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Are YOU Ready For The Harvest?Farmers know the importance of having their equipment ready for harvest time. Once the farmer cultivates and sprays for insects or diseases that may cause the crop not yield a good harvest he then begins to plan for harvest time. While the crop is still ripening he spends time preparing his machinery for the time when the crop is ready for reaping. He knows that it is important to be ready when the crops are matured. When the crop is ready there is little time to gather for various reasons. If the crop over ripens it can fall to the ground, if the wind blows strong enough it can knock the stalks over or the ears off the corn. Being ready is crucial for the best yield.
Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 9:37-38, “. . .The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."(NIV) In this reference we see two important things. One, there was not a shortage to be harvested; secondly there was a shortage of workers. We know that Jesus was not referring to a shortage of people to gather the crop but a shortage that would be qualified as workers. Are YOU one that Jesus could send in a response to the prayer for laborers?
In 2 Timothy 2:19-22 we are instructed, “Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: 'The Lord knows those who are his,' and, 'Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.' In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”(NIV) Webster defines “ignoble” as “dishonorable”. These are areas of our lives that we know do bring honor to God. We need to weed out those things in our lives that hinder us from being ready for God to use us. Not only is it “dishonorable” things that make us ineffective for God’s use but also things in our lives that have priority over God. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (NIV) We are instructed in this verse to not only lay aside the things that are dishonorable to God but also areas of our lives that we put before God. These could be sports, going to the lake, jobs, etc. These things are not sin but if they have priority over God it slows us down spiritually. We are not ready for God to use us when He needs someone to do a task.
Let’s ask ourselves a couple of questions; first “What areas of my life do not honor God?” and secondly, “What areas of my life do I put before God?” We shouldn’t answer either to quickly but give each some careful thought and prayer. Let’s ask God to show us the areas that He knows we need to change. We need to be ready so we can go into the harvest of souls that need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12 goes on to tell us that God disciplines those he loves and it is not pleasant but after it brings a harvest of righteousness. God’s correcting will make you a workman ready for the harvest. We’ll be ready for the Master’s work!
Father God, work what is necessary in us that we may be ready for the harvest fields.
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