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Gleanings For A Happy New Year

A STUDY IN THE BOOK OF GALATIANS

Good Morning!

This is the final day of 2020. We are going to wind up our emails on Galatians this week and move on to another study on Monday.  

Galatians 6:6 says:

"The one who is taught the message must share his goods with the teacher."

Paul is teaching about many issues in this book. But, before closing this letter to the believers in Galatia he has some important final words. 

This lesson is for the readers of this letter to be thoughtful and thankful to the one or ones who are teaching them. It is a message to share whatever you can with your teacher. It meant to ask them to give freely their financial support to their teacher(s). But, it is not limited to financial support. It is an encouragement to have a sense of giving "good things" concerning physical goods.  

I remember one part of my life while pastoring in Troy, Ohio as well as being a full-time student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Linda and I were living on a small income and were living day-to-day. One Saturday our music director visited us while we were working outside on the lawn. He asked if he could get something to drink so he went into our house and opened the refrigerator looking for something. He noticed that there was nothing there. Nothing to drink and food was scarce. Little did we know what had occurred until the next day...Sunday. I noticed people would shake my hand giving me money. Several people put sacks of groceries in our car. Even though we greatly appreciated their kindness, it was a bit embarrassing. At the end of the worship service, I called for the leaders to meet me for a few minutes. I told them how much I appreciated their kindness. But, it would be better if we had enough income for us to shop for our groceries just as they do. During that meeting, they raised my income significantly which made a difference in what was in our refrigerator.  

They gave to us financially and physically. It is the very lesson taught by Paul to the Galatians. Take care of the one who is teaching you...That was his message.

In teaching this he reminds them of God's message of sowing and reaping. Read the next passage:

"Don't be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to the flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit." vv. 7-8

If someone scoffs the message to "share his goods with the teacher..." they are mocking God. Giving is not throwing away your money, rather, it is like planting in the soil that will produce..."Whatever a man sows, he will also reap..."  

The principle is that you receive whatever you sow. Sow to the flesh and that is what you will receive...flesh. Remember the works of the flesh? They are listed earlier in chapter five..." sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar..." 5:19-21

These are seeds that you do not want to plant. The produce from these seeds is destructive!

BUT, the produce from the seeds of the Spirit leads to eternal life.  

Both of my grandfathers were farmers. When they planted the cotton seed...guess what that seed produced? Cotton!

When they planted watermelon seed...guess what that seed produced? Watermelon!

We should never imagine that we can plant the seed of the flesh and it produces the fruit of the Spirit. It will never happen. It is against the laws of sowing and reaping.  

Before his concluding salutation he says this:

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially those who belong to the household of Faith." v. 19

Notice that Paul, the writer, includes himself in this message...twice. It was a reminder to him to follow his own teaching. ..."as WE have opportunity..." and "WE must work..." There was temptation all around them to live in the flesh. Now, nearly 2,000 years later we are under the same influence. The opportunity for us to live in the flesh surrounds us. It is evident in Washington D.C. It is evident in our state governments. It is evident in our local governments. It is evident in our neighborhoods. It is evident in our families. It is evident in our schools. It is evident in our churches. FLESH in prying itself into our lives.  

We, as believers in Jesus Christ, know better than to plant those seeds. Throw them away. Burn them. Cast them out of your life.  

Make it a plan to sow the seeds of God's Spirit during this coming year. You'll be glad you did when you see the product that comes from what you have planted!

Have a Happy and Blessed New Year!

 

May God Bless You!

Don Betts

DBEA/campus320

 

DBEAWINNING.COM

TO GOD BE ALL GLORY!

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