E-Message Bible/Commentary

Paul defended himself because critics were accusing him of teaching "an easy gospel" to increase his popularity. They thought faith alone, without the Jewish law, was a watered-down gospel. Paul's concern was for spiritual truth, not his approval ratings. Paul set the record straight. If he changed the gospel to suit men, he would not be a bondservant of Christ. In fact, he would be inviting wrath of God upon himself.

Whose approval are you seeking: others' or God's? "Be careful not to do your "acts of righteousness" before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:1). In other words, what you do in the name of God but your motive is to please men, there will be no reward for you from your Father in heaven. Delayed rewards from God are better than instant "pats on the back.
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In order to be in right standing with God, we must have a relationship with God.  That relationship is two-fold.  Our relationship with God is based on our SALVATION and our IDENTIFICATION.

The very first step in establishing a relationship with God is to accept the gift of salvation.  Then we will belong in the family of God.  Our salvation experience is the beginning of our relationship with God. Without salvation, there can be NO relationship.

The second part of our relationship with God is our identification.  Our salvation takes care of our eternal security in heaven, and our identification takes care of our daily walk here on earth.  Being identified with Christ means we are not our own.  We have been bought with a price.  Because of that, we must surrender our entire being to the God who created us.  We no longer live, but Christ lives in us.  It is Jesus Christ living His life in us and through us.

In summary, our relationship with God is based on our salvation and on our identification.  When we have both, then we can be confidently assured that we are in right relationship with Him. Our daily walk becomes honorable and pleasing to God.
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According to the 'Lectric Law Library's Lexicon, "Double jeopardy is a legal expression meaning being tried twice for the same offense. The double jeopardy rule protects against three distinct abuses: (1) a second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal; (2) a second prosecution for the same offense after conviction; and (3) multiple punishments for the same offense. The double jeopardy rule makes it impossible for a person to be tried for the same charges twice."

We did not pay the price for our own sins, Jesus did! Jesus set us free by his death on the cross. Therefore, the double jeopardy rule protects us because Jesus paid the price in full for us. Since we are in Christ, we are no longer the slaves to the law of sin and death. To think otherwise would be a case of double jeopardy.
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How do we clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ? First, we invite Jesus into our hearts. Then we identify with Christ by being baptized into Christ. This demonstrates our solidarity with Christ, his death, burial and resurrection. This also shows we identify with other Christians. Secondly, we exemplify the qualities Jesus showed while he was here on earth. We show love, joy, peace, humility, truth, compassion and service. In a sense, we role play what Jesus would do in our situation. Third, we must not give our desires any opportunity to lead us into sin.

Avoid those people and situations that open the door to gratify sinful desires.
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No matter how badly we want things to happen at a designated time, it is God who determines when the time is right. And whenever God does something, it is the right time. God is an orderly God. His plans for us have being charted from our birth until our death. God's timing is always perfect . . . never too soon or never too late. The song says, "He might not come when you want Him to, but He is always on time."

If you are waiting for that promotion, perhaps it is not the right time for it according to what God sees waiting for you down the road. If you are waiting for that mate, perhaps God is perfecting some things in your life first. Now might not be the right time. What about that dream house you constantly have been looking for. Is it your time or God's time to get it? Depend totally on God and His timing because things will happen with you, to you and for you not according to your watch, calendar, or timetable, but when God says, "Now it's time."
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Throughout the Bible there is a pattern of things happening at their proper times. God answers every prayer with either "Yes," "No," or "Wait." Timing IS everything. As adults we know that principle well. Would you give a ten-year old an automobile no matter how much he begs for one? Would you allow a six-year old to cook a turkey even though she insists she knows how? Certainly not! That ten-year boy will probably be a safe driver in the fullness of time. The six-year old might grow up to cook like Julia Child in the fullness of time.

Timing IS everything. God didn't deliver the Israelites from Egypt until the fullness of time had come. God could have sent Jesus sooner, but He did so in the fullness of time. Jesus told His mother at the wedding of Cana, "My time has not yet come" (John 2: 4). So it is with us. The answer to your prayer might not be "No!" It might be "Wait until the proper time." The time has not come for that career move. The time has not come for relocating to another city. The time has not come for that new house. The time has not come for marriage. The time has not come for starting a family. The time has not come for your ministry to soar. The time has not come for . . .

Timing is everything, "but they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
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Many people debate whether or not Jesus was born on December 25.  The Bible does not indicate at all when Jesus was born.  Why, then, do we celebrate Jesus' birth on December 25?  The early church settled on December 25 to replace a pagan Roman holiday. Ironically, December 25 was a celebration of the sun god. In an attempt to get rid of the pagan holiday and to get people to focus on Christianity, December 25 became the celebrated birthday of the Son of God. Apparently, the attempt worked because many generations later we still celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25.

Even though we do not know for sure when Jesus was born, we do know He was born. He left His home in heaven to come to earth to be one of us to save all of us. God must have had His reasons for not giving us the exact date. The minor prophet Micah gives us the exact location of Jesus being born in the little town of Bethlehem, but he gives us no indication of the date. (Michah 5:2) 

We may know some things by deduction. For example, Palestine is extremely cold in December, so shepherds would not have been in the fields watching over their flock. Most likely Jesus' birth was in the spring or fall prior to October. "And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night." (Luke 2:8) The birth of Jesus also has been calculated based on the birth of John the Baptist and the death of Herod the King. Still the church fathers do not agree on the date. However, most of them conclude that it was more likely September 29, 2 B.C. rather than December 25. Various other sources point to January 6, March 28, April, May 23, July, or November 18.  Do you see the confusion?

Let us conclude that knowing the actual date is NOT important. The important thing is that Christ came to earth at the exact moment deemed appropriate according to God's timetable. We simply should embrace by faith that when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His Son.
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It is perhaps the desire of every Christian to have more of God in their lives. At least, it should be. If you desire more of God and you don't seem to have more of God, there MUST be a reason. Since God is so ready to give you more of Him, the fault is not with God, but with you. This message is just for you today because it tells in a simplified way how to have more of God.

God's perfect will is for us to live spirit-filled lives. Because of sin brought on by disobedience most of us do not live in God's perfect will. Therefore, God's permissive will is our next option. (Romans 12:1-2) Since God is a God of order, God WILL NOT allow us to have spirit-filled lives until we sacrifice something in the natural (a lying tongue, a bad attitude, pride, selfishness, procrastination, etc.).

Did you know that before Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise, he was told to send Ishmael into the desert? (Genesis 21:8-14) God never asked Abraham to sacrifice Issac (the spiritual) until he had sent Ishmael (the natural) into the desert. We are offering up spiritual things (praise, worship, prayers, meditation, etc.) without having FIRST offered up something in the natural (making our bodies a living sacrifice). In other words, God wants more of us before He will ever give us more of Him.

When we send our natural self into the desert like Ishmael, God will provide for us there (Genesis 21:15-19). It is ONLY after we have been into the desert with our natural self that God will accept us on the altar for our spiritual self to emerge. (Moses had to be sent into the desert before God used him as a deliverer).

Send your natural self into the desert before you put your spiritual self on the altar. We tend to do it in the reverse order. Remember, Ishmael had to be sent away before Isaac was offered up to God.
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When people live on their own without following the commandments of God's Word, then they are living without limits.  When people live by the standards of the world instead of by the standards of the Bible, then they are living without limits.  When people become their own authority of what is right and what is wrong, then they are living without limits. 

They call that freedom.
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Being free does not mean we are at liberty to do whatever we want whenever we want to. Freedom means we are not enslaved, controlled, dominated or dictated by sinful action. We are not free to indulge our own desires, but we can live unselfishly. Also, being free means not having to follow a long list of laws and regulations and participate in rituals and ceremonies. Surely that would keep anyone in bondage.

Jesus died to set us free from the bondage of sin and from a long list of laws and regulations.  We are now free and able to serve God without rules, methods, or special conditions.  We are not in chains and tied up in our spirits because of legalism (following the letter of the law), but we are free because of the blood of Jesus that was shed on Calvary (living by faith). We are free because of the grace of God and the saving power of Jesus Christ. "If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed" (Romans 8:36).

True freedom is being a slave to God.  It not a matter of living any way we want to, but living within the commandments of God.  When we live the way Christ did and follow his laws, then we can experience true freedom. A life devoted to Jesus Christ is far better than a life without limits could ever be.  True freedom is living for Christ every day of our lives.
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Yesterday, America celebrated Independence Day. People reflected on how we as Americans are free to do certain things allowed to us by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. That's freedom. Good news, indeed! But that's physical freedom! Some people are physically free; yet spiritually bound.

The Book of Galatians is called the "Magna Carta of Christian Liberty" because Paul explains why we are spiritually free. We are free because "it is for freedom that Christ has set us free." We still have yokes of slavery around our necks if we do not live by the Spirit. We are bound by the chains of the law of sin and death unless we live as though Jesus' death on the cross has indeed set us free. The law tells us to run but ties our arms and legs. The Spirit tells us to fly and gives us wings. That's freedom!

Freedom means free in Jesus!
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Most Christians can quote the definition of faith found in Hebrews 11:1, but how many Christians really live by that definition? Yes, faith is the substance of things hoped for and surely it is the evidence of things not seen, but when the going gets tough we tend to forget what faith really is. Faith is not limited to quoting scriptures. You must embrace full-hearted faith. What does that mean? It means to believe with your mind, your emotions, and your will. Then the inner workings of your faith will be in operation.

Whatever you are believing God for right now, test your faith in the following three ways:

1. The Mental Test. Be realistic about what you are believing God for. Everything you believe God for must be based on some promise or principle in the Bible. You must have God's word on what you are believing Him for. If God didn't say you can have it, then it is a waste of time to think He will give it to you. Confirm what you believe God for by seeing if He promised it to you in the first place. Make sure you can answer the question: What do I base my request on?  It should be based on God's promise. 
2. The Emotional Test. Your emotions must be involved in your faith. What is the highest Christian emotion? It is love, of course. Faith should be motivated by love (Galatians 5:6). The highest object of your love should be God. Therefore, whatever you are believing God for must be something for which God will get the glory. Ask yourself if you want this thing for selfish reasons or do you want it to help others and to bring glory to God. Make sure you can answer the question: Why do I want it? It should be to bring glory to God. 
3. The Will Test.  There is ALWAYS something you must do in order to express your faith. It is senseless to want something and just sit waiting for it to happen on its own. You MUST give God something to work with. You MUST participate in your own blessings. Your will MUST be involved in your believing. There should always be an expression of faith. Before you expect God to answer your request, ask yourself: How do I express my will? You must do SOMETHING to express your faith. (In tomorrow's message I will outline at least 10 biblical cases illustrating what people did to express their faith).

In summary, you must pass all three tests to enter into full-hearted faith. You must believe with your mind, your emotions, and your will.
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God intended for the Christian life to be one of serving God and one another. God has given us gifts, but those gifts are worthless unless they are used to glorify God and to edify others.

We should be like Jesus in that he was humble and willing to give up his rights in order to obey God and serve people. Like Christ, we should have a servant's attitude. We should not approach life expecting to be served, but we should look for opportunities to serve others.
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Everyone has been called to serve. The questions become: "Serve when?" "Serve whom?" "Serve how?" "Serve where?" and "Serve what?" The time to serve is now while it is day because the night will come when no one can work (John 9:4). No work can be completed in the grave. We are to serve one another. Whenever we see a need we are to fill it. That's why God places certain situations on our heart and before our eyes. Let's not wait for others to see what God has specifically shown us. They might not ever see it. God shows it to us to give us a chance to do something about it.

The Bible has general instructions for everyone. Being called to serve is one of those general instructions. However, we want to skip the general instructions and go directly to the specific instructions. Wrong move!

Before God  gave Joshua specific instructions to walk around Jericho, Joshua had already complied with God's general instructions to serve. Before David was put on the throne as king, David had already served Saul. Before Peter was given the keys to the kingdom, Peter had already been called to serve.

You are no exception. Before God will give you your own specialty, you must become a general practitioner. Before God will give you your own office, you must start out in the steno pool. Before God will give you your own pulpit, you are called to serve throughout the church. Before God will give you your own private practice, you MUST serve in the general areas to which He calls everyone.

You must go from the general to the specific and not vice-versa.  So, if you have been going in the wrong direction, remember God does allow U-turns. So, go on and make an "about face."
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There are two ways of doing everything in life:  your way or God's way.  When you confuse the two you are in big trouble!  Your subjective feelings should not be mistaken for the prompting of the Holy Spirit's leading.  Being led by the Holy Spirit involves the desire to hear and the readiness to obey God's Word, and the sensitivity to discern between your feelings and God's leading.  Live today and everyday in the Spirit and not in the flesh.  Then the words of Jesus will be on your mind, the love of Jesus will be in your actions, and the power of Jesus will help you control your fleshly desires.
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What is a flesh day? A flesh day is a day that you ease God out, and you determine "It is all about me, my and mine." A flesh day is a day you wake up mad with the world instead of having your mind on Jesus.  A flesh day is a day you move into road rage as you drive to work. A flesh day is the day you get to work and insist that "they can take this job and shove it." A flesh day is the day you do as you please and exploit everyone who crosses your path. A flesh day is the day that ends in quarreling and strife with those in your household. According to Romans 8:5, a flesh day is the opposite of a spirit-filled day. "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."

What can you do about your flesh days? First of all, realize that you are human and flesh days will occur. Once you recognize you are leaning toward the flesh more than toward the Spirit, immediately make a U-turn. Any delay will only make it harder for you to get back on the spiritual path. Then set your mind on the things of the Spirit and before long, you will be living according to the Spirit instead of having a flesh day.
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God created sex. God ordained sex. The question is: "When is sex a sin?" Two prepositions should be kept in mind when answering this question: "BEFORE" and "OUTSIDE." Sex is immoral and a sin against God BEFORE marriage. That's call fornication. It is premarital sex.  Sex is immoral and a sin against God OUTSIDE of marriage. That's call adultery. It is extramarital sex. The technical difference is that fornication involves those who are unmarried, and adultery involves those who are married. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches that both fornication and adultery cause harm and separate us from a right relationship with God. (Matthew 6:27-28)

Of the seven lists of sins found in the writings of Paul, the word fornication is found in five of them and is first on the list each time. (1 Corinthians 5:11, Colossians 3:5) In 1 Corinthians 6:18, Paul did not beat around the bush. He did not give us anything to exegete or interpret. He came right out and said, "Flee fornication." That should be self-explanatory. The only safety from such temptations is to take flight just as Joseph fled from Potiphar's wife when she tried to seduce him. (Genesis 39:12)

Adultery is willful sexual relations with someone other than with one's own spouse. In the Ten Commandments, God did not beat around the bush. He did not give us anything to exegete or interpret. He came right out and said, "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14) Under the Mosaic Law, when a man and woman were caught in the act of adultery, both parties were to be killed. (Deuteronomy 22:22) If that was the case today, there wouldn't be many people left in our churches or on our jobs.

When you have a physical relationship WITHOUT a covenant (premarital), you go against our covenant-relational God. When you have a physical relationship with one OTHER THAN the one whom you have made a covenant (extramarital), you break your covenant with God and your covenant with your spouse. You sin when you break these covenants outlined in God's word. Since God is the one who created sex and blessed it, shouldn't He be the one to give us laws concerning it?

"It is God's will that you should be sanctified; that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God...The Lord will punish men [and women] for all such sins." (I Thessalonians 4:3-6)

God says marriage [sex] is honorable, but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4)
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The average person would define "patience" as "waiting." Patience is NOT just waiting. It is so much more than waiting. Patience is waiting without worrying. Patience is waiting without expecting the worst. Patience is waiting without pacing the floor. Patience is waiting without tapping your fingertips on the table. Patience is waiting without biting your nails. Patience is waiting without having an anxiety attack.

Patience is waiting confidently with the assurance that what you are expecting will happen according to God's most holy and divine perfection in His own time. If you believe that, then shout "Hallelujah!" If you have been waiting for something to happen and it has not manifested itself yet; perhaps the hindrance lies in your attitude about patience!
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There are nine facets of the fruit of the Spirit.  There are also gifts of the Spirit. There is a difference between the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.  Fruit depends on the goodness of the individual. The gifts depend on the goodness of the Giver. We are not given fruit. We BEAR fruit.  Just like trees, we bear fruit.  An apple tree isn't given apples; it bears the apples. As we live in union with Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit reproduces Christ in us which comes out in the form of our love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.  Fruit is the result of the union of a believer with Christ, and we will be known by the fruit we BEAR.

If your life is not resulting in these facets, perhaps you are not as connected to Christ as you should be. In the day of judgment we will be judged not by how many gifts of the Spirit we have, but by the fruit we BEAR.
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What do the words "alphabet," "doctrine," "fruit," "people," and "Revelation" have in common? You should hold the "s" on these words.

Hold the "s" on the word "alphabet." It is incorrect to say "alphabets" when referring to the 26 letters of the alphabet. The 26 letters make up one set of alphabet.

Hold the "s" on the word "doctrine."  A doctrine is a set of beliefs about God, man, Christ, the church, and other related topics. The word "doctrine" comprises one set or related beliefs.

Hold the "s" on the word "fruit" when referring to the fruit of the Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

Hold the "s" on the word "people" when referring to one group of people. The word "people" means more than one person.

Hold the "s" on words such as "fish," "sheep," and "deer" that can be either singular or plural depending on the context.

Please, please, please hold the "s" on the word "Revelation" when referring to the last book of the Bible. There is no such book as "Revelations." It was the revelation of Jesus Christ given to John. (Revelation 1:1)
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Living spiritually is hard because we live in a not so spiritual world. It is not easy living by the Spirit. It can be done, but it takes discipline.

The first step to living spiritually in a not so spiritual world is to see things differently from the way the world sees them. The world sees the here and now, but we must focus on the hereafter. The world sees only at eye level, but we must see the big picture. The world sees only the surface, we must go deeper and see things from every angle . . . beneath, behind, over, under and especially from within. The world judges everything by what the rest of the world is doing. We must not weigh our deeds on the scales of worldly accomplishments.

Begin to see everything as having a spiritual significance. Begin to ask yourself, "Where is God in this situation?" If God isn't in it, then you shouldn't be in it either. Move beyond the obvious surface meaning. Peel away those layers that are on top and peek beneath the surface. Imagine how Jesus would explain your particular situation to His disciples, or how He would go to God on your behalf.

To live spiritually, we must love God more when the world says, "Curse God and die." (Job 2:9) To live spiritually, we must give when the world says, "Accumulate all you can and build bigger barns" (Luke 12:18) To live spiritually, we must not give up. Instead, we should be not weary in well doing for we shall reap in due season if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9)

To live spiritually in a not so spiritual world, we must live by the Spirit and be led by the Spirit, and we must keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16; 25) That is the only way we can live spiritually in a not so spiritual world.
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Politicians do it all time. Religious leaders do it all the time. They confess to the public. I, too, have a confession to make. I have a confession to make to all my E-Message subscribers. During the ten years I have been writing and submitting these E-Messages, I believe I have gained your trust and admiration. Therefore, my confession is warranted. There is something you might not know about me. You might not know that I am an addict. Yes, I am addicted. Yes, I have a serious addiction.

I have been aware of my condition for a long time. But somehow I didn't think others knew it until I received an e-mail with this message: [Last night I saw a “Spiritual Addiction” on you in regard to teaching and how excited you were when “we” got it and went beyond the scope of the lesson.  It was a good class!]

Now that my secret is out, I can come out of the closet. Yes, I am addicted. Yes, I have a spiritual addiction. An addiction is something you can't live without. It is something that you are devoted to. It is a compulsive need. It is habit forming. It is something you submit and surrender your life to. It is something that carries you through the day...and night.

I confess I have a spiritual addiction, and no rehabilitation is needed. I am taking the advice of Paul, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Galatians 5:16)

Do you care to join me in my spiritual addiction?
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About three weeks ago while meditating, God gave me a vision. It was a vivid description of a life-size cake, one you would have to use a ladder to see the top. It was one of the most beautiful cakes you could ever imagine. It was more beautiful than a wedding cake fit for a queen. What was particular captivating about this cake were the decorations on the sides and top of the cake. The frosting was smooth, and it looked extremely tempting. One would say other than the size and beauty of that cake, nothing was particular significant about the vision. So I asked God to reveal to me the deeper meaning of that beautiful oversized cake.

Here is what God said: "The beautiful cake represents the modern day church. It is extremely beautiful on the outside. It is adorned with silver and gold. The people are beautiful on the outside. What they do in the church appears to be beautiful to those who can see only with natural eyes. They can see only the beautiful decorations on the outside. But I'm not there even though they say so in their songs and in their prayers. When it comes to the proclamation of my Son, they fall short. They lie when they say the Holy Spirit is there. "Ichabod" is written on most church doors."  (I Samuel 4:21)

With the beautiful frosting on the outside, one would think the inside of the cake would be just as beautiful. Then God showed me that the inside of the cake had been hollowed out. In the place of the mixture of flour, butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla were maggots, earthworms and creepy crawlers. They were alive and mixed together, fighting and pushing, wiggling, and twisting and all intertwined. Some were dancing and singing; some were lifting holy hands, and others were saying, "Hallelujah!" Again, I asked God to reveal to me what I was seeing. He assured me that the inside of that cake represents most churches today. The churches look pretty; they sound pretty, but on the inside God isn't there at all. The maggots, the earthworms and the creepy crawlers are God's people confined to their own space mixed together and exerting energy thinking it is what pleases God.

That cake is similar to the fig tree that Jesus cursed because it had leaves but no figs. The fig tree gave the appearance that it was producing, but it had no fruit. (Matthew 21:18-22) However, the cake situation is worse because while the fig tree wasn't producing any fruit at all, the church is producing what is offensive to God, but it looks good to God's people.

Is your church filled with the holiness of God, or is your church the one that has been described above? Does your church have beautiful frosting on the outside but is filled with maggots, earth worms and creepy crawlers? Is the gospel "sugar coated"? Do you dare cut the cake to see what is really inside? Or would you rather not know so you can continue doing what you are doing?

You might not want to admit that the cake describes your church, but God knows what's really on the inside! And if we want our church to be one that is without a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, it starts here and now with the person who is reading this message.
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No one is totally restored until all are totally restored. Those of you who are spiritual should be ready, willing and able to help those who need help. Two things you must do when you help those who are caught in sin: (1) Be gentle; and (2) Watch yourself that you do not fall into that same sin.

Keep in mind that you are to encourage your brother to come over to YOUR side. Unless you are extremely careful, you just might find yourself being tempted to join him in sin. Make sure you are prayed up, praised up and know your position in the Lord before trying to gently encourage others. Then watch yourself every step of the way!
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Helping one another is not just a good thing to do. Helping one another is the godly thing to do. Helping one another is an important part of Christian living. We need to help one another to fulfill the law of Christ.

The Kingdom of God needs all of us to do our part in helping "thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). The church, the body of Christ functions only when all members work together for a common good.

Until all members of the body of Christ are whole; none of us are whole. Unless all members of the body of Christ are lifted up; none of us should feel that we have it made. Is there someone you can help today in some way? Is there someone you can encourage? If you find this commandment too difficult to keep, consider it this way: Not only will you be helping that person, but you will discover that meeting human needs is an opportunity to serve God. (This usually is an overlooked truth).
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Sowing and reaping is an absolute law. This simply means that you can count on it to happen. Reaping will follow sowing just as night follows day (but not as quickly).  Sowing and reaping is a kingdom principle according to God's timing and purpose. WHATEVER seed you sow will grow of its own kind in God's own time usually when you need it the most. You cannot plant corn and expect grapes to grow from those seeds. You cannot plant tomatoes and expect to reap a harvest of apples.

Make no mistake about it, whatever you sow you will reap if the soil is nurtured and cultivated. This includes everything whether good or bad, roses or thistles. If you sow seeds of love, you will get love in return. If you sow doubt, worry and fear, those are the things that you will have an abundance of.

Facts about sowing and reaping:

1. WHATEVER YOU SOW, YOU WILL REAP.
2. God will determine how long the seed must stay in the soil, and only God can cause your seed to grow. To tamper with the seed after you have planted it will only damage the seed and delay its growth.
3. Your harvest will depend on how much or how little you sow. "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." (2 Corinthians 9:6)

Sow your seeds. And then expect a bumper crop! There is no getting around it...WHATEVER you sow will grow.
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If you want to grow spiritually, there are three (3) things the Bible tells you not to do.

1. Fear Not. The expression "fear not" is in the Bible about 365 times. This means we are not to fear any day of our lives. Notice whenever "fear not" is used, it is almost always followed by a promise or a word of comfort. In Isaiah 41:10 God says, "Fear not ... then the  promise...for I am with you." Exchange fear for faith because God is with you.
2. Fret Not. Because of so much evil in the world, we tend to fret. Psalm 37 tells us three times to fret not. Psalm 37:1 says, "Fret not because of evil doers." Psalm 37:8 tells us that we need not do evil just because others are doing evil, "Fret not yourself in any wise to do evil."
3. Faint Not. It is easy to give up when the going gets tough, but you will get nothing to compensate for your efforts; not even for the time spent while you were hanging in there. Galatians 6:9 tells us that if we continue to stand and not faint, in due season we will reap a harvest. So if you want to have something to show for your labor, continue to press on until harvest time.

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Just as there are four seasons in the universe, there are seasons of your spiritual life.  Changes occur and yes, you will go through dry times which too shall pass. When nothing seems to be happening in your life, God commanded you not to give up.

What season are you in — the cultivating, planting, growing, or harvesting?

• Cultivate your life by setting goals.
• Plant seeds by making commitments for a better life.
• Monitor changes in your life as you would watch a crop grow.
• Reap a bountiful harvest as you live in love, joy and peace.

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Have you been working in the Kingdom of God all or most of your life, yet you see no results for all your labor and hard work? Do you sometimes want to give up, to throw in the towel and to say, "I surrender. It's not worth it. It's such a waste!"? Be assured that you are not alone in your thinking. Ministers preach their hearts out and still report non-responsive parishioners. Sunday School teachers have felt their long hours of preparation were all in vain. Even Jesus felt that His disciples turned deaf ears to what He was saying. Sometimes what they heard, they didn't seem to fully understand. But when the day of Pentecost came, the disciples became full of the spirit and stood up and addressed the crowd proclaiming things they had been taught (Acts 2:14).

Even though it is not always obvious, we do plant seeds in the lives of others.  When people have a special need, it is then that they remember the principles we have taught, and they make life applications based on those principles and truths. What we preach and teach is not a waste. Results will be realized at the proper time. Let's not be weary because we will reap a harvest in due season if we don't give up. Our ministry is NOT a waste! Let's continue to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!
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It has been documented that people have regrets during the last stage of their lives. Some people regret what they did in life. However, a greater number of people regret what they didn't do. Every single day, there are hundreds of opportunities that we miss or simply take for granted.

You might have missed the opportunity to share the love of God with the woman you sat beside in the waiting room at the doctor's office. You might have missed feeling compassion for the elderly couple whose pet dog ran away. You might even have missed an opportunity to calm a little girl at the ice cream truck who was upset because she was given the wrong color slurpie.

Life is full of opportunities. Let's not miss them. Share a word of encouragement with someone today. Let someone know you love and care about them before it is too late. Let's not be on our death bed and regret what we didn't do. So, let's do it NOW.
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