Harvest Part 4

February 06, 2020 by Cee Maria in Word for Wednesday

Deuteronomy 23:25 NLT

And when you enter your neighbor’s field of grain, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but you must not harvest it with a sickle.

Who is your neighbor?

Neighbor is defined as someone of a close or distant relationship. In this case, a neighbor means anyone (1). Let me explain.

Acts of Kindness:

In ancient times, people traveled by foot. They would walk several miles from home to market, their job site, a festival, to take care of some business, or visit with family, etc… Of course, people would get hungry along the way. God wanted the owners of the field to allow those who passed by to eat handfuls of their grain to stave off their hunger. Jesus and His disciples did this as they traveled preaching i Matthew 12 and Luke 6.

Balance is Key:

This law also prohibited from freeloading. They were only to take enough grain to sustain themselves for their journey. Sickles, which could harvest a large portion of crop, were prohibited from use. Property owners did not need to worry about moochers who would take advantage of their kindness. God was teaching His people to be generous and civically minded. He was also emphasizing the importance of providing for their own families and not abusing the goodness of others.

That’s what harvest means in this verse.

Reference:

1) https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H7453&t=KJV

Harvest Part 3

January 22, 2020 by Cee Maria in Word for Wednesday

2 Corinthians 4:15 NLT

All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

Paul

The Apostle Paul wrote this verse. He’s explaining to the Corinthians why he suffers so much for the cause of Christ. People are blinded by spiritual darkness and are on their way to hell. Powerfully, the Word of God sheds light on the dark deeds of men and draws them near to God.

Why does he do it?

But, there are those who resist the light of God’s Word. They do everything in their power to silence Paul by punishing him for speaking the truth. Even though he faces constant battles, beatings, jailings, and his life is always in danger, he looks to the future. Why? Because Paul and all the people who accept Jesus as Messiah will be resurrected to live in heaven with God forever.

The reward makes it worthwhile

All of Paul’s sufferings were for the benefit of the people. He wanted everyone to experience God’s grace. A life that’s been touched by God is filled with thanksgiving. As the number of people grow who accept God’s grace, the greater the glory given to God.

That’s what thanksgiving means in this verse.

Harvest Part 1

October 02, 2019 by Cee Maria in Word for Wednesday

Exodus 23:19 NLT

“As you harvest your crops, bring the very best of the first harvest to the house of the LORD your God.”

The Principle of First Fruits

God is speaking to Moses and establishing moral boundaries and laws for the brand new nation of Israel. In this verse, God is instituting the principle of first fruits. Different crops have different harvest times. God was setting the law for Israel to give Him the first portion of every crop they harvested.

Everything has a harvest

Deuteronomy 26:2 commands the Israelites to take a portion from every crop they harvested and present it to the Lord. Carrying their bounty, they presented their baskets to the priests. Their patriarch Jacob and his clan lived in Egypt, became great in number, and were miraculously rescued from the hand of pharaoh with mighty signs and wonders. They were to remember how God blessed them with this fertile land that flowed with milk and honey. With thoughts filled with the actions of God’ goodness, and hearts filled with gratefulness, the people were to bow down and worship the Lord. The first fruit is a reminder of all the goodness God has demonstrated in our lives.

Other examples of First Fruits

Adam and Eve were the first fruits of the human race. Noah and his family were the first fruits of humanity during the Great Flood. Jesus was the first fruit who resurrected from the dead and lived forever more (1 Cor 5:20). Believers are a first fruit to God.

James 1:18 NIV

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Open the door for blessings

When we plant seeds of faith, a spiritual door is opened for God to be involved in every area of our lives. We can then reap a harvest of blessings. Allow God to be involved in all areas of your life and watch the harvest of His blessings overtake you.