Living in Saskatchewan we are all familiar with sowing and reaping. But did you realize that this principle is throughout the bible and affects every aspect of our lives? Isaac sowed in the land and reaped a hundred-fold return, God blessed him (Gen 26:12).

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again" (Luke 6:38; KJV).

It’s Interesting that how we give affects how we receive.

In Galatians 6:7 we are told that God is not deceived, we reap what we sow. Sowing and reaping affects every aspect of our lives not just farming and financial or material giving. Job lamented that: “they that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same (Job 4:8). Hosea observed that those who have: “sown the wind”; “reap the whirlwind” (Hos 8:7). In Proverbs chapter 18 and verse 24 we read that to have a friend we must be a friend. Again, in Proverbs chapter 18 and verse 21 we are taught that; “death and life are in the power of the tongue”. Our words reap a harvest good or evil.

Have you noticed that everything reproduces after its own kind? I think a pig would be surprised if it produced chickens. Let’s meditate on our giving and receiving; sowing and reaping today. Let’s do a checkup today; we need to be reminded that how we give in every aspect of our life determines what we will receive, good or evil.

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"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Mic 6:8; KJV) When I see phrases like: “He has shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of thee”, in the Bible, I figure God is trying to get something significant across to me. So, what does the Lord require from us in this verse from the prophet Micah? To do justly is to act according to God’s divine laws and commandments.

Mercy is often translated as loving kindness and also includes the sense of faithfulness, tenderness and unfailing love. Kindness is really goodness in action; practical goodness. God said to Israel that “I will have mercy and not sacrifice” (Matt 12:7) and a cardinal command is to love: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34).

In God’s word we are commanded to: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). To make ourselves low or humble seems very alien to the world’s behavior but someone once told me to look at what the world does and do the opposite.

“With the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Matt 7:2). Let’s be quick to obey, the blessings are beyond measure.

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31; KJV). “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Col 3:23).

It’s easy to separate our spiritual life from our daily activities but really if we are walking in the spirit the two are intertwined. We don’t have to be in church to be led by the Spirit. According to these verses everything we do should be done as an offering to the Lord whether its washing dishes, closing a business deal or singing in the choir.

The apostle Paul exhorted us not to follow the ways of the world around us but to renew our thinking with God’s word so that our lives glorify God (Rom 12:2). As Christians we should be setting an example to the world in the workplace, with our families and in everything we do. Are we on time at work and church? Do we go the extra mile, do our lives breath integrity? Do our lifestyles and our children bring glory to God? Are we known for love in action?

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt 5:16). If we approach our day to day tasks as something done for God it won’t go unnoticed.   

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“I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fufil all my will” (Acts 13:22-23; KJV). What was it about David that allowed the Lord to say these words about him? David had a great zeal for God (1 Sam 17:45). He was teachable, humble and feared God (Ps 25). David trusted God and had great intimacy with him (Ps 27). David loved to praise his God (Ps 34:1), desired righteousness, (Ps 51) loved God (Ps 63) and prayed and cried out to his heavenly Father (Ps 143:1). As we see in our main text, David was also obedient to the will of God.

David was; however, human and fell into the sins of sexual immorality and even murder in his affair with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11). However, when confronted by Nathan the prophet he repented and God forgave him (2 Sam 12). “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”

We should look to the life and attributes of David, a mighty man of God. We should also be encouraged that God regarded David’s strengths and forgave such great sin. God loves us and will forgive us just as he did David. Be exhorted and encouraged.

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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." (2 Pet 1:10; KJV). The meaning of the Greek word diligence as used in the New Testament is to be zealous or to work hard for something, to make every effort and to exert oneself. In Hebrews 4:11 the writer exhorts us to be diligent to enter into God’s rest. King Solomon in his proverbs, (Prov 8:17) directed us to seek wisdom diligently and to (Prov 4:23) guard our hearts with diligence.

The apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans (Rom 12:11) admonished us not to be lagging in diligence but instead to be: "fervent in spirit". Fervent is a very similar word to diligence and it means to be burning hot.  

The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about diligence and the benefits of diligence are found in that book. If we seek wisdom with diligence, we will find it (Prov 8:17) and people who have a diligent approach to life will be successful (Prov 21:5; 13:4)   As Christians diligence should be part of our character. Effort is required to be diligent as it is the opposite of laziness but the effort will certainly pay off because the Bible teaches us that the amount of effort, we put into something determines how much fruit we bear (Phil 3:14).

Please pass this on. All right reserved.

Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.