Dr. Wesley L. Duewel- Perhaps the greatest need between seedtime and harvest is rain. Spiritually, the seed is the word (Luke 8:11). It may be sown through a testimony given, a gospel tract distributed, a portion of the Bible read, or a radio broadcast heard.
Often there is along period of time—days, months, or even years—when the seed seems to lie dormant before it begins to grow. (Google image, sowing seed)
Then, in some miraculous way, the Holy Spirit brings some of the seed to life. The catalyst may be the example of a godly life, or circumstances in the experience of the person who received the seed, or perhaps another contact with the Word. Not all seed sown bears fruit.
Jesus taught that the difference in the soil receiving the seed made a great difference in the harvest. In some people and in some parts of the world, the ground seems much more rocky and unproductive. Many hearts are so hardened by life and prejudice that they are like the seed sown by the roadside where the ground is almost impervious to penetration.
There are also places where the new growth from the good seed is choked by weeds sown by the enemy, the devil (Matt. 13:24-28).
Much soil is comparatively barren because of lack of moisture. If irrigation is introduced, the harvest will be abundant. The big difference between barrenness and harvest in most places is obtaining sufficient water.
Spiritually speaking, enough seed has been sown to bring millions to Christ. God's Word is true and effective. There is no fault with the seed. The problem is water! By prayer you can bring the Holy Spirit's blessing on any gospel effort anywhere in the world.
The Bible uses water as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Rivers of living water are to stream out of your life as a believer (John 7:38). How? Probably in many ways—through your godly influence, the fruit of the Spirit produced in your life, your witness. But surely one of the main ways is through your prayer.
Prayer is God's ordained means to prepare God's highway through spiritually dry and arid places, and prayer is God's ordained way to bring the refreshing water of God's Spirit to barren lives. The more you pray, the more the seed sown is watered. The prayer you pray has the potential to turn any heart or desert area into a garden of the Lord.
How can we reap a harvest from gospel radio broadcasts? By channeling constant streams of prayer to the broadcasts. The extent of the harvest will depend upon the amount of prayer that waters the seed.
How can we multiply the fruitfulness and lasting effectiveness of an evangelistic crusade? By adequate prayer saturation before, during, and after the meetings. So often prayer for a particular area rapidly diminishes after the close of the crusade when the team moves on to the next assignment, and the seed planted in many lives waits for the life-producing rains. This is the time to water the seed through prayer.
Christian literature organizations produce tons and tons of good evangelistic literature. Millions of Scripture portions are distributed world-wide each year. If one-tenth of the seed sown produced a harvest, what a harvest we would see! There is one thing lacking—adequate prayer to water the harvest. You can do something about this, if you will.
(Chapter 25, pp. 188-190, italics added for emphasis)
Father, as we know that the greatest need between seedtime and harvest is rain, may we realize that it is the same spiritually. When the seed of Your Word is sown through a testimony shared, a gospel tract given, a Bible verse read to someone, or a radio broadcast heard, watering the seed is of great importance, if we expect it to grow.
Our prayers will prepare Your highway through spiritually dry and arid places to bring the refreshing water of Your Spirit to barren lives from the seed sown. Our prayers are potentially able to turn any heart or desert area into Your garden.
Today's Bible verses-
~ Judson Taylor- "God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him."
~ Oswald Chambers- "We can choke God's Word with a yawn; we can hinder the time that should be spent with God by remembering we have other things to do. 'I haven't time.' Of course you have time! Take time, strangle some other interest, make time to realize that the center of power in your life is the Lord Jesus Christ."
~ The Word of God was given to us to give guidance as to His ways of doing things. Our thoughts aren’t His, so we need to study and meditate on the Scriptures to learn of His ways. It is the Father’s will that we follow Christ’s example and treat others as He would, if He were here in Person.
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The North Country Christian Fellowship Center Churches,
located in the St. Lawrence county of NY,
broadcast their Sunday services at 10 or 10:15
You can view past services too.
HARVEST TIME revival
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