9:102 Corinthians 9:10

God himself supplies both bread for present need and seed to share with others, and he multiplies the seed that is sown and enlarges the harvest of right living.6T 481.4+2 Whoever sows generously reaps generously, while whoever sows sparingly reaps sparingly, and this giving is to be willing and cheerful rather than grudging or forced.6T 481.4+3 God is able to give full sufficiency in everything so that givers are enriched to keep giving lavishly in every good work.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+2 Such gifts meet the needs of the poor and awaken many thanksgivings and glory to God, with prayer and love for the givers.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+3 The hand that keeps sharing is constantly refilled to share still more, for faithful distribution does not lead to poverty but to growing blessing in both temporal and spiritual things.COL 85.2–86.1+4

God himself supplies both bread for food and seed for sowing, meeting present needs for sustenance while at the same time placing in the giver's hand resources to give to others.6T 481.4+4 What is eaten and what is planted both come from him, so the one who gives has enough for himself and is enabled to abound in every good work.6T 481.4+4 This provision makes generosity fruitful, because God provides for the giver and thereby enables further good works.6T 481.4+3

He multiplies the seed that is sown, causing generous planting to grow larger so that limited gifts accomplish more.6T 481.4+4 What is given is made to increase, and the righteous results of generosity are enlarged.RH Feb 18, 1902+3 By this multiplication the giver is enriched to give generously and to do good, and is enabled to keep giving.AA 344.1+2

He increases the fruits and harvest of righteousness, linking generous giving with spiritual fruit and growth in right doing.6T 481.4+3 The righteous fruit of generous giving is made to grow, so liberality yields an enlarged harvest of right action.6T 481.4+2 Giving that is willing, purposeful and cheerful rather than sparing, grudging or forced reaps bountifully with blessings and leaves the giver's righteousness in dispersing to the poor remaining forever.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+1

All provision is from his mercy and treasury, for he gives strength to labor, talents, grace, and opened ways to gain earthly treasure and means for sowing.ST Aug 8, 1900+2 Success in the work comes from him who gives people their talents, so no worker can claim the glory, and the increase is not for self-exaltation nor for hoarding wealth.ST Aug 8, 1900+2 What he entrusts is to be used to help the needy, supply his treasury, support his work and raise the standard of truth in regions beyond, that his name may be glorified.ST Aug 8, 1900+2

The verse belongs to Paul's appeal to the believers at Corinth to kindle their zeal and stir them up to make a contribution for the poor saints at Jerusalem.Ms 28, 1894, par. 2 That appeal holds up the churches in Macedonia as the example to inspire benevolent action, for they gave beyond their means.Ms 11, 1908, par. 7+1 Generous gifts to poorer churches are the sowing that God enlarges and makes fruitful, bringing practical help to those in need and producing thanksgiving to God.Lt 18, 1890, par. 8–9

The verse stands within the instruction of 2 Corinthians 8-9 to be read for guidance on giving, so that when God's Spirit shows the needs of His work, His people deny themselves and give offerings for proclaiming the truth.RH Jun 1, 1905 It carries a message calling everyone to do their best in giving, revealing by good works in the daily life and by self-denial the virtue and power of faith, with rich promises to those who do so.Ms 85, 1894, par. 1–3 Those lessons on generosity are to guide support for the Southern field, presenting God as supplying what is needed and increasing the results of what is given.SW 112.2

The law of the harvest governs giving, so that sowing bountifully with blessings reaps bountifully with blessings, while sowing sparingly reaps sparingly.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+4 Sowing here means using entrusted property to meet needs and advance the work of saving souls, and the reaping is proportionate to the sowing.Lt 53, 1899, par. 4 Where Christ abides in the heart as a well that never runs dry there is an overflowing of beneficence in acts of love for the needy and provision for the destitute.Ms 62, 1894, par. 23–24

Such sowing belongs to willing, purposeful, cheerful giving rather than sparing, grudging, or forced giving, for God loves a cheerful giver.6T 481.4+4 Each is to give as purposed in the heart, not grudgingly or of necessity.Ms 62, 1894, par. 23–24 As people cheerfully and willingly give of the means entrusted by God to advance His work, He can entrust them with more to share.RH Feb 19, 1901

God is able to make all grace abound toward givers, so that they always have all sufficiency in all things to abound in every good work.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+4 He enriches them in everything toward lavish generosity and liberality to the poor.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+4 Believers thus have sufficiency to do good, and their gifts relieve the needs of others.Ms 101, 1906, par. 33–35+1

This is stewardship in which all a person has and is belongs to the Lord and is handled as His money.Ms 21, 1899, par. 18–19+4 Those entrusted with means are to handle it faithfully, being found faithful in least as well as great, strengthened day by day to understand His will.Ms 21, 1899, par. 18–19+1 It requires watchfulness to make wise investments in the expenditure of means with an eye single to the glory of God, bringing the will into conformity to the will of God rather than the habits and customs of the world or personal inclination to extravagance, so as to be of greatest benefit to fellow men.16MR 262.2–3 Self-denial and self-sacrifice bring rich spiritual and temporal blessings flowing in through Christ, so that once stewardship is realized giving becomes easy, and to be deprived of the opportunity to deny self is to be deprived of that blessing.Ms 85, 1894, par. 1–3+1 God Himself is the giver of all that is held in trust, giving strength to labor from His mercy and love and opening ways to gain earthly treasure, and obeying Him keeps in daily remembrance that all comes from God.Ms 85, 1894, par. 10–11

The increase is given to be enriched in everything to all bountifulness, not for self to be exalted nor for treasure to be hoarded, but for God's name to be glorified, for the needy to be helped, for His treasury to be supplied, and for the work in the regions beyond to move forward.ST Aug 8, 1900+1 His provision and the strength to work are gifts of mercy entrusted for helping the needy and supporting His work.ST Aug 8, 1900 Those who enclose themselves in selfishness, self-caring, and indifference to suffering lose spirituality and become dry, fruitless, and dwarfed.Ms 62, 1894, par. 23–24

Generous gifts meet human need and supply what the saints lack, while the righteousness of the one who scatters abroad to the poor continues forever.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+4 The provision covers both present sustenance and resources to be sown, multiplied so that givers have sufficiency to keep doing good and to relieve the needs of others.Ms 101, 1906, par. 33–35+3 Those blessed with abundance are to draw on their generous supplies for the proper reason of meeting the wants of the poor and suffering.ST Aug 8, 1900+1 Such stewardship makes service a reality by reflecting benevolence back in praise and deeds of mercy when acting as Christ would act in that place.Ms 21, 1899, par. 18–19

Giving through living human agency causes many thanksgivings and glory to God for obedience to the gospel and for free sharing with all.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+4 Purposeful, cheerful, bountiful sowing reaps bountifully, with constant sufficiency in all things to abound in every good work and enrichment toward lavish generosity that produces thanksgiving to God.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+2 Thanks and praise are awakened in the hearts of the needy and flow back to God, with angels joining the songs of praise from human lips that glorify God for subjection to the gospel.Ms 21, 1899, par. 18–19+3 Practical help given alongside spiritual ministry bears good results for both giver and receiver, bringing glory rather than hoarding or self-exaltation.ST Aug 8, 1900

The work draws prayer and love for the givers because of the exceeding grace of God in them, and it ends in thanks for His unspeakable gift.Ms 4, 1899, par. 67–68+1 Sowing bountifully means kind deeds of relief for the poor and oppressed, and reaping bountifully means love to God deepens in the giver's heart through that ministry.Ms 34, 1894, par. 26+1 Giving to relieve the poor is good work expressing kindness and love, deepening love for God and awakening thanks and praise to God among those helped.Ms 34, 1894, par. 26+1 True fruit-bearing is making returns to God of fruit from His vineyard, so that liberality to advance His kingdom, given not by command but stirred by the need of others, is the very best evidence of sincerity of faith and counterworks selfishness and self-indulgence.Ms 12a, 1900, par. 16–17

God refills the hand that cooperates with Christ, opening the hand to impart still more so the treasure of truth may reach many souls.Ms 57, 1901, par. 31+2 Those who impart constantly receive constantly more to impart, for He opens a way for the giver to receive more in order to give more.Ms 57, 1901, par. 31+3 The more given to God's work, the more one is enabled to give, since He supplies both what sustains the giver and what multiplies what is given.Lt 38, 1895, par. 4–5+2 As believers impart received grace by working with the gifts and opportunities provided, they are blessed with increased grace, and their faith and hope grow.6T 43.3–44.1

The seed in the verse is both temporal blessing and spiritual seed of truth, for acts of liberality are seed first given by the Lord and then sown by using what He provides to meet the needs of others.Lt 5, 1897, par. 37–40+2 That spiritual seed is the grace received from God, the gospel invitation, comfort, and spiritual food to be shared with those who need enlightenment.Lt 80, 1911, par. 7–8+1 To sow beside all waters is to continually impart the gifts received, ministering the truths of the gospel in word and deed in the simplicity of Christ, talking the truth and praying the truth.Lt 80, 1911, par. 7–8 Those who do this need the light of heaven shining into the heart and grace constantly imparted so they may abound in every good work, and the Lord enriches with all sufficiency in all things for every good work those who purpose in the heart to give cheerfully and not grudgingly, with righteousness remaining forever.Lt 80, 1911, par. 7–8 God gives His faithful workers enough to continue this work, making them His co-laborers in supplying both bread for need and seed for sowing.Lt 5, 1897, par. 37–40+1

Meeting physical needs by sharing temporal blessings awakens gratitude and thanksgiving to God in the receiver and opens the way to share the seeds of truth.STMW10 15.2+2 The love and sympathy shown prepare the soil of the heart to receive spiritual truth.COL 85.2–86.1+1 In this way temporal relief becomes the opening for eternal good.STMW10 15.2+1

God Himself takes charge of what is given liberally and supplies His worker with means to keep cooperating with Him by continuing to give.STMW10 14.3 He causes the sown seed to germinate and makes the spiritual seed grow toward eternal life and bear fruit unto eternal life.STMW10 15.2+2

Liberality in spiritual and temporal things follows the law of seed-sowing, so faithful distribution of His gifts does not tend to poverty but increases blessing and gives sufficiency to continue giving.COL 85.2–86.1 Giving what God has entrusted when His cause and work need help provides a fund to sustain the work in its different branches.16MR 263.2+1 This giving is a personal benefit that uplifts and strengthens the giver and reacts upon him in this world, while the deed lives in heaven's record to bring its reward in the future eternal world.16MR 263.2+1 Giving to advance the truth as it is in Jesus also increases love for the truth.16MR 263.2

When means, time, and ability are brought to Jesus to help the poor, the ignorant, and the afflicted, Christ multiplies the gift and rewards honest, simple reliance upon Him, so resources that seemed sufficient only to feed one become in His hand enough to feed many, and a meager supply proves to be a rich feast.ST Aug 15, 1916+2 Placed in His hands, the five small barley loaves sufficed to feed the multitude, showing that God can bless even limited offerings so they accomplish more, while those who pass on the grace they receive are supplied with further grace.Lt 5, 1895, par. 24–27+2 The gathering of the leftovers teaches careful stewardship without waste.Lt 5, 1895, par. 24–27 The same principle means institutions succeed as they share their abundance generously with others who are struggling, and diligent, well-planned work in sowing should bring abundant returns in temporal and spiritual food for students trained as Christian workers.Lt 18, 1890, par. 17+1

Practical help must go alongside spiritual ministry, with personal attention to relieve want, break every yoke of oppression, and help the poor, ignorant, afflicted and suffering rather than neglecting suffering brethren while sustaining God's cause.ST Aug 8, 1900+4 God supplies both food for present need and means for sowing, multiplies what is given, and increases the harvest of righteousness, entrusting provision and even strength to work as gifts of mercy to be used to help the needy, support His work, and bring Him glory rather than to hoard wealth or exalt self.ST Aug 8, 1900+2 Those blessed with abundance are to draw on their generous supplies because the needs of the poor and suffering are a proper reason to use them, and sowing bountifully means doing good works of kindness and love in relieving the poor and oppressed.Ms 34, 1894, par. 26+1 Such ministry deepens love to God in the giver's heart and bears good results for both giver and receiver, awakening thanks and praise in the needy that flow back to God.ST Aug 8, 1900+1

The call applies with special force to the hard, destitute Southern field, where liberal giving is required and the lessons on generosity are to guide support.SW 112.2+1 The entire profits of books designated for that field are to be used there and not diverted to fields that have much better advantages, for the design for this work originates with God and the facilities are His from His treasury.Ms 164, 1897, par. 12–13 Such diversion after light has been given is deception and increased wrong, neglect will be met in the judgment, more than a late beginning is required, and restitution must be made of the diverted means, with God rewarding according to regard or neglect for His purposes and His specified methods.Ms 164, 1897, par. 12–13

The same testimony applies to building appeals in which obedience even by poor believers produces substantial gifts.Ms 183, 1898, par. 9–11 It covers a school heavily in debt and greatly crowded, needing still other buildings to accommodate students, calling all to do what they can in donations.Ms 183, 1898, par. 9–11 It covers setting the Colorado Sanitarium free from its heavy debt handicap so it can do its great work in its appointed and exceedingly important field and bless the world, through loving service together with praying without ceasing and abounding to every good work.STB 265.1–2 It covers newly believing working people with large families dependent on daily labor — farmers, carpenters, quarrymen and laborers — called to give liberally out of deep poverty and even beyond their power to build a humble church where they can assemble to worship God, with the assurance that God blesses such liberality.Lt 54a, 1894, par. 30–36 It covers timely donations as blessings from God and answers to prayer for means to build, where giving according to what one has helps meet others' needs because God supplies what is needed for both present provision and further giving and increases the good produced by what is given.Lt 90, 1897, par. 7–8

Funds are to be given to advance gospel work in unworked fields and in the regions beyond, following the Macedonians' example of giving beyond their means.Ms 11, 1908, par. 7+1 This practical service tests and proves genuine love for Christ and neighbor: erecting churches, feeding every little flock with meat in due season, giving the last message of mercy to the uttermost part of the earth, employing physical strength in God's service, laboring with the hands to earn means for the cause, working faithfully where work can be obtained, and helping those who cannot obtain labor.Ms 68, 1894, par. 9–10 God Himself ministers seed and bread, multiplies the seed sown, makes grace abound to give a heart of tenderness and love for souls and always all-sufficiency in all things to abound to every good work, gives strength to labor from mercy and love, and opens ways to gain earthly treasure.Ms 58, 1905, par. 7+2 The increase is not for self to be exalted nor for treasure to be hoarded, but to enrich in everything to all bountifulness for God's name to be glorified, the needy to be helped, His treasury to be supplied with claimed gifts and offerings, the standard of truth to be raised, and thanksgiving to God to be caused from those helped from love for God.Ms 68, 1894, par. 9–10+1 Giving to advance the truth increases love for the truth and provides a fund to sustain the work in its different branches, uplifting and strengthening the giver in this world while the deed lives in heaven's record to bring reward in the future eternal world.16MR 263.2 God faithfully rewards obedience in giving by enriching the church with grace and means as a talent to supply His treasury, an enrichment to be acknowledged with open thanksgiving and testimony that brightens the pathway for self and others, while murmuring and complaining instead darkens the pathway and hides His faithfulness.Ms 57, 1901, par. 25

The promise also belongs to shared ministry among several workers, where success comes from God who gives talents and no worker can claim the glory, for God can work through each of them and their combined service can bless both workers and people.Lt 14b, 1898, par. 1–7 Its seed-and-harvest picture belongs to diligent, well-planned work that should bring abundant returns and provide temporal and spiritual food for students being trained as Christian workers.Lt 14b, 1898, par. 1–7+1