Ripe For Picking
By Dennis Huebshman
Anyone who plants seeds or trees or whatever, will expect to gain something positive for their efforts. In the Bible we’re given numerous examples of different harvests, and the sum of the outcomes are exactly opposite. (ESV – all emphasis is mine)
Joel 3:13-15; “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow for their evil is great. (14) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision. For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. (15) The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.” This would definitely be a negative outcome.
Jesus knew there was a need to bring souls to Him, and always would be. Matthew 9:37-38; “Then He said to His disciples, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; (38) therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Anything we do to honor Jesus would be positive.
In Galatians 6: 6-9, Paul expands on Jesus’ Great Commission, as given in Matthew 28:19-20, of spreading the Gospel throughout the world. “Let the one who is taught the Word, share all good things with the one who teaches. (7) Do not be deceived; God is not mocked; for whatever one sows that will he also reap. (8) For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (9) And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
As we progress toward the end of this age, we are witnessing events worldwide that are getting progressively more evil each day. Everything that God stated was an abomination to Him is out in the open and being accepted today as being the new normal. More and more people are saying that “hate” is involved in reference to anything that has to do with Jesus and Christianity. They say that the “abominations” are ancient history, and do not apply to today’s society. People are accepting satan’s lies just as Jesus said they would in the last days. (Matthew 24:5-12)
One of the Savior’s most recognized parables is the sower of seeds in Matthew 13:3-9. It’s well worth the read. “And He told them many things in parables, saying; ‘A sower went out to sow. (4) and as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. (5) Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil; (6) but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. (7) Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. (8) Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain; some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (9) He who has ears let him hear’.”
The best explanation of this parable was given by Jesus Himself in Matthew 13:19-23. “When anyone hears the Word of the Kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. (20) As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one that hears the Word, and immediately receives it with joy, (21) yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the Word, immediately he falls away. (22) As for what was sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the Word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and it proves unfruitful. (23) As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the Word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Before going further, none of the above is meant to imply we must do certain deeds to try and earn our way into God’s good graces. First of all, there is no way this can happen as no human on earth can be perfect in order to please the Father. Without perfection, any works we do are like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6)
Ephesians 2: 8-9 makes this perfectly clear with; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, (9) not a result of works so that no one may boast.” The only boasting we can do is to acknowledge that we are saved through the blood that was shed by our Savior at Calvary. The only action we can take is to admit we are all sinners, believe Jesus died and as raised to conquer sin and death for us, and we must call out to Him and receive and accept the gift of His sacrifice. (Romans 10:9-13)
After this, anything we do is to honor our Savior for what He did for us, knowing that as long as we’re in these human bodies we will still sin. God knows this very well, and has made provision for us to receive further forgiveness.
Going to 1 John 1:8-10; “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” One of the hardest thing for many to do is admit we are fallible, and not the perfect beings we think we are. Satan lives on this thought, and through his deceptions, he is able to draw numerous souls away from the Savior. However, Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23 all give us the facts as they really are.
Another ploy of the evil one is to try and get people to admit that God exists, but Jesus is not a real part of the Holy Trinity. Looking at 1 John 5:10-12, we’re told; “Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning His Son. (11) And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (12) Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
In John 3:16, we’re told; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” To complete this statement, we need to go to John 3:18; “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned; but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
One brief note here; when we see “him or “his” or “he” in these scriptures, they also apply to “her” and “she” as well.
The deception by satan is nothing new as it started in Genesis 3 in the Garden of Eden. Although several thousand years have passed, his ploys are still working, and the world atmosphere today is ripe for what he has to say.
Please understand, Numbers 23:19 states; “God is not man that He should lie, or a son of man that He should change His mind. Has He said and will not do it? Or has He spoken and will not fulfill it?”
As for His Son, Jesus, Hebrews 13:8 states; “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever”
Isaiah 40:8; “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
When the time arrives, satan will be cast into eternal misery in the lake of fire that was made for him and his demons. (Matthew 25:41) Sadly, all who did not follow the will of the Father prior to Calvary, and who did not receive and accept Jesus from Calvary to the end of this earth will join them there. (Revelation 20:11-15)
All who truly believe in and receive and accept Jesus as their eternal Savior will live with Him forever in Paradise. Again, this is a covenant from the Father and as stated in Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18-19 and Titus 1:2 – God cannot and will not lie.
Finally, God will force no one to become a part of His Son’s precious flock, but will honor all who do. It’s a free-will choice offered by a free-will God. Each individual must choose for themselves which eternity they will go to. It will either be Heaven with Jesus; or hell with satan.
Today would not be too early to make your decision, if you have not already done so. The way the events of this earth are unfolding, the end of this era is ripe for the picking.
Call on Jesus; Call on Him today; make your reservation for your eternal paradise.
Maranatha – Come Lord Jesus!