Spend Well In Heaven

July 10

"Let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread Your protection over them, so all who love Your name may be filled with joy. For You bless the godly, O Lord; You surround them with Your shield of love." Psalm 5:11, 12

ARE YOU SWEET OR SOUR?

I can't remember anyone telling me, "Stop acting so nice." I never heard of a law ordering me to be not happy. No one ever told me I have too much peace or joy. But a lot of us act as if we're under such orders.

Why do so many Christians have such sour faces? It is because we allow circumstances to dictate our level of joy and peace. If everything is going right, we are positive and happy. If things go wrong, even in just a little way, we get negative.

We must remember that we are God's representatives of Jesus on earth. When people look at us, they should be able to see Jesus. Like fruit, the attributes of God will grow in our lives, if we are open to Him. Don't get discouraged because it takes time! If you are serious about living for God, He will develop all the good fruit in you to minister to others.

Are you sweet or sour? When the world looks at your life, do they see a positive person living for God? If not, ask the Holy Spirit of God to grow His fruit in your life. God is faithful and the good work He has begun He will bring to pass! -- Dr. Timothy Emerick


“I am my own man.” “I am a self-made man.” These are common assertions among people we encounter, and although we are less likely to hear them from professing Christians, we do indeed hear them from believers as well. The reality is that no matter who speaks them, they are not true.

None of us lives in a vacuum and none of us has arrived at any point in life, whether good or bad, without someone’s assistance. We are fairly quick to allocate blame to others when our own lives are under criticism—It’s my father’s fault or I had a teacher who mistreated me; but we’re pretty quick to claim credit for all that’s good about life.

But we arrive at our position in business, in politics, in every-day living through channels that lead through the influence of other people and their attitude toward us is dictated most often by the facade we project to them. If we evidence sweetness, kindness, consideration, we will elicit those attributes from others. If we disdain the people within our sphere, they will have little regard for us.

As Proverbs 18:24 states clearly, “To have friends, a man must show himself friendly.” In Galatians 6: 7-9, it is stated thusly, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

God’s Word makes it clear—what we invest in life, much as what we invest in a financial account, is what shall accrue to us. If we invest wisely, if we sow seeds of kindness, compassion, understanding, love, and truth, we shall find those wonderful qualities thriving in the garden of our lives. And the fruit of our garden shall spend well in Heaven when we arrive there.