BE NOT DECEIVED....Our FATHER Will NOT Be MOCKED!

[traveller]

Sometimes I believe it is just a faddish thing for many of us to use the saying, "you will reap what you sow", without thinking about the dire consequences involved in its meaning. The principle behind it stands out clearly for both the saved and unsaved alike. It affects every area of our life!

Our FATHER has "laws" that not only govern the universe, but also our daily ways of living. Our governments on earth can take laws and amend them to make certain changes come about. But our FATHER's laws can only be "amended" by HIM, and HIM alone.

With this in mind, I believe it is VERY important how YOU and I conduct ourselves as HIS children in ALL of our everyday endeavors. As ambassadors, we represent the Kingdom of Heaven. As children/followers, we represent HIM! In both cases, we need to "sow good seeds" wherever (and in whatever) we're sprinkled. Our LORD will not be mocked by any of us who PERSIST in unrighteousness. If the "seeds YOU sow" produce scandalous actions/behavior, you could be throwing away your blessings. GOD makes this truth quite clear in and throughout Scripture.

How YOU and I talk to and treat other people (not just Christians) are seeds we plant everyday. They will either produce a good or bad harvest....one or the other. But there is no gray area....you WILL receive one of them. Don't leave out the fact that what YOU think also plays a major role here. Others may not "hear" your thoughts, BUT our FATHER does! And the things that are a "bad crop" are continually being worked out of us by HIM, because of HIS tender mercy towards us. We can be very ignorant at times (some of us more than others), and miss out on these valuable points. Even as children of the Most High GOD, we can INTENTIONALLY do/say things we KNOW ARE WRONG, yet we WILL NOT listen to the HOLY SPIRIT's leading to do otherwise.

Try to remember to daily sow "seeds of reality" about yourself. Don't be deceitful to others, trying to present a portrait of yourself, which you KNOW isn't true. Be who you really are always. No matter how good someone looks on the outside, you cannot tell what types of wars/battles are going on in their spiritual realm. YOU and I don't really know what's going on behind a "smiling" face. The seeds of reality concerning yourself which are sown may be the very things someone else needs to see, and may feel comfortable enough to come to you for help/advice. I have seen GOD use other Christians and myself in this manner to be a refreshing blessing for people in need of HIM (even if they don't realize it).

Learn to sow "seeds of hope", in order to give motivation and encouragement to others. You'll be surprised at the "bumper crop" our FATHER will bless you with from these actions. Help others to look forward to the return of JESUS CHRIST. You will find that as you do so, the cares of this life will slowly lose their importance. They will begin to disappear. You will no longer be worried about what others think of you, or how much money you've saved in your bank account, or how many cars you own (or would like to own), or how many college degrees you own, and the list goes on....yet it will become insignificant in light of Eternity. None of those things are wrong, but growing in the grace/knowledge of CHRIST, increasing your faith, enduring the trials sent to strengthen your faith, producing the fruit of the SPIRIT, and finding out/staying in our FATHER's Will for your life should be in that bumper crop!

If you have children, ask our FATHER for a clear understanding of the "seeds of good parenting". Face the facts....there is NO perfect way to raise a child. As a Christian father, I have two (21 & 15) youngmen. I have oftentimes asked GOD to teach me to raise them in HIM. It hasn't ALWAYS been easy. Each child you parent is his (her) own person. They offer very unique challenges. I've learned that if you sow the seeds for good parenting GOD has given to us in HIS Word, you stand a pretty good chance of presenting to society a productive individual. In my case, it has worked out well because I sowed the seeds of virtue in my sons, believing they would produce more integrity vice values. I have also seen where Christians have let their children get away with things which have deserved correcting, discipline or punishment, and later have regretted what they've "reaped".

Some of the toughest seeds to sow are those of MERCY. GOD has mercy on us when we fail, but we in turn need to learn to be the same way with others. Remember the GOLDEN RULE? With us HE desires to show mercy when we fail (Matthew 9:13), and HE wants us to sow the same "seeds of mercy" with others. We are to imitate our LORD. As YOU and I sow mercy, we will reap mercy (James 2:13). YOU cannot give away what you don't have! Don't allow jealousy or hatred to fester in your heart. Jealousy robs YOU of clear thinking, and it burns in your heart, when you're unmerciful. You wait for the other person to make a mistake, so you can pounce on it. THAT is a rotten crop to produce! Don't be vindictive.

Be careful about the language YOU use. Guard your tongue lest hurtful words wound others around you (or not in your presence). Our FATHER commands HIS children to make every effort to live in peace with ALL men....(Hebrews 12:14). DON'T be so occupied with yourself that YOU fail to notice the needs/pains of others. DON'T sow "seeds of discord", whereby people believe (or see) you to be thoughtless, careless, abrasive, or rude. DON'T reap the attitude of others who talk about YOUR neglect of thanking them for their help and kindness, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO once thought highly of you. YOUR life as a Christian is a matter of reaction to adverse circumstances that catches the world's attention. Often what concerns us most IS NOT the bad thing that happens, but the EFFECT that thing will have on our reputation. The alternative? Commit it to the LORD. HE has a great history of weeding out such soils!

Learn to sow "seeds of contentment". It will produce for YOU an independence of external circumstances, allowing YOU to have an inner self-sufficiency requiring NO outside assistance. All YOUR resources are drawn from CHRIST within. Outward troubles CANNOT shake the contented heart. A bumblebee can only sting the skin, the OUTER layer of your body. It CANNOT sting your heart. Point: when YOU are content, friends may sting YOU with betrayal....BUT, they CANNOT sting your heart. Divine contentment is the remedy against ALL your troubles/burdens. The world's way of finding contentment is by increasing YOUR possessions. Our FATHER's way is by DECREASING YOUR DESIRES. True contentment will give YOU victory over yourself and your desires.

PLEASE....try NOT to sow the "seeds of excuses"! It will produce a crop that will never succeed. If YOU make excuses for everything, you WILL have bigtime problems (some of you reading this already know what I am talking about). DON'T have an excuse for everything! It is IMPOSSIBLE to turn these around, if you persist. If you want possibilities made out of excuses, then get rid of them. Failure is easier to change into success than dealing with excuses. Learn to be HONEST with (and about) yourself in all endeavors.

Learn to sow "seeds of trust". YOU and I don't understand everything CHRIST does in our life, but it is always for a good purpose (John 13:7). Our trust in HIM will produce an even larger crop of trust, because in the Christian life there is always MORE than meets the eye. Great events lie BEYOND commonplace incidents. Much of this for the child of GOD is seen beforehand. HE knows what need is going to arise in our lives, so HE makes provision accordingly so that when we arrive at the point of need, the provision will be waiting for us. TRUST HIM! Long before the need appears in YOUR life, our FATHER has already made provision! Always trust and remember HIM for what HE has ALREADY done in YOUR life (Deuteronomy 8:11; Psalm 77:11-12).

Ensure that YOU sow "seeds of thanksgiving". What you will reap will enable YOU to give thanks in ALL circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20). The providence of GOD, which I spoke of in the previous paragraph makes it possible. HE is in control of EVERY facet of YOUR life, and WHATEVER happens HE will work it out for YOUR good (Romans 8:28). Give thanks EVEN WHEN the LORD uses circumstances that go far beyond our common sense (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). Give thanks EVEN WHEN GOD takes HIS time answering YOUR prayers. Sometimes HE works slowly....other times swiftly. HE is NEVER hurried. (Hebrews 10:35-36) One of HIS toughest tasks is to teach YOU and I that HIS grace is sufficient. Sometimes it may take a "thorn" experience for us to discover this.

FINALLY, sow "seeds of forgiveness" (Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:25). This is by far one of the most beautiful fields of harvest to gather from. Our LORD has emphasized this over and over again in HIS Word. This was a main purpose of HIS Incarnation. Even while HE was dying on the Cross, HIS mind was on FORGIVENESS (Luke 23:34). For us to forgive someone is to let go of a grudge, to abandon our desire for revenge, release the obligation of the other person, and dismiss our demand for repentance on their part. GOD's forgiveness and our's reflect a marked difference. When YOU and I forgive, our forgiveness does not absolve from guilt. GOD's does. HE absolves from guilt. Reconciliation and forgiveness ARE NOT the same things. We forgive because GOD forgives us. GOD's grace and mercy will help YOU to understand this better. The Christian who sows seeds of UNforgiveness does not understand this, and will ALWAYS be miserable. We forgive because we have been forgiven, regardless of whether or not the other party deserves it. In addition...what is private should be kept private, confessed ONLY to GOD.

No matter how dark the deed, how terrible the betrayal, or how deep the wound.......forgive. So gather up the "IOU's" you are holding against others today and begin to tear them up (Romans 5:8). Be not deceived..........

**Proverbs 11:18; 14:9**

A jewel from the archives.