SOWING AND REAPING
Suggested Reading: Psalms 125-129
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Mount Tabor is located in Lower Galilee, about 11 miles (18 km) west of the Sea of Galilee. It is believed by many Christians to be the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. As we look west from Mount Tabor across the farmers' fields below you can see Nazareth on the right. The beautiful patchwork of the fields tells us that people have sown seed and will reap the harvest.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Psalm 126:5-6
Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm 125 states the fact that “The Lord surrounds His people!” On the basis of that fact the psalm’s composer can pray, “Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts!”
Psalm 126 gives an answer to the “Do good, O Lord” prayer, which is received with laughter and singing! These songs were sung by the people as they ascended Mount Zion. They may have been the former slaves in Babylon who had wept many tears; now, with Jerusalem in sight, they are rejoicing. Most of us who read our key verses are Christians. Our first tears are shed in repentance for sin. This brings joy! The next wave of tears are shed in our intercessory prayers for others who need to know Jesus. The Scripture teaches us that the seed we sow is the Word of God (Mark 4:1-20).
Psalm 127 confirms to us the futility of human effort apart from God. Those who rely on God can expect to be rewarded with restful sleep which results in peace of mind. Our families are blessed and our families bless us!
Psalm 128 reveals that the basis of a truly happy and successful home is “the fear of the Lord!” This “fear” is that awesome respect we owe God, our Creator, and that “fear” is manifested by the attention we pay to His Holy Word!
Psalm 129 is also a song! We can remember the words to songs well when we remember the tune. The songwriter remembers the history of Israel from the time it was a young nation up to the present. Those memories produce confidence in God’s overall plan!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I pray for a harvest of joy that will come as a result of my tears of repentance and tears of strong intercessory prayer for the salvation of precious people all over the world. Save my loved ones Lord, and may I love others with the love of the One who dwells in me. In His Name, the Name of Jesus, I pray! Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
There’s a saying I remember from childhood: “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.” There are great poets who wrote in the English language about God and His reality. Those words were written by Lord Tennyson in the 19th century. He imagines the death of King Arthur and writes the above famous line. He goes on to write,
“Wherefore, let thy voice rise like a fountain for me night and day. For what are men better than sheep or goats that nourish a blind life within the brain, if, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer both for themselves and for those who call them friends? For so the whole round earth is bound by gold chains about the feet of God.”
Over and over again through the years I’ve come to God in prayer, claiming God’s promise found in our key verses. I’ve found joy and rejoicing in God’s blessing. Also I’m old enough to have worked for several summers as a teenager behind a “binder”… a machine that produces sheaves of wheat which must be placed in an upright stack so that the water will run off them when it rains while awaiting the community threshing machine. Then the grain could be put into the barn awaiting hungry cattle and horses, or the flour mill. This was an exciting time as all the farmers in the area would work together for the success of the harvest! It reminds me of the precious souls harvested because many of us have done our part in God’s harvest through our support of “The Crossroads Family of Ministries!” (click here for more on the sowing and harvesting work of Crossroads).
Yours for successful sowing and reaping!
David
Thank you David for your story of stooking the sheaves awaiting harvest , and we await the harvest of what we have sown .I have cryed many tears and still do over lost family members and aquantances to be drawn by the Holy Spirit , because no man comes to the Father except the Spirit draws him ,
Sowing and reaping it fills our life daily what we say and do may we be harvestrrs in the harvest field to bring in that last sheave before the return of our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ
That we are all labourers I the havest as we are partners with The Lord as we put our thithes and offerings in the storehouse .
Praise God we love you David and your blog thank you that we labour together for the Lord
Amen praise God ;)?
?:) love all you fellow bloggers and have a blessed day
Thank you Brenda. A blessed day to you 🙂
It is as if we are called to sow the word of God to others in truth and example, praying and believing our Lord protects and causes growth to the seed. Just as a farmer can not stand and watch, to see immediate results, we need to provide this new growth time, prayer and nourishment. To know and believe God is doing a work in us, reassures us of the work being done in others! May we be fishers of men and not hunters, kind and not overbearing. May we not hide the light under a barrel, but extend His Light in our love and commitment to Christ and others. Have a great day, to all!
Amen, David, I love these psalms, and have claimed the key verses today over the years. Now another sister in the Lord and I meet every Sunday morning and pray for our unsaved family, community and nation as well as reality in the service. Another church in the area has household salvation meetings going on which I am going to attend and I was encouraged by what I heard yesterday by Leonard Buhler on 100 Huntley St. God is bringing this all together. What a Mighty God we serve! God is calling intercessors, that includes all of us to pray for a great harvest.
Amen David
Lianne Hogg
Many thanks Pastor David Mainse for your continued prayer for all in our world!!!!!!
The pictures are so good. I just returned from Israel….and saw many of the places you post. I would encourage everyone to go…because it gives a person a grasp of the land and what we read in Scriptures which is impossible without being there. The very existence of the land and its produce is a miracle! Thanks for your teaching!
The great matters of the law are judgement, faith and mercy. I do not say peace to a person if I do not wish peace to him or her. I also don’t feel peace for people who say peace but mean evil. Also, Daniel said that a vile one would gain power with flattery and craft and destroy hugely with peace. However, Jesus asks more than the psalm asks from us. The psalms were written to God but they feed us. They are good but Jesus said bless those who curse you. I only do this by warning them (often with anger). Love without judgement is corrupted but to love one’s enemies is more than I do.
Dear Rev. David M. and precious fellow bloggers,
Thank you so much for your prayer today David M. I will actually be reciting it word to word this coming Sunday for my Baptism at Fairview Alliance Church in Montreal.
I feel as excited if not more than 38 years ago when I got married but this time I will become the Bride of Jesus . May I ask for all of you to pray so that all my family that will be present finally understand my great passion and love for The ONE AND ONLY JESUS CHRIST.
Have a blessed day everyone .
xxxx Carole.
Amen :;)
Always hard to point family members towards Jesus. This is a good start. Blessings to you!
God bless you Carole and I pray that all your family present will be deeply touched by your love and commitment to the Lord. David, I like what you said about being” fishers and not hunters, kind but not overbearing.” You have already proven to me that you are great prayer warriors, fellow bloggers. Love you all!
🙂
M.
Good morning David–just read your comments from Nov.5th–keep up the good work in your Christian ministry–I farmed all my life and know the joys of harvesting a good crop–the Lord provides immensly for us–the Lord has doubled our corn crop and wheat crop yields per acre since I started farming in 1964–Praise the Lord!!!–God bless–Bruce
Dear Pastor David. The reading of the scripture is done with such meaning and reverence. I love listening to every word. My husband’s grandson has cancer. We have been praying daily for his healing, right along with our prayer for yours, please I ask you and all your great bloggers to join us. Elaine B.