Farming for the Father

One of the most enjoyable parts of the ministry is leading someone to Christ.  Last night my wife and I had a double honor to pray with a young couple and see them both birthed into the family of God !!  Our daughter had been used of the Lord to bring them to this point, so it was a family venture you might say.  As we were driving home we contacted her to tell her the good news (not the gospel but their reponse  it, sorry couldn’t resist a wry joke) and my wife commented to our daughter how helpful she’d been to this couple and used greatly by God to this end.

As I listened to my gals talk while driving I couldn’t help but think of the whole process and Paul’s words about this when he told the Corinthians, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither is he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”  (1Cor.3:5-7).   The Corinthians had become a tad puffed up and  factions had set in there, so Paul appropriately reminded them that the ministry is not about us but Him !

We may be used of the Lord to help people but it’s really God that is to be praised, we’re simply ministers or servants in His hands. But we play various roles many times to help others. You may work or live near someone who is unsaved or struggling as a believer and you are “planting” – you have a started a seed thought in them that God is using to draw them to Himself, someone else is “watering” that seed you planted by also showing them a good testimony, and then someone else comes along and reaps but I believe God will also reward the sower who planted and the one who watered too !  But one thing we must always bear in mind is that it’s GOD that gives the increase !!!

As we spoke with these dear folks you could see on their faces and hear in their words that what God had been doing was all starting to click, the “corn on th cob” was ripe for the picking now !  Later our daughter called her friend, Clarissa and remarked to me that she was much happier and calmer now, Amen !!!  So, be on the lookout to minister to folks and keep planting those powerful seeds, don’t get down when you see no visible fruit  or neglect to stay on them and give them a call or email and water, and when its ripe do what you can to pick God’s harvest by specifically talking to them about their soul’s need because no matter what’s going on in your life at that moment its utterly remarkable and encouraging to see a soul come to Christ !!!!  It keeps your perspective straight and your joy complete !!!!