WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? THERE STANDS BEFORE US A GREAT HARVEST…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Luke 10:2 (NLT) These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.
Luke 10:2 (MSG) He gave them this charge: "What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.
ALL PEOPLE COME TO A TIME WHERE WE APPROACH A WINDOW. THE WINDOW IS A NEW OPPORTUNITY WITH A NEW ATTIITUDE.
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house: and his WINDOWS BEING OPEN in his chambers toward Jerusalem, Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day.
DEFINITIONS:
WINDOW: an opening for light and air; transparent material usually capable of being opened and closed; interval of time when something must happen; time when conditions for opportunity exist; area at the limits of earth’s sensible atmosphere through which a space craft must pass for successful launch and reentry; part of a computer that displays or divides distinctly different types of information into areas of display.
OPPORTUNITY: favorable juncture; good chance for advancement or progress; situation which one may seize to the benefit of the whole; chance; shot; opening.
IS OUR GOAL MORE LEISURE TIME? WHAT ARE WE LONGING TO ACCOMPLISH?
APATHY SEEMS TO CLOSE MANY WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY….
2 Kings 13:14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. 16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.
I have a big hour glass I purchased at Walmart. The hour glass is full of sand, when I turn the hour glass over the sand starts pouring through the small hole, and there is one hour of sand. I start quoting the continued show, AS THE SAND OF TIME --- SO ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIFE! I have a bow and four or five arrows that I hold to illustrate II Kings 13. TEXT:
THE OLD PREACHER POUR OUT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL REQUIRE EFFORT.
2 Kings 13:17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD'S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
HE WHO IS KILLING TIME IS KILLING HIMSELF?
Our goal in life is to be free from work and constructive activities? We look for a more convenient time? Where is the thought of Seizing the Window of Opportunity?
One of the greatest sins of the modern church is a very simple sin. We think we have plenty of time. We kill time! He who kills time, kills him self. We teach our children not to waste food and water. We are wise stewards of our money, we teach investment of money with thought. We teach our children to use their minds and talents in the proper avenues. But somehow we live like we have forever, and we waste time, seems we don’t realize there is a limited, finite amount of time that we possess. Once the day is spent it can never be recalled.
WE TEND TO RAISE OUR KIDS TO GROW LAZY AND SASSY? The kid has homework to do! There is a book to read that will enlighten the mind, there are chores to help around the home not finished. And the child is engrossed by some video game and will never finish the work before them.
OUR PARENTS GROW LAZY AND FAT? A Mom is laying on the couch watching the continued show on TV. The kids are hungry. There are dust bunnies growing under the beds. There is work to be done, but Mom is on the phone hearing the rumor mill, and can’t even hear her own children. A Daddy is laying lazily on the couch with the remote control flipping from football, to basketball, to baseball games. He is a couch potato eating potato chips and getting fatter and fatter. If Dad can’t find something good on TV, he will watch a rerun.
Why can’t there be Bible reading and prayer? Why can’t there be family time of laughing and sharing and listening?
WASTING TIME IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE SPIRIT
Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Now is the accepted time. Time is that wherein there is opportunity. Time is the most valuable thing you spend. Show me what you spend your time on, and I will show you what you love. Time is flying and never to return.
2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
IT IS GETTING LATE!
John 4:35 Say not ye, There are four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
My older brother was in Germany and he sent me a beautiful Cuckoo clock. I love cuckoo clocks. I stopped and listen as the little bird cuckoos. One day I stopped and was counting as the bird sang. I counted, one, two, three, ---- eight, nine, --- twelve, --- fourteen, --- eighteen, --- twenty-two, --- twenty-seven.
HEAR THE SERMON FROM THE DEATH BED.
II Kings 13: 14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And JOASH the king of Israel came down unto Elisha, and wept over his face, and said, O, my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
CAN WE FOLLOW THE LEADER WITH LOVE, ZEAL AND SUBMIT TO DIRECTIONS EVEN IF WE DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND? Joash recognized God and Elisha as the man of God, but there was a lacking in catching the moment of opportunity that was before the young
SEEMS WE CAN’T UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS WHEN WE COME TO THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.
1. II Kings 13:15 And Elisha said unto Joash, TAKE THE BOW AND ARROWS. And Joash took the bow and the arrows.
2. II Kings 13:16 As King Joash takes the bow and arrows in his hand, the old preacher lays his hands upon the Kings hands, a token of the anointing.
3. HERE COMES THE OPPORTUNITY! II Kings 13:17 And Elisha said, OPEN THE WINDOW eastward.
And Joash opened the window. Elisha said SHOOT THE ARROW out the window... And Joash shot ...
4. The opportunity looms before Joash as Elisha commands: THESE ARE THE ARROWS OF THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE and the arrow of deliverance from Syria.
4. LACK OF COMMITMENT WHILE AT THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.
5. 11 Kings 13:18 Elisha commands the young King Joash to TAKE THE ARROWS AND HIT THE GROUND WITH THEM. The young King halfheartedly took the arrows and hit the ground three times and stopped.
6. NO SADDER WORDS OF PEN OR TONGUE, THAN THE WORDS WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN!
II Kings 13:19 And Elisha, the man of God was WROTH with Joash, and Elisha said, Joash you should have hit those arrows to the ground five or six times...
May I suggest to you, the problem was a heart problem, not just how Joash hit the ground?
Conclusion: Joash was at the WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY AND HE MISSED IT. Lazy, halfhearted efforts can never accomplish the purpose of the Almighty God! Do you think God might take issue with the lack of effort and application of our talents as we stand before the window of opportunity? GOD DESIRES TO BLESS YOU, COME TO THE OPEN WINDOW AND ACCEPT GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR YOU!
Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, AND PROVE ME now herewith, saith the Lord of Host, IF I WILL NOT OPEN YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN, AND POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING, THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT.
WE ARE STANDING AT THE WINDOW OF GOD’S TIMING. There stands open before us a window of opportunity, see how Joash missed his golden opportunity by halfhearted laziness.
Malachi 3:10 (MSG) Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams.
WE HAVE SOME GREAT WINDOWS OF THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
