You will Reap what You Planted — Harvey Brubacker

Good morning. Are there any prayer requests this morning? Well, I stand to pray our Heavenly Father. Thank you for for giving us this opportunity to meet together. Help us to edify each other today. Please be in our midst fill us with your spirit.

We ask that you would guide us today. Help us to be one heart. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen. Well, I Like to talk about a law. Some people some people refer to it as a law. I I guess it's considered a law from the Bible a principle from the Bible something that has affected people.

The Universal Law of Sowing and Reaping

From the time of Adam and Eve till now. Something all of us are faced with in our life. Some people may deny the facts. But still they're. Everyone yeah, everyone's included if the effects often last a lifetime.

And are often irreversible or mostly irreversible, but there's exceptions for those rules, too. But. And Our youthful years are often the most important ones. Um, let's read. Let's read in Galatians 6.

I guess we'll just read verse 7 right now. Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows so it's It's reaping what we sow that's. That's what I would like to talk about. All of us a lot of us are familiar with agricultural practices and we know that it would be foolish if we if we Took a a seed we didn't want and planted it and hope to get something good from it, right?

The Seeds Planted in Youth

I picked up a few acorns as I was sitting down. These could potentially grow into into a large plant. All you little children most of you little children know that if if I plant these seeds I Won't get a watermelon from them.

Will I? Or corn maybe something good if I plant these in my garden, I'll get in a few years, I'll have a big oak tree and and my good plants won't be able to grow because the oak tree will take away all its nutrients and and it'll make the shade and the plants won't be able to grow.

So if I'd like for us to try to imagine a field a beautiful fertile field. That the the soil has been prepared and it's ready for planting this field is like our life and and When we're young when we're I think parents parents help us To keep our our field clean if we have godly parents.

They help us to to to order our field when we're young but there's a point when when we get older when we start making our own choices and We make conscious decisions. Conscious choices and and those are and Those are seeds that we're planting into our soil for.

For us young people, I'm I'm an old young person, but Especially I think especially people in their young people in their teen years. You have such a such an opportunity right now. That you can that you can either use for something good or you can you can fill your field with all kinds of bad plants.

Plants that eventually produce something that's very very bitter very very noxious. So what what what seeds are you planting in your field right now when you when you. When you think about your life when you think about how you talk how you relate to people.

Are they seeds of righteousness are they seeds that will bring peace. I'd I'd like to read a few verses here in Galatians 5. It talks Talks about. I guess I'll start in verse 16 and just read down to the end of the chapter.

Sowing to the Flesh or Walking by the Spirit

So I lay so I say walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh for the flesh desires. What is contrary to the spirit and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh? They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want.

But if you're led by the spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious sexual immorality impurity debauchery idolatry and witchcraft hatred. Discord jealousy fits of rage selfish ambition dissension sentence factions and Envy drunkenness orgies and the like.

I warn you as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God here we have a list of things that That Paul says that will not inherit the kingdom of God so if we so if we so.

If we do these kinds of things we are we are sowing to the flesh and and when that Plant is matured God will have to yank it out and throw it into the fire. But this is what God wants for us here in verse 22, but the fruits of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace Forbearance kindness goodness faithfulness. There is no law. Oh Sorry gentleness and self-control against such things there is no law those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and Desires since we live by the Spirit.

Let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited provoking and envying each other. So there we have there we have the good the good seeds that we can sow in our life. We have love joy peace forbearance kindness goodness faithfulness Gentleness and self-control.

Recognizing the Harvest of Our Choices

I think It's hard for us to recognize the plants. We're planting till we start harvesting. I know it's been that way for my life and I wish it wouldn't have to be that way, but I believe that God God still Still gives us this option of Taking examples from other people's mistakes and and not having to wait till Not having to wait till we start seeing fruits.

Because Once we once we once we start harvesting our harvesting our fruits, and we have we have bitter fruits. We have bad fruits It it's really hard to it's really hard to change things at that point and and Many of those many of many of those things will continue to To affect us the rest of our life.

I think one way we can recognize The seeds that we're planting is by By looking in one way in one area. Anyways, let's take it. Let's take the example of our relationship with other people. Though oftentimes people will reflect someone's relationship back in this in the same way that that we That we give it so if if I if I talk angry to you if I mock you if I If I treat you unkindly chances are that you For For people that aren't Christian anyways that that people will treat me in the same way that I treated them.

It's just It's just something that that people tend to do. I think that's one way we can we can Recognize fruits that are bad in our life or seeds seeds that we're planting that are bad in our life Is when we when we when we can when we take our relationships with other people and and see something bad in them it it often is a sign of Something wrong on our part.

Living With the Consequences of What We Sow

I think many of us would I think many of us would give give anything to be able to go back and and replant we see our the field of our life. But we can't we have to now we have to Now we have to deal with the with the consequences of our our actions and So if we've we've sowed to righteousness we we have a Joyful time of harvesting, but if we've sowed to unrighteousness We'll have many regrets and many if we choose to serve God at that point we We have many things to To straighten out and to deal with.

Temptation, Sin, and the Growth of Desire

There's a there's a verse in in James that I wanted to talk about James 1 14 and 15, but first I think something that we something that we often often That often misses our attention or that that makes us forget about the the law of sowing and reaping is is the time that that's between the time that we plant our seeds and the time we harvest it and So as we As we plant our field.

Those those those seeds lay dormant for a while. And we may not see them growing, but they're growing some of them will some of them will be growing fast some of them will Grow slower, but all of them will produce fruit.

So and let me read this here in James. But each person I'll just read this it's talking about temptation and and how how How we're planting the seeds. So I'll just start at 13 When tempted no one should say God is tempting me for God cannot be tempted by evil nor does he tempt anyone?

But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their evil desire and entice. Then after desire has conceived it gives birth to sin when it is full-grown and Sin when it is full-grown gives Birth to death so here we see.

I think James is only addressing Sin here, but I think life works the same way when we When we choose when we choose do what's right? This thing grows and and finally gives forth life. So that's a that's a good part.

Persevering in Good Works

I want to go back to To Galatians 6 again and read verse 8 or service verse 9 Says let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Just like the harvest of wickedness.

Sometimes takes a while to mature sometimes it it happens quickly, but Here Paul is saying that the that if we have to be patient if we're sowing good seeds, we can't just expect them to To pop up overnight and all of a sudden we'll wear this this great field of good fruits.

It takes a long time for us to harvest those benefits so Paul's to Paul's telling us to To keep on pressing in to not get weary. And sowing what is right. I'll just read verse 10 there as well therefore as we have opportunity Let us do good to all people especially to those who belong to the family of believers there we have an example of of a good seed that we can be sowing doing good to to all people and especially Especially the Christians around us.

God’s Mercy and the Possibility of Turning Back

I wanted to read a I wanted to read a verse in Or a couple verses in in Ezekiel because although it it it seems Even if we have even if we have planted even if we've planted Wicked seeds our life or part of our life God God has given us hope.

I Want to read a verse in Ezekiel 18 close to the end of the chapter. I know many of us are familiar with this with this chapter, but these These words of hope that God spoke through Ezekiel are are very Are very hopeful, so I'll just start in verse 21 Ezekiel 21 or Ezekiel 18 verse 21.

But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins as they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just And right that person will surely live they will not die. None of the of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against Them because of the righteousness because of the righteous things that they have done they will live.

Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked declares? Declares the Sovereign Lord rather am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live. There's God's promise for us if if we have sowed in unrighteousness He forgives us if we turn away from our wickedness if we turn away from from sin and and Start seeking God start planting righteousness God is willing to forgive us, and then I'll just read the I'll just read the next verse verse 24.

This is this is if we've lived righteous lives if we've been planting good seeds all of our life. But in the in the last part we we choose to to turn away from God. This is this is a the warning for for us if For us not to turn away from from living righteous lives but verse verse 24 but if a Righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things that the wicked person does will they live?

None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered because of the the unfaithfulness They are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed. They will die so I just want to encourage everyone here to To remember that Our seeds that we're planting our bit are very important our thoughts our words What we do.

They will someday Someday they will they will give fruit and and our garden our our field of life or the If I compare it with a garden will show What we've planted and especially for For the young people.

It's so important that You you plant good seeds now Because you only have one chance. Yeah, that's all I have if there's any Comments or corrections be free to share. Yeah. Thank you, Harvey. Yeah. As you were starting in there in the beginning With some of the Characteristics of this law you were wanting to talk about I Started catching on that that's gonna be it.

Redemption Does Not Remove Every Consequence

No, nobody escapes it. Whether it's a whether it's a good person or an evil person no one escapes that law and I do think I do I do think it's maybe Good to recognize that like Regardless of what we've sown there is There is redemption and forgiveness available, but that doesn't doesn't ultimate altogether mean we escape consequences.

You know like just for an example some someone that gets someone that gets drunk and goes recklessly driving down the road and Crashes his car and loses his leg. He can be forgiven of that sin, but he'll Hobble around the rest of his life on one leg.

Or something like that you know. Anyway It was pretty sobering to me what you said about how like one way to test To To test though though it has exceptions, but one way that we can test is Is that people tend to treat us the way we treat them?

And I Think there's a lot of truth to that like it's not I think probably all of us may have May have Experienced You know somebody some just really angry unreasonable person you know Not do that or the other way around it can be but like if if there's a pattern you see in life.

If there's a pattern yeah I think I think it'd be safe to say like if he's if there's a pattern that you see in life of how people treat You then then take heed. There's this story it That this I Suppose it's a true story.

The Story of the Two Families

I mean it could well be a true story. It's supposedly an Amish in an Amish community like These two families moved in to this community at about the same time and the bishop went to to visit with the one family and.

And he asked that he asked that family about you know how how are the people how were the people in the community you came from? And he said oh. They were so nice. You know just just real good people kind generous loving people the bishop said yeah, that's that's kind of how you'll find the people in this community and then.

Later he went to visit the other family that moved in and asked asked him among other questions. He asked him like how how were the people in the community you came from and he said oh? They were so hard to get along with they were just always just causing trouble and fighting and he said yeah, that's kind of how you'll find the people here and Later these two two newcomers were talking with each other and and both of them said that You know the bishop Bishop told him that they Kind of find the people the way they described him at home and both of them were like what?

It's two very different answers and and yet the one guy that that that had said his his old community was. It's full of nice and kind people. He he kind of walked home thinking I Think maybe the bishop said the truth there, and you know it wasn't story goes that it wasn't long until the second person You know was was dissatisfied there and found everybody to be hard to get along with and couldn't couldn't make it.

Anyway, it's kind of a good story there obviously them. Whether true or false the less whether it's true or made up I don't know who it pertains to therefore. I'm just saying that I I think it could be true.

But but whether it's a story somebody made up the lessons pretty clear like people tend people tend to be. Or the like what like Harvey said the problem often tends to be with ourselves. Somebody rightly said in one time that we will we will reap.

We will reap. What we so after we so and more than we so and those are just some of the. Some of the universal laws about sewing and reaping anyway, thanks Harvey.

Amen Harvey, thank you for a very edifying message and It's not good. It's not just good for the younger ones, but it's good for the older ones, too. I Didn't know it's a law, but you're a farmer Harvey and You reap what you sow is is a law.

Isaiah’s Call to Forsake Wickedness

I guess it's Just a couple of verses and no corrections. I just appraised it was the message was something that was very edifying in Isaiah. A popular verse that we quote in Isaiah was for my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not yours is the Sky is higher than the heavens the heavens are higher than whatever the earth and my thoughts and so we you know his omniscience is a eternity his A Power power time knowledge is in a different realm than ours.

But in the context of that the verse before that I read it It says let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous his thoughts the unrighteous Me and his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God He will abundantly pardon.

So the context of that versus God's thoughts are not our thoughts is that his mercy is So like infinite compared to Oz he has mercy we well we don't and I mean and where we wouldn't think of the thief in the cross think of King Manasseh and Think of the worst sinner of all time the Apostle Paul.

He had mercy on them and they have examples for us to follow. So let's not ever think that I'm just too. How could anyone love? Someone or even accept someone who's such as evil as myself, but I Know there's a song and by the Robert Malloy was telling me the words of a song that I said Hey that applies for everyone and the words of the song was something it was like if I What I know now.

What I know now if I only knew when I was young. The things I know now spiritually wrecked the things I know now. Did I knew if I only knew when I was a teenager the things we know now? Only if we knew them when a teenager how we could have an impact in the world on ourselves on a testimony.

And I guess we all could say that to a certain degree. What I know now. Only if I knew that when I was growing up a Catholic in Boston and did every ungodly thing only if I knew now how I could have tried to Stopped a lot of the sin and other people's lives in my own life.

The Fruit of the Spirit and Pursuing Righteousness

But I appreciate you could talk about the fruits of the Spirit good memory things and nine fruits of the Spirit or the beatitudes. That's another Powerful thing to let the Word of Christ and dwell in us richly the fruits of the Spirit and he also says to Timothy the young Timothy and first Timothy pursue righteousness godliness love faith patience and meekness and my last comment will be the you know the The three types and you could have dealt with it brother Harvey the three types of sin less to the eye less to the flesh and pride of life.

The Lust of the Eyes, the Flesh, and the Pride of Life

We look at the examples of the. The lust of the eye money just say money possessions. Judas Gahazi. Simon the sorcerer. What would they sell the Lord for right? They sell the Lord for money. The lust of the flesh.

Look at him and how he raped him. Look at how David how he raped Bathsheba and they repented in the pride of life. Nebuchadnezzar in King David when he wanted a census and we learn these things were written for our instruction the Lord.

Be magnified and bless all you brothers. Victory.