“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Matthew
9:35-38, New Century Version
35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News about the kingdom, and
healing all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. 36 When he
saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they were hurting and helpless,
like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Jesus said to his
followers, “There are many people to harvest but only a few workers to
help harvest them. 38 Pray to the Lord, who owns the
harvest, that he will send more workers to gather his harvest.”
Are you willing to be a harvest worker of
people for Jesus? (See
Matthew 9:37 above) If you aren’t, maybe the nucleus of the issue
is your heart.
(See Matthew 9:35-36 above) What would give you a bigger heart for Jesus’s harvest of
people?
1. Every day (for two minutes) thank Jesus for what He’s done for you.
14 For
it is Christ’s love that fuels our passion and holds us tightly, because
we are convinced that he has given his life for all of us. This means all died
with him, 15 so that those who live should no longer live
self-absorbed lives but lives that are poured out for him—the one who died for
us and now lives again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, the Passion Translation)
What changes a person’s
heart is the grace of Jesus as they realize how sinful they are and good Jesus
is. Love is a natural response.
2. Study the life of Jesus in the gospels.
God has transmitted his very substance into every scripture,
for it is God-breathed. It will empower you by its instruction and correction,
giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into
the path of godliness. (2 Timothy 3:16, the Passion Translation)
When you become more
like Jesus, interruptible compassion (out of your normal routine) will come out
of a heart of kindness (and not irritation).
3.
Pray to Jesus about the harvest. (See Matthew 9:38
above)
May we never tire of doing what is good and right
before our Lord because in His season we shall bring in a great harvest if we
can just persist. (Galatians
6:9, the Voice)
It is a dangerous
prayer to ask for the heart of Jesus because Jesus will break your heart as He
makes you aware of the Harvest need.
There is a world of people that need what
Jesus has to offer.
A person authentically connected to Jesus is like
an oasis in the dessert. It’s life-giving and refreshing.
Beware, that becoming more like Jesus can be
addictive.
Read a chapter of the gospels daily, and ask
yourself “how can I love more like Jesus did.”
In your prayer time, identify one person in
your life that needs Jesus. Pray for Jesus to soften their heart, and bring
them into an intimate relationship with Him.[i]
[i] Inspired by the sermon
“Having a Heart for the Harvest: The Harvest” (installment one) Sunday October 31,
2021, Pastor Dave Jansen (CPG). In-person services are available at all
three U.S. CenterPoint locations. CenterPoint also has an online Sunday
morning service (10am) that can be viewed at centerpointchurches.online.church
or centerpointchurches.com/live.
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