This time of the year has so many contrasts.

Love, stress, rejoicing, family, loneliness, selfishness, consumerism, selling, buying, etc.

Many do not celebrate Christmas, many do. The question is not whether this is a Biblical Holiday or not. Not whether this date is accurate or the debate of the Christmas tree etc.. I myself hate pressure giving, competition giving, worrying whether I can give a gift that will compare to other parents and what they give their children, the selfish attitudes “what will they buy for ME?”

The question is why do we celebrate at all?

Ever hear of the Spirit of Christmas?

For me this is the greatest time of the year to be able to remind the people that it is supposed to be a time of giving. Giving only because God was the greatest example of selfless giving. He gave his Son.

Gal 6:7-10

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 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. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (NIV)

God is not mocked!

You cannot trick or deceive God he knows all things.
You cannot treat God like a man
You cannot avoid God; he controls everything in the Universe except you (for the moment)

You cannot go around the system. There are Natural and Spiritual Laws!

A MAN reaps what HE sows! IS THIS TRUE?

First of all is God against GOOD THINGS? A good life? NO!
What if I sow my seed in the ocean? What about on the North Pole? It must be good soil or? Yeah but the Bible means spiritually!

OK! Is there a wrong place in the spirit and what do we mean by “in the spirit?“

The one who sows to please his sinful nature.

Selfish soil! …From that nature (selfish soil) will reap destruction

Has our understanding of Christianity become like the rest of society? Everything for me? Everything sold today is sold on the basis of self-gratification!
The fruit today is destruction, because of the selfish soil.

Maybe the seed is GOOD! We always think that the problem is bad seed! Sometimes people just want good things, and there is nothing wrong with that. BUT if it is planted in the wrong place it will grow something that will destroy us! (Reap destruction)
The attitude of the heart. The goal of our living. The external works may be the same, but the reason is different! One will lead to abundant life the other to destruction.

the one who sows to please the Spirit (will reap eternal life)

Sow to please the spirit? What does that mean?
It sounds like when I am a giver it pleases God! It does!
Giving is trusting God (spirit) v. Saving is trusting the bank or yourself!(Selfish soil)

Is it bad to want to have security for your family? NO!

Security? The Krone? The stock market? The Dollar? The Ruble? Insurance companies? Governments?????

If sowing to myself leads to destruction, where will giving lead? To Life abundantly!

Acts 20:32-35

32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.

34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak,(there is a difference between the WEAK and the rebellious and lazy) remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ”It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Eccl 11:1-6

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days (Gal 6:9..for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.) you will find it again. 2 Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. 3 If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie. 4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. 5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. 6 Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. (NIV)

Gal 6:2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.

Matt 10:39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matt 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, Luke 17:33, John 12:25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.