A Hundredfold Return on Investment

UV 514-10,000 Genesis 26 v 12 A Hundredfold Return on Investment Gen 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him Many people make the mistake of keeping God out of their business thinking that it is none of His business. But, The Lord is adept in business. The principle of return on investment underlies much of scripture. Some of the parables of Jesus are based on this principle. If there is no investment or sowing, there is seldom any return. But, when we faithfully sow or invest our lives, our thoughts, our prayers, our efforts, our resources the Lord promises a sufficient return. One of the titles of God is Lord of the harvest. He determines the rate of increase. Isaac sowed in that land- he did not remain idle. He did not consume all the grain he had. He dug up old wells that had been closed. As his very name meant “laughter”, he maintained a cheerful and positive disposition or attitude throughout the process. He reserved enough for sowing and the net result was that he reaped a hundredfold. The quality of our sowing is a vital factor in determining the extent of our harvest. We need to sow with faith that the Lord will send a blessing upon the land. We need to sow at the right time. We need to sow generously. We need to know the right method of sowing in the land. Sowing has inputs of intentions, time, efforts and resources. Some aspects of the process of sowing need faith, some aspects require wisdom and some require knowledge. We need a blend of faith, knowledge and wisdom to sow effectively. Scripture says the quality of the seed will affect the productivity of the crop. If we sow in the flesh, we will reap in the flesh:bitterness, conflict, hatred, anger and so on. If we sow in the spirit, we will reap in the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, self control. We need to pray and claim that we will reap a hundred fold like Isaac in such qualities of heart and mind that the Lord of the harvest wants to see in us. It is not our possessions or our finances that need to be blessed in this manner but we ourselves. It was not Isaac’s land or his crops that were blessed. There was a hundredfold increase in his yield. It was incidental. For the Lord, the material is immaterial. The Lord blessed Isaac and not just his land. He blesses us in spirit, mind and body that the fruits of our spirit, mind and body be a blessing to many. The ultimate act of sowing is the investment we make into the lives of others around us. Prateep V Philip