Tag: Reap

Do You Want to Be Healed?

Today’s reading is Psalm 126. Here the psalmist writes of successes or fortunes after challenging times.

5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 126:5-6

Have you had an opportunity to watch The Chosen series? If not, I highly recommend it. It is a multi-season series about Jesus available for download on your phone or tablet through the app store which you can project to your TV.  Although made for adults, our kids ages 8,5, and 3 love it as well. Season 2, Episode 4 came out a few weeks ago which was about John 5:1-17 where Jesus heals the man who had been a paralytic at the pool believed to heal the first one who could get into the water when it bubbled up for 38 years. This is my favorite story in the Bible for a couple reasons. First, probably because if I was born during that time I could be the paralytic because I would eventually be paralyzed due to spinal stenosis without modern medicine. Secondly, I believe these verses are packed with life lessons which I believe God is speaking through their interaction in these verses.

Jesus could obviously could have just healed the man, but what does he ask him first in John 5:6, “Do you WANT to be healed?” If you are going through challenges right now you are probably saying…”Chet..of course I do!” However, if we really go deeper..how many times do we find ourselves responding to our challenges like the paralytic in John 5:7, “Sir…I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I’m going down another steps down before me.” This is what my former business coach calls the trap of the viable excuse. We all have excuses which all have an element of truth in them. The problem with that is that when we give one excuse it can lead to another and another..all of which have an element of truth in them. However, will giving those excuses actually improve our situation in any way? We have to stop giving excuses and first truly want to be healed.

Next, Jesus says to the paralytic in John 5:8, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” The paralytic could have asked Jesus if Jesus was crazy and that he was paralyzed and had been there for 38 years. Get real…don’t you know my problem, Jesus? C’mon! But, what did the paralytic do? He had faith and believed that Jesus could and would heal him and he stood up and walked! God can heal us…but…we have do our part to have faith AND then take action. As my brother in Christ Brian McClure  says, “We have to be fully submitted AND committed to God’s calling for our life.” Another way to put it is faith AND action. If we look at Jesus’ miracles like this one, nearly all not only required faith, but a human element of us to do our part and take action in faith. God wants to see our faith and belief through action. Again…fully submitted to His plan for our life, whatever it is, AND committed to do our part as well..faith AND action.

Here are a few questions for you today..are you in a season of life where you are sowing in tears as the psalmist says and taking action? Keep sowing with faith. Or..do you need to do your part for God’s healing to take action in faith? What miracles can God do in your life if you are fully submitted AND committed where in God’s timing you can eventually “come home with shouts of joy, bringing sheaves..?”

And let us no grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20-21

Reaper

Good Morning Biblejournal family,

This may not be the name you first thought of when you think of the names for Jesus. Reaper.  Yes, at first maybe you would think about the outfits that appear at our seasonal Halloween spaces when describing the grim reaper.  The image today includes a sickle but in the sense of a heavenly harvest by our Lord.

Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” (Revelation 14:15)

One day Jesus will stand upon the clouds, angels will be present,  and it will be a Great Harvest. Some may believe that this day may come sooner than later based on worldly implications and social media impact.  I can only imagine Jesus standing above in the clouds with all His glory and brightness holding his hand out.  According to Revelation 14,  It will be a time of judgment that only our Lord will make.  The question will be answered. Faithful or unfaithful? No standing lines where we wait and wonder if we have done enough.  It’s a reminder its not about what we have done. (2 Timothy 1:9) It’s a matter of do we believe that Jesus was born, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose again.  He is seated next to God waiting once again for His call to say, It’s time.  Go Harvest. Have we been faithful or not? Do you believe it? As Christians, we will not have to fear but have the joy of our eternal reward at this time.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come in condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24)

 

Take time to read Revelation 14:14-19. The harvest of the earth.  The first harvest will be one of the believers. The second harvest is considered the winepress of God’s wrath.

The time of harvest will come. (Jeremiah 51:33) (Matthew 13:37-43)

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your many images that are a reminder of who you are.  Thank you for your words that can transform our lives through faith in you.  Lord we know one day you will return, please remind us of your harvest and of the love you have for us.  Please help us to be obedient to your words and be ripe when your time comes.

Amen