Tag: harvest

What Are You Planting Today?

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion App7 Comments

Every morning when I get up, I thank God for awakening me and for a new day. Then, I get busy getting ready for my day…shower, brush teeth, take morning meds, etc. Finally, I end up in my recliner in the den with my iPad on my lap and start reading and studying my Bible and devotionals. I want to make a commitment to add something to that routine. I already pray, but I have found that many or my prayers are surface ones…just barely touching the surface of the needs of myself, my family and others. I want to spend time waiting on God to show me what He wants me to pray about for a person or for other people. Right now, there is a young man named Mitch who is in his 30’s, has two young children and a beloved wife who is six months pregnant. On Monday night, he was taken to the hospital by ambulance with a high fever and his kidneys failing for an unknown reason. The doctors did exploratory surgery and discovered a toxic ulcer leaking in his abdomen, but he is too weak for them to repair it. Meanwhile, his heart started to fail. He is on a ventilator and the doctors say he needs a miracle. So, I would like you to plant seeds for Mitch and his family today, coming before God’s throne and asking for that miracle that he needs. God knows exactly the touch that his body needs in order for it to begin to repair itself and heal.

When we plant seeds, we frequently think of what will come from the harvest. And most seeds we plant are for ourselves. Let’s reach out to others like Mitch. He is a stranger to me, but I was contacted by a family member asking for prayer. So, I will sow seeds for Mitch and others whom God brings to my mind who need a touch from Him, of healing, comfort, grace and love. We may never see the harvest, but we can plant the seeds. Giving doesn’t have to be finances; it can be time and energy and effort. God wants all of us dedicated to serving Him, not just our wallets.

Plant Generously

In his second letter to the believers in Corinth, Greece, the apostle Paul expressed His gratefulness for their commitment to generosity before challenging them with this statement:

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul knew that God had established some common-sense principles when it came to generosity. All throughout Scripture, we see both natural and spiritual implications of this cycle.

Natural: If you plant a few seeds in the ground, you will reap a small harvest. If you plant hundreds or thousands of seeds in the ground, you will reap a large harvest.

Spiritual: If you spend your time, money, talents, or energy investing in a friend, a stranger, a ministry, or the next generation, God can certainly multiply those efforts.

But Paul also makes it clear in the surrounding verses that you shouldn’t just give to get. If you do give, you should do so willingly and cheerfully—not begrudgingly.

What we sow with the right heart, God will surely multiply what we produce.

Proverbs 11:18 says, “…the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” Hosea 10:13 says, “You have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception…”

Instead of seeds of selfishness, anger, or pride, let’s plant seeds of selflessness, peace, and humility.

Ask yourself: How am I investing my life? What types of seeds am I planting? Am I trusting that God will multiply my efforts when invested with the right heart?

Take some time to reflect on what you’re planting and reaping today, and ask God to direct your steps.

Preparing the Soil

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Every year, sometime during the month of March, my dirt-loving husband goes out to the garden to get the ground ready to plant his new vegetables and fruits for the year. A hobby has almost turned into a job for him as he rakes, tills, hoes and tills some more. I watch mesmerized from my window at all of his work and remember when I used to think that gardening should be easy. My idea was that you go outside, throw some seeds out and wait for them to grow. My husband laughed when I told him my simplistic style of gardening and told me that very little would grow if the soil were not prepared first. He even takes soil samples to the local garden shop where they analyze how much nitrate he needs to add to the soil every year. He is serious about his planting and growing and wants his crops to do well. Friday was a beautiful day, almost in the 70’s, so Harry was outside raking away debris from last year’s garden and getting it ready for the other labor to come. And labor it is! Once he starts the garden, he is out in it daily, usually from the time after breakfast until time to make dinner.

Applying my husband’s gardening knowledge to the Word of God, it would make sense that before we can sow the seeds of life into someone’s heart, we must first prepare the “soil” of their hearts to receive it. How do we do that? I think it starts with building a relationship with the person with whom we are sharing. We need to first show how much we care about them physically and mentally before we can show them the spiritual truth that is in God’s Word and expect them to accept these seeds from us. Seeds produce in good soil. Good soil comes from prior preparation, not from aimlessly throwing the seeds out anywhere and hope that somehow they produce something worthwhile. We need to pray before we share the gospel message and we need to labor in the field of preparing that heart to receive. Sometimes someone else has prepared the heart of the other person to listen to us, sometimes we share and think that the person was ready but they walk away from us, only to return to the gospel message later when someone else shares it again and in a new way. We may never see all of the fruits of our labor, but we are still called to prepare the soil and to spread the seeds. God brings the harvest!

May all of your seeds of the Word be sown into prepared soil and may they richly produce a harvest that God will see and lovingly reward you for your labors!

Thankful for the Harvest

On By vickleaIn Scripture3 Comments

Thanksgiving is part of the harvest season. My understanding is that the pilgrims celebrated the bountiful harvest with the Native Americans who had planted it. Both were thankful for the food that was the result of the hard work that they had put into the soil. But the harvest that I am thankful for is the harvest of all of the souls that God is reaping. We have the benefit and the great pleasure of participating in that harvest by sowing the seeds into the hearts of the unbelievers and then waiting for the seed to ripen and bear fruit.

Sometimes it is hard to wait for the harvest to come. Sitting out in the field watching the corn will not make it grow any faster. But watering it, weeding it and caring for it diligently will assist in the growth that is going to come at the “proper time.”

God knows the time when the harvest is ripe and if you and I are not there with the person whose seed of faith we sowed, it will be okay, because God will provide someone else to reap. We should be thankful to be included in God’s miraculous plan of salvation.

We cannot sit around and moan because others get to do the reaping. Like the pilgrims once did, we just joyously celebrate the bountiful harvest and be glad that many souls are added to God’s kingdom for eternity. We are not in competition with one another to see how many we can bring to Heaven with us. We are all working together for the same goal, the glory of God and the eternal salvation of friends, family and even strangers.

The fall crops are mostly harvested now. The winter crops are in the ground, waiting for their harvest time. And the bumper crop of spring is right around the corner. God knows when the best time for harvesting is for each soul, and I am thankful that I am part of His harvest and even more thankful that I can tell others about Him and the truth of His Word. Yes, I am thankful for the harvest and for each of you who is part of it. What are you thankful for today?

May God bless you today with eyes that see the fields ripe and ready to harvest and the other fields that need seeds to be sown. We are blessed to be a blessing!

The Wicked Perish

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song1 Comment

My whole thinking about this verse has changed, I think, because I have had a heart change. When I read this verse previously, I was exultant, much as one would be when a fierce enemy is defeated. Now, I read the verse and I am saddened to think that so many will perish in their sins, lost and without hope for all eternity. Instead of praying for Jesus to return quickly, I am praying for Him to tarry so that others may be saved.

Jesus did not want sinful men to perish. Instead, He desired that we become workers in the harvest fields, telling the lost about the way to be saved.

I like the way this verse is written in The Message because it is forthright and easy to understand. We don’t have to have a lot of knowledge in order to share about Jesus. We just need to keep what we say simple…who Jesus is (the only Son of God) and what He did (died for our sins). We can use various scriptures (like the “Roman Road”) or even our own testimony. The important thing is that we share. Refer back to the first Scripture. If we don’t share, then they die in their wickedness and are lost forever. Sobering thought, isn’t it? It is an awesome responsibility that the Lord left us, but He also gave us a Helper, His Holy Spirit, to guide our words and our steps towards the people who need Him in their hearts. We need to be obedient because I truly believe that the time is shorter than it has ever been before. I am no longer willing to sit back and gleefully look forward to God’s judgment on sinful men. I must, you must, we all must, hear the call of the Lord and rescue them, as much as it is in us to do so. We have to share the Gospel in the hope that some will repent and be saved.

“Rescue the Perishing”-Islington Baptist Church