Have You Ever?

     Have you ever wondered why you are where you are?  Did you do something good to deserve it?  Did you do something bad to deserve it?
      We've all heard "you reap what you sow".  The Word truly does tell us "Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God.  People will reap exactly what they sow."  (Galatians 6:7)  Funny that people tend to use these verses as a declaration of judgement on others when they think someone deserves that judgement.  But have you ever looked at the following verses?
     Galatians 6:8-9 "If they sow in a field of their natural desires, from it they will gather the harvest of death; if they sow in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit they will gather the harvest of eternal life.  So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest."  So many times we stop at "you reap what you sow" and use that to judge someone.  But when we do that are we approaching the situation from a Spiritual viewpoint or natural viewpoint?  Ah.......
     So what is the Word really saying here?  Ponder this if you will:  When we do things that aren't glorifying to God, things that are contrary to His Word, while we may be having fun for a while our end results will be death.  Death.  It may seem great while we are doing it,  but it's not the amazing plan God has for us.   And, because we are not being obedient to His Word, He has no choice but to judge us even though that's not what He wants to do.  We, in our sin, leave Him no choice.  Again, it may look good for a while but God assures us it won't end in anything short of death.
     But if we sow to the Spirit, oh my!  Living our lives according to God's Word, being obedient and trusting Him, and our reward will be eternal life.  No death!  None!  Never!  Easy right?  Not exactly.  Have you ever had your faith stretched to the limit and just thought you couldn't go one more day of doing things God's way?  Sometimes it even looks like failure for a while. 
     Here's the deal.  As children of God there's another part to this whole thing. James 1:12 says "Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love Him."   So even though it gets really, really hard at times, we must persevere.  We must continue sowing according to the Spirit.  The result is always life.
     Can we say that temptations are from God?  No.  Because God can't be tempted by evil and He Himself tempts no one.  But people are tempted when they are drawn away and trapped by their own evil desires (their own choices).  Then their evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.  (James 1:13-15)  See the connection here?  When you give in to your evil desires, they give birth to sin.  When you sow evil, your garden is overgrown with sin.  And the end result?  Always death.
     So.  Have you ever wondered why you are where you are?  Are you sowing in the field of your natural (sinful) desires?  It's not too late.  If we simply agree with the diagnosis of sin, Jesus has already provided the cure.  He wants so much just to forgive you.  In fact, He's waiting to forgive you and give you a whole new life.  Have you ever repented?  Have you ever let Him change your life?  Will you now?  I guarantee it's something you will never regret.