A Study in the Book of Job ( Part 2 )

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him

Our church is studying through the Bible in a year - doing a very general over view. I like to take notes as I listen to the preacher present his sermon. I want to share the notes I took on Part 2 of the Book of Job here today. After this sermon review I think I will take a break from posting a sermon review after each Sunday and I will only post when I feel it is an important message to pass on to you. So here is Part 2 on the Book of Job - the notes I took as my pastor preached:

Job has lost everything - his family, his wealth, prosperity and his health.
Job's three friends have come to comfort him. They sit with him and discuss his situation, blaming Job for wrongdoing.
The three friends believe:
Do bad and you will suffer - Do good and you will be blessed.
This formula does not work in Job's situation.
Job's suffering is not a consequence of his sin.

Finally at the end of the book God does show up.
God does not answer Job's questions. Job is asking "why?" but God does not answer this question for him.

Job 38:1-3  Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

This does not mean that we should not ask questions. Many Scriptures invite us to ask our questions. In the book of Psalms many questions are asked and answered.

Psalm 10:1 Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Psalm 13:1-2 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Psalm 22:1-2  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

Keep The Big Picture in Mind - 

The main point of the book of Job is not to answer the question " Why do bad things happen to good people?"

The main point is to teach us to not limit God - to not reduce what he can or will do to a formula.

The three friends did limit God to the formula - do bad and you will suffer, do good and you will be blessed.

God tells about creation and His greatness in creating it, His wisdom, majesty and power. 

How have we limited God in our lives?

a) by our likes and dislikes. We imagine that  God likes what we like and dislikes what we personally dislike. An example of this is style of music.

b) We reduce God in our situations - we act like our situation is hopeless.

We do not really believe that God can or will act to change our situation and bring hope again.

God takes Job on a tour of creation. Job cannot understand these wonderful things but God can, He is the creator of the entire universe. God is beyond anything we can imagine or fathom.

God is perfect in love: Imagine perfect love - God is much more than your imaginations. 

God is perfect in love, perfect in righteousness, perfect in holiness, in justice, in righteousness, and in compassion.

We are in awe of who God is.

We are limited as humans. We cannot fully understand how God works in the physical world nor in the spiritual world.

We are limited in our understanding in our understanding and knowledge of creation.

We don't have it all together.

We grow and learn in our understanding and knowledge but we will never learn all there is to know.

We strive to learn and to know God better and more intimately.

The book of Job invites us on a journey to get to know God. To be led into places of awe and to know Him more fully. 

God is greater than the limits we have placed on Him!

pinterest.com

“What God has planned
    for people who love him
is more than eyes have seen
    or ears have heard.
It has never even
    entered our minds!”

Job and his three friends ( Job Part 1 )

This is a sermon review from last Sunday's service at the church I attend. We are studying through the Bible and so now we are in the book of Job. I like to takes notes as I listen to my pastor preach and I am posting them here below. Perhaps it will enlighten your understanding of the book of Job.


Job 9:21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.


Job lived around the same time in history as Abraham and Jacob.
God makes a statement declaring that Job is blameless and upright in Job 1:8 where it reads:

And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Satan agrees with the Lord but insists that this is due to the Lord having put a hedge of protection around Job. The Lord gives permission and satan sets out to destroy Job's life.  Job loses his family, his wealth, his health etc. Yet Job did not sin.

 Job 2:10 says: But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Now Job's 3 friends come to see Job in hope of comforting him and giving him insights into why these things have happened in his life. Obviously the friends do not actually know why these things have happened to Job. They do not know what is going on, but they assume they know.
The topic of discussion becomes "why do bad things happen?" and "what is the reason that are you suffering like this?"

Job's friends believe the Biblical truth that if you do bad, you will suffer, if you do good, you will be blessed. This is a truth that is taught throughout the Bible as we see in Galatians 6:7. The Biblical law of the harvest - 
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

( for an indepth study on the Biblical Law of the Harvest see my blog post - link here   Biblical Law of the Harvest


Our choices matter, our decisions do matter. 

What Job's friends do not see is that there is more going on than they can see. There is a spiritual battle going on here.  The friends do not know that satan has challenged the Lord on his protection of Job and satan suggested that Job only lives for the Lord because of the blessings and protection of the Lord in his life. 

The friends are not speaking the whole truth. They are accusing Job of wrong doing yet God says Job is upright and blameless. God knows the heart, we cannot argue with God.

 Job keeps arguing the fact that he is righteous, that he has done nothing wrong to be deserving of these tragic events that have occurred in his life.  The three friends argue that he has sin in his life and therefore these terrible tragedies have come upon him. Job's friends agree that Job has evil in his life, that he is not innocent as he claims he is, and they judge and condemn Job in their lengthy speeches.

Often times we too judge and condemn people around us. We see a person, perhaps dressed oddly or in raggedy clothes and we assume we know their story - why they look and act as they do, when in fact we do not know what is going on in their lives.
There is more to the story. We should not be so quick to imagine we know their story. We need to be careful not to define others - it is not our place to judge them.
To judge and define a person on a story we have heard of them is wrong ( whether the story is true or not. )

Job's friend accuse him of many things in Job 22:6-10. The friends are not accurate in their judgement of him. Here is what the friends say about Job in

 Job 22:6-10: For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry. But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

We must not judge others based on a story we have heard of them - God sees the big picture. 

We need to remember that:

1) all human beings are created in God's image.

As you interact with others, you will see God reflected in them.

2) All human beings are loved by God and He longs for all to be saved.

God loves each of us so intensely that Jesus died for each one of us, does not matter who we are or what we have done in our past - Jesus died for you!

God has compassion on each one of us! Come to Jesus today!!

Loving like God loves....

On Sunday, May 4th, we had a guest speaker in our church. His name is Tim Sawatsky. The following are my notes that I took during the service as I listened to him speak.

photo from smileyme.com

1 John 4 :7-11

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

What does it mean to be loved by God?

What you believe in your life is how you will behave - you will live accordingly.

Why does God care about you and me? 

According to 1 John 4:10, it is because He loves you and me.

When you truly love someone - you will care about them and for them.

Love is more than words.

God showed His great love for us by going to the cross - Jesus died on the cross in our place for the forgiveness of our sin.

Every day is a choice to love.

To love is a commandment from God - not a suggestion.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Love as Jesus has loved us.

The world is watching - are you loving your neighbor as yourself?

The world doesn't care how much you know - but rather how much you care.

What would it look like if we loved one another? A good definition of love is "you before me" - that is I must put my needs and desires aside and look for the good of others, help those in need, be a good listener, pray for others, help the hurting, give up your time for others etc.

The God of the universe cares for me!!

Everyday is an amazing gift from God! Every breath you take is an amazing gift from God.

Love requires action!!

The cross brings unity -  rich and poor, male and female, color of skin, tall or short, old or young - all are equal in God's eyes.

Jesus paid the same price for all - We are level, equal.

We are one in Christ.

Ephesians 3:14-20

 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

In the LORD I put my trust....

May 5, 2014

Isaiah 25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

photo from thisoldhoue.com

Psalm 61:3-4 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

photo from fotothing.com

Isaiah 25 8-9 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

picture from nallifollowthelight.wordpress.com

Click link to listen to George Jones - Jesus Hold My Hand

"Jesus, Hold My Hand" 

( http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/georgejones/jesusholdmyhand.html )

As I travel through this pilgrim land
There is a friend who walks with me
Leads me safely through the sinking sand
It is the Christ at Calvary.

This would be my prayer dear Lord each day
To help me do the best I can
For I need Thy light to guide me day and night
Blessed Jesus hold my hand.

[Chorus:]
Jesus hold my hand
I need thee every hour
Through this pilgrim land
Protect me by thy power.

Hear my feeble plea
O Lord look down on me
When I kneel in prayer I hope to meet you there
Blessed Jesus hold my hand.

[Instrumental]

Let me travel in the light divine
That I may see the blessed way
Keep me that I may be wholly Thine
And sing redemption's song some day

I will be a soldier brave and true
And ever firmly take a stand
As I onward go and daily meet the foe
Blessed Jesus hold my hand.

[Chorus:]
Jesus hold my hand
I need thee every hour
Through this pilgrim land
Protect me by thy power.

Hear my feeble plea.
And O Lord look down on me
When I kneel in prayer I hope to meet you there
Blessed Jesus hold my hand.

When I kneel in prayer I hope to meet you there
Blessed Jesus hold my hand...

Graduation 2014

April 26, 2014 Travis ( my son )  graduated from Steinbach Bible College with a B.A. in Pastoral Ministry - a four year diploma.
This is his class graduation photo.

SBC Graduation 2014

Bible Study from Titus 1:10-16

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

picture from biblepic.com

We are now ready to enter Part 2 of our Bible study in the book of Titus. Today we are going to be discussing Titus 1:10 -16. Some of these verses in today's study are somewhat hard to understand, but we are confident that God is willing to speak to us through every book of the Bible and every portion of Scripture. So let's begin with verse 10.

Titus 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

In our previous study, we learned about the character qualities that God requires in Bishops and elders. We learned how the Bishop and elder must be a man who is faithful to his wife in marriage and faithful to his family, he must not be a drunkard or violent, and he must be pure in all areas of his life.

Now in verse 10 we read that there are many people who deceive others, people who speak untruth and whose conversation is typically useless and does not center on the things of the Lord. We are warned that these kinds of people are those of the "circumcision".  There were people in Biblical times those who taught that the Gentiles should follow the Jewish customs in order to please God.  We know that what God requires of us is that we repent of our sins and come to Jesus and accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior. Jesus is the One who took our sin upon Himself there on the cross, and He suffered and died in our place. What we must do is to receive Him as Savior and make Him the Lord of our lives. When we give our hearts and life to Him, He becomes our Lord and Savior and therefore we surrender our will to His will and we choose to live according to His ways. We no longer have any desire to live the sinful life of pleasures and worldliness.

Verse 11 - Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

The mouth of those who speak lies must be stopped. That is why it is so important that our local church pastor regularly inform the congregation he serves of the false teachers that we all encounter through various forms of media, on the internet, radio and TV. The health and wealth preachers of our day, those who distort the Bible or leave out passages of the Bible, passages of the Bible that warn us of the sin of homosexuality and immorality. Please everyone who is reading this, be warned that the Bible is very clear that homosexuality and any sexual activity outside of marriage is a sin against God and will be punished by God Himself. God created marriage - one man and one woman married for life, that is God's original plan. God in His great mercy and compassion has made a way of escape for that man or woman who finds himself/herself suddenly trapped in a marriage where their spouse has broken the marriage covenant and has went outside the marriage for sexual experiences. In a case such as this God does allow for divorce.
Many of the false teachers are very hungry for money and request you give them money while they live in luxury and riches and boost their own egos. Sooner or later God brings them down to destruction.

Verse 12 - One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
These people are lazy and live like animals, living a lie. They say they are Christian but deny Christ by their lives and actions.


Verse 13 - This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
We need to focus our attention on becoming sound in faith. How does one do this you ask? By spending time with the Lord in Bible reading and prayer. This needs to be a regular routine, something that you do every day. God will speak to you as you read the Bible. Take time to pray and listen to what He is telling you, be willing to do what He tells you. 
Rebuke those who are leading others astray. Stand up for truth and righteousness. Take a stand for the Lord even if it costs you something. Take a stand for the Lord at work or school, in your family and with your friends. The Lord rewards those who are faithful to Him.




Verse 14 -  Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

As you take a step of faith and be that witness for the Lord, and take a stand for righteousness, you will be a help to those around you. It will become clear who is truly on the Lord's side and who is in it for themselves. Others will become more bold to take a stand for Jesus, and they too will oppose the sin and darkness that is so prevalent. In this way the Lord will be glorified and honored. You will be glorifying the Lord in your work or school, and in your family and among friends.

Verse 15 -  Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
Here is a very important verse. When our heart has been cleansed by the blood of the Lord Jesus, we can live lives of purity. The opposite is also true - If a person has not been cleansed by the blood of the Lord Jesus, he or she is living in darkness and will normally gravitate to the dark side, and to live for the devil. Such a person's heart is filled with lust and greed. Such men will look at every woman with lust in their hearts, imagining the unthinkable. Their minds are filled with all sexual perversions. As the verse says "their mind and conscience is defiled". Women who live with these  defiled hearts lure men into immoral relationships and try to be sexy in their revealing clothing and dress showing their breasts with no shame. These people know no other way to live and believe that the life they are living is normal and yet if they would speak honestly, they would tell you that deep inside they are in turmoil, they are not happy and they are unfulfilled. Their heart is empty as they seek for that next thrill. If you are reading this and it describes you or someone you love, please turn your heart over to the Lord Jesus. Seek Him sincerely, repent of your sin, believe that Jesus is the only Savior and that He died for you. Ask Jesus to save you today. For further information on how to be saved please go to this link How to be saved
also I wrote a blog post on Repentance and I highly recommend you check it out.
Also for prayer for healing from your broken heart please contact the ministry of John Mcternan at Luke4.18Heal@gmail.com  and visit his website Jesus Christ Came to Heal the Brokenhearted  where he shares how his own broken heart was healed and there are testimonies of others who have prayed and received healing.

Verse 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

This verse warns us to beware of those who profess to know the Lord but in their actions they deny Him. Our lives are a living testimony to those around us. If the fruit of our lives does not line up with what the Bible teaches, then it is time to examine our hearts to see if we are really Christians. If you are a Christian then you will be living according to the commandments of God as he has given in the Bible. 
There are people who say they know God, that they are Christians  but the evil things they do show that they don’t accept him. They refuse to obey God and because they are not lead by the Holy Spirit ( who indwells the heart and life of every true believer ) and because the Holy Spirit is not in them, they are not capable of doing anything good.

Galatians 5 clearly describes the fruits of those who know Christ and the fruits of those who do not know Him. In which camp are you?


Those who are saved and know Christ -
Galatians 5:22-25

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.



Those who are not truly saved - Galatians 5:19 -21

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

God's Guidance - Prayer

My friend Linda Shared this with me. It is written by Jon Courson

And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. 2 Samuel 2:1

Here we see a real secret of David’s success - why it was that he was used so effectively, why his life had so great an impact that we study him to this day. David was a man who inquired of the Lord.

“Is this the right time to go into the cities of Judah?” David asked.

“Yes,” the Lord answered.

“Where should I go?” David asked.

“Go to Hebron,” the Lord answered.

When David asked if it was time for him to go into the cities of Judah, God could have said, “Yes. Go to Hebron first.” But He didn’t do that. He gave David the specific information David asked for and waited until David asked for more.

The Lord does the same with us. He isn’t reluctant to give guidance, but there’s something more important than guidance. It’s called intimacy. If you’ve prayed repeatedly for direction concerning a given situation but still aren’t sure what the Lord would have you do, perhaps it’s because He loves you so much that He wants to keep hearing from you. He wants you to come into His presence time and again. He wants you to feel the embrace of His grace.

Corrie Ten Boom asked this pointed question: “Is prayer your steering wheel, or is it your spare tire?” Many of us pull prayer out of the trunk when we’re feeling flat or when there’s a blowout. However, prayer ought to be the steering wheel guiding us through the day, keeping us out of the ruts and ditches of life. Some days I act like I can get through my day without prayer. How dumb of me. Prayer is the highest, most important calling of any believer. It will keep you out of the ditches of depression, the ruts of predictability, the snares of seduction. At the outset of his reign, David models the absolute necessity of prayer.

By Jon Courson

The Role of Men and Women in Marriage

My friend Raelene shared this article on Facebook. I want to share it here on my blog. The article talks about marriage and family life, the God ordained roll of both men and women in marriage. Please take the time to read the entire article. 

I believe the article is written by Mark Deduke from Red Deer Alberta. He writes the following:

Marriage is a sacred institution established by God for the primary purpose of bringing Him glory. It's main purpose is not, as some think, to procreate, or to have companionship, or to fulfill sexual needs. No. It's primary purpose is to bring glory and honor to God. It is only in marriage that we are able to carry out the commission of God to replenish the earth and to subdue it. This commission by God can only be properly accomplished in marriage where the husband and wife in faithful, covenantal relationship purpose to glorify God by having children, raising them in a godly fashion, and sending them out into the world having trained them in the ways of the Lord. This is what marriage is for. It is outward focused (for God's glory), not inward centered (for our comfort).

Unfortunately, in this world of feminism the biblical role of women has been compromised. Too many Christian men don't know how to be men since, unfortunately, many of them learn "manhood" from one of two main role models on TV: the wimpy, bumbling male buffoon who is the object of laughter or the macho stud who can kill thousands with his bare hands and then go fornicate his brains out. Add to this sad state of affairs the unbiblical allowance of teenage rebellion and disrespect (due mostly to parental failure) and it is obvious that families are under attack. What is a Christian family to do?

The answer is simple. Men, it starts with you. So listen up. You are the ones responsible for your families. You are the ones who are the heads of your families. This is how God set the family structure up. God made the first married couple in a certain order and gave them certain duties. Adam was made first and God put him in charge of the Garden (Gen. 2:7,15). Adam looked for a helpmate from among all the animals and found none suitable (Gen. 2:19-20). So, God made Eve to aid him in the commission God had given Adam (Gen. 2:22). It was Eve's purpose to aid Adam in accomplishing the will of God. Furthermore, remember that sin entered the world through Adam, not Eve, even though she sinned first (Rom. 5:12). God addressed Adam for the failure, not Eve. To use an analogy, it was Adam who was the captain of the ship and when it went aground, he was the one God came to. Therefore, the responsibility of the family falls on the man. If you don't like it, that is too bad. That is how God set it up.

The healing of the Christian family begins with the head: the husband. The husband needs to take the helm and lead the family in spiritual matters -- whether he likes it or not. He can't be perfect at it and that's okay, but he is responsible for carrying out his duties as a husband and for loving his wife as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25). This is a very tall order to love his wife as Jesus loves us. But that is our calling. It is love in the family, lead and exemplified by the husband that sets the tone of the marriage. He is responsible for the well being of the family. It is to Him that God will come and require an account. This is serious business and the man needs to take it seriously.

Aside from the unfortunate reality where women must lead due to divorce, widowhood, separation, etc., if the woman is the leader in the family it is because the man has not taken his proper place. The man is the spiritual head, the discipler of the family (1 Cor. 14:34-35), the teacher, the one responsible for the the material, financial, and spiritual well being of his family (1 Tim. 5:8). It is a tall order, but it is simply the way it is. And one more thing: a family is a family by virtue of the covenant bond of marriage. It does not become a family once children arrive. Children are welcomed into the family at birth and need to be taught how to be proper, godly members of God's covenant family.

But what of the wife? What is her responsibility in marriage? It is simple. She is to respect, honor, and support her husband (Eph. 5:33). She is to encourage him to be the leader. She is to not undermine his position has head. This means that wives should not show him disrespect by speaking ill of him behind his back to anyone else. In addition, though many women will not like it, the woman's primary responsibility is to take care of the home (Tit. 2:3-5) and to make it a suitable place for the family to dwell as she aids her husband and nurtures the children (1 Thess. 2:7) with love (Tit. 2:4).

Of course, the husband and wife are both responsible for overlapping and helping each other as they love one another (1 Cor. 13), but the primary duty of a husband is to love and provide. The primary duty of a wife is to nurture and respect.

Is this important? Absolutely! Is it popular? No. But, it is what God calls us to do as Christians. So I ask you, how important is your family to you? How seriously are you considering them before God, not just in provision, but in love, nurturing, honor, training, and godly upbringing?

Reaping What You Sow ~ By Dr. Charles Stanley

The following is an article written by Charles Stanley:
Please take the time to read the entire article - it is really insightful.

Reaping What You Sow ~ By Dr. Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley
picture from a roadlesstaken.org

Who we are today is the result of our past. By that, I mean our previous thoughts and actions determine, to a large extent, what kind of people we become. Those who act wisely now will have insight in the future to make judicious decisions. Those who save prudently are prepared for the needs of tomorrow.

It is a shortsighted person who thinks only of the here and now, and does as little as possible. Eventually, he will have no way to avoid the poor quality and small quantity of his rewards.

Scripture puts it this way: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). The verse describes an unalterable law that affects everyone in all areas of life—family, work, and pleasure. It is both a warning and an encouragement.

We reap what we sow, more than we sow, and later than we sow (Life Principle #6). Every farmer appreciates the meaning of this principle. Let’s examine it to make sure we understand the implications.

First, this truth applies to everyone, including both Christians and non-Christians.

The principle of Galatians 6:7 is irrevocable; there is no escape, either for the believer or for the unbeliever. It is a law of life.

Did you notice how the verse begins? It says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked.” Herein lies the root cause of the careless and indulgent lifestyle of many people. They are deceived. They either do not believe the truth, or they think they will somehow be the exceptions to God’s laws.

To mock God is to turn up one’s nose at Him or attempt to outwit Him. But this is foolish. Second Corinthians 5:10 says, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” If you were required to appear before the Lord’s judgment seat in the next five minutes, what kind of fruit would you be able to show?

Second, we reap what we sow.

This fact is welcome news for those with good habits. But it is a frightening thought for anyone currently involved in ungodly activities such as promiscuity, drug or alcohol abuse, neglect of family, or mistreatment of others in order to climb the ladder of success. We would not plant crabgrass and expect to harvest pineapples. Likewise, we cannot sow disobedience to God and expect to reap His blessing.

Third, we reap more than we sow.

Why do farmers plant seeds? Because they expect to harvest a great deal more than they sow. A single kernel can yield dozens, scores, even hundreds of seeds. It is the same way with both sin and righteousness—a small decision to do either good or bad reaps a much bigger crop, for either joy or sorrow.

Jesus used agrarian images to show that when we allow God’s Word to produce positive qualities in us, the results multiply: “The one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty” (Matt. 13:23).

On the other side of the ledger, the prophet Hosea describes the consequences awaiting those who choose wickedness: “They sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind” (Hos. 8:7).

Fourth, we reap later than we sow.

Some are deceived because their present seed has yet to produce a crop. So they continue down their course, mistakenly believing that there will never be a harvest.

But unlike the crops of the field, which are gathered at approximately the same time each year, there is no regular timetable for the harvest of life. Some results come quickly; others take a long time. But do not be deceived—their season will come. And by going the second mile now and doing more than is required, we will collect rich dividends later.

“For whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” What a comforting and assuring thought to those who faithfully labor under difficult circumstances! Righteousness in such situations will produce a rich harvest in the future, for our heavenly Father always keeps His promises.

Adapted from “The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible” (2008).

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Teaching Our Children About Life

As parents we are responsible to teach our children to walk in the way of the Lord - that is to teach them the Bible. In the Bible we learn how to live our lives pleasing to the Lord and to avoid all kinds of evil that will certainly befall those who live only to please themselves. Read the Bible - spend time with the Lord personally and then spend time in the Bible with your children. Show them by your own lifestyle what a real Christian is and does. There are many false and fakes out there who claim to be Christians but in reality only live to please themselves.

Deuteronomy 11:18-20  Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

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Pray with your children, teach them by example to honor the Lord in all you do.

Colossians 3:16-17  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

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Strength and Courage

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 

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 Siehe, ich habe dir geboten, daß du getrost und freudig seist. Laß dir nicht grauen und entsetze dich nicht; denn der HERR, dein Gott, ist mit dir in allem, was du tun wirst.  ( Joshua 1:9 Luther Bible )

 Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”