Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Harvest Time



I remember a time when the church went out and got involved in harvesting souls.  Going out and witnessing was a regular practice and was very much on the minds of some believers.  Teaching about witnessing and putting it into practice was the norm in many churches.  Today the Mormons and those who call themselves Jehovah Witnesses seem to be the ones that evangelize by knocking on doors and pedaling their wares and their groups are growing.  

Think about what Jesus said to His disciples when he was in Samaria in John 4:35–38, “Say not ye, there are yet four months and then cometh harvest?  Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.  And herein is that saying true, one soweth and another reapeth.  I sent you to reap that whereon you bestowed no labour: other men laboured and ye are entered into their labours.”  These words of Jesus give a believer no excuse for not witnessing to their loved ones, their friends and others they may come in contact with.

Today the fields are still ripe for the harvest.  In those days the sowing and planting were done by the Old Testament Prophets and John the Baptist who labored and paved the way for the gospel.  In our day there have been many who have labored and sown the seeds of the gospel and we have the opportunity to water those seeds so that the Lord will give the increase.  

Another thing I want to mention here is no matter how bad you think the person is, God loves them and wants them to repent and be saved.  

Jesus was a Jew and so were His disciples.  At the time when Jesus spoke to the disciples about the fields being ripe for the harvest He was in Samaria with the Samaritan woman at the well talking to her.  The reason I mentioned this was because at the time the Jews hated the Samaritans. So Jesus was also teaching His disciples to love their enemies as well as their friends, and He demonstrated this by His love for the Samaritans, to the disciples shock and amazement.

Another lesson you can take from this story is that when you win a soul with the Lord’s help it doesn’t have to be complicated, sometimes just telling the person what the Lord has done for you will be enough.  But don’t be afraid to show your excitement, your excitement will be contagious.  This Samaritan woman was excited about what Jesus told her and she went into the city and spread the news.  This is what it says in verse 39, “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him (Jesus) for the saying of the woman, which testified, ‘He told me all that ever I did.’”  Like I said, get excited and tell people what Jesus has done for you.  And don’t forget to always witness by your example like Jesus did.  So get excited and go and do likewise.

If you are privileged enough to have someone pray the sinner’s prayer with you, you will definitely be excited and all Heaven will rejoice with you, praise the Lord.  God bless you and don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord!!               

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