by David Brenneman
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." Galatians 6:7-10.
"Have you ever heard of a farmer who planted corn yet harvested wheat? Or have you seen tomato seeds grow into watermelons? Few things in life are as certain as the agricultural principle that whatever seed you plant, that's what you'll reap. The same is true in technology: garbage in, garbage out. And in finance, if you don't invest, you won't get a return.
The same, of course, is true in the spiritual life. Through the
books we read, the company we keep, the movies we watch, and the music we listen to, we are sowing either to the Spirit or to the flesh. When we sow to the Spirit, we set our affections on things above-seeking first God's Kingdom and His righteousness. By praying, studying God's Word, sharing our faith, and bearing one another's burdens, we sow to the Spirit. But if we sow our lives and money to the flesh, according to the apostle
Paul, we reap corruption.
Holiness is a harvest gained by careful sowing. Will you reap
the reward of holy sowing? Or will you be surprised by what your
harvest yields?"
- Walking with God, Dr. David Jeremiah
Quite often in reading the two devotionals that remain in my evening reading, both Dr. David Jeremiah and Dr. Charles Stanley share the same thoughts. Dr. Stanley's on this one is "You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.".
When we sow selfish choices we reap what comes of that. When we sow in righteousness we reap righteousness.
When we sow self-centered thinking we reap the awful results of that.
And it's impact can go on for generations. If you're not sowing time in prayer, time in the Word of God, you're not going to reap a crop of righteousness. If you sow spending time, energy and effort on worldly desires you'll reap things that aren't going to benefit you spiritually...an those might not be remotely a healthy thing.
If we're sowing things like secular music we're going to reap both now and down the road thoughts that will not be God honoring. It will color our attitudes towards people in the here and now as well as the future.
If we are sowing things that do not benefit the race set before us then we will struggle all the more in that race.
Satan's schemes involve doing whatever he can to slow you down in that race set before you. Getting you to willingly take time you can't afford to lose and make you believe it's ok.
Are you sowing good in your life for Christ? Do you waste it on things that aren't going to help you grow in Christ?
Are you sowing good choices and decisions that your personal Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would be proud of?
There's the thing right there.
Who are we sowing our time, energy and effort for?
Either we are in the driver's seat or the Spirit is. Only that which is done, thought, lived for Christ is what will matter when we stand before Jesus to give an account of our lives. All the rest is considered waste. Refuse. Subject to being burned up.
Consider the truth that every single person is sowing something with every single choice, every single thought, every single day. The Believer in Christ Jesus is to sow unto righteousness in Christ Jesus our Lord. Growing in Christ daily. Fervent in prayer. Fervent in the Lord. Being the one casting off all things that slow them down.
Sowing words, thoughts and actions that will reap glory unto God and Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.
Perhaps today is the day when you and I begin weeding our lives of things and thinking that has been slowly draining our efforts to run the race set before us in Christ.
You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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