SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES
(Matthew 13:24-25) (24) "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:" (25) "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way"
(Matthew 13:26-28) (26) "But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also." (27) "So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?" (28) "He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?"
(Matthew 13:29-30) (29) "But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them." (30) "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
(Matthew 13:36-38) (36) "Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field." (37) "He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;" (38) "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;"
(Matthew 13:39-40) (39) "The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels." (40) "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world."
(Matthew 13:41-43) (41) "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;" (42) "And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (43) "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
PREFACE SUMMARY
Greetings, everyone. In the name of our Lord, I have prayerfully sought the Lord concerning what I could bring to the table in this message. It is crucial that we leave this gathering more determined and motivated to recognize the need for good leadership in our churches. I originally titled this message "The Tares, the Wheat, and the Harvest, but the Lord spoke in my spirit the words; "Seedtime & Harvest."
I have learned from years of experience to do things God's way, for he knows the past, present, and future. He knows whom he desires to reach through this message, and it is time that we realize that we have the power and responsibility to train people how to become good leaders, starting with discipleship and evangelism. We have witnessed the consequences of selfish, controlling leaders who refused to step aside and allow a younger, more energetic leader to take their place, leading to the loss of an entire generation.
The Sower in this parable (God) has sown good seed in his field for a healthy wheat harvest; however, in the night, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. When the plants came up and bore grain, the weeds also appeared.
In this parable, God did not root them up, stating that they may uproot some good plants with them, showing us that he allows the kingdom of darkness for a time to exist alongside his kingdom for a purpose. This patience of God, as shown in this parable, should instill a deep sense of trust and faith in his divine plan. He has long patience for the fruit of the earth, but the wicked will be uprooted and judged in his time.
Those sowing the seed of the Word of God share the Gospel with others, and the ground represents the hearts of those hearing the Word of God and how they respond to the message. The good seed that is sown represents all who believe and trust Christ as their savior and are recognized as wheat, while the tares are recognized as the seeds of the evil one that we call Satan.
Harvest time in this parable vividly reflects the approaching end of the Church Age dispensation. The holy Angels of God are the ones doing the harvest, and the spiritual truth Christ is revealing to his disciples is the ongoing struggle and colossal war between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. This truth should make us more vigilant and spiritually aware of the battle that is constantly taking place, fostering a deep sense of spiritual awareness and vigilance in our hearts.
Beloved, the sad fact we have today is the lack of love in jealous & selfish leaders who fail to mentor and train someone to take their place. This leaves a void, as we now have untrained, unqualified leaders attempting to lead a flock when, in truth, they are the ones who need to be led. The urgency and importance of mentorship and training for future leaders cannot be overstated.
The parable of the wheat and tares we are studying clearly shows that genuine believers (wheat) and false believers (tares) will coexist side by side until the end of time as part of God’s divine plan. This coexistence is intended to allow individuals to grow spiritually and mature before the final judgment.
Allowing the wheat and tares to grow together illustrates God’s patience and forbearance with humanity. It highlights His desire to provide ample opportunity for repentance rather than immediate judgment and underscores the depth of His mercy and grace. At the end of the church age, God will exercise His sovereign authority to separate the genuine believers from the false ones.
The reapers will carry out this separation, representing the Angels who will execute this divine judgment. They will gather the wheat in God’s barn (symbolic of heaven) while casting out the tares into eternal punishment. This powerful imagery underscores the ultimate accountability and justice that God will meet.
In summary, the parable urgently calls for individuals to ensure their faith and relationship with Christ and not be deceived by mere outward appearances or phony affiliations. It urges them to diligently safeguard the authenticity of their alignment with God’s kingdom.
"THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TARES."
Did you know that it's almost impossible to see the difference between the wheat and the tares growing side by side? However, near harvest time, the tares will turn a different color, and while the wheat will be bending with grain, the tares will stand tall as if they are too proud to bend.
The concept of the proud tares can be compared to the description in the word of God of individuals who prioritize their selfish desires and act based on their impulses rather than aligning with the teachings of God. (Jude 1:19) says that in the last days, men will become sensual, which means walking after what they can see, hear, taste, memory, and feel, or in other words, walking after their five senses, not having the spirit.
I could dedicate an entire chapter to each of our senses, focusing on memory. This is because some individuals do not read the Bible directly; instead, they rely on information they hear from others, presuming it originates from the Bible. I call these self-centered people, for they are concerned with satisfying their selfish desires, having no concern for the well-being of others, but will use and mistreat others to get what they want.
These proud people want what they want and do not care who they must hurt. People like this live a selfish, usually unhappy life, for their fleshly desires always prompt them to get more. Sadly, some form of this inconsiderate behavior can be found in some churches today.
A self-centered person usually does not have a disciplined prayer life but wants what others have without paying the price to get it. This allows an enemy spirit of deception to come in and cause them to make selfish decisions to satisfy their selfish desires.
Beloved, it does not bother a self-centered person to cause division among others to accomplish their own goals. They can quickly point out a fault in the character of others but never admit to having one on their own because it does not bother them to spread gossip and slander the name and character of another person.
In summary, let me say that, after looking at the characteristics of a person who is selfish, proud, arrogant, and living with a self-righteous spirit, we can wonder why the Lord would allow these kinds of people to dwell among the righteous but beloved like the wheat when harvest time comes, the Lord will do the separating; but until then, we must show patience and not root them up, lest we root up some of the wheat with them.
"THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WHEAT."
(Matthew 12:35) “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things.”
Did you know that the wheat seed is the only seed known to man with little feelers on it that act as little legs, and did you know that if it is sown in loose soil, it will work those little legs to bury itself? Jesus referred to this seed in (John 12:24) speaking that unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it abideth alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Beloved, the image of the grain of wheat dying in the earth to grow and bear a harvest can be seen as a metaphor for Jesus' own death and burial in the tomb and his resurrection because he knew his predestined end. He knew that the only way to victory over the power of sin and death was through the cross.
The lesson from the wheat seed is that as it goes into the earth to get rid of the outer physical part that makes up the seed, it has new life inside. But for that new life to come forth, the outer part of the seed must die, which reveals to us that when we "die" to ourselves, we "rise" to new life in Jesus Christ. The Lord sums it up for us in (Matthew 16:25) "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
The good seed realizes they are no longer their own but have made themselves available for God's work so that He may leave His signature to future generations. They read their bible and pray daily because their mind is upon seeing the kingdom of God flourish. They are not concerned about satisfying themselves but living a life of holiness and consecration to the Lord, refusing to give in to the flesh and its fleshly desires but making every attempt to crucify the flesh by walking. They are praying in the spirit by prayer and dedication.
Those who center their lives on God recognize that the earthly realm is only temporary and not their ultimate dwelling place. Their viewpoint on life diverges from that of the world because of the transformation they have experienced within their hearts.
A God-centered person has a tender heart full of love and may sometimes show emotion by crying, but beloved, this is not a weakness but the outward sign of a tender heart; therefore, let us not be ruled or controlled by our senses, but be thankful for a new tender heart that desires for others to enjoy the freedom in Christ that we sometimes take for granted.
Beloved, because my heart is filled with compassion due to the presence of Christ within me, who represents the hope of glory, and I acknowledge that I do not solely belong to myself, and as a result, there is no room for pride and jealousy in my life because my life is centered around God.
" EXPOSING THE DARK KINGDOM."
Beloved, as God has His servants to accomplish His purposes, so does satan (not capitalized for a reason), who seeks individuals to fulfill his destructive purposes. His strategy of killing, stealing, and destruction has always been in place. The urgency of the situation is clear: we must be vigilant, for the most effective way he can destroy God's plans and intentions is through infiltration, deception, and destruction.
Our enemy, satan, does his best work when operating as a master deceiver. His cunning nature is such that recognizing him as a slanderer or accuser of the brethren is not very hard to notice, but when he disguises himself, that is another story. His most effective strategy is to appear as an angel of light, and people are deceived into thinking he will do good. This cunning nature should heighten our awareness and discernment.
The word states that a fountain cannot simultaneously send forth sweet and bitter water, nor can a corrupt heart produce good fruit. Therefore, beloved, the importance of developing discernment cannot be overstated. Ultimately, his deception will be apparent when the fruit of the tares is exposed.
Beloved, did you know that back in the days when God was using such men as William Branham, William Seymour, Oral Roberts, AA Allen, Don Stewart, and others, the Church of God rejected their ministry, stating that the signs, miracles, and wonders were not of God? When they did this, they missed their day of visitation, which opened the door for that vacuum to be filled with the occult and the seeds of darkness.
God's problem today is not with the devil but with the church's weakness, which is filled with leaders who do not lead a disciplined prayer life. Some of these church leaders are prone to send someone needing spiritual deliverance to a psychiatrist because they are afraid of the devil, when, in fact, many of the elderly ladies living in low-income housing have such an anointed prayer life that the devil is afraid to come near their door.
The enemy will watch for churches showing growth and send their assassins undercover to join them. It will not take long for these people, whom we call the seed of the devil, to start intermingling with the church members to learn all they can about each one of them, preparing for their arrows to destroy the church leadership. They will begin rumors and blame it on the leaders, hoping the people will vote them out and vote them in.
The bottom line and sad fact is that many Church leaders lack enough discernment in their lives to know that they lack the spirit of God. They vote them into high positions in their church only to have them disrupt and turn the church body against their leadership, making it look like all the trouble is because of poor leadership. Then, they talk the church members into removing the pastor and voting them in.
"WHO SOWED THE TARES?"
(Matthew 13:24-25) (24) "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:" (25) "But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."
(Matthew 13:26-28) (26) "But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also." (27) "So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?" (28) "He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?"
(Matthew 13:28-30) [28] “He said unto them, "An enemy hath done this." The servants said, "Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?" [29] “But he said, "Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them." [30] "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
Beloved, the parable of the wheat and tares states in (Matthew 13:25), "But while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." "But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field?" "From whence then hath it tares?"
This message delves into the strategies for identifying and effectively dealing with disruptive individuals frequently emerging within church and business environments. These troublemakers tend to surface during crucial phases of organizational growth, and their presence becomes particularly apparent when a manager or overseer needs to address an individual who is not meeting the necessary role requirements. However, the ones that were dismissed held everything together all too often.
This parable serves as a warning for those in leadership to allow the good and bad people to grow together because uprooting one we think is causing problems could cause them to take others with them. There is coming a reckoning day when the Angels of God will separate the righteous from the unrighteous. According to the word of God, on a future day of reckoning, the Holy Angels will separate the righteous from the unrighteous. During this time, every person will be held accountable to God for how they have lived on this planet.
In closing, let me say that we all have been given the freedom to choose whether to embrace God's plan for salvation or to reject it by succumbing to the temptations and deceitful schemes of the devil, thereby facing the prospect of being eternally separated from God. This responsibility highlights the significance of our choices and their potential consequences in our spiritual journey.
"GOD WILL DO THE SEPARATING."
Beloved, throughout my walk with Christ, I have discovered that dealing with tares helps and equips us for the coming end-time conflict with the Kingdom of Darkness. I had watched ministry leaders mature before my eyes as they had to confront people who would not submit to authority. I was guilty of questioning every decision these leaders made.
Many ministries would do well to realize that the Lord wants some of the tares or troublemakers to get in, and he is going to continue to allow Satan to sow them. The Lord let his disciples be confronted with the enemy to prepare them for the ministry planned for them. Beloved, the word of God is evident in the command to allow both the good and the bad to grow together until the harvest, and then God will separate them.
Beloved, to give us some insight into what the Lord is referring to in this parable, we would need to study the difference between the wheat and the tares, especially during harvest time, when the tares turn brown and stand up straight as if proud instead of leaning over like the wheat that is ready for harvest.
One important thing we need to realize in this study is that the tares are identical in appearance to the wheat until the harvest, and then a dramatic change takes place in their appearance, which will expose their true colors. The tares will turn a dingy dark brown and can easily be separated because the wheat will bend over as if in submission, but beloved Saints, the tares with all their pride, will remain upright.
I have been confronted by leaders of powerful ministries about individuals whom they wanted to have issues with. I gently and cautiously informed them that some of these people are good people and will make fine soldiers someday, but in this stage, they are in the learning stage of their lives.
Beloved, some churches have approached me asking for advice concerning people who cause trouble, seem to find fault with everything the leadership attempts to accomplish, and never want to stay around to help find a solution.
I have always referred them back to Matthew's thirteenth chapter, which says to let them grow together until the harvest. At harvest, he will say to the reapers, Gather the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.
One critical point I emphasize when speaking on this subject is this: you may successfully uproot the troublemakers, but there is a good chance the bad people will take some of the good people with them when they leave. The revelation we need to understand through this parable is that God purposely allows the kingdom of darkness to exist beside his kingdom until the day he sends his angels to remove the bad from the good at the end of the world.
Throughout this parable, we are counseled to allow both the wheat, representing the good, and the tares, symbolizing the negative influences, to grow together, being careful to exercise patience and discernment, as prematurely uprooting the tares could inadvertently harm the good that is still developing. By heeding this advice, we avoid damaging consequences and safeguard the prosperity of the Kingdom of God.
Did you know that the Lord purposely allows conflict to come our way because it helps to train us for the ministry he is raising? The challenges we face are a part of the training for the ministry that the Lord is preparing us for.
Those who have self-appointed ambitions may not have the strength to endure real battles, as they lack a firm foundation, and people who have self-appointed ambitions will not be able to stand when the real battle comes, for they have no root in which to stand.
As long as we think we are right, what need is there for a change and a voice to cry out to a Living God to come and kindle us with fresh revival cleansing fire which will consume and expose sin and its wages for what it is, and that is death both spiritually and physically with eternal separation from God and all that is Holy. Amen.
People can recognize true, genuine love and tell when someone is genuinely expressing affection versus when they are just faking it. Those attending a church service should be treated with love and respect. If they don't feel this care in the parking lot or when they enter the sanctuary, they may be distracted and find it difficult to focus on delivering the message. Their minds may be preoccupied with how they were treated as guests before and after entering the building.
Beloved, did you not know that sometimes, there is a reason someone living near the church or beside one of the church elders as a neighbor has no intention of attending services where they go because they have already watched how they live their lives when they are not in church?
Our fundamental objective in doing the Lord’s work is to fulfill our purpose and carry out the instruction given to us by our Lord in the Great Commission. This involves demonstrating our faith and values through acts of kindness and righteousness to influence those around us, hoping they will acknowledge our good works and give glory to our Heavenly Father.
MY CONCLUSION
Beloved, satan, “not capitalized for a reason,” is a created being. He is called an Ark Angel because he was one of the first Angels created and beloved; since he is a created being that fell from grace, including his place with God, "his power is limited, and he can be restricted" by God’s people.
We discover in (Job 1:12) that God can place restrictions on him because we hear the writer speaking in this chapter that God had built a hedge around Job, which denied his enemy access to come against him.
I am reminded of an event in history in which Alexander the Great sent men to the Jewish nation asking for assistance and supplies for his army. The Jewish leaders turned down his request, which caused him to become angry, and he assembled his army against them. However, the priests went out to meet him dressed in their priestly garments, and when he saw them, God touched his heart and caused him to give them a favor.
History will show that God has a way of preserving his church and church. We are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us, for we overcome Satan by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.
(Revelation 12:11)
The Lord is known to allow conflict and persecution to come our way to separate the fearful and unbelieving from his work because, beloved, the greater the conflict, the greater the anointing will be. We will never be able to walk in our fullness until we are willing to sacrifice everything for the truth of God’s word and his will for our lives because, beloved, the Lord has stated in his word that he has taken an oath to honor his word above his name. If we are to speak in God's honorable name, we must be adequately trained, or we could do more harm than good to the Kingdom of God.
We need to learn from our elders who have gone before us. They have gained the required wisdom from paying the price, matured in their gifts by enduring many attacks from the enemy, and overcome them because of their on-the-job training, which they received from hands-on experience dealing with the enemy's onslaughts.
Beloved, we should always strive to maintain our individuality and avoid the temptation to imitate others. We must understand that each person has unique responsibilities and challenges. As we navigate through this current era and place in history, it is becoming increasingly evident that the restoration of the prophetic ministry is essential for the church. This restoration has the potential to not only bring about unity and harmony but also to facilitate the overall restoration of other ministries within the church of Jesus Christ.
The bottom line to this complete study is that "individuals who proclaim the teachings of Jesus Christ or deliver prophecies in his name should be tuned to the message from the Lord and should not be preoccupied with how others will perceive their words. It is important to remember that people's judgment is not what ultimately matters, as a man will not evaluate their actions. The eternal destiny of lost souls hangs in the balance.
International Evangelist
Jerry W. Hulse, Ph.D.
Miracle Life Church International
MY CLOSING PRAYER
Dear Lord, I want to thank you for the opportunity to close this message with a word of prayer to all who need your touch. I ask that you bless each one who has surrendered their life more to your purpose through this message and intensify the work that you have begun in their lives and ministries.
Lord, I ask that you bless them spiritually, financially, physically, relationally, and emotionally so that their life may be blessed to enrich the lives of others. Lord, from this day forward, I ask that your will, your purpose, your word, and your Spirit will have a free course in their life and everyone that they meet, and Lord, I ask in Jesus' mighty name that you will touch, heal, and deliver all that read this prayer and call upon your wonderful name, that you will meet their need right where they are.
Father, I pray that all curses and words spoken against them will be broken. I ask that you stand up in them in these last days and make their lives count for your cause and purpose. Lord, as you awaken the gifts and talents placed in them from birth, may they become unified in the faith with other believers, realizing the need to work together in harmony like a fine-tuned orchestra in the master's hands.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your tremendous love and blessing over our lives. We rest in knowing that you promised never to leave nor forsake us as your children and to go with us all the way, even to the end of the world.
Lord, please forgive us for failing to remember that you know our needs before we ask, for you were once one of us who was tempted in all points as us, and you went to the cross to pay our sin debt that we could be drafted into your royal family as Sons and Daughters sharing with you in your glory. "Thank You Jesus"
Dear Lord, we ask you to enlarge our borders and place your hand of blessing upon us to guide us in the path you chose for us. We need your divine guidance so we might walk fully in your blessing and goodness as you lead us by your Spirit to divine appointments. Please deliver us from evil so we will not be tempted or cause pain.
Lord, I pray that your blessed holy name might be glorified throughout the Earth as you leave your signature through us to future generations. And Lord, I ask that you assign an Angel to accompany this work into the home of every person who will take time to read it. Lord, help us stand firm together, activating our faith, for it is in these trying times through your grace that we can find rest in knowing that we can depend on you, our God, "Our Father," to come on the scene to direct our path and to guide our footsteps.
Dear Lord, help us understand that our dependence for survival is upon you, and Lord, help us realize that we represent your glorious body on Earth. Therefore, Lord, help us understand that there is strength in numbers, and we need each other to be fruitful and live a prosperous life as your people.
Lord, please help us not to be careless and prideful in our Christian Walk or resemble a bunch of used body parts, but help us realize, Lord, that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves, that we are a part of your glorious body as sons and daughters in your royal family and kingdom.
Lord, my prayer is that you stir us up and burden our hearts for true revival, yes, Lord, in every country throughout the world and demonstrate to the people in these countries that you are the Unchanging God, for your word declares it, that what you were yesterday, you are today, and will be tomorrow! (Hebrews 13:8)
Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless each one who has taken the time to read this message and humbly surrendered their life more to your purpose. I ask that you intensify the work that you have begun in their lives and ministries in Jesus' mighty name.
Father, I ask that you bless them spiritually, financially, physically, relationally, and emotionally so that their life may be blessed to enrich the lives of others. Dear Lord, I ask that your will, purpose, word, and Spirit have a free course in their life and everyone they meet. Lord, I pray that all curses and words spoken against them will be broken. I ask that you stand up for them in these last days and make their lives count.
Dear Lord, I ask you to awaken the gifts and talents placed in them at birth so they may become unified in the faith with other believers, realizing the need to work together in harmony like a fine-tuned orchestra in the master's hands.
Father, I pray for all who need deliverance from an oppressing spirit, including illnesses that may be attacking their bodies. Lord, I pray that your Holy Spirit would raise a standard against these attacks and set them free.
Lord, I pray that the power of your written and spoken word be activated through the authority made available to us in Jesus' name, and we apply the following scriptures to our prayer.
(John 16:23) "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you."
(Psalms 34:15) "The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry."
Father, we close our prayer believing that you have heard and answered us according to your divine will and purpose, for it is in Jesus' mighty name that we pray and ask these favors. A-Men & A-Men
