No Time to Sit Down

u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eIntroductionu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn his second letter, John writes to the “elect lady and her children” – the churchu003cemu003e, the entire congregation u003c/emu003eof true believers – to look to ourselves so that we do not u003cemu003elose u003c/emu003ethose things we have worked (labored) for.  This u003cemu003eencouragementu003c/emu003e, I believe, would raise a few questions with the first being:  what are the things that we can lose?  The second question runs along the same line:  what are we working for?  The third question being:  what is our work?  Today, I tell you that we are on the clock and while we are clocked in, we have no time to sit down.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:pullquote u002du002du003enu003cfigure class=u0022wp-block-pullquoteu0022u003enu003cblockquoteu003eu003csupu003e8 u003c/supu003eLook to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but u003cemu003ethatu003c/emu003e we may receive a full reward.nnu003cciteu003eKEY VERSE – 2 JOHN 8 NKJVu003c/citeu003eu003c/blockquoteu003enu003c/figureu003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:pullquote u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eWalking in Christ’s Commandmentsu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennJohn’s second epistle (letter) follows up his first epistle by continuing to focus on the subject of u003cemu003etrueu003c/emu003e faith.  As you know, there are two subjects that I commonly teach or preach about:  the conduct of the believer and then the role (duty) of the believer.  I focus on these subjects a great deal because the believer ought to know how to carry themselves while moving (laboring) in true faith.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eMoving in true faithu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWhat is true faith?  Faith, many of us would say, is what we u003cemu003ebelieveu003c/emu003e in our hearts.  Now, what the u003cemu003egenuineu003c/emu003e believer believes in their heart is the truth.  When I say u003cemu003ethe truthu003c/emu003e, I want you to understand that I am not talking about believing in some fable, conspiracy, or man made report.  No, the truth that I am speaking of is a truth that we have received u003cemu003efrom Godu003c/emu003e, first shared through the prophets of the Old Testament, then through Christ, and then by the apostles and all of the teachers and preachers that followed Him.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennFaith, we have learned u003cemu003eand knowu003c/emu003e, is not something that sits still; u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/true-to-our-calling/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00229891u0022u003efaith is u003cemu003eactiveu003c/emu003eu003c/au003e.  To those of the church, John wrote that we should love one another and that we should u003cemu003ewalk u003c/emu003e(move) according to the commandment of God (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+John+5-6u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e2 John 5-6u003c/au003e).  I want you to know that those who move according to the commandment of God can u003cemu003enever u003c/emu003ego wrong.  The reason being is that those who move according to the commandment of God are walking in His righteousness and are laboring in true faith.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn His righteousness, we understand that u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/who-is-god-the-righteous-judge/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00229115u0022u003ethe Lord is u003cemu003ealwaysu003c/emu003e rightu003c/au003e, and by His righteousness, we know that God moves to u003cemu003euplift u003c/emu003eall of those that come to Him.  So, by God, we know what is the good and right way for us to move (labor).  What is good are all of those things that are done to help uplift rather than those things that are done to cause hurt and harm.  So, with this in mind, the duty of the believer is not to hinder or to put a stone of stumbling in another’s path but to edify through love – to labor for good (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Cor.+8%3A1%2C9u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e1 Cor. 8:1,9u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, this u003cemu003epreachingu003c/emu003e is not something that is brand new to us.  u003cemu003eWe knowu003c/emu003e that in order for us to be true to our faith in God, we must humble ourselves and submit ourselves to both the will and way of God.  In submission to the will and way of God, Paul wrote that the elect of God are to put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Col.+3%3A12u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eCol. 3:12u003c/au003e).  Our hearts, Paul said, should be u003cemu003eruled u003c/emu003eby the peace of God (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Col.+3%3A15u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eCol. 3:15u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn doing the Lord’s will, we believers ought to u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/submissive-faith-faith-and-submission/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00229911u0022u003eu003cemu003eobedientlyu003c/emu003e moveu003c/au003e according to the task that has been given to us by Christ.  Again, I do not say anything new to you because by now, we u003cemu003eknow u003c/emu003ethe Great Commission very well (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+28%3A19-20u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 28:19-20u003c/au003e).  We know that the will of God is for us to go unto all nations of people and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  True believers have been given the task of teaching others to observe all things that Christ commanded us.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennI say all of this to say that our labor has been laid out very clearly to us by the Lord.  The will of God, u003cemu003ewe knowu003c/emu003e, is for all of those that truly believe in Him to u003cemu003edo good u003c/emu003eby serving each other, and at the same time, also serving all of those around us.  The question we must answer is this:  are we laboring for the Lord or are we sitting down?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eLaboring for the Lordu003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAgain, I tell you today something that I believe we already know — we are on the clock for the Lord in the service of spreading His righteousness and u003cemu003edoing u003c/emu003egood; we have no time to sit down.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, when I was thinking over this week’s sermon, I was thinking about the Sunday school lesson we had last week – u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/obedience-to-feasts/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00229901u0022u003eObedience in Feastsu003c/au003e.  In that lesson we briefly spoke about u003cemu003eharvesting u003c/emu003eand the harvest feasts.  So, harvesting was on my mind when I began to prepare this week’s sermon.  In a passage of scripture from John’s gospel, Jesus spoke to the twelve about His labor, the season we are now in, and the labor that we have joined into.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eThe season of laboru003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn this passage of scripture from John’s gospel, we will see Jesus express to the disciples, when they were urging Him to eat because He had not eaten for some time, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish u003cemu003eHis worku003c/emu003e (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4%3A34u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJohn 4:34u003c/au003e).”  The disciples’ concern was something essentially of the flesh while Jesus’ concern was about the season; there was a sense of u003cemu003eurgency u003c/emu003ecoming from Him.  Why the urgency?  What was this work of the Father that Jesus had to do and to finish?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAs Jesus was preparing to make His next statements to the twelve, He looked out at a field and I picture that a smile began to grow on His face.  Jesus said to them, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and u003cemu003ethen u003c/emu003ecomes the harvest’ (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4%3A35u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJohn 4:35u003c/au003e)?”    Jesus then told the disciples to lift up their eyes and look at the fields, for the fields were u003cemu003ealreadyu003c/emu003e white for harvest (John 4:35).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWhat did Jesus mean by this?  Jesus, we must understand, was speaking spiritually at that moment.  It was not literally time to u003cemu003ephysically u003c/emu003eharvest the field that they were looking at as there was still four months to harvest.  However, spiritually speaking, there was a field whose crop was ready to harvest, according to Jesus.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennThe field that Jesus was speaking of in this verse relates to the world and the crop of the field relates to u003cemu003eall people u003c/emu003ein the world.  The work that Jesus was finishing up, we should understand, was u003cemu003eharvestingu003c/emu003e; it was a work that began through His Father when He called out to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So, we should understand that we are in a season of harvesting – there’s an u003cemu003eurgent need u003c/emu003eto labor for the Lord.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eParable of the Wheat and Taresu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, to further show you the work of Christ so that we can know and understand our labor, I want to share with you the Parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matt. 13:24-30).  In this parable, you will see that the work of Christ was likened to that of a farmer.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennJesus began this parable by saying that the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed u003cemu003egood seedu003c/emu003e in his field (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+13%3A24u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 13:24u003c/au003e).  Yet, while that man slept, u003cemu003eanother manu003c/emu003e, his enemy, came and sowed seed in the owner’s field (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+13%3A25u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 13:25u003c/au003e).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennThe man that had sown good seed, we can liken to God.  God, again, reached out man, cleansed the earth, and reached out to man over and over again.  Though I do want to point out to you that the Lord never slept.  The enemy, therefore, would be Satan who slithered in and sowed his seeds of wickedness right there in the garden.  So, to be clear, God the Father has sown good seed in His u003cemu003einstructionsu003c/emu003e – the truth – and Satan has sown his seed of the great lie and deception.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWhen Jesus spoke of His labor to the Jews, He always expressed to them that He had come to do the Father’s will.  Jesus said that He had not come to destroy men’s lives but to u003cemu003esaveu003c/emu003e them (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A56u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eLuke 9:56u003c/au003e).  If we were to speak figuratively again, we would say that Jesus did not come to tear or to burn down the fields – He came to ensure their growth and to gather what He could.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennOn another occasion in scripture, we will see that Jesus said that the Son of Man had come to seek and to save that which was lost (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+19%3A10u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eLuke 19:10u003c/au003e).  Again, Jesus came to harvest.  Yet, within His labor of harvesting, we find that Jesus had to also do some sowing of the truth through His teachings, preachings, and healing. In sowing the truth, Jesus called out the sins of man but also showed man a pathway of mercy and forgiveness in God’s eyes.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWhy did Jesus have to sow?  Well, according to the parable, the field that the Lord had sown His seed in grew to be u003cemu003einfested u003c/emu003eby tares – an invasive weed that looks very similar to wheat.  The tares (weeds) grew from the lies, u003cemu003eignorant conspiraciesu003c/emu003e, and deceptions sown by Satan (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+13%3A26u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 13:26u003c/au003e).  So the field of the owner was covered by a good crop of wheat but was also covered in tares (weeds).nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWhat this means for all of us today is that our world is a world filled with wheat and tares; both the good seed and bad seed have sprouted up together in the field.  The good in the world have grown from the truth sown by the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.  The bad in the world have sprouted up from the seed of the great lie sown by Satan, and believed to be the truth.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, we live in a mess of a world and Christ does not hide this from us!  This is why Christ moved with such urgency: to prevent the spreading of the weeds!  If we look further at this parable, we will see that u003cemu003eservants u003c/emu003eof the owner of the field came and asked him, “Do you want us to go and u003cemu003egather u003c/emu003ethem (the tares) up (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+13%3A28u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 13:28u003c/au003e)?”nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennThe owner responded with a no and that the wheat and tares should grow together u003cemu003euntil u003c/emu003ethe final harvest, and at the time of harvest, the u003cemu003ereapersu003c/emu003e will gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn.  The wheat will be gathered and stored in the owner’s barn (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+13%3A29-30u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 13:29-30u003c/au003e).  This is the reason why Jesus labored with the urgency that He did – the final harvest draws near.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eLabor with your whole heartu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn John’s gospel, Jesus said to the twelve, “One sows and another reaps.  I have sent you to reap … (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4%3A37-38u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJohn 4:37-38u003c/au003e).”  Jesus has spoken about His labor, and now He is focusing on our labor.  Our labor is like that of one sowing and reaping in the field.  Do you labor with such urgency today?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennNow, I cannot pretend to have ever worked in a field a day of my life so it would be hard for me to speak about farm life from my own personal experience!  That being said, my dad, who did spend days working in the fields as he grew up, did not share many fond memories of having to pick peaches in a peach orchard or pick cotton in a cotton field.  So, from his and others’ experiences, working in the fields was not easy work.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennFarmers have to have a great understanding of time and season – when to plant and when to harvest.  From sunrise to sunset, and maybe even earlier or later, farmers tend to their animals, their fields, and their crops.  You see, there is little time to sit down for the farmer.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, why all of this hard work?  Farmers have to eat and they certainly have a goal of making money and in doing so, we get to eat as well!  Farmers are putting forth their best effort so that they can be rewarded with a good crop; a good crop equals a good harvest and this is the u003cemu003efruit u003c/emu003eof all of their labor.  A lazy farmer will reap a poor crop and harvest, which in the end, brings home little reward in the end.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennSo, the work of a farmer is indeed difficult work.  Though my labor is not literally in a field, I would testify to you today as a minister, that laboring for the Lord can be rather difficult.  Yet, as Paul said to the Galatians, “whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal.+6%3A7u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eGal. 6:7u003c/au003e).  For he who sows to his flesh will of his flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap u003cemu003eeverlasting life u003c/emu003e(Gal. 6:8).”  What is your labor in the world today?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAgain, Jesus said that one sows and one reaps.  You and I are in a season that draws near to the final harvest.  We are among the field of wheat and tares and there is no time to sit down as the tares continue to spread through the field with its lies, deceptions, conspiracies and false reports.  Do you understand the urgency for which we ought to labor with for the Lord?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennTo the Colossians, Paul shared a word of encouragement which said, “u003cemu003ewhatever u003c/emu003eyou do (in labor), do it u003cemu003eheartily u003c/emu003e(wholeheartedly), as to the Lord and not to men (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Col+3%3A23u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eCol 3:23u003c/au003e).”  We are to not labor half-heartedly but wholeheartedly for the Lord.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading u002du002du003enu003ch2u003eWe Are on the Clocku003c/h2u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWe are on the clock today as the weeds continue to rapidly spread through the field with all of their lies, deceptions, ignorant conspiracies, and false reports with a smile on their faces.  I tell you today that as those who vigorously sow such seeds of wickedness, the good should sow seeds of u003cemu003erighteousnessu003c/emu003e just as, u003cemu003eif not moreu003c/emu003e, vigorously than the wicked!nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eSowing and reapingu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAgain, I say, we are on the clock!  Jesus, again said to the disciples, “One sows and another reaps.”  Jesus said, “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; u003cemu003eothers have laboredu003c/emu003e, and you have u003cemu003eentered into u003c/emu003etheir labors (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4%3A37-38u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eJohn 4:37-38u003c/au003e).”  You and I, as true believers, have entered into the great labor – the good fight of faith – that those who came before us have already labored in; the baton has been passed to us and we must continue in the labor.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennAll of last month, I preached to the complaint that many have about this world being an unfair world; it is unfair but we have seen that we can do something about it.  It is said that the world is doing nothing but getting worse and worse.  This, again, is true as tares (weeds) have grown in the field.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIf we turn back to 2 John, we will see that John spoke to this and said that many deceivers have gone into the world and spoke against Christ, in the flesh (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+John+7u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003e2 John 7u003c/au003e).  John, not hiding it, said that the deceivers that speak against Christ, His good and righteousness are an u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/the-antichrist/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00223201u0022u003eu003cemu003eantichrist u003c/emu003e- a form of itu003c/au003e; they are anti-truth, anti-good, and anti-righteousness.  John lived in a season of false reports and if you look around you will realize that we live in a season of false reports – anti-truth, anti-good, and anti-righteousness.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennHowever, I will say, though the world is getting worse and worse, we must remember that the u003cemu003ewheatu003c/emu003e sown by God has also grown in the world and still is growing. If you have sprouted up from God’s righteousness, rather than complaining about the world getting worse and worse, be the part of the world that is u003ca href=u0022https://newfoundfaith.org/the-onus-is-on-us/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u00229862u0022u003egrowing to be better and betteru003c/au003e!  Those who sow should be sowing good and those who reap should be working to gather together and bring in the good to the congregation of true believers.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennYes the work is difficult, but as Paul said, let us put our soul in this great labor.  Many of us will grind and hustle in our worldly labors so that we can be in line for a great reward — a pay raise, a bonus, promotion, etc.  If we can put our whole heart into our worldly works for worldly treasure, can’t we put our whole heart in our labor for the Lord?nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:heading {u0022levelu0022:3} u002du002du003enu003ch3u003eNo time to sit down and loseu003c/h3u003enu003c!u002du002d /wp:heading u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn his letter to the Galatians, Paul wrote that we should not u003cemu003egrow weary u003c/emu003ein doing good and that in every opportunity we have to do good, we should do what is right and good (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal.+6%3A10u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eGal. 6:10u003c/au003e).  You and I should not grow weary in u003cemu003elaboringu003c/emu003e according to the commandment of God; we should not grow weary in helping to u003cemu003eupliftu003c/emu003e and sowing seeds of God’s righteousness so that more wheat will grow in the field!nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennWe have so many avenues today where we can reach out with u003cemu003ethe truth u003c/emu003eto combat against the lies and conspiracies; we have so many avenues to labor in and sow good seeds so that others can flourish in their souls.  One may be able to sow seed face to face while another has the ability to reach out through radio and TV.  Some may be like me and have the ability to sow seed through use of social media.  Let us take advantage of every opportunity we have to do good.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennIn our key verse, John encouraged us to u003cemu003elook to ourselves u003c/emu003eso that we do not u003cemu003elose u003c/emu003ethose things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.  We have worked for the good of God to not be overcome by lies, deceptions, conspiracies, and false reports by those who will happily spread those things.  Should we sit down and stop in our labor, the weeds of the field will simply continue to spread.  Let us not lose a soul because we have chosen to sit down when God has shown us that now is the time we should labor with urgency.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003ennLet us join in and continue to fight the good fight of faith against the great lies and deceptions of evil and wickedness.  We should all be laboring so that we can one day hear the Lord say, “well done, though good and faithful servant (u003ca href=u0022https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+25%3A21u0026amp;version=NKJVu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMatt. 25:21u003c/au003e).”  We don’t want to lose the reward of a soul saved and we certainly don’t want to lose the u003cemu003eextra u003c/emu003erewards that the Lord has waiting for us in His kingdom all because we thought that now was the time to sit down.  No, there is no time to sit down in our world this season.nnu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e