What Fruit?

They that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. Job 4:8.
As an educator no part of the Bible is of greater value than are its biographies. These biographies differ from all others in that they are absolutely true to life. It is impossible for any finite mind to interpret rightly, in all things, the workings of another. None but He who reads the heart, who discerns the secret springs of motive and action, can with absolute truth delineate character, or give a faithful picture of a human life. In God’s word alone is found such delineation.
No truth does the Bible more clearly teach than that what we do is the result of what we are. To a great degree the experiences of life are the fruition of our own thoughts and deeds.
“The curse causeless shall not come” (Proverbs 26:2). “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him…. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him” (Isaiah 3:10, 11). “Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts” (Jeremiah 6:19). Terrible is this truth, and deeply should it be impressed. Every deed reacts upon the doer. Never a human being but may recognize, in the evils that curse his life, fruitage of his own sowing. Yet even thus we are not without hope….
Jacob resorted to fraud, and he reaped the harvest in his brother’s hatred. Through twenty years of exile he was himself wronged and defrauded…. But God says: “… I have seen his ways, and will heal him….” (Isaiah 57:18). Jacob in his distress was not overwhelmed. He had repented, he had endeavored to atone for the wrong to his brother. And when threatened with death through the wrath of Esau, he sought help from God…. “He wept, and made supplication” (Hosea 12:4). “And he blessed him there” (Genesis 32:29)…. The power of evil in his own nature was broken; his character was transformed….
God does not annul His laws. He does not work contrary to them. The work of sin He does not undo. But He transforms. Through His grace the curse works out blessing.5
Conflict and Courage p. 10
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Prayer Requests
—– One more URGENT PRAYER REQUEST…..at GYC my pain level was high and as of yesterday they increased my pain meds and today for 5 hours I felt better than I had in 3 weeks. About 3 hours ago as I leaned over something tore in the middle of my back…felt like a ligament or tendon and now it is even difficult to walk, or move. . . .asking for prayer. Carol
—– Please pray for an important unspoken prayer request. God knows and He is strong enough to take care of it. Esther
——Please pray for Brian and Esther and children as they travel back home Sunday and Monday. Rose
—–update—Jeremy’s doctor is amazed at how quickly his brain is healing. His neurologist is sending him for an MRI. Pray for good results. He is struggling with dizziness and is seeing an ear doctor which is helping. Thank you for all your prayers. It is because of those prayers that he is healing so quickly. Debbie
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Dear Friends,
When my children were small, we lived in North Carolina. One spring day we noticed that some birds were building a nest in the decorative trim on the front of our house. It was an ideal place where the parent birds were sure that their little babies would not fall out of the nest. We welcomed them as a learning experience for the children as the nest was low enough that we could lift them up and they could look at the eggs.
Soon the babies hatched, and from inside the trailer we could hear their cheeps every time the parent bird came with a bug or a worm for them to eat. As they grew larger, the cheeps became louder, but it did not bother us. We would sneak outside when both parents were gone hunting for food and look at the baby birds.
One day, as I sat down on the sofa that was against the wall that was directly behind the bird’s nest, I noticed some tiny insects swarming on the back of the sofa. I suddenly realized that these were bird mites. I checked the wall and it also was covered with mites. I was horrified! Suddenly the thought of having those birds so close was not pleasant. I wanted those mites out of my house.
I immediately went to the store and bought some spray that could be used to rid pet birds of mites. I sprayed the sofa, the wall, and the baby birds. That helped, but since I could not spray the parent birds, the problem soon returned. Finally, the only thing that could be done was to get rid of the nest.
It is that way in life. How many times we watch TV programs or read material that fills our minds with wrong thoughts. How often we enjoy listening to music that leads us away from Christ. Soon we become infested with the “mites” of this world. We find that we have become like those about whom Paul speaks, “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” Titus 1:15
We become alarmed at our condition and try to change, but we cannot. The allurement of the music or of the program or story pulls us in once again and we find that we are held fast in the devil’s snare.
How much we need the help of the One Who “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Heb 4:15 How much we need His cleansing power! Our prayer must be, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” Ps 51:1-13
Praise God! He will answer that prayer of faith. He promises, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Exe 36:26,27
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil 4:8
Rose