1. Planting Seeds in Faith
Ex 25:1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Tell the people of Israel that everyone who wants to may bring me an offering.
3 Here is a list of items you may accept on my behalf …

2. Planting Seeds in Faith
No one is required to give
Everyone “gets to” give
We have permission to give God something
There are appropriate gifts: standards of excellence

3. Planting Seeds in Faith
1. Seedtime and Harvest
Planting Seeds in Faith
Gen 8:22 (NIV) "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.
Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

4. Planting Seeds in Faith
2. True gifts should come from you, not others
Planting Seeds in Faith
2 Sam 24:24 (NIV) But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."
Rom 12:1 (NKJ) I beseech … that you present your bodies … which is your reasonable service.

5. Planting Seeds in Faith
3. God’s wants His best for me
Planting Seeds in Faith
Ex 15:26 (NIV) He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."

6. Planting Seeds in Faith
4. Follow priorities
Planting Seeds in Faith
1 Kings
Listen to God
Elijah: v9 "Go … to Zarephath …stay there. I have commanded a widow … to supply you with food."”
Widow: v14 “For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: `The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.'

7. Planting Seeds in Faith
4. Follow priorities (cont.)
Planting Seeds in Faith
1 Kings
Give to God first
v 13 “But first make a small cake of bread for me…”
Give of your need
v 13 “…from what you have”

8. Planting Seeds in Faith
5. God has unlimited resources
Planting Seeds in Faith
2 Ch 25:9 (NIV) Amaziah asked the man of God, "But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?" The man of God replied, "The LORD can give you much more than that."

9. Planting Seeds in Faith
6. Miracles are gifts that come from seeds of faith and action (works)
Planting Seeds in Faith
Mt 17:20 (NIV) … if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Jas 2:26 (NKJ) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

10. Planting Seeds in Faith
7. All planted seeds bring a harvest, whether good or bad. Just hang in there.
Planting Seeds in Faith
Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
v9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

11. Planting Seeds in Faith
8. Your giving puts God’s Word on the line
Planting Seeds in Faith
Mal 3: "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, … and test Me … "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. (11) "Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, …

12. Planting Seeds in Faith
8. Your giving puts God’s Word on the line (cont)
Planting Seeds in Faith
Lk 6:38 (NIV) 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."

13. Planting Seeds in Faith
9. Our giving to others should be as unto God
Planting Seeds in Faith
Mt 24:40 "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

14. Planting Seeds in Faith
10. Sow in good soil
Planting Seeds in Faith
Mk4:14 The farmer sows … seed … on good soil…and produce(s) a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

15. Planting Seeds in Faith
11. Your return may surprise you
Planting Seeds in Faith
Lk 5:1-11
Jesus asked Peter “to put out a little” out in the boat and He taught the multitudes (sowing the seed in one way)
Then Jesus asked him to launch out (same word!!!) into the deep, …so, they caught (and caught another way)

16. Planting Seeds in Faith
12 Give what you have
Planting Seeds in Faith
2 Cor 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. … 10 Now 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.

17. Planting Seeds in Faith
12 Give what you have (cont)
Planting Seeds in Faith
Mt 25:20 “...`Master,' he said, `you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21 "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.
It’s not just financial!

18. Planting Seeds in Faith
13. God Himself gave expecting to receive
Planting Seeds in Faith
Your first gift back to Him is yourself!
Your reasonable worship is to give all of yourself as a living sacrifice.