Good morning Church!
We welcome you all to the house of God. Eventhough we are connected today via electronic means, trust that it is God who has enabled us to praise and worship Him.
Today as we start with the first Sunday service of the year 2022, we thank God for all the blessings, His constant provision for the past year and promises for this year to come. And this is what we will studay today, “The year of abundant Harvest.”
Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.
Genesis 26:1-3
And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him.
Genesis 26:12
God takes care of His sheep like a good shepherd. We might say that with a New Year, it will bring changes in our life. However, that is a big misconception, since it is only and only God who can bring blessings in our life.
You in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
Nehemiah 9:19-21
It was God who sustained Abraham, Issac, People of Israel. Remember it is not your situation that is control but it is God who is in control.
Let us recollect our advantages from childhood, and ask what were our first returns? Let us frequently do so, that we may be kept humble, thankful, and watchful. Let all remember that pride and obstinacy are sins which ruin the soul. But it is often as hard to persuade the broken-hearted to hope, as formerly it was to bring them to fear. Is this thy case? Behold this sweet promise, A God ready to pardon and provide! Instead of keeping away from God under a sense of unworthiness, let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. He is a God ready to pardon and provide.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
Exodus 16:4
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Exodus 17:6
Everyday miracles were taking plce in the lives of people of Israel. It was only God’s blessing and His intervention which provided them. The only criteria for people to collect food was to collect sufficient for that day itself. And everyday God made sure that food is provided and sufficient nourishment is given.
And He is the same God who provided back then, will provide now. This new year, God is looking at you.
There are two things that you need in order to see harvest of God.
1: Have a relationship with God
Once we were away from Him but now by the blood on the Cross we are under His surveillance.
2: We need to have obedience in order to see God’s harvest in our life.
Obedience is better than sacrifice.
For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.
Deuteronomy 2:7
You need to trust in God in order to see your miracle and do not doubt on Him. And thank God, who will faithfully listen to His people. Can you imagine food raining from heaven?
In the book of Nehemiah, God reminds His people in Chapter 9, verse 21.
Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
Nehemiah 9:21
In the life of God’s people, the Bible says God provides help.
We need to learn three things while waiting unto the Lord’s harvest:
1: We might spend some time in the wilderness.
It is because God is sometimes building us up.
When God saw people of Israel murmuring, He could have simply done the opposite, however He did not abandoned His people. Many times in our life also we fail to trust in Him however our God is a merciful God, He will neither leave us nor forsake us. He is gracious and compassionate and doesn’t likes His people to struggle unnecessary.
Maybe you are going through some kind of wilderness in your life and might be thinking you have committed a sin or done something wrong. For it is true, we have to pay for our doings, however God sometimes is building us up to fulfill His purpose in our life.
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.
Exodus 13:17-18
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
Exodus 14:1-4
People might misread your situations and maybe they think that you have done something wrong. But remember, God is always at work.
No matter what you are going through right now, but remember when God will fulfill your requests, you will testify. This new year will be a year of abundant blessing.
2: Second thing you can do is “Stay on the path”.
Jesus went through temptations according to the gospel of Matthew however he endured it. Likewise, you need to commit yourself and hold unto God. The wilderness will get over and harvest is coming.
Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
1 Peter 4:19
3: There is always a way out.
People were in wilderness for 40 years, yet God provided. He provided then and He will provide now. Sometimes there is a waiting time, but remember it is not a wasted time but time invested.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
Remember when you are tempted, God will also make a way for you to endure in every possible way. All you need to do is trust and give glory to God.
Maybe for some time you have to suffer, but remember your faith is important.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11
The word of God says, He cares for us and He has already done many things that we might not even be able to remember. God has not abandoned and His eyes are upon you. God is always at work, all you need to do is come to Him.
We thank you all for joining us today and we look forward to see you again next Sunday. God bless!