WEBVTT 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:11.439 Hey, I'm Steve Holt, the senior pastor of The Road at Chapel Hills. 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:12.880 This is the Road Podcast. 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:14.080 Thanks for joining us. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:17.600 My heart is to empower you to change the world. 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:20.480 I hope this message impacts you. 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:27.359 So we're on part three. 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:29.120 Just turn to Isaiah 60. 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:38.960 And I just want to, for a moment, look at Isaiah 60, verse 5, and then I wanted to talk about tonight, and then we're going to go into baptisms, and that's the main thing tonight. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:44.079 I want to talk about a principle that I've guided my life on. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:49.039 And I and I've taught on it before, but it's been a long time. 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:53.759 So for some of you, you probably don't even remember, and for others, you've never heard it. 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:58.079 But Isaiah 60, we've been talking about arise and shine. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:00.880 That's our theme for 2022. 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:03.039 Let me read it again, starting in verse 1. 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:07.920 Arise, shine, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:14.079 And so, first principle is this idea that if you will arise and shine, God's glory will shine upon you. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:24.959 And what we mean by that is his weight, the weight of his glory, his splendor will be upon you, and that through that splendor, wherever you go, people will sense it. 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:29.760 And that it's weightiness, it's maturity, it's being a person of substance. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:37.840 And I shared how when you're not mature, when you don't walk with that glory of the Lord upon you, you're a shallow person. 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:46.079 And actually, literally in the Hebrew, the counter to the weightiness of the Kabbat, the glory of God, means lightness. 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:47.439 It means shallowness. 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:55.680 And so God wants to make you a deep person, a person who thinks deeply about things, and that the glory of God can shine through you. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:59.840 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the people. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:03.680 But the Lord will arise over you and his glory will be sent upon you. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:06.799 That it's the light of the church. 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:08.400 We're the light of the world. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:12.879 I mean, Christ said he was the light of the world, but he also said you are the light of the world. 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:20.960 So you are the light, and you're the reflection of his glory wherever you go, especially in darkness. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:28.639 And the darker the environment, the greater the light, the brighter the light that you bring. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:33.280 The Gentiles shall come to your light, and the kings to the brightness of your rising. 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:43.360 We talked about how God's using the road, and he will use us in greater measure in 22 to influence leaders in our county and in our city. 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:46.000 Lift up your eyes all around and see. 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:48.479 They all gather together, they come to you. 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:53.759 Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:56.000 And this was our main point last night. 00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:58.319 That God's going to bring families together. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:03.199 He's going to bring reconciliation among sons and daughters and prodigals. 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:13.360 And this place, you know, the night before and then last night, Pat, as many of you are so hungry to see God do mighty things in your family. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:14.960 He's going to do that. 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:22.879 If you will arise and shine, he's prophetically telling us, I'm going to bring massive reconciliation in families. 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:24.719 That's what he wants to do this year. 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.360 And then we came to verse 5 last night. 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:40.159 Then you shall see him become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy, because the abundance of the sea, which shall be turned to you, and the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:54.800 And I shared, you know, about the wealth of this church and how many of you have are becoming well, you're being blessed financially and emotionally and spiritually in your life because you're following Jesus. 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:57.840 And the closer you follow Jesus, the more radiant you become. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:03.039 The more radiant you become, the more I think God is attracted to who you are. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:10.080 And so I believe there's going to be a surprise of financial windfall and financial blessing this year. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:14.479 And it goes totally in the face of what they're saying. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:26.079 Totally in the face of what we're facing right now with the most inflation and the highest inflation in 35 years in our nation and the shutdowns and everything that's happened. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:27.279 It's been amazing. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:29.680 Our church has been blessed. 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:33.680 I mean, I feel like that video that I shared with you guys about the Amish. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:39.600 The Amish was sitting, we just love the fact she's talking to the reporter, if you didn't hear me last night. 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:44.720 He's talking to the reporter and he says, there's three things we we Amish don't like. 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:51.600 We don't like your health care, we don't like your education, and and what was the other one? 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:53.360 We don't like your government. 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:53.920 Yeah. 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:58.560 And then he said, and then he said, and we just love that you guys shut down everything because we didn't. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:04.560 And we're just making so much money with all the people that are coming to us because you guys are all shut down. 00:05:04.800 --> 00:05:07.839 And you know, it's kind of been like that in our church. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.160 So many of you did not shut down. 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:12.000 As best you could, you stayed open. 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:14.319 You've worked hard, and we've done very, very well. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:16.959 Not everybody, not everybody, but most have. 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:18.720 Do you remember when I put out that edict? 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:21.279 I said, look, we're gonna bless you guys at Christmas. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:22.079 Let us know. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:26.000 We want to find, first, before we give to these other organizations, we want to give to people in church. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:34.079 Hardly anybody, you know, came to us because so many of them were saying, look, we are not gonna receive anything from the church, you know. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:35.360 We're gonna give. 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:47.439 And that's what they did, and we gave over, I found out today it was not$221, but$227,000 we gave to people in need and ministries across the county and the city and stuff last year. 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:55.519 So I want you to turn to Genesis 8, and this is what we're gonna count on tonight. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:00.480 And this is not just about finance, this is about everything in your life. 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:15.600 And in Genesis 8, this is where Noah comes out of the ark, and it's like the first thing God says to him. 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:20.480 So he comes and he makes this altar to the Lord, he sacrifices to the Lord. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:29.199 And in verse 21, it talks about the imagination of man's heart is always evil from his youth. 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:33.279 But then there's this outstanding statement. 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:39.759 And when I remember when I first read this, well, I should say the first time I understood it, because I'd read it many times before. 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:43.199 I really understood it about four or five years ago. 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:46.720 Um, it was pretty revolutionary in my life. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:48.720 Look at verse 22. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:55.680 While the earth remains, so in other words, from now on, I'm not gonna ever flood the earth again. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:58.000 See time and harvest. 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:03.439 Underline that, circle that, box that, highlight that, whatever it is you do. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:14.399 Seed time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night, shall not cease. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:17.839 So, this principle I want to talk about. 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:22.079 I'm gonna call it the kingdom law of seed time and harvest. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:24.000 The kingdom law of seed time and harvest. 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:30.800 It's one of the laws of the kingdom of God that is true in everything. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:35.279 That you harvest from a seed. 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:37.360 And you say like, duh. 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:39.519 But I'm telling you, this is important. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:42.800 Every one of you in this room came from a seed. 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:46.480 Everything in nature comes from a seed. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:50.879 This is really important, you guys, because we forget this. 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:56.240 That there is a kingdom law of seed time and harvest. 00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:02.399 If you sow good seeds, you reap a good harvest. 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:07.920 If you sow bad seeds, you reap a bad harvest. 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:09.360 Now, why is that important? 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:21.040 That's important because sometimes, sometimes, not much in this church, but sometimes with Christians I'm around, they're idiots. 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:28.480 And what I mean by that is they've been sowing bad seeds their whole life. 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:32.000 They start to reap what they've been sowing and they blame God. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:33.919 Now that makes a lot of sense. 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:34.559 Okay? 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:38.159 They take no responsibility for their own life. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:48.799 That's one of the biggest problems, probably one of the biggest signs of maturity is when you can learn to blame yourself for the right things and not blame God for the wrong things. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:52.879 I mean, that's actually that's actually a great mature thing. 00:08:53.039 --> 00:09:01.919 When you start understanding I have a responsibility, and if I'll and if I'll obey God, he actually will bless me. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:04.240 There's a partnership with God. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:14.639 And what I find is that people take credit for the stuff God does, and then they blame God for the stuff they do. 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:18.879 Anyone ever done that in this room? 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:19.519 Okay. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:23.840 If you haven't, that's awesome, but most of us have. 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:25.039 We have, right? 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:30.879 And so this principle or this law always works. 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:33.840 I'm telling you, it always works. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:54.240 The kingdom law of seed time and it works in your finances, it works in your relationships, it works in your marriage, it works in your family, it works in the kind of job you have, seed time and harvest. 00:09:54.720 --> 00:10:00.000 So in Galatians, Paul writes this: Galatians 6, 7 and 9. 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:05.039 Do not be deceived, and the reason he starts off that way is because we're also deceived. 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:12.720 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:18.080 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:23.679 But he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:36.799 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season, and that's a really key word, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:51.120 So everyone has the ability and the promise of a harvest if you're planting your seeds in good soil, and you're planting good seeds in good soil. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:51.679 Okay? 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:54.000 So here I want to talk about a few things. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:55.600 Number one, write this down. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:11:00.960 The kingdom law of seed time and harvest applies to everyone all the time. 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:02.879 Now, there's not many things you can say. 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:06.159 This applies all the time, everybody, it's always true. 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:06.799 It is. 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:11.200 Seed time and harvest applies to everyone all the time. 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:17.519 It has to do with your job that you're working at, it has to do with your marriage, it has to do with your singleness. 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:19.759 You're write this one down to you. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:20.960 This is a good one. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:24.240 You're always one decision away from stupid. 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:27.679 You're always one decision away from stupid. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:35.440 So, you I mean, really, you could do 25 things right and you can do one stupid thing and it just ruins your life. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:37.360 So, like in parenting. 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:39.759 I mean, parenting's really hard. 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:43.519 It's it marriage is really hard, parenting's harder. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:54.399 Because when you get married and you don't have any kids, I mean, seriously, like 50, 60% of your life, you don't even have to see the person because you're at a job or something. 00:11:56.320 --> 00:12:01.279 But then you get home and you've got kids now, and you got decisions to make. 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:05.600 And my wife makes dumb decisions sometimes. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:06.480 All right? 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:09.679 And Steve Holt makes dumb decisions sometimes. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:12.559 And so we and now we have to talk about it. 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:17.919 And because we're messing up our life if we don't start talking about things. 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:22.720 And then the kids don't like the decisions, and the kids don't obey you even when they're good decisions. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:24.960 And so parenting's really, really hard. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:26.960 I mean, it's it's tough, man. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:34.799 Um the reason this is important is because you're always planting seeds in that kit. 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:38.639 So you could do, you could have a great week. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:45.120 Like you just made great decisions, you know, it's pretty joyful and everything, and then you lose it. 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:46.960 I mean, you lose it. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:50.320 You get really angry, and guess what happens? 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:55.519 Everything you did all week gets wiped out because of your anger. 00:12:56.320 --> 00:13:02.799 I mean, anger, I think, is one of the number one biggest problems in parenting. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:07.679 Because kids, they they get scared when you get angry. 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:09.360 You have all the power. 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:14.559 You carry all the power physically, emotionally, and spiritually in their lives. 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:16.799 And everybody here's gotten angry. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.960 Everybody, I mean, as soon as I said that, everyone you're just going, I mean, I know what you're doing. 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:25.039 You're you're just taking off in your head about all the times you've blunt, and you have. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:28.159 So that's why it's important to quickly apologize and everything. 00:13:28.320 --> 00:13:31.679 But but but it's seed time and harvest right there. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:51.759 And you can tell a lot about a husband's treatment, not a hundred percent, not a hundred percent, because some women, you know, they have their own depression issues and stuff, but you can look into the eyes of many a woman and you can see how she's treated at home and vice versa. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:57.759 There's many a lonely man because a woman can't isn't intimate with her husband. 00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:02.080 There's many a lonely woman because a man is angry at home. 00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:04.799 So see seed time and harvest. 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:10.320 Because you're planting seed, that's what you're harvesting in that relationship. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:13.200 It applies to everyone all the time. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:16.559 That's why it's important that we're planting good seeds. 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:20.799 That's why this talk is important to all of us. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:26.559 And when I say all this, it's to say that we've all messed up. 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:28.639 We've all got issues. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:41.360 But if you can start or even begin to grow even deeper in the seeds that you're planting and you're thinking about it, you'll have a great and an awesome harvest in it anyway. 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:48.000 Number two, the kingdom law of seed time and harvest is of the same kind. 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:53.360 The kingdom law of seed time and harvest is of the same kind. 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:59.279 So if you plant spinach, you're not gonna get carrots. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:06.480 If you plant lettuce, you're not gonna get rhubarb. 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.759 If you plant lettuce seeds, you get lettuce plant. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.559 Same kind. 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:19.600 If you sow goodness, you reap goodness. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:23.519 If you sow love, you'll reap love. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:27.279 If you sow bitterness, you'll reap bitterness. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:30.399 You're not gonna sow bitterness and get love. 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:32.879 Never gonna happen. 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:39.200 If you sow discord, you're not gonna reap unity. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:41.840 So why is that important? 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:53.679 It's important because when you look at what's happening in a church, or you look at what's happening in your relationships, and if everywhere you look, there's a lot of discord, somebody's planting discord seeds. 00:15:54.720 --> 00:16:00.720 And you can't control her, and you can't control them, but you can control you. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:09.919 So you've got to ask God to give you power in your heart to plant good seeds. 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:11.840 And you've got good seeds. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.120 You don't know it. 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:17.279 Maybe it's in an area you've never seen good come from, that area. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:18.639 You've got the seed. 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:24.559 You've got everything you need right there from God because He has made you seed time and harvest. 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:27.600 He is not going to leave you alone. 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:30.240 He's not going to not give you what you need. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:35.120 You just don't recognize it because you're in a habit pattern of bad seeds. 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:44.879 And so you go through life scattering seeds of bitterness and discord, and you don't understand why nobody loves you or why you don't have close relationships. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:53.360 And what God's going to do through this talk and through the days ahead in 2022 is you're going to start scattering good seeds, better seeds. 00:16:53.440 --> 00:17:00.320 You're going to start sowing righteousness and holiness and forgiveness and kindness. 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:12.400 You show me a person who sows on a regular basis goodness and kindness and peace, and I'll show you someone that's going to start reaping in due time. 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:14.960 It will not happen overnight. 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:16.559 It does not happen overnight. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:18.799 Sometimes you just have to plug away. 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:21.279 That's what Galatians 6 is saying. 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:25.200 Do not grow weary while doing good. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:27.759 Why did he say that? 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:30.960 Because we grow weary in doing good. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:33.119 Because we do grow weary. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:34.240 We do get deceived. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:36.559 We think everything we've been trying to do is not working. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:37.359 It's not working. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:38.880 No, it will work. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:40.240 It's a farmer. 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.200 You're the farmer. 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:42.559 You're farming the land. 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:48.319 You've got to keep going to the field and watering those plants and keep planting those good seeds. 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:49.519 Don't quit. 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:52.000 You will reap. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:53.119 That's a promise. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:56.319 In due season, you shall reap. 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:00.640 And it's and God's, like we just say, God's always on time. 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:04.640 So it's not, it may not be our timetable, but it's God's timetable. 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:05.920 He's going to work it out. 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:08.799 Keep sowing the kingdom. 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:10.319 You'll reap the kingdom. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:11.039 You will. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:12.160 Don't quit. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.039 Don't give up. 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:16.640 And that's why we need each other because sometimes we we want to quit. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:25.359 Number three, the kingdom law of seed time and harvest always brings multiplication. 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:28.480 It always is multiplied. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.200 So there's gonna be a harvest. 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:35.200 There's a promise of a harvest, and it's always more than what you put in. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:55.759 When you think about a corn kernel, and then the thousands of kernels of corn that come from a cob of corn that comes off of a corn plant that has, I don't know, seven to ten different husks on that plant with thousands in there from one kernel. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:57.519 That's God's way. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:01.440 When you see those birds flower, it's hundreds of birds. 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:10.240 When you look at a pine cone, when you see the pine forest, thousands of trees from that one seed. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:11.599 That's God's way. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:15.839 God's way is always multiplication. 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:20.240 So you're always gonna get more than what you put in. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:22.319 Good or bad. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:26.799 If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:34.319 But if you sow the kingdom, you'll reap a mighty kingdom in your life. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:36.640 And that's true in your finances too. 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:55.119 So 2 Corinthians 9 says, now may he who supply seed to the sower and bread for food supply and multiply the seed you've sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:20:02.240 While you are enriched in everything for all liberality which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:05.440 I mean, this is this is a multiplication. 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:10.640 This is an enrichment verse. 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:21.599 It's saying that God supplies the seed and then God multiplies the seed and then he enriches the fruits of your righteousness in your life. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:38.559 So as you are living a life of the kingdom, and we're learning to plant seeds of the kingdom, you can expect there will be a time where there will be a wave of blessing. 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:40.799 Expect it. 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:44.000 It may be this year, it's gonna happen in your life. 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:44.720 Expect it. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:46.799 It's gonna be a wave of blessing. 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:51.759 You keep pouring into those kids, there will be a wave of blessing. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:58.319 It doesn't mean the enemy's not at work, it doesn't mean there's not spiritual warfare, all that, because it's in due season. 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:01.279 We have to fight for it, we have to battle for it. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:16.400 But the but the kingdom law of seed time and harvest is a reminder to you that if you'll hang in there, you'll not quit, there's gonna be a harvest and it's gonna be more than anything you put into it. 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:18.799 It will multiply. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:21.279 But it always takes time. 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:24.079 It always takes time. 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:26.720 And it doesn't happen, and you have to keep doing it. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.000 You have to keep putting into it. 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:29.519 And same with finances. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:31.839 Finances are the same the same way. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:37.599 And you know, we call it the miracle of compounding interest. 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:40.960 Y'all know the miracle of compounding interest. 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:51.279 So it's it's the idea that your interest on your investment multiplies into the interest of your interest of your interest. 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:56.160 And there's a point of multiplication on your investment. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:57.680 That's why it's good to invest. 00:21:58.559 --> 00:22:05.839 Invest in land and Invest in houses, invest in the stock market, you know, and if you don't know how to do that, then get a good advisor. 00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:13.279 But invest, because there's the the miracle of compounding interest is really crazy. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:23.920 What happens when your finances start multiplying based on the entrance and the interest of the interest of the interest, and it continues to multiply. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:28.160 So, same with goodness, same with love, same with compassion. 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:31.519 That as we start to do that, people start to talk about you. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:46.079 You start to get a reputation as someone that is loving and kind, and so someone else who you never invested in knows about it, and they come to you, or someone who is looking for work or they're looking for a connection. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:50.799 They come to you because they heard you're a good connection, you're a good connector for them. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:57.279 And so your love is starting to multiply out, and now you're getting credit for stuff you never did. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:03.200 Because someone said, Well, he said, and then they said, Oh, you said, and you, I don't know if I say that, I don't remember if I said that. 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:12.000 No, three years ago you said to that guy this, and we did that, and oh my goodness, you can't believe what happened, and they're giving you the credit, and you don't have anything to do with it. 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:17.759 But because you're just a faithful person, you become a faithful person. 00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:21.519 As my grandfather used to say at the kitchen table, he's a good man. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:24.480 And what he meant was that's a trustworthy person. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:29.039 And if you ask my granddaddy about someone else and he didn't say anything, not a good man. 00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:33.440 He would just, he would just say, you know, pass the potatoes. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:36.559 Well that, what about what about Tommy Ailish's dad? 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:38.000 Because you know, I was new to the town. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:39.119 We had moved there. 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:41.440 I was there in the sixth and seventh grade. 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:50.640 So I was making these friends, and it's a small town, it's only about a three to the two the two towns, Batesburg, Leesville, and South Carolina were about 5,000 total. 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:54.480 One high school, one elementary school, one middle school. 00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:56.960 Everybody knew each other, but I didn't because I'm new. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:02.079 But granddaddy's always been there his whole life, and his father's father was there, so every he knew everybody. 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:05.119 So sometimes you'd ask, like, things. 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:08.240 Well, I he'd say, Well, what's happening at school? 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:10.480 What's happening at school? 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:14.720 And I'd say, Um, well, I met this kid today, Tommy Ailish. 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:18.400 Um, you know, oh, Ailish family. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:20.480 Yeah, granddaddy, what about him? 00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:22.480 Pass the potatoes. 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:27.839 Might not be someone you want to be friends with, you know. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:34.000 But if he said he's a good man, or he said Tommy's father's a good man, you knew that was a trustworthy person. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:37.680 He was having he had a harvest in his life of a good reputation. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:40.880 Let's close with Malachi 3. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:44.319 So Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:49.440 So this is really talking about seed time and harvest, and it's financial. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:55.359 It's talking about financial blessings and how we get financial blessings in our life. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:58.559 And I've tried to follow this with my life. 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:02.480 When I teach on this, I call it the Malachi miracle. 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:10.640 And it's then it's talking about the miracle of compounding interests, except it's spiritual, the spiritual interest of God. 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:18.799 Verse 8, well, a man robbed God, but you say you've robbed me, but you say, in what way have we robbed you, in tithes and offerings. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:25.519 So he's saying that when you don't tithe 10% of his blessing back to him, you're robbing God. 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:27.359 Well, that's that's not smart. 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:30.240 Everybody say that's not smart. 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:32.559 I mean, it's not smart to rob God. 00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:37.279 You can rob the IRS. 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:40.000 I don't care if you rob the IRS. 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:42.000 That's between you and the IRS. 00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:46.799 I'm not the IRS, but I am a pastor. 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:51.839 So it kind of matters if you rob God because he sort of has all the blessings. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:54.160 I think it's something like 8%. 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:56.160 Maybe it's higher than that. 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:58.400 It's some low percentage of people tithe. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:25:59.039 10%. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:04.160 I think it's like the average is like 2% that people actually give to the Lord. 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:06.319 Everybody say that's dumb. 00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:08.880 I mean, this is God, folks. 00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:15.039 I I think God wants to bless me. 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:16.480 I really believe that. 00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:19.119 And I believe he wants to bless me in every area. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:20.480 So don't do that. 00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:21.680 Not that's not smart. 00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:23.200 Because here's what he says. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:27.039 You're cursed with a curse, for you've robbed me. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:30.720 Even this whole nation has robbed me. 00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:34.880 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that they may be food in my house. 00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:51.279 He means his church, and try me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you such blessing that there will be no room enough to receive it. 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:53.359 That's pretty big blessings, you guys. 00:26:53.599 --> 00:27:05.039 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts. 00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:06.720 Isn't that awesome? 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:09.359 God will protect you. 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:14.079 God will bless you as you give your seed. 00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:19.599 He says, keep 90%, but give 10% to me, and watch what I'll do. 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:26.160 Watch if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out a harvest in your life. 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:35.680 And when Liz and I left Mountain Springs, I mean, we were seriously looking at like selling our house and stuff. 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:41.359 And so we just got on our face for 40 days. 00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:46.720 And we cried out to God, and God gave us a financial plan. 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.720 He gave us a financial plan. 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:53.039 We clearly heard from him about seed time and harvest. 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:57.440 And the blessings that we've had have been phenomenal. 00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.960 Just amazing. 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:04.240 So, guys, everybody here can do it. 00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:08.160 Everything here, this is not rocket science. 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:10.160 This is obedience. 00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:13.119 This is about being a whole-hearted disciple. 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:14.799 And it is really, really exciting. 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:15.839 I'll tell you what's exciting. 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:21.839 What's exciting is when you're following the law of seed time and harvest and hard times come. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:24.000 That's really when it's exciting. 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:33.119 Because if you've been doing it, you can cry out to God and say, Lord, I've been faithful. 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:39.119 And you say you've got a cattle on a thousand hills, you need to sell some and give me some of that money. 00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:41.519 Because I need a blessing right now. 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:45.599 But some of you can't say that. 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:48.160 Because you've been robbing God. 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:50.720 So when tough times come, what are you going to do? 00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:53.519 Well, God, I've been robbing you for 25 years. 00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:55.599 Um, can you help me out a little bit? 00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:56.799 Robber? 00:28:57.759 --> 00:29:03.599 Wouldn't it be exciting to say, God, I've been, I started here and I've been faithful. 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:08.799 And I, and, and, and it's all yours, and I'm giving it to you, Lord. 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:10.799 And I'm in a pickle. 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:12.640 I'm in a pickle. 00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:15.119 But you know I'm a conduit for the kingdom. 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:19.039 You know as it comes in and some of it's gonna go out, it's gonna get back to you, it's yours. 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:21.759 And so I'm gonna I'm gonna follow your plan. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:23.119 That's a beautiful feel. 00:29:23.359 --> 00:29:29.200 That's a confidence-building feeling when you can cry out to God with a confidence that you've been faithful. 00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:32.400 Everybody go like that if you understand half of what I'm saying. 00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:33.200 All right. 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:35.839 So that's the principle of seed time and arms. 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:39.039 I could, we could go on and on about it, but it's true in everything. 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:43.920 It's true in your emotional world, it's true in your relationships, it's true in parenting. 00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:44.960 So think about it. 00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:51.359 As you go into the new year, think about when I arise and shine, I'm gonna plant good seeds. 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:54.240 I'm gonna plant good seeds this year. 00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:58.160 I'm gonna be an encouragement to my kids and to my wife and to my husband. 00:29:58.240 --> 00:29:59.680 I'm gonna be there for them. 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:04.960 And in due season, not immediately, most of the time, not immediately. 00:30:05.119 --> 00:30:07.680 It's not even immediate in farming. 00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:09.200 It's not immediate. 00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:13.920 You know, you have seasons where you plant, you don't see anything happen on the ground. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:18.640 You can go back out there and you can look, and suddenly there's a little something popping up. 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:22.480 And a little more, and a little more, and a little more, and then there's a harvest. 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:23.599 So it just takes time. 00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:25.359 Everything in life is like that. 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:29.759