Most pastors, along with doctors and real friends, want the best for us.  They look at our lives and it is often painfully clear to them what is wrong.  A two hundred kilogram man with blood shot eyes and a cigarette in his mouth stumbles into the doctor's surgery wanting help for his chronic cough and lack of energy.  No prize for a diagnosis.  The pastor might want to go a bit deeper to find the reason for the man’s destructive behavior.  The bottom line is that things don’t just happen .... Life is not as random as we are led to believe.  Very few accidents are accidents.

Paul's words to the people of Galatia;
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.  The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7,8)

Paul is quite adamant that we get what we deserve.  The universe is more fair than we think. We know this is true about our eating and drinking.  They say you are what you eat.  But what about matters of life, family and business?

Most of us start life with a fairly rebellious nature.  We do those silly things of youth.  We sow our wild oats.  While doing this we break one of those great directives of life that says, "Honour your father and mother so you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12).  We did things we were told not to do and reaped the consequences.  I still have friends who have steel pins in their backs and legs from teenage beer-filled joy rides.  She also wonders why she is now married to a drunkard when she met him in a bar.  Go figure.  Listen to your father and mother so your life will go well.  Parents pray that your children do not follow in some of the mistakes you made.  Remember, "Die appel val nie ver van die boom af." (The apple doesn't fall far from the tree).

One of those sowing and reaping situations are the words that spill from our mouths.  The way we speak will fill our stomachs.  This is especially true for the way we speak about God’s work and what He is doing.
"From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.  The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:20,21)

We are blessed or cursed by the way we speak about people and especially about the way we speak about God’s work and people.  Remember God cannot be mocked.
"For I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed." Numbers 22:6

People with a heart to bless others are people who are blessed, but those who have a hard heart do not receive the blessings they might otherwise have received.

You might now understand that you are on a road of destruction and confusion.  The Lord Jesus came to bring us the Father’s love and blessing.  He came to make all things new. It takes a while to sort out a garden and plant new seeds but the Lord has promised us;
"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten- my great army that I sent among you.  You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.  And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days." (Joel 2:25,26,28,29)

You might have tried in your own strength, but it is now time to place yourself in God’s hands and submit all your actions to Him.  He longs to bless His children but they have to be in His house and obey Him.