What Are We Seeing?

WHAT ARE WE SEEING?

John 4:35 Do you not say, ’Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

INTRODUCTION: WOULD YOU BE SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT 83 OF EVERY 100 PEOPLE IN THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES DOES NOT KNOW JESUS? I CONFESS, I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I READ THIS STATISTIC. THE REALITY OF THE MATTER IS, WE ARE LOSING THE BATTLE FOR THE SOULS OF MEN! YET, PERHAPS A MORE PRESSING QUESTION IS WHY. WHY ARE WE LOSING THE BATTLE? I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS A MATTER OF ACTION, OR ACTIVITY, OR DESIRE, OR PASSION. RATHER, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MATTER OF PERCEPTION AND VISION.

THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THE WAY WE LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE SEEING.

HOW DO WE SEE THE WORLD? THE LORD SAYS THAT HARVEST IS RIPE, AND PLENTIFUL.

I. THE CHALLENGE OF GOD FROM THE SCRIPTURES

Exodus 16:4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

Mark 1:2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"--

Jeremiah 1:11 The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "I see the branch of an almond tree," I replied.

Ezekiel 8:15 He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this."

Amos 7:8 And the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" "A plumb line," I replied. Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.

Zechariah 4:2 He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights.

A. CHRIST WANTS TO KNOW HOW WE SEE THE WORLD TODAY

1. DO WE SEE POTENTIAL FOR MINISTRY?

2. DO WEE SEE PEOPLE IN SPIRITUAL NEED?

3. HOW CHOOSE TO SEE THE WORLD WILL IMPACT WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT WEE SEE.

4. WE SEE EITHER PROBLEMS OR POTENTIAL

B. CHRIST WANTS US TO KNOW THAT THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL

1. THERE ARE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WHO NEED CHRIST

2. THERE ARE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WHO WANT TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD

C. JESUS SEES THE WORLD AS A PLENTIFUL/RIPE HARVEST

1. JESUS WANTS US TO SEE THE WORLD THE WAY HE SEES THE WORLD

2. IF WE DO NOT SEE THE WORLD THE WAY JESUS SEES THE WORLD WE WILL MISS THE HARVEST

3. WE NEEDS TO SEE THE USA, NEW JERSEY, AND PEMBERTON AS RIPE FOR HARVEST

4. IF WE MISS THE HARVEST, WE WILL LOSE THE HARVEST!

5. REGARDING THE HARVEST -- WE NEED TO HAVE THE MINDSET OF PLENTY, NOT THE MINDSET OF LACK

6. THE MINDSET OF LACK

a. I LACK THE TIME TO SEE THE HARVEST

b. I LACK THE FUNDS TO SEE THE HARVEST

c. I LACK THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS TO SEE THE HARVEST

d. I LACK THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE THE HARVEST

e. I LACK THE CONNECTIONS TO SEE THE HARVEST

f. I LACK WHATEVER I NEED BUT I JUST DO NOT HAVE TO SEE THE HARVEST

g. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE POTENTIAL DISTRACTIONS IN OUR LIFE.

h. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SATAN TO DISTRACT US FROM THE HARVEST AHEAD OF US.

i. IF WE DO NOT SEE THE HARVEST, WE WILL SEE THE DISTRACTIONS.

j. IF WE SEE THE DISTRACTIONS WE WILL NOT SEE THE HARVEST.

k. IF WE DO NOT SEE THE HARVEST WE WILL NOT REAP THE HARVEST.

II. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARVEST

John 4:35 Do you not say, ’Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

Luke 10:1-11 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 "When you enter a house, first say, ’Peace to this house.’ 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ’The kingdom of God is near you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ’Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’