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The HARVEST (1 Cor 3:6) "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." The Lord used the analogy of planting and watering as He spoke through His servant Paul. Every Christian reading this should have experienced the planting of seed or the watering of seed that someone else has planted. I'm speaking in the spiritual context of sharing the Word of God with someone. As we share the Word with others, the Holy Spirit takes it and does a work in their life (giving the increase). Therefore, we must understand that if we don't share the Word as seed and living water, there can be no increase. We are called as disciples to "Go," (Mat 28:19) "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations..." This is the purpose for which God so graciously entrusted His Word into our hands. Do we really understand the importance of this commission? And more, do we understand how instrumentally the Lord gave us the gift of His Holy Spirit to enable us to fulfill it? Jesus said: (Acts 1:8) "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." From the time of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was first poured out, when Peter preached a sermon that brought thousands of people into the Kingdom of God, the Lord was giving us an example of how it would be with those whom, by the Spirit, He would lead into the harvest. I must share my excitement about the great harvest about to be reaped. Yes, I say it with all confidence in the spirit -- we are being led into the harvest. Like never before, I am seeing revival spring up from within those who are tasting of the living waters. I see a people being brought forth with a strong yearning to be in the presence of the Lord, accompanied by a heart's cry to reach out to the lost and backslidden. We are in a time when God is making evident His intentions. He is saying "Go into the fields, the harvest is ready to be reaped." So we as a people must stay in tune with the move of His Holy Spirit. Doing this will allow us to do the optimum for the Kingdom's purpose. The Lord does not just want numbers added to the "Decisions made for Christ" list. He wants disciples made for Christ. The only way to allow that to happen is for us to stay around long enough to see them taught and trained. Doing this is a tremendous responsibility. That is why Jesus said: (Luke 10:2)..."The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest." He wants not just people to go into the harvest, but people who will labor in it. Go into the harvest. Pray for more laborers and for the Holy Spirit to lead you. Remember (John 4:36) "And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." - Kurt Thurston February 1996 Newsletter | Battle for the Mind | The Harvest Pastor's Journal February 1995 | The Debts People Owe | Preparing and Prepared part 2 of 4 Revised: June 25, 2008. |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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