk, I get

20
00:01:07.230 --> 00:01:10.650
<v Speaker 1>multiple ears and on each of those ears I get

21
00:01:10.969 --> 00:01:16.489
<v Speaker 1>hundreds of kernels. This is the exponential power of the

22
00:01:16.549 --> 00:01:21.299
<v Speaker 1>seed principle that God has established the universe to handle.

23
00:01:21.859 --> 00:01:24.480
<v Speaker 1>That you always get more out of it than you

24
00:01:24.540 --> 00:01:28.060
<v Speaker 1>put into it because what you sow you're gonna reap

25
00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:31.379
<v Speaker 1>but you always end up reaping more. Now in the

26
00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.700
<v Speaker 1>parable of the soils, Jesus points this out. And in

27
00:01:35.060 --> 00:01:37.900
<v Speaker 1>Mark chapter four, Verse eight, he says, some seed fell

28
00:01:37.980 --> 00:01:41.840
<v Speaker 1>on good soil and it came up and it grew

29
00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:46.890
<v Speaker 1>and it produced a crop, multiplying 30, 60, and even

30
00:01:46.890 --> 00:01:50.189
<v Speaker 1>100 times. And he's saying here, you know, not all

31
00:01:50.230 --> 00:01:52.629
<v Speaker 1>your plants bear the same fruit. Some of them are

32
00:01:52.650 --> 00:01:56.230
<v Speaker 1>30-fold increase and some are a 60-fold increase, some a

33
00:01:56.250 --> 00:02:00.290
<v Speaker 1>100-fold increase. But it's true in any area of your life.

34
00:02:01.109 --> 00:02:03.269
<v Speaker 1>And if you think that if you go out and

35
00:02:03.310 --> 00:02:06.079
<v Speaker 1>you do one gossip, you're gonna get one gossip back,

36
00:02:06.219 --> 00:02:10.360
<v Speaker 1>you're kidding yourself. You go out and gossip somebody, you're

37
00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:14.259
<v Speaker 1>now in the chain. You're now in the gossip chain,

38
00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:16.969
<v Speaker 1>and you're gonna get more against you than you put out.

39
00:02:18.310 --> 00:02:23.349
<v Speaker 1>It's why I never, never attack back on my attackers. Why?

40
00:02:23.629 --> 00:02:26.409
<v Speaker 1>I don't wanna get caught in the chain. So no

41
00:02:26.430 --> 00:02:28.650
<v Speaker 1>matter what anybody says to me, I don't want to

42
00:02:28.689 --> 00:02:30.490
<v Speaker 1>say anything bad back then, because if I do, I

43
00:02:30.509 --> 00:02:32.250
<v Speaker 1>know what's going to happen. I'm going to reap more

44
00:02:32.270 --> 00:02:36.129
<v Speaker 1>than I sowed. I'm not about to let that one happen.

45
00:02:36.349 --> 00:02:37.949
<v Speaker 1>What I want to do is the exact opposite. I

46
00:02:37.990 --> 00:02:39.849
<v Speaker 1>want to bless them. I want to pray for them.

47
00:02:40.229 --> 00:02:42.330
<v Speaker 1>The Bible says pray for those who persecute you. Bless

48
00:02:42.370 --> 00:02:46.500
<v Speaker 1>those who criticize you. Love your enemies. Why? Because that's

49
00:02:46.539 --> 00:02:50.199
<v Speaker 1>what I want back. I want love back. I want

50
00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:53.500
<v Speaker 1>blessing back. And so whatever you give out, it's not

51
00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:57.460
<v Speaker 1>one for one. And it works positively or negatively in

52
00:02:57.500 --> 00:03:01.610
<v Speaker 1>your life. Now here's the next principle, number seven. I

53
00:03:01.669 --> 00:03:07.020
<v Speaker 1>can increase my harvest by planting more seed. I can

54
00:03:07.060 --> 00:03:12.310
<v Speaker 1>increase my harvest by planting more seeds. more seed. This

55
00:03:12.370 --> 00:03:16.349
<v Speaker 1>is the law of proportion, that we always reap in

56
00:03:16.469 --> 00:03:19.349
<v Speaker 1>proportion to what we sow. And if I sow a

57
00:03:19.409 --> 00:03:21.210
<v Speaker 1>bunch of seed, I'm gonna get a bunch of crops.

58
00:03:21.270 --> 00:03:23.110
<v Speaker 1>If I sow a little seed, I get a little crop.

59
00:03:23.370 --> 00:03:27.090
<v Speaker 1>If I sow no seed, I get no crop. Now

60
00:03:27.110 --> 00:03:30.789
<v Speaker 1>this is true in giving, it's true in tithing, it's

61
00:03:30.830 --> 00:03:34.189
<v Speaker 1>true in energy expenditure, it's true in talent, it's true

62
00:03:34.229 --> 00:03:36.629
<v Speaker 1>in intelligence, it's true in every area of your life,

63
00:03:36.889 --> 00:03:40.689
<v Speaker 1>that I can increase my harvest by planting more seed.

64
00:03:41.289 --> 00:03:46.020
<v Speaker 1>Second Corinthians chapter nine says this. Now remember this. Whoever

65
00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:52.569
<v Speaker 1>sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. And whoever sows generously

66
00:03:53.050 --> 00:03:58.490
<v Speaker 1>will also reap generously. In other words, that's proportion. Now,

67
00:03:58.669 --> 00:04:01.689
<v Speaker 1>each one should give what he has decided in his

68
00:04:01.789 --> 00:04:06.840
<v Speaker 1>heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God

69
00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:10.520
<v Speaker 1>loves a cheerful giver. Now, this particular passage happens to

70
00:04:10.539 --> 00:04:13.139
<v Speaker 1>be talking about money as a seed. It's more than

71
00:04:13.180 --> 00:04:16.569
<v Speaker 1>just money. But in here, it's talking about giving, and

72
00:04:16.589 --> 00:04:19.769
<v Speaker 1>it's basically saying you can't outgive God. And I've told

73
00:04:19.790 --> 00:04:21.550
<v Speaker 1>you my story on that many times. I don't have

74
00:04:21.569 --> 00:04:24.889
<v Speaker 1>to cover that one again. You cannot outgive God. You

75
00:04:24.910 --> 00:04:26.930
<v Speaker 1>play a game with God, God says, Rick, you give

76
00:04:26.949 --> 00:04:28.389
<v Speaker 1>to me and I'll give to you and we'll see

77
00:04:28.430 --> 00:04:32.310
<v Speaker 1>who wins. And the more you sow, the more you're blessed,

78
00:04:32.360 --> 00:04:36.100
<v Speaker 1>the more you reap. And God loves a cheerful giver.

79
00:04:36.139 --> 00:04:37.620
<v Speaker 1>I think I've told you this before, the Greek word

80
00:04:37.660 --> 00:04:41.939
<v Speaker 1>there for cheerful is the word hilarious in Greek. We

81
00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:45.079
<v Speaker 1>get the word hilarious from. Why? Because God loves your

82
00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:47.870
<v Speaker 1>heart attitude. God doesn't need your money. He wants what

83
00:04:47.889 --> 00:04:52.060
<v Speaker 1>it represents, your heart, your attitude. Now, What is a seed?

84
00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:54.420
<v Speaker 1>If I can plant more seed and get more harvest,

85
00:04:54.459 --> 00:04:58.000
<v Speaker 1>what is a seed? A seed is anything that I

86
00:04:58.060 --> 00:05:03.709
<v Speaker 1>value that I give it away. If I give wisdom away,

87
00:05:04.110 --> 00:05:07.790
<v Speaker 1>then I get more wisdom back. If I give love away,

88
00:05:08.050 --> 00:05:12.269
<v Speaker 1>I get more love back. If I give my energy away,

89
00:05:12.589 --> 00:05:17.910
<v Speaker 1>I get more energy back. If I give my money away,

90
00:05:18.230 --> 00:05:22.029
<v Speaker 1>God makes sure I get more back. If I give

91
00:05:22.089 --> 00:05:25.800
<v Speaker 1>my time away, I get more back. People say, I

92
00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:28.839
<v Speaker 1>don't have time to help other people. That's your problem.

93
00:05:29.639 --> 00:05:32.500
<v Speaker 1>Whatever you need more of, you need to give away.

94
00:05:32.519 --> 00:05:34.899
<v Speaker 1>You say, I don't have enough time to give what

95
00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:37.019
<v Speaker 1>I need to. Give some of it away. Start serving

96
00:05:37.110 --> 00:05:40.730
<v Speaker 1>unselfishly in some area where you're not getting paid back.

97
00:05:40.970 --> 00:05:43.529
<v Speaker 1>It's just a free for all free gift of your time.

98
00:05:44.370 --> 00:05:46.709
<v Speaker 1>A free gift of your energy. a free gift of

99
00:05:46.750 --> 00:05:50.649
<v Speaker 1>your wisdom, and you take on a younger person and

100
00:05:50.670 --> 00:05:53.089
<v Speaker 1>you start to mentor them, and you don't have time

101
00:05:53.129 --> 00:05:56.069
<v Speaker 1>to do that, but you do it because what you give,

102
00:05:56.329 --> 00:06:00.240
<v Speaker 1>you're gonna get back. The seed is anything that I sow,

103
00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:02.300
<v Speaker 1>that I give away, I let go of instead of

104
00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:05.980
<v Speaker 1>holding it onto myself. Now this law of generosity, as

105
00:06:06.060 --> 00:06:08.959
<v Speaker 1>I said earlier, it works for anybody. It even works

106
00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:12.100
<v Speaker 1>for unbelievers. That's why a lot of businessmen have actually

107
00:06:12.180 --> 00:06:14.199
<v Speaker 1>used the principles of the Bible who are not believers

108
00:06:14.250 --> 00:06:18.149
<v Speaker 1>in Jesus Christ. But if you run your business with

109
00:06:18.189 --> 00:06:22.529
<v Speaker 1>integrity and with generosity and with humility and on the

110
00:06:22.569 --> 00:06:26.980
<v Speaker 1>laws of the harvest, you're gonna be blessed. See, the

111
00:06:27.009 --> 00:06:30.639
<v Speaker 1>law of gravity doesn't just work for Christians. It works

112
00:06:30.660 --> 00:06:35.019
<v Speaker 1>for everybody. And the law of magnetism doesn't just work

113
00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:37.339
<v Speaker 1>for believers, it works for everybody. And the laws of

114
00:06:37.379 --> 00:06:40.149
<v Speaker 1>the harvest, the laws of sowing and reaping work for anybody,

115
00:06:40.850 --> 00:06:43.839
<v Speaker 1>whether they're a believer or not. And you can actually

116
00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:45.720
<v Speaker 1>see them in some self-help books by people who have

117
00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:50.899
<v Speaker 1>no interest in God. Here's the general principle, Proverbs 11, 24.

118
00:06:50.899 --> 00:06:55.990
<v Speaker 1>I love this, the message paraphrase. The world of the

119
00:06:56.110 --> 00:07:00.629
<v Speaker 1>generous gets larger and larger, but the world of the

120
00:07:00.730 --> 00:07:05.639
<v Speaker 1>stingy gets smaller and smaller. And we'll cover that when

121
00:07:05.660 --> 00:07:08.079
<v Speaker 1>we get to the laws of investing. But number eight,

122
00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:15.079
<v Speaker 1>number eight, is it's time to start planting now. The

123
00:07:15.180 --> 00:07:20.230
<v Speaker 1>time to start planting is now. It all starts as

124
00:07:20.310 --> 00:07:23.410
<v Speaker 1>a seed, nothing happens until the seed's planted. Whatever I

125
00:07:23.449 --> 00:07:26.449
<v Speaker 1>sow is what I'm gonna reap. I'm always gonna reap

126
00:07:26.490 --> 00:07:29.230
<v Speaker 1>more than I sow and I can increase the harvest

127
00:07:29.269 --> 00:07:32.360
<v Speaker 1>by planting more seed, but the time to plant is now.

128
00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:36.470
<v Speaker 1>You don't wait for a better time. The sooner, the better.

129
00:07:36.490 --> 00:07:39.370
<v Speaker 1>I talk to people all the time who think, one

130
00:07:39.410 --> 00:07:42.790
<v Speaker 1>of these days, I'm going to, and then they have

131
00:07:42.810 --> 00:07:47.990
<v Speaker 1>their idea. When I retire one day, or when I

132
00:07:48.029 --> 00:07:51.970
<v Speaker 1>get to a certain economic level, then I'm gonna start giving.

133
00:07:52.350 --> 00:07:55.319
<v Speaker 1>Or when I, this happens, then I'm going to, and

134
00:07:55.339 --> 00:07:58.000
<v Speaker 1>you have, one of these days is none of these days.

135
00:07:59.339 --> 00:08:02.199
<v Speaker 1>The point is, you don't wait for things to get better.

136
00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:05.519
<v Speaker 1>You start planning now, why? Because the sooner you plant,

137
00:08:06.939 --> 00:08:09.480
<v Speaker 1>the longer you're gonna have the harvest in the rest

138
00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:13.399
<v Speaker 1>of your life. I've mentioned this in every session in

139
00:08:13.420 --> 00:08:17.139
<v Speaker 1>this series on financial fitness. The law of compounding interest

140
00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:21.160
<v Speaker 1>is the single most powerful force on the planet. That

141
00:08:21.300 --> 00:08:26.449
<v Speaker 1>mathematical law of compounding interest. And if you start saving

142
00:08:26.509 --> 00:08:29.269
<v Speaker 1>as a young person, and you put little by little away,

143
00:08:29.610 --> 00:08:32.049
<v Speaker 1>it multiplies, and by the time you get out there,

144
00:08:32.110 --> 00:08:35.049
<v Speaker 1>it's really big. It's small at the start, but it

145
00:08:35.100 --> 00:08:38.600
<v Speaker 1>starts a J curve. And if the sooner you start

146
00:08:38.679 --> 00:08:43.679
<v Speaker 1>planting seeds, the sooner you're gonna start reaping the harvest.

147
00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:48.840
<v Speaker 1>Now notice this verse, what Solomon said, Ecclesiastes chapter 11.

148
00:08:48.980 --> 00:08:53.100
<v Speaker 1>Those who wait for perfect weather will never plant seeds.

149
00:08:54.350 --> 00:08:56.809
<v Speaker 1>And those who look at every cloud, like the stock

150
00:08:56.850 --> 00:09:01.940
<v Speaker 1>market report, will never reap a harvest. Why? Because perfection

151
00:09:02.039 --> 00:09:07.039
<v Speaker 1>paralyzes potential. How many of you would agree, if you

152
00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:11.240
<v Speaker 1>wait for perfect conditions, you never get anything done? It's obvious.

153
00:09:11.820 --> 00:09:14.850
<v Speaker 1>It's obvious. So whatever you're gonna start doing, start doing

154
00:09:14.870 --> 00:09:18.629
<v Speaker 1>it now. Now's when you need help. Start planting now.

155
00:09:19.690 --> 00:09:22.870
<v Speaker 1>Look at the next verse. Ecclesiastes 11, six. Do your

156
00:09:22.929 --> 00:09:26.149
<v Speaker 1>planting in the morning. Oh, and in the evening too.

157
00:09:27.070 --> 00:09:30.259
<v Speaker 1>Because you never know whether it will all grow well

158
00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:33.720
<v Speaker 1>or whether one planting will do better than the others.

159
00:09:33.740 --> 00:09:36.820
<v Speaker 1>Now we're gonna come back in a future session and

160
00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:39.039
<v Speaker 1>deal with this verse again in the laws of investing.

161
00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:41.220
<v Speaker 1>But he said you should be planting all the time,

162
00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:44.169
<v Speaker 1>everywhere you go, every day. Think of what seeds am

163
00:09:44.210 --> 00:09:47.909
<v Speaker 1>I gonna plant today? What seeds of love? What seeds

164
00:09:47.970 --> 00:09:50.649
<v Speaker 1>of grace? What seeds of money? What seeds of energy?

165
00:09:50.690 --> 00:09:53.789
<v Speaker 1>What seeds of wisdom? How can I plant in other

166
00:09:53.809 --> 00:09:56.860
<v Speaker 1>people's lives You get up every day and just think,

167
00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:59.549
<v Speaker 1>I'm a farmer today. And I'm gonna be a farmer

168
00:09:59.570 --> 00:10:00.879
<v Speaker 1>at the grocery store store, and I'm gonna be a

169
00:10:00.940 --> 00:10:02.840
<v Speaker 1>farmer at work, and I'm gonna be a farmer at school,

170
00:10:03.080 --> 00:10:05.419
<v Speaker 1>and I'm gonna plant good seeds everywhere, because if I

171
00:10:05.460 --> 00:10:07.879
<v Speaker 1>plant them all, some of that stuff's gonna pop up

172
00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:13.370
<v Speaker 1>and crop in 30-fold. Look at the next verse, 2

173
00:10:13.370 --> 00:10:19.179
<v Speaker 1>Corinthians 9, verse 10. who supplies seed to the farmer

174
00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:20.940
<v Speaker 1>and bread to eat. By the way, where's all the

175
00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.379
<v Speaker 1>seed come from? It comes from God. The seed that

176
00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:26.850
<v Speaker 1>the farmer has comes from God. For God who supplies

177
00:10:26.909 --> 00:10:29.269
<v Speaker 1>seed to the farmer and bread to eat will give

178
00:10:29.330 --> 00:10:32.070
<v Speaker 1>you more and more seed. Give you more and more

179
00:10:32.149 --> 00:10:35.690
<v Speaker 1>seed to plant and will make it grow so that

180
00:10:35.730 --> 00:10:39.889
<v Speaker 1>you can give away more and more fruit from your harvest.

181
00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:44.240
<v Speaker 1>Now this verse is a promise about being generous with money.

182
00:10:45.389 --> 00:10:48.460
<v Speaker 1>But it applies more than to just money. The more

183
00:10:48.509 --> 00:10:50.980
<v Speaker 1>you give away, the more you're gonna get back. This

184
00:10:51.059 --> 00:10:54.519
<v Speaker 1>is the law of the harvest. And one of the

185
00:10:54.580 --> 00:10:58.340
<v Speaker 1>things that seeds are, are our words. You need to

186
00:10:58.360 --> 00:11:01.259
<v Speaker 1>start thinking of your words as seeds. And when you

187
00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:04.710
<v Speaker 1>say words, you plant them in the minds of your children.

188
00:11:05.549 --> 00:11:08.009
<v Speaker 1>You plant them in the minds of your friends. You

189
00:11:08.049 --> 00:11:10.970
<v Speaker 1>plant them in the minds of your spouse. And they

190
00:11:11.009 --> 00:11:14.250
<v Speaker 1>are going to grow and they are going to bear fruit.

191
00:11:14.850 --> 00:11:18.149
<v Speaker 1>And what you sow, you're going to reap. So let

192
00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:21.799
<v Speaker 1>me ask you, are you really watching your words? You

193
00:11:21.820 --> 00:11:24.519
<v Speaker 1>better say them wisely because every word is a seed.

194
00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:28.240
<v Speaker 1>And so I have to ask myself, am I sowing

195
00:11:28.299 --> 00:11:34.820
<v Speaker 1>seeds of trust or distrust when I speak? Am I

196
00:11:34.919 --> 00:11:38.980
<v Speaker 1>sowing words of kindness or am I sowing words of meanness?

197
00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:44.009
<v Speaker 1>Anger and apathy? Am I sowing words that build up

198
00:11:44.230 --> 00:11:48.600
<v Speaker 1>or am I planting words that tear down? Why, why

199
00:11:48.629 --> 00:11:51.700
<v Speaker 1>is that important? Because I will reap what I sow

200
00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:56.759
<v Speaker 1>and so will you. Now it's interesting that the Bible

201
00:11:56.820 --> 00:12:03.070
<v Speaker 1>says that having spiritual conversations with other people, is planting seeds.

202
00:12:03.129 --> 00:12:05.789
<v Speaker 1>The Bible calls it that. That when you share your

203
00:12:05.870 --> 00:12:08.610
<v Speaker 1>faith with an unbeliever, when you talk to your neighbor,

204
00:12:08.990 --> 00:12:10.710
<v Speaker 1>when you talk to a friend, when you talk to

205
00:12:10.730 --> 00:12:14.120
<v Speaker 1>somebody at work about the Lord, every time you share

206
00:12:14.169 --> 00:12:17.799
<v Speaker 1>your faith, God says, that's planting a seed, and you're

207
00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:23.460
<v Speaker 1>gonna bear fruit from it. God calls this spiritual seed planting,

208
00:12:23.539 --> 00:12:27.200
<v Speaker 1>spiritual sowing. There are many, many scriptures that talk about

209
00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:30.240
<v Speaker 1>the fact that the more I talk to other people

210
00:12:30.299 --> 00:12:33.340
<v Speaker 1>about Jesus, the more seeds I am planting and the

211
00:12:33.379 --> 00:12:36.600
<v Speaker 1>more harvest I'm gonna have. Look at this verse on

212
00:12:36.620 --> 00:12:39.940
<v Speaker 1>the screen. Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 9 11.

213
00:12:39.940 --> 00:12:43.179
<v Speaker 1>Reaping a material harvest is appropriate if we have sown

214
00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:48.799
<v Speaker 1>spiritual seed among you. He's making this point loud and clear.

215
00:12:49.629 --> 00:12:52.570
<v Speaker 1>that I'm gonna reap a benefit from talking to other

216
00:12:52.610 --> 00:12:57.429
<v Speaker 1>people about the Lord. Now there's one other principle, and

217
00:12:57.450 --> 00:13:00.809
<v Speaker 1>it is this. To reap the harvest, I must be

218
00:13:00.909 --> 00:13:06.409
<v Speaker 1>patient and not give up. To reap the harvest that

219
00:13:06.450 --> 00:13:10.049
<v Speaker 1>God wants me to have, I must be patient and

220
00:13:10.110 --> 00:13:12.909
<v Speaker 1>not give up. Why? Because remember, there's always a delay

221
00:13:12.970 --> 00:13:16.629
<v Speaker 1>between sowing and reaping. You plant in one season and

222
00:13:16.669 --> 00:13:21.480
<v Speaker 1>you harvest in another. The principle that we're talking about today, friends,

223
00:13:22.700 --> 00:13:25.399
<v Speaker 1>is a kingdom principle. It's one of the principles that

224
00:13:25.419 --> 00:13:28.019
<v Speaker 1>the kingdom of God operates on. Jesus said it like

225
00:13:28.059 --> 00:13:31.450
<v Speaker 1>this in Mark chapter 4. This is what the kingdom

226
00:13:31.470 --> 00:13:34.190
<v Speaker 1>of God is like. He said, this is what the

227
00:13:34.210 --> 00:13:37.730
<v Speaker 1>kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on

228
00:13:37.769 --> 00:13:42.240
<v Speaker 1>the ground. And night and day, whether he's sleeping or

229
00:13:42.250 --> 00:13:44.360
<v Speaker 1>he gets up, the seed sprouts and grows. It grows.

230
00:13:45.190 --> 00:13:46.590
<v Speaker 1>He says, you know what, regardless of what he's doing,

231
00:13:46.610 --> 00:13:48.809
<v Speaker 1>he's planted it, now it's still growing, he's not even there,

232
00:13:48.950 --> 00:13:51.809
<v Speaker 1>though he doesn't know how. He can't even figure it out.

233
00:13:52.309 --> 00:13:56.840
<v Speaker 1>All by itself, the soil produces grain. First the stalk,

234
00:13:57.639 --> 00:14:02.419
<v Speaker 1>then the head, then the full kernel in the head.

235
00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:05.259
<v Speaker 1>And what's he saying there? He's saying the results will come,

236
00:14:05.340 --> 00:14:08.889
<v Speaker 1>and they will come slowly, and they will come systematically,

237
00:14:08.970 --> 00:14:11.029
<v Speaker 1>and they will come in a process. I don't have

238
00:14:11.070 --> 00:14:12.870
<v Speaker 1>time to unpack all the meaning of this verse, but

239
00:14:12.889 --> 00:14:15.610
<v Speaker 1>he is saying it takes time. And because it takes time,

240
00:14:15.629 --> 00:14:19.480
<v Speaker 1>look at the next verse. We must not become tired

241
00:14:19.509 --> 00:14:25.179
<v Speaker 1>of doing good. We will reap a harvest at the

242
00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:31.259
<v Speaker 1>right time if we do not give up. Now I

243
00:14:31.259 --> 00:14:34.600
<v Speaker 1>want you to circle the word will. We will reap

244
00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:38.279
<v Speaker 1>a harvest, that's a promise. Not we might, not we shall,

245
00:14:38.590 --> 00:14:41.929
<v Speaker 1>not we hope, not we wish. We will reap a

246
00:14:41.990 --> 00:14:48.139
<v Speaker 1>harvest at the right time, if we do not give up.

247
00:14:48.529 --> 00:14:54.070
<v Speaker 1>You gotta hang on, and while you're waiting, God is working. Now,

248
00:14:54.389 --> 00:14:58.299
<v Speaker 1>as your pastor, who loves you, let me just say

249
00:14:58.340 --> 00:15:03.139
<v Speaker 1>this to you heart to heart. You gotta forget about

250
00:15:03.179 --> 00:15:07.539
<v Speaker 1>last year's crop failure. Because there's nothing you can do

251
00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:12.470
<v Speaker 1>about it. You've had many years of crop failure in

252
00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:15.450
<v Speaker 1>your life. You have wasted years, and so have I.

253
00:15:15.750 --> 00:15:19.950
<v Speaker 1>You have wasted words, and so have I. You have

254
00:15:20.009 --> 00:15:24.690
<v Speaker 1>wasted money, and so have I. You have wasted relationships,

255
00:15:25.049 --> 00:15:28.870
<v Speaker 1>and so have I. You have wasted goodwill in people's lives,

256
00:15:28.990 --> 00:15:32.860
<v Speaker 1>and so have I. And you can't do anything about

257
00:15:33.009 --> 00:15:36.019
<v Speaker 1>the crop failures of the past. You're gonna have to

258
00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:40.299
<v Speaker 1>learn to live with the consequences of your failures. And

259
00:15:40.340 --> 00:15:45.200
<v Speaker 1>there are consequences to everything. But what you've gotta do

260
00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:51.269
<v Speaker 1>is you've gotta start focusing on the long-term harvest in

261
00:15:51.309 --> 00:15:58.009
<v Speaker 1>your life, not the short-term pleasure. The long-term harvest. I

262
00:15:58.070 --> 00:16:01.330
<v Speaker 1>can help you change by applying the scriptures to your life,

263
00:16:01.490 --> 00:16:03.720
<v Speaker 1>but you can't do it overnight. You didn't get the

264
00:16:03.750 --> 00:16:07.879
<v Speaker 1>way you got financially overnight. You took years getting messed up.

265
00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:12.980
<v Speaker 1>And it's gonna take a while getting it undone. Now

266
00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:15.679
<v Speaker 1>some of you, your finances are in such a mess,

267
00:16:17.220 --> 00:16:20.980
<v Speaker 1>it's probably brought tears to your eyes. And you could probably,

268
00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:23.360
<v Speaker 1>if you were honest, admit that you have sat with

269
00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:27.899
<v Speaker 1>your wife or your husband and teared up a little

270
00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:31.759
<v Speaker 1>bit and thought, how are we gonna make this? We

271
00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:34.090
<v Speaker 1>are not making it. In fact, we're going in reverse.

272
00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:37.129
<v Speaker 1>In fact, it's getting worse. We're worse off than we

273
00:16:37.149 --> 00:16:41.789
<v Speaker 1>were a year ago, and it's brought some grief. Well

274
00:16:41.809 --> 00:16:44.009
<v Speaker 1>let me give you a verse and give you a promise.

275
00:16:44.029 --> 00:16:50.750
<v Speaker 1>Psalm 126. Let those grief tears water the seeds you

276
00:16:50.809 --> 00:16:56.629
<v Speaker 1>plant now. Those who plant in tears, Psalm 126, those

277
00:16:56.690 --> 00:17:00.700
<v Speaker 1>who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.

278
00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:05.160
<v Speaker 1>They weep as they go out to plant their seed,

279
00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:13.220
<v Speaker 1>but they sing as they return with the harvest. What

280
00:17:13.369 --> 00:17:21.789
<v Speaker 1>loss has you grieving? What lack has you grieving? What

281
00:17:21.910 --> 00:17:28.650
<v Speaker 1>need have you been grieving over? Maybe you lost your job.

282
00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:37.519
<v Speaker 1>Maybe you lost a loved one. Maybe you lost your savings.

283
00:17:39.630 --> 00:17:41.980
<v Speaker 1>Maybe you lost half of your retirement in the last

284
00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:48.160
<v Speaker 1>couple years. Maybe you lost your dream. Maybe you lost

285
00:17:48.200 --> 00:17:57.640
<v Speaker 1>your marriage. Maybe you lost your health. Mourning is okay.

286
00:17:58.539 --> 00:18:06.240
<v Speaker 1>Moaning is not. Big difference. Mourning is okay. Grief is

287
00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:11.880
<v Speaker 1>a legitimate response to loss. Grief is good. Jesus said,

288
00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:16.609
<v Speaker 1>blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.

289
00:18:16.910 --> 00:18:19.470
<v Speaker 1>If you let your mourning, your grief, turn you to God,

290
00:18:19.730 --> 00:18:24.339
<v Speaker 1>it's a good thing. Moaning is not. What's moaning? It's

291
00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:28.380
<v Speaker 1>when you're griping and you're whining and you're complaining to

292
00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:30.660
<v Speaker 1>God all the time, Lord, I don't have work, I

293
00:18:30.700 --> 00:18:33.569
<v Speaker 1>don't have money, I don't, and God's saying, are you

294
00:18:33.609 --> 00:18:39.150
<v Speaker 1>planting any seeds? Or are you just gonna complain? What

295
00:18:39.190 --> 00:18:41.710
<v Speaker 1>are you waiting on? You're not waiting on me. You

296
00:18:43.329 --> 00:18:45.069
<v Speaker 1>can pray all you want. You need to go plant

297
00:18:45.089 --> 00:18:48.130
<v Speaker 1>some seeds. Whatever you need more of, you need to

298
00:18:48.190 --> 00:18:56.000
<v Speaker 1>give away. Let's bow our heads. I want you to

299
00:18:56.039 --> 00:19:02.250
<v Speaker 1>pray this prayer in your heart. Dear God, I have

300
00:19:02.269 --> 00:19:05.609
<v Speaker 1>learned some new things about how the universe operates today.

301
00:19:08.329 --> 00:19:12.329
<v Speaker 1>I realize that everything starts as a seed. It may

302
00:19:12.369 --> 00:19:15.849
<v Speaker 1>be a word, it may be a seed of money,

303
00:19:16.069 --> 00:19:19.630
<v Speaker 1>it may be a seed of energy, a seed of reputation,

304
00:19:19.690 --> 00:19:24.380
<v Speaker 1>a seed of wisdom, but nothing happens until that seed

305
00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:28.789
<v Speaker 1>is planted. unless the grain is buried in the ground,

306
00:19:28.990 --> 00:19:34.799
<v Speaker 1>it cannot reproduce. I realize that whatever I sow is

307
00:19:34.859 --> 00:19:37.859
<v Speaker 1>what I will reap, and I've often sowed one thing

308
00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:41.299
<v Speaker 1>and wanted to reap the opposite, and that's not gonna happen.

309
00:19:44.009 --> 00:19:47.670
<v Speaker 1>I've given out negative and wanted positive. That's not gonna happen.

310
00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:53.460
<v Speaker 1>Today I realize that I'm not the only sower and

311
00:19:53.500 --> 00:19:59.549
<v Speaker 1>that I have been reaping both blessings and problems from

312
00:19:59.589 --> 00:20:03.809
<v Speaker 1>people who went before me and people who are around me.

313
00:20:07.150 --> 00:20:10.750
<v Speaker 1>But I can make a choice. and I can choose

314
00:20:10.809 --> 00:20:16.430
<v Speaker 1>to plant good seed. Forgive me for all the times

315
00:20:16.470 --> 00:20:18.410
<v Speaker 1>I've been in a hurry. Help me to realize and

316
00:20:18.450 --> 00:20:21.569
<v Speaker 1>remember that I reap in a different season than I sow,

317
00:20:22.670 --> 00:20:24.490
<v Speaker 1>that there's a time to plant and there's a time

318
00:20:24.539 --> 00:20:30.140
<v Speaker 1>to harvest and that while I'm waiting, you're working. Help

319
00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:33.440
<v Speaker 1>me to remember when I start to speak that I'm

320
00:20:33.539 --> 00:20:37.950
<v Speaker 1>always gonna reap more than I sow. And make sure

321
00:20:37.970 --> 00:20:40.049
<v Speaker 1>that it's good seed that comes out of my mouth.

322
00:20:42.930 --> 00:20:46.119
<v Speaker 1>Help me to realize that I can increase my harvest

323
00:20:46.170 --> 00:20:50.640
<v Speaker 1>by planting more seed. Lord, I want to learn to

324
00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:56.240
<v Speaker 1>be financially generous more every year of my life. I

325
00:20:56.279 --> 00:20:58.380
<v Speaker 1>want to give away more every year. I don't want

326
00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:04.119
<v Speaker 1>to be stingy. I want to be generous. That's scary

327
00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:06.619
<v Speaker 1>to me. But I want to learn to trust you.

328
00:21:08.500 --> 00:21:10.119
<v Speaker 1>And I have to admit, Lord, that I have been

329
00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:15.680
<v Speaker 1>too afraid to tithe. And I've been too afraid to

330
00:21:17.269 --> 00:21:21.049
<v Speaker 1>give away my love to some people. And I've been

331
00:21:21.089 --> 00:21:23.930
<v Speaker 1>too afraid to show who I really am to others.

332
00:21:26.630 --> 00:21:28.839
<v Speaker 1>Help me to realize that the time to start planting

333
00:21:28.920 --> 00:21:32.720
<v Speaker 1>is right now. There are never gonna be any perfect conditions.

334
00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:37.380
<v Speaker 1>I'm gonna start planting today. And I want to plant

335
00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:39.190
<v Speaker 1>in the morning and the evening and every day I

336
00:21:39.210 --> 00:21:42.710
<v Speaker 1>want to look as I go out to work or

337
00:21:42.730 --> 00:21:47.450
<v Speaker 1>to school and I just want to be a seed

338
00:21:47.470 --> 00:21:52.670
<v Speaker 1>planter everywhere I go. While I'm waiting, help me to

339
00:21:52.710 --> 00:21:58.259
<v Speaker 1>be patient and not give up. To claim the promise

340
00:21:59.880 --> 00:22:03.039
<v Speaker 1>that we must not become tired of doing good but

341
00:22:03.059 --> 00:22:05.240
<v Speaker 1>we will reap a harvest at the right time if

342
00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:09.859
<v Speaker 1>we do not give up. Jesus Christ, I need you

343
00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:15.160
<v Speaker 1>to be the manager of my life, finances, and everything else.

344
00:22:16.200 --> 00:22:18.470
<v Speaker 1>And I want to love you and trust you, and

345
00:22:18.529 --> 00:22:21.329
<v Speaker 1>I want to obey your laws even when I don't

346
00:22:21.369 --> 00:22:32.450
<v Speaker 1>understand them. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. You know,

347
00:22:32.490 --> 00:22:35.079
<v Speaker 1>if you just prayed that prayer for the very first time,

348
00:22:36.059 --> 00:22:39.299
<v Speaker 1>or you just recommitted your life to Jesus again today,

349
00:22:39.619 --> 00:22:42.329
<v Speaker 1>would you let me know about it? There's something real

350
00:22:42.369 --> 00:22:46.769
<v Speaker 1>about sharing your commitment. So write me, Rick, at PastorRick.com

351
00:22:46.809 --> 00:22:49.910
<v Speaker 1>and say, Rick, I prayed that prayer of commitment. I

352
00:22:49.990 --> 00:22:52.309
<v Speaker 1>gave my life to Christ. And I'll send you some

353
00:22:52.349 --> 00:22:55.930
<v Speaker 1>material that'll help you on your journey with Jesus. And

354
00:22:55.970 --> 00:22:58.150
<v Speaker 1>I'll also pray for you. God bless you.

355
00:23:01.900 --> 00:23:05.339
<v Speaker 2>Wow, some powerful words from Pastor Rick today. And now

356
00:23:05.420 --> 00:23:08.220
<v Speaker 2>this is really one of my favorite parts of the broadcast.

357
00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:11.559
<v Speaker 2>This is letters from our listeners. And now here's Rick.

358
00:23:11.819 --> 00:23:14.079
<v Speaker 1>Hi, everybody. Today I want to read part of a

359
00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:18.279
<v Speaker 1>letter that I received from June, who is a prisoner

360
00:23:18.619 --> 00:23:22.480
<v Speaker 1>that was given a second chance by God. He wrote this.

361
00:23:23.220 --> 00:23:27.250
<v Speaker 1>I'm a prisoner here in the National Penitentiary serving my sentence.

362
00:23:27.970 --> 00:23:30.529
<v Speaker 1>I came to know the Lord inside myself 13 years ago.

363
00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:36.529
<v Speaker 1>And now I'm serving the Lord as an inmate pastor. Rick,

364
00:23:36.609 --> 00:23:40.049
<v Speaker 1>I always use your Daily Hope preaching and devotionals in

365
00:23:40.130 --> 00:23:43.950
<v Speaker 1>sharing the words of God to my fellow prisoners. And

366
00:23:44.049 --> 00:23:46.829
<v Speaker 1>I see people come to the Lord in many, many ways.

367
00:23:47.789 --> 00:23:50.380
<v Speaker 1>You know, before I was in prison and I came

368
00:23:50.420 --> 00:23:53.680
<v Speaker 1>to know the Lord, I was a high-ranking police officer.

369
00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:57.759
<v Speaker 1>And I was about to commit suicide because of the

370
00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:02.009
<v Speaker 1>numerous charges filed against me. But when God saved me

371
00:24:02.309 --> 00:24:07.150
<v Speaker 1>physically and spiritually, my journey in prison became the most

372
00:24:07.289 --> 00:24:11.710
<v Speaker 1>wonderful vessel used by God to manifest his love to me.

373
00:24:12.710 --> 00:24:16.230
<v Speaker 1>He never leaves me nor forsakes me and may his

374
00:24:16.309 --> 00:24:20.210
<v Speaker 1>name always be glorified. Thank you, Pastor Rick. You're an

375
00:24:20.299 --> 00:24:25.000
<v Speaker 1>inspiration and encouragement to all of us. Well, June, it's

376
00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:28.400
<v Speaker 1>amazing to know your story and to hear that you're

377
00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:31.450
<v Speaker 1>using The Daily Hope message is to teach your fellow

378
00:24:31.589 --> 00:24:35.259
<v Speaker 1>inmates about Jesus Christ. That is fantastic. I couldn't be

379
00:24:35.319 --> 00:24:39.319
<v Speaker 1>more happy. They need to hear that God gives second chances.

380
00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:41.480
<v Speaker 1>They need to hear that he still has a plan

381
00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:44.680
<v Speaker 1>and purpose for their lives, even though they're in prison.

382
00:24:44.980 --> 00:24:48.420
<v Speaker 1>Your story is a great reminder that any one of

383
00:24:48.519 --> 00:24:53.589
<v Speaker 1>us can use what we learn through Daily Hope, podcasts, devotionals,

384
00:24:53.890 --> 00:24:56.470
<v Speaker 1>and we can take these things and teach others about

385
00:24:56.529 --> 00:25:02.130
<v Speaker 1>God's grace and forgiveness. and unconditional love. Keep it up,

386
00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:03.640
<v Speaker 1>my friend. God bless you.

387
00:25:03.980 --> 00:25:06.559
<v Speaker 2>You know, I share Pastor Rick's Daily Hope all the time.

388
00:25:06.779 --> 00:25:08.920
<v Speaker 2>And whether it's a friend or someone you meet in

389
00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:12.680
<v Speaker 2>a restaurant, everyone needs hope and encouragement from the Bible

390
00:25:12.839 --> 00:25:15.599
<v Speaker 2>every day. So tell the people you know and love

391
00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:18.640
<v Speaker 2>about Daily Hope. Be sure to join us next time

392
00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:20.660
<v Speaker 2>as we look into God's.

393
00:25:20.339 --> 00:25:21.940
<v Speaker 1>Word for our daily hope.

394
00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:25.359
<v Speaker 2>This program is sponsored by Pastor Rick's Daily Hope and

395
00:25:25.480 --> 00:25:27.500
<v Speaker 2>your generous financial support.

396
00:25:33.480 --> 00:25:34.200
<v Speaker 1>Thank you.
