Sowing Seeds

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.  For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. [Galatians 6: 1-10]

No matter how far someone believes a brother or sister has gone astray and off course from the Lord, that brother or sister can always be restored and brought back to the Lord! It takes a earnest desire by the believer, help from other brothers and sisters in the Lord, and God’s forgiving Grace. The word “restore” in this scripture is used a lot in the New Testament for mending fishing nets. [Matthew 4:21] But in reference to people it means developing and perfecting the human character. Christians, today, must help their wayward brother or sister to mend and spiritually heal by helping them in their effort or attempt to turn from their disobedient ways, to surrender all to the Lord’s control. We must help our fallen brothers and sisters to repair and restore their devotion to the Lord. We must bear and share the burdens of our brothers and sisters. As Christians we need to understand (at least from my studying of the scriptures) that it is the actual concrete, and existing situations, not the emotional highs that are in one life, where the Holy spirit is demonstrated the most.

To go on further with this; we also need to help our brothers and sisters in the Lord {if we can} whenever they have stress from a financial burden, whenever there is sickness, sorrow, or despair. Not only are we to pray for this people, but we are to take care of their needs in tangible and practicable ways. If we are Godly people we will carry the burdens of other brothers and sisters in the Lord. We must do good to others for the Lord's sake and remember this, it is a given factor, in due time we will reap what we sow not only in this life, but the life to come!

If a Christian would walk in the Spirit and by the Spirit we would love one another more and more. We would bear one another’s burdens, by not lessening our task to restore a brother who has fallen back into sin. Also let me add this; if we would follow the scriptures, as we should, a lot of unkind gossip, hearsay, and tittle-tattle tales would be stayed away from, most backsliding prevented, the good of the Church advanced higher, and the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, would be glorified. What gripes me more than anything else is when a person goes to church and there are people in the back of the church talking about some other brother or sister in the Lord, when they should be in the church’s prayer room praying for the needs of their brothers and sisters in the Lord.

When I was a sinner, I was lost and undone, without God or His Son until somebody prayed for me, they had me on their mind. Thank God for those kind of people in the church of the Living God today That will pour in the oil and the wine. The kind that restores the soul. There was many a preacher who passed me by the other way, many church goers that passed me by and gave me up for lost, but I thank God for the Christian that stopped by and poured in the oil and the wine that restored my soul!

We must remember this one fact; Whenever we hear negative talk about a brother or sister in the lord we are, in fact, hearing gossip. It could either be a half truth with more added on to it, every time the tale is told to another person. We may be close to the situation or the person but we may not know of the spiritual warfare going on there. Always keep the mind of Christ and always remember this; “consider thyself”.