Harvest Time

Harvest Time

Revelation 14: ¹⁴ Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was what looked like a human being, with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Then another angel came out from the temple and cried out in a loud voice to the one who was sitting on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap the harvest, because the time has come; the earth is ripe for the harvest!” ¹⁶ Then the one who sat on the cloud swung his sickle on the earth, and the earth's harvest was reaped.

 

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Seeing vegetables grow was something that excited me from my youth. It started when I planted some tomatoes and got so many, that we could not give them away!

 

• I planted seeds and watered the plants to make sure they were nourished.
• I removed weeds from the plants to keep them from overtaking my garden.
• When it was harvest time, it was very obvious, as fruit from my labor appeared.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw a figure that “looked like a human being” who was ready for a harvest. He also heard an angel explain that the “earth is ripe for the harvest. “

 

My Observations:

• JESUS said “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” meaning there are a lot of people who need to be served by those who believe in JESUS, but few believers will go out to serve.
• Lots and lots of believers will be harvested by GOD someday.
• Seeds of GOD’s message needs to grow in the hearts of believers and once ripe, will be ready to bear fruit.

 

Once fruit is bared, it requires to be harvested. That sounds obvious. But what about human fruit? Once GOD has seen the seeds of HIS word grow in the heart of humans, belief, faith, perseverance and fruit production is produced.

 

We are supposed to plant seeds of faith wherever we go. We may also hear what seeds someone else has put in the hears of humans and add our water to help that message grow. GOD adds the HOLY SPIRIT to produce fruit that HE will one day harvest.

 

Challenge

• What was difficult for the writer to describe?
• Have you ever tried to grow plants that bear fruits or vegetables?
• Will you take GOD’s commandment to heart and love your neighbor as you love yourself, so you can bear fruit today?

Generous Benefits

John 4: ³¹ Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

³² But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

³³ Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

³⁴ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. ³⁵ Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. ³⁶ Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ³⁷ Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. ³⁸ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

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“Turn them on” were the words I seldomly heard, but they came out of the owners mouth this time. As I saw the lights come on and heard the machines whir, I was filled with excitement. My bowling alley job finally had benefits. I joined in and bowled as much as I wanted to that day, for free!

• I have received some great benefits on various jobs.
• I have been given some wonderful benefits, but I had to work for them.
• I have enjoyed some delightful benefits and sometimes I became more demanding because I thought I “deserved” more.

The disciples tried to get JESUS to eat. Little did they know they were in for a lesson. JESUS introduces them to a different kind of food. This food was to be eaten eternally. HE was speaking of HIS favorite currency, namely people.

• JESUS wants me to go out and bring people back to HIM.
• JESUS wants me to reap HIS harvest where I did not plant the seeds of HIS wisdom.
• JESUS wants me to open my eyes and see someone who may be seeking something and point that something to HIM.

Seeing a plentiful harvest for GOD takes open spiritual eyes. Instead of complaining about “those” people, GOD may want me to pray for them. HE gives me opportunities to reap a harvest every day.

Each person I pass can be prayed for. Some may even stop and listen to the words GOD puts in my mouth at the right time. I am grateful GOD guides me to go get HIS harvest.

• Are you working hard for your “benefits?”
• Are you concerned you do not have any benefits?
• Will you ask GOD to open your spiritual eyes and allow HIM to give you the right words to bring many people to HIS harvest today?

Fate of the Seed

Matthew 13: ³⁶ Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

³⁷ He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸ The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

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GOD put me here for a purpose, namely to speak about HIS SON. Everything else is a distraction. Yet I find myself focused on the things and worries of the world. People tend to pop up with new shiny messages that keep me from focusing on the glory of GOD.

• GOD wants me to focus on HIM daily.
• GOD wants me to seek HIS face each and every day.
• GOD wants me to believe in HIM, not in humans around me.

One day GOD will harvest those who believe in HIM. I’m not just talking about HIS existence. I’m speaking about HIS love. The way HE died and was raised from the dead. I’m talking about the HOLY SPIRIT who was sent on my behalf, who now lives in me. That belief!

GOD does not want me to be part of the weeds, so HE grows me to bear fruit.

• Are you being distracted with the things of the world?
• Do you desire to be grown?
• Can you allow yourself to be led of GOD’s SPIRIT today?

Harassed and Helpless

Matthew 9: ³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

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Walking down the hallway of my dorm, a guy stuck his head out of a room and screamed “Hey [racial name]!” and slammed the door giggling. Filled with rage, I went to the night clerk who was six feet, five inches and my friend. We banged on the door until they opened it, there were seven or eight guys in the room.

“Who is the guy who made slurs at my friend?” I pointed the guy out by hitting him on the back of his head. Nothing good came out of the situation. For the rest of the year, the floor had tension.

• There were times when I have been harassed.
• There were times when I have felt helpless.
• There have been times I have taken matters into my own hands and did not get very far.

Rage, anger and hatred are values that get me into trouble. When I feel like retaliating, but cannot, I feel helpless. When someone else attacks me I immediately go on the defense, ready to go to war with them. We will go blow for blow until everyone loses. BUT GOD wants me to behave differently.

• GOD wants me to see the sickness and disease of humanity.
• GOD wants me to have compassion on the crowd.
• GOD wants me to ask HIM “Please send out workers into YOUR field.”

Falling down the hole of rage blinds me to the ailment “we” all have, namely sin. I elevate “that” person’s sins over mine and blame them for all of the world’s problems. GOD wants me to calm down for a moment and pray to HIM so HIS Good News can be spread. The Good News is that JESUS has already won and there is no fight!

GOD wants my rage to be replaced with HIS compassion. HE took care of it all.

• Are you being harassed by life?
• Do you feel helpless?
• Can you stop focusing on the harassment and look at GOD’s deliverance?
• Will you ask GOD for more of HIS workers to help spread the Good News?