Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh the harvest? behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (John 4:35 KJV)
Morning Reminder in Mid July
Sixty one degrees
On this Texas July morn
Is this a harvest reminder
Vast difference from the norm
I find myself wondering
Is this a mid point quickening
Ready our equipment for harvest
New desires now flickering
What a joyous reminder
Autumn air cool and dry
Fruit harvest is coming soon
Morning reminder in mid July
© laurette laster 2019
Wednesday morning, July 24th, was an unseasonably cool 61 degrees in my hometown in North Texas. What a stark contrast from the 97-99 degree days of the previous several weeks. We have had an amazing spring this year, with lots of rain, so much rain that had caused the flowers and trees to bloom and produce like crazy. However, the last few weeks have been very dry, very hot and scorching. We’ve had to turn our sprinklers on just to keep the grass from scorching.
Whoever gathers in the summer is a wise son, and he who sleeps in harvest is a son that brings shame. (Proverbs 10:5 ISV)
On July 1st, In the early morning hours, my husband Greg began to pray, he said to the Lord, “Lord it is July 1st.” In his spirit he heard the Lord answer, “It is the midpoint of the year.”
This standing alone would be amazing to me, however, the day before Greg was quickened by the Spirit of the Lord, “Look at where you are working.” Greg was working at Midcourt, and Midway road, road in Carrollton Texas. He called and shared this with me on June 30th. Greg was explaining to me, he said, “I don’t understand exactly what it means but I feel a strong unction this is prophetic. Then early the next morning on July 1, The Lord reminds Greg it is the midpoint or the middle of the year.
Is there a message involved in these events and happenings? What does it mean and what is the message our Lord is sharing with us?
Early Wednesday morning, as I stepped outside to feed the birds, I stepped into an unseasonably cool morning. What a refreshing feeling. The atmosphere has a ‘fall’ feel to it. It is has been so much cooler, and with the lower humidity, well it has felt awesome.
Fall is our favorite time of the year. Greg and I even married in the fall, so it is extra special to me. I also believe it has a profound and deep meaning with the timing of The Lord, and the fall feasts of Leviticus chapter 23. Understanding the cycles of time and the importance of cycles is what makes a good farmer just that, a good farmer. Timing is crucial.
With all this being said I was praying and telling the Lord it feels like fall. I then was quickened in my spirit that fall is harvest season. I know this yet, is this reminder to stay ready?
Recently I shared a poem the Lord had given me in April, along with a short blog. In April I had a vision, I saw Holy Spirit handing out shovels. He was handing these to believers and workers as we were going into the field. He was saying it was time to work and dig deep to bring in a good harvest.
A brother blogger shared how his father and grandfather were farmers. He explained you do not rest if you are a farmer. There is so much work to do even after the fields are plowed and planted and the harvest is coming up. As the harvest is growing and ripening a good farmer has made sure his entire fleet of farm equipment is field ready.
What if the harvest was ripe and our equipment was not ready and operational? What if our tractor batteries were dead? Or perhaps the combine, the trucks and trailers had flats and the tires were old and dry, or worse yet what if we hadn’t secured and hired the needed helpers. Without help we cannot bring in a harvest: the harvest would be left to die in the field, or die on the vine.
I believe this cool weather is a quickening and a reminder, a reminder that we do not want to be caught behind and that we are to stay ready and to stay excited.
And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of the ingathering, [which is] in the end of the year, when thou has gathered in thy labours out of the field. Exodus 23:16
Fall is the time of Teshuvah, or the season of our repentance. It is also called the forty days of repentance. It is my favorite time of the year and now I know why. I love this time of the year and after discovering this truth, many things made sense to me. I used to feel lonely at the onset of fall. I would experience a deep sadness like something was wrong but I didn’t know what.
In 2009 The Lord spoke to me concerning repentance and Rosh Hashanah or the feast of Trumpets, the blowing of the shofar. Did you know that the cornucopia is a replica of the shofar? I’m sure some of you remember seeing cornucopias with apples, corn, squash, grapes, and various fruits, overflowing from them, right? The fall feasts was introduced and imitated and later became known as Thanksgiving in the United States of America.
I was studying and preparing to teach on the subject of Rosh Hashanah at our Monday Night bible study. I had gone outside to mow before showering and getting ready. I didn’t feel like I was prepared to do the teaching and give the subject justice. I was hurried and praying, no I was actually begging. By mistake, I had mowed over some leaves and now was raking them up, which I didn’t have time for when I said, “oh Lord I need your help, help me hurry so I can study more.” It was at that exact time I heard the audible voice of God. He said to me, “Laurette, The tree is in Rosh Hashanah.” I got it! The scriptures, the teaching, the mystery would continue to be unfolded to me, and continues even to this day.
Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the ten days of Awe, preceding the Day of Atonement. These are high holy days in the feasts of The Lord.
This is the time that The Spirit of The Lord is drawing us into a deeper relationship with Him. He is wooing us into sanctification and a time of being set apart. For a tree, the tree is preparing for root season. A tree cannot grow taller if it does not grow deeper. And for the believer, well we cannot go higher if we do not go deeper.
The tree will cut off the leaves and no longer supply nutrients but will draw the nutrients from the leaves and store these nutrients in their roots. This is done to nourish the tree during the long winter months.
Teshuvah, a season and an appointed time, God’s meeting time with His people, His beloved. I encourage you to check it out. No matter if you need to be saved, have only been saved a short time or have been saved for a very long time, this is still a crucial time.
After making Jesus the Lord of my life and not just my savior, I no longer feel the deep sadness or the sense that something is wrong in the fall. I still feel deep calling unto deep, but I am excited now and I want you to be also. God is lonely for His people, He is a jealous God. He wants a special time apart with His beloved.
Psalm 42:2, 7 my soul thirsts for God, the living God. Where can I go and meet with Him? The Aramaic translation says, I am thirsty for You God.
Deep unto deep is calling at the noise of Thy water-spouts, all Thy breakers and thy billows passed over me. (Psalm 42:7 YLT)
Just like a married couple remains married, it is so important and crucial to the union to steal away for a time of refreshing at their anniversary.
So we prepare and spend time washing off the dirt of the field and the work from this past year? Time spent in the quietness with The Lord is needful. It is how we prepare and ready our field equipment.
And guess what I’ve blown it a few times or more this year, so I look forward to putting off the dead works of this past year, while allowing God to show me any dead works and reveal to me where I need to repent, change my mind. I am quick to repent but sometimes we don’t even realize we missed it until after time alone spent with God. It is all so exciting to me. I pray it becomes exciting to you also.
Times of refreshing are promised after a time spent in repentance. Acts 3:18
The refreshing is like a cool shower after long, hard, hot days of sowing and weeding in the fields. It is newness, a refreshing, a cleansing and showering off of all the dirt.
Some of you may not agree and I say to you, ask God and then research this subject.
Bob Roger’s a pastor from Louisville, KY and a friend of Perry Stone’s once told Perry how after his father passed away, Bob saw him in a dream. He was giving his son wisdom about the ministry, turning to leave he looked back saying, Bob, remember August is the month for answered prayer.” I’m not sure Bob even knew about Teshuvah at that time.
So as we fast approach August, and harvest season I think we need to check our harvest equipment and be sure all is field ready. We don’t want to miss out on what The Lord is doing.
God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious. The Lord cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.
Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette
Through All Seasons 