If you have a Bible, open it to Matthew 9:35. I want to share a teaching from Jesus that has deeply shaped me, found in Matthew 6:22-23. Jesus says, "Your eyes are like the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be filled with light. If your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be filled with darkness."

Jesus is emphasizing the importance of having a healthy perspective. The way we see the world, through the lens of God's Word, can fill us with light and hope. Conversely, a broken lens distorts and perverts what God meant to be good.

Consider the first story in Scripture. God created a beautiful world and declared it good. But when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, their eyes were opened to a distorted reality, and everything became broken.

Today, many people have unhealthy lenses, seeing the world through fear or negativity. Some even use the idea of Jesus' return to instill fear. But the coming of Jesus should be a message of hope and joy, not fear. Heaven is for those who love God, not just those who fear hell.

In Matthew 9:35, Jesus is teaching, preaching, and healing. He is giving people a new lens to see the world. Our values shape our views, and our views shape our expectations. Jesus wants us to have a kingdom perspective, seeing God's hand at work even in chaos.

When Jesus saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field."

Our response should be to pray and ask the Father for a heart of compassion. We need to be laborers in God's harvest, partnering with Him in His work. God is already at work, and He invites us to join Him.

In Genesis, God created a beautiful world and placed man in it to tend and keep it. God is the Lord of the harvest, and He invites us to be part of His work. A sign that God is about to move is not that things are perfect, but that He is present. Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Charles Finney once said, "If the presence of God is in the church, the church will draw the world in. If the presence of God is not in the church, the world will draw the church out." Our best offering is the presence of God. If we are void of His presence, the world has no need of us.

Jesus says to pray for laborers, not performers or advocates, but people who want to get their hands dirty in God's work. This summer, I saw God move in powerful ways, even when I was tired and weary. One night, a woman named Kelly came to our ministry. She was a missionary from Oklahoma, separated from her husband in Kenya. She asked for prayer, and we prayed for her. The next day, she received word that her husband was coming home. God is the designer of family, and He wants to restore what He designed.

When we say, "Lord, we belong to you," we need to focus on His harvest, not just our own gardens. He has got us. Let Him worry about your garden. Commit to being a laborer in His harvest. He is moving in our world in impactful ways. Come to Him with your heavy burdens and be honest about your need for Jesus. His presence will transform us and draw the world in.