Genesis 8:22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest,Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
John 4:31 Inthe meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat ofwhich you do not know.” 33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Hasanyone brought Him anything to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to dothe will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘Thereare still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, liftup your eyes and look at the fields, for...
Genesis 8:22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest,Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
John 4:31 Inthe meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat ofwhich you do not know.” 33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Hasanyone brought Him anything to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to dothe will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘Thereare still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, liftup your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that bothhe who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying istrue: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which youhave not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors
You are predestined to reap a harvest on three levels:
In blessing (provision)
In favor (access and influence)
In changed lives (making a positive difference in people's lives)
John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, youwill ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father isglorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
John 15:16, You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointedyou that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, thatwhatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things Icommand you, that you love one another.
Jesus appointed us to go and bear fruit. Being fruitful is one ofthe objectives of life.
1 With respect to blessing and provision, that is connected tosowing and reaping. It's not just about provision for ourselves but provisionfor the purposes of God.
It's not hard to have to enough for yourself, it's more difficultto have a enough to serve God's purposes and to be a blessing to others.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure,pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
This is the problem with the lack of giving tithes and offerings,it's not that we lack but that we cause the house of God and his purposes tohave lack. Of course, if we don't give to God we will have more for ourselvesin the short run, but in the long run and for God's purposes, we will lack inways beyond monetary and material fulfillment.
Malachi 3:8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes andofferings.
9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Eventhis whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there maybe food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If Iwill not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessingThat there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that hewill not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bearfruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;
12 “And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be adelightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.
2 Concerning favor and influence, the apostle Paul experienced harvest:
Acts 18:9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by avision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am withyou, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in thiscity.” 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word ofGod among them.
Operating in the kingdom of God also produces a harvest offavor:
Romans 14:17For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peaceand joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things isacceptable to God and approved by men.
3 We also operate in the harvest of changed lives.
Matthew 9:37-38, Then He said to His disciples, “The harvesttruly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.Therefore pray the Lord of theharvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Acts 18:10-11 shows the harvest of changed lives after leadingJustus and Crispus to the Lord.
7 And he departed from there and entered the house of acertain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door tothe synagogue. 8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lordwith all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.
10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you;for I have many people in this city.” 11 And he continued there a year and sixmonths, teaching the word of God among them.
Justus and Crispuswere two of the many people that God had in the city. I believe that God spokeprophetically concerning people in the city. God knows those who will acceptJesus, when the gospel is presented. But we don’t know. I called this the“Appointed Harvest”
Being prepared for the harvest requires receiving the rain, orthe word, of God. There is early and latter rain in your life.
JAM 5:7, Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of theLord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waitingpatiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
When you live in theHarvest principle, you will have seasons of rejoicing in receiving yourharvest!
Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a greatlight; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,Upon them a light hasshined. 3 You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoicebefore You According to the joy of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide thespoil.
As gods people, we understand the principle of "first fruits"which is bringing your first and best to God.
Leviticus 23: And the Lord spoke to Moses,saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you comeinto the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring asheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave thesheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after theSabbath the priest shall wave it.
