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KEYS TO THE HARVEST IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD 1. SEED Mark 4:31-32 The first key to the harvest is the SEED. Without the seed there can be no harvest. The Word of God is the seed that must be planted in the hearts of men. There is tremendous power in the seed. Even a tiny seed can be-come a big tree. 2. SEASON John 4:35 The second key is the SEASON. Harvesting can only be done during the harvest season when the crops are ready. If the crops are not harvested during the harvest season, the entire crop will be ruined. In the kingdom of God, now is harvest season. If we fail to harvest the souls in this time, the entire har-vest will be lost. 3. SERVANTS Matthew 21:28-30 The third key is the SERVANTS. During harvest time there is a great need for servants. No one can be idle during harvest time. In the kingdom of God the time has come for every believer to be active in the service of God. The entire body of Christ must get involved to bring in the harvest of souls. 4. SOIL Mark 4:8 The fourth key to the harvest is the SOIL. Seed sown by the wayside or among thorns or among rocky soil will fail to yield fruit. Only seed sown on good ground will bring forth fruit – thirty-fold, |
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sixty-fold and a hundred-fold. Therefore, it is important to prepare the soil by prayer before sowing, so the hearts of the people will be receptive to the Word of God. 5. SACRIFICE Psalms 126:5-6 The fifth key to the harvest is the willingness to SACRIFICE. God’s people should be willing to sacrifice their time, energy, talents, money, pleasures and comforts to bring in the harvest. As long as people cling to every-thing they like and refuse to sacrifice, they will not get wholeheartedly involved in the harvest. 6. SHOWERS I Corinthians 12:3 The sixth key is the SHOWERS. Rain is indispensable for the harvest. This is the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit. All our efforts and labor must be under girded by the move of the Holy Spirit. Without the spirit of God all of our efforts will be in vain. 7. SURE HOPE Galatians 6:9 and Romans 12:11 The seventh key to the harvest is the SURE HOPE and confidence we must have in expecting the harvest. All of our labor must be undertaken with the firm assurance that God will bless our efforts, and we will surely reap the harvest. If we lose confidence, we will get discouraged and labor with doubt and reluctance. Laboring with faith is indispensable to the success of our efforts. God will surely honor our faith and grant us an abundant harvest. |
“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14
There are 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, 4 weeks in a month and 12 months in a year. In the New Testament there are two translations in the Greek concerning “time”. There is CHRONOS time, which is a succession of minutes or hours. A second translation of the word “time” is KAIROS, a season of potential opportunities and achievements. KAIROS is that wonderful “God” time. Jesus said in John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit shall remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give you.” KAIROS time: He is calling us out of our CHRONOS time into His KAIROS time of bringing forth fruit. We are all unique. The varying scopes of personalities, gifts and talents are |
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innumerable. These very differences make us valuable in the Kingdom of God to bear fruit. Dear Ones, as we discover the truth of our destiny, we must embrace it with J.O.Y. (Just Our Yielding). Without joy there is no strength. Just as Esther was determined to fulfill her destiny and be an instrument of God’s use, so must we all. Accept the challenge, engage in your destiny. In our humanity we see limitations and boundaries, seldom, if ever, horizons. But God gives us opportunities, and as true believers, we are compelled by this great Gospel to do as He commands. We are living in KAIROS time. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13. Elements that will keep us from fulfilling our destinies have already been defeated on Calvary. This is the time that the Church, the Bride of Christ, must stand and be all that she’s commanded to be. It’s HARVEST TIME!!! |
HARVEST FOR THE WORLD
From Dr. Ray’s Desk |
Cathy’s Corner
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
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Spiritual Life Worship Center Huntsville, AL |
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Spiritual Life Illuminator |
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Fall 2005 |
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Vol. 2 No. 2 |
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Greetings, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, our Christ. Allow me to introduce you to the Jesus of Matthew 9:35-36. During this time in the minis-try of Jesus, He had been going about towns and villages preaching and teaching, healing the sick, setting captives free, selecting servants, and training them. All in all, He was conducting evangelistic crusades, equipping the saints, educating men and women in the ways of righteousness, engaged in extension (preparing and assigning for ministry), and exhorting. Jesus approached a group of people and He was instantly moved to compassion because He saw that they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a Shepherd. As it was His way, Jesus never evaluated a situation without also identifying a solution. He pointed out to His disciples the circumstances of the crowd. No doubt He wanted the disciples to see the crowd as He did, not with pity or scorn, but with compassion. Therefore, He gave a solution: Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. In this teaching Jesus calls us to be prepared to walk the talk. If we truly desire to serve God, we must be willing to serve our fellow man, never forgetting that we are a part of that crowd. We must never fail to see ourselves as the Master does, not judging lest we be |
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judged, not condemning lest we be condemned, and certainly not with pride. The question was once posed, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” It has certainly been presented to us in the most dramatic examples that we are our brother’s keeper. If I suffer, you suffer. If you are distressed, I am distressed. And if one hurts, we all hurt. The Jesus of Matthew 9 compels us to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” I Corinthians 15:58b. The harvest is ripe, the time is now. EXTENSION
But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” I Corinthians 15:57-58. After equipping God’s people, getting them involved in the church and serving become crucial. The work of the church doesn’t just happen. Willing hands and hearts are needed to help orchestrate multiple layers of ministry, praise and worship. Spiritual Life Worship Center is a place where God’s Word of hope is central. Gifts are identified, cultivated and nurtured. People are not pressed into service, but rather encouraged. We thank God for the manifestation of His presence. |