What is Harvest?

 

My father was an agriculturist who owned a farm. Harvest time used to be a time of great mirth and extreme joy. He would have a radiant beatific smile and eyes that danced merrily. Observing the harvest year after year, I have gathered some important facts, which can be related to evangelism.

1. Harvest means Multiplication!

“Then Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundred fold; and the Lord blessed him” (Gen 26:12). The most encouraging fact about evangelism is that the seed we sow proliferates. It is always a hundred fold, sixty or thirty, never zero. A soul- winner should never forget this principle. There is nothing so de- energizing than counting the seeds we plant.

Think of Abraham. God said to him, “I will make you a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing” (Gen 12:2). Where was the blessing? The sight of billions of scintillating stars, vaulting across a velvety night sky didn’t excite him about God’s promise. He was grow- ing older and older without dandling a child on his knees. He was brimming with unbelief when God talked about Sarah being mother of nations, a son and kings of peoples. He fell on his face and laughed (Gen 17:15-17). When God did remember His promise it was not a dozen children, just one. Isaac was his first ray of hope.

The one had only two; then twelve; seventy (Ex 1:5). Over six lakhs (12:37), an ever expanding nation, then the quantum leap—all over the world! From the small stream of Jewish faith the vast rivers of Christianity flows today. Abraham did not live to see the lakhs. That’s the picture of a soul winner. First he experiences barren- ness, diffidence and unbelief; then a discouraging one and then two. That’s why the Bible admonishes, “Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal 6:9). The more we sow the more we reap. We sow seeds but bring in sheaves! (Psa 126:6). Even if every thing seems hopeless, don’t give up. If you persevere the  magic is sure to happen. The sown seed shall result in a harvest of unbelievable proportions.

2. Harvest means Reproduction!

“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal 6:7). Each brings forth its own kind. We do not sow wheat and reap groundnuts. The harvest depends upon what we sow. One need not be an intelligent person to win souls. God uses the uneducated and fools.


But the sower must carry seeds which is the Word of God. If you sow the wind, you’ll reap the whirlwind (Hos 8:7).

Sharing our testimony is good, but it should be impregnated with the Word of God, which has life. Only life can bring forth life. Empty stories and arguments bring forth nothing. Be prepared with a message anytime for unexpected invitations. Let there be a solid written down message inside your Bible always. That’s to be shod with the preparation of the gospel.

If you are invited to share your testimony or preach a sermon, do not go unprepared expecting the Holy Spirit to inspire you on the spot. Spend time on your knees. Sweat over the Bible.

Receive a definite message from God and then go to sow. You’ll be richly rewarded. There are many who talk ill of other ministers of God in the pulpit. Some are experts in narrating their own experiences in detail. People feel empty when they leave after  such a sermon. A person, serious about the mission should preach Christ, and Him crucified. Exalt Christ. Let there be no ulterior motive in your preaching to get people to give to your ministry or add to your congregation. Preach the “Word,” in season, out of season! (2 Tim 4:2).

3. Harvest means Tears and Joy!

“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psa 126:5,6).

Neck deep in my fifties, I look back at the time when my husband and I decided to serve the Lord fulltime. The mission decided on a monthly salary of Rs. 750/- for my husband. Money, dresses, non-vegetarian dishes and the luxuries of life were always in short supply. We have slept on newspapers in railway platforms, alternately keep- ing awake to guard the things. As a woman I have faced the sting of male put down (not to mention the female put downs!). My husband would be taken to the dais with a greeting and handshake and I would be left alone to find a seat for myself somewhere. My husband would be made to dine on the table and I would be requested to sit on the floor with children. Rejected, criticized, condemned, swatted off like a fly. But I felt, to give in to bitterness would be to thwart the more distant goal. For me these seemed greater trials than the problems we faced while living in various States of India and
tribal villages. There were language barriers, culture shocks, malarial attacks and travel dysenteries. But today, people and letters bring us a daily dose of sunshine.

The spirit of some nascent workers today seeking comfortable five star ministry gives me the ulcer. The word ‘Sacrifice’ rattles their spine with fear.
Like a boat on dry land they stand on the shore, never having the courage to go deep sea fishing. Volunteerism has reached the endangered species
list. People want to be paid for every thing. Today’s young people should understand that making history is rarely a safe slippers-by-the-fire-job. All the early apostles and disciples suffered, some to the point of death. Many could not rejoice here on  earth. The result? Christians all over the world! The sacrificial spirit of Jesus had rubbed off on them. Have a mind to suffer and you will not lack the joy of harvest.

We die and we are sown, not buried (1 Cor 15:42). People cry but heaven rejoices. There are tears because of enemies, tares, thorns, loss, suffering; but the end result is joy as in the case of the lost son, lost coin and lost sheep. Our cup of joy will  be full.

4. Harvest means Labour!

The quintessence of harvest is hard work. Harvest is taking back what we once lost to the devil, and it’s not going to be easy. Satan has illegally taken by default what rightly belongs to God. So harvest is hard battle. You may sincerely desire a  harvest. But desire alone won’t help you into your running shoes. You need to labour. Jesus urged His disciples to pray for “labourers” to be sent into the harvest (Mt 9:38).

The sower must sow by the wayside, stony places, thorny ground and good ground. He must sow beside all waters (Isa 32:20). If he sows sparingly he will also reap sparingly (2 Cor 9:6). He must water, weed and watch. He must rise up early and sit up late. He must be prepared to give up certain legitimate entertainments so as  to be a high achiever.

“He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap… In the morning sow your seed and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good (Eccl 11:4,6). Because of the element of uncertainty we need to work and overwork. Apostle Paul had a schedule that would leave most people gasping. People call him a daredevil, but he wasn’t. He was simply a man whose limits were much greater than most  others. “He who CONTINUALLY goes forth…” (Psa 126:6). I have never seen an ant sitting or lying down. Some times it carries food bigger than itself. The secret of success in a single word is perseverance. If you can’t get through one door go through another — or make a door!

It is not enough to be a dreaming visionary. You must be an intensely practical hard working realist. We knew a strapping 25 year old who had committed to serve the Lord. When we asked him what he was doing, he answered that he had written to the United  States for admission in a Bible College. Two years later he was still loitering, waiting for admission! Proceed with your plan but in the meanwhile go to the ant and learn.

There is no dearth of slogans and songs for harvest. Ross Perot says, “The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river.” Let’s get down to work. “He who sleeps in the harvest is a son who causes shame” (Prov 10:5). The one who buried his one talent was too lazy to work. The master rightly called him a slothful servant (Mt 25:26). Laziness is a sure recipe for failure. If you  want a glorious harvest you can’t just sit back and hope it will happen; you’ve got to make it happen. Do not waste time in TV, sleep, over-indulgence in computer games and vain chat. The wisdom of life consists in the elimi- nation of non-essentials.


Grab every opportunity. Talk to auto drivers, co- passengers, patients waiting with you. Walk or bicycle vivaciously to villages. “The lazy man will not plow because of winter; he will beg during harvest and have nothing” (Prov 20:4).

The three-toed sloth moves so slowly that creepers grow on its back. The analogy is that some harvesters are so slow that the tentacles of the world encircle them and cripple them. Slothfulness is downright dangerous.

5. Harvest means Hope!

“He who ploughs should plough in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope” (1 Cor  9:10). Ploughing without hope is…
wisdumb. After pouring ourselves out to the furtherance of the harvest, the sheer hardness and testing can grind us down. Disappointment, ill health and failure can cause doubt and depression. If we have no hope of a harvest we cannot plough or sow or water. Constant discouragement will rob  us of all enthusiasm. Hurdles will snuff out our spirit. But hope is the impetus that kindles our heart to go on labouring against all odds. He shall
‘DOUBTLESS’ come again with rejoicing (Psa 126:6).

King Solomon puts it in an interest- ing way. Bones are formed in the womb. You can’t see it but you know it. You can’t explain it, nevertheless it’s happening. You know for sure after nine months she will deliver a bonny baby. “You do not know the works of God who makes everything” (Eccl 11:5). That’s hope. Once you sow  the Word of God in somebody’s heart, baby Jesus starts growing there. It may take a long, long time to be seen but as sure as a baby grows, the word grows.

Columbia, the space shuttle that ended the life of Kalpana Chowla—the most complicated machine ever built got knocked out of the sky by 750 gms of foam. It can happen to your harvest if you lose the bolt of your life called hope. “Not slothful in  business, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope” (Rom 12:11,12). See, it is hope that’s our kick. It is this sanguine hope that wipes away the tears of a soul- winner filling his heart with gladness. Hence, never allow the torch of hope  to be extinguished. The harvester’s life-jacket is hope.

6. Harvest means Reward!

“Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are God’s fellow workers” (1 Cor 3:8,9). Put the emphasis on the conjunction and read it once again. We are not a poor, weak team.  


We have a strong and mighty team worker, the Captain of our team. He is the Lord of the Harvest. He Himself works with us. Then where is failure? We shall have a bumper harvest and sure reward. “The Lord working with them” (Mk 16:20). As He works, He  keeps an eye on us. He knows how we work and what we deserve. Our reward is according to our labour. No hard working farmer will be disappoin- ted. “The labourer is worthy of his wages” (Lk 10:7).
Again I want to remind you of Paul’s admonition to the Galatians: “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Temptations to become tired and lose heart will be plenty. You may be struck down by  illness and catastrophe, assailed by grief and failure, treated unfairly or betrayed. Never ever give up your good works. Times of toil and tears will, without question be richly rewarded.

7. Harvest means God’s Work!

Paul states explicitly, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Cor 3:6,7). It is this attitude that made headway in Paul’s ministry.  It is not unusual for us to beat our chest like Kingkong when our ministry flourishes. Like Nebuchadnezzar we trumpet, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honour of my majesty?” (Dan 4:30).

We can be blinded by the light of our success. Without God we cannot do anything. Man minus God is zero. Let Christ be enthroned as the Lord of the Harvest and we the labour class people. Exalt Him in whatever you do. Let the I-must-decrease-He-must-  increase spirit pervade and possess you.

Jesus said, “Therefore pray ” (Mt 9:38). Prayer galvanizes harvest. Since
He alone can do it we have to cry to Him to reach out to cut-off people, to penetrate closed doors, for a bountiful harvest. Commit your grandiose plans to Him in intercession. Elijah prayed and the heavens gave rain (Js 5:18). “Ask the Lord for rain  in the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain” (Zech 10:1). The watch word of the early Church was, “God is able.” Isaac sowed and reaped a hundred fold because the “Lord blessed” him (Gen 26:12).

It is time for the latter rain. Let’s bend our knees, fold our hands and lower our heads. Let’s gather the people to pray for an overflowing harvest. Let us plead the Lord for a revival. Have a target and form as many prayer cells as possible. Avail  yourself of the unlimited life challenging potential of prayer. Teach your Sunday School children to gather and pray for the harvest once a week. Let students pray. Let brides and grooms intercede. Let the old people have prayer clubs. God is not  confined to our dimensions. He will most certainly give us the increase.

The D day is at our door step. Communism is running out of business. People are disappointed wherever they turn to. The count down on the world has begun. Christians on the march. Put in your sickle and reap the golden grains, ripe and ready for harvest.

 

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What is Harvest?

 

My father was an agriculturist who owned a farm. Harvest time used to be a time of great mirth and extreme joy. He would have a radiant beatific smile and eyes that danced merrily. Observing the harvest year after year, I have gathered some important facts, which can be related to evangelism.

1. Harvest means Multiplication!

“Then Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundred fold; and the Lord blessed him” (Gen 26:12). The most encouraging fact about evangelism is that the seed we sow proliferates. It is always a hundred fold, sixty or thirty, never zero. A soul- winner should never forget this principle. There is nothing so de- energizing than counting the seeds we plant.

Think of Abraham. God said to him, “I will make you a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing” (Gen 12:2). Where was the blessing? The sight of billions of scintillating stars, vaulting across a velvety night sky didn’t excite him about God’s promise. He was grow- ing older and older without dandling a child on his knees. He was brimming with unbelief when God talked about Sarah being mother of nations, a son and kings of peoples. He fell on his face and laughed (Gen 17:15-17). When God did remember His promise it was not a dozen children, just one. Isaac was his first ray of hope.

The one had only two; then twelve; seventy (Ex 1:5). Over six lakhs (12:37), an ever expanding nation, then the quantum leap—all over the world! From the small stream of Jewish faith the vast rivers of Christianity flows today. Abraham did not live to see the lakhs. That’s the picture of a soul winner. First he experiences barren- ness, diffidence and unbelief; then a discouraging one and then two. That’s why the Bible admonishes, “Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal 6:9). The more we sow the more we reap. We sow seeds but bring in sheaves! (Psa 126:6). Even if every thing seems hopeless, don’t give up. If you persevere the  magic is sure to happen. The sown seed shall result in a harvest of unbelievable proportions.

2. Harvest means Reproduction!

“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal 6:7). Each brings forth its own kind. We do not sow wheat and reap groundnuts. The harvest depends upon what we sow. One need not be an intelligent person to win souls. God uses the uneducated and fools.


But the sower must carry seeds which is the Word of God. If you sow the wind, you’ll reap the whirlwind (Hos 8:7).

Sharing our testimony is good, but it should be impregnated with the Word of God, which has life. Only life can bring forth life. Empty stories and arguments bring forth nothing. Be prepared with a message anytime for unexpected invitations. Let there be a solid written down message inside your Bible always. That’s to be shod with the preparation of the gospel.

If you are invited to share your testimony or preach a sermon, do not go unprepared expecting the Holy Spirit to inspire you on the spot. Spend time on your knees. Sweat over the Bible.

Receive a definite message from God and then go to sow. You’ll be richly rewarded. There are many who talk ill of other ministers of God in the pulpit. Some are experts in narrating their own experiences in detail. People feel empty when they leave after  such a sermon. A person, serious about the mission should preach Christ, and Him crucified. Exalt Christ. Let there be no ulterior motive in your preaching to get people to give to your ministry or add to your congregation. Preach the “Word,” in season, out of season! (2 Tim 4:2).

3. Harvest means Tears and Joy!

“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psa 126:5,6).

Neck deep in my fifties, I look back at the time when my husband and I decided to serve the Lord fulltime. The mission decided on a monthly salary of Rs. 750/- for my husband. Money, dresses, non-vegetarian dishes and the luxuries of life were always in short supply. We have slept on newspapers in railway platforms, alternately keep- ing awake to guard the things. As a woman I have faced the sting of male put down (not to mention the female put downs!). My husband would be taken to the dais with a greeting and handshake and I would be left alone to find a seat for myself somewhere. My husband would be made to dine on the table and I would be requested to sit on the floor with children. Rejected, criticized, condemned, swatted off like a fly. But I felt, to give in to bitterness would be to thwart the more distant goal. For me these seemed greater trials than the problems we faced while living in various States of India and
tribal villages. There were language barriers, culture shocks, malarial attacks and travel dysenteries. But today, people and letters bring us a daily dose of sunshine.

The spirit of some nascent workers today seeking comfortable five star ministry gives me the ulcer. The word ‘Sacrifice’ rattles their spine with fear.
Like a boat on dry land they stand on the shore, never having the courage to go deep sea fishing. Volunteerism has reached the endangered species
list. People want to be paid for every thing. Today’s young people should understand that making history is rarely a safe slippers-by-the-fire-job. All the early apostles and disciples suffered, some to the point of death. Many could not rejoice here on  earth. The result? Christians all over the world! The sacrificial spirit of Jesus had rubbed off on them. Have a mind to suffer and you will not lack the joy of harvest.

We die and we are sown, not buried (1 Cor 15:42). People cry but heaven rejoices. There are tears because of enemies, tares, thorns, loss, suffering; but the end result is joy as in the case of the lost son, lost coin and lost sheep. Our cup of joy will  be full.

4. Harvest means Labour!

The quintessence of harvest is hard work. Harvest is taking back what we once lost to the devil, and it’s not going to be easy. Satan has illegally taken by default what rightly belongs to God. So harvest is hard battle. You may sincerely desire a  harvest. But desire alone won’t help you into your running shoes. You need to labour. Jesus urged His disciples to pray for “labourers” to be sent into the harvest (Mt 9:38).

The sower must sow by the wayside, stony places, thorny ground and good ground. He must sow beside all waters (Isa 32:20). If he sows sparingly he will also reap sparingly (2 Cor 9:6). He must water, weed and watch. He must rise up early and sit up late. He must be prepared to give up certain legitimate entertainments so as  to be a high achiever.

“He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap… In the morning sow your seed and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good (Eccl 11:4,6). Because of the element of uncertainty we need to work and overwork. Apostle Paul had a schedule that would leave most people gasping. People call him a daredevil, but he wasn’t. He was simply a man whose limits were much greater than most  others. “He who CONTINUALLY goes forth…” (Psa 126:6). I have never seen an ant sitting or lying down. Some times it carries food bigger than itself. The secret of success in a single word is perseverance. If you can’t get through one door go through another — or make a door!

It is not enough to be a dreaming visionary. You must be an intensely practical hard working realist. We knew a strapping 25 year old who had committed to serve the Lord. When we asked him what he was doing, he answered that he had written to the United  States for admission in a Bible College. Two years later he was still loitering, waiting for admission! Proceed with your plan but in the meanwhile go to the ant and learn.

There is no dearth of slogans and songs for harvest. Ross Perot says, “The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river.” Let’s get down to work. “He who sleeps in the harvest is a son who causes shame” (Prov 10:5). The one who buried his one talent was too lazy to work. The master rightly called him a slothful servant (Mt 25:26). Laziness is a sure recipe for failure. If you  want a glorious harvest you can’t just sit back and hope it will happen; you’ve got to make it happen. Do not waste time in TV, sleep, over-indulgence in computer games and vain chat. The wisdom of life consists in the elimi- nation of non-essentials.


Grab every opportunity. Talk to auto drivers, co- passengers, patients waiting with you. Walk or bicycle vivaciously to villages. “The lazy man will not plow because of winter; he will beg during harvest and have nothing” (Prov 20:4).

The three-toed sloth moves so slowly that creepers grow on its back. The analogy is that some harvesters are so slow that the tentacles of the world encircle them and cripple them. Slothfulness is downright dangerous.

5. Harvest means Hope!

“He who ploughs should plough in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope” (1 Cor  9:10). Ploughing without hope is…
wisdumb. After pouring ourselves out to the furtherance of the harvest, the sheer hardness and testing can grind us down. Disappointment, ill health and failure can cause doubt and depression. If we have no hope of a harvest we cannot plough or sow or water. Constant discouragement will rob  us of all enthusiasm. Hurdles will snuff out our spirit. But hope is the impetus that kindles our heart to go on labouring against all odds. He shall
‘DOUBTLESS’ come again with rejoicing (Psa 126:6).

King Solomon puts it in an interest- ing way. Bones are formed in the womb. You can’t see it but you know it. You can’t explain it, nevertheless it’s happening. You know for sure after nine months she will deliver a bonny baby. “You do not know the works of God who makes everything” (Eccl 11:5). That’s hope. Once you sow  the Word of God in somebody’s heart, baby Jesus starts growing there. It may take a long, long time to be seen but as sure as a baby grows, the word grows.

Columbia, the space shuttle that ended the life of Kalpana Chowla—the most complicated machine ever built got knocked out of the sky by 750 gms of foam. It can happen to your harvest if you lose the bolt of your life called hope. “Not slothful in  business, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope” (Rom 12:11,12). See, it is hope that’s our kick. It is this sanguine hope that wipes away the tears of a soul- winner filling his heart with gladness. Hence, never allow the torch of hope  to be extinguished. The harvester’s life-jacket is hope.

6. Harvest means Reward!

“Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are God’s fellow workers” (1 Cor 3:8,9). Put the emphasis on the conjunction and read it once again. We are not a poor, weak team.  


We have a strong and mighty team worker, the Captain of our team. He is the Lord of the Harvest. He Himself works with us. Then where is failure? We shall have a bumper harvest and sure reward. “The Lord working with them” (Mk 16:20). As He works, He  keeps an eye on us. He knows how we work and what we deserve. Our reward is according to our labour. No hard working farmer will be disappoin- ted. “The labourer is worthy of his wages” (Lk 10:7).
Again I want to remind you of Paul’s admonition to the Galatians: “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Temptations to become tired and lose heart will be plenty. You may be struck down by  illness and catastrophe, assailed by grief and failure, treated unfairly or betrayed. Never ever give up your good works. Times of toil and tears will, without question be richly rewarded.

7. Harvest means God’s Work!

Paul states explicitly, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Cor 3:6,7). It is this attitude that made headway in Paul’s ministry.  It is not unusual for us to beat our chest like Kingkong when our ministry flourishes. Like Nebuchadnezzar we trumpet, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honour of my majesty?” (Dan 4:30).

We can be blinded by the light of our success. Without God we cannot do anything. Man minus God is zero. Let Christ be enthroned as the Lord of the Harvest and we the labour class people. Exalt Him in whatever you do. Let the I-must-decrease-He-must-  increase spirit pervade and possess you.

Jesus said, “Therefore pray ” (Mt 9:38). Prayer galvanizes harvest. Since
He alone can do it we have to cry to Him to reach out to cut-off people, to penetrate closed doors, for a bountiful harvest. Commit your grandiose plans to Him in intercession. Elijah prayed and the heavens gave rain (Js 5:18). “Ask the Lord for rain  in the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain” (Zech 10:1). The watch word of the early Church was, “God is able.” Isaac sowed and reaped a hundred fold because the “Lord blessed” him (Gen 26:12).

It is time for the latter rain. Let’s bend our knees, fold our hands and lower our heads. Let’s gather the people to pray for an overflowing harvest. Let us plead the Lord for a revival. Have a target and form as many prayer cells as possible. Avail  yourself of the unlimited life challenging potential of prayer. Teach your Sunday School children to gather and pray for the harvest once a week. Let students pray. Let brides and grooms intercede. Let the old people have prayer clubs. God is not  confined to our dimensions. He will most certainly give us the increase.

The D day is at our door step. Communism is running out of business. People are disappointed wherever they turn to. The count down on the world has begun. Christians on the march. Put in your sickle and reap the golden grains, ripe and ready for harvest.

 

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