The Soul Sower

This life you live is not your own if you are known by the Lord, if you have been made one with His Spirit, and are now a part of the family of God. You have been bought and paid for by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

But now thus says the LORD, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

You may go here or there, decide and choose to do this or that. You may make plans, develop ideas, and pursue ambitions and dreams, but it is the Lord who makes things happen. It is Him who allows you to accomplish those said dreams, accomplish your ambitions, and it is Him who institutes the final results.

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9

It is the Lord Jesus who establishes nations and peoples, it is God who sets up kings and rulers, and it is the Spirit of the Lord that either brings prosperity or destruction to every plan, ambition, and motivation of all the peoples under the heavens.

He makes nations great, and He destroys them; He enlarges nations, and leads them away. Job 12:23

Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings;

He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.

To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.” Daniel 2:20-23

It is in Him we live and move and do what we should do. It is according to His will that you must live. Not striving to do as your own mind desires, thinks, or devises what is right, good, or correct.  

In Him we live and move and have our being; Acts 17:28

Seek the Lord in everything you do. In every idea, task, and direction you believe you should go or accomplish. Seek to be cleansed from unrighteousness and sin that you will not be led astray to any deceitful spirit or the desires of your own flesh. 

Desire to be filled by His Holy Spirit that you may hear and know His will, and be willing to stop your forward motion if He closes the door on your current venture. It is not wise to fight against the will of the Lord Himself, striving and chasing after dreams He never intended for you to pursue.

But understand this, and take it to heart, that because of the way He works you will have to endure very hard struggles, pains, and afflictions to fulfill His will in your life. Nothing that is great in His sight or that He would give great praise and acclimation to will be easy. The broad and wide road is easy, yet leads to destruction, the narrow path will be difficult but greatly rewarding. 

“We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” Acts 14:22

Paul often told others to follow his example because He followed the Lord. He had to endure very great, strenuous, and difficult trials.

God said to him, “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” Acts 9:16

If you seek the Lord only and allow Him to lead, guide, and direct your steps, He will lead you down the right path, His path. He will establish and exult your ways. He will give you sight to see, wisdom, and insight He will give that you will know where to go and what to do. 

Never will He lead His children down the wrong path or make a mistake or error. But everything will happen according to His perfect will, purpose, and plan. He sees ahead of everything like none other. He sees the big picture from beginning to end. Nothing comes as a surprise to Him. He knows the how, the what, and the why for each and every event. 

Trust Him completely and totally. Though you may seem to be following in great blindness and foolishness to all the world. His path is more secure and established then the mightiest of all mountains is secure and unmovable to the creatures that crawl upon it.

But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.

For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Hebrews 10:32-39

Are you in need of God’s help to forgive someone? Have you determined to forgive them because the Lord says you need to forgive. But as soon as you think you have, those same old feelings of unforgiveness, anger, hurt, resentment, and bitterness raise up within you?

Jesus said that if you do not forgive you will not be forgiven, and you desperately desire to be forgiven and to let go of all the hurt, pain, and suffering of the past. Of those who have offended and hurt you. But how?

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15

What you are in need of is the love of God, the love of Jesus Christ, which only comes from the filling of the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus possessed a love for His enemies and was able to forgive them no matter what horrors they had committed against Him. You need the love, compassion, and forgiveness that He has. 

Jesus is your example, when He was at the pinnacle of suffering and pain, being mistreated and killed by His enemies, He looked upon them and asked the Father to forgive them because He loved them. 

To the average person, forgiveness seems incomprehensible! To love those who are literally trying to kill you.

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on His right and one on His left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:33-34

But without the Spirit of the Lord, without the love, compassion, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, it is impossible to truly love your enemies and forgive and forget.

Also, forgiveness is not about what the offender says or does to make things right. It is all about the love and compassion you have for them. It is about setting yourself free from the job of judgment and punishment that they deserve and giving it completely to the Lord. Placing every aspect of it in His hand, for Vengeance belongs to the Lord.  

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

What you must do is firstly, get on your knees before the Lord and purify yourself, asking and petitioning Him to forgive all your sins and cleanse yourself from any and all unrighteousness. 

Then ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit, to give you His love, to see with His eyes, and to have His compassion and forgiveness. That you will be able to look upon mankind with the same love, compassion, and forgiveness He does.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24

Be like the poor widow (Luke 18) who continually came to the judge to ask for justice again and again and again. Keep going to the Lord, keep asking, keep petitioning for Him to give you His love, compassion, and forgiveness. 

Every trial, tribulation, pain, and hurt has a purpose, a purpose laid out by God Himself. To draw you ever closer to His side. That you may humble yourself before Him, so He can clean and purify you and make you more like Himself. To mold you into the man or woman He always intended you to be. 

So then you will be ready to be sent out into the world to do the work He has prepared you to perform for the Kingdom of Heaven, without resentment, unforgiveness, hate, jealousy, anger, strife, or anything that goes against His holy Law and ways of the Lord. 

That you may be filled with His Spirit to love the lost. That you will have His compassion that many may be saved not only from the unrighteous ways of the world but especially from the destination of the wicked, Hell. That you may be able to finally forgive as the Lord forgives, and this will truly make you free.

In the Father’s wisdom, love, compassion, and goodness, He will give you everything you ask for, in His time when you seek Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. 

Draw close to the Lord, seek His forgiveness, and love that you may also be forgiven. That you may be able to love, have compassion, and forgive others no matter what the horrendous things they have done or may do in the future.

Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7-11

Shout, and sing for joy, praise the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, He is Lord of all. He is in control of all things and He will lift high His humble and righteous servants in His perfect time. 

Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother He named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He hid me; He made me a polished arrow; in His quiver He hid me away. And He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” Isaiah 49:1-3

Just at the right time, when everything is prepared, when each piece on the board has been placed in their predestined position, the Lord will do exactly what He has said He will do. According to His flawless will and plan, He will come, He will lift up, He will confirm, and restore.

Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Isaiah 35:3-4

Even now rejoice and be glad for He makes no mistakes! He is faithful and true, and will fulfill all His promises and will not leave His children alone but will care for them. 

There will be no mistaking and no misunderstanding who is of the Lord and who is not. Though many will claim this or that their works will be self-evident. 

He has established His plan for destiny and destination. He will make all things work together for your good and His glory.  

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:3-6

Praise the Lord and Glorify Him forever! He is worthy of your praise! May all creation upon the earth and in the heavens declare His greatness and forever worship Him in all His glory! 

You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.” “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.” 

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His name is exalted. 

“Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 12:1-6

So you are looking to the future and you believe God is directing your path. But it seems frightening, not knowing what is ahead. The path seems unsure in your finite mind, the bridge that you are about to cross seems unstable and impassable. 

The devil has been trying to cut the cords your entire life because he knows the Lord has great plans for you. But he is no match for your Lord, who chose you and sees you as the apple of His eye.

While I was with them, I protected and preserved them by Your name, the name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. John 17:12

The cliffs, dark valleys, frightening pitfalls, and slippery slopes you had to traverse would have killed you by their great perils if it wasn’t for the mighty and complete controlling hand of Jesus Christ and His blood that bought you and brought you through. He saw it all.

And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. John 6:39

But you know who you have believed and you are confident in the power of your Savior. You do not look to the right or left but your face is fixed firmly on Jesus Christ, your love, savior, and confidence. You know and trust the Lord will lead you on to the end.

But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy 1:12

Keep Him in full remembrance, the Lord, the Lord He is God, All-powerful, All-knowing, All-surpassing anyone and anything that stands in opposition to Him. For He has made all things and has dominion, power, and complete understanding over them all.

This was to fulfill the word that He had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” John 18:9

He says, “I will be with you, I will defend you, I will keep you, and I will protect you.” 

He was at your beginning crafting and creating you in His perfection. He was with you for each and every step along the way, though many were stumbles, stammers, and falls. He held and healed you with His loving hand.  He will be with you to the end and congratulate you on a job well done.

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ Matthew 25:23

So have faith, trust completely in the Lord. Tell that fig tree of doubt and disbelief that has grown up in the middle of your path to wither, chop it down, and cast it behind you.

Pray that God will give you great and powerful faith like no other to forge forward in His plan and purpose for your life, whatever it may be. Say to that mountain of fear to cast itself into the sea! 

Walk forward in the confidence of the Lord. Trust Him fully for you are held by His hand. Rely on Him for He will take care of your every step. He will guide you through to the end. Have no doubt and have no fear, He has seen and planned out your beginning to your end.

He leads, guides, and protects His chosen ones, His dearly beloved ones that they may never be put to shame by His eternal power and penetrating vision.

As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Mark 11:20-25

Those who are truly of the Lord, follow and obey Him, watch closely to how they live, and seek to walk in His Spirit that they may obey His will and do as the Father commands. They are to be commended. They will be honored by the Lord. They will be exalted by Him with the beauty of the blazing sun in glory like Jesus shines with glory. 

And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3

They are the ones who listen to the words of the wise, hunger and thirst for righteousness and the Word of God, and are keen to listen and obey the Holy Spirit’s instruction. 

They search themselves daily as looking in the mirror of their soul to see if there is any wrongful behavior or sin. They will repent, turning away from all evil for the Holy Spirit who lives in them will not allow them to remain in sin, and they will turn toward the Lord for Him to cleanse them pure as snow.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 1:18-20

They do not walk in the ways of the Religious of this world. The ways of men and women set in the traditions and ways that have been established by men, not approved by God. But they seek God and His face always. And if there’s something they find that displeased the Lord they forsake it.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24

Always inspect your motivations in righteousness according to His will and not your own. Do those things that are truly pure and right in the sight of your God. Help and do not refuse those who are in need, those who can not help themselves. It is clear who they are: the widow, single mothers left all alone, orphans, homeless, and especially the unborn!

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27

Look intently into the mirror of God’s Holy Word. Listen to the voice of His Holy Spirit and live for Jesus Christ with everything that is in you, with all purity and holiness, that you may be honored and revered in the sight of God Almighty. He will reward His faithful servants, they will do as He commands, they will shine like the sun, and they will never be put to shame.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:22-27

Be diligent and watchful day and night to keep yourselves pure from sin, resisting temptations at every turn. Because the devil is in hot pursuit to tempt and destroy those who desire to do it God’s way, to follow righteousness. 

Which in reality is the hard way. Yes, the right way is the hard way. Through the narrow gate and on the narrow road is the rough way. But with the hard and difficult journey comes righteous rewards.

If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it. Genesis 4:7

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:14

You must understand that not living life God’s way is sin and sin is breaking God’s Law. It is going against His command, it is rebelling against His word, and you become a criminal in His eyes for your lawbreaking.

But He has promised to lift you up and give you the power to resist the devil’s schemes through His Holy Spirit. But you can not just sit around and expect everything to happen for you. You must work, walk, and endure in His Spirit and not your own spirit, which is giving in to the desires of your flesh.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Galatians 5:16-18 

You must keep awake to the influence of the evil one. To realize that every moment of every day he is sending his demons to tempt, torment, and taunt you, to turn you away from God. But you must resist the devil at every turn. 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:12-13

If you were to be given spiritual eyes to see, as some have been given, to see the battles going on between good and evil all around you, as angels are fighting demons, you would be blown away. You would understand what you are up against. But you must believe it by faith, and internalize it as reality. Submitting yourself to the Lord and resisting the devil firm in your faith.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:7-8

The evidence and proof that you have truly been saved and sanctified by God are that the Holy Spirit Himself will work through you, restrain you, and keep you from doing what your flesh desires to do. He will restrain you when you want to give up or give in and He will not allow you to. If you do give in He will chastise you severely.

But if someone dives into sin, disregarding the convictions of the Holy Spirit He sends them, and continues on in sin, and yet claims they walk with Christ. They are not walking in the truth but they are a liar.

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.

By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:2-8

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27

Be very careful to examine yourself daily. Make short accounts with God, stay walking in the Spirit and not in your flesh. Do not hesitate to repent quickly for every sin, and listen carefully when the Holy Spirit brings conviction to your soul. 

He understands our weaknesses, He knows your thoughts and motivations, and He will reward you for your faithfulness and diligence for obeying His command. 

This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins,

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:5-10