Principles to Live By: Sowing and Reaping, Pt. 5

Our labor is not in vain in the Lord. Trust God. Keep going. Sow good seeds in the lives of others. A righteous, godly life will not go wasted.

Principles to Live By: Sowing and Reaping, Pt. 5

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;
for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."

(Galatians 6:7)

Before I close out this week's devotions on the principle of sowing and reaping, I will give an update on our recent mission trip to Alaska. Twenty of us from our church spent a week in this beautiful state, and God richly blessed our time together. We went to serve alongside a missionary couple who attended our church here in Austin, TX. Kenny and Lauren Humphries are doing a great work in a hard place. This couple has a heart for hurting families. They have fostered over 60 children and adopted 7, some of whom have special needs. It is remarkable to spend just a day in the life of this couple who serve God tirelessly. I love going on short term mission trips, as it opens your eyes to so many needs. But this one was especially a blessing, as I got to go with members of my immediate family and our church family. I was stretched out of my comfort zone because I served on a construction team. Almost every time I go on a mission trip, I teach pastors and preach in churches. But this time, I did not teach or preach but instead got a drill and went to work! We built a catwalk for a missionary pilot in Alaska, and it turned out to be a great addition and storage for the plane hangar. On the last day, he took us up for a personal flight in his plane, and what a treat it was to see Anchorage from that perspective.

These dear missionaries are sowing many good Gospel seeds, and there will be a bountiful harvest that will come from all their hard work.

Scripture teaches us, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10). Who can you do good deeds for today? I am sure you know those in whom you could sow seeds that would lift them up and encourage them to keep going and keep on serving the Lord. As Dr. Stanley pointed out when teaching on this divine principle of sowing and reaping, there are no crop failures! The Bible does not say "may reap", but it says you will reap what you sow. Our actions have consequences. We all have a choice to make: we can follow Jesus, be forgiven, live with joy, and sow good seeds that will produce a wonderful crop for the glory of God, or we can sow seeds of destruction, waste our lives, and reap the terrible consequences of our actions. The choice is ours to make.

A great crop is coming. 2 Corinthians 4:1 says, "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart." 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." Our labor is not in vain in the Lord. Trust God. Keep going. Sow good seeds in the lives of others. Living a righteous, godly life will not go wasted; you will reap a blessed and bountiful crop. Some say they do not believe any of this, but that does not matter; it is still the truth. You will reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.

I hope you have been blessed, encouraged, and challenged by what you have read this week. If you think of someone this teaching might be able to help, please send it to them. It may be exactly what they need to hear.

Thank you for your prayers and support for our DFEA ministry. We are grateful to God for you, the prayers you pray, and the financial investment you sow into DFEA. We can do what we do because people like you believe in us and invest in us. So, again, thank you so very much. If you want to know more about our ministry or how you can donate to DFEA, please visit dfea.com.