Month: May 2025

Reaping and Sowing #11

Saturday, May 31, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

What we do now will literally make a difference in eternity, one way or the other. Not only will we reap what we sow, others will reap what we sow too. For instance, when we believers arrive in Heaven, we will see all the people we influenced for the Lord’s glory (as in 2 Corinthians 1:13,14 and 1 Thessalonians 2:19,20)—it will even be souls we never heard of or expected! Whether missionary work funded, Gospel tracts distributed, Bible sermons preached, or Christian literature written, our ministry labors according to sound doctrine will reach far beyond this lifetime and out into forever.

Similarly, once unbelievers wake up in Hell, they will see all the people they influenced for the Devil’s glory. Their books, religions, lectures, television and radio broadcasts, schools, and so on, all contributed to the damnation of the souls they now meet suffering torments with them. Some of the most diabolical, heretical, and apostate teachers of church history existed during the first few centuries after Christ. Their theological systems are still with us today—especially in many of our “Christian” schools which yield graduates who fill our pulpits, classrooms, and bookshelves with utter worthlessness.

“Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting [overturning, overthrowing] of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker [disease]: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some” (2 Timothy 2:14-18). False teaching invented hundreds of years ago still traps people in spiritual kindergarten and still leads people to Hell—“increase unto more ungodliness.” Let us be aware of and avoid sowing this bad seed. Also, let us mark and plant the good seed, that we receive a good harvest as opposed to a bad reaping.

Saints, we now close 14 full years of “333 Words of Grace!” 🙂

Reaping and Sowing #10

Friday, May 30, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

Two more excellent cross-references to today’s Scripture (or, better yet, Galatians 6:7-9) are as follows. As before, these point to the Judgment Seat of Christ of Romans 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, and 2 Corinthians 5:9,10—reward (stemming from good—gold, silver, precious stones) versus loss of reward (originating from bad—wood, hay, stubble).

“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free” (Ephesians 6:5-8). “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons” (Colossians 3:22-25).

These passages are directed to and are about servants (employees) in the secular world, indeed, but they are just as applicable to all of us Christians because we in the spiritual world are God’s servants (Romans 6:22) or the Lord’s servants (2 Timothy 2:24). It is the same grace living, the same fundamental grace principles. Again, we can sow to the flesh or sow to the Spirit, and the reaping will be proportional to it (check Galatians 6:7-9 again, plus Galatians 5:13-26 and Romans 8:1-15). There is a short-term result (victorious Christian living or death of the Christian life) as well as a long-term harvest (reward or loss of reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ).

We now summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Reaping and Sowing #9

Thursday, May 29, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

Again, the old farmers’ words of wisdom are, “We reap what we sow, we reap more than we sow, and we reap later than we sow.” Our works lead to specific ends, those ends are more multiplied than we originally supposed, and those results might not arise for a long time. This third point will be most evident at one of two judgments in the ages to come.

The first judgment on the Bible timeline will be the Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:9-15; 2 Corinthians 5:9,10). At that time, the earthly service of the members of the Church the Body of Christ will be evaluated. What was the sort (quality, type) of the doctrine we put into our inner man? Was it gold, silver, precious stones—rightly divided Scripture? Or, was it wood, hay, stubble—empiricism/scientific method, church tradition, intuition? What men found “scholarly,” impressive, or “godly” on earth might be worth nothing at the Judgment Seat of Christ! If it was not grace teaching and grace living, it will indeed be burned up! Based on our maturity level, Christ will determine what governmental ranks we will fill in Heaven as individuals.

The other judgment is the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). At that time, all the lost souls of the ages stand before Jesus Christ—the very Christ they refused—to be sentenced to the Lake of Fire. Doubtless, there will be degrees of punishment, the severity of their penalty dependent on two factors—how much spiritual light the individual rejected (Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22,24; Mark 6:11; Luke 10:12,14) and how much influence that person had in the world (Matthew 23:14; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:46,47; James 3:1).

In the natural realm, seeds planted in the ground might take many years to sprout (and this is because environmental conditions have to be just right to maximize survival). Likewise, the outcomes of our stupid choices are not readily apparent—it might take days, weeks, months, decades, or centuries. Above all, they will be fully realized either at the Judgment Seat of Christ (believers) or the Great White Throne Judgment (unbelievers)….

Reaping and Sowing #8

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

In the old farmers’ dictum, “We reap what we sow, we reap more than we sow, and we reap later than we sow,” all three points are equally vital. Our actions indeed have consequences: we do reap what we sow. This we should understand with little to no effort, especially as we look at the physical realm while we plant seed and receive the same species of plant.

As for reaping more than we sow, this too is applicable in both the natural world and the spiritual world. Putting one seed into the ground results in a growing and mature plant that contains numerous seeds itself, so that, as per the rules of reproduction, there can be another sowing. Likewise, our actions set off a chain reaction: this deed (1) causes that to happen (2), and that (2) leads to another phenomenon (3), and on (4) and on (5) and on (6) and on (7). This is most noticeable in the lives of people who have a habit of making poor choices. One stupid decision led to a host of unforeseeable problems. Such a series of disastrous and truly frightening events can even be witnessed across several generations—son, grandson, great-grandson, or daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter. The sins of one man or one woman carry on into their families indefinitely, long after his or her physical death!

For example, the easiest illustration is how Adam, though seeing the immediate effects of his sin in his own life, never anticipated it would create 6,000 years of human misery (disease, war, death)! Abram and Sarai had no idea their “brilliant” scheme to “help God” would produce a son (Ishmael) that would form the foundation of a religion (Islam), a religion that competes with God’s son Isaac, plus Judaism and Christianity. That satanic battle has raged on in the Middle East for 4,000 years! What King Solomon did with his hundreds of idols has damaged his nation Israel for nearly 3,000 years! Indeed, that leads us to the third point, how we reap later than we sow….

Reaping and Sowing #7

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

Saints, it is crucial we bear in mind the old farmers’ maxim again: “(1) We reap what we sow, (2) we reap more than we sow, and (3) we reap later than we sow.” Remember, (1) whatever we do will bring corresponding results, (2) those outcomes will have larger effects than we intended and/or expected, and (3) such consequences will not be instantly seen or immediately recognizable. Yet, daily life seems to have exceptions with (1) and (2), times when these rules are not followed. This is where we must avert (avoid) the deception by making particular note of (3)!

Going back to Galatians 6:7-9, today’s Scripture in context: “[7] Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. [8] For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. [9] And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Sinners and saints alike will definitely reap what they have sown. Minding and walking after the flesh (Adam’s life, sin) will have its “payday someday;” equally true is the “payday someday” for minding and walking after the Spirit (Christ’s life, righteousness). Read Romans 8:1-15 very carefully, and Galatians 5:16-26. Those verses are just as true today as when the Holy Spirit composed them 2,000 years ago.

Draw your attention to Galatians 6:9: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Weariness is tiredness or exhaustion, boredom with a specific situation, reluctance to see any more of it. In other words, there is great pressure or discouragement to quit and do something else. “Why go on doing well? This is not getting me anywhere! Everyone else is doing evil and prospering, so why not join them in their sin and success?” Nevertheless, let us do (sow) good, that we reap good….

The Greatest War Hero

Monday, May 26, 2025

“For God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 KJV).

In the United States, today is Memorial Day, when we remember those who sacrificed their time and lives to provide our physical freedom. Likewise, as Christians, we have spiritual freedom, which was more costly. Someone had to die to give us the eternal life we now enjoy….

Scripture describes a spiritual warfare between good and evil, God’s truth program versus Satan’s lie program: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles [schemes] of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:11,12; see also verses 13-20).

Satan distracts mankind from God’s pure Word, the Bible, keeping unbelievers lost (dead in their sins), and preventing unbelievers and Christians from knowing God’s will. The devil draws them away (seduces them) from God’s Word by using religious tradition and human “wisdom” (1 Timothy 4:1-3; cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Galatians 3:1-3).

God loves us, so at Calvary’s cross, Christ fought for us sinners, died in battle (today’s Scripture), shed His divine sinless blood, and eternally rescued us from Satan and sin: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:14,15).

Hebrews 9:12 says Jesus Christ has “obtained eternal redemption for us.”

If we have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Now, God can use us for His glory for all eternity.

Beloved, let us rejoice in our victory over sin, death, and hell that Jesus Christ secured for us by going to Calvary’s rugged cross! Jesus Christ is now alive forevermore—He is our Hero, the Greatest Hero!

*Adapted from a larger Bible study “The Greatest Hero,” which can be read here or watched here.

Reaping and Sowing #6

Sunday, May 25, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

Think of the negative. If we go around picking fights with others, and someone severely injures us, we have reaped what we have sown. If we shoplift and wind up in jail, we have reaped what we have sown. If we have lied enough to the point where no one believes anything we say, we have reaped what we have sown. If we do not practice responsible spending and we get into debt, we have reaped what we have sown. If we overdose on drugs and die, we have reaped what we have sown.

Observe the positive. If we give money to a friend in need, and he or she then gives us money in our time of lack, we have reaped what we have sown. If we work hard and get a job promotion, we have reaped what we have sown. If we take care of our possessions, and they last a long time, we have reaped what we have sown. If we study diligently in school and we make good grades, we have reaped what we have sown. If we are kind to our children and they take care of us in our old age, we have reaped what we have sown.

Saints amongst the Corinthians were gluttons and drunkards at the Lord’s Supper, so many of them were weak, sick, or dead. These were the consequences of their poor eating and drinking habits (1 Corinthians 11:20,21,29-32). Even as Christians in this the Dispensation of Grace, God will not spare us the negative results of our stupidity! But, what about the ironies or paradoxes? How do we explain sowing good but reaping evil? What if we sow evil and reap good? For example, people raise their children with Christian truth but those children grow up to become apostates who cannot stand to hear one word about the Lord Jesus. Or, think of the businesspeople who cheat and steal, yet they become wealthy and enjoy lives of luxury. Even in these situations, today’s Scripture will eventually be brought to pass….

Note: In order to bring you a special study tomorrow, we will temporarily break from this devotionals arc….

Reaping and Sowing #5

Saturday, May 24, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

Today’s Scripture in its context: “[7] Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. [8] For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. [9] And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Look back at chapter 5 to see the flesh of man and the Spirit of God contrasted: “[16] This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. [17] For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. [18] But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. [19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, [20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, [21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. [24] And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. [25] If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. [26] Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

To “sow to the flesh” is to plant in our lives that which the old sin nature produces (see Galatians 5:19-21). The reaping (harvest) is “corruption”—decay or ruin of the Christian life. To “sow to the Spirit” is to plant in our lives that which the new nature in Christ produces (see Galatians 5:22,23). The (reaping) harvest is “life everlasting”—victory in the Christian life.

We examine this even further….

Reaping and Sowing #4

Friday, May 23, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

During the centuries before Christ, Israel worshipped Gentile idols. Consequently, Satan’s lie program distracted the Jewish people from John the Baptist’s preaching, Jesus Christ’s preaching, and even Peter’s preaching in early Acts. Israel sowed unbelief and will reap the horrors of (the future) Daniel’s 70th Week!

The LORD speaks in Proverbs 1:20-33: “[20] Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: [21] She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, [22] How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? [23] Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. [24] Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; [25] But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: [26] I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; [27] When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

“[28] Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: [29] For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: [30] They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. [31] Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. [32] For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. [33] But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”

There is an old farmers’ adage, “You reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow, and you reap later than you sow.” In short, our actions have consequences—the outcome reflects the decision, the outcome will be more extreme than we thought when we made the decision, and the outcome does not immediately follow the decision. Let us now see today’s Scripture in context….

Reaping and Sowing #3

Thursday, May 22, 2025

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

Let us not be ignorant brethren concerning the concept of “reaping and sowing!”

Moses publicly disrespected the LORD by smiting the rock in a fit of rage when he should have spoken to it, so he and brother Aaron were forbidden to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land (Numbers 20:7-13). Throughout the Book of Joshua, the Jewish people failed to destroy the pagan Gentiles in the land of Canaan, so those heathen eventually influenced Israel to be idolatrous. In the Book of Judges, these sins of idolatry brought on God’s punishment in the form of invading Gentile troops, though God had mercy on and delivered Israel when they cried out in repentance (Judges 2:1-23). Judge Samson got romantically involved with a pagan Philistine woman and that finally contributed to his death by Israel’s enemies (Judges 16:4-31).

Believing Gentile Ruth chose to follow the God of Israel, thereby inadvertently becoming the ancestor of Messiah Jesus (Ruth 1:15-18; cf. Matthew 1:5,6,16; Luke 3:23,32). Young David, her great-grandson, trusted the LORD and defeated the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1-58), going on to be one of Israel’s most famous monarchs. King David failed to be a good father to his children, growing angry with son Amnon for sexually assaulting sister Tamar but carrying out no punishment, forcing son Absalom to kill Amnon in the pursuit of justice (2 Samuel 13:1-39). Absalom later dies in an uprising against David (2 Samuel 15:1-13; 2 Samuel 18:1-17). Brother Adonijah perishes for treason against brother King Solomon (1 Kings 1:1-10; 1 Kings 2:19-25). “Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house” (Proverbs 17:13).

“Your sin will find you out,” Moses advised Israel in Numbers 32:23. Indeed, King Solomon learned this after he had intimate relations with almost 1,000 female Satan worshippers (1 Kings 11:1-8)—and that destroyed his nation Israel politically and spiritually for the next thousand years, all the way up to Christ’s earthly ministry! These are just a few of the countless examples of “reaping and sowing” throughout the Old Testament Bible canon, some good but most bad.

We can come to an even better understanding….