Recently I was reading Mary Jane’s Farm, a magazine about organic farming and related subjects. In one article there are several sketches of various kinds of farm machines. Even though I was raised on a dairy farm in upstate New York, I never saw nor heard of a number of these machines. Each piece of machinery was designed for one purpose: to prepare the ground for, plant, or harvest crops. The focus is not on the great machines themselves—their design, weight, exceptional quality, performance or cost. Farmers do not purchase these wonderful--but very expensive--machines in order to display them for everyone to admire. The focus is on harvesting a crop, not on the machines. Their various functions ultimately serve to bring in ripened crops.
Are you getting my drift? The gifts of the Holy Spirit are like those machines: their purpose is the planting, growing, harvesting , and gathering of men, women and children into the Kingdom of God. Each machine has a different function—some plough up the soil, some plant the seed, others fertilize and lastly there are those that help gather up the harvest. Harvest time is not about the display of these wonderful machines, i.e. gifts; it is about the harvest that will be brought in.
We need to “sharpen” our machines/gifts so they will be ready for the Harvest that God is bringing. How can we do that? Become trained and mentored. Whether it is in the doctrinal foundations of the Word, the use of the Gifts, teaching, prophesying, or visiting the sick. Not every one is “gifted” in every “machine”, but there is at least one gift that speaks to your heart and in which you can further your training. The Apostle Paul told Timothy to “stir up” the gifts that were in him. I believe training is included in that “stirring up. (2 Timothy 1:6)
“If the ax is dull and and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength, but wisdom brings success”—Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NKJV)
(See dream about NOT ENOUGH STAFF to handle the Harvest Dec. 27,2009)
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