Psalm 1:1-6 –“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.” NKJV
I love the Psalms and especially this first one. It applies in all seasons and situations and expresses the heart of our Heavenly Father in such a powerful way. There is a contrast between the Blessed person and the Cursed person or Unblessed. There is the identification that we can follow two paths in life and the benefits or pitfalls of those choices.
THE BLESSED MAN:
He chooses the Lord and His Way over the wisdom of the world or the morals of an unregenerate society. This person is not scornful but takes delight in the law of the Lord; in God’s Word, he invests himself as much as humanly possible. In so doing, he finds that his life becomes like a tree planted by the refreshing streams that provide the nurture and nourishment needed to grow, thrive, and produce fruit. The drought does not affect it because it receives the life-giving flow of water from the river. This person is prosperous in ALL that they do.That is a position and condition that each of us should ardently desire.
THE UNGODLY:
Then we see the contrast in the state of the ungodly. They are unstable like the chaff of the wheat that the wind blows wherever it may. The ungodly are unable to withstand the judgment or ability to stand in their own defense in a trial because they are guilty, unrepentant, and Unforgiven. They have no place or position in the congregation of the righteous or in the blessings that flow to the one who follows the Lord with a whole heart.
We are reminded that God is fully aware of our state and condition. The righteous will walk in victory, grace, peace, power, and success, but the wicked or the ungodly will perish. Oh, I readily acknowledge that God sends the rain on the just and unjust alike and that many go through life with seemingly little negative as a result of their chosen lifestyles, but I know that One Day we will give account, and on that day, my heart cries to hear – “Well done! Come on in!” The ungodly will hear, “Depart from Me, for I never knew you.”
We all have choices in life, and when we set our hearts to follow God, the Holy Spirit will come to our side and walk with us through life’s pathways. It may not be easy, but it will lead to Eternal Life! So which road is yours?
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 – “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” NKJV
Let me say at the outset – that I am in favor of helping the genuinely needy! However, let me continue to say that the “Entitlement Mentality” exhibited by much of the world, particularly America today, runs utterly contrary to the teachings of scripture, as evidenced in this passage.
Church discipline is almost non-existent today because we have little fundamental concept of the Kingdom and the governing ministries and functions that God has established in the Church.
The apostle is emphatic that the church withdraws fellowship from every “brother” – –(a professing believer) who walks disorderly and contrary to how the apostles and Christ had taught them. He stresses that to emphasize the importance of industry rather than idleness and laziness, he and his companions labored rather than depended on the offerings of the Church for their sustenance.
They did so as examples. Would to God that men and women of God in leadership today would take this to heart on a deeper level than is frequently exhibited, for it is a shame for a man or woman of God to become an example of Entitlement rather than Industry.
Paul, speaking to the church where all welfare or Christian charity came from, addressed this issue, and declared what our government and many in the church seem to miss – There is always work that can be done! He was speaking about that issue and said plainly that if anyone would not work, they should not be given food. Busybodies, talebearers, and idleness should not be favored but should experience the sting of being outside the camp to bring them to their senses and even to repentance so that they can be restored.
So that no one would miss his true message, he followed that instruction with a charge in verses 13-15. That passage identifies that the motivation is always to be charitable, willing to help and do good but maintain discipline not for punitive purposes but for restoration purposes.
I am convinced that if the church could somehow come to the place where it accepted the Apostles Doctrine and followed the guidelines of Scripture in this and other areas, we would see the government booted out of the welfare business in a significant measure and more and more people would be following the directive of Scripture and enjoying the fruit of their labors in the Lord.
When we shift our dependence upon man from God, we become subservient to man and thereby shut off many of the blessings of the Lord. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and ALL THESE THINGS shall be added to you” is more than a nice catchy phrase. It is a principle of life.
Churches, pastors, and believers, let us consider getting in order so that we can have the fullness of God’s provision, protection, power, and potential.
May the Lord bless you as you go through your day!
PS – It is my prayer that the Lord would provide me and the local church with sufficiency so that we can help those genuinely in need. I am in no way insensitive to genuine need. The operative words in Paul’s declaration were “would not” not “could not.”
Matthew 20:1-16 –“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 “When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 “And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. 5 “Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. 6 “And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ 7 “They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ 9 “When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. 10 “When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 “When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ 13 “But he answered and said to one of them, ‘ Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 ‘Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ 16 “So the last shall be first, and the first last.” NASB
I posted something recently about fairness, which seems to be a buzzword in political circles these days. Also, there is the idea of redistributing wealth, making the playing field level, and everyone equal. This whole postulation misses something important from a biblical perspective that touches every aspect of life. I want to address that here briefly.
This is an illustration by the Lord regarding the first being last and the last being first and its connection to a powerful truth. The truth is that Salvation is never earned based on performance, work, actions, deeds, etc. We have seen the flames of class warfare being fanned to inferno heights over the past few years, and it is growing dangerous. We have seen an entitlement mentality develop and grow, depriving society of the drive and desire to achieve and excel. It is a prescription for mediocrity in every area of life and foreign to the Bible and its teachings.
Consider this biblical account in a nutshell.
Some were hired for an agreed wage in the early morning hours. At different times during the day, others were hired. The only commitment was that the employer would do what was right for them. Some were hired at the last hour with no specific amount of money designated.
The money belonged to the owner of the vineyard. It was his option to hire the workers and his privilege to pay them whatever he deemed right and equitable. Everyone had agreed to the conditions and the pay at each stage of the process, so nobody had a complaint to lodge, although we see that they did.
Those who worked all day were paid the same as those who worked only one hour. It exposed envy, jealousy, and a focus on my rights. It is a visualization of how people fail to understand the value of making a commitment and that a business owner has the right to determine the pay rate.
Jesus’ larger message was that although someone might come to Him for salvation at the last stages of their life, they would receive Eternal Life the same as someone who had come to him in their youth. Did that make Him unjust and unfair? NO!
If I know the conditions, the pay agreement, the working conditions, and I contract to do the job, what I am paid is what I should expect. If the owner does something different for others, that is not my concern. If I focus on that, it will cause – envy, jealousy, greed, bitterness, and division between me and those I believe were treated better than I and toward the owner of the enterprise.
If I translate that to Salvation, then I would adopt the idea that because I came to Christ early in my life, I should somehow receive more Eternal Life and more Grace than someone who came to Him in the late stages of their life rather than rejoicing that they also came to Him. If my boss is generous, who is to say he will not, in time, be generous toward me for my faithfulness and loyalty? But, even if he is not, I agreed to do a job for a wage and a time frame. I have no complaints. He could give away every penny he has; it is not my right to complain. That is totally between God and the owner.
If you believe you deserve something that someone else has, for which you have not labored, you have crossed into jealousy and envy, which is a sin. It is covetousness, envy, and jealousy! If you believe that someone who has had success through their efforts or the family into which they were born should be punished and they should be forced to share that with you, you have crossed into envy and jealousy, and that is sin.
Truthfully, your anger is not so much at them as it is at God because you are expressing that you believe He has not treated you fairly, which is a dangerous place to live. No wonder Paul said, “I know how to abound and how to be abased and have learned to be content in whatever state I find myself.” He knew that God was not only His Source but would Never forsake Him!
Life is not measured by what I possess, how much money I have in the bank, or the recognition I receive publicly. It is in my relationship with Him. I desire to learn to live free of all envy and in complete contentment with His provision at the time of His provision Knowing that He is my Source and Will Never forsake me or fail me.
I rejoice in what I have in Him and in every opportunity, He brings before me. If your opportunity is seemingly more lucrative, I rejoice with you. If it is less, I weep with you, but I trust God to guide my footsteps into the pathway that I should travel and know that at the end of the day, I can Rejoice in His Goodness and Provision.
John 8:31-36 – “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” NKJV
You can be in chains and not be a slave or be without bonds and be enslaved. Chains do not determine Freedom; the heart and mind do! Unfortunately, nothing we do will eradicate human bondage, and men will enslave other men against their wills in the natural. I can only imagine the physical, mental, and even spiritual torture that being captive brings. My heart breaks for anyone who has endured that condition, either as a prisoner of war, a human slave against their will, a hostage, or anything similar.
I know two men who though captives were never enslaved in their hearts and minds. One was a Japanese prisoner during WWII who escaped. The other was held in Hanoi by the Vietnamese and endured years of horrific torture and abuse. Both professed that their faith in God and belief in the Word of God kept them Free though in chains. They were and are examples of True Freedom!
True Freedom is only through Jesus’s shed blood and God’s Grace. If we receive the forgiveness of sin and are born again, we experience True Freedom. A thusly free person can be imprisoned, chained, and otherwise enslaved physically, but they will NEVER be a Slave in their heart or mind because the Son has set them free!
Today, we celebrate our Independence in America, yet multiplied thousands are still enslaved in some form. Enslavement of the mind is worse than being enslaved in the flesh because if a person’s mind is captive, the attitude and actions will reflect that condition.
Breaking free and living life to the full is virtually impossible because the mind is in chains to wrong thinking, victimization, and false premises. But if we receive the Freedom that Jesus came and brought, we can not be enslaved. Remember, if God is for us, who can be against us? As a friend always says, what difference does it make who is against us if God is for us?
John 8:31-33, 34-37 – “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 ” The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” NASB
On July 3rd, the day before we in America, celebrate Independence Day, reflect on Liberty and its meaning. We are cognizant of oppression and express gratitude to all who served and sacrificed to bring or preserve Freedom and Liberty.
It is a day of reflection, introspection, honor, thanksgiving, and remembering, or it should be. It is both a joyous and solemn day. It is a time for festivities and deep personal and national introspection. It is a time to thank God for our freedom naturally and focus on real freedom.
Here in this passage, our Lord identifies True Freedom. It comes from and can only come from God. It has nothing to do with whether you live under oppression or are in chains. It has to do with the heart, the mind, the soul, and the spirit. Jesus said “IF,” and that is an undeniable qualifier. “IF you continue in My word, THEN you are disciples of Mine; AND you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
The IF, THEN, and AND of the Gospels. So many times, we encounter truth in Scripture and fail to read it all and apply it rightly to our lives. Commitment is involved with a continuation on the path of righteousness, and as a result, we are recognized as Disciples of Jesus. As a result, we taste and experience True Freedom! Without Him, there is no real Freedom because if we are living in sin, we are the slaves of sin and outside the family of God.
Jesus identified that “if the Son makes you free, you will be FREE INDEED.” The words “Free at Last” could be rightly applied to this passage and the condition of our hearts once we have accepted the Gift of Salvation from our Lord Jesus Christ through our repentance. The Cross is a most beautiful picture of Freedom because it was there that Jesus paid the price for our Freedom. There, He bought us back from the devil’s dominion and opened the door for us to be transferred into the Kingdom of God – FREE AT LAST!
I hope that you know Real Freedom today, and as you go through this day, you go through it with a consciousness of the Liberty and Freedom that only comes through Jesus Christ.
Blessings abundantly as you celebrate our Freedom today!
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” NASB
In Paul’s teaching his son in the faith, Timothy, he gives us a most eloquent and powerful explanation and revelation regarding the value and power of God’s Word. These two short verses have a treasury of knowledge stored up. In this passage, there is a virtual “gold mine” wherein we can extract powerful life truths that better enable us to walk this Christian walk on planet Earth.
He begins by asserting that ALL Scripture is Inspired by God. Although it was written by men, it was under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that it was penned. It has life and power that can penetrate even the hardest heart and gives guidance for life like no other piece of writing found among men.
He declares that this inspired scripture is profitable and then lists some of the many things for which it is to be used:
Teaching.
Reproof.
Correction.
Training in Righteousness.
He revealed that the end of this is that the man or woman of God may be “adequate” or, as the KJV says, “perfect.” The Greek is “artios,” which signifies an integer or whole number in mathematics to which nothing needs to be added to make it complete.
The idea is completion, which he clearly identifies in saying, “equipped for every good work.” The Inspired Word of God teaches, reproves, corrects, and trains us so that we are complete and capable of doing that which God assigns us in this life. It is quick and powerful and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is a light to our pathway and a lamp to our feet, as Psalm 119:105 reveals.
If we do not spend time in the Word of God, we rob ourselves of light, equipment, training, correction, and guidance that would enable us to walk more complete in Him and make this journey much more profitable and palatable. Do not rob yourself of one of the most valuable resources you have in life – God’s Inspired Word!
Therefore, as you begin your day today, why not take a few minutes of your time and drink the nectar of spiritual truth available in the fountain of God’s Inspired Word?
Genesis 37:27-28 – “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus, they brought Joseph into Egypt.” NASB
The story of Joseph is one of the most fascinating stories in the Bible for me. It is an account of a young man who had heard the story of his great-grandfather Abraham from his father and grandfather from the time he could remember. He was educated, and the truth of the Abrahamic Covenant had been planted in his heart daily. It took root and produced the fruit of righteousness and faith, as evidenced by what transpired in his life.
In Genesis 37, we find his brothers selling him to the Ishmaelites, who sold him to Potiphar, an Egyptian officer, the captain of the bodyguard of Pharaoh. But in Psalm 105:18-19 we find these words regarding Joseph – “They afflicted his feet with fetters, He himself was laid in irons; 19 Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.” NASB
If you trace the route likely taken by the caravan, it would have passed within eyesight of Jacob’s camp. Joseph had been trussed up like an animal, placed in a cage, and hung on the side of a camel. It was more than just being chained. It affected him to his inner person, and had he not handled it, in God, he would have died a bitter old man in Egypt, but he did not.
His troubles did not end in Potiphar’s house. There he was falsely accused of attempted rape. I believe that it is likely that Potiphar believed Joseph was innocent. Why? Because Egyptian law required the offender to be killed, but instead of killing Joseph, he imprisoned him. Potiphar had to save face and do something, but he did not exercise the demand of the law, which tells me that he believed Joseph.
Joseph was promoted in prison because of God’s hand upon him; had he been a bitter man, this would never have happened. Each trial only made him better rather than bitter.
God tested him, and when the right time came, he was promoted to 2nd in the most powerful nation of the existing world of his day. God worked all things together for his good. None of them were good in themselves individually, but when they worked together, they produced a mighty, godly, powerful leader that would preserve the seed nation of the Messiah.
In life, things either make us “bitter or better,” and the choice is ours. We can elect to become bitter and angry, filled with resentment and seek revenge or allow the desire and drive to retaliate to rise, or we can become “better” and “godly.” God is there for us but allows us to make the choice. Everything in life is an opportunity to either become embittered or rise to new heights in God and become more Christ-like. It is our choice!
May God help you become better, not bitter, in life! Blessings as you go through your day!
Psalms 119:105 –“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” NASB Wow! God’s mornings are awesome; this one in North Texas is no exception! The sun has not yet peeked its head over the horizon, so I am sitting drinking my coffee, praying, and meditating on God’s goodness. As I read my Bible, I am inspired and filled with Hope!
As I read and prayed, the following event came to mind with insight from the Lord:
When I was about nine years old, my family and my mother’s sister & brother’s families all went to the creek fishing and spent the day, and for some reason, everyone stayed to run the lines that had been set that night. Imagine three or four husbands, wives, and a host of kids walking along a creek bank on a hot summer night.
There were not enough flashlights or lanterns. Therefore, some of us walked in the dark. My uncle decided he would lead the way, and we got lost. He was carrying an old kerosene lantern that gave good light to the immediate area around your feet but not to the path ahead.
Although he was born in the country, he had lived in Houston for many decades and was no longer a country boy but stubborn and determined. Finally, after about an hour or more of going in circles and returning to the same place on the creek, he declared that the stream was flowing in the wrong direction.
Well, even at 9, I thought, that is impossible, and wondered why we did not just follow the creek. He argued that he knew the way and why my Dad allowed him to lead, I still do not know, but he did. The wives and some of the children began to panic. The wives began to say: “Let’s just wait until daylight, and then we can get out of here.”
His response was, NO! So, we walked and walked and walked in circles for hours. The kids knew better than to complain. We endured the light situation; the occasional tree limb would be pulled back and then let go smack someone in the face or chest and a yelp, but no whining. Through that event and others, I learned to read the stars and the terrain and have a keen sense of my surroundings, which proved valuable later in Vietnam and at other times.
That night two things were needed:
We needed more light because we had a carbide headlamp that my dad wore and the kerosene lantern that my uncle carried.
We needed a better guide who could read the stars, knew the terrain better, and was not so headstrong that they would insist and believe that the creek had somehow started flowing in the wrong direction.
When we finally came upon a landmark we recognized, we realized we had been only a few hundred yards from camp the entire time. Had we followed the creek in the beginning, we would have safely returned to camp hours earlier without all the frustration, confusion, and even fear in the hearts of some of the wives and children.
In life, we need a light that will clearly show where we are placing our feet and a light that will reveal the entire pathway ahead. That light is the Word of God. If we have the Word of God filling our hearts and minds and walk according to that Word, we do not have to fear because we walk in the light, even in the darkness. We see the pitfalls, the turns, the possible dangers, and the guiding landmarks!
Thank you, Lord, for your Word that gives us light to enable us to see! As you walk through your day and even your darkest hours, always trust the light of the word to provide you with a clear picture of the path. Remember God’s promise that He will NEVER Leave nor Forsake Us!
May the richest and best of the blessings of the LORD be yours. Walk in the Light as He is in and is the Light!
Psalms 55:4-5 – “My heart is in… anguish within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fear and trembling come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me.” NASB
What a beautiful morning it is today!
As my day began and in my prayer time, I was reminded of an event that happened when I was a child regarding fear. As a child, we had a pet that was a treasured member of the family. A smaller-than-average Cocker Spaniel with satin black hair. My dad was a raccoon (coon) hunter and would take his hounds out at night and hunt raccoons, or “coons” as he called them, with his coon dogs.
This little Cocker always tried to go, and one night, Dad let us take her along. A few hours later, we had treed a coon with his two blue tick hounds named “Rough” & “Rowdy,” and while trying to get the coon to jump out of the tree, Dad killed it with his rifle.
As the raccoon fell to the ground, the little Cocker ran up and grabbed it in her mouth, and just as she did, she Froze in Fear! The look on her face and in her eyes was priceless; nothing we could do would get her to release the dead animal. Dad made us walk away and leave her there while we continued to hunt.
I was fearful that she would get lost or not overcome her fear and we would lose her, but he assured me that she would be okay. Well, about 30 minutes later, she sheepishly came walking up to where we were sitting, listening to the dogs trail, and laid down beside me. She never again grabbed a fallen raccoon and did not stray more than a few feet from me or my brother that night.
FEAR had paralyzed her.
We are like that in our lives.
She was paralyzed by fear.
David said in Psalm 56:3 – “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” Isaiah said in Isaiah 12:2 – “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid….”Luke 21 speaks of men’s hearts failing them for fear of what they see coming on the earth.
We are told in Hebrews 11 that without faith, it is impossible to please God, but when paralyzed by fear, we cannot have faith because fear negates trust. Fear is a greater enemy of faith than doubt, or at least as great.
Paralyzing fear immobilizes and imprisons one, whereas the fear of the Lord inspires us because it sometimes drives us to Him. I have known both kinds of fear in my life, and although the paralyzing fear caused me never to want to be in that situation again and made me cautious, it did not produce faith or trust but terror. On the other hand, the fear that directed me to the Lord, and as I beheld Him, found my trust level elevated and my faith level rising, is a fear that I value.
Therefore, even in the most horrifying of situations, if we have conditioned our hearts to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” and have learned, as David & Isaiah, to trust, we will find ourselves walking in an attitude of quiet confidence Knowing that God is In Control! Therefore, our fears will dissipate in the presence of His Power!
My prayer today is that we move from the paralyzing type of fear into the trust-producing fear of the Lord and, in any situation that would cause fear or dread, be met with His assurance to bring Peace!
May the manifold blessings of heaven be yours today and every day!
Galatians 6:9-10 – “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” NKJV
We have known people who seem always to be doing good things for others. It was or is their heart; no matter the recognition or reward, they did it. We also know those who do good things if the recognition or reward is there. They continue their efforts and actions as long as the accolades roll in. I have known parents, spouses, and even workers and bosses express their weariness at doing good things for others only to have it go unappreciated. Frequently I have seen them cease their actions, and some even fall into bitterness over it.
If what you are doing is based on the immediate gratification of recognition, then you are doing it for the wrong reason. If you do what you do “in the name of the Lord” and “for the Lord,” then your reward is beyond this life as well as in this life.
Paul encourages us not to give up and grow weary in our efforts to do good things. He assures us what we should all have settled deep in our hearts – GOD SEES ALL! Just like farming, there is a time of preparing the soil, a time of planting the seed, a time of germination of the seed, a time of growing, and then finally, a time of harvest. We reap What we sow, we reap Later than we sow, and we reap More than we sow.
When we are doing good things for anyone, God sees it! According to Paul, this is especially noted when we are doing good things for those of the household of faith.
Let me give you a Roy reason for this: “Those of the household of faith are already in the fight and are either sowers of the Gospel or potential sowers of the Gospel. They are laborers in God’s harvest, and when we do good things for them and help them continue their efforts, we are furthering the cause of the Kingdom in a very tangible way.“
No matter if anyone recognizes your efforts or even expresses appreciation for what you do – Do Not Lose Heart! God will never forget what you do or have done, and even if it is in Heaven, He will honor your labors, especially if they are labors of love out of a pure heart for the right reasons.
As you go through this day and this year, look for opportunities to bless others, especially those of the Household of Faith!
May God be with you, guide you, guard you, protect you, and richly bless you in all things and at all times!
Roy's Covenant Corner 