THE BIBLE AND SEEDFAITH

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939  E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

THE BIBLE AND SEEDFAITH
Presented by Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Devotional Text: Genesis 8:22

Introduction:

Fundamentally, sowing and reaping are terms used to designate the activities of the farmer. However, through the means of revelation, these terms are today applicable to faith exercise and happily with visible results. The spiritual application of the terms (sowing and reaping) has been designated “seed faith” by biblical scholars. In this context, a given individual may decide to sow or rather give material things (money clothing, etc) in the similitude of a farmer in the faith that God would bring a bountiful harvest.

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)    Seedfaith is the taking of a farmer – like step in planting

financial or economic seeds for later harvest, (Gen. 8:22)

(2)    Seedfaith carries the principle of giving before receiving,(Luke 6:38)

(3)    Seedfaith is the spiritual application of sowing and reaping, (Gal. 6:7)

(4)    Seedfaith requires an appropriate time for harvest, (Gen.8:22)

SOWING VALUABLE SEEDS

        In his article, teaching the Saints How to Handle Money, Bishop Eddie Long remarks that in II Samuel 24:24, David declares that he would not offer God an offering that did not cost him anything. He further says that one’s seed is supposed to be a sacrifice unto God. Giving sacrificially, therefore, means that one;

(i)      Gives one’s best, (Gen. 4:3-4)

(ii)    Gives to God a tenth of one’s income, (Gen. 28:20-22)

(iii)   Gives freely and not out of manipulation, (2 Cor. 9:7)

THE ACTUAL RECEIVER OF OUR SEEDS

        The book of Hebrews teaches us that priests have a command to receive tithe from the people. Chapter 7:8 of the book states that, “here mortal men receive tithes, but there, he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives”. Every offering in the Old Testament depicts something about Christ, which means that every time there is an offering given, it is an offering to Christ. The offering or tithe you give is part of the keys of the Kingdom that releases what is stored up for you in heaven and a way of bringing back from the devil what he has stolen from you. When one gives an offering or tithe on earth, an anointed human vessel receives it, but it has been laid up as a treasure for one in heaven; it goes from the earthly dimension into the heavenly dimension. Therefore, our offerings or seeds must be;

(i)       In God’s honour, (Prov. 3:9)

(ii)    Good sacrifice unto God, (Gen, 4:4)

(iii)   made in anticipation of harvest (Luke 6 :38) 

SEEDFAITH AND PATIENCE

        In Genesis 8:22, right after the flood, God began something new. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and winter and summer, and day and night, shall not cease”. In the natural world, one plants a seed and then allows it to grow before it yields a harvest. The process is the same in sowing spiritual seeds. However, many get discouraged when they plant financial seeds and do not see a harvest immediately. This is not a good attitude. Therefore, in exercising one’s faith in sowing and reaping one must learn to;

(i)                   know that one reaps good harvest when one sows good seeds, ( Gal. 6:7)

(ii)                Wait patiently after seedfaith, ( Heb. 10:36)

(iii)                Understand that there is time to sow and time to harvest, (Eccl. 3:2b).