The Harvest of Doing Good

You may be reaping the good work he did many years ago. It's a reminder of one of the wisest laws in the Bible, "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). We usually think about that in terms of the bad consequences of the bad seed we sow, but there's another side to that reaping equation.

In Galatians 6:8-9, it says, "The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life." You don't just reap the bad you sow; you reap the good you sow. Paul goes on to make a very practical application, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Why do we sometimes give up on some of the good we're trying to do? Well, because of the nature of harvesting. If a farmer plants corn on a Tuesday, he doesn't go out and pick it on a Wednesday, or for many, many Wednesdays after that. There's a time lag between sowing and reaping, and it can look like nothing's going to come from it. So we quit sowing in the lives of our children, our church, our coworkers or our friends.

But we end up living today in the life that we built yesterday - the relationships we built - good or bad, the reputation we built, the ways we've treated people. You did some sowing today and you'll ultimately get back the kinds of things you sowed. So spend the time that person needs from you. Consciously do random acts of kindness each day. Give a gift when there's no occasion for your appreciation but just the person himself. Send those thank you notes. Give that compliment; that word of encouragement. Use the money that God's entrusted to you to lift people's burdens and people's spirits. Don't be afraid to be generous. After all, Jesus said, "You lose your life by trying to hang onto it, but you find your life by giving it away" (Luke 9:24).

Scripture is actually full of encouragement to keep sowing good seed. "Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again" (Ecclesiastes 11:1). "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you - and even more" (Mark 4:24). "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed" (Proverbs 11:25). Don't be afraid of what you'll lose by giving. God has promised that you will gain so much more. You don't become richer by keeping what you've got. You become richer by giving it away.

So, keep scattering good seed wherever you go, because then there's an awesome harvest coming.

Remember to do good always.

Eight gifts that don't cost a cent.

Let use these gifts for the betterment of others so that the world will be a better place to live.

THE GIFT OF LISTENING...


But you must REALLY listen.


No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response.


Just listening.

THE GIFT OF AFFECTION...


Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and


handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER...


Funny pictures. Share articles, funny stories and funny greetings. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you."


THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE...


It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet.


A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.


THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT...


A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super


job" or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.


THE GIFT OF A FAVOR...


Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.


Helping elderly cross the road can be nice.


THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE...


There are times when we want nothing better than to be left


alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.


THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION...


The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to


someone, really it's not that hard to say, Hello or Thank You.

24 Things to Always Remember . . .

1. Your presence is a present to the world.



2. You're unique and one of a kind.


3. Your life can be what you want it to be.


4. Take the days just one at a time.


5. Count your blessings, not your troubles.


6. You'll make it through whatever comes along.


7. Within you are so many answers.


8. Understand, have courage, be strong.


9. Don't put limits on yourself.


10. So many dreams are waiting to be realized.


11. Decisions are too important to leave to chance.


12. Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize.


13. Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.


14. The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.


15. Don't take things too seriously.


16. Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.


17. Remember that a little love goes a long way.


18. Remember that a lot . . . goes forever.


19. Remember that friendship is a wise investment.


20. Life's treasures are people . . . together.


21. Realize that it's never too late.


22. Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.


23. Have health and hope and happiness.


24. Take the time to wish upon a star.


And don't ever forget . . .


For even a day . . .


How very special you are.

Walk Through Life's Hot Spots

Living through the pressures of life can be compared to walking through fire. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah believed that if you have faith in God, you can walk through fire and not be burned. He didn't promise that you won't feel the heat, just that you won't be burned.

Keep On Walking.

A surefire way to get burned is to stop walking. When you are afraid, or under extreme stress, or hurting -- keep going. You will get through if you keep dealing with the everyday tasks at hand to the best of your ability. PERSEVERE

Remember That This Difficult Time Will Pass.

It may feel that you are in a repeating time warp, but realize that pain is time-limited. All problems have a beginning and an end. BE PATIENT

Make Rough Times Work For You.

Not everything is good, but the Bible reminds us that everything can be used for good if you submit your will to God. Look for ways to learn, grow, or cope in your pain or stress. HAVE COURAGE

Take "What Is" And Make The Most Of It.

Make lemonade from your lemons. You are not called upon to create perfection from every situation, only to make the most of it. Don't waste your time on ceaseless complaining, but look for meaning and joy in all situations. BE CONTENT

Clean Up Your Own Trash.

Stand on your own feet and don't try to blame others for your problems. You are not a victim. Choose to live the rest of your life with a controlled response to what is happening. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

Be True To Your Self.

You will have more strength for dealing with ordeals in life if you have the courage to be true to your own values. Hypocrisy destroys internal energy. MODEL INTEGRITY

Be Gladder Than Madder.

Expressions of gratitude calm the soul and clear the mind. SHOW GRATITUDE

Have As Much Fun As You Can.

Anticipation of fun raises the level of your energy. Learn to laugh through your trials. DISPLAY HUMOR

Determine What Is Within Your Control.

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can choose the frame you put around your experiences. You can choose how you will deal with all situations. EXHIBIT INTERNAL CONTROL

Be Enthusiastic.

Enthusiasm literally means, "God in us." If He is in you, let your life so shine. Learn to love life. Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire. SHOW YOUR PASSION

God is my present help in times of need, he will sustain me.

Psalm 54:3, "Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life - men without regard for God." Does this describe every day of your life? Are strangers coming at you from every direction with no regard for God and determined to see you fail? Are troubles coming at you fast and furious? Maybe the attacks are not from ruthless men, but they are schemes of the devil: negative thoughts, destructive thoughts, tempting thoughts, vengeful thoughts, greedy thoughts, or hateful thoughts.

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me." (Psalm 54:4,

• These thoughts should go with us as we face the strangers, the enemies, and the attacks that fall in our path: The Lord is the one who sustains me. The Lord keeps me alive. The Lord will keep me from falling, even when the odds are stacked against us.
• Should your husband come home and tell you that he has decided that he no longer loves you and wants a divorce, remember: The Lord is the one who sustains you. The Lord keeps you alive. The Lord will keep you from falling.
• If you receive a notice that your company is not immune to impact of the economic crisis and layoffs may be unavoidable, remember: The Lord is the one who sustains you. The Lord keeps you alive. The Lord will keep you from falling.
• If you find yourself alone in an empty house with no place to go and no one to talk to, remember: The Lord is the one who sustains you. The Lord keeps you alive. The Lord will keep you from falling.
• If you are forced to accept that the dream you have dreamed your whole life is probably never going to come true, remember: The Lord is the one who sustains you. The Lord keeps you alive. The Lord will keep you from falling.
• If you find yourself discouraged, defeated, and deserted, remember: The Lord is the one who sustains you. The Lord keeps you alive. The Lord will keep you from falling.

These words are not intended to minimize the difficulty of any painful situation mentioned above, or your own unique struggles. Instead, they are written with the hope that whatever attack you may face you will remember that it is the Lord who sustains us, it is the Lord who keeps us alive, and it is the Lord who will keep us from falling. We cannot survive the attacks of this world or the demonic world on our own. We must depend on the Lord. David's source of strength is our source of strength. The Lord is the one who sustains us. The Lord keeps us alive. The Lord will keep us from falling. He will deliver us from all our troubles.

Time to Leave

Starting school is no longer an issue for most of us. But leaving what's safe to step into the unknown is very much an issue for many of us. And some of us are refusing to take the step that will ultimately enlarge our life, like starting school enlarged mine.

Abraham is held up in the Bible as a model of faith that we should all emulate. And it's interesting to note the very first word God ever spoke to Abraham (or Abram as he was called at that time) in the Bible and Abraham's response. In our word for today from the Word of God, Genesis 12:1, it says, "The Lord said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." In other words, "Leave everything that's your security, everything you know, for a place you don't know but I do." Abram's response? "So Abram left, as the Lord had told him."

That willingness to leave at the Lord's command opened up a whole new world for Abraham and for his family in what would become the Jews' "Promised Land." But first he had to "leave." Most of the major advances in our lives begin by taking the risk of leaving. Moses had to leave his "comfy" life as a shepherd in Midian to become the deliverer of God's people. Peter had to leave the security of his business to become a world-impacting leader for Jesus Christ.

And God's expanding of your life may depend on you taking a great faith-step in the near future. Leaving what is familiar and safe and secure; what seems economically feasible. God's great adventure often begins with a command to leave - to leave what is geographically familiar, relationally familiar, and methodologically familiar. And God usually doesn't show you the whole picture of what He's leading you into, just that next step. He asked Abraham to leave for a future that was described simply as "the land I will show you." God wants you to trust the Planner, not the plan.

Maybe your Lord has sent this message into your life at this time to give you one more encouragement to obey His leading to let go of something safe and follow Him into something bigger and better, but largely unknown. Do what He's telling you to do. If you don't, you'll be like a child who refuses to leave the safety of Mommy to go into the unknown of the first day of school. You will miss the step that will enlarge your whole life and take you into God's great adventure.

Ask God for whatever you desire.

Matt 7:7-12 NIV, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a serpent?If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."

Before you assume you know what to do in a certain situation, ask God, or before you assume you know what that person sitting across from is thinking and feeling, specifically, ask God.

This is a good advice for all, old and young, whenever you need anything from him ask him that has everything within his reach and he will do it.

Before you lose your temper ask God how He would have you respond.

Before you assume you know all there is to know about all there is to know ask God.

Before you get married ask God whom He wants you to marry.

Before you tear into your teenager because it appears they have been disobedient, ask God to help you respond to this child you love with all your heart in the way He wants you to respond.

Before you change jobs ask God what He wants.

Before you assume you know how you should handle the difficult situation asks God to tell you how He wants you to handle the situation.

Before you treat someone with unkindness ask God to give you new words.

Before you quit ask God what He wants you to do.

Before you rush into the office ready to express how unhappy you are in the work place, ask God how He wants you to speak to your boss.

Ask God what He wants you to say. Ask God to show you what your boss needs from you.

Before you change jobs ask God what He wants.

Before you fuss at the lady behind the desk ask God to remind you of times when people have shown you patience. Ask God remind you what patience looks like.

Before you go too far into the day ask God to direct your path.

Shalom!