« PREV NEXT »

Harvest

By fpol1948 on | From real-life-church.com
So many Biblical holidays are centered around  the harvest.  Passover commemorates the barley harvest, Pentecost falls at the wheat harvest, and Tabernacles occurs in the time of the fruit harvest.  As a Judeo-Christian nation, America continues the tradition with Thanksgiving.

The USA is one of a very few countries that set aside a national day to give thanks to God.  Great pressure has been applied to change the focus to things like turkey and sports, but if not God, who exactly are we thanking.

As we all know, the holiday had it’s origins with some of our very first settlers.  It took 66 days for the Mayflower to bring the Pilgrims to the New World.  During the voyage several people died.  The first winter proved disastrous with about fifty percent of the colonists perishing from hunger, cold and disease. It all changed with the rebirth of spring.

The survivors were befriended by Native Americans who introduced them to indigenous crops which thrived in the
North American climate.  The ensuing summer fields of corn, beans and potatoes grew in the land around the fledgling settlement.  By harvest time, it became apparent that there would be enough food for the winter.

The Pilgrims and Native Americans held a feast of thanks.  The Pilgrims were thankful to God for the harvest because it translated into survival.  Harvest equals life!

Churches are much the same, in order too grow and thrive we need steady harvests.  Most people believe that the harvest is what happens on Sunday when the pastor makes a call for salvation.  But Jesus told us all to look out to the fields around us.  They are already ripe and ready to harvest.  AS believers we are all expected to work in the “fields”.

At Real Life Church we designate one Saturday each month as “outreach”.  Members join together for a morning of visiting, sharing and praying in various neighborhoods.  We believe it is a vital component for every church.  I always return after one of these outings blessed by the friendliness of those visited.

But that is not the end of the harvest, it’s just the beginning.  We expect all our church families to freely give what they have freely received.  We encourage folks to carry tracts with them at all times and give them away.  Personal evangelism is a powerful tool in our arsenal.

As we come to the Thanksgiving table this year, let’s thank God for a renewed vision of harvest our churches.  They are the last, best hope we have in redirecting our culture and society back to God.

Share on Facebook
Related Articles:
« PREV NEXT »
Comments
Advertisements
more from Zimbio »
TV Roundup: A Sober Season of 'Jersey Shore'?
What's New in Theaters This Weekend: June 1, 2012
Poll of the Day: What Will Win Movie of the Year at the...
Where Are They Now - 'Melrose Place'
more from StyleBistro »
Why it Works: Keira Knightley
Look of the Day: Charlize Theron's Midnight Blue
Game Time: Who Has the Edgiest Style?
Emily Maynard's 'Bachelorette' Wardrobe Cost How Much?
Home Terms & Policies For Bloggers Advertise Sitemap Contentmap About Us
Zimbio Entertainment
Copyright © 2012 - Zimbio, Inc. Some rights reserved. Coming soon: Livingly
Share
Tweet
Pin it
. . .
Follow
. . .