“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” – “Galatians 6:9-10
“WEARY” – the word “ekkakeo,” it’s a word used of a farmer who begins to lighten up, to slacken off working hard due to fatigue.
The “good” in the chapter speaks of restoring a brother who has sinned, who wants to begin a fresh, help him up, hold them up, help them to walk and doo this restoring with gentleness. It speaks of not sowing to the flesh, there are some who believe that sowing to the flesh, works of salvation, is what they want to hold onto , some parts of it rather than understanding you sow to the flesh you reap corruption. Rather “sow” to the Spirit and you will reap the fruit of the Spirit, eternal realities, eternal fruit, though you may not see the “fruit” keep “sowing” like a diligent farmer who has done this before and understands there is a “time of opportunity” to take hold of. Jus as in the universe God has set physical laws, example “gravity,” so in the spiritual realm He has spiritual laws, “you reap what you sow, sow to the flesh reap corruption, sow to the Spirit reap the fruit of the Spirit. For example, “doing good” by sowing to the Spirit, which carries over from Galatians 5 which is the fruit of the Spirit, “love,…. kind deeds…patience…” speak of those deeds of kindness which we show others, to our neighbor, those at school, work, at HOME, sowing love, deeds of kindness, patience, restoring sinning brothers who desire to begin afresh…
Be a “DO GOODER”- as God’s Word defines “doing good.”
For a good study read Titus and underline everywhere where, “good works” is used and see God’s people are to be trained, zealous, doers of good! Not that we may be accepted but since we are accepted, we do so out of love and appreciation to the LORD! Do that which is good, beneficial to others for the LORD’S sake.
True, for a new mom {even a not so new mom:)}, or a hard worker in a factory, or at an office or at home, on a farm, or a student, the elderly, a missionary, pastor, praying widow, it’s easy to “grow weary- fatigued” and no thanksgiving, or understanding etc., seemingly little fruit from your labor of love into the lives of others… for the believers it also is possible to become weary, fatigued, but for many of us it may not be “weary of doing good,” but laziness, indifference, having our hearts turned through the tinklets of the world or “feeling” under appreciative and so giving up, doing good, when times of fatigue in doing good comes to mind. Let US encourage ourselves and one another with what God says, one reasons why we should keep going, namely GOD’S PROMISE!
GOD’S PROMISE-
“AT THE PROPER TIME, WE WILL REAP A HARVEST, IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP.”-
WHAT DOES “PROPER TIME” MEAN? In God’s time! His timing, on His schedule. His agenda! God opened the Red Sea not when the people saw it who were being pursued by Pharaoh’s thugs. But in HIS TIME, when Moses chose to obey GOD OPENED THE RED SEA. The WATERS STOOD TO ATTENTION and God delivered His people. That was all on God’s time. They had a front row seat to see His perfect timing!
A man once would travel around lecturing that God did not exist, and to prove it he would near the end shout “If You are real, God strike me dead NOW!”- Of course, because he was not struck dead, this in his mind proved to him and some in his audience, God did not exist. He would travel and do the same thing growing in arrogance, deception until one day someone remarked, “did the man think He could exhaust the PATIENCE OF GOD? Because he was challenging God! “God has His Proper time!” It is not called by some man but according to HIS timetable…God has “numbered our days… It is APPOINTED for man once to die…” THINK much on GOD’S TIMETABLE…” In the FULLNESS OF TIME GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON…” When God was ready, in His perfect timing after 400 years of silence He sent forth His Son!
Think on GOD. He is in control! Think on GOD’S PROMISE…keep pursuing and doing “good” because God says He has a PROMISE for you! Don’t slacken off. Don’t give in. Look to Him to enable you. Take hold of His promise. In his latter years of life, Hudson Taylor who has often been referred to as “the father of missions,” while traveling through many years of suffering and hardship in his later years would preach, “HOLD THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL!” What a word! Let His Word anchor your soul, He is faithful. Noah spent year after year building an ark, it had not rained. He built on by faith in obedience to God. God had him place his family inside a number of animals and we read and “GOD SHUT THE DOOR!” It was His TIME to show deliverance and salvation for Noah and his in the ark. It was His time to show Judgment on the people! God has His time. God’s delays are not His denials. God’s TIMING is not accidental. God’s TIMING is perfect! Keep doing good… God will fulfill His promise. God wants you to persevere in doing good!
“OPPORTUNITY” here It speaks of a “season” and once that season passes’ with it goes the opportunity to invest, sow into the harvest… and while we have opportunity Paul says, we need to choose to….
1. – “LET US DO GOOD….” buy up the opportunity and “DO GOOD.” Not merely thinking about “doing good,” or “agreeing” with others what doing good means and being in hearty approval with each other, nor does it mean “wishing” to “do good” if only circumstances were different. No, it means what is says, when you have the opportunity.
NOTE;
“LET US…” We all who are in the family of God are to be involved in DOING …GOOD! “LET US,DO GOOD.” It is co-operation, it is opportunistic, it is to not merely look out for your own interests but also the interests of others- {Read Phil 2:3-5}
2. – “…TO ALL MEN.”- all people are candidates of you doing good to! None excluded!
3. -“…ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO BELONG TO THE FAMILY OF GOD.”
“Especially”- note….do not neglect, leave out, relegate but especially take note that while you have opportunity “DO GOOD…”ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO BELONG TO THE FAMILY OF GOD.
God has “caused them to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”- {1 Peter 1:3.} Jesus told Nicodemus, “you must be Born again,”- and Peter says God gives this new birth, those of the family of God are not naturally born into it but supernaturally.God causes this new birth, which this new life, this second birth is accompanied by a hunger for righteousness, a thirst for God, like new born babes “desire the sincere milk of the Word, that by it they may grow”- {1 Peter 2:-2-3.} New Birth, New Desires, New Appetite, New standing with God, “you stand in grace”- You stand in full acceptance before God because of His love – {Rom 5:1-2}
New Relationship, are accompanied with NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO DO GOOD…ESPECIALLY TO THOSE OF THE FAMILY OF GOD!
“Do good” to those in need. How? Love people. Love is as simple as meeting a need. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” – 1 John 3:16-19;
“ For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.:- {2 Corinthians 10:13}
“If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.”- Ephesians 4:28
“ Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”- 1 Peter 4:9-11
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”- Ephesians 2:10
“Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.”- Titus 2:7-8
“This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds.”- Titus 3:8
“ Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.”– Titus 3:14
Love does good. Love meets needs. Love offers hospitality to meet the needs of others. As God’s people we are to be zealous, we are to learn, we are to practice doing good. That God be offered much thanksgiving and in doing so He be glorified.
Needs are opportunities to DO good and by meeting them and in offering thanks, God is glorified. Your need may be someone else’s opportunity to express love to the Lord, and He be glorified through many people offering thanks. Needs are gigantic opportunities for us to Glorify God!
In meeting the “needs… many thanksgivings are offered to God and God is glorified.” Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9. Jesus says if you give a cup of cold water in His Name there is a reward. John wrote of those who went out “for the sake of the Name accepting nothing from the lost and “we ought to support such men. Support those in need- Exercise your spiritual gift in sharing or speech that God be glorified and His people built up- 1 Peter 4:10-11,”By this ALL men will know you are My disciples by your LOVE for one another.” Love is sacrificial. Love is considerate. Love looks out for others. “Do Good…” and as the above verse show God is glorified through needs being met, through many thanksgivings been offered to Him. “Do Good….” To those who take the Gospel ..support them for they go forth for the sake of Christ. To spread His NAME AND FAME… and beseech people to be reconciled to Him, that He may be worshiped aright. “Do good….” For men will see your “GOOD WORKS and Glorify Your Father who is in Heaven! “DO GOOD….” For in doing so “all men” not just the saved, but the lost will see how you love one another. It is a testimony to others, that you belong to Jesus!
What qualifies as “Doing Good,” from God’s perspective?. –
- FOR OTHERS BENEFIT – “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,:- Philippians 2:3-5
- THE MOTIVE IS THE GLORIFYING OF GOD– 1 Corinthians 10:31 – “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” “…you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”- 1 Cor 6:19-20; “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”- Matthew 5:16
- THE MEANS TO GLORIFYING GOD? IS THROUGH LOVE – “let all that you do be done in Love.”- 1 Corinthians 16:10. Love is selfless!
Note, someone can say it is for others “benefit,” robbing a bank can be for others benefit a thief can justify, but it does not pass the other motives, the Glory of God and love, do you see that.? We are to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” We not only choose to do deeds that benefit others for the glory of God through love, but we are called to stir one another, stimulate one another to do like wise. It is individual responsibility, privilege, it is a team effort, each of us helping the ther so we may benefot others, to God’s glory by spending ourselves in love, for Jesus sake.
These are the pure motives. You need people to have opportunities to “do good” to, God supplies people :)… Look who is in your circle.
LOOK TO DO GOOD. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT CAN BENEFIT SOMEONE, DO IT…FOR THE GLORY OF GOD…. DO IT FROM A HEART OF LOVE! Be conscious of God, Be conscious of others! Be conscious of the opportunities before you!
“DO GOOD WHILE YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO ALL MEN, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.”
RECAP;
A. – GOD HAS A WAY – “SOW TO THE SPIRIT”
B. – GOD HAS A PROMISE – “WE WILL REAP A HARVEST IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP.”
C. – GOD HAS A WORK – “DO GOOD TO ALL MEN ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE FAMILY OF GOD.”
D.- GOD REQUIRES LABORERS! Those who LOVE HIM enough to Keep Obeying Him by DOING GOOD!
YOU AND I HAVE TO BE HEAVENLY MINDED IF WE ARE GOING TO BE OF ANY EARTHLY USE…
Like a Hard working farmer, it takes SPIRITUAL TENACITY- A FAITH THAT LOOKS NOT AT WHAT IT SEES BUT TO HIM WHO IS UNSEEN AND HIS FUTURE PROMISE!
FATIGUED at times, Paul understood and he also knew the answer WHY to keep doing good {even when you don’t “FEEL” like it } as he points them to the Word of God and a FUTURE HOPE!
KEEP DOING GOOD…. SOW TO THE SPIRITUAL….YOU WILL REAP SPIRITUAL , ETERNAL FRUIT…
Do good because it glorifies God. Do good because it express’s love. Do good by being considerate of others. I know the temptation is to grow weary and slacken off, for this is what Paul seeks to encourage those who would find themselves in that position…. you labor on… for Jesus sake. There is a reward awaiting you in the presence of Him who created you, motivated and gave you opportunity to do good!
APPLICATION;
1. MEMORIZE THE VERSE- Place it ona 3 by 5 card , carry it with you. When you have opportunity, read it. Pray on it. Think on it word by word.
2. PRAY FOR EYES TO SEE the People in your circumstances and
3. PRACTICING DOING GOOD…. for the glory of God, through love to benefit others!