Good Morning!
Today's devotional is about needing people to spread the good news of Jesus Christ in the world. It is titled "HARVEST TIME" and is written by Jan Andersen. Even in Jesus' time there was a need for more people to do the work of harvesting souls for God. Read on to see how we can go about this today.
Blessings on your Sunday,
Jan and Corinne
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Today's Devotional:
"HARVEST TIME!"
by
Jan Andersen
Seventy-two. What does that number mean to you? To a baker it might mean 6 dozen, or half a gross. To a mathematician it is a natural number between 71 and 73, the sum of four consecutive prime numbers (13 + 17 + 19 + 23) or even six consecutive primes (5 + 7 + 11 + 13 + 17 + 19). To a scientist it is the atomic number of hafnium, and in degrees Fahrenheit it is room temperature. But to a Christian it might bring to mind the Biblical account of Jesus sending out 72 (or some sources say 70) ahead of him:
Luke 10:1-3 (NIV) After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves…”
If you’ve ever had an over-producing garden or orchard, you know the feeling. Everything starts to ripen at the same time and all of the sudden you are blessed with an over-abundance of produce. It usually happens when all your neighbors are experiencing the same thing, so there is no one clamoring at your door asking if they can help you harvest it or if they can take some home with them. It’s a time when people sneak up to your front door to leave a bag of zucchini for your enjoyment but won’t ring the doorbell for fear you will say “No, thanks, I already have plenty.” Now that I live in Sun City, AZ, it is citrus fruit. Even the food pantries sometimes have to limit or cut off donations of oranges, lemons, and grapefruit during citrus season. Unfortunately, what ultimately happens is much of the produce goes to waste, either still on the plant, on the ground, or once collected.
God is looking down on our world and seeing so many lost souls waiting for harvest, but where are the workers? Generally, the people who really need “harvesting” will not just come to the church. They have to be brought, or even more so we have to go to them where they are. So who are the laborers to do the harvesting now? Some people seem to believe they are only the paid professional church workers whose vocation it is to spread the Gospel - the pastors, religious teachers, and the like. But God has called each and every Christian to be about his work of sharing the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It doesn’t mean everyone has to go door to door, two by two, making evangelism calls. What it means is that we involve ourselves with people out of love, helping with their physical, emotional and spiritual needs, while sharing with them how important our faith has been to us in our own lives and that those things are what motivates us to lovingly help them and others. Just starting with simple statements like, “God has made a beautiful day for us to be together” can open the door.
What are we to do now when we need more laborers to harvest the lost and dying souls? Arm twisting, guilt tripping, begging and such usually does not provide committed workers. Jesus says, “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.” We should always start with prayer. It is not an insignificant thing - it is necessary and mandatory! Pray. Then ask the people God leads you to ask. Then train them, nurture them, and continue to pray for the right reasons - to rescue the lost, not just to increase your church numbers. God will be with us throughout, and will even forgive us when we make mistakes. Just don’t let little failures stop the process - continue to GO and make more disciples for Christ. Don't just let the crops rot. It’s harvest time!
Dear Lord of the Harvest, help us to see the lost souls around us in need of your salvation. Give us the courage to get involved with them and share how important you are in our own lives. Help them to hear the saving message of grace and forgiveness with open hearts so they may be brought into your fold. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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"Here I am Lord"
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Prayers are lifted up daily for you
by the Staff Writers of
Women's Focus Ministry
Jan Andersen, Cathy Friberg, Sandy Billingham, Beverley Napier, Shelly Keith,
Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward, Karen Bennett,
Carol Steficek, Amie Spruiell, and Corinne Mustafa
Occasional Contributors
Kathy Bireley, Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,
Kathy Bireley, Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,
Terri Baker, Beverley Napier, Kelly Dobyns
Glenna Williamson, Lisabeth Lipp, Nandita Bhatnagar.
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