Into the Harvest - Part 1 — Derek Prince

If there's one thing I admire in women, it's courage. And I've known a lot of courageous women. My first wife was a lioness. My second wife is not exactly a lioness, but she has guts too. Then I want to read some words of Jesus a little further on in John's Gospel in John chapter 9 and verse 4.

Just one verse. And I think the more accurate version begins with we and not with I, because of the different texts. We must work the works of him who sent me, one it is day. The night is coming when no one can work.

I believe that. I believe it is still day, but the day is declining fast. And I believe there's a night coming when no one will be able to work. And I have such a sense of urgency to get the job done while there is still light.

I don't know whether you've ever noticed that the last people to preach the Gospel in the book of Revelation are angels flying in heaven. Because I believe there'll no longer be any possibility of preaching the Gospel by human beings on earth.

I believe that time is coming. It's night. And it's very close. I talk to people about what will happen in ten years. None of us knows what will happen in ten years. The world is changing every year. The economic situation may have totally changed before the end of this particular century, this millennium.

And the money that you have now, by the end of this century, will be absolutely worthless. And you have two options. You can invest now in the kingdom of God and have an eternal bank account, or you may end up with just worthless money, like the ruble.

Which, now I understand, one dollar exchanges for fifteen hundred rubles. When we were there last year, it was six hundred. It's gone up that much in less than a year. I'm not an economist, far from it.

But I personally doubt whether any nation that has the national debt of the United States can ever recover economically. I don't believe there's any example of it in history. This is just an opinion. But it's an opinion that you should do well to consider.

So we're talking about the harvest. There's a verse in Proverbs which is very searching. Proverbs 10, verse 5. He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

So, as a child of God, which are you? Are you gathering in the harvest, or are you sleeping? Because if you're sleeping, you're a source of shame to your father in heaven. He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

Now I want to close by referring to a judgment scene, which I believe every one of us will appear at. There will be no exceptions. You may miss every appointment you ever make on earth, but this appointment you will keep.

I'm referring to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. I'm talking about the judgment that takes place before what is called the judgment seat of Christ. The Greek word is bima, which is the word used for the place where Pontius Pilate sat while he was judging Jesus.

There's another judgment later, which is called the great white throne judgment. This is a judgment only for Christians, and Paul says, speaking as a Christian, and he also uses the same words in Romans chapter 14, verse 10.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. I believe the word appear really means be made manifest. In other words, there'll be no secrets. Our whole lives will be totally laid bare before the judgment seat of Christ.

That each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Notice there are only two categories. There's nothing that is neutral. Everything is either good or bad.

Everything that's done in accordance with the word and the will of God, everything that's done for the glory of Jesus, Paul said in Colossians, whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him.

People used to come to me when I was principal of a college for training teachers in Africa, and say to me, is it all right if I do this or that? Is it all right if I go to dances? I said, I can't give you any answers about that, but I'll give you one principle.

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him. If you can do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, fine. If you can't, no matter what it is, it's wrong.

Paul says here, it's either good or bad. Whatever is not good, whatever is not positive, is bad, it's negative. And we are going to have our lives laid bare in the presence of Jesus Christ, one by one, individually, and we'll look back, and we'll be given an overview of our past life.

And we'll see the things that were good, and the things that were bad. And please bear in mind, there is no other category. Nothing is neutral. Everything is either positive or negative. And then Paul goes on to say, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men that we are well known to God, and I trust also well known in your consciences.

Paul had a vision of the terror of the Lord. He had a vision of what it would be like to stand, a single individual, before Jesus as judge, with eyes like flaming fire, a voice like many wardens, feet like bronze burning in a furnace, out of his mouth going a sharp two-edged sword, and give an account of our lives.

If that doesn't inspire terror, I don't know what will. So Paul says, knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. I don't believe we can really persuade people unless we have a vision of the terror of the Lord.

Because it comes from a totally different background. Remember, we are eternal beings. We have an eternal destiny. Our time here on earth is very, very short. And believe me, the older you get, the quicker it goes.

So how will it be when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ? I don't know this, I don't have a revelation. But I think one of the things he'll ask you is, what did you do during your lifetime to make the gospel of the kingdom known to all nations?

Tell me, what did you contribute? Did you give time? Did you give money? Did you give your life? Or did you just sit in church and sing hymns and use religious language? It's a strange thing, but two people here already today have referred to the parable of the talents.

I want to go to that, to close. Matthew 25, I'm going to read the whole passage, which is not very long. It's found in Matthew 25 beginning at verse 14. For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods or his possessions or his wealth to them.

And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability. Notice, God allots talents according to our ability to use them. And immediately he went on a journey.

Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his Lord's money.

After a long time the Lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. Remember God is going to settle accounts with each of us. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents saying, Lord you delivered to me five talents, look I have gained five more talents beside them.

His Lord said to him, well done good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. He also who had received two talents came and said, Lord you delivered to me two talents, look I have gained two more talents besides them.

His Lord said to him, well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord. I notice a principle there.

It's not the amount, it's the percentage of the increase. One man gained five, the other gained two. But each of them gained a hundred percent. And each of them received exactly the same words of commendation.

God doesn't ask more from you than you are capable of producing. But he does ask what you are capable of. Now we come to the real, I think the climax of this parable. Then he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

I think one of his problems was he had a wrong vision of the Lord. All he could see of the Lord was as a hard man. And I was afraid, and that's bad motivation, and went and hid your talent in the ground.

Look, there you have what is yours. But his Lord answered and said to him, you wicked and lazy servant. Do you know that laziness is wickedness? I think it's much more wicked than drunkenness myself. We would probably object to people being drunk in the congregation.

But how many lazy people do we have in the congregation? In God's sight, they are more of an abomination, I think, than the drunkards. You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed.

Therefore you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. That scripture just, by the way, convinces me that it's not necessary unscriptural to receive interest.

Some people say, no, I say if it's from your brother and he's in need, don't ask interest. But if you're investing in somebody's business, you're entitled to your share of the interest. That's just by the way.

Now, listen to the judgment. Therefore take the talent from him and gave it to him who has ten talents. For everyone who has, more will be given and he will have abundance. But from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

I've seen that. It's true in experience. The ones who have, get more. The ones who use what they've got, get more. And the ones who don't use what they've got, lose even what they have. And then it says, and this is terrible, cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. If you study that phrase, weeping and gnashing of teeth, it's used several times by Jesus. It's always used in connection with somebody who was right there, who had every opportunity and missed it.

It's not used of a sinner who never was confronted with the gospel. It's only used of people who've known the whole truth, had it offered to them and rejected it. Now, I know this is controversial, but I don't believe Jesus ever uses servants who are not saved.

So it's possible to be saved and to be cast into outer darkness. You may not agree with that logic, you're entitled to your opinion, but to me it's a very significant fact. Now, I just want to say something about the one talent person.

As I've seen in experience over the years, this is psychologically true. The one who has five talents says, look, I can make a difference. I can change the world. I can produce results. The one who has two talents says the same.

But the one talent person says, well, I don't have much. I'll never make a name for myself. I'll never have my own ministry. I'll never build the church. So I'll just bury my talent. I think the greatest danger is for the people with one talent.

And I want to suggest to you that there are a lot of people here this morning who are not five-talent people, who are not two-talent people, they're just a one-talent person. What are you doing about it?

Now, I'm not the one who can estimate. I don't know your capacities or your talents. But I have seen in many parts of the world, the person who doesn't see that he or she has much, does nothing with it.

And Jesus classified that as laziness and wickedness. Now Jesus said, you didn't have the capacity to do business for yourself, but you could have given it to the bankers. When I came back, I would have got my own with interest.

Now what would that mean for a one-talent person? You don't have a ministry of your own. You're never going to be a pastor or an evangelist or a missionary. You may not have any great spiritual gifts.

You just have one talent. And you sit there and do nothing with it. I'm not important. I can't make much difference in the kingdom of God. God isn't asking much of me. I'll just play it safe. Dear brothers and sisters, that can cost you your soul.

You can be cast into utter darkness, simply for that. This 25th chapter of Matthew is interesting because it contains examples of three kinds of people who were totally rejected by the Lord. The first was the five foolish virgins who didn't take enough oil.

The second is the servant who only had one talent. The third group are the goat nations who didn't help the Jews when they were in need. And I said to myself some years ago, what did all those groups of people have in common that they were rejected?

What did they do? And I answered in one word, nothing. That's all you have to do to be rejected, is do nothing. Now this meeting is coming to an end, but I want to appeal to those of you who've been sitting there doing nothing for the kingdom of God.

Maybe doing a whole lot for yourself. You're a one talent person. And if the truth is stated at this moment, if Jesus were to take stock of your life, he would call you a wicked and a lazy servant. I've used hard language and it's going to take humility for you to acknowledge the truth.

But remember before honor is humility. Now if my description of a one talent person applies in your life, all you've been doing is burying it in the earth. I'm challenging you to make up your mind to change while you have a chance.

And I want you to do one thing. If this description applies to you, I want you to stand to your feet right where you are. It will be embarrassing, but it could save your soul. Jeff, will you come forward and stand with me?

Well I thank God for the ones who are humble enough to stand. See how true the word of God is? Dear brothers and sisters, let me tell you one thing. I love you. I'm concerned for you. I'm not seeking to condemn you or make you feel guilty.

I want to save you from disaster. Now then, I think it would be good if you really want to change. If you want to say, Lord here I am, I've got my one talent, but I'm willing to invest it. You know how you can invest it?

I'm sure there are other ways. Is to invest in someone else's ministry. Choose a ministry that is working, that is producing fruit. And say, I'll serve that ministry in whatever capacity. You know, the hardest thing to find today is people who will serve.

Ruth and I are dependent on those who will serve us. We cannot do our task without someone to serve us. And I thank God for the people in Derrick Prince Ministries here in Fort Lauderdale, who serve us faithfully.

And I thank God for others who have served us. But we have learned by hard experience, there are people who just do not want to be servants. We have a young lady who has been a blessing to us, who is what I would call a servant.

And she said, her father is a building contractor. She said, I'm used to tending my father. When he needs a tool, I bring it to him. I just stand there and wait until he tells me to do something. You know, it's almost impossible to find people like that today.

Everybody wants to be something. Are you willing to serve in another person's ministry? There's been a whole list of ministries that's been set forth before you. Most of them, including BPM, including Derrick and Ruth, we need people to serve us.

We've had some bitter disappointments. I don't want to give any indication of who they were, but we've had people with real talent and ability, who just were too proud to lose their identity in somebody else's ministry.

If you are willing to be a servant, maybe nobody will ever know your name. But let me tell you this, in Jerusalem there's a young man we know, who serves Brother Lance Lambert in his home. And he's one of the most faithful servants I've ever met.

And I said to him recently, when Lance gets his reward, I want you to know, you'll be getting yours. Because he couldn't have done what he did without you. And oh, I wish you could understand people in a position like ours.

We cannot do what God has told us to do. What we have the capacity to do, the gifts to do, the vision to do. We cannot do it, unless there are people who will serve. Is that true, sweetheart? I tell you, Ruth has had some bitter, bitter disappointments.

I think the hardest thing for her has been the people that reneged. I've forgiven them, I have nothing against them. But I regard them as tragedies, as wrecks in the body of Christ. So now, if you are willing to be humble, to serve, to do what you're told, to wait around, and you'd like to give yourself to God and to Jesus, and to some ministry or person for that purpose, I would invite you to come forward and kneel here in front.

Make a commitment, move. I suggest you kneel if you can. If it's too painful or there's not space, then don't do it. But there's something about kneeling. We talk a lot about kneeling and bowing in our choruses.

And we very seldom do it. Now, I want to pray for each of you that's come forward. And then I want you to pray your own prayer, in your own language. In the only way that you can approach God naturally.

Lord Jesus, You are the Lord of the harvest. You see each one of us come forward. Let's humble themselves. Let's acknowledge, Lord, that they're not really working in the harvest field. The days are slipping past.

The darkness is coming. And they're doing nothing of any real significance in the kingdom of God. Lord, I ask You to have mercy upon them. I ask You to visit them with Your Holy Spirit. I pray if there are those whose circumstances or physical condition make it difficult, that You'll undertake.

That You'll heal. That You'll release. That You'll do miracles for these people that stand here before you this morning. In Jesus' mighty name. That's right. That rejection, let it go. If there are those who have spiritual wounds.

Lord Jesus, pour in the oil and the wine. Your blood and Your Holy Spirit. Those who feel they're valueless. Lord, let them know how much You value them. You valued them enough to die for each one of them.

You gave Your life. You paid the highest price. They are more valuable than they could ever understand. Lord, grant a revelation of Your love. Of how much You value them. How much You depend upon them.

I always think of the Virgin Mary. The whole plan of salvation depended upon one humble Nazarene maiden. If she hadn't said yes, there would have been no salvation for the world. God counts on people.

He depends on people. Can He depend on you? That's the question. Can He depend on you? Every one of you can be valuable somewhere. In some situation. There's none of you that's worthless. Don't underestimate yourself.

You're so important that Jesus would have died for you if there'd never been anybody else. Turn down His love. His appreciation. He wants you. He brought you here this morning to confront you with this opportunity.

I'm just going to leave it to you now just to take time to pray your own prayer. Each one. In your own words. You can pray out loud or you can pray silently. But I would suggest that you don't get off your knees until you know that Jesus has your life.

I've served Him more than 52 years. And let me tell you what I told you at the beginning. He is faithful. I gave up a career that could have been very distinguished. A university career in Britain. I could have become a professor etc. etc.

But I would have had to retire at the age of 65. Here am I 78 traveling the world. And having a wonderful time. I'm glad I didn't choose the easy path. I became adoptive father to 6 Jewish girls. And when Jesus looks at me.

He remembers what I did for some of the least of His brothers and sisters. He is faithful. You'll never out give God. Give Him your whole life. It's the best investment you can make. There's no inflation in the Kingdom of God.

Box 19501, Charlotte NC 28219 Telephone 704 -357 -3556.