Walking With God

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You hear Christians say pray, but no one takes the time to explain how to pray. So, I will give you a brief lesson, let’s call it Prayer 101. Prayer is a way we communicate with God and the words we say to him must come from the heart. A prayer can be spoken aloud or silently. I choose the silent method, because I may not at the time want others to know what I am talking to God about. You can pray anytime of the day, anywhere, and as many times as you desire. There are several types of prayers. I am sure you have heard of the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-15. This is the Lord's "model prayer.” It is a prayer Jesus gave showing believers how to pray; the format of a prayer. Each verse in the “model prayer” presents a principle part of the prayer format. I learned and memorized the “model prayer” as a child. As I matured in my Christian walk with the Lord, I like the acronym “ACTS” prayer:
 

A - ADORATION:  Tell God how wonderful he is; worship him, show him honor and respect. We call you “Mr. President” or “President Trump” out of respect for your position. I call God, “Heavenly Father,” “Almighty God,” or “Abba Father.” You can choose another name of God to show reverence and respect.
 

C - CONFESSION:  Admit your sins (known and unknown), cry out to God your brokenness, and ask for forgiveness. A sin is when we disobey the will of God (i.e. commandments, etc.) for our lives. Once you ask God to forgive you for committing a sin, he will forgive you and cast those sins in the “sea of forgetfulness”, Micah 7:19. You will never have to ask forgiveness for those sins again.
 

T - THANKSGIVING: Say “thank you” for all God has done in your life.
 

S - SUPPLICATION: Make your requests to God for yourself, family, friends, and others.

 

SAMPLE PRAYER:

​(Adoration) Heavenly Father,
You are an awesome God and I love you so much. I lift up my hands in total honor and praise to you. (Confession) Father, as I look over my life, I did some things I regret. Please forgive me and strengthen me so I will not commit the same sin again. Send your Holy Spirit to remind me when I am about to be disobedient and commit a sin. I want all the blessings you have for my life. And I realize now that if I commit any sin, I am saying I don’t love you. And Father, I want you to know that I love you very much. (Thanksgiving) Father, I thank you so much for what you have done in my life. I now know that everything that happened to me to this point was ordered by you for me so I can accomplish the things necessary in order for me to do your will for my life. Thank you for using me.  Thank you for blessing me with all the resources necessary to do your will for my life. Thank you for helping me become a successful individual. Thank you for my finances, successful business endeavors, and all I have and possess. I thank you for all those you sent to help and support me throughout my journey and those who did not. Because the supporters and non-supporters were all needed to help me get where I am today. (Supplication) Father, I put all my faith and trust in you. I know that I can do nothing without you, so I am asking for your help in all things. I want to be the best I can be at whatever I put my hands to do. I know I can do anything with your help. Please give me what you gave King Solomon. I want more wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of your word, you, and the Holy Spirit. I made a lot of promises to myself and I set a lot of goals for myself.  With your help I know I will be able to accomplish every goal and keep every promise.  This I ask in Jesus' name, Amen.
 

Always end your prayer with this phrase, "this I ask in Jesus' name, Amen."  In John 14:13-14, the bible says “13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”  Because Jesus said if we ask anything in his name, he will do it.
 

Very Important Note:

Some people abuse their opportunity to communicate with God by sending up negative prayers.  Negative prayers are those prayers demanding God to hurt, harm, kill, or destroy another individual resulting from jealousy or hatred.  What they do not know is that God cannot be tricked or manipulated into answering such a request.  He will not listen to such prayers; and as a result, they fall back to the ground where they take root in the ground and sprout into thorny bushes that will inflict pain into the life of the sender.  In other words, the sender reaps what they have sown, a negative unblessed unfulfilled life, Galatians 6:7-9, “7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”  Negative prayers are considered a form of “witchcraft,” and practicing witchcraft is an abomination to God.  The bible has much to say about the subject.  In the word says, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,” Exodus 22:18 and Galatians 5:19-21 it says, “19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”  I say all this to let you know prayers must be wholesome, for the good of mankind, and to honor God.  Prayers are not to be used to seek revenge on an individual or individuals.  God says:

• “17 Recompense      to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.      18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with      all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give      place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay,      saith the Lord,” Romans 12:17-19. 
• “35 To me      belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time:      for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come      upon them make haste,” Deuteronomy 32:35.

Remember, what we send up into the heavens, returns back to us whether it be good positive words or evil negative words.  When we participate in negative prayers we are working as agents for Satan, the thief who roams the earth stealing, killing, and destroying all in its path, John 10:10a (“10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: …”).  AVOID negative prayers at all costs.

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 WARNING          WARNING         WARNING         WARNING         WARNING         WARNING 

                                 TO ALL OF YOU PRAYING NEGATIVE PRAYERS AGAINST ANYONE

                                                      YOU WILL REAP WHAT YOU SOW (PRAY).

Our Heavenly Father is a God of love and a God of second chances, but touch one of his anointed chosen children and you will see his wrath.

1. It is written in 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15, “Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 
2. It is written in 1 John 4:4, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
3. It is written in Luke 17:2, “It were better for him that a millstone was hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of little ones.”
4. It is written in Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”If customers can’t find it, it doesn’t exist. Clearly list and describe the services you offer. Also, be sure to showcase a premium service.

Forgiveness is sometimes easier to say then to do.  But if we want to reap the blessings God has prepared for us to receive, then we must forgive.  And turn it over to God and walk away.  Let God handle it.  When you forgive and give it to the Lord, you will have peace in your spirit.  You no longer have to carry that weight around, worry and fret over what was done to you.  And you know by giving it to the Lord, he can handle it far better than you can.  Remember you are God’s child and he loves you very much.  He is omniscience - all-knowing, omnipresence - all-present/all-seeing, and omnipotence - all-powerful.  Nothing can get past him; he sees it all.  He stated in Romans 8:28, “28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  No matter what is tossed your way, we would be blessed and God will get the Glory every time.  Now if we love God, then we will obey him and if we obey him, then we will reap a bountiful harvest of blessings.  
 

Hanging on to unforgiveness only hurts you not the other person.  The word teaches us to forgive:
 

• Matthew 6:15      (KJV) - But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your      Father forgive your trespasses.

• Mark 11:25      (KJV) - And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any:      that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.​

• Ephesians 4:32      (KJV) - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one      another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Know and understand, before you send up any prayers to God, you must first forgive those who have hurt, harmed, or persecuted you because of your walk with the Lord in order to receive forgiveness from God.

I was watching a YouTube video where two women who say they are strong Trump supporters were speaking.  As I continued to listen to each of them, I noticed they were yelling, screaming, and cursing at their listeners non-stop.  I cringed behind every word they spoke.  I didn’t know if they were saved or not.  It was hard to tell by the language tone they used to address their audience.  The word of God says the words that come from our mouth come from the heart.  “18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man,” Matthew 15:18.  James Allen, stated “As a man thinketh so is he.”  And I say this, “As a man thinketh so is he and as a man speaketh so he’ll be.”  Out of one side of their mouths they were screaming at the top of their lungs and using curse words to address their audience and out of the other side of their mouths they spoke about praying for President Trump and others.  It broke my heart listening to them, because I knew then that their prayers were being hindered and that they did not know how to pray for anyone, especially President Trump.  They may be children of God, called, anointed and mean well in their efforts to pray for the President, only God knows.  But from what I heard and seen on their YouTube channel, they did not exhibit Christ-like behavior nor did it show they are producing spiritual fruit.  In Matthew 7:15-20 the word says, “15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”  The fruit being spoken of in this passage of scripture is “spiritual fruit” or “fruits of the spirit,” such as, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law, Galatians 5:22-23.  When a person exhibits fruits of the spirit the word of God says you shall know them as being of Christ or in Christ.  And I am sorry to say these two women do not exhibit spiritual fruit.  And what’s even sadder, they are trying to pray for the President of the United States, President Trump and are powerless in their efforts.  After listening to them, I could no longer take it.  I discontinued subscribing to their YouTube channel, but took them to God.  The Holy Spirit urged me to write this webpage because like the two women there are many who do not understand how to pray or how to get their prayers answered.  They send prays up, but their prayers come tumbling back down to the ground unanswered.
 

Prayer is an awesome opportunity for you to talk to God about any and everything at any time of the day.  God is always available to you.  He has an open-door policy that will never be closed and more importantly, you never have to go through a third party in order to reach him.  It is just you and God.  You can tell him all your secrets and he will not share them with anyone.  Here are a few of God’s attributes and he has many:
 

1. God is trustworthy – He is absolutely reliable
2. God Is Infinite – He is Self-Existing, Without Origin 
3. God Is Immutable – He Never Changes 
4. God Is Self-Sufficient – He Has No Needs 
5. God is Omnipotent – He Is All Powerful 
6. God Is Omniscient – He Is All-Knowing 
7. God Is Omnipresent – He Is Always Everywhere 
8. God Is Wise – He Is Full of Perfect, Unchanging Wisdom 
9. God Is Faithful – He Is Infinitely, Unchangingly True 
10. God Is Good – He Is Infinitely, Unchangingly Kind and Full of Good Will 
11. God Is Just – He Is Infinitely, Unchangeably Right and Perfect in All He Does 
12. God Is Merciful – He is Infinitely, Unchangeably Compassionate and Kind 
13. God Is Gracious      – God Is Infinitely Inclined to Spare the Guilty 
14. God Is Loving –      God Infinitely, Unchangingly Loves Us 
15. God Is Holy –      He is Infinitely, Unchangingly Perfect 
16. God Is Glorious      – He is Infinitely Beautiful and Great
    
    (Source:  ​https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/15-amazing-attributes-of-god-what-they-mean-and-why-they-matter.html)

Prayer also allows us to have an intimate relationship with God.  In order to strengthen our faith and to remain in constant communication with God, you should always pray and commune with him daily and throughout the day.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 the word says, “Pray without ceasing.”  To continue to have a meaningful relationship with anyone, you must continue to stay connected through some type of communication method.  The same way it is with God.
 

So how do you pray; how do you present your petitions or prayers before God and get them answered and avoid our prayers from being hindered or blocked:  You must follow the key points listed below:
 

1.  Go to God with a Humble Spirit.  In Matthew 6:6-8, it clearly states you should take heed that you do not pray to be seen before men; pray loudly in order to received glory from men; not use vain repetitious words in order to impress God or those listening; not let our left hand know what our right hand is doing; that is, pray in secret by entering into our secret closet, our “praying place.”
 

2.  Remember who God is.  God is not a close relative or neighbor, he is God Almighty.  The one and true living God.  The creator of the universe.  The one who gave you life.  The one who gave us a second chance after disobeying his one simple command that you not eat of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”  The one who loved us so much he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life, John 3:16.  You must come before God with reverence telling him how wonderful he is.
 

3.  Go before God with Clean Hands and a Pure Heart.  That means, you come before God cleanse of anything that may hinder our prayers from reaching God and being answered.  Most individuals want prayer and even request it from individuals they consider to be godly men and women such as, Prayer Warriors and Intercessors.  But these individuals may not understand the importance of presenting their prayer requests before God with “clean hands,” so not to hinder their prayer petitions.  Psalm 24:4-6 says, “4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.”  

In other words, those who come before God with clean hands and a pure heart will reap many blessings.  In 1 Timothy 2:8 the word says, “8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”  God is telling us to come before him without the spirit of anger and the spirit of unbelief.  You must remove evil spirits of anger and have strong faith believing that all things are possible with God.  In Matthew 19:26 the word says, “but Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

 4.  Have a Forgiving Spirit.  The word of God tells you if there is any unforgiveness in our hearts when you begin to pray that it should be dealt with before praying.  Ask God to release any anger, unforgiveness, bad feelings, resentment, jealousy, or any other wrong attitude before you begin to pray.  Lay those feelings down at the feet of God and forgive those who have wronged you.  “25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses,” Mark 11:25-26.  Greg Laurie said it so eloquently in his article entitled, “Unforgiveness and Unanswered Prayer” dated Aug 25, 2011, “Forgiven people should be forgiving people.  So it is time to bury the hatchet (but not in that person's back) and forgive. Remember, when you forgive someone, you set a prisoner free: yourself.”
 

5.  Confess Your Sins.  Confess all your sins to God and to him only.  There are two ways you can sin, by omission or commission.  Sins of omission is a sin that is the result of not doing something God’s Word teaches that you should do.  In James 4:17 the word of God says, "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."  Sins of commission or sins that a person actively commits. is a sin you take action to commit, whether in thought, word, or deed. A sin of commission can be intentional or unintentional.  When you sin against God and do not confess those sins, your prayers are not heard by God.  In Jeremiah 14:10-12 the word of God says, “10 Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have Pray not for this people for their good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. 11 Then said the Lord unto me, burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.”
 

6.  Have an Obedient Spirit.
The word says if you love God then you will keep his commandments. 

• John 14:15-31, “15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
• 1 John 5:3, “3 For this is the love of God, that you keep his commandments: and      his commandments are not grievous.”
   

When you do not keep the commandments of God you are being disobedient and the act of disobedience hinders our prayers. 

• Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” 
• Samuel 15:22-23, “22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 
• Proverbs 15:29, “The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of      the righteous.” 
• Proverbs 28:9, “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” 
• 1 Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

When it looks like our prayers are not being answered, it is very simple.  There is disobedience in your life.  God says in his word that he will reject the prayers of the disobedient and listen to the prayers of the righteous.  If you want your prayers answered and not hindered, then you must obey God and his will for our lives.
 

7.  Never Pray Negative Prayers.  It is a form of witchcraft.  And such behavior is an abomination to God and will reap no blessings to the one praying such prayers.  Our God is a God of love not hate.  And you must never prayer negative prayers against anyone, regardless.  Out God is a God of love and
 

8.  Pray with the Right Motives. 

• Pray to Glorify God.  The first thing you should ask yourself is what value will this prayer bring God or how can it enhance the kingdom of God?
• Pray Unselfishly.  Your prayers must be selfless and unselfish.  James 4:2-3 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”  That is, pray with pure intentions.  Are you going to God in order to elevate yourself or to gain something materialistic? 
• Pray to Seek God’s Will.  Pray that God’s will be done.  Pray that all is accomplished in order for you to do the will of God and not your own.  Always seek to do the will of God for your life and the life of others so that God’s will for      your life and those you are praying for are being done in order to move them toward their divine destiny. 

                   1.  Our prayers should be to do God’s will. 

                   2.  And not for our personal agenda 

• Pray According to God’s Word.  The word of God tells you what you should pray for and how you should pray: 

                   1.  Chronicles 1:7-12, “7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and  said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. 8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in    his stead. 9 Now, O Lord God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? 11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.” 

                  2.  Philippians 2:3-4, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but   in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
                 3.  We should pray … 

• that others be saved
• that individuals receive their healing 
• that others be blessed as well. 
• for world peace 
• for Israel 
• for America 
• for Religious leaders 
• for our leaders 
• for our military and their families. 
• for harmony among all people, 
• for the persecuted as well as the persecutor.
   

​In conclusion, the steps required before praying take no time, but must be done in order for your petition for self or someone else to go up unhindered and not fall back down to the ground.  Keep in mind the following before praying: 

• How you are praying
• What you are praying for 
• When you are praying 
• Why you are praying 
• Where you are praying 
• Who you are praying too

I found this cute little prayer on the internet and thought it would be perfect to conclude my webpage on “praying hands.”

Father,

Examine me and rid my soul of self-seeking in my life and in my prayers. I ask you to forgive me and cleanse me from tendencies toward this evil. You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble. I receive your forgiveness and your cleansing from all egotistical ways, particularly in my prayers. May I never seek what is best for ME, rather may I seek what is best for You, for others, and for Your Kingdom.” Amen.

 (Source:  http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/prayerplainandsimple/2015/10/praying-with-right-motives.html#Tq2fMBdjE8T4gBoC.99)
 

Now if I change and add a few things the prayer will go like this:
 

Heavenly Father,
I come before your presence with clean hands and a pure heart.  Your word says that if there is any unforgiveness that it should be dealt with before praying. therefore, you release any anger, bad feelings, resentment or any other wrong attitude before you now.  I lay it at your feet and I release and forgive those who have wronged me.  Father, I do this in order to allow my prayers to flow freely upward to you and not be hindered or blocked.  “Examine me and rid my soul of self-seeking in my life and in my prayers. I ask you to forgive me and cleanse me from tendencies toward this evil. You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble. I receive your forgiveness and your cleansing from all egotistical ways, particularly in my prayers. May I never seek what is best for ME, rather may I seek what is best for You, for others, and for Your Kingdom.”  These things I ask in your son Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Biblical Principle of Sowing and Reaping

 Earlier I talked about praying hands and how we must come before God in prayer with clean hands, clean heart, clean intentions and forgiveness in order for our prayers to go up to God and not fall down to the ground and become embedded in the soil.  After that I talked about persecution and that we should respond to it in a joyful manner in order to receive a great reward in heaven.  If Jesus Christ and the prophets before us were persecuted then we can expect to be persecuted as well.
 

Now I would like to talk about the biblical principle of sowing and reaping.  I have talked to many who have suffered tremendous lost, hurt, heartache, pain, trials and tribulations.  And they wonder why? What have they done?  Everyone looks to blame someone or something else for their situation.  Of course, those of us who read our word know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose, Romans 8:28.  This is telling us that God does not make mistakes and he knows how to turn whatever Satan and his agents, throw in our path to block his will evidentially work out for our good and his glory.  Some of these tremendous losts, hurts, heartaches, pains, trials and tribulations can be the result of mistakes on our part due to lack of faith and disobedience to the word of God.  Three things that will affect the outcome of life; that is, whether we be successful or unsuccessful:
1.    Unforgiveness (topic discussed earlier)
2.    Being revengeful (topic discussed earlier)
3.    Sowing bad seeds (current topic)
 

In the holy scriptures we are taught to have faith and live as instructed in the word of God.  When we fail to do those two things, we are displaying our lack of faith and disobedience.  Disobedience is another word for being sinful and the word of God tells us when we sow seeds of disobedience, sinful ways, we will reap the consequences of our actions.  “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap,” Galatians 6:7.
 

In Galatians, God uses a parable of a gardener to teach us a lesson on sowing and reaping. A gardener controls what he or she harvests by what they plant in their garden.  The garden I will be talking about is our “spiritual garden.”  Whatever seeds we plant (sow) in our heart or our neighbor’s heart will grow and be harvested (reaped) in due season (time).  Three important things to remember:  (1) Reaping time may come soon or later, (2) You will reap more than you have sown, and (3) You cannot pray away the consequences.  The word says “you will reap what you have sown.”  It does not state that you may reap what you have sown, but it clearly states that you will reap what you have sown.  And God is a man that he should not lie.  God does not lie, but speak the absolute truth at all times.  “19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” Numbers 23:19.
 

Overtime I have tried to explain the biblical principle of sowing and reaping to all I meet to help them understand how to reap bountiful blessings in their lives; that is, how to be successful.  What we do, think, and say have lifelong consequences.  Our deeds, our thoughts, and our spoken words, whether good or evil, will be returned back to the sender (the sower) in God’s own timing.  The word says, we will reap what we sow.  As we go through life we plant seeds along the way with our deeds, thoughts, and words.  They may be seeds of joy or seeds of sorrow.  Whatever we plant along the highway will grow and reap a harvest.  Question is will it be a harvest of blessings or a harvest of sorrow.
 

Sowing God’s Love
We do this by planting spiritual seeds into the lives of individuals in order to help them mature and grow in the word of God.  We do this to those we know and those we encounter along life’s highway.  This is accomplished by sharing the word of God and allowing the Holy Spirit to take charge and fertilize the ground, the heart of the individual, to keep the seed watered and nourished so it can grow up in a godly manner.  When that seed is fully grown and ready to be harvested, the individual will reap what has been sown or planned into their heart.  An Individual who has reaped a good harvest will show good Christian character and produce fruits of the spirit such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23).  An individual who has reaped a bad harvest will show lack of faith and disobedience in the word of God.
 

Sowing Neighborly Love
We do this by loving our neighbor as ourselves.  The bible tells us the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. 

• In Matthew 22:36-40 the word says, “36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” 
• In Leviticus      19:18 the word says, “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord."
• In Mark 12:28-31 the word says, “28 And one of the scribes came, and having      heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them      well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” 
• In Matthew 22, Leviticus 19, and Mark 12 it tells us the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.  By doing so, we are showing our love for God by keeping the second greatest commandment which is to love      and care for our neighbor as ourselves.

Example of Sowing Seeds of Mercy
God gives a parable of the “Good Samaritan” found in Luke 10:30-37, “30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”
 

All the good things we do in life for others in the name of God will be returned to us.  We will reap bountiful blessings.  And all the hateful things we wish on others will be returned to us as well.  Neither will be returned in the same measure it was sown, but more.
 

I always try to be honest, trustworthy, godly in all that I do, in order to reap all the goodness and blessings God has for me.  I am not perfect, but I strive for perfection each and every day.  I strive to be more and more like Jesus, Christ-like.  Matthew 5:48, “48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”  And I remember that what I do, think, and say will go out into the universe, and it will return back to me some day.  When it knocks at my door, I want it to bless my life not curse it.  If everyone could just remember this one biblical principle, life could be better for all who hear it and apply it in their lives.