You Reap What You Sow (* some sound quality issues*)

[0:00] In Galatians 6 from verse 7 we read that you reap what you sow.! Some people say it from the word of God about you reap what you sow.

[0:52] You reap what you sow. And it's really an ancient eternal law. It's a very evident scriptural truth and common sense.

[1:03] What you plant, you grow. What you sow, you reap. It's a critical principle. And the evangelist Moody said there's no other truth in the Bible more solemn.

[1:20] You reap what you sow. In other words, our choices lead to consequences. If you make wise, godly decisions and choices, you can expect that God will honour you for that.

[1:39] Galatians 6 verse 7 it says, Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Now, some people mock God. You might work with people. I do.

[1:53] Some people mock God. But one day, as we'll face him, there'll be no mocking there. Life is like a garden.

[2:05] What you sow. I garden too closely because you'll see that there's a lot to desire. I've got a veggie patch that's just sitting there, but I haven't got any soil in it yet.

[2:21] It's ready to go. I've got to get around to it. And through life, Julie and I, we've always had this hope that we're going to grow our own veggies.

[2:32] And there's times when we have had gravy patches, but it's been very sunny and we've not watered them well enough. And crop failure has been my lifetime affliction.

[2:43] But you reap what you sow, don't you? And if you make sinful choices, it brings negative consequences.

[2:54] Job 4 verse 8, it says, Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same. If you plough iniquity and sow wickedness, you reap the same.

[3:08] Isn't that true? There's a verse in Hosea that says, Sometimes we reap more than we sow. It says in Hosea 8 verse 7, They that have sown the wind, they shall reap the whirlwind.

[3:22] So sometimes what we do in a small measure, we get back more than what we did. It can identify with that.

[3:35] Relationships with parenting. Sometimes we make stupid decisions or we say silly things and then our children copy us and they do worse.

[3:45] It's like some have said, what one will do in moderation, the children will do in excess. So we've got to be watching what we do. Some that will imbibe certain things, the children will copy and they'll go beyond the duperness.

[4:03] Because we've sown the wind and we'll reap the whirlwind. It's what the children are watching. Paul says in Galatians 6 verse 8, His flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.

[4:18] Now what does this mean? The flesh and the spirit. Trust in him. Sow to the flesh we will reap corruption.

[4:29] So corruption speaks of decay, of ruin, of destruction. Are we sowing seeds to the flesh or to the spirit? It's one or the other, isn't it?

[4:40] And what are some of the negative things we can sow? You might think of some yourself. The word speaks of certain things that are called sowing.

[4:51] The Bible speaks about sowing discord as a serious sin. When you sow discord, when you cause that conflict, discord, dangerous things.

[5:07] It's a very bad thing to sow. Some are sowing bad seed in teaching false doctrines. We've had people come in here, try to put certain views and pull people in certain directions to take on board certain teachings that are out of accord with how we see the scriptures plainly.

[5:27] And taking people off on winds of doctrine. Just blowing them here and there. And they end up in a big mess. It's bad seed, isn't it? False doctrines.

[5:38] What are we sowing? We need to be aware lest we promote what is doubtful. Because doubtful, don't touch it. Some will join in and support what is ecumenical and weaken the gospel message.

[5:52] Don't have a bar of it. Don't join in with what is doubtful. Better to steer clear of it. And stay with what is sure and true. That you've got confidence in.

[6:02] Use your energies and your commitment with what is solidly biblical. Get behind this church. Get behind churches like this one. That you can know that it's biblical.

[6:14] It's sound doctrine. You can get behind it. You can put your energy and your commitment into it without any question. So what is some good kind of sowing now? Good kind of sowing. How can we sow to the spirit?

[6:27] Sow to the spirit. You might think of other things. It tells me of such things as, for example, working for God. When you work for God, when you serve God, there's a sowing to the spirit.

[6:40] There's a serving God. We're working for God. When we're praying, we're sowing to the spirit, aren't we? As we pray, as we depend on the Lord. When we're enduring the heartaches of life, as you're giving yourself to people.

[6:54] And not always receiving in return. As you give and give in Christ's name. Life is like that. You don't always see the result in the immediate time.

[7:09] Faithful ministry. The hard slog of ministry. Father Adam faces. Son. Stretching.

[7:22] Straining. Bethany. It's a big task. I had black hair when I started. You know, that's what it does to you. But ministry.

[7:33] You're sowing to the spirit. You do. Keep on. Keep it on. And being thankful is sowing to the spirit, isn't it? Find something to thank God for.

[7:44] Instead of something to be unhappy about. Having the right spirit is sowing to the spirit, isn't it? Having that right attitude. Where your heart is right.

[7:55] And it's right with others. Giving willingly is sowing to the spirit. Sowing the seed. The pure word of God. The precious word of God.

[8:06] The gospel seed. As you witness for Christ. This is our mission. It's why we're here. To get the seed into the soil.

[8:19] You've got to impart it. Don't hoard the seed, but rather plant it. Now, I made the mistake. Again, I had total ineptitude for veggie patching.

[8:34] That I did get some seed. Some veggie seed. And they were still in the packet. And it expired like 10 years ago or something. And then I tried to plant it.

[8:45] And it didn't grow up. Don't hoard the seed. Plant it. Now, we can be like that with the gospel seed, can't we? We don't impart it. When there's opportunities to. Give the seed.

[8:55] Plant it. Don't hold on to it. Give it away. That faith that you have. Give your faith away to others. Declare Christ and the gospel message to others.

[9:09] Now, we might look at who we are and what we have and think, who am I? I'm a noble. I'm not somebody special, important.

[9:21] I don't have a lot that I can do. But we look at what we are, what we have. And what impact can I really make? Just me. We think we're not able.

[9:31] I'm not able to do anything. But everyone has an ability. God has given us all an ability. A calling. A responsibility.

[9:43] Some people give up sowing spiritual seed because they think that their works are too ordinary. Too unremarkable. Brother, sister, you're sowing every day.

[9:55] Every day. Every moment. Our Lord says in Matthew 10, 42. This will give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water.

[10:06] In the name of the disciple. Verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. The one who gives a little one a cup of cold water.

[10:17] In the name of the disciple. Verily, truly. I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. He's going to get rewarded for that. So you might think of those little things you do.

[10:31] About the home. The school place. The home place. The work place. The life place. And think, who am I? What can I do? And just those little things that we do can matter so much.

[10:44] Even the most ordinary and slight thing. Yet the Lord Jesus says this one he will honour and reward. So don't neglect even those acts of love.

[10:56] Those small acts of service. Don't discount them and think them too small. A seed about it is only small, isn't it? And our Lord says that if you have faith, even as the grain of a mustard seed.

[11:09] Which is a tiny, tiny seed. It can be so tremendously impactful. It can have a big impact. So just be faithful in your sowing.

[11:20] Make sure it's the right kind of sowing though. Not sowing to the flesh, but sowing to the spirit. Just be faithful. Sow those seeds of goodness, of kindness, of the grace of God.

[11:30] It makes you think of the fruit of the spirit. Turn with me to Galatians 5. Galatians 5. Galatians 5. We think of the fruit of the spirit. Now seed reproduces.

[11:42] It keeps on producing. So if you sow lettuce seed, you get lettuce. If you sow apricot seed, you get apricots.

[11:54] And so on. It reproduces and keeps on reproducing after its kind. So if we will but plant carefully and faithfully, we will see results.

[12:07] We're talking about a church plant in Adelaide. That's a big task. But as God enables and equips and furnishes and leads, God will bless that which we plant.

[12:21] Amen? He will. He promises to. So are we going to sow to the flesh or to the spirit? How can we discern the difference? What's what? God defines it in Galatians 5 from verse 19.

[12:34] He tells of the works of the flesh. They manifest. It's obvious. Which of these? Adultery. Fornication. Uncleanness. Lascivious. These are sexual sins.

[12:46] Idolatry. Witchcraft. Hatred. Variance. Emulation. Strife. Hatred. Sorry. Strife. Seditions. Heresies. These are the sins of relationship.

[13:00] And envying. Murders. Drunkenness. Revelings and such like. Of the witch I've told you before. As I've told you in time past. That they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

[13:17] Idolatry. Witchcraft. Hatred. Variance. Emulations. Wrath. Strife. Seditions. Heresies. All of these things. It's that argy-bargy. That hatefulness. That unfaithfulness.

[13:28] That immorality. That self-control. That. The flesh. Just rears up. Its ugly head. And you spout things. And you can't take them back.

[13:40] Once they're said. But thank God. Paul says elsewhere in Corinthians. Tells of all these gross sins. And he says. And such.

[13:51] Were some of you. But you've been cleansed. You've been set free. You've been forgiven. So this hope. The works of the flesh. Are manifest. They're obvious.

[14:02] It's evident. Everywhere. Everywhere you look. It's the works of the flesh. And as I look in myself. I see them. But then he goes on.

[14:15] Verse 22. Here's some good fruit. Some good. Some good sowing we can do. The sowing to the spirit. Verse 22. But the fruit of the spirit is. Love. Joy.

[14:26] Peace. Long suffering. Gentleness. Goodness. Faith. Meekness. Temperance. Against such. There is no law. And they that are crucified. Have crucified the flesh.

[14:37] And the affections. And lusts. If we live in. Let us also walk in the spirit. So what a contrast. The works of the flesh. They're manifest. It's in your face.

[14:50] The fruit of the spirit. Is the contrast. What are we going to stop? Your seed. Bring forth fruit. Will your fruit be evil.

[15:02] Or good. If we sow evil. We reap evil. Do what doesn't come naturally. Now sometimes you might think. As I say to. I sort of say to ourselves.

[15:13] We have to really. Exercise the fruit of the spirit here. Now we need the grace of God here. It goes against the grain. To exercise.

[15:26] You'll like it. We've got to do what comes supernaturally. Don't we? And to. Be. As Christ. Would be.

[15:37] To act as Christ would act. To have that heart. That spirit. Do what comes supernaturally. Not naturally. Not fleshly.

[15:47] Do what God calls you to. To exercise the fruit of the spirit. Sow to the spirit. And Proverbs 11.18. It tells. The wicked worketh the deceitful work.

[15:58] But soweth righteousness. Shall be a sure reward. He that sows righteousness. Shall have. A sure reward. A reward. A promise. It's going to be worth the effort. Isn't it?

[16:10] It is going to be worth the effort. Brother. Sister. When you're getting tested. And stretched. And torn. And ragged. And. Just torn.

[16:22] Inside. By. What's going on. Keep the focus right. Keep your heart right. Keep your attitude right. It's going to be worth the effort. It can take time. For the seed to germinate too.

[16:33] You might think. Oh. I'm doing all the right things. I'm trying to be Christ like. I'm exercising the fruit of the spirit. I'm crucifying the flesh. And the affections. And. It's hard going creature.

[16:46] It takes time for the seed to germinate. Sometimes we can lack patience. We think that it's instant. Instant coffee. Instant Christianity. There's instant results.

[17:00] But sometimes it's the hard yards. Isn't it? As a Christian. And. As you. Bear with one another. The Bible talks about forbearing one another with love.

[17:10] Some people can really get under your skin. And give you a hard time. And you've really got to exercise the grace of God. And. And ask God for the fruit of the spirit. You might be married.

[17:21] Someone like that. But. You know. God will give you patience. Perseverance. The endurance. To see that. Results won't come straight away. You've got to.

[17:31] Go the hard yards. It says in James 5. Verse 7. Verse 8. Excuse me. Be patient therefore. Breath. To the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman.

[17:42] To the gardener. Waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth. And hath long patience for it. The gardener. The husbandman.

[17:52] Has long patience for the fruit of the earth. And it goes on. Be ye also patient. Establish your hearts. For the coming of the Lord. For the coming of the Lord. Draweth with me. It takes time. For the seed to germinate.

[18:04] To grow. And you might be planting. Planting. Planting. And then. Preacher. I can't see anything for it. I'm trying to be loving. And kind. And gracious. And go the Christian walk.

[18:16] And trying to love people. And yet. I'm just getting. All the. Knock back. All this and that. It's not working for me. Our Lord says.

[18:27] Be patient. Be patient therefore. Brethren. Unto the coming of the Lord. That's a long time to wait. Isn't it? Amen. That's how long. We're to be patient. Until the coming of the Lord.

[18:37] So. Meantime. Sow into your marriage. Sow into relationships. Be patient. Trust the Lord. And. Sow into his.

[18:48] Can it? Wait on the Lord. What you sow. Will grow. He says it will. And your work for the Lord. Will yield fruit. Now you hear some missionaries.

[18:59] Where. They play on the field. And there's. There's scarcely anything to show for it. Or they go. Home. To where they've come from. And they leave a nation thinking. Oh. What a failure I've been.

[19:10] And people come. Years later. And see. Churches after churches. Planted. And preachers. And the gospel witnesses. Strong. And vibrant. And. And spreading.

[19:22] Like wildfire. And it was because of that sowing. Because of that faithful sowing. The seed grew. They didn't see it. In their lifetime.

[19:33] For some of them. But. What we do for the Lord. Will yield fruit. It will blossom. It will spring forth. You have to endure. And persevere. In time. Be patient. Therefore. Brethren. James 5.

[19:44] 7. So. Some of the fruit. We may not see fully. In our lifetime. Doesn't matter. Just be faithful. Amen. Be faithful. Plant where you. Where you are.

[19:55] Bloom where you planted. And. You'll see an eternal impact. From what we do. In our short lifespan. Amen. It's been said. A quote goes.

[20:06] Which. People often refer to. About sowing. We shall reap. If we sow. Sow a thought. And you reap an act. Sow an act.

[20:17] And you reap a habit. Sow a habit. And you reap a character. Sow a character. And you reap a destiny. A thought. An act. A habit.

[20:28] A character. A destiny. You reap what you sow. Brother. Sister. Even what you think. And then how you live. What you do. You reap what you sow. So. Question is.

[20:39] For all of us. Are you. Sowing to the flesh. Or to the spirit. Now the works of the flesh. The sowing to the flesh.

[20:52] Can seem pleasurable. Everybody else is doing it. It can attract us. And we're constantly bombarded. Turn the TV on.

[21:03] Flesh. Flesh. Flesh. Flesh. It can appeal. It can lure us. Like a bait for a fish. Like a trap for a bird.

[21:16] And the efforts of the flesh. Likewise even in Christian things. We can do things fleshly. Can't we? Fleshly. With our own. Intent. And our own.

[21:27] Well meaning. But if it's in the flesh. It's useless. Isn't it? It's vain. And some things are fruitless. Or worse still. They reproduce. Bad fruit. And you get more of the same.

[21:39] And it multiplies. It gets worse. You know. I'm informed by. A good authority. That there's weeds. That can take maybe seven years. To eradicate. Wow. It's a lot of hard work there.

[21:51] Isn't it? You know. You wear your thongs. Ow. There's those prickles again. Those three quarterbacks. Oh. And they reproduce.

[22:02] Don't they? Over and over. And over again. Year after year. You get the zero. The wheat spray. And. Still. You can't seem to beat them. Because. You reap.

[22:15] What you sow. That's been. Planted. And it's growing. And it takes concentrated effort. And that's like it in a Christian life too. Isn't it? Oh.

[22:25] There's the flesh again. I stood on another one. It's still in me. You know. Isn't that true? You go through life. And. Oh. I'm going to blew it again. Did something. Said something.

[22:35] I shouldn't have done. The flesh is still in me. I've got to. Nail it again. Crucify it again. Smash it again. Like the sound effects.

[22:46] Yeah. So really. God. That's what we've got to do. Isn't it? The flesh. It's in me. It's in you. We've got to fight it. And. It's like wetness. It keeps on reaperture.

[23:00] It's time. You think. Oh. I'm a Christian. And then they do something. But. They think. I've lost it. No. It's still the flesh. You're still fighting it.

[23:10] And when you're convicted. It's more and more obvious you're a Christian. Because you don't feel right about it. You've got to get it right. Because you can't. Pretend.

[23:21] You've got to get it right. Settle it. You've got to deal with it. And so. What we sow keeps on reproducing. There's a chain reaction. And even in our generations too.

[23:33] Like I said earlier. Some parents act ungodly. In front of their children. They're all healthier than thou in church. They wear their Sunday best. And say all the right things. And act all.

[23:44] Put the Christian face on. In church. But behind closed doors. It's another beast. It's another animal. In front of their children.

[23:55] They're not living it. And it continues down in the generations. It's like those weeds. They're copying you. They're seeing what you do.

[24:07] Not what you say. What you do. How you are. Be real. I need to be. We're being watched as parents.

[24:18] So parents. You are sowing. With what your children are seeing you doing. And speak. So be strong in the Lord. And be a 24-7 by 365 Christian.

[24:31] Not a Sunday Christian. Proverbs 22.8 through 9. It says. He that soweth iniquity. Shall reap vanity. And the rod of his anger shall fail. He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed.

[24:44] For he giveth of his bread to the poor. So he that soweth iniquity. Shall reap vanity. If you sow sin. It's vain. It's vanity. It's emptiness.

[24:55] It's trouble for you. And the word vanity speaks of sorrow. It's worthless. If you sow to the spirit. Contrary wise. You'll be blessed.

[25:06] May not mean materially. Blessed people are some of the poorest people. Amen. Isn't that true? When we sow to the spirit.

[25:18] We'll have that eye to how we're living. And we're imparting day by day. Sow to the spirit. We'll put ourselves out. So that others can gain. When we sow to the flesh.

[25:28] We're selfish and self-pleasing. Me, me, me, me, me, me. That's the flesh, isn't it? I can be guilty of that. But when we sow to the spirit.

[25:40] Our intention is to please and honor the Lord. It's to encourage others. There's a preacher at Ironside who said. He who seeks only to be benefited by others. And is not concerned about sharing with them.

[25:52] We'll have a dead sea kind of life. Dead sea. Now the dead sea is a basin. Where the water goes in. But there's no outlet. There's no way out.

[26:05] It just sits there. And it gets saltier and saltier. And the picture goes on. It is said that nothing can live in that body of water. Because it has no outlet.

[26:15] And though millions of tons of fresh water pour into it every week. Evaporation and mineral deposits make it so bitter. And so acrid. That it can't sustain life.

[26:27] So we can be a dead sea Christian. Can't we? Where it's all about me, me, me. I want to get fed. When I come to church, I'm here to get. I'll be here.

[26:38] I'm here for myself. I don't care about anybody else. That's how people can be. But as a Christian, we're not meant to be a dead sea Christian. We're meant to be giving out. Rivers of living water.

[26:50] That's what we should be, isn't it? That we should be imparting our faith. And encouraging others. He goes on. He was more concerned about giving to others than about receiving for himself. He'll become fresh and happy in his own experience and will enjoy all the more the good things ministered to him.

[27:07] End quote. So are you going to be a dead sea Christian? Where you just receive but you never give out? We've all got things we can do for the Lord. It's about sowing.

[27:17] You must learn to sow. Open your hands and disperse the seed. Instead of clutching for yourself. Give it out. Give it out. Scatter the good seed wherever you go.

[27:29] There will be a lasting impact for what we do in this lifetime. You know, there was a man who came to be known as Johnny Appleseed in the U.S. of A.

[27:40] And Johnny Appleseed, he left many acres of apple orchards right across his part of the nation. And how did he do this?

[27:52] He sowed some apple seeds. That's what he did. And now we see the result. What we do now in our lifetime has an impact beyond our own lifetime through many generations.

[28:10] An eternal impact. Possibly you reap what you sow. So what should we do, brother, sister? Work righteous works. And you'll know that harvest of joy.

[28:22] Eternal reaping. Now it can mean sowing. When you sow, you might find it hard. In Psalm 126.5 it says, They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

[28:37] He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing in with him. Sowing with tears. Sowing.

[28:49] Weeping. Bearing precious seed. Doubtless. Doubtless you're going to come again rejoicing, bearing sheaves. The reaping. The harvest of grain.

[29:01] Living for Christ. And testing. It's not always easy to be, especially in some workplaces where you're one of few, if any, other believers.

[29:14] And it's not that in ministry, it can be a hard slog. It can mean tears. It can misunderstand, oppose you, and hurt you.

[29:25] It's par for the course. Sow in tears, if need be. Don't let anything deter you. Don't let anything stop you from sowing the seed.

[29:37] Sowing for God. You know, in ministry of all kinds, we can have criticism aimed at us and we can think, oh, I'm going to pack up my ball and bag and go home. And be like a dog with a tail behind its legs.

[29:50] Oh. Be in for that. Don't be quitter. Do not be deterred. Harvest is coming. And what we have, this seed, is too precious.

[30:03] It's too vital. Sow in tears, if need be. Don't let anything stop you from sowing for God. Sometimes what we do for God may cause us pain and heartache and loss and grief.

[30:15] We might be misunderstood and outright attacked and targeted. Expect it. Expect it. It's normal. Isn't it?

[30:27] It is normal. And so keep on sowing, brother. Keep on sowing, sister. Let nothing stop you from standing up for God. Let nothing stop you from sowing the good seed.

[30:40] Because harvest time is coming. It is coming. Doubtless you're going to come again rejoicing. Bearing those harvested grain. Believe God.

[30:51] He that goeth forth and weep of bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again rejoicing. Bringing his seeds with him. So sow to the spirit. The word tells us to be such a people who are walking in the spirit, led by the spirit, setting our affection on things above.

[31:08] The fact is there's a limited time to sow. Time will run out. You know, there's friends of ours who are seeing that more and more so as life changes for them.

[31:22] Time is short. Time is short. Who knows how much time we've got before in a nursing home, before we've lessened physically. It doesn't mean we stopped then.

[31:35] Use what you have now. It's amazing how suddenly life can be cut short. And our time for reaping is over. Or pardon. So sow while you can.

[31:46] While you have life. As the psalmist cried. Psalm 90. It's called the prayer of Moses. Psalm 90 verse 12. It says, So teach us to number our days. And apply our hearts to wisdom.

[32:00] Number your days. As we have that calendar on the wall. We don't know which is the last day we've got. One day it will be. That calendar on the wall.

[32:12] So sow while you can. While you have life. And are reasonably in proportion to our thawing. So another truth about sowing is. Do it generously. 2 Corinthians 9 verse 6.

[32:23] Of course the prospect of the creatures love this one. We're not talking money so much. But it can be an aspect. But 2 Corinthians 9 verse 6. It says, So in other words, when you sow to the spirit.

[32:43] Don't be sparing. Don't be a stingy. Mean. Selfish person. Let it flow. Let it. Let it be abundant.

[32:55] That spiritual sowing. Be unsparing. Be productive. Make a commitment. You're going to invest your life. Your resources. Your time. Your energy.

[33:07] Invest yourself in God. And in serving Him. Another aspect is keep on sowing. Galatians 6 verse 9. It says, Let us not be weary in well doing.

[33:19] For in due season we shall reap. If we faint not. So do not be weary brother. Keep on pilgrim. Do not faint.

[33:31] Come to weariness. That must be one of the works of the flesh. Isn't it? Weariness. But we know we all have weary times. But don't be weary in well doing.

[33:42] Don't flag. We're not across the finish line yet. Wouldn't it be a shame? You're running that race and you sort of crawl to the finish line.

[33:53] Sometimes we might have to crawl to the finish line. But let's press on regardless. Amen. Go forward. Press on. No matter what. Keep on sowing. You're ready. So keep on going and keep at it.

[34:04] You might think, Preacher, I've sown too much wicked seed in my life. There's people that were telling me, Pastor, I've been a bad boy.

[34:16] And he was understating. So have I. We've all failed God. We've all failed. Even if you got saved as a preteen, you still got baggage.

[34:29] So you might think, I've been too wicked. I've sown too much wicked seed. Can't break up your fallow ground. You can dig it over and over again.

[34:41] As it says in Matthew 10, Verse 12, Sow to yourselves in righteousness and reap in mercy. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

[34:53] You have ploughed wickedness. You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies because thou hast distrust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. The point of this one here, to get it to the nub here, is break up your fallow ground.

[35:12] Preachers have used this to speak about repentance. It's about dip that. The baggage, those things that you're ashamed of, that happen.

[35:29] Break the ground. Get pickaxe out. The implements, smash the ground. Dig it up. Those weeds, just keep at it. Amen.

[35:40] Keep working on those weeds, brother. Those weeds, don't give up. Just keep working at it. Dig it up. Dig it over. Put them in the fire. The brambles, the thorns, the thistles, the weeds, the seeds of wickedness, those things that are still...

[35:58] Ask God to help you to bury it, to burn it, to deal with it. And plant seeds of righteousness. Sow to yourselves in righteousness and reap in mercy.

[36:08] God is merciful, isn't he? We start with verse 7 of Galatians 6. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man suffer, that also shall he reap.

[36:22] God is not mocked. People today, you might be sitting here and think that you can cover up or put a pretense on.

[36:34] You can't fool God. You can't. The word mocked here, it means just... There's people who sneer at God today, isn't there? Skeptics and academics and worklings, whoever they be.

[36:49] They sneer at God. They mock him or they ignore him. There's the sense of it. But reckoning time is coming. God is not mocked. Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

[37:00] And you that mock him, you cannot avoid him. You cannot avoid facing up to God. He will wipe your mocking smile off your face. You who would mock him.

[37:12] This is too serious. Moody said, this is the most sombre verse in the Bible. You reap what you sow. You cannot escape this eternal law.

[37:23] And Christian, you can't mock God. He sees what you're doing. You're up to what you're not doing. Get it right.

[37:34] Get it right. Get honest with God. There's consequences for our actions. And you reap what you sow. So what you sow is what you get. Rather now, sow to the Spirit.

[37:46] Do not be weary. Labor on. Press on regardless. Labor on. Keep planting those good things. And break up your fallow ground. If there's stuff there that, repent of it.

[37:59] You know, get it right. Settle it. Settle what's... Needs settling. And keep planting the good things. You can decide now, I'm going to sow to the Spirit.

[38:13] Not for... Heart will soon be upon us. You reap what you sow. Let us pray.