"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 shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8).
Have you ever gone in to a bookstore and found a book titled; ‘Sin and Grow Rich'. Or perhaps a title like; ‘Lie, Cheat and Steal to Obtain Your Goals'. Following this type of sinful plan does not work. Indeed, even those who teach such things, dress up in hypocrisy and beautifully laid out dreams, end up throwing themselves under the bus of Satan.
In many ways we have not grown up and continue to act like children. How many times have you heard a child say; "Oh, I cannot study when it is quiet in my room, I have to have the TV on, MP3 players stuck in my ear, eat a bag of candy, send text messages to my friends, all while chewing gum. I study better under these conditions." It matters not that the subsequent grade is less than expected or lower than it could have been; the behavior is hard to modify.
As adults, we continue in a similar mode. But in Paul's letter to Galatians, he goes on to say; "And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." (Galatians 6:9-10).
Proverbs 22 - Teaches us today?
Proverbs 22:8 "(8) He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, and the rod of his fury will perish."
Psalm 46:4-7 (Theme: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God). "(4) There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. (5) God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. (6) The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. (7) The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. "
Today's question. There are consequences to every sin
Job tells us; "According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it. (Job 4:8).
We know this intellectually, yet many continue in the same old ways of doing things. Sometimes the result is loss of life when what we do affects the health of the body. Sometimes the result is the loss of a loved one because they move away from us and separate themselves. And, sometimes it is the lost of comfort through losing material goods.
Hosea discussed this same idea, but he wrote about how we can hurt the heart of God. If we can only see what we are doing and how very bad it is; "You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice, You have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors." (Hosea 10:13).
Think about the consequences. How does sin affect your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your family, your church and your colleagues? But the worse sin of all when we break the heart of God.
Dear God, I pray that I not break Your heart, but bring You joy. Amen.
The Newness Of Life Daily Bible Message is designed for those who like to take a short respite from the day's responsibilities to enjoy the contemplation of God's word. This daily message is based primarily upon the belief that to read some of Proverbs and some of Psalm everyday will provide us with great spiritual growth and development when done consistently with discipline. Phillip Saxton and contibute to Newness Of Life Ministries (NOL) Phillip Saxton, www.NewnessOfLife.com. Phillip can be reached at saxton AT MiTowne dot com
- Article Word Count: 570
- |
- Total Views: 47
- |
- permalink