When Planting Yields No Fruit

You have planted much, but have harvested little....

 

Haggai 1:6

Have you ever worked and worked only to yield very little from your efforts?

 

Such was the case for certain believers during the time of the prophet Haggai. Finally, God spoke through the prophet Haggai to inform the people why their efforts were not yielding any fruit.

 

There was a specific reason this was happening:

"You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the Lord Almighty. "Because of My house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands" (Haggai 1:9-11).

In these verses we see that God had finally had enough and His priorities were not His people's priorities.

 

So, He withheld in order to get their attention.

 

Zerubbabel was governor of Judah at the time. He was a godly man who sought to do God's will.

 

He listened as the prophet gave these words; then he responded.

"Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord" (Haggai 1:12).

Sometimes God has to stir up the spirit of one man to initiate needed change—Zerubbabel was that man. Scriptures say, "The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel" (Haggai 1:14).

 

God is stirring up the spirit of a remnant of believers that are sensitive to the move of the power of the indwelling Spirit in their lives in order to accomplish great things for the Kingdom. God is looking for those who are not striving to move things forward, but those who are seeking to let go and let Him have His way in their lives.

 

Has God placed the spirit of Zerubbabel in you?

 

Are you one who willing to stop striving for the Kingdom, or are you concerned about building bigger and better barns?

 

God calls us to trust Him with every area of our lives, so why do we try to fit the mode of operation of this world instead of being stirred in our spirit to follow and live by faith as He has created us to do.

 

As we do we will see that it is not in the striving, but in the resting in Him that we will see a bountiful harvest that He has for us and it will overfull and be a blessing for the Kingdom!

Given To This Purpose

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall.

 

Esther 5:1a

Esther was a woman who lived for a cause greater than herself. God used this woman to save the entire Jewish people from extermination. However, before God could use her, she had to come to a place of death in herself—it was not an easy decision. Her uncle Mordecai was the instrument God used to challenge her to measure up to the task.

Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:13b-14)

Mordecai was telling it straight.

 

For her to speak up meant great risks if the king did not receive her.

 

It was automatic death if the king did not extend his scepter, which meant acceptance of her approach to the throne.

 

It was also a time to realize that God may have brought her to this place and time for this specific purpose. However, if she did not respond in faith, God would use another instrument to deliver the people.

 

What would she do?

Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish (Esther 4:16).

On the third day of the fast she came and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. She was like Jesus who stood in the inner court of Heaven on that third, resurrection day. She gave up her life, but God raised it up on that day and delivered an entire people from destruction because of one woman's willingness to give up her life for a greater cause.

God has called us—Yes, YOU—to a purpose greater than ourselves.

 

Know that it will require death before life can be given to this purpose. It must be God's life that lives, not ours… live in that freedom knowing that you can trust Him with your entire life, so start living like it and don't get caught up in the distractions of what is "expected" in this day and age—live in the purpose you have been given!

Perfect Provision

And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat." But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?" And he said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish." Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass… And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.

 

 

Mark 6:35-41

 

 

The miracle of the loaves and fish is just that—a miracle even though many scholars argue that there was no miracle at all. They suggest that the generosity of the one who provided the loaves and fish simply inspired everyone else to share their food as well. When we look at the story, it's not hard to understand why they could reach such an erroneous conclusion.

 

After all, what does Jesus do?

 

He simply says the blessing.

 

The disciples have just returned from their first mission, as they excitedly report back to Jesus, but they're exhausted, and He is fully aware of it. They seek refuge in a remote place, but then they turn around and see as many as 15,000 hungry men, women, and children who have followed them. The seemingly ludicrous command of Jesus, "You give them something to eat," is meant to prepare us for the miracle to come. The hard truth is, a year's wages couldn't buy enough food to put a dent in the hunger of so many. Jesus then asks, "What do you have?" The small amount of food the disciples can scrape together is absurdly inadequate in the face of the multitude.

 

Yet Jesus is always ready to use our absurd inadequacies... that's what makes the stuff of miracles!

 

The rabbis taught that one of the most serious crimes against God was to misuse what He had given. In Judaism, to fail to thank God before and after the meal constituted misuse. The rabbinic blessing, or barocha, for the meal was: "Blessed art thou, eternal God our Father, who causes bread to come forth from the ground."

 

After the barocha comes the straightforward command to pass out the food. Once again, notice there is no waving of arms in the air, no words of incantation, only Jesus' simple words of blessing for the meal. Mark does not record the response of the crowd, whether they recognized a miracle had occurred or not. Perhaps he doesn't tell us because for some unknown reason he thinks we don't need to know. But in the face of such a miracle, the lack of response should get our attention.

 

We know how absurdly inadequate our resources are, and yet God will use and multiply them as He did in the feeding of the five thousand, even when we fail to see the miracle of it all. Praise God for "just enough" provision as well as for abundance.

Your Testimony

I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

 

John 3:11

Distinction of testimony:

 

There are those who enthusiastically teach the Bible to others—these people, though they may be genuine in their motive, lack one essential ingredient to being effectively used by God—a testimony.

 

Of the Christians we encounter who has a genuine testimony of what God is doing and continues to do in their lives; do you see a testimony of God woven through their lives?

 

This testimony could be seen in the early Church... men and women were able to give powerful testimony of events and experiences that could only be explained as a work of God.

God desires to build a testimony in each of us.

 

Each of us is one of God's chosen vessels to reflect His power in and through us. When others see this power reflected, they are impacted because they cannot explain that power. God desires to frame our life with experiences designed to reflect the character and nature of Christ. Sometimes these events can be very devastating or at best awe-inspiring, but they are designed to reveal His power in and through us.

Every one of us has a testimony to be lived and shared openly with others.

 

What would others say your testimony is today?

 

Can others see God's work in your life?

 

Is your testimony one of Bible knowledge only?

 

Are things happening in your life that can only be explained as God?

 

Ask God to build a testimony of His life in and through you today and for evermore!

 

Reflection. Think About It

Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God. You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men." For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning—though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered… Lord, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom… Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days… May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.

 

Psalm 90

 

 

Ready or not, another week is under way and soon coming to an end.

 

What has taken place and what is still left ahead for you?

 

Can you see the obstacles and the opportunities?

 

I think Moses was asking the same questions when he wrote Psalm 90. Though it's one of the oldest chapters in the Bible, it identifies some of the same needs we face today. He asked this in his prayer, "Lord, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).

 

God wants us to think about our life.

 

Biblically speaking, this reflection includes three things:

 

1. Look back – what has transpired?

2. Look up – take what has transpired to God.

3. Look ahead – think about what lies ahead and act on the direction God is leading in.

Where do you find time to do all this?

 

First of all, we must begin each day with God. Second, God has given us one day a week where we take time to rest, and part of resting is reflecting. This is God's model in Genesis 2:2, and His command in Exodus 20:8-11.

 

This kind of reflecting will help us get our priorities in line. Time is to be used for a purpose, and God wants to get some things done—first in us, then through us. God's starting point is to plant His wisdom in us—let that happen—take some time to reflect.

Preparation For Greatness

He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

 

2 Samuel 22:35

David was a mighty warrior and God took him through a training ground that could be looked on as cruel and unusual punishment by many a person. God chose him at a young age to be the next king, yet King Saul rejected him and hunted him down.

 

David had uprisings in his own family, and he had relationship problems—life of extreme ups and downs. He certainly did not have a life free of problems and he made mistakes. He was human like all of us, yet he learned from his mistakes and repented when he failed. This was David's training ground—it made the man. Without these adversities, it is doubtful David would have accomplished what he did.

Toward the end of David's life, he recounted his relationship with God, let's take a quick flashback in time with David as he reflected on his life:

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me Your shield of victory; You stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn (2 Samuel 22:33-37).

God was David's source for everything and He gave him the ability to achieve the many extraordinary things in his life. It was a lifelong training ground that moved him from one plateau to another, often dropping into a ravine of despair and hopelessness from time to time—this was God's way in his life.

 

Training ground times drive us deeper and deeper into the heart of Him who has prepared a way for us. Let God take you to the heights or depths He desires for you. He never promised smooth sailing during the trip, but He did promise to be the captain and companion along the way.

God's Motives

He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.

2 Samuel 22:20

Questioning someone's motives for their work, activities, and future life can become an overriding response to those to whom we relate. Wrong motives can result in poor business decisions, walking out of God's will, or distant relationships.

Sometimes we do not know the motive of another person.

It is wrong for us to assume what their motive is until we have confidence that we know their intentions. When we respond or react prematurely, we become judge and jury over them.

God has a motive for every one of His children.

God desire is to bring us into a spacious place and He wants us to go beyond our borders of safety and security so that we might experience life at a level that goes beyond ourselves.

What do you think of when you think of a "spacious place"?

No limitations?

A large, baron land?

Open air?

These are positive images and sometimes these spacious places encourage us to step out in faith into areas where we've never ventured. Sometimes we need to be rescued by God in order to move forward in what He has waiting for us.

When Peter walked on the water, God was inviting him to a spacious place. He went beyond the borders of his boat and ventured into a whole new world. He didn't have complete success in his venturing out, but it was a process that would lead him to the next victory in his faith walk with Jesus.

Sometimes disappointment or hard times are what is needed in order to move us to the next level of faith with God. However, we must be willing to fail and let God rescue us.

God delights in this process, of us stepping out into the unknown in all faith so that He can move and have His way in our lives. And His motive for His children is always love—it is always to bring us to a new level of trust and dependence on Him.