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Fields Ready to Harvest!

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Eyes Wide Open!Joh 4:35 "Do you not say,

'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'?

Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already

white for harvest!

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How many of us here have been told, or have told

someone “I have my eyes on you, or I am watching

you!”●What is meant by these two statements is that one is aware of what the others is doing.●This can be for many reasons!

–The teacher telling the kid in class.–The boy telling the girl he likes.

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This lesson is a lesson about our need to be concerned for others!●Everything we are today is the

result of two factors!–Those who have gone before us!–And the choices we have made!

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One plants, another one waters, but each one is

important!(Jn. 4:31-38 cf. Mt. 9:36-38)●Both of them are involved in the

work, and both of them are needed!●This principle is later pointed

out again by Paul (1 Cor. 3:4-9)

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I. Learning to be Watching!●I have often found it surprising just

how many times in the Bible we are told to “watch!”–I counted 61! That is a lot of

watching!●Jesus tells us many times to

“watch!”–Mt. 24:42-43; 25:13; 26:38-41●Paul tells us many times to

“watch!”–1 Cor.16:13; Col. 4:2 & 1 Thess. 5:6

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Watching = be on guard!●This is the biblical idea of

watching!–We are to be aware, to not be found

unprepared, to not be catch off guard!–We are called to be “watchman!” ●Ezek. 3:17; 33:1-9●When we have our eyes wide-

open, we are ready for whatever life throws at us!

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II. Learning to be Wanting!●This 2nd point is dealing far

more with our “desire” than with preparation!●Not onlt do we need to be

“watching” (prepared) but “wanting” (passion!)●We are to be “wanting”

opportunities to reach out to others!–This can only really come after we

Have learned to be watching!

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Prayer for Israel & all things to all men!(Rom. 10:1-3; 1 Cor. 9:20-23)

●Do we truly “want” to help others to come to know God and come to obey the Gospel of Jesus? (Rom. 1:16; 2 Thess. 1:7-9)●Then we must learn to have our

eyes wide-open!

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III. Learning to be Waiting!●This last point is often a very

hard one!–“Good things come to those that

wait!”●But does this make it any easier?

–“Lord give me patience, and hurry!”●This is self defeating!●We need to be waiting for

opportunities and for God to work in our lives!–Things work best in God’s timing!

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God always knows what He is doing!●Isa 40:31 But those who wait on

the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

●Isa 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

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We often want to get in a hurry!

●The cart before the horse, and then we want to know why things are not going as planned (our plan that is!)●We must learn to fully “wait

upon the Lord!”●This doesn’t mean we stop

working, but that we stop complaining!–Gal. 6:9

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Conclusion:●We are who we are today, impart

because of the hard work of others!●May each of us learn to truly

have our eyes wide-open! –Learn to watch, want amd wait!●Have you come to trust and

depend on God, have you come to learn to work for Him? Are your eyes open?

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