subscribe, view past issues  and  Get the Book Learning to Multiply So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply , and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion... Gen 1:27-28 KJV This week I received a great testimony from Tim on the topic of our last newsletter (Learning to Receive) and it's now posted at You Wrote Back. I'd like to follow up on that same vein with three basic ingredients of multiplication; God's favor, working smarter, and giving. 1. You Can Have God's Favor - Americans love to believe that God doesn't play favorites - all men are created equal. I do think we all have the same opportunity to please the Father, but that's where equality ends. God clearly delights in certain attributes and clearly favors those who display those attributes. Listen to Joseph's testimony. the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Gen 39:21-23  NIV Why did God favor Joseph? It was because the warden didn't have to worry about anything under Joseph's care. He was diligent, faithful, hard working, and believing God through decades of setbacks and delays. Like Joseph, you probably have already received your share of setbacks and delays. The attribute that attracts the favor of God is your tenacity to remain a good steward of the opportunities you do have. Compare Joseph to the Parable of the Sower. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matt 13:23  NIV God favor's those that "produce a crop." We see the same bias in the Parable of the Talents. Notice the phrase, "put his money to work." He worked smarter and multiplied. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. Matt 25:16 NIV God's favor was not on the servant that returned the talent he was given. In fact, the parable can only be interpreted to mean that God gets frustrated with slothful servants. The terminology is "wicked, lazy, and worthless servant." (Mt 25:26, 30) Want God's favor? Work harder and smarter. 2. Working Smarter - Most of us have read 2Cor 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Cor 9:6  NIV What we heard from the verse goes something like this, " Whoever gives sparingly will also reap sparingly." I think Paul was careful in his language and meant what he said. Sowing is not giving, it's planting with an expectation of a crop; investing or purchasing an income producing asset to multiply your seed; putting your money to work. Paul was positioning people to have wealth over the course of at least a year (2Cor 8:10, 9:2) so that they could give. We've misconstrued the verse to skip sowing our seed so that it can multiply. Let's be clear about this. Right now you can empty your checking account for your favorite ministry and expect blessing from God. Would you receive it? Probably not, because you skipped an important, practical part of the process - sowing your seed. Here are a couple of examples. Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.  Gen 26:12-14 NIV What if you planted your seed (invested your money) and received a hundredfold return in one year? You would be positioned to give at that point. Most Christians struggle with receiving wealth and give out of guilt instead of generosity. The result is bills don't get paid and giving remains small and sacrificial - and giving is no fun. You cannot give cheerfully when your gift is competing with a creditor for the same money. What does giving look like? 3. Giving - God does favor generosity. It's part of who He is and it reflects His "cattle on a thousand hills" abundance. We've been taught "spiritual people" give out of their poverty and have faith for miraculous provisions. I think it's mostly a combination of religious pride and a poverty mentality. Real spiritual giving comes from people that have learned to tap an anointing for abundance... "rich in every way so you too can be generous on every occasion." They prepared in advance by planting, harvesting, and increasing their seed. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Cor 9:10-11 NIV The Mindset (Poverty vs. Abundance) - People have several views on all the promises of abundance and prosperity in the Bible. Some view them as belonging to Israel. Others view them as God's favor on the Church. I believe God has and will favor both Israel and the Church. However, I think all those promises belong to individuals through whom God will bring his favor. Great blessing is available now, but God has committed himself to move through people like you. He wants to bless you so you in turn can be a blessing. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Gen 12:2-3 This is a prophetic hour. God is inviting us to move from a poverty mindset into an abundant mindset so we can multiply - finances, ministries, blessing, salvations. You're being asked to choose the favor of God; Choose to receive; Choose to multiply. Poverty – see how little I can spend; how much I can save? (I’m afraid I’ll lose it) 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. Matt 25:18 NIV Abundance – See how I can multiply what I already have? (I want the blessing so I can be a blessing) The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. Matt 25:16 NIV You can multiply your seed if; 1) you realize God is favoring you to do so, 2) you have a good seed-planting work ethic, and 3) you realize God is blessing you so that you can release others from a poverty mentality... not just giving money, but discipling multiplication.   Life is an adventure. People are a blessing. God is amazing. We're winning.   Love, John & Harold     (are dancing - Join us) New Book - Our goal in Releasing Kings was to articulate a theological basis for marketplace ministry such that people naturally mature toward being more entrepreneurial and more generous. Harold has continued that theme in a new book that I really enjoyed. This book is a brief explanation of Resurrection-based Christianity entitled Jesus Came Out of the Tomb, So Can You. It also appears on our Recommendations Page. There are four other books that tie closely to the chapters in Part 2 of Releasing Kings that are all worth while. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.  Isa 62:4-5 ____________________________________________________________________ You can get your copy of Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace at 1-800-308-5837 (or) www.releasing-kings.com