Be Warned.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
(Galatians 6:7-10)
Most of us are familiar with product warning labels. While some warning labels help us to avoid potentially disastrous situations others seem to defy reason as to why they are necessary. Here are some actual warning labels that are rather strange and somewhat humorous: Window air conditioning units are now required to display the warning: “Caution - Avoid dropping air conditioner out of window.” The tag on an iron says: “Warning - never iron clothes while wearing them.” A warning label on a superman costume reads: “Warning - cape does not enable user to fly.” A label on a bottle of drain cleaner reads: “If you do not understand, or cannot read, all directions, cautions and warnings, do not use this product.” The tag on a five-inch brass fishing lure with a three-pronged hook on the end warns: “Harmful if swallowed.” A warning on an electric router made for carpenters says: “This product not intended for use as a dental drill.” On a blanket from Taiwan we are warned: “Warning, Not to be used as protection from a tornado.” On the instruction tag of a baby stroller we are reminded: “Warning: Remove child before folding.” And the blue ribbon winner appears on a toilet bowl cleaning brush: “Warning, Do not use orally.” (Is this actually a potential problem?)
While some warning labels seem ridiculous and unnecessary, others may mean the difference between life and death. Such is the case with the passage above. God has given us the Bible to help us avoid a multitude of disasters. By heeding this warning you can avoid facing a disastrous situation in your life. What is the warning? Don’t be deceived: God cannot be mocked. OK, that’s what it says, but what does it mean?
The word “mock” means “to turn your nose up at someone.” It’s a prideful, willful, arrogant, response of contempt. A person mocks God by saying, “I will ignore You and Your Word and live as I choose. I will disregard worship, righteousness, the Cross of Christ and holy living. I will live in total disregard to God but in the end still expect to merit blessing.” Such thinking makes a mockery of the sacrifice of Christ and the requirements of God. “Don’t be deceived,” the Bible says. If you sow to please the sinful nature, you will reap destruction. If you sow to please the Spirit you will reap eternal life. To think we can live apart from God and still receive God’s blessings is a deception of the worst kind. “Be warned!” the Bible says. God will not be mocked. In the specific context of this passage to mock God is to ignore doing good to others. The love and grace of God, planted in our hearts through the Spirit of God is to be replanted in others. We are to do good to all people – especially to the family of believers. How should we respond to this warning?
Determine What Kind of Fruit You Want to Produce In Your Life. Every farmer starts with a vision of the harvest. He looks over each of his fields and thinks to himself, “From this field I will get a great harvest of corn.” or “From this field I will reap a great harvest of strawberries.” And he plants accordingly. He begins with the end in mind. He plants the appropriate seeds and then waits. Every farmer expects that what he plants in the ground will produce a crop after its own kind. He doesn’t plant pumpkin seeds and expect to harvest sunflowers. He doesn’t plant potatoes and expect broccoli in return. When he plants corn – he gets corn. When he plants beans, he gets beans in return.
Now what is true in the field of agriculture (pun intended) is also true about our lives. If we desire a harvest of love, grace and understanding from others in our life, we must first be willing to plant it in the hearts of other people. Nobody gets a harvest without first planting the seed. If you want love from others, you must first give love to others. If you want mercy, you must first be merciful. It’s not reasonable to plant seeds of criticism and expect a harvest of love in return. It defies logic to plant seeds of discord and expect a harvest of peace. Each seed reproduces after its own kind.
That’s why it is a fair and reasonable expectation for God to expect a harvest of grace and love from His people, because He planted the seeds of grace and mercy in our hearts through His Spirit. You see, this irrevocable rule or sowing and reaping not only applies to us but applies to the Lord Himself. The seed he plants will/can only produce after its kind. What kind of seed does he plant within us? Seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. When He envisions the return of His field – he expects a bountiful harvest of the fruit of the Spirit. For the fruit of the Spirit not to grow in our lives would be a mockery of His gardening abilities.
Now notice not only do you harvest what you sow, but you harvest only after you sow. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. It takes time for crops to mature and ripen. A farmer doesn’t walk out into his field the morning after he plants his seed and expect to harvest his crops. Before the harvest there is cultivating and weeding and watering. There is “sowing” then there is “waiting and growing” and then comes “the harvest.” The Lord wants us to remember this. Notice the words “at the proper time” we will reap a harvest. There is a proper time for harvest. When is that proper time? After an adequate time of growth. Doing the work of God and seeing the result of our labor will take time. Do not grow weary as the crop is maturing - both in yourself and in others.
Take heed of God’s warning. Sow seeds to please the Spirit. One day soon we will celebrate a great harvest dinner with all the saints of all the ages. Till then, let’s keep our hand to the plow.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
(Galatians 6:7-10)
Most of us are familiar with product warning labels. While some warning labels help us to avoid potentially disastrous situations others seem to defy reason as to why they are necessary. Here are some actual warning labels that are rather strange and somewhat humorous: Window air conditioning units are now required to display the warning: “Caution - Avoid dropping air conditioner out of window.” The tag on an iron says: “Warning - never iron clothes while wearing them.” A warning label on a superman costume reads: “Warning - cape does not enable user to fly.” A label on a bottle of drain cleaner reads: “If you do not understand, or cannot read, all directions, cautions and warnings, do not use this product.” The tag on a five-inch brass fishing lure with a three-pronged hook on the end warns: “Harmful if swallowed.” A warning on an electric router made for carpenters says: “This product not intended for use as a dental drill.” On a blanket from Taiwan we are warned: “Warning, Not to be used as protection from a tornado.” On the instruction tag of a baby stroller we are reminded: “Warning: Remove child before folding.” And the blue ribbon winner appears on a toilet bowl cleaning brush: “Warning, Do not use orally.” (Is this actually a potential problem?)
While some warning labels seem ridiculous and unnecessary, others may mean the difference between life and death. Such is the case with the passage above. God has given us the Bible to help us avoid a multitude of disasters. By heeding this warning you can avoid facing a disastrous situation in your life. What is the warning? Don’t be deceived: God cannot be mocked. OK, that’s what it says, but what does it mean?
The word “mock” means “to turn your nose up at someone.” It’s a prideful, willful, arrogant, response of contempt. A person mocks God by saying, “I will ignore You and Your Word and live as I choose. I will disregard worship, righteousness, the Cross of Christ and holy living. I will live in total disregard to God but in the end still expect to merit blessing.” Such thinking makes a mockery of the sacrifice of Christ and the requirements of God. “Don’t be deceived,” the Bible says. If you sow to please the sinful nature, you will reap destruction. If you sow to please the Spirit you will reap eternal life. To think we can live apart from God and still receive God’s blessings is a deception of the worst kind. “Be warned!” the Bible says. God will not be mocked. In the specific context of this passage to mock God is to ignore doing good to others. The love and grace of God, planted in our hearts through the Spirit of God is to be replanted in others. We are to do good to all people – especially to the family of believers. How should we respond to this warning?
Determine What Kind of Fruit You Want to Produce In Your Life. Every farmer starts with a vision of the harvest. He looks over each of his fields and thinks to himself, “From this field I will get a great harvest of corn.” or “From this field I will reap a great harvest of strawberries.” And he plants accordingly. He begins with the end in mind. He plants the appropriate seeds and then waits. Every farmer expects that what he plants in the ground will produce a crop after its own kind. He doesn’t plant pumpkin seeds and expect to harvest sunflowers. He doesn’t plant potatoes and expect broccoli in return. When he plants corn – he gets corn. When he plants beans, he gets beans in return.
Now what is true in the field of agriculture (pun intended) is also true about our lives. If we desire a harvest of love, grace and understanding from others in our life, we must first be willing to plant it in the hearts of other people. Nobody gets a harvest without first planting the seed. If you want love from others, you must first give love to others. If you want mercy, you must first be merciful. It’s not reasonable to plant seeds of criticism and expect a harvest of love in return. It defies logic to plant seeds of discord and expect a harvest of peace. Each seed reproduces after its own kind.
That’s why it is a fair and reasonable expectation for God to expect a harvest of grace and love from His people, because He planted the seeds of grace and mercy in our hearts through His Spirit. You see, this irrevocable rule or sowing and reaping not only applies to us but applies to the Lord Himself. The seed he plants will/can only produce after its kind. What kind of seed does he plant within us? Seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. When He envisions the return of His field – he expects a bountiful harvest of the fruit of the Spirit. For the fruit of the Spirit not to grow in our lives would be a mockery of His gardening abilities.
Now notice not only do you harvest what you sow, but you harvest only after you sow. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. It takes time for crops to mature and ripen. A farmer doesn’t walk out into his field the morning after he plants his seed and expect to harvest his crops. Before the harvest there is cultivating and weeding and watering. There is “sowing” then there is “waiting and growing” and then comes “the harvest.” The Lord wants us to remember this. Notice the words “at the proper time” we will reap a harvest. There is a proper time for harvest. When is that proper time? After an adequate time of growth. Doing the work of God and seeing the result of our labor will take time. Do not grow weary as the crop is maturing - both in yourself and in others.
Take heed of God’s warning. Sow seeds to please the Spirit. One day soon we will celebrate a great harvest dinner with all the saints of all the ages. Till then, let’s keep our hand to the plow.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 7:01 PM
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