SEEDTIME: PASTOR MENSA OTABIL – SUNDAY 21ST FEBRUARY, 2021
SUNDAY SERVICE BY DR. MENSA OTABIL (GENERAL OVERSEER INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL GOSPEL CHURCH (ICGC) ACCRA, GHANA)
TOPIC: SEEDTIME
DATE: 21ST FEBRUARY, 2021
TEXT: GENESIS 8:22
AMEN! Let’s rise up together, as we make our DECLARATION OF FRUITFULNESS in this Year of Fruitfulness:
Are you ready? Say with me:
The Eternal God is our refuge. He opens rivers in desolate Heights.The Lord makes the wilderness a Pool of water.
The LORD God is my Sun and Shield; The LORD gives Grace and Glory.
Therefore, I delight myself in Him. Those who are Planted in the House of the LORD
shall be fresh and flourishing.
Though the Earth be shaken; the Name of the Lord is my Strong Tower. By Faith I affirm that: In Christ alone is my Salvation. In Him I live, And move And have my being.
It is written: The Righteous are like trees Planted by the waters – bearing fruits in its Season.
So I boldly declare: As for me, my God has made me EXCEEDINGLY FRUITFUL;
In this Season, my Spirit bears fruits of Righteousness, my Talents make way for me. With my hands, I will Plant, I will Build, I will Harvest – Day by day, Step by step.
In Jesus’ Name – Amen!
We are still in the Year of FRUITFULNESS. And my Message today is Titled SEEDTIME.
And my Opening Text is from Genesis 8:23.
And this is God speaking to Noah, after the flood. And He says:
“While the Earth remains, Seedtime and Harvest, Cold and Heat, Winter and Summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
This is a statement God made to Noah, but He was not just Speaking to Noah. He was Speaking to the Earth, and He was speaking to all Humanity.
This is after the Flood – So much had changed, so much had been disrupted.
And God affirmed to Mankind that whilst the Earth remains, the Seasons of life will not cease. And He begins by talking about SEEDTIME and Harvest.
These Seasons did not originate after the Flood, they didn’t start after the Flood – They were there before the Flood. But after the Flood God affirmed them, confirmed them to be so.
That while the Earth remains, there will be SEEDTIME and Harvest.
So today we are focusing on SEEDTIME.
WHAT IS SEEDTIME?
SEEDTIME is basically and simply time for sowing seeds.
Every Culture in the world (Ghana and Nigeria included) has a time on their Farming Calendar, when SEEDS are sown in expectation of the Harvest.
So, in Ghana or Nigeria for example, we have for our main grains and stables; we have two (2) main Seasons for Sowing SEEDS.
We sow seeds just before the Rain, in the first Raining Season – which is coming in a couple of Months! And then secondly, before the minor Raining Season – Which is around September/October.
These are Seasons for SEED sowing.
So, in Ghana or Nigeria; we have two (2) SEEDTIME Seasons!
In many Cultures, they have their own SEEDTIME Season – Some before Spring, and before Autumn. And different Countries go through their own Seasons.
But, there is always a time for sowing Seed. Because God says: “For as the Earth remains, Seedtime and Harvest time SHALL NOT CEASE.”
So SEEDTIME is a universal concept.
And God says two (2) Things about SEEDTIME that I want to bring to your Notice:
- First, He says, SEEDTIME NEVER CEASES.
It shall not cease! – As long as the Earth remains, SEEDTIME WILL NOT CEASE.
The Time and the Season and the opportunity to sow seeds will not cease.
… That’s the first (1st) thing God says.
- Second (2nd) thing He says about SEEDTIME, is that: SEEDTIME LEADS TO HARVEST.
It’s a Divine Law: “SEEDTIME LEADS TO HARVEST.” So Seedtime is always related to Harvest.
Sometimes we call Seedtime and Harvest as ‘SOWING and REAPING.’ – Reaping is the HARVEST, Sowing is the SEEDTIME.
So, Seedtime requires SEED SOWING. And every Seedtime requires a SEED.
So we need to define WHAT A SEED IS.
Because if there is a Seedtime, there has to be Seed Sowing!
AND WHAT IS A SEED?
And I will give you Three (3) Identities for SEED:
- The first (1st) is that – THE SEED IS A SOURCE OR THE BEGINNING.
That is Place we begin from.
Everything has a beginning – Trees have their beginning, Animals have their beginning, Human Beings have their beginning. Products and Inventions all have their beginning!
The beginning is what is called the SEED. – Wherever it began from, that is the SEED – the Source!
- Secondly, A SEED IS POTENTIAL – Undeveloped Capacity.
A SEED is what you are capable of becoming, but have not become yet!
A SEED is what you will be, which you are not NOW – Potential.
Seeds are usually not impressive until their Potential is fully manifested!
That is why it’s very easy to ignore a Seed or despise it, or eat it.
A Seed is a Masterpiece which is just a Sketch.
For those of you who are Artist, you know that the greatest Painting or Artwork starts with a Sketch. And then it’s developed from there!
And in other disciplines, it is so! That Sketch is the Seed of the Masterpiece.
A Seed is a Building that is now a Drawing Plan
A Seed is a King who is now working as a Servant
*A Seed is a Big Church which is now meeting in a Classroom (like we did thirty seven (37) Years ago)!
DMC NOTES: The ICGC Church was founded on the 26th of February, 1984 – Meaning that the Church is 37 Years Old this Year. From the entire Discovery Media Crew, we fondly rejoice with the Pastorate, Workers and Members on the 37th Year Anniversary of the Church.
A Seed is Factory which is now operating in a garage
A Seed is a Major Invention that is now an Experiment
So What do I mean by A Seed?
FIrst, it is the SOURCE – The Beginning;
Second, it is POTENTIAL. It is something that can become something, but has not become it!
So when you hold in your hand, a grain of corn which is a Seed. It is a Corn Plantation!
Potentially, it can grow to become something Big; but it had not done so yet.
… A Seed is a Source, it is a Potential;
- Thirdly, A SEED IS LIFE-GIVING – it’s able to PRODUCE.
That’s the most facinating thing about a Seed! It is that it’s alive, and it has capacity to give life.
A Seed is able to overcome all odds; in the right environment it will survive all odds.
Normally, we Plant seeds in the ground. But they don’t stay in the ground; they lift themselves up from the ground, break through the soil.
Sometimes they dislodge stones; sometimes they dislodge rocks. I have seen Seeds grow on Termacs with coal tar on them!
The Seed had got the Power to Produce life; and it has got the Power to rise no matter what is sitting on top of it.
So, when God says there is going to be a SEEDTIME, He is talking about, there is going to come a time when you are going to start something – A SOURCE!
You are going to start something that has POTENTIAL and something that is LIFE-GIVING.
So to Produce the Harvest, we must start with something – It may be small, but it is the beginning of the Process!
The Source of Mighty Rivers are usually a trickle – From a well or from a Spring.
Similarly, the Source of the Mighty Things God wants to do in your life is going to start very small – It may look like a trickle, it may look like insignificant but that is your Seed.
And when the SEEDTIME come, the tiny thing must be Planted.
The Source of Great Things can be a small thing: like a daily routine of Praying – One Minute every hour:
I. It could be a daily routine of reading a Chapter of the Bible everyday;
II. It could be a daily routine of Investing a small amount of money everyday;
III. It could be a daily routine of Faithfully Giving to the Lord.
Because a Seed is not a Big Thing; it’s a small thing that is Planted.
… And I don’t know what small thing you have in your hand
But that small thing in your hand has got the Power at Seedtime to Produce the Harvest.
Every groundwork that God does in our lives, starts from a Source, from a Seed.
Galatians 6:7, “Do not be DECEIVED, God is not MOCKED; for whatever a man SOWS, that he will also REAP.”
God honours the Law of Sowing and Reaping – God honours that Law!
He’s not mocked, He honours the Law of Sowing and Reaping.
HOW DO WE MOCK GOD?
We mock God when we have not Planted the Seed, but we are looking for the Harvest.
Or when we Plant a Particular Seed, but we are looking for a different harvest – That is mocking God!
Don’t mock God, and don’t deceive yourself.
… So that’s the first thing!
- Second thing you will note from this Passage (Genesis 8:22) is that:
The Law of Sowing and Reaping affects everything.
When God said to Noah: “As long as the Earth remains, Seedtime and Harvest shall not cease.”
He was talking basically about Agriculture.
But when we look at Galatians 6:7, it says: “Whatever a man sows …”
That means that same Principle that works in Agriculture, works with whatever!
So just like a Farmer takes a grain of Corn, Plants it and reaps a Harvest. In Ghana or Nigeria, we Plant it around April and reap a harvest in August!
It affects Agriculture, but it’s not limited to Agriculture. Because Galatians says ‘Whatever’.
This same Principle of Farming affects every areas of our lives – It affects our Marriages, it affects our Finances, it affects our Talents, it affects our Professions, it affects the way we Build Churches, it affects the way build Nations. It affects everything.
… Whatever a man sows (woman too)!
It’s a Universal Principle. It affects every areas of our lives: Our Spiritual life, our Relationship, our Finances – Whatever!
So in a Year when we are talking about FRUITFULNESS, we don’t reap Fruits from the Air.
… We reap Fruits out of Seeds that have been sown.
So God says: As long as the Earth remains; as long as you and I are alive. He will always give us opportunity to sow Seed.
SEEDTIME will never end!
And He will give us opportunity to Harvest – Those Seasons will never end.
So if you miss it today, you will get it tomorrow – To sow Seed, there will always be a Season to sow Seed.
Psalms 126:5-6 says: “Those who sow in tears shall reap in Joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing Seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.”
There are FOUR (4) PRINCIPLES I want to touch on before we close – based on Psalms 126:5-6.
- The first (1st) Principle we learn from that, concerning Seedtime is that: SOWING IS SACRIFICIAL.
“Those who sow in TEARS”. Not sow in Joy, but sow in tears.
It’s a time of TEARS when we are sowing Seed. It’s not a Time of Joy.
When it’s Seedtime, a Farmer works hard without any harvest.
If you go to any Farming Community; when it’s Seedtime, the Farmers go to the farm everyday, and come with Nothing!
They go everyday and come with Nothing – They go to sow.
And most Seedtime are also Hunger times!
If you go to most Farming Communities, the Seedtime is a hunger time; it’s a time when the little you have is sown in the Field.
In Ghana or Nigeria, Seedtime (by March/April) is hunger because the Harvest that came around December has been eaten.
And the Farmers in the Farming Communities Place what they have leftover for their Fruitfulness in the next Farming Season they have to choose whether to EAT it, or PLANT it.
So every time he goes out sowing, he comes hungrier because Seedtime is TEARS TIME.
Spiritually, when it is Seedtime, we Pray a lot without Answers. You are Investing Prayer, but you get no response.
Financially, when it is Seedtime, we invest without any Returns. Or we give Offerings without any Breakthrough.
In our Marriages, when it is Seedtime, we Sacrifice to much; make so much adjustment without any apparent benefits.
Sometimes you wonder: ‘What am I gaining out of this?’ I’m making all the Sacrifice, I’m making all the changes but nothing is coming out of it.
That is what SEEDTIME IS: You go forth with TEARS.
… EVERY SEEDTIME IS HARD TIME.
So that’s the first thing you are going to recognize about your Seedtime.
If you want quick Harvest, and you think eating your Seed is Harvest, you will never have a Fruitful Season.
A Seedtime is TEARS TIME!
- The second (2nd) Principle you learn is that: SOWING MUST BE DONE CONTINUALLY.
“He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.”
Our Natural inclination is that, when we do something Good, we want to see the result Instantly. We expect one act to give us the Harvest we desired.
However, Seedtime must be done Continually – So the Farmer gets up, and goes the next day – Comes empty, goes the next day! Goes next day.
In our Spiritual Seedtime, we keep Praying, and Interceding – day in, day out without seeing anything.
If you are at that time when you are Praying and Nothing is coming out – You are sowing Seed. And you don’t get discouraged when you are sowing Seed.
There will come a time of Joy, but the Seed sowing time is not the time of JOY. If you want Joy instantly, you will stop sowing Seed.
Sometimes even in Marriage People say: ‘I have tried all the things that I can do but I can’t see any Result.’ – Keep Sowing!
I have been Kind, I hsve been Nice, I have been Generous. I smile, I smile, I smile – Keep Smiling!
I encourage, I encourage; nothing comes up – Keep Encouraging!
Because when it is SEEDTIME, you Continue!
- Third (3rd) Principle of Seedtime: SEEDTIME REQUIRES COMMITMENT.
“He that GOES FORTH;” Not goes backward. Full Commitment!
You don’t go backward because you can’t see the fruit of your labour.
In a season Fruitfulness, remember we have a Seed, remember we are sowing the Seed. It must be done Continuously and there has to be Commitment.
- And the fourth (4th) Principle is what we are all looking for. It’s that: SOWING PRODUCES THE JOY OF THE HARVEST.
The Passage (Psalms 126:5-6) says: “Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,”
In other words, it is a Predictable as Day and Night; it is as Predictable as when you go to sleep at night, you know that morning will come!
If you sow the Seed, you will Harvest because it’s a Divine Principle.
If you want to Harvest, you sow the Seed; if you sow the seed, you will Harvest!
In between sowing Seed and Continually going Forth, bearing Precious Seed, shall doubtless come again Rejoicing.
Now many of us want to sow today, and reap tomorrow – We see it in the way People live their lives! All of us make that same mistake.
So we hear something especially since last week was Valentine. People are getting all kinds of tips about how Marriages should work.
And People give all kind of advise: ‘Oh, if you are a woman, your husband is not minding you; just do this, just do that; Cook this and Dress that way!’
… And you dress that way and you cook that way, and Nothing happened!
Because, between Seedtime and Harvest is – CONTINUALLY.
Or the husband heard all kind of tips: If you buy this, you help your wife and do that. And call her Sweetheart and Honey. You call her Honey, and the result you get back is not Honey.
Or you buy something and there is no appreciation – You say ‘i bought this and there is no appreciation.’ – CONTINUALLY!
Or there are People in Church who say: ‘I want a Breakthrough’; so they give a Big Offering. And hope that tomorrow there will be a Breakthrough – And then there is no Breakthrough!
I have heard People say: ‘I Tithed there is nothing!’
And if you watch them – They are in between hardship. When life is Hard, they Tithe, they give their Firstfruit and whatever. And believesthat next week will be great.
No, No, No! – It is not how it works: He that Continually.
It’s not ONE TOUCH – Result – It is CONTINUALLY.
You want to be Rich? You invest a little money; then you go and take out the money for a Funeral. Invest a little money, then you go and take it, you use it for a Party.
Yoi Invest a little money! There are People who Invest money, and every Year they take the money out and blow it.
Continually: That means there are Investments you will not touch for the next thirty (30) years.
For all of you who have Providence Funds (Pension Funds); you must keep it at least for Thirty (30) years, before you start withdrawing.
… That is when your Harvest will come!
But you have to keep Giving and Saving, and Investing Continually. And you are crying – Sowing! Crying, Sowing; Dying, Sowing, Broke, Sowing.
Then one day, you come forth with Joy, with your Harvest – That is what the Bible teaches!
So, in a Year like this – When we say this is a Year of Fruitfulness. The Fruits you are reaping this year, would be from Seeds you sowed Ten (10) Years ago.
There is no Magic Fruitfulness happening oooo – Don’t go and say ‘Pastor Otabil says it’s a year of FRUITFULNESS.
Getting Fruits from where? – GOD IS NOT MOCKED!
The only Fruit you reap this Year, is what you have sown in the Previous Years.
But the Good News is that: You can sow Seed for future Growth also.
There are results you are going to get this Year, based on TEARS from five (5) years ago.
You have been working and working. And then one of your Business blossoms.
And then the People say: ‘All of a sudden the guy has Prospered.’
.. It’s not ‘all of a sudden’. Nothing happens all of a sudden.
It’s almost like seeing a tree bear fruit and you say ‘Oh, all of a sudden, the Mango is ripe’.
It’s not all of a sudden: it was Planted some Years ago. It grew, it bore flowers but you didn’t notice the flowers. When the Fruit was green you didn’t notice it.
It was when it got ripen you saw it!
Because most People only recognize Harvest Time!
*That is when they go begging for other People’s Harvest: ‘Can you give me some of your Harvest?’
Yeah, I can share with you my Harvest of today – Which we should all do!
But my Harvest for today (which I shared with you) becomes your Seed for tomorrow.
Because I may be in my Harvest Season, but you are in your Seed Season.
So many times when People give you their Harvest, you must Plant it for your own Harvest.
“SEEDTIME and Harvest shall not CEASE.” – This is Jehovah Almighty speaking!
As Predictable as there is DAY and NIGHT; Predictably, your efforts will yield Results – Amen.
The little steps you take, Potentially, will become Great – Amen!
The little efforts you Start, but never give up on them, Potentially, will become Great – Amen.
In every areas of your life – Whether it is in your Marriage – Everyday you say ‘Thank you, Thank You, please.’ It will Produce Results – Amen.
But for most People, what they start mistaking the Thank You after one week; they say “if you don’t mind me, I won’t mind you too” – CONTINUALLY!
Some People give an Offering: one-week, two-week – It is working – Continually!
“He who goes forth weeping, Bearing Seed for Sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him”.
So, what am I saying?
It is Seed Time!
… It is time to start a fresh Seed that will give you results in the next Harvest Season – By the next ten (10) years. Something that will give your children the Results. Or your grandchildren, the results.
Because there are certain things you do, you never eat the fruit of it – Only your grandchildren would eat the fruitS.
You INVEST for them, you ACT for them, you PRAYED for them. You BELIEVE for them – That is the Seed you are sowing now.
And even if you would not be there to enjoy the fruits, you must sow the Seed so that Generations after you, would eat the fruits – Amen.
It is not too late to start sowing the Seed.
Let us Pray!
CLOSING PRAYER.
Heavenly Father we Thank You, that Your Word is alive and Strong in our hearts.
Your Word is the Seed that has been Planted in our hearts.
We Pray Father that everybody hearing these Words or reading now on the Label of DMC, would have something ignited in theirs Spirits.
That from now, You start a Process that would lead to a Harvest.
That You would cause Lord, to sow Seeds in our Spiritual life, in our Marriages, in our Relationships, in our Finances, in every areas of our lives;
That we will not be Mockers of God and Decievers of ourselves. Lord, we will be Planters of Seed, and Harvesters of Fruits.
May our efforts today, yield the Fruit that brings Glory to Your Name.
In Jesus’Name we Pray – AMEN!
Thank you so much for staying all through to read.
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