It's Harvest Crime!

Regardless of how strong and long Al Gore preaches global warming, God has already decided that the Earth will go through seasons and cycles. And there is nothing we can do to change it.

While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease. Gen 8:22

No one is arguing that it isn't warmer than it was 230 years ago. No one has crossed the frozen Delaware since George Washington. And the last Mexican who died of hypothermia trying to reach San Antonio, was on his way to The Alamo with Santa Anna. But It's nothing like it was during the 10th century. The Vikings didn't give Greenland THAT name to be sarcastic. The Earth has cycled through temperature variations for thousands of years. Politicians see a tax revenue and call it global warming. Humans feel warmer and call it weather. God creates "cold and heat" and calls it "good".

Just as sure as God's cycle of "hot and cold" is His cycle of cycle of "seedtime and harvest." Night is different than day, but they are related. Cold is different than heat, but both are needed to help define the other. Seedtime and harvest are related in the same way. You can't have harvest without seedtime. In fact, the definition of harvest relies on it. The dictionary defines harvest as "the result or consequence of an act, process, or event" You can't harvest corn unless it's been sown. You can't harvest grapes unless they've been planted.

There is nothing spiritual or supernatural about sowing and reaping. The Bible teaches that man sows and man reaps, but it's God who gives the increase. Jesus didn't say he would provide the mustard seed and plant it for you. He said if WE supplied the mustard seed and sowed it, we could harvest a product that would move mountains. But planting the seed and watching God increase it doesn't guarantee we'll get it.

So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. Then they would encamp against them and destroy the harvest as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. Judges 6:3-6

Thieves never come during planting season. They come during harvest time. Thieves don't care about seed, they want the finished product. A thief, by definition, throws away his own seed and takes the fruit of yours. Thieves will kill their own potential and wait patiently for yours to blossom. They will gladly watch Oprah and text on their cell phones as you water the ground and shoo the crows. Your seedtime will be a season of peace and you will feel close to God as He directs you to sow faith-filled seeds of blessing into your life. And then, right on schedule, they will arrive hungry, needy, and violent.

How many of us have spent hours, days, and years believing God for something and just when it was close enough to smell, it was gone forever? I know Christians who attend church every Sunday, give of their time, talents, and money, and never see a harvest. It's as if, out of nowhere, it was erased from their destiny. A pink slip, a divorce, a death, a deal gone bad, whatever it was, it had enough poison to disarm and dishearten. Wounded, we retreat, allow the enemy to plunder, and give the Christian response. "I guess it wasn't God's will." That wasn't the attitude of David's mighty men. When the entire Israelite army retreated, Shammah defended a lentil patch against an entire Philistine army. (2Samuel 23:11-12)

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. John 10:10

Because the thief takes what he wants, and destroys the leftovers, we learn to sow sparingly. Why bother planting all summer when everything is stolen? Why give, pray, and offer up mustard seeds of faith when most of the time we get nothing? This is the strategy of the thief. If the thief can steal your harvest enough times, soon you'll stop planting so much.

I recently spoke with a Christian woman who was deeply discouraged. She complained that everyone around her was taking, taking, and taking from her. She is chronically depressed, and has nothing more to give. Everything she plants in the kingdom is stolen. This has caused her to be without hope, and she has become indifferent towards her church. Satan has stolen so much of her harvest, that she believes everyday of her life is a waste of time. "Why doesn't God just take me home?"

We must recognize that things of value always attract thieves. Your marriage, romance, family, and potential are always targeted. Jesus never promised us immunity from being targeted, but he did give us power over the thief.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1John 4:4

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you James 4:7

We don't deserve what we don't pursue. God freely gave us Christ, and He will freely give us all things. But that has nothing to do with thieves. Everything God gives us is valuable, so you can expect every promise of God to be a target. If we don't prepare for it, we will be left with nothing. It does us no good to call the intercessors, listen to Hillsongs, and speak faith, if we just stand paralyzed during harvest time.

Seedtime and harvest are not automatic. We have to plow, fertilize, and plant. But the thief doesn't care about your seedtime. He's after your harvest. Trusting God is NOT walking away and believing God will harvest and serve it up to you for supper. Trusting God is walking away and believing He will bring the increase. It is during that time you walk away and put on your armor. Because you can be sure, your not the only one waiting for it.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9

Kingdomland

The Bible describes Heaven as the place where God dwells. It was from Heaven, that Jesus came and offered Himself as sacrifice for the whole world.

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Whether you believe it, accept it, or embrace it, it happened. It is a done deal. No one can earn it. No one can pay Him back. There is no program, course, or certification you need from your Pastor, Priest, or Rabbi to get the salvation purchased by Jesus. It is a gift that needs to be accepted or rejected. There is no third choice. The thief, hanging next to Jesus, did not have time to get baptized, go to confession, knock on doors, or give any money. He simply accepted a gift, and received heaven. One minute, he was a sinner going to hell. The next minute, he was a sinner going to heaven. "

Then he (thief) said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43

In the Old Testament, the Jews also received a gift of salvation. But their salvation was not from the bondage of sin. Their salvation was from the bondage of the Egyptians. The Jewish people had absolutely nothing to do with there deliverance from the hands of Pharaoh. In fact, most of them didn't even believe it could happen. Their deliverance was orchestrated by God through miracles and plagues. One minute, the Jews where making bricks. The next minute, they were packing the U-Haul. Once Pharaoh yielded, it was up to them to stay in slavery or leave town. It was God, through Moses, that brought upon the deliverance of the Jews, and it was God, through Jesus, that brought upon the deliverance of the world. After being delivered from slavery, God tells the Jews that He is taking them to a new land. A land that is plentiful. A land of no traffic, low gas prices, and a Super Wal-Mart, etc, etc. It is a land where they can live and raise their families forever. God gives them a verbal deed to the land and instructs them to go inspect their new property.

The Lord, now said to Moses, “Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes.” So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He sent out twelve men, all tribal leaders of Israel, from their camp in the wilderness of Paran. Numbers 13:1-3

When the twelve men returned from surveying the land, they gave the following report.

We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! Numbers 13:27-28

The deliverance from Egypt was the work of God and Him alone. The whole escape was gift wrapped in a neat little package. Not only did they not have to fight their way out, God cleared a path for them. You can't get more "full service" than God parting water so you don't have to walk around. The possession of the land, however, was NOT "full service". It was "self-service". God had already promised them the land. It was theirs for the taking. But there were no takers. Even though they witnessed God perform miracles on their behalf, their unbelief allowed themselves to be intimidated by the current residents. Instead of possessing the land, they stayed in the desert for forty years.

An entire generation lived and died in the desert. Though they walked out of Egypt, they never entered into their full potential. During the forty years they wandered, God miraculously fed them and provided for their every need. Everywhere the Jews went, God hovered over them as a cloud by day, and a cloud of fire by night. Every morning, God cooked them breakfast and there was enough food to last the entire day. This went on everyday. It was routine. It was their reality.

The desert is the place between deliverance and destiny. God's intention was not to rescue them out of Egypt so that they could stay in the desert. Staying in the desert is a choice. Salvation through Christ is similar in the sense that our deliverance is FREE, but our destiny still lies in our own hands. Jesus' intention was not to rescue you from your sin, so that you could stay broke, busted, and disgusted. Remember, you go to Heaven because of what Jesus did, plus nothing. But you live in the kingdom based on your obedience and the choices you make. And living in the kingdom, is the destiny God has called each and every one of us to.

So what is the kingdom and how do I live in it?

One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?” Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you. Luke 17:20-21

Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” Mark 4:26-32

The kingdom is a land of plenty. It is a land where a little seed produces a large fruit. It is a land so fertile that a farmer will be able to plant and NOTHING will be able to stop it from growing. It is a place where others can come and find rest and provision. It is a land of unlimited potential and blessing. But the kingdom does have a show-stopper.

And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.
Matthew 11:12

The kingdom is also a land of warfare. If you want to live in the kingdom, it first has to be taken. And because this kingdom is spiritual, we know that the current residents are also spiritual. And their job is to keep you out. The Apostle Paul knew very well about this spiritual battle.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12

It is said that the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. Many Christians live and die in the desert, completely ignorant of the devil and specifically what he is guarding you from, The Kingdom. The kingdom, not heaven, is what Jesus died for.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10

To put it another way, your eligibility for heaven was decided by Christ. Your eligibility for the kingdom will be decided by YOU on the battlefield. If Satan can convince a Christian that their salvation is up in the air, then he knows they are no threat to kingdom living. Doubting your salvation is the equivalent to a head-shot in war. If he can make you doubt your salvation, then it's over. You will remain in the desert. Enjoy your mana. It's no mystery why Paul called it the "Helmet of Salvation".

The Bible says that many are called, but few are chosen. Many have accepted the free gift of salvation, but very few have chosen to live in the kingdom. They choose not to fight. They choose not to change. They choose not to see an enemy pulling the strings. For Satan, the game is over. He can't keep you from Heaven. That battle is lost. His only option is to keep you wounded. He wants you benched and off the battlefield. His strategy is to steal, kill, and destroy your potential, relationships, and finances. If he succeeds, then you have no light. You have no salt. You have no influence.

Kingdom life is a life where no goal is out of reach. You are the head, and not the tail. You live above, and not below. You are the victor, and not the victim. Your life doesn't fluctuate with gas prices, the economy, or Britney Spears. You don't have to be broke. You CAN go to school. You CAN be healed. You CAN be successful. In the kingdom, you control your destiny. You have the authority. You have the mandate. Go get it. Don't settle for the desert. Don't settle for your daily mana rations. Go get your destiny. Go get everything Jesus bled and died for. You can't lose.

Hope to see you there.