The Golden Rule

“What you sow is what you reap” was what I heard from my parents as I grew up. That quote was normally followed with “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” (Matthew 7:12) And for many years I thought it was a threat or at the very least a warning to always be on my best behavior. But lately I have understood a deeper meaning in what many call the “Golden Rule”.

I suppose that the reason I thought the Golden Rule was a warning or a threat was because I saw myself as a result of what everyone else did around me. I hadn’t taken ownership of my decisions, much less my life. For instance, I was “good” because that was what the rules said. When I wasn’t recognized it was because someone else was better than me. When I wasn’t accepted or something didn’t go my way it was because “they didn’t like me”, “They didn’t notice”. Everything happened to me because of others' positions, thoughts, actions…I didn’t see myself as a victim but as a puppet or the product of some strange equation.

But then, while meditating on Matthew 7:12, I saw something that has changed my life. Jesus is giving us the key to what we want to receive. He isn’t saying “Be careful of what you do, ‘cause somehow it will be done back to you.” NO! He is saying that “if there is something that you would like others to do to you, that is what you must do first.”

It’s the same concept in sowing and reaping. For the longest time, when I would see something happen (usually a bad thing) to another person, I would say under my breath “Sow and Reap”. But I realized that God is telling us that we don’t have to be carried by the tide or the waves of society. We can envision what we want to reap, and sow for that harvest.

WOW! We have our future in our hands. What a great responsibility, and an awesome truth.

Here are some verses to read over. Proverbs 11:18, Job 4:8, Matthew 7:12, and Luke 6:31

Take the time to think about what these verses say and take them to heart. Remember, you aren’t a victim of circumstance, nor are you any one’s puppet. You are in charge, so like the Templar Knight said to Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade “Choose wisely!”

God has a special plan for us

Have you ever found yourself wondering what God thinks about you, or even if he thinks about you at all? It can seem daunting that in a world of over 6 billion people God can single us out and think about us. And it may seem ludicrous in the light of all the chaos, War, hate, and our own disobedience that He has any good thoughts toward us even if He does think about us.

Sadly, that is our human concept of God. You see, it is difficult to see things outside out own experience. We all have jobs, chores, and tasks all over the place. We deal with traffic, the outrageous gas prices, the annoying neighbor or fellow car pooler. We speak to our boss and those we work with, and then there are the customers. We deal with home issues, late night television, report cards, and the new hole in the roof. After a hard day at work or at school we carry our feelings on our sleeve, and on the edge of our tongue. So when we think about God we understand how impossible it would be for the Creator to think about us.

But that is not the case. God is so much greater than any experience could ever enlighten us. He is so much bigger than our problems and even bigger than the world's problems. He doesn't have his hands full. On the contrary, He can do all things and He is poised to bless us and help us grow up in Him. It was so important for Him that we should know this, that He wrote it down in Jeremiah 29:11 which says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The devil will attempt to keep us from calling on our heavenly Father in our time of need, but that would be the worst thing to do. We have a heavenly father that loves us and has done the greatest thing He could ever do in order to save us, His children.

So, as you sit there in front of your computer screen, take a moment and talk to Him. Talk to your heavenly Dad, and draw near to Him.

Jesus is Ultimate Theology

I heard something today that is worth repeating…”Jesus is Ultimate Theology”

What that means is that whatever we have seen Him do that is the will of God. Jesus said it this way, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. ..Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” John 14:9-10

He never hurt anyone, nor did he use pain, suffering, sickness, death, disease, or poverty to teach any one a lesson. On the contrary, He preached a message of love, forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, restoration, the Kingdom of God, and where ever He went he destroyed the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

Let’s look at the things he undid or destroyed.

• Diseases
• Death
• Doubt
• Fear
• Unbelief
• Epilepsy
• Demon possession
• Hunger
• Lack
• Imprisonment
• Poverty
• Storms
• Deafness
• Blindness
• Lack of limbs
• Etc…

By His grace we are saved from all the above. His Mercy endures forever. A good verse to read is John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Go out now and tell someone about how Good Jesus is, and take this good news to those who are afflicted by the works of the devil.

Thank God for Forgivenss

"Praise God for His forgiveness!" Let me say that again, "Praise God for His Forgiveness!"

Have you noticed that whenever we do something short of God's perfect will the evil one is quick to condemn us. Even though he isn't invited to the party he interjects his opinion and attempts to drive a wedge between us and our loving Father.

Let me warn you, this trap will only lead to condemnation, depression, and strife. What we must realize is that God is Love and He has already forgiven us of all things. This may be a little difficult to understand since we come from a world of "righting wrongs". ie if someone does something to us we expect that person to repay, repair, or restore whatever it was to its' prior condition. So when we fail at something we expect God to react the same way.

The reality is that before you did what you did or said what you said, Jesus had already repaid, repaired, and restored it. So when we fall short the best thing we can do is to run to Him, get it off our chest and receive our forgiveness.

He loves us more than we have been able to grasp. Let's RUN to Him and receive His miracle of forgiveness.
Gabriel