The Farmer came sooner than expected. He wasn't supposed to come for 2 or 3 more weeks. I felt it in my soul that He was coming sooner. I saw the extended forecast and it wasn't conducive for gathering the Harvest. Now is the time to gather the Harvest. I tried to tell the others that the Farmer was coming. I could just feel it in my soul. I said that already, I know. It didn't matter that life was busy outside of the fields. Nothing mattered other than the Farmer declaring the Harvest is ready. Personally, I didn't think the fields could have handled two or three more weeks. The Farmer knows His fields. The grain bins were empty and only needed a good clean sweep before the new grain came in. Through this one season full of pressures that included floods, drought, extreme heat, extreme freezes, pestilence, and rough winds the Farmer still got His crop. The bins are overflowing. The Farmer declared the Harvest good.
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
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Growing up in an era where charm school was expected, I have a fascination with etiquette and particularly etiquette-related advice columns. Of course, since I've come to know Jesus more and more, I realize that most rules of etiquette are rendered moot in the scheme of spiritual matters and most rules of etiquette made by humans are generally an elemental force meant for organization to civilization (Babylon, anyone?).
Still, I couldn't help but notice a question yesterday in the paper about a woman who didn't know how to handle a grocery store's manager directing her to be first in line in the check out lane next to her due to her cart having more than the 10 or less item requirement. She didn't like the jeers and mocks she received from other customers who did not understand that the manager called her over to the empty line and assumed she was self righteous in her pursuit of getting out of the busy store quicker than every one else. The manager had his reasons of calling her ahead of the long line she was in to the empty line. He wanted to keep the employees working and the lines running smoothly. Nobody could use the 10 or less checkout lanes because nobody (not one!) had 10 or less. He, as the store's manager, had the authority to do what was best for his store's operation. In fact, her hesitation of acceptance of an expedited checkout actually slowed the store down even more. God uses everything around me to explain Spiritual concepts to me and this story is no exception. He's calling many people to come up, come over, or expediting circumstances to get everyone in their place. Many are not listening because they are too worried about the jeers and mocking of the unauthorized telling them they have no right to be there. How quickly we forget that we have a personal friend in Jesus Who has authorized us to come up to heavenly places. Forget not the benefits of Salvation. Forget not the benefits of Grace. His Righteousness has placed us under the law of righteousness. Humility looks a whole lot like obedience. Obedience is proper etiquette to God and way better than sacrifice. Besides, who could pay the price of the Sacrifice that's already been paid? His Grace is sufficient. Take it. Take as much as you need to get you Face to face in this race. Go and sin no more. He knows how to run this store. "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." Our prayer for all the Calebs who serve the God of Israel wholeheartedly.
Heavenly Father, we enter Your gates with thanksgiving in our hearts. We enter Your courts with praise. You are the Lord and there is no one like You. We are Your Temple; we pray for Your Temple to reflect the stamina and strength of Your servant Caleb. We pray that Your Temple will have no scars since You have bore them for us and by Your stripes we are healed. I bind up anything that tries to exalt itself against the knowledge of Christ trying to take up residence in Your Temple. I loosen the Fullness of Your Holy Spirit. What You have given still stands, including Caleb’s Hebron. May Your Calebs be renewed to enjoy the fruits of Your finished labor, Jesus. In Your Holy name Jesus, Amen. Families of pheasants. Families of rabbits. Families of squirrels. Families of chipmunks. Families of sparrows. Families of field mice. Families of snakes. Families of frogs. Families we know nothing of resting among the harvest. The corn stalks had become their home. We tried to warn them all that the harvest would be swift and great and the corn is really not a safe place.
A farmer has a right to his own fields. A farmer gracefully watched the harvest grow as each tare sprung up. Patiently waiting for the harvest to be ready, the farmer held back until the harvest was just right. My prayers are often the same. So many in the valley of indecision. So many standing in a temporary home. The Harvest is great! Don't be caught as undecided while the thresher threshes and the chaff gets blown away. The reapers are reaping and the fields are being cleaned. Hurry! Come! Families of the field, come! Stand by the Farmer while He prepares our Heavenly home. Jesus, I ask for all those in the valley of indecision to make their choice. Shut the mouth of the accuser that presents lies. I bind up confusion and loosen the clarity of Your Word so that "All who call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved." In the Powerful Name of Jesus and by Your Redeeming Blood, Amen. |
The StorehouseBring the whole tithe into The Storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. Categories |