Be Faithful, The Lord Will Bring The Harvest.

Weekly Devotional 9-20-11
Be Faithful, The Lord Will Bring The Harvest.

The Church to which my wife and I belong goes out most Saturdays into the neighboring community introducing and inviting people to our fellowship. Many times the Lord opens the door to conversations involving spiritual matters, especially matters that concern their soul. At other times our attempts at conversation are cut short because the person with whom we are attempting to share seemingly has little interest in spiritual matters. Some have responded, have visited and not returned, others however, have visited and continue to come. Many of those we visit do not respond; even those who received us openly. There are many reasons for this; many for instance, have a church of which they regularly attend or are members of. That’s great, provided the church is one which is a Bible believing, God-honoring church. But, what about those whom we visit that have no church or are not interested in church?

Are our efforts in vain? Should we become discouraged when they don’t respond in a positive manner? These same questions can also be applied to those with whom we have personal, individual contact. Many of these, while willing to talk about spiritual things, seemingly do not see the necessity of aligning themselves with a local church. But, didn’t the Holy Spirit inspired writer of Hebrews instruct his readers, including us, to not forsake the assembling of themselves (ourselves) together (Hebrews 10:19-25)?He said that such gatherings were (are) important in order that Christians may exhort and encourage one another in the faith. His readers, then and now were (are) to be about the Lord’s business, and coming together on a regular basis encourages it.

What about those who do not respond to our invitation, should we be discouraged? No. We are called only to be faithful witnesses. It is the Holy Spirit who is to excite these persons toward a spiritual interest. We cannot, no matter how much we wish, spark a spiritual interest in anyone. Sadly, many, if not most, who seemingly have little interest in spiritual things are dead toward God, and only He can make them alive (Ephesians 2:1-10…John 3:1-8). Spiritual life is of God, not of man, and therefore we should not be discouraged.

Paul wrote, “6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” ( 1st Corinthians 3:6-7).

Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” (John 6:44). It is God therefore, who calls and regenerates persons to newness of spiritual life. We are to be His witnesses. We are to knock on every door, inviting people to church, and, when possible, present the Gospel to them. We do not know to whom God will speak, but as He said to His prophet Isaiah, “10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

We should keep in mind, as we go out into the communities that God cannot fail. He does accomplish that which He has determined to do, and even though it may seem that our visit with a certain person was non- productive, it was anything but.

stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com

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