Faint Not!

Take your Bibles and we will turn to Galatians chapter six. Galatians chapter six. So, amen. Galatians six and we're going to read verses seven through 10. Galatians chapter six and verses seven through 10.

This morning, Galatians six seven through 10. Faint not or I had also titled this, don't be weary in well doing or look for opportunities. And we're moving to the end for the looking for opportunities part which I think is something that we need not miss from this passage because that is where Paul is headed with this in our text this morning. So, Galatians six beginning in verse seven, be not deceived. God is not mocked.

For whatsoever man soweth that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall love the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth to the spirit shall love the spirit reap life everlasting. Let us not be weary in well doing. For in due season, we shall reap if we faint not.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this day that you've given us, for this opportunity that you've given us today to praise and worship you and to share the message of your word together. We pray that you indeed would feed us from it today that you might help us to grow to be more like our savior Jesus Christ that you would bring conviction to our hearts and challenge us Lord in your service today. If there are that if there be one here that's never trusted Christ that today might be their day of salvation.

For it's in Jesus name we do pray. Amen. Amen. So, looking for opportunities starts out. We have three points.

Number one, you will reap what you sow. Point number two, don't get discouraged in doing right. Point number three, look for and take opportunities to do good. Those things, those three points from our passage this morning. So, we start back with verses eight verse seven and eight here on the don't be deceived part, okay?

Don't be deceived. You will reap what you sow, okay? So, if you sow corn, what are you going to reap? You're going to reap corn. If you sow corn, you're not going to reap apples.

Doesn't work that way, okay? Just doesn't work that way. You're not going to sow corn and get green beans. It just doesn't work that way. You reap, you harvest, what you plant, what you sow, and that is true in farming but is also true in life.

We reap, we harvest in life, what we sow in life, that is a a hard and fast principle that we see portrayed in God's word many times and the devil, however, wants to deceive us into thinking otherwise that you can sow one thing and that you can reap another. Sad to say, we sinful human beings are always trying to get away with something. We always seem to think we will not get caught. That it will not come back to haunt us but God tells us here bluntly not to be deceived into believing the lie of the devil. In numbers, God said, be sure your sin will find you out.

Now, praise God because of the mercy and grace of God. He does forgive and he does give grace despite ourselves. However, in general, the case is true. You sow what you reap and you say, well, if I've been forgiven of all my sins and then, you know, I I sowed sin and I and I get grace. No.

What you sowed, somebody did reap. And that was Jesus Christ on the cross. As he suffered for your sins and bled and died. Sin does have to be what? It does have to be punished.

God is a what? A just, a just God, and a righteous God. And therefore, sin had to be punished and God chose to punish who? He chose to punish his son in our behalf. But do not be mistaken.

Sin does result in suffering. Either ours or Christ on the cross. In Genesis chapter three, the devil came to Eve and God had said earlier to Adam, you can eat of every tree but this one here in the middle of the garden. If you eat of it, you will surely what? Die.

You will surely die. The devil came to Eve in the form of the serpent and said, Nah, you're not going to what? You're not going to die. God just doesn't want you to become like who? Yeah.

Like him. No, you're not going to die. God, God just doesn't want you to have everything that that is coming to you. That's the lie of the devil and that's the lie that that goes out all the time in this world today. You know, your parents, they just don't want you to have any fun.

You know, yeah, you know, it's it's it's you're not going to face the consequences. You're not going to get caught. But be sure your sin will find you out. Don't be deceived by the devil. Good has its rewards.

Even for the lost, though temporary it may be but evil always produces more evil and rains down upon the head of those who choose it, dreadful consequences. There is a way that seems right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death. The wages of sin is what? Death, destruction, ruin, heartache. If you don't turn to Christ for salvation, eternal destruction in a place called the Lake Of Fire.

But sin still has other consequences. In our daily lives. It destroys churches. It destroys families. It destroys people's testimony.

It just can destroy a Christian's joy. It is destructive. It is not your friend. It is your enemy. But you child of God are not called unto wickedness.

We are called unto good works. You have been declared righteous in Christ Jesus. Now, choose to live it. Do what is right. Sow the right thing, don't sow the what?

Don't sow the wrong thing. You know, sometimes it seems that in in in in Saul did this in the Old Testament. Samuel sent Saul off to kill all of the who? Amalekites. Amalekites.

He was supposed to bring them nor none of their things back nor none of their livestock. He was to kill them all by the command of who? By the command of God, okay? And so, Saul went. However, in his pride, he had to bring back the king.

So, he left the king alive and brought him back as a trophy which they did in those days and he brought back a bunch of the livestock and then he told Samuel, well, it wasn't me. The people did it. Well, who's in charge? Are you the king or are you not the king? But Samuel said to Saul, is obedience better than sacrifice?

Which is it? Which is better? To obey in the first place or to disobey and then sacrifice? Which is it? Is it better to sin and get forgiveness or is it better not to sin?

The answer is what? It's better not to sin. It's always best to do what is right to begin with. That is what God desires. He desires obedience.

Yes, he is a gracious and merciful God who will forgive but he desires what? Obedience. Of his children. Not only does he deserve it but it is also best for who? It is best for us.

Don't be deceived. You will sow what you reap. There are consequences for sin. You say, even for the Christian? Yes.

Even for the Christian. Is that but I've been forgiven. That's right. In light of eternal judgment, your sins have been what? Washed away and they will not be held against you.

For your name is written in the book of what? Life. In light of eternal judgment, they are gone. However, sin still has consequences where? Here, in this life.

Sin still has consequences. Does God chasten his children when they sin? Yes, because he what? Because he loves them And because they won't turn off their phone ringer. Just kidding with you, Faith.

Alright. Two things. Two things happen when Christians sin. We suffer the same earthly consequences as the lost around us. Suffer the same earthly consequences.

Being a child of God does not exempt you from the consequences of sin even physical death. If you get drunk or you do drugs, they will addict you and destroy you physically just like who? Just like the sinful world about you. You're not immune because you're a what? A Christian.

A matter of fact, God expects more of you as a Christian. For instance, sexual promiscuity can result in unwanted pregnancy, disease, and all kinds of other problems. Speeding or driving carelessly can still get you a what? Ticket. A ticket.

You say to the policeman but I'm a Christian. Okay. Yeah. That that works really well. No.

No not going to let you off the hook because you're a Christian. You're not going to get a let off the hook when you speed through the red light and you hit a car. There's still consequences to send the same as everybody else. You sow what you reap. Being a Christian also does not exempt you from the chastisement of the Lord.

The word of God and the spirit, the holy spirit help us to avoid these consequences by instructing us on how to do right. So, we avoid them. However, if we stubbornly ignore the Holy Spirit, if we stubbornly ignore the instruction of the word of God, God will also bring chastening into the life of a Christian. God declares in Hebrews 12 that every child he loves, he what? He chastens.

He chastises. He disciplines. If you start sowing sin in your life, unrepentantly and again and again, God isn't up in heaven saying, oh, I got em now. No, that's not our God. He's a loving and merciful God.

But our father in heaven is watching and as he sees us starting to go into a place that is going to do us harm and his glory harm, God is going to say, okay, I've gotta step in and what? I've gotta step in and do something because if my son wants to run out into the street in front of a car at five years old, I'm not going to just let him. I'm going to try to what? Try to stop him. Why?

Because I love him. God brings chastening in the life of his children too. Why? Because he loves them and if we continue to, if he continues just to let us go down a path of sin that brings terrible consequences into our life, that's not loving. Loving is trying to step in to stop us and sometimes that chastening isn't pleasant.

Illness, tragedy, misery, guilt, sorrow, trials, difficulties, areas in which God does bring chastening into the lives of people and all of us want to be Job. Now, now we a lot of times when we think, oh yes, something bad is happening. I must be who? Job. I must be Job.

Right. Remember when Job, God brought God allowed Satan to take everything away from Job? And his friends told him what? His friends told him, repent Job. There's a terrible sin in your life and that's why you're suffering because suffering is always the result of you doing something bad in your life.

Is that true? No. It's not true. In James, James says, count all joy when you fall into diverse temptations or trials. Knowing this, the trying of your faith worketh what?

Patience. Sometimes, God allows and he must allow difficulties because it's the difficulties in our life that help us to what? That help us to grow, okay? So, not all bad things are result of something bad you personally did in your life. But sometimes, it is.

Sometimes, it is. Sometimes, God is trying to get our what? Our attention. So, at least give it some thought. If difficult times are upon you, make sure that there's nothing between your soul and your savior.

Because there may be something he's trying to open your eyes to see. Don't miss it. But when you obey your heavenly father, on the other side, when you sow that which is good, you lay up for yourselves treasures where? In heaven. And his blessings where?

On earth. Which you will not regret. If you reap good things, you will sow good things, you will reap blessings. You sow sin, you will reap consequences and destruction. Be not deceived.

God is not mocked. Whatsoever man soweth that shall he also reap. When we sow good things, we see the blessings of the Lord. However, the blessings do not always come in the time and manner than we expect. We're not preaching in prosperity gospel.

You give money in the plate, you'll get back 10 times as much. Does it work that way? Does God promise that? I don't think so. That's not what God is talking about.

The greatest blessings in life is not money in the what? It's not money in the bank and sometimes blessings, we don't even interpret as blessings. Romans eight twenty nine, behold, all things work together what? For good to them that love the Lord, to those who are the called according to his purpose. That means that God uses things in our life to benefit us, to for our benefit but sometimes those things we don't interpret as good things.

We interpret them as bad things. But God is working. We have to what? We need to trust him but sometimes, you do right and it seems like the opposite happens. But trust the Lord.

He knows what he's doing like he did in the life of Job. So, that brings us to the second point in our message this morning and that is don't get discouraged. Don't get weary in doing what? In doing right, doing good. Verse nine, and let us not be weary in well doing for in due season, in time, we shall reap if we faint not.

Don't get discouraged in doing that which is right. In doing the things that honor the Lord and serving him because it seems that you're not getting, you're not seeing the blessings or the road is rocky and hard, don't get discouraged. God always keeps his word and God is working. And he will reward you. Don't get discouraged.

Sometimes, the blessings for doing what is right and God honoring are not immediately apparent. A matter of fact, sometimes it seems quite the opposite. For instance, you're told in scripture to confront a brother or sister who has wronged you and continues to do so in particular and so, you do. You confront them in a loving manner and well, what happens? They blow up and they get what?

And they get angry and they quit talking to you and you go, oh man, I it didn't work. Didn't work. Well, give God a chance to what? Give God a chance to work, okay? The initial response of somebody not walking in the spirit when rebuked is to what?

To get angry. Give God a chance to work and don't just chalk it up to say, well, look, it didn't work. Give God a chance. Don't be weary and we're doing. Be prayerful.

Pray for that person. Be patient. Be kind. Be loving. Don't give up.

You try to trowel your relative or your neighbor about Christ. They respond negatively they avoid you. They quit talking to you. Maybe even they they actually mean to you. Well, it didn't work.

I did that was right and it didn't work. No. Give God a chance. Be be patient. Don't be weary in well doing.

Oftentimes, you have to witness to dozens of people before one person responds. Don't give up in being a witness for Jesus Christ because that one hundredth person you hand attract to or you witness to maybe ripe for the harvest. But you gotta get there. And if you give up after the fifth person that slammed the door in your face, Well, that wouldn't be good, would it? The disciples, after the day of Pentecost, they went out preaching the gospel in Jerusalem.

Originally, on the day of Pentecost, 3,000 people got saved. A few days later, another thousand or so got saved. But was everybody happy with the disciples? No. The leadership was very what?

Unhappy. Where did they end up in? Jail. Interrogation being threatened by the leadership How about the apostle Paul? We study this on Wednesday, Sunday night a few weeks ago.

He came to the city of Philippi. And he found Lydia and led her to the Lord and then there was this this slave girl who was following him around and he delivered her from the demon that had enslaved her that was using her and others were using her for fortune telling to make money and he delivered her from that and the people got mad at him. The people that owned the slave girl and they had him thrown in what? They had him thrown in prison. So, he's simply doing good for people and serving the Lord and what's the result?

He gets thrown in prison. So, after they beat him, they throw him in prison and what are he inside, what are Paul and Silas doing in prison? Singing. They're singing praises to the Lord in the middle of the night and when God brings an earthquake and shakes the jail and opens the doors and the jailer comes in and Paul says, don't kill yourself. We're still here.

He immediately says to Paul, what must I do to be what? Saved. Saved. And you say, Paul was doing right and look at what happened to him. He got beat and he got thrown in jail.

So, he did write and bad things happen. No. He did write and the second convert in Philippi got saved and his household got saved and a church was planted in Philippi because the apostle Paul did not get weary in well doing. He went to the city of Lystra. They stoned him and left him for what?

Dead. For dead for preaching the gospel and telling them that there was only one true God. He came back through Lystra on his way back through and ministered some more. We're just started the second missionary journey a few weeks ago on Sunday night. Paul goes back to Lystra again and he picks up who?

He picks up Timothy, a young man that was saved. He say, why did Paul go back to Lystra after they stoned him and left him for dead? Timothy, and others like him, that came to know the Lord as savior. You see, don't be weary in well doing. They are the words of the Lord but they're also the words of who?

They're also the words of Paul. Paul knows of that which he speaks. Don't be weary in well doing for in due season, we shall reap if we faint not. God pleads with you as child. Do not give up or get discouraged in his service.

Your reward will come and after you will see the benefits of serving Christ and doing what is right. That they were all worth it. There's a song in our hymn book. It's entitled It Will Be What? It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

I don't actually like that song to a point because I believe it's worth it all now. I believe it's worth it all now. It will only get better. But it is worth it all. Consider Jesus Christ our savior.

He came in obedience to the father He served, he ministered, but it did not elicit a reward but instead suffering rejection and what? In death. But God also now hath highly what? Exalted him and given him a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow.

Every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father. And you Christian, are an heir and a joint heir, the Bible says, with Jesus Christ. Don't be weary in well doing for in due season, you we shall reap if we faint not. Sometimes in the ministry you kind of scratch your head and wonder. You know you you you preach the word and you teach the word and you try to help and minister to people and sometimes it just doesn't seem like anything's changing or anybody's responding.

When I was a youth pastor in Georgia before I came here, there's a young man in my youth group by the name of Steven. Steven didn't come very often. He would come for a while and quit and come for a while and quit. Come for a while and when he was there, I'd ministered to him. I I went to visit him and and I tried to build a relationship with him but it was hard and it was difficult and he went off to college and I thought, you know something, I'll never see him again.

Well, not long after I came here, Steven got married and Steven and his wife and his two kids are faithful members at the church where I youth pastored and have been now for several years. Don't be wary in what and well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. There was a young man who was out of high school when I came. His brother was in my youth group and his name was Matt. And Matt had no no real interest in coming to church.

He had made a profession of faith but he wasn't coming to church and then he messed up. He sinned and he came to revival and the Lord got a hold of his heart and the Lord humbled him and he started coming and we had Bible study together every week for two years. Just me and Matt. The Lord took him out of Publix where he worked in Georgia and led him and his family down to Pensacola where for the past twenty years, they worked for Pensacola Christian College. Don't be weary in well doing.

There's a lady in the church in our church in Georgia that ran a little ACE school. Her name was Donna and she had me come once a week for ten years to have chapel with her group of kids and and they were not she. Drew a lot of the down and outers the kids that could make it in traditional school or had discipline issues. Some kids would come and go somewhat make it very long. But there are many, many, many success stories of lives that were turned around in that little little school which was her house.

And don't be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap. If we faint not. Serving the Lord, helping others, proclaiming his word does bring results. Don't faint. Don't quit.

Don't give up. God is working. And then finally, verse 10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Finally, look for what?

Don't miss the opportunities, Paul says. They are all around you. Don't miss them. Sad to say, sometimes we're just so introspective and caught up in our problems in our own little world that we miss so many opportunities. To minister and help others.

Look for opportunities to be good, to be helpful, to be a testimony for the Lord. Don't wait for them to drop in your lap. Actually, God drops them in our lap all the time and we don't see them because we expect the person to walk up to us and say, you know, tell me how to be saved or we expect the person to walk up to say, this is how you can help me. But it doesn't happen that way but God puts people in our path that need the savior. He puts people in our path that you know, you can tell.

They're hurting. You know they have needs. But it's so easy to want. To look the other way and say, well, somebody else will take care of it. But if it's God brings them across your path, that is your why?

Opportunity. That's your opportunity. Open your eyes to those whose paths you cross and look for ways to show them God's love, to help them in their time of need, to encourage them when they're down, share a word from God with them, give them the gospel. Don't miss the what? Don't miss the opportunities.

Your relatives. Every Thanksgiving I go home to Virginia. I have relatives who have needs. We have a little family reunion. I have relatives and I'm not absolutely sure they're saved.

I have opportunities. How sad to go year after year after year after year and enjoy Turkey in a football game. And Frisbee golf we play Frisbee golf too. And we play guitars and music. But how sad to go enjoy all those things and year after year miss the opportunity.

I know someone in this church I've mentioned before that goes and has coffee at McDonald's every morning because he loves coffee. No, I don't know if he loves coffee. Maybe he does. But I know he goes to a specific McDonald's every morning because he has people there that he's got to know, that he ministers to. I knew a person in this church that sat at the bus stop, bus stop, and handed out tracks to others.

His name was Steve Morris. He moved to Tampa and then he passed away a couple months ago. Brother Steve was confined to a wheelchair. He had to take the bus. So, he would take tracks with him and while he was waiting at the bus stop, he would talk to people about the Lord.

I know another who tells me often. I they talk to somebody this week. I talk to somebody that week. Bounty every other week, prayer time. Yeah, I talk to so and so.

Praise the Lord. Keep it up. I know who others who send out cards and who look for people to encourage Others who show up for workday. Or they find out somebody that has a need and they go to help with the problem at their house that they can't afford to pay for. Don't be weary in well doing.

In due season, we shall what? Reap if we faint not but don't miss those opportunities because they may not come again. As God gives you opportunity, use the talents and the time and the love he has given you. You will reap what you sow In times like these opportunities abound don't miss those. Look for others who in need and look for opportunities to serve the Lord.

Our greatest example is who? Jesus Christ. Hebrews twelve two. I had it on the screen but it's not working. So, read it to you.

Hebrews twelve two. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross despising the shame. In a sat sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Christ came to do good for us and he gave his life that we might be saved but he is exalted. He is reaping his reward and he will for all eternity and we in Christ can do the same.

Look to our example, Jesus Christ. Looking unto Jesus He took notice of the downtrodden in society. He went to them with a message of hope. He healed their diseases. He heard their cries.

He wept with them. He stopped to raise a widow's son from the dead. He didn't have to do that. Just passing by. But this widow needed a son.

She was all alone. He raised her her son from the dead. He traveled through Samaria to talk to the woman at the what? Woman at the well. He told his disciples to let the children come.

He healed the man with a withered hand and a man by the Pool Of Bethesda knowing that it would draw the ires of the leaders that he did it on the Sabbath. But there was a man that for years was wanting to be healed. Jesus alone could heal him. He died on the cross for your sins and mine. He is our example Of doing good and persevering.

Look to him. Learn how it is done. Read about him in God's word. Find time to do so. Look unto Jesus, the author and furnisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand, The throne of God.

Jesus said to his disciples, after he washed their feet, he said, happy are you if you what? Do. Happy are you if you do those things that I have shown you. Indeed, as Christians, you will have the joy of the Lord in your heart. When we don't get weary in well doing, when we keep trusting the Lord and we look for opportunities to sow good things not only in our life but in the lives of what?

In the lives of others. God will make those to what? To grow and blossom and bring forth fruit. But we must not be weary in well doing. And we must not be deceived into thinking that we can sow evil and reap good.

We must trust the Lord and if you're here today and you've never trusted Christ as your savior, If you will let him, he will change your life forever. He suffered the cross to save your soul. If you will come, he will change your life and your eternity and Christian, Don't miss those opportunities this week. And if the Lord has touched your heart, maybe there's maybe you've been sowing the wrong thing. What do we do?

If we want, confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you Lord. For all that you've done for us. For the reminder here this morning, not be deceived by by the devil who teaches and tells people that they can do wrong and get away with it.

Lord, I pray if there's one here that's not trusting Christ as savior. Lord, open their eyes and help them to see. Satan is a deceiver and he wants them to think there's another way. He wants them to think, well, I'll just put it off till tomorrow and it'll be okay. Behold, today is the day of salvation.

Lord, open their heart to receive Jesus Christ and what he did for them today and Lord, for those who know you as savior, Lord, I pray that we would not get discouraged in doing what is right, that we would trust you, that we would be able to see things more from your perspective and Lord that we would not get bear weary but that we would keep serving the Lord. Confessing that which is wrong, doing that which is right, ministering to others in the name of Christ. For in due season, we shall reap. If we faint not. In Jesus name, we do pray.

Amen.