Sowing

Would you pray with me, church? Lord, today we humbly come before you with thankful hearts. Thankful for the opportunity, Lord, that you've given us today to gather people of like precious faith to love and serve you. Today, Lord, we have sung songs to you. We have prayed and brought petitions to you, Lord. We have given you thanks. We've opened our hearts and our minds and our spirits to you. Today, Lord, before we leave this house, we need the word to change us, God, and to make us, Lord, what we need to be in your image.

I make myself available once again to you, Lord. Take coals from the altar and touch lips of clay today with love. Lord, I pray. Help me today, Jesus. speak into our hearts and lives. Make us what we should be to honor and glory you. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Would you give the Lord a hand clap of praise together? Come on. Come on. Lift your voice. I thank you, Lord. I love you, Jesus. Hallelujah. Welcome all of you in the presence of the Lord.

If you're a guest with us today, we are so glad that you have come. If you're online joining us, we welcome you. You can be seated if you feel like you have to. It's fine. Thanks to everybody and your involvement at Cornerstone. Singers, musicians, parking lot folk, water put her outer folk, people pick her upper folk, teachers, snack hander out her folk, light fixer upper folk, video fixer upper person almost. So thankful that it takes all of us to be involved in the kingdom.

You won't get to heaven by yourself. You need somebody. Amen. And that person can be you. Amen. Thanksgiving week. Wow. Here we are. It's already been mentioned the most traveled week and the United States. People moving about, going places. Don't forget what it's all about, church. Look at your neighbor and say, "Don't forget." That's right. Turkey, calm pie. That's not that. That's not it. Coming together this time of year. I would declare this is the an amazing time.

Thanksgiving. Everybody say Thanksgiving. No. Come on, say it. Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, a time to to reflect, if you will, and look at the wonderful blessings that you enjoy. Brother Sam, earlier today up here talking about, come on. God's just been so good to you. The Lord is worthy of praise and thankfulness. I I believe that all of us can feel like in whatever stage or station we find oursel in life, we can find ourselves wanting more.

Anybody here want less? Less money, less love, less hot coffee in the morning. Oh, somebody's about to walk out. No, we we have a desire for better, for bigger, for prettier, for for more. Now, I I realize that your motive may be incorrect, but the fact remains is that there's something about whatever station you are in life, whatever you have, you should be thankful for it. That all right? I mean, thankful for it. I dare say the one that lives under a bridge is thankful that he's not living in a box.

The one living in a three-bedroom house is thankful that they're not living on the street. Come on. I mean, we can all be find ways to be thankful for things. Some of us are thankful that we don't owe the bank a trillion dollars. Some of us are thankful that the Lord's blessed us with a trillion dollars. looking for a hand. No. Oh man. The fact remains that this time of year we focus on things because we appreciate them. Something. And now I know it's been a whole stack of years since I've been in the public school system.

But believe it or not, I graduated from a public school. Also graduated from home school. I have a dual scholar or I have a dual diploma. I did graduate 12th grade from public school, but every day was school at my house because my dad made me learn things. But in in the in the school system, we we used to take time this time of year. Anybody remember making the turkey with your hand, you put it on a plate or something and you you'd go around and and you'd be real careful and then you you'd color it in and it was your turkey.

Yeah. All right. Here's something interesting that that I wanted to bring to your attention today. When you you look at the first accounts that the United States has in our history books for Thanksgiving, we know that that the early 1600s is when actually the United States, this continent as we know it was established. People came over on boats and there was the founding of Jamestown in early 1600s and so forth. Uh basically what history declares is in the year of 16 and21 that's our first recorded time that early settlers along with the native Americans that they had come in contact with they sat down together and they began to enjoy a meal.

Now the reason it was called thankfulness or thanksgiving or giving of thanks at that time is because the early settlers that were from Europe if you will they had a challenging challenging time many died coming over on boats and those that landed here they were very capable of survival but in order to live in a place that you don't know the climate you don't understand how the seeds are supposed to plant you don't really know the harvest it's all a little different than your home country it can be very very challenging and history declares that many folk passed away to starvation.

But once they figured out they began to celebrate the simple things of life. How many are thankful for simple things? Oh, come on. Anybody here likes simple things? Yeah. Then I why how do why do we use phones and and iPads and stuff? Because to me they're not simple. In fact, if you care right now, if there's anybody in here that would clare care to let pastor give you a declaration, look at that light over there. That ought to be simple, but it's lower than that one.

Some of y'all are OCD folk. You're just now freaking out. You You're going to worship like this the rest of the service. It ought to be simple, but it's not. got some things you got to work on. That's a simple explanation of what ought to be simple, but it's not. But in that particular season in the early 1600s, we we know that coming to this country was a miracle in and of itself. Surviving would in of itself was something that was a great accomplishment.

But as these families and and these people begin to mix their lives together, we find out through history that in the harsh and difficult times, somehow someway they made it. They survived and now they are meeting together and they're going to celebrate and give thanks because they made it. Now, at that particular time, of course, depending on what book you read or what history account you go to, you find out that these settled foreigners, they've come together, they learn lessons, and then they begin to plug in with the natives that were here at that time.

And somehow someway, they were able to establish, you know what? If we're going to live, if we're going to grow and thrive, then we've got to figure out that there's more to it, listen to pastor, than showing up and eating. But you got to think in your mind, you got to settle within yourself. If I'm going to eat next year, I got to begin doing something this year for that. I I got to begin to plant seed now because there is a harvest that I need to go and reap.

If I'm going to show my children that I love them and and I'm going to feed them food, then I've got to go gather food and bring it in so that when the time comes, there'll be something in the cupboard for them to eat. Come on. It's called survival. But you don't simply show up survived. You've got to think about it. You've got to plant seed in the ground. You got to go hunt for it. You got to prepare the meat. There's this entire process. But something happened in me as I BEGIN ONE MORE TIME TO LOOK at this.

When you want to live and you want to thrive and you want to be successful, then you've got to find out, you know what? If I want corn, I have to plant corn. Thank you very much for all of you scientists out there. If I want pears, I've got to learn how to plant pears. Put that in your journal. Plant pears. If I want potatoes and I got to learn not potato seeds they're called potato eye. Look at there. We learned something. Why? Because apples make apples.

Pears make pears. Corn makes corn. And when I understand that the simplicity of that is simply this. WHAT I'M GOING TO harvest I've got to put in the ground to make sure that at the harvest time I've got something to receive. Again, I'm reminded of all the task that that we all face and the desire simply just to have to to understand the knowledge, if you will, of how things work and how we achieve things in our lives. Listen, I believe that if I want a donut, oh, here we are.

Hang on to me, Seth. If I want a donut, I have learned in my life I do not plant donuts. That's new to somebody. I ain't even know. I ain't even know. IF YOU WANT A GLASS OF WATER TODAY, YOU CAN'T PLANT water for tomorrow. But if you learn what's in the donut, hang on to me. And you learn that it takes plants that you got to put seed in the ground. You got to reap that harvest. You got to make sure that the wheat is fine. And then you got to grind it up.

And you got to make if it's meal, you got to plant the corn. And you got to harvest it. Then you got to grind it up if you need eggs. You got to make sure the chicken knows how to drop the right ones at the right time because you can't get eggs FROM AN ELEPHANT. ON AND ON IT GOES. YOU LEARN these things. The outcome is that you've learned the the processes and you put together these recipes and then you mix all of those together. And I wish somebody today would be excited about a good old donut that you had to work at to get.

in the spirit of the season which we are right now. Allow me a few moments to talk about some things. Y'all with me for a moment? It's one o'clock 100 right now on that clock back there. Notice one of these parables that's written about in the book of Luke. Luke chapter 10 verse number one says this. After these things, the Lord appointed others 70 also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place. Y'all with me? Whether he himself would come.

Verse two says, "Therefore said he unto them, the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Jesus talking here. Jesus establishing principles here. Jesus knowing that those that he's ministering to they are surrounding him and they have become his disciples, his followers. The Bible says to them that something needs to happen. And then he declared you two go there, you two go there.

AND THESE 70 SOME 35 group of people went out to all the place around him and they went out declaring the things of God, declaring the name of Jesus. They went out talking about the good things of Jesus. And notice what he SAID HERE THAT THE HARVEST is great. The harvest is great. A great moment for an in gathering. A harvest of the RIPENED FRUITS. BUT I I READ THAT THIS PAST few days and I began to ponder that. Listen carefully. I know WE TALK ABOUT THE HARVEST is surely WHITE AND THINGS ARE OUT there and there's STUFF TO BE BROUGHT IN.

BUT WHAT I COME TODAY IN THIS SEASON OF THANKSGIVING TO BRING TO YOU. WHO IN THE WORLD PUT THE SEED IN THE GROUND TO GET A HARVEST? YOU CAN'T GET A HARVEST IF THERE'S IF THERE'S NOT A PLANTED SEED. ALL JESUS SAYS IS THE FIELDS ARE WHITE TO THEY'RE READY TO COME IN. I NEED LABORERS TO GO OUT THERE. SO, I BEGIN TO SCRATCH AROUND AND LOOK AT THIS AND THE only way that I can understand this in my little simple mind is simply this. Uh, if I am expecting a harvest, and if I'm expecting to reap and receive a harvest THAT'S ALREADY PREPARED, THEN I'VE GOT TO TURN around and look back because somebody spent some time putting seeds in the ground.

Uh, somebody spent some TIME COMMITTING TO THE SEEDS that were put into THE GROUND. YOU CAN'T JUST HOPE THAT SOMETHING comes up out OF THERE. BUT YOU'VE got to believe, you know what? I understand that how this process works. Therefore, Lord God, I need to know something. IF YOU'VE GIVEN ME A PROMISE, YET I PRAY THAT LABORERS WILL go out into the harvest, then Lord, help me TODAY TO UNDERSTAND SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GO OUT before them and put seed IN THE GROUND SO THERE CAN BE A HARVEST.

SEE, SOME OF US ARE WANTING TO REAP A HARVEST. CAN I DECLARE SOMETHING TO YOU? YOU have I don't have to judge you to know you. I can simply look at fruit. Here's something that I want us to understand in this season of thankfulness. And that simply is this. There is something about teaching a generation. Listen, you're going to need to learn this. Why? Because if you want the fruit of the spirit to show up down there, you better get in the spirit today and begin to plant good stuff.

Come on. If you want the good things of God to be in your life, UH, THEN YOU NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU NEED TO PLANT the seeds THAT WILL BRING THAT fruit in. Uh, some of us are praying TO GOODNESS, GOD, IF YOU'LL DROP A MILLION DOLLARS ON MY HEAD, I PROMISE I'LL GIVE 10 cents to you. And here's the thing. God said, "I can't trust YOU WITH $10, BUT IF YOU'LL START PLANTING SEED TODAY, I GOT IT. I'M GOING TO GIVE IT. I got it. I'm going TO GIVE IT.

I'M JUST GOING TO BE A CONDOM. I'M GOING TO BE A FLOW. GOD GOING TO SAY, "I SEE THE SEED GOING IN THE GROUND. THERE'S GOING TO COME A HARVEST ONE DAY." COME ON, HEAR ME. YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, YOUNG PARENT. WHAT YOU ARE TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN WHEN YOU ASK THEM TO TAKE AN OFFERING TO THE FRONT AT A CAC FAMILY TIME SERING THEM TO GO UP THERE AND BE FRIENDS AND GIVE HIGH FIVE. YOU'RE TEACHING THEM, LISTEN, WE HAVE COME INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD AND WE need to bring an offering unto THE LORD.

WHY? BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I CANNOT HOLD MY NEGLECTING OF WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO ME. HOLD THAT TO HIS CHARGE. BUT IF I'LL LEARN WITH JOY UH AND WITH CHEERFULNESS, GOD LOVES IT. UH WHEN I COME AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING I CAN GIVE TO THE THINGS OF GOD, UH AND WHEN WE OPEN UP OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS TO RECOGNIZE WHAT IS IN YOUR POCKET AND YOUR WALLET IS NOT YOURS ANYWAY. AND WHEN YOU'LL DECIDE, I'M PLANTING A SEED RIGHT NOW. I'M PUTTING DOWN A SEED RIGHT NOW.

OH, I'M DROPPING A SEED IN THE GROUND NOW. WHY? BECAUSE THERE IS A HARVEST TO BE BROUGHT IN. Some ask me to pray for them. Pastor, pray. I've got such challenges, such things going on. And I look at them, I say, WHAT KIND OF SEED ARE YOU PUTTING IN THE GROUND TODAY? Have you been doing things that you ought not be doing? If so, THERE'S GOING TO BE YOUR HARVEST. If you but if you'll drop the seeds OF GIVING, IF YOU'LL DROP THE THING the things that the world's trying to give you and you start putting good seed in the ground, I've come to declare to somebody that EVERY TIME YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND TELL SOMEBODY OUT JESUS ABOUT JESUS, that's a seed being planted.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT JESUS IN THE BREAKROOM AT WORK, there's a seed that's going in the ground. UH WHEN YOU SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY WITH SOMEBODY ABOUT THE GOODNESS OF GOD, THERE'S A SEED IN THE GROUND. WHEN YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD IS THERE WHEN IT'S RIGHT, WRONG, GOOD, BAD, OR UGLY, THERE'S A SEED IN THE GROUND. SEEDS ARE BEING PLANTED ALL THE TIME. UH, I'VE COME TO ASK SOMEBODY TODAY, UH, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TODAY TO CHALLENGE GOD WITH WHAT HE IS GOOD AT DOING, AND THAT IS HONORING HIS WORD?

IS THERE SOMEBODY IN THIS THANKSGIVING SEASON THAT WOULD SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT? I RISE UP TODAY AND I DECLARE IF I'VE BEEN DOING IT WRONG, IF I'VE BEEN PUTTING THE WRONG SEED IN THE GROUND, I KICK IT UP AND I DIG UP THE FELLOW GROUND AND I PUT BETTER SEED IN THE GROUND." WHY? BECAUSE THERE'S A HARVEST TO BE HAD. I KNOW THAT. I KNOW, BROTHER DON. I STAND HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE SEEDS OF MY GRANDPARENTS AND MY PARENTS THAT THEY PUT IN THE GROUND. I'M STANDING HERE TODAY REAPING A HARVEST FOR SOMEBODY'S WORK DAYS PRIOR.

When you witness, you're sewing seeds. When you sacrifice, you're sewing seeds. When your faith is exercised, you're sewing seeds. When you pray, you're sewing seeds. When you believe, you're sewing seeds. When you trust, you're sewing seeds. Things are happening. Listen, when you teach your children how to pray, you are sewing seeds. I don't mind saying that. I understand that we live in a culture, man. We got all kind of stuff. I I I didn't know apple cider was good for your blood.

I I I just I I just don't like apple cider. Vinegar cider. My mom used to say, "Hey, that's what you need." No, that ain't a good seed that I want. And then then she said, "What you need is kombucha." And I said, "No, chucha." And I tried. She's not the whole bottle. Just I'm okay. Okay. Listen to me. Listen. There's so many things that happen in our life and in our world. And I wonder I wonder I wonder why we complain about the harvest that we've received.

I I believe today I am convinced 100% that when our children receive the gift of the Holy Ghost at a young age, that's a seed that's planted there and we are going to reap a harvest from that. That's why there's now young people and teenagers doing work in the church house because something was planted in them there and now there's a harvest. Guess what? Now our young people, y'all youngans need to listen to pastor a minute. You know why our young people are working in the kingdom?

Because they're learning how to plant their own seed. Come on, young person. You need to know something. If mom and dad's praying, you better get a prayer life. If they're not praying, you better get a hold of God and figure out how to pray. Come on. If they're not giving, you better be a giver. You better find out that the principles of God's word do not lie. Come on, somebody. You need to understand that being thankful means I invested. I planted.

Therefore, I stand here today and I reap a harvest of what I have planted. I fear that sometimes that we pray, "God, send us a harvest." And the LORD'S SAYING, "FINE, GO REAP." And we come up wondering why. Come on. I I don't have time today in this Thanksgiving season to talk about the gleaning spirit. Some of us want God for to give us space where we can simply go around the edge and glean. There's a principle there. It's an Old Testament principle.

You know about it. Go. If you don't, go study about it. There's something to be said there. But you know what about the one who says, "You know what? I went and bought this seed. I brought it home. I plowed up the fields. I intentionally put it in the ground. And I worked it to make sure the weeds and the rocks were put out of the way. And then when harvest season came, I'm able to look at it and say, "Now it's time to go reap and receive this harvest." That's intentionality.

Come on. That's intentionality. Has anybody here ever struggled in life and had situations come where you didn't know what to do? You didn't have two dimes to rub together. Didn't even know what they sounded like. Didn't know. Didn't know. Didn't know. That's called the gleaning time. Listen to me. Listen to me carefully. But in the gleaning, come on. Come on. You know the one that gleaned the most in the Old Testament? What was her name? Thank you, Ruth.

She said the leave. Oh, I said leave some of the seed that let let her come glean. And she came and gleaned. You got to understand something. When she was on the edge of that that field and she was picking up all the stuff that was left out there on the border, you know what she was not doing? This is all mine, mine, mine. This harvest is mine. No, she was saying, "I've come to glean this, but I'm giving it to others. I'm making sure someone else have.

I'm making sure that I'm investing in someone else. I'm making sure that somebody else has a way." Listen, when pastor asks you to stand to your feet and worship. I'm not doing that just for my account. I'm doing that for you. Listen, Dad. And I'm doing it so your child can see how you worship God. I'm not doing it just because you look good. I'm not doing it because you smell good and you got a pretty dress on or a pretty shirt. No. I need you to understand that this is called sewing seed.

when you begin to love God and you begin to ignore those that you're sewing seed uh uh believing God. Some of you today walked in this room with disease or sickness or you've got an infirmity and you've been struggling with it wondering how is it? How is this? WHY IS THIS? WHY? I COME TO TELL YOU that worship you can glean from that. You can actually receive a harvest from that. And the Lord will say when you are infirmity, when you are in trial, when you are in tribulation, when you got tests COMING YOUR WAY, YOU NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING.

You can still COME REJOICING IN THE POWER AND THE presence of A HOLY GOD. THE PSALMIST UNDERSTOOD THIS IN 126 verse one. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue singing. Then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. For number three says this, "THE LORD HATH done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south." Listen to this.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, BEARING PRECIOUS SEED, SHALL DOUBTLESS COME AGAIN AND WITH REJOICING, BRINGING HIS SHEAV WITH HIM. IF YOU'RE OUT THERE AND it's hard AND IT'S DIFFICULT AND YOU don't know what to do, YOU KEEP PUTTING SEED IN THE GROUND. YOU KEEP DOING THE RIGHT THINGS ACCORDING to the WORD OF GOD. WHY? YOU MIGHT BE WEEPING. IT MIGHT NOT BE EASY. YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, BUT ONE THING YOU CAN DO IS WHEN THE TIME COMES, UH, YOU CAN SAY, "LOOK WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE." UH, LOOK HOW HE'S MOVED IN MY LIFE.

UH, SEE, THE OLDTIMES USED TO SING SONGS ABOUT THAT, bringing in the sheep. BRINGING IN IT WAS, "WELL, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THEM old Walton's KIND OF SHOW." NO, WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE GOING TO COME REJOICING KNOWING GOD IS IN CONTROL. UH, GOD HAS MADE A WAY. I DON'T DESERVE IT, BUT I PUT SEED IN THE GROUND AND I'M COMING BACK JOYFUL, KNOWING MY GOD HAS MADE A WAY. SOME OF US TODAY ARE DOWNTRODDEN. WE'RE WEARY. WE'RE WROUGHING THINGS AND WE'RE WONDERING WHY THINGS GOOD AREN'T HAPPENING IN OUR LIFE.

I COME TO TELL YOU, PUT GOOD SEED IN THE GROUND. SHOW UP TO CHURCH EARLY. GET IN THE ALTAR TO PRAY. UH GIVE IN THE OFFERING. UH GIVE OF YOUR TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE. AND WATCH WHAT GOD WILL DO. I'VE TESTIFIED ABOUT IT THOUSANDS OF TIMES. I'VE COME INTO THE HOUSE OF GOD WEARY, TIRED, AND SICK. AND I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT. I DIDN'T KNOW WHY I WAS THERE. BUT THE LONGER I STAYED THERE, THE HAND OF THE LORD BEGAN TO WORK IN A HARVEST BEGAN TO MOVE. AND I WAS ABLE TO STAND AND MINISTER AS THE UNCCTION OF THE LORD.

WHY? THAT'S NOT ME. THAT'S GOD SAYING, UH, YOU INVESTED IT THERE AND YOU NEED IT NOW. BRING YOUR HARVEST IN. Anybody here want a financial miracle in your life? Come on. Anybody here want a financial blessing in your life? I can tell you how to do it. Give. Don't be mad at me. That's his principle. Act like we deserve it and all. I work hard for this. Absolutely you do. The Lord did that for you. Here. Here's the challenge. You think it's all about you?

Then you unplug from the things of God and watch how quickly it falls apart. Watch how fast it just crumbles. [panting] I know everybody in this room, I'm watching the clock. Everybody in this room, we've all got our testimonies. I didn't know if I was going to make it, but somehow someway I did. You think that just happens? Do you think that just happens? No. It's called a harvest. put seed in the ground, weeping, tired, weary, trying, working, doing, you will doubtless, you will doubtless come back saying, "Look what God did.

Look what he did." I stand here today in this Thanksgiving week to remind us sowing and suffering come together. You seow seeds. You do the things of God. There are activities that people who trust God do. Do do you know anything about the one talent that was given to the young man? And his first comment to his master was what? I knew you how you were. Therefore, I dug up and put it in the ground and I held it until you come back cuz I knew that's what you'd want.

What did he call him? Wicked. You know me. If you knew me, you'd have jumped up as fast as you could and found a way to multiply this one seed. Listen to me. That seed, that talent that was given to that one, when that master came back asking for it, that dude had to go out and dig it up with all the dirt and mess on it and bring it, saying, "Look what I did with this one." Oh, what' you do with it? Because it don't look nothing like those five and those 10 and those four and those.

But you got I knew how you were, so I went and buried it. And here it is. You're a foolish, wicked person. You don't know me. What you need to do is understand whether it's 1, 5, 20, or 2 million, if you'll put it in the ground and do it as under the Lord, it will come back multiplied over and over and over again. Something cool about the the pilgrims, if you will, those first settlers that came, those who came from the old country. I don't know what that really means, but um they came here, they they they brought stuff with them.

Yeah, that now most of it got destroyed in the boats or got wet or the rats ate it or whatever or they had to eat it on the ship. So, they get off the ship. I I just can't imagine, brother Rob. This blows my mind. Imagine being on the water for months. Come on. It's all big old Come on. Somebody understand what I'm talking about. Some of y How was your cruise, man? It was was good. It's green. I got a patch behind my ears. patch behind this here trying not to get you.

Imagine months of that out there and it's all people, you know, you got scurvy going on. You got people sick. You got rats eating people. I mean, am I painting a good picture? That's what they live through. So, they get off this ship. They finally touch dry land. All right, my GPS. I got to find Starbucks. No scooters seven brew grind head start throwing out all these coffee shops. You're just all mad now. This is dumb. I'm going back. You ain't coming back in this boat.

Look at all the mess you left in here. Listen to me. See, we we see that in our brain. We figure out that that's how that's not at all how it was. And they come off this ship literally holding on to their lives. And now somehow, Brother Richard, they got to learn to survive. They had what was called Indian corn. It's interesting. You still buy it today at the market. It's multicolored. How cool was that? Huh? Anybody like Indian corn? Me neither.

It's harsh. It's coarse. It doesn't cut very easy. It doesn't blend very well. Imagine an ear of corn back in that day. Here, this is Indian corn. You had to look at your name and go, "This yours." They were Indian. Sorry. Yes, but I need some butter, please. You need what? Sorry. Excuse me. Butter. Just for the Just for my corn. I don't know what butter is. What do you mean you don't know what butter is? I got a half a blessing because it's corn is not good without butter.

You understand this? Some of us today would get mad. I need to talk to my waiter. I'm gonna send this back. It's not done like I like it. See, I know where we live in 2025 is we are spoiled, rotten, wondering why we can't have everything we want at our whim. And we have learned that in our culture because America is blessed. How many's glad you're blessed? I'm thankful that I don't have to go and plant corn seeds in the ground and stand there for 60 whatever days and wait for them to harvest and go pull it, peel it off, clean it and get all the fuzz off of the hair off the silks off of it and then go boil it for 30 minutes and then bring it up and put butter and salt on it.

Come on. Some of y'all look atum. Huh? Or the best one that I've gotten lately is Mexican street corn. I'm like, man, that's good. Listen to me. That's an investment of time, talent and energy. Many times we are looking for the success before we have invested in the system. We want to walk through the doors of a tabernacle and everybody else praying and we wonder why we can't feel the healing power of the Holy Ghost. Some of us are asleep. Come on.

God's moving in your life and you can't even recognize the fact that you've got a job and you're paying your bills and God's been good to you and you want to declare that you still want to be selfish and go thing do things your way and wonder why the hand of God won't deliver you from that mess. It's because the seeds you're planting are terrible and that's the harvest that you're receiving. I found out one more thing before I close. I've got family members and I don't know anything about farming.

I know how to spell it and that's about it. But I know that I've got some family that have hundreds of acres and they got these great big old 40 bajillion dollar tractors that they run through it and it does all this work and they get out there at certain times and they go and they harvest it or they plant it or they dig, you know, they got all this work going on. But I found out something interesting about these guys. It's a lot of hard work. Somebody say work.

Work. And then they finally our great smart government decided you know what we need to do is we need to pay them not to plant. Anybody know this? And they do that because they want to make sure that all the farmers get a chance to grow crops and sell it. So it's kind of fair. Brother Don if you'll come. But then they also say the ground needs some time so that it can settle and regain its nutrients and it needs to set dormant. They'll go out and till it but they'll let the rain hit it and all the nutrients from the trees and the grass and all that go into it.

But they don't plant in that particular field. But then the time will come that is called ground. It lies dormant. It has no harvest. It has nothing to produce for you. Why? Because there's been no seeds put there. I rise to this podium today on this Thanksgiving week to declare to you that sewing is part of reaping. And it is time for somebody to get a hold of the horns of the altar proverbally and say, 'Lord, I've got to break up this ground and I've got to let the seeds of your word begin to be planted.

I've got to let Lord, these seeds that you have given me and through the truth and the promises of your word. I've got to sew these seeds, God, that will bring a harvest in the future. I don't know, God, how that I can guarantee that my children will love you and serve you. But one thing I do know is if I will love you and serve you, I stand a better chance of presenting to my children something that they too can be a part of. Oh, come on. That's why I'm I'm very very today very thrilled and thankful that I can say to you that I'm fourth generation apostolic, my daughter fifth generation, my grandson, I'm looking for that sixth generation.

I know I now I realize we all make choices and we can all mess up. And some of you sitting here today may understand fully what I'm saying and you've got backsliding family and friends. I've come to tell you if you'll keep planting seeds that are positive, right, good and and thankful and all the things that God will and can bring in a harvest that you don't expect, but you need to expect it. There's a whole board back there of backsliders that we're praying for.

You know what? Every time you pray over them, you better see them in your mind's eye. That harvest, God, let them come. Let them come. Let them come. Let them come. That incredible story of the prodigal. It's not that the dad was sitting there on the front porch sipping his sweet tea, walking back and forth because he'd already given over everything to his kid. No, he was saying, "Is today the day? I hope it is. Is this the moment? I sure wish it was.

Is this how it is? I'm so glad it is. Anybody ever thought, side note, ready for it, anybody thought how the father could say, "Go kill the fatted calf." Sister Renee, that calf was already ready because dad knew. Some of us would have to say, "I I don't know what I don't have." Because we're not ready to receive them. Some of us have illnesses and sicknesses in our bodies. And I'll say that you have embraced it because it's part of your who you are.

And you even introduce yourself to others that way because it's part of your character. Now, I declare that by his stripes, you are healed. You can be healed of that. I'm not saying you'll never be sick, but I'm saying that in your sickness, you can still reap a harvest of joy. In your challenges, you can still reap a harvest of joy. Don't nobody need to be your cheerleader and get you on your feet hooping and hollering, but you'll come through the doors of the house of God saying, "This is the day the Lord has made.

I will rejoice and be glad in it. I will come in with thanks, thankfulness. I will come in with praise. I'll come through the doors already saying, God, you've been gracious to me, good to me. I'm reaping a harvest of what was sown last week of what was sown last year of what was sown the year before. I've come Lord to love you and to serve you. Last thing anybody know about the I feel the Holy Ghost in this room. Know about the man's name was Job.

Job was a man's man, but he lost everything. Why? because God was willing to let Satan have his way with him. Listen to this. The Bible would say that Job feared the Lord. And out of all of his children, whenever they'd get together, what would the dad do? My kids got together last night. He don't tell them what seeds they sowed, but I'm going to come and I'm going to kneel where they are. Lord, whatever that generation did, I I'm asking you, Lord, to help them.

My grandbabies, Lord, I'm I'm ask I don't know what I'm sure, God, that they were upright before you, but just in case, I'm going to stand here in the gap for them. I'm going to stand in the gap for them. Even when his children died and he lost everything, even when his wife said, "Why don't you curse your God and die?" He said, "I'll not do it, but I've planted so many seeds. I am convinced THAT IF HE SLAYS ME, I will trust him. It's all about sewing.

Don't be mad at somebody when God blesses them with a new car or new house or don't be angry with them. Stand up with you. Come on. There's a spirit of jealousy that's trying to take over church folk. How come they got that? Why they got this? How come they're I can tell you why. God's been good to me. God's God's been good to me. God's been good to me. My only testimony I have is mine. It's not yours. You've got yours, right? I was reminded this week while at district board meeting and we're meeting all these applicants and man, it's it's very interesting times living for God.

One of these young beautiful young couples comes in and as a board member I have to interview and talk to them about their plans and what they're doing. One of the young men was very honest. But Sloan, why why how does the Lord blessed and what has the Lord done and how do you know? It's a very honest question, Sarah. Very honest. I said, "Let me tell you something that I learned. My wife and I bought and sold everything we owned five times. We'd relocate.

We'd sell it all. We'd get somewhere, we'd buy it back, we'd sell it all. We'd buy it back. We'd sell it all. We'd buy it back. We'd sell it all. That's not on me. I didn't want to lug that stuff around. The night that we were headed to the night before we were headed to the mission field, we were trying to Brother Rob, you don't know about this. We're trying to pack our bags because everything goes with us is all we got. We had all these trunks.

We had all these suitcases. We had all these boxes. that's going on the airplane with us. So I called American Airlines, our friends, like a good neighbor. No, that's the wrong one. Sorry. They said, "Sir, you don't have the tickets for that. All you can take is this many." Oh, yeah. Things change, you know. So, Oh. So Herb, we sat down on the back porch swing of my mother-in-law's house about midnight. We changed one, added a day to they changed our tickets.

Ended up going on our anniversary. You're welcome, sweetie. And this is what we did. We took everything out of every box, every trunk, every suitcase. We just laid it on the ground. We set the maximum amount that we could have. And we pick up a pair of pants. No. Yeah, that'd be nice. And after a couple of hours of that, we felt so thrilled the fact that God let us have this stuff. We took a few plates because we we didn't know we're going because that's what the Lord said.

Funny when we got there and my 16-month old little girl and almost three-year-old little boy, as long as mommy and daddy were there, they were happy. So, this is what I decided. Lord, I don't have a thing to help these people. Got rid of all the stuff I thought I needed. I stand before you with nothing. But Lord, every shovel of dirt that I pushed out of the way to put a seed in, God, I need you to help me now. I don't know how this is going to work, but I know one day there'll be a harvest.

And here I am now 60 years old and I look back. Look what the Lord has done. We had a house church once. Y'all don't remember that. We had Alabama hardwood plywood on the floor. Y'all don't remember that. We baptized in a inflatable swimming pool. Y'all don't remember that. Anybody? We were planting seed because doubtless we're going to come again with sheav rejoicing. You're welcome. Not for me. for the thousands of prayers that were prayed for Chattanooga, for the investment in the seeds that brother and sister Austin did, that my mother planted at this city, that your neighbors and co-workers and family members planted.

There's a harvest here, church. There's such a harvest. Would you let me pray with you now, Lord? It's not about me. It's not about my wife and my kids. It's not about what you've blessed us with. It's about understanding. In all things, give thanks. The seeds that are planted today, we reap a harvest tomorrow. Things we teach our children today, Lord, that will come back to them in the future when they need it. If we're planting seed in our community, God, you're going to give an increase because it's how the harvest works.

Pray the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into the harvest. There is a harvest to be because seeds have been planted, because investment has been made. Come on. We're we're not there yet, but we're every day making strides forward in Jesus. Come on, somebody. You need to learn how to invest your prayer. You need to learn how to invest your prayer and worship to the Lord. You need to learn how to be thankful in all things and let that be a seed that goes in the ground and comes back.

That's right. Come on, mom and dad. Pray with your children. Come on, Jesus. Help me to be a parent, Lord, that will invest in my children and my grandchildren. Help me Lord to allow others to see the need for the word of God, for prayer, for sacrifice, for giving, for serving Lord, for being on time, for being in the house of God, for being in an altar, for coming Lord to prayer meeting, for coming Lord to outreach, for coming, Lord, to do because we are planting seeds.

Doubtless, Lord, they're coming back. Doubtless Jesus, they're coming back. Come on, somebody. I believe in you, Lord. I I believe in you, Lord. I trust you, Jesus. He that goeth forth, weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing. Oh, come on. Seowing and reaping. God, it's part. It's part of it. God, help us to learn it. the name of Jesus. Oh, come on, Dad. Pray with your youngans. Come on, Mom. Invest in your youngans.

Invest in Chattanooga. Invest in your community. Pray. Plant seeds. Plant seeds. You will reap if you will sow. Thank you, Jesus. Oh, come on, pray. Come on, dad. Show your kids how to pray. Come on, mom. Show your children how to pray. This is how it's done. We come in the name of Jesus. We pray in the name of Jesus. We believe in the name of Jesus. That's right. Come on. Come on. Reach heaven right now. Jesus. Jesus. The name of Jesus. The name of Jesus.

Yes, Jesus. Yeah. Come on, reach over. Pray with somebody close to you. Jesus, anoint today. Let there be a harvest, Lord, I pray, of good things. A harvest, Lord, of good things invested in us. The name of Jesus. The name of Jesus. Come on. That's right. I trust you, Lord. I am thankful, Jesus. Hey. Yeah. Jesus. Give me Jesus. you. I need your all this world. Give me Jesus. Hey, Jesus. Something that something my wife and I learned a long time ago.

I don't have to feel bad because I bring my children to the house of God to work. They they can be out doing other things. And I've had parents even look at me and say, "Wow, we don't want our kids so involved there." Well, fine. Where are you going to put them? I mean, I I don't know how else to say it. I I was raised on church pews. I slept under them and got stepped on. My my first job in church was picking up bobby pins. I was about that big.

And I taught my kids, "This is a bobby pin. It's not your dad's." My old pastor used to say his job as a kid was to they had those Persian rugs in the altar of their church. Has a little fray stuff on the edges. He said, "My first job was to comb that out." Said, "Why?" He said, "Because my dad taught us everything you do for God is worth doing." Right? That's a small detail that probably to you and I would be very insignificant, but I promise you there's a reason that pastor walks in here on Sunday mornings.

And I try to make sure these lines are straight. That's foolish. No, it's not. Lord, I'm planting a seed. I'm just planting a seed. When I come in and lights are left on, I flip them off. That's silly. No, it's not. I'm planting a seed. You go up and pray with somebody and believe God can bless them. That's right. You know why? I'm planting a seed. Because without seed, no harvest. Thanksgiving. Would you stand with me, please? It's 1:40. You got 20 minutes to get to the restaurant.

Whatever family things you have going on this week, or friends, or it's amazing. We've changed it to friends giving. How about friends giving thanks to change all the invites, right? Whatever you do, make sure God is smack dab in the middle of it. I mean, in the middle. Don't you eat your food until you give thanks for it. Don't you talk to not till you give thanks. Come on. You got to know that you know that you know that seowing will have a harvest.

Pray with me. Would you Lord I thank you for our opportunity to be here today for the power of a risen savior. I know God doubtless we will come again rejoicing bringing precious precious seed sheav Lord as we come loving you. Thank you Lord for the promise of a harvest in you. We pray Lord that you would send laborers into the harvest and you would send those will sew the seed God so that there will be a harvest. Plead your blood over every family, every heart, every home in this place.

Let the glory of the Lord work in each of us. I pray. Let the power of Holy Ghost work in our lives. We give you thanks for it. We give you thanks in advance, Lord. We give you thanks. Love you, trust you, and serve you. Thank you, Jesus. Would you pray our dismissal prayer together? I I think, Brother Sam, we have it almost memorized, don't we? Upon the authority of Oh, I give them a moment. You ready for it? The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. They shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. I love you guys. Be safe this week. If you're out and about Wednesday night, we have one service in the big room. We'll see you then. Shake hands and be friendly.