THIS IS A TRUE STORY and a cautionary tale. Many years ago, a man caused huge division in a church, spoke horrible things about the pastor and devastated a congregation. He went off and planted his own church with the people he took with him. Fast forward almost 20 years. The man had a son who got into drugs and alcohol, was in a car accident and died. This same man honestly sought the Lord and this was what the Lord replied, “I did not cause this. You are reaping the rebellion that you sowed many years ago.”
How do I know this story? He went back to his old pastor and repented. I know many others similar stories of the rebellion, division, lies and such others have sown that ended in destruction. For some reason, people don’t want to take God’s Word seriously. They think “these things can’t happen to me! I’m under grace”, yet they continue to sow bad seeds. Even Paul told the Corinthian church that some of them were sick and some had died because they were taking communion in a way that was not honoring the Body of Christ. Let those words sink in. Say this to some people, and they will bite your head off. I know people who died of cancer, Lou Gehrig’s disease, had disease come into their legs , and more because they were reaping what they had sown. You will reap what you sow.
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Galatians 6:7
It may take many years for that seed to bear fruit, but it will bear fruit. You might think you got away with something because there was no immediate repercussions, but you did not. God’s Word is sure. Those seeds you’ve planted are coming to fruition- for good or for bad. The Bible cautions us many times over to “take heed to your ways”.
There are things you cannot even dabble in once and think it will not affect you. Take God at His Word. Sow generosity and reap generosity. Sow kindness and reap kindness. Sow forgiveness and reap forgiveness. But pay attention! Sow lies, deceit and rebellion and you will reap a harvest from those seeds. Just as one act of goodness does not go unrewarded, an act of wickedness does not go unpunished. You can be forgiven (IF you repent) and still reap a bad harvest. Look out on your field. What do you see? Be truly honest with yourself and with God.
Those seeds you are planting will produce a crop.
I want you to take this seriously, generations are at stake. The things you allow your children to get away with, will produce a crop. When you refuse to discipline, it will yield a harvest. When you don’t correct bad behavior, look away at training, allow them to do things, go places, be with certain friends, dress inappropriately; it will yield a crop. In this selfie, self-centered generation; parents are producing narcissistic children.
I saw an ad for the new “flip phone” and the whole selling point for this phone was how to take good selfies. When every picture of teens is them trying to look sultry and seductive, parents you have failed. You are allowing those seeds to be produced in your children and it will bring forth a crop. When you allow your sons to be on video games for hours and hours at a time, you are planting seeds.
I hear parents protest and I have heard all the excuses. Kids these days cannot even have a decent conversation. They don’t know how to talk to each other. I’m sorry if it makes you feel bad, but you need to be told to do something while there’s still a chance. Apathy is a choice. Better to have your children get mad at you and turn the titanic away from that iceberg then just do nothing and watch the devastation of those seeds produce fruit. Parenting is hard and consistent work; but when you do it God’s way you will get the God results. Don’t make your children have to pay for your bad parenting.
“He will render to each one according to his works:” Romans 2:6 ESV
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
