Will goal setting or seed sowing produce the promises of God?

Late one night, I found myself fixed on the television, flipping through channels in search of something interesting to watch. Suddenly, I stumbled upon a televangelist preaching his message to the viewers. As I watched, I couldn't help but notice how he was targeting the desperate and scripturally unlearned, selling them hope in the form of empty promises. His words were nothing more than a sales pitch aimed at making money rather than helping people. It was a disturbing sight, making me wonder how many people have fallen prey to such schemes.

He claims that if you donate $58 to his ministry every month for the next 12 months, God will bless you. However, according to Ephesians 1:3-4, we are already blessed. He also mentions that those who give $1000 will receive a special blessing from God. While listening to this preacher, who resembles the money changers that Jesus drove out of the temple, I couldn't help but wonder why they make it sound like giving money to their ministry will result in an immediate financial reward from God.

"Many preachers convince their followers, who might need to be better-versed in Scripture, that sowing money into their ministries will bring them miraculous results. They claim that all they have to do is sow their money and wait patiently, and everything they desire will come to them, such as a job, a car, a home, or a good spouse. However, let's be realistic. Who else, besides these preachers, is experiencing such incredible benefits? It's important to note that sowing seeds will not provide you with an education, skills for employment, or the qualities of a good future partner."

"Why are these church leaders misleading people into believing that sowing money will result in a truckload of benefits? Sowing seeds won't provide you with a combo package of education, financial skills, a wonderful spouse, and a happily ever after life. It must be accompanied by preparation, which entails goal setting for your future expectations. Scripture says every seed produces after its kind, so why would you sow $1000 into someone's ministry to find a spouse? If you sow money, shouldn't you receive money in return instead of a human being?"

Dear friends, please pay close attention to what I am about to say. There is no evidence in Scripture to support the outrageous claims made by specific individuals. I would like to emphasize that God is a God of order, and before he grants you any blessings, he prepares you for them. This preparation usually comes in the form of challenges and difficulties, which are opportunities to apply God's word and wisdom instead of relying solely on your own will. This is done to condition you for the promises God has made to you. In other words, God will not bless someone with a million dollars if they cannot manage one hundred dollars. If you sow $1000 into someone's ministry but cannot manage your finances wisely, it would be like giving resources to fuel bad habits. Perhaps your financial breakthrough has yet to come because you need to properly manage your current resources, as stated in Matthew 25:23.

"Let us take a closer look at this Scripture: "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you because you obey the voice of the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 28:1). Firstly, it is important to understand that blessings from God are not obtained through the giving of money. Instead, this Scripture clearly states that blessings will come upon us only when we diligently obey the voice of the Lord our God and carefully observe all His commandments, which He has commanded. The purpose of following His commandments is to prepare us for the blessings already in place."

"My friend, it's important to set goals that align with what God has already put in place. This may seem counterintuitive to some teachings that focus on giving to receive a breakthrough, but hear me out. What is a goal? It's an aim or objective towards which you direct your efforts. It's a standard that you desire to reach or arrive at. Let's see what God says about goals and how it provokes Him to intervene in our lives. Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." This means that when you set goals to achieve certain things, God will intervene and guide you towards the right path."

Goal setting indicates that you have a plan or a vision in place. It's not just about wanting a miracle or a breakthrough but rather having a detailed plan of action to ensure that you never end up in a position of lack again. Have you ever heard a preacher advise their congregants to begin educating themselves before sowing their seed so that when God blesses them with a good job, they'll be prepared to handle it? Or suggest that they change their bad habits and nasty attitude before sowing their seed so that when God blesses them with a spouse, they'll know how to keep and maintain that relationship? Unfortunately, you won't hear this kind of advice from most preachers. Instead, you'll hear, "Sow your seed if you want a husband or wife or a financial breakthrough." There is often a need for guidance on preparing and setting goals that align with and appreciate the blessings they claim you'll receive.

Another scripture tells us, "The preparation of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord" (Proverbs 16:1). This Scripture further proves that God values preparation and goal-setting before bestowing blessings. This is because God is a God of order and wants you to be well-equipped to receive and manage His blessings. The Scripture goes on to say that if we commit our WORKS, not our MONEY, to the Lord, He will establish or prepare our thoughts (Proverbs 16:3). This suggests that if your goal is to be debt-free, then you should commit your efforts towards achieving this goal to God, and He will prepare your thoughts to bring it to fruition.

"The benefits of following God's plan for our lives are clear. Scripture says, 'The steps of a good man/woman are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.' (Psalm 37:23-24). This means that when we walk in the path God has carved out for us, we will experience His divine blessings and protection, even when we face challenges."

"It's important to understand that God wants to guide you towards your provisions or your promised land. However, you shouldn't place your confidence in those who claim to be anointed by God to make you prosper by giving them money. Instead, you should consciously put your faith, belief, hope, trust, and expectation in the word of God. By doing this, God will not only direct your path but guide you to the provisions he has in place for you already, Proverbs 3:5-6

Scripture clearly says, "We must trust in the Lord (not Charlatans) and do good so that we shall dwell in the land and be fed (needs being met), and if we delight ourselves in his counsel for our lives, he promises to grant us the desires of our hearts, Psalm 37:3-4. Set your goals, and commit your works for those goals unto God, and not only will he direct you on how to get there, but he will give you the desire of your heart as you rejoice in following his directions.


Kevin L A Ewing
ewinglakevin@icloud.com

kevinlaewing.blogspot.com 

www.kevinlaewing.com