A Lack of Laborers for the Harvest

Matthew 9:37-38, “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”

These two verses really stuck out to me today as I was studying and digging into the Word. I know I can often skim over the gospels and teachings of Christ, because I’ve heard them all so much growing up. But, as I’ve been slowing studying each chapter and section of Matthew, little words and phrases that Jesus said have really been challenging my thinking. They are challenging me not only in my personal life. But also making me think hard about the direction our world and more specifically, my generation is headed.

In verse 35 of chapter 9 it says, “Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.”

Wherever Jesus went, what was he doing? He was “teaching” and “proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.” He was proclaiming the hope that can only be found in Him. He was teaching the crowds what this meant; it says in next verse, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus had compassion on the crowds and people that did not know and understand God. He compared them to a sheep without a shepherd, for just like a sheep is in great danger and does not understand how to live unless guided by a shepherd. We cannot understand life, unless the Lord and His Word guide us.  Just like Jesus had compassion for the crowds, we are called to follow His example and have compassion on those we meet who are in a worse state then us. This means we are to have compassion on every person who does not understand and believe the truth of the gospel.

Compassion is defined as, “A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.” Do you have a strong desire to see others receive the same grace God has given you? Do you believe the same grace that has saved you is strong enough to bring hope to a lost and dying world? This brings me back to the first two verses that I first mentioned above when Jesus tell his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Jesus reminds his disciples that there are plenty of men and women dying in their sin that are ready to hear the hope of the gospel.  But, the fact is they are on their way to eternal damnation because there are not enough laborers going out to bring them the hope of the gospel. Jesus says, “pray earnestly to the Lord to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The same words that Jesus said to his disciples, I believe we need to follow completely. We need to be praying earnestly for more laborers willing to give up this life on the earth to see God’s kingdom advanced. I love how Jesus say’s there is a harvest, not only “a” harvest. But “his” harvest, and it is ready for laborers to go.

So will you all join me in praying for more and more laborers? Not only full time missionary laborers, but also that there will be a revival amongst Christians who are pursuing careers in the workplace; that we all will not forsake our call to proclaim the name of Christ to a dead and dying world.

“O You of Little Faith”

Matthew 8:23, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Jesus spoke these words to his disciples after they woke him up with saying in verse 25, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” Now I think all of us would freak out if a great storm broke forth and we were in the middle of the sea on a boat. But then I started thinking more about the situation. For the previous 3 chapters in Matthew, the disciples had been taught by Jesus and had been watching him heal people and perform miracles. Wouldn’t that be enough to allow them to just calmly wake up Jesus and ask Him to save them?

They seemed to realize that Jesus might be able to save them because they did wake him up. But when they said, “we are perishing,” it seemed to indicate that they didn’t completely trust that Jesus was able to save them.  And that’s when Jesus says, “Why are you afraid, O you of little of faith?” Jesus knows their hearts. He knows they are afraid and scared for their lives.

Then it struck me, we are in the same place that the disciples were that day. When something goes wrong or we’re caught in a trial, we start to freak out and look for ways to save ourselves.  We remember that we God is there and we sometimes pray to Him and ask for help. But, just like the disciples, we tend to not put our complete faith in the fact that He will help us. Instead of fearing the future and what is going to happen in the midst of this hardship, God wants us to cry out to Him. He wants our complete faith to be in Him and not any circumstance or thing of this world.  Let it not be said of us, “O you of little faith!”

Are Our Hearts in the Right Place?

Matthew 6:19, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.”

As I read this probably for the 1,000^th time in my life today. Something stuck out to me that I never really took the time to think about before. It was the fact that the first two words of this verse are a pretty clear command. Jesus is not just recommending something to the crowds and disciples; He gives them a clear command “Do not!” What crosses your mind when someone starts a sentence off with those two words? For me, I know if my parents or coach, or anyone talking to me says, ‘Do not do this or that,’ I’m not going to do that thing.  If I disagree, I’m going to ask them a question, but I don’t think the crowds or disciples needed to ask Jesus any questions because it seems to me that he answers why he gives this command in the following verses.

Jesus continues on into verse 20 and 21 where they say, “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The last part of the verse really struck me. I think a lot of times we can ask questions like: How many possessions can I have and still be able to serve God? Is it fine to have this nice car and house? I’m going to quote my good friend and pastor Dave Brewer from a recent message that he shared with the youth, “If we have a greater picture of Christ and a greater image of His beauty, we will stop asking the wrong questions.” I think this sums up what I started to realize when I was reading this passage. If we really understand what Christ did on the cross for our sins. If we truly understand the significance of what God did for us in order to welcome us into His family as his children. If we have a greater picture of how big He is through His Word. We will stop asking the wrong questions.

Are you able to say, “If I lose everything in life, my family, my house, my friends, my job, I will still be content for I have the Lord and that’s all I truly need.”

Instead of asking how much can I have and still serve the Lord, let us pray to the Lord, “I am yours and my possessions are yours. Please use me and all I have in anyway you choose to advance your kingdom and gospel across this earth!”

Strength from the LORD

(Sorry for the lack of posts. I started a new job at my church a week and a half ago doing outreach to the public high schools in the area and have been super busy. Although its busy and tiring, God is doing amazing things, I already have some awesome stories to share of how God is opening door after door to share the gospel and show the love of Christ with those who haven't heard it. I look forward to sharing some of these down the road!)

Today, God really spoke to me through 1 Samuel 30:4-6.

Leading up to these three verses, David comes home from battle to find his hometown burned to the ground. He finds his two wives to be taken captive as well as the rest of the women and children.

Verse 4 says, "Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep." David's response was that of a typical human being. He lost the two people he loved the most as well as hundreds of others, so he wept. But he not only wept, he wept so hard that he finally didn't have any strength whatsoever to weep anymore.

Then we get down to verse 5 and part of verse 6 where it says, "David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jesreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters." Not only was David distressed because both of his wives were gone, but because his very men were talking about stoning him to death because they were bitter about losing their own families. How often can we relate to the response of these men? When something isn't going our way, we are tempted to take our anger out on someone or something instead of trusting the Lord.

David's response to all of this at the end of verse 6 is what stood out to me the most. It's the example we need to seek to follow as children of God. "But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."
David didn't run to one of his friends for help. David didn't try to run away from the people trying to stone him. He ran straight to the only thing that could really help him: The Lord. Let us follow this example, in the good times and the bad. Let us continually be looking to the Lord and his Word for our strength.

David: The Fugitive

1 Samuel 22:1-2, “David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.  And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men. “

Saul was seeking to kill David. Even after David had saved Israel from Goliath and repeated attacks by the Philistines. Saul grew envious of all the fame and glory that David was receiving. Instead of Saul praising the Lord for sending him David, he continually tried to kill David. So David had gone from hero to fugitive in a matter of years. David found himself in a cave and many historians believe this is where Psalm 142 was composed.

Psalm 142:3-5 say, “When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.  Look to the right and see; there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. I cry to you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’”

As David was in trouble, he cried out to the Lord. And the Lord brought him his family, the same family that barely recognized him as a family member back when Samuel came searching in 1 Samuel 16.  How precious this must have had to be for David. God also brought to him those in trouble under King Saul, that they might all be dependent on the Lord together rather then man!

1 Samuel 22:5, “’Do not remain in the strong-hold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.’ So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.”

The prophet Gad spoke to David and told him to get up from the comfort in the stronghold and go back to Judah where Saul was reigning.  I’m sure it was David’s last desire to go back to where Saul was reigning. Yet, David had seen the Lord be faithful in the past with Goliath and the Philistines on multiple occasions and knew the Lord’s faithfulness would be with them again!

Are you trusting in the faithfulness of God in the midst of all your circumstances? Are you seeking hard after the Lord to know His will for your life? Or are you just relaxing in the comfort of your life  waiting for something to happen? God wants us to be actively pursuing Him and actively pursuing what He has for our life. Seek the Lord in the Word and cry out to Him in prayer and He is going to make clear your paths.

Obeying the Lord...Completely: Saul

1 Samuel 15:2, “Thus says, the Lord of host, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have.  Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

These orders were given to Saul. They seem like pretty clear right? Do not leave anyone alive, no men, no children, no women, and no animals! God wants the Amalek people to be completely wiped off the face of the earth! So Saul gathers 210,000 men to accomplish this.

But, what we see Saul and the Israelites do next in verse 9 doesn’t match up with the command that the Lord has given Him, “But Saul and the people spared Agag (the king) and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.”

Saul decided there that he wasn’t going to completely obey the Lord. He was only going to destroy the worthless thing but keep the good things for himself. It says right there in the verse he, “he would not utterly destroy them.” But wait God had told him too utterly destroy them. Yes he did, but let’s not be self-righteous. God gives us pretty clear instructions too in His Word.

Ephesians 5:3-4, “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among the saints.  Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” Well, I think we’ve all directly disobeyed this command today. We’ve all had lustful thoughts, or said/laughed at crude or foolish jokes in the last 24 hours. How about this next verse?

Philippians 2:14, “Do all things without grumbling or questioning.” Have you complained about your life recently? Wondering why this or that has happened to you? Well God’s word tells us we are not suppose to grumble, yet we all are guilty of this. Oh that we will not take God’s word and twist it to fit what we want.  Paul continues in verses 15 and 16 saying why we are to not grumble or complain, “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” Hold fast to the word of life, and be a light to this crooked and twisted generation we are living amongst. We do this by obeying God’s word!

Back to 1 Samuel 15, in verses 17-19 it says, “And Samuel said, ‘Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission…Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord?” Samuel point blank asks the question all of us reading want to ask Saul. Pretty much, “what were you thinking???” God had taken Saul from herding sheep to becoming the king over Israel.

Saul responds in verse 20-21, “And Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction.  But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” Oh, its pretty funny reading Saul’s words, because anyone who can read can see he did not obey the voice of the Lord. Saul is a biblical example to us, showing how human hearts are deceiving him and he tries to make himself feel alright by saying the animals he did not destroy were meant to be offerings!

Samuel in verse 22, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?” God wants our complete obedience to him. Yes he loves us even though we are sinful creatures. Once you place your faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, you’re saved. Yet, God is most glorified when we seek to obey His word all the way! The more we press into the Word and the more we press into the Lord, trying to obey Him completely and trying to glorify Him in all your actions brings more joy then we can even imagine!

In verses 27 and 28 it says, “As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.” Sometimes, the only way for the Lord to get our attention is to tear away from us what we love most in this world! When we disobey the Lord’s commands to us, there are going to be consequences. Yet, these consequences are given to us for our good and growth.

After his kingship has been torn away from him, Saul responds in Verse 30, “Then he said, ‘I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.’ So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.” Saul realizes all he can do is get down on his face and bow before the Lord to repent. When we sin and fall short and experience the discipline of the Lord. I pray it brings us to an awareness of how Great our God is and how sinful we are. We don’t deserve salvation. We don’t deserve the cross. Let us be able to say to the Lord, “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:6)

Grace: Don’t Take It For Granted

Oh, my heart is heavy for our generation. Why does it seem as time continues to go on, the children of God are becoming more and more content with the bare minimum? Why does it seem like, we talk more about the latest movie or last night’s basketball game, more then we talk about the Lord with each other? And even more then we talk to the Lord in prayer? Why do we study harder our textbooks, then we study the Word of God? Everything we have comes from the Lord. So why do we so often place them above the Word of God and our relationship with the Lord? Why do they so often become idols and draw our affections away from the Lord?

As I studied the Word today, this verse hit me hard. 1 Corinthians 6:1, “Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.” Why is Paul appealing to the Corinthian church not to receive the grace of God in vain? Remember in my first post on this blog, we defined Grace as, “unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification.“ The Corinthians, just like us have been saved all because of God’s grace. It is completely unmerited, there is absolutely no reason besides the love of the Lord that we are even saved. Therefore, Paul wants to remind the church of Corinth, don’t take this for granted. He wants the church to stop placing things of this world above the Lord. The end of chapter 5, clearly lays out what we are called to as children of God.

1 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” The moment we place our faith in Christ Jesus’ death on the cross we become a new creation. Then in verse 20, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” Because we have become a new creation and a child of God, we are also a ambassador for the Lord.  God wants the same grace that He has poured out on us, to be poured out on many through us. He wants the Corinthians to stop looking to their own wants and desires and to start seeing the bigger picture of God. That God wants to work with and through each of us. He has called each of us, and therefore wants to use each of us to bring attention and glory to Him rather then to ourselves.

My heart aches for my generation to learn from Paul’s letter to Corinth.  As Paul continues his letter, he says in 6:2, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” We all know this world is not going to be here forever. We also know for a fact, we will not be here forever. Let us not waste the short life that the Lord has give each of us. The same urgency that Paul shared with the Corinthian church can be applied to us! As David Guzik says in his commentary on this verse, “This is no time for Christian lives (to be) all about ease and comfort and self-focus.  It is time to get busy for the Lord, and to be workers together with Him!” (1)

Paul closes out this section in verse 12-13, “You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.” Paul wants to get across that it is nothing he has spoken to them that is hindering them from living their lives completely for the Lord. He wants them to stop looking to things of the world but widen their hearts and seek full heartedly after the Lord!

My biggest burden is that we as a people of God not seek after things of this world or our careers more then we seek after the Lord and his Word.  Don’t forget that the Lord has given you your job, school, sports, entertainment, etc. Let us not live our short lives content doing the bare minimum. But let us seek after God more and more each day through the study of His Word.  Let us seek the Lord through prayer more each day. Let us seek to obey God’s command to us to be ambassadors for Him. God’s desire is to see our generation serve Him more then we serve ourselves and wants to use us in great and mighty ways to spread his Grace to those around us!