30 Day Course on Faith - Day 19

Faith and Money - Part 2

Seed Money

          "There is a distinct difference between the tithe and Seed Money. The tithe 
          is a gift AFTER you have made the income. Seed Money is a gift in order 
          to claim a TENFOLD RETURN." ~John Hoshor

About 3 years ago I read the book "Seed Money in Action" by Jon P. Speller; in fact, I read through it several times (it's a short book).  I had never heard of the concept of seed money, and I got really excited about what I was learning!

In a nutshell, The Law of Seed Money is that when giving money to a charitable organization or person intended to bless and aid your fellow beings, you have the right, privilege, and duty of claiming a tenfold return from God.

~Give the money with faith (give it cheerfully, boldly, generously, fully believing that God will bless your contribution) to a person or organization who you feel truly inspired to bless!  We don't receive until after we demonstrate faith (see 1 Kings 17:10-16).  Remove all doubt because doubt will keep your increase from coming!

~Immediately thank God for the tenfold return; constantly staying in a place of gratitude will speed up the process!  Be grateful for all the good you can do with the increase that is on its way!

~Start giving at a modest level - if you pick a level that is too high for you, it will be too easy to give in to doubt and disbelief.  Plant no more than you can picture yourself receiving in return (as your faith increases, you can have fun with this!)

~Give in private -- Remember that God who sees in private, rewards openly (and generously!)

~Recognize that it is as important to freely receive as it is to freely give! (Don't make this hard!)  Remember that God is a generous provider, so why not be a generous receiver?

~Forgive anyone who owes you money, and forgive yourself for any money that you owe

~Remember that a tenfold return can come in a form other than money. Do not worry where the increase will come from, only believe that it will come!

What seed money is NOT:
~Seed Money is NOT gambling -- If you don't believe that God will bless you tenfold, then you are seeding without faith, and it really isn't different from gambling - just throwing money out and hoping you get a great return with no effort.

~Seed Money is NOT a get-rich-quick scheme -- Seeding money is an act of faith and if your faith is lacking then you will be waiting and waiting for the return until your faith is sufficient to receive!  (And if you have been following this 30-day course on faith you know that increasing and exercising faith takes a lot of effort and discipline!!!)

My Story
I really wanted to test the principles in this book, but we didn't have any extra money to "seed."  I let God know that I really desired to test this principle, but I didn't know how.  I didn't know where the money would come from, and I wasn't sure who to seed the money to.  I shared my desire with God and then let it go.

About an hour later I received a phone call from my husband at work.  He said I was going to think he was crazy, but he felt like we should sell the truck (we had an extra vehicle at the time) for $____ and use that money to help out _____ and ______ (he named an organization and a family in need).  He asked me what I thought about that and I responded: "I think you just answered my prayer!"

We sold the truck and gave that money away -- or "seeded" it!  Whenever we feel like we should give money, we give it willingly, lovingly, and excitedly!  Often I will feel like we should send a specific amount of money to a specific person or organization and I always do it!  When we started this practice of seeding money, it felt like the heavens just opened up and started pouring money on us!  Besides the fact that it feels really, really good to give and to be the means of blessing another person's life, it also feels really, really good to receive blessings from a generous and loving God!!!

"A lost opportunity to give is a lost opportunity to receive!"

Daily Challenge: Every day for 30 days in a row, 

I want you to say the following out loud at least 10 times each day!!!  

Be sure to say it cheerfully and enthusiastically!  

This scripture is found in Philippians 4:13:

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” 

You've now completed this challenge 19 days in a row!
Be sure to congratulate yourself for a job well done!