John 4:35
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

Jesus says “Say ye not…” "Don’t you say this? Can you not discern the appropriate times to harvest in the natural. Can't you tell when it's time to bring in the crops in the natural world. Then take a spiritual look at the harvest field before you - it's white. It's ready to harvest."

Jesus is saying, “Don’t put off the HARVEST…” Don’t wait to harvest, or the harvest will go to waste. We can’t allow the harvest to die in the field. We must harvest it while we still have the time. What could put us off? Why would we ever put the brakes on the harvest?

Sometimes we hesitate because we’re afraid of uncharted territory. “We’ve never done it that way before…” New territory… new methods… new programs… new directions… It’s easy to get uneasy when you’re sailing through uncharted waters; places you’ve never been to before; reaching new people with new ways of reaching them. But if we are going to be successful in the Lord’s harvest field, we’re going to have to get down to business and try some new things.

There are a lot of folks that are holding on to the idea that church should never change. And yet, the world changes.

I grew up in Sunday School, where my teacher would use the flannel board to tell me about Moses, and Elijah, Joseph and especially Jesus. I would sit spell-bound for the whole hour while she positioned those cardboard cutouts on the flannel board. I remember my teacher building the story of the children of Israel and their 40 years in the desert with a sandbox, and figures made of pipe cleaners, and scraps of fabric. But friend, this is the video generation. My children can do more with my cell phone than I can do. They are computer gurus at 11 and almost 9 years old.

I remember the time BEFORE the microwave, and they can’t understand the value of a home-cooked meal because it TAKES TOO LONG. I can remember when we would TYPE bulletins on a typewriter, and run them off on an old mimeograph machine. And today we can download graphics for our bulletin by DSL, and print directly from the computer to the printer/copier/fax machine

And the kids can probably put it together better than we can. We can’t hesitate in making that transition. We have to be a church body that not only grows in physical numbers, But also spiritually growing, financially growing; inside our walls and outside of our walls as well.

We have to present facilities and equipment that grow with this community. We have to expand when we need to expand; build when we need to build; buy when we need to buy. And why? Why do we have to change? Because we have to become effective partners with God in His business.

We have to become a source for people of all ages; for children; for youth; for young adults; for adults; for senior adults. We have to endeavor to love the hopeless and the helpless. We have to make a choice to become a community resource. All the while we have to work to take our adherents to a higher spiritual level. We have to develop an effective prayer, healing and deliverance ministry. Our services should be alive with the power of the Holy Ghost. We need to get a hold of the revival sweeping this nation. And we have to change to a position of EVANGELISM for the sake of our community.

And it’s going to take a paradigm shift.

I have a very good friend from the Orlando Area, named Rick. Rick is a Shaklee salesman. The thing that is amazing about Rick, that he can find a way to interject Shaklee into ANY LIFE PROBLEM from two perspectives: (1.) He BELIEVES in the product, and (2.) He wants to make that sale.

Well, I’m marketing a product that is guaranteed to cure and heal, help and repair. And it becomes my pleasure to interject Him into every conversation I have with anyone. I believe in Bethel Church of God, and what God’s doing here. It becomes a pleasure to interject information about our church into every conversation I have with anyone. We have to become makers of disciples and teachers of the gospel message and faith. We have to become edifiers of these new converts; training them to observe Christ’s commands. We have to WANT to see people saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost. We have to desire it.

This isn’t just about us; this is about HIS KINGDOM, HIS POWER and HIS GLORY FOREVER.

Sometimes we hesitate because of today’s lack. “Pastor, we don’t have the financial means to do what we need to do…” “We’d like to save the whole city… but we don’t have the room to accommodate them…” “We’d like to see many come to Christ here… but we are sort of like the dog chasing the car… If we caught it, what would we do with it?” “If we get them in here… what are we going to do with them?” “We need more teachers… more workers… more leaders… more givers… we need more than what we have…”

And so we hesitate. But I’m here to tell you today, that the just STILL live by faith: If we hesitate, or draw back… God’s not going to have any pleasure in us. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:38-39

Jesus said it like this…

Luke 9:62
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

We’ve put our hand to this plough at Bethel Church of God, and now’s not the time for us to reconsider or look back or draw back. Now is the time for us to advance… forcefully advance! Matt 11:12 tells us that “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.”

We have to become that ardent in our passion and enthusiastic in our message. We have to keep our hand on the plough and HOLD ON until we get this. We have to become like Eleazar smiting the enemies of God until our hand literally becomes joined to the sword of the Lord. Sometimes, we hesitate because we’re apathetic. It’s too easy to tell a dying world, “Be warmed, and filled, and clothed and fed…” And yet their need is still there. They are still cold, and naked, and hungry and thirsty.

There’s an absolute apathy today to the need of people. Every person we see, we ought to view him, view her as God views them. “THIS IS A PRECIOUS SOUL… something so precious that the Only-Begotten son of God was offered in their stead…” Nothing was more valuable to God, so nothing can be more valuable to me.

“Lord, lay some soul upon my heart…” If it’s my waitress, my hair dresser, my doctor, whoever. Let me become a purveyor of the gospel message. Let me be a lighthouse for the wayward, and a hope for the hopeless.

Sometimes we hesitate because we’re disobedient to Him. He said go, but we don’t. He said share the message, but we don’t. He said make disciples, but we don’t. But if we have the knowledge of this impending judgment that is coming upon the face of the whole earth; if we know there is a heaven, and a hell and that there is a way out of the latter; and if we don’t say to the wicked, “Thou shalt surely die…” and warn him in the error of his ways, then his blood will be required at OUR HAND according to Ezekiel 3.

We can’t hesitate. There isn’t time for that. We have to preach the Word without hesitation and without doubt. For the Christian, there isn’t some set period of time until the Second Coming or until the end of the harvest; the HARVEST is NOW. No man knows the day or the hour. But the wise virgin is awaiting with Bridegroom with a lamp full of oil, and a trimmed wick, and prepared unto the wedding supper of the Lamb.

No one knows the day or the hour. It’s going to take people by surprise. If we knew what time the thief was coming we’d have the alarm on; but NO MAN KNOWETH. That’s why He tells us to take heed, watch and pray.

1 Peter tells us that “…the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” (1 Peter 4:7)

Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (Revelation 16:15)

Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. (James 5:9)

HARVEST IS HERE. HARVEST IS NOW. He says it’s all around us if we’ve got eyes to see it. A lot of times we can’t see the forest for the trees. That harvest is all around us. It’s all around us. Now the harvest field is NOT going to be filled up with picture-perfect, spiritually prepared Christians. No, honey; we catch ‘em and then we let the Holy Ghost clean ‘em. Guess what the harvest field is full of? People who cuss like sailors and drink like fish; people who can’t hold down jobs, and who have anger problems; people with emotional disorders and people with baggage. The harvest field is full of people with dysfunctions and morality issues. It’s full of people with drug problems and perversions. It’s full of FISH that WE are to catch. It’s not our job to clean them up; we just catch.

We just go out into the highways and the hedges and compel them to come in, so that the house will be full. Then the HOLY GHOST cleans them; the HOLY GHOST gets them ready for service. The Holy Ghost cleans their tongues, and prepares their hearts. Now the thing we’re going to have the most trouble with, is resisting that urge to try to clean people up; that’s not our job. That’s God’s job. We just get them in here; let the Holy Ghost clean them. Let the Holy Ghost clean them.

Jesus says, “BEHOLD…” In other words, “This is something important I want you to see it.” Sometimes we have to OPEN OUR EYES, so that we can see what God’s trying to show us. There are things we might not be getting.

I earnestly believe that Bethel is NOT YET LIVING her highest purpose for the Kingdom of God. We’re not yet living our HIGHEST PURPOSE for winning this city. But if we’re ever going to reach our potential we’re going to have to open our eyes and see it the way God’s seeing it. “I say unto YOU…”

“Hey! I’m talking to you here… PAY ATTENTION!!” He casts aside ANY DOUBTS that this is a message for anyone else. I think it’s a message for us. “I’m saying unto you… Lift up your eyes!”

I think of how many times my Mom tried to talk to me. I think of how many times my wife has tried to talk to me… Both of them have had to work at it a few times, just to get my attention. Occasionally each has had to get me to stop what I was doing so I’d pay attention to what they were saying. I’m a multi-tasker, so I do a lot of things at the same time. And it is frustrating for the person who tries to talk to me. But sometimes, we have to be INTERRUPTED in our plans, paths and purposes to hear from Jesus.

“I want you to LOOK UP FROM WHAT YOU’RE CURRENTLY DOING. Take a minute, and view things my way.”

This is Jesus’ business. Don’t you think we could take a few business tips from Him? “LOOK UP! Stop! Focus on what I’m saying. LOOK on the fields!” He’s saying, “LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL. Don’t you see what’s possible?” Of course, we have to get our attention on His plans.

I believe that there are fields in Echols County that have never been harvested. I believe that there are souls that are just ripe for the picking. I believe that there might be hurting people that need this message that we’re preaching. There might be someone that needs what we’re doing here. There might be someone who needs to hear…

“NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE… NO MATTER WHAT YOU’VE DONE… NO MATTER WHERE YOU’VE BEEN… WHEN YOU COME TO BETHEL CHURCH OF GOD, WE’RE GOING TO LOVE YOU.” Without question; without hesitation; without a doubt; no matter what you look like. No matter, we’re going to love you.

Fields that have never been harvested; whole neighborhoods that have never been evangelized. Fields… FIELDS… that’s large, open spaces full of fruit.

For generations this church has cried out and wept before the Lord. And cried out and carried the seed of the Gospel into the fields. But I have an assurance from the Word today; your years of service are not going to be null and void.

If God will allow me, I’ll be sitting here in 2010. The pictures out there on the back wall begin in 1910… is that our year of inception? Is that the year it all started? If it is, you just wait and see! 2010 will be a barn-burner. We’ll have tent service, put up the brush arbor… we’ll have special guests from far and wide, and dinner on the grounds that will make Jenny Craig spontaneously start calling people in this church to try to help us out.

But friends, the years since the building of this building are not for nothing.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:6)

We’ve got some reaping to do today for the planting you did yesterday. And God’s got a crop READY for a harvest. That phrase “white unto harvest…” that meant the EARS were ready to be picked. I believe that there are FIELDS OF PEOPLE out in these streets that are just RIPE for the pickin’. But do we have the vision to see it come to pass? We’ve got to step into this harvest field

We’ve got to get the VISION. We have to BEHOLD. We have to LIFT UP OUR EYES, or look up from what we’re doing. We have to SEE THE HARVEST.