Eye Opener
Righteous believers pray for rain
While in the rest of the country rain pours intermittently to cities and towns, Northern Luzon farmers are experiencing rainless days. Northern Luzon provinces are considered the rice granary of the Philippines. Unfortunately, for months now, the farmers' farmlands went dry and their budding rice plant decaying. Why? While the typhoon had passed recently at the topmost of Luzon, there was no rain. Are the farmers and cropraisers regularly give their tithe to the Lord? In Malachi 3:10, the Lord said, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it."
Are our farmers and landowners obeying the commandment of God? Why are the prayers of faithful servants not probably answered as far as raining farms in Northern Luzon provinces is concerned, God said that the prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The Bicol region, many parts in the Visayas and Mindanao are having plenty of rain and the farmers are prepared to harvest their crop in late September. Why? Are farmers and believers in the Bicol and Visayan-Mindanao provinces righteous and religious? God said in Amos 4:7, "And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest; and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city; one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered."
One may be too religious and righteous only in name but not the righteous of God. Religion cannot save people but only true faith in God as their saviour and redeemer and that they believe that Jesus died in the cross and after three days He was risen from the dead. God expects His believers to be different from worldly believers. Children of God are not of this world but citizens of heaven.
In Hosea 10:12, "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you."
When men and women of God come into corporate prayer, God will no doubt answer their prayer and rain will eventually come not only to Northern Luzon but also in other drylands in the country.