Scriptural Foundation:
Galatians 6:7
New International Version (NIV)
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
If you think you can fool God, you are only fooling yourselves. You will harvest what you plant.
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.
The Message (MSG)
Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
Reflection:
I don’t know about you, but I love looking up the same scripture in a bunch of different versions as well as the Greek or Hebrew to get the full breadth of the meaning of the passage. This week’s scripture has always pushed me to reflect on my words and actions as it relates to my relationship with God. Dictionary.com defines exploit as follows: make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource). You can fake it until you make it in the world, but when it comes to the keeper of your soul, you can’t hide from your own heartbeat. Sure there are coping mechanisms we think will fake out the Lord with phrases like…“With all due respect,…”; “In my humble opinion,…”; or ”Lord, I don’t want you to think I am ungrateful, but…” My Pastor taught me a long time ago that the word but throws out everything that was previously stated. So where does that leave you with your conversations with the Lord? He is the Alpha and the Omega of eternity. What makes you think that he doesn’t know what is happening in between?
Every action and word that is spoken has weight, has currency as it relates to your future. The Lord is merciful to forgive and completely forget all wrongs, however we as Believers have to be sincere in our requests. Anything less is indirectly calling God a fool. Yes that seems harsh, but in a world that more and more things are being put into the gray area the Word of God remains black and white. You either trust God or you don’t. You either live out your days on this earth for Him or you just play church which doesn’t help anyone and something you will have to take account for in Heaven. Saints time is growing short, lace up and get your head in the game.
Seeking Revelation:
Grab your notebook:
- What areas of your life have you hung a “keep out” sign on the door?
- Think about why you have consciously or subconsciously done that.
- Ask the Lord forgiveness and the strengthen to do a 180-degrees on the subject.
Jesus said to the father, “Why did you say ‘if you can’? All things are possible for the one who believes.” Immediately the father shouted, “I do believe. Help me to believe more!”
-Mark 9:23-24 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)