The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "SEEDS OF THE GOSPEL" for Thursday, 22 September 2016 with Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

The Upper Room Daily Devotionals in Nashville, Tennessee, United States "SEEDS OF THE GOSPEL" for Thursday, 22 September 2016 with Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6 Here’s the point: he who plants sparingly also harvests sparingly. 7 Each should give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.[2 Corinthians 9:7 Proverbs 22:8 (Septuagint)] 8 Moreover, God has the power to provide you with every gracious gift in abundance, so that always in every way you will have all you need yourselves and be able to provide abundantly for every good cause — 9 as the Tanakh says,
“He gave generously to the poor;
his tzedakah lasts forever.”[2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9]
10 He who provides both seed for the planter and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your tzedakah. 11 You will be enriched in every way, so that you can be generous in everything. And through us your generosity will cause people to thank God, 12 because rendering this holy service not only provides for the needs of God’s people, but it also overflows in the many thanks people will be giving to God. 13 In offering this service you prove to these people that you glorify God by actually doing what your acknowledgement of the Good News of the Messiah requires, namely, sharing generously with them and with everyone. 14 And in their prayers for you they will feel a strong affection for you because of how gracious God has been to you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
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He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.[2 Corinthians 9:10 (NIV)]
The soil was tilled and the seeds carefully planted. The spring rains were timely, and with proper care our garden flourished. We canned 50 jars of green beans and were able to provide buckets of beans to others. When the yield slowed and the weeds started to thrive, I decided to till the ground, turning under what remained. More good rains followed, and in about two weeks volunteer beans began to grow where the tilling process had planted mature seeds. Now, though it is past the normal season for beans, we are able again to share this bountiful crop with others.
The Bible has many teachings on bearing fruit as witnesses for God wherever we are. Jesus used parables about nature or daily life to teach spiritual truth. In Matthew 13, he described the one who receives seed on the good ground as someone who hears and accepts the word and bears fruit, even a hundredfold. Just as God provided the bountiful crop in the prepared garden in the parable, God will help us to grow and mature and become fruitful witnesses to the Kingdom. Jesus reminds us that we did not choose him, but he chose us to go and bear fruit that will last. (See John 15:16.) Then we are able to share this fruit with others.
Read more from the author, here.
"More from Walter Maris"
I love gardening, at least in the early stages and during harvest, but in hot July when the weeds are trying to take over it is not so enjoyable. It is easy for me to allow myself to become dilatory and procrastinate when the work is hard and the sweat attracts gnats. When I have neglected my garden, the growth of vegetables and fruit is impeded and production suffers. When I make the effort to shake off my laziness and give the garden the care it requires, I find satisfaction in completing necessary steps for having a good garden.
In my spiritual walk I have experienced insufficient progress when I have been lazy and neglectful in my service and worship of God, and fruit is minimal. The Bible has so much teaching on being fruitful, and often Jesus in his parables uses the natural elements of our world to help his listeners to understand. When laboring away in my garden I find it a good time to think and meditate on many things, including the spiritual, and it can be a good time to focus on the purpose God has for me.
In my meditation today I reference John 15:16, and it is a great reminder of God’s call upon our life: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (NIV).[Walter Maris]
The Author: Walter N. Maris (Missouri, USA)
Thought for the Day: How am I prepared to bear fruit as a witness for God?
Prayer: Lord of heaven, help us to be bold, wise, and faithful in our witness. Amen.
Prayer focus: GARDENERS

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