| Whatsoever
Things Are True
by Dan Coburn Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church pastordan@mtida.net I have been having a blast the last week or so. Many of you will laugh, but I am taking part in my first harvest (I’m not from here). It is fascinating to me on many levels. First of all, the food provided by our area of the world is absolutely astounding. Why are we so blessed? Then there is the hard working, not complaining, get the job done and help each other attitude which is almost gone these days. The machines are amazing in what they do, when you consider that most of the world harvests literally by hand, while these machines wade through a sea of beautiful grain, performing many simultaneous tasks, not the least of which is separating the grain from virtually all impurities. Let’s turn the Spiritual Switch. In Matthew 13, Jesus tells of a great harvest. Beginning in vs 24 is the story of a man who had his hands plant a great field, using only good seed. “But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then what we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them into bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.” You see, we watch the world go to hell in a handbasket – kids being killed by parents, students being murdered by teachers, you fill in the blanks; and we cry out in our heart of hearts: “Why don’t you come back Lord, and tune these people up?”.. He answers in 2nd Peter 3:9 - “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long- suffering (patient) to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” In other words, the harvest (judgment) is coming. Every day the Lord tarries is another opportunity for your lost loved ones to come to Him. If He came tomorrow, it would be too late. We don’t get to decide who to tune up, but it would probably be better for them if we did, cause in the Great Harvest, Jesus himself will separate the wheat (Christians) from the Tares (not so much), and I am satisfied that not unlike the process taking place in a combine, it won’t be fun for the tares, chewed up and spit out, then burned. Settle it now, and God bless. |
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