Key Verses

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 
“Son, your sins are forgiven.”  
Mark 2:5 

Mark 2: 1-12; Genesis 8:22; Hebrews 10:38-39; 

Recurrent Thought 
The season of Seed time and Harvest always has a starting point. 
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (Chinese Proverb)

Every Harvest Project first begins before it progresses. Starting great Harvest projects, is not as easy as it seems. Achievers know that one of the biggest challenge to any project is starting it. To authors, the first draft is the most difficult. The reality is that every Seedtime (Harvest Project) is always triggered. Initiative, which is a keenness to start something, is the attitude that sets seedtime in motion or any Harvest Project. As already described, an attitude is a mental conditioning that helps us to respond, reflect and interpret stimuli or action we face. In this case, Initiative is a condition of readiness; an attitude that is always set to start. Initiative is an attitude that has a Push Start button!

Initiative is what is called being a self-starter. Initiative is a capacity to initiate creation, production or any form of innovation. The attitude of Initiative is critically important for any Harvester. It gives one readiness to start harvest projects. To become a Great Harvester that you were born to be, you must cultivate the spirit of initiative. Don't wait for others to do what you know you could and should do.

The message today centers on how Jesus recognizes the initiative of the four men who brought the paralytic to him.

Here are three lessons on the initiative to start

1.    Taking the initiative to Start is the Foundational Key to creating any Harvest

• If we don’t start the process, we don’t get the harvest
• Without starting we can’t have Seedtime
• If you are facing in the right direction, all you need is to start and keep on walking (Chinese saying)
• Every inventor, composer and harvester initiate their projects based on the Push Start initiative
• All Dreams and Visions are a manifestation of the attitude of initiative
• A willingness to keep starting and trying new things is the forte of creators, innovators and harvesters. 
• Serial entrepreneurs (inventors) are incredible serial self-starters
• The spirit of creativity is hidden in the attitude of initiative

2.    Starting a Harvest Project is the manifestation of Bold Decisions

• Every process of Seedtime and harvest has a Starting time
• The initiative of starting the Harvest Project expresses the capacity to make Decisions
• Based on repetitive experiences, harvesters become effective decision makers.
• Although we make decisions all the time, however, harvesters take reflective time to make decisions that impact destinies.
• Effective decision making is the fruit of the attitude of initiative. 
• Initiative enables one to make choices that moves harvest projects forward.
• Indecision, or ineffective decision making drains the energy of Seedtime even before the process.
• Many Harvest Projects fail to start due to lack of courageous decision making initiative
• Harvesters when they have done all necessary assessment they trigger the Seedtime and harvest process by faith. Don’t be paralyzed by your extreme analytical mindset, just start.
• The reality is that every harvest project has risks. But a great harvester works hard to minimize the risks and then Push the Start Button

3.    To Start a Harvest Project is an expression of Confidence and Faith (Hebrews 10:38-39)

• Every Harvest Project is a Faith Project 
• When you fail to start that which you have dreamed you exhibit lack of confidence.
• When we act out our initiative, we are acting in Faith (Mark 2:1-5). Jesus saw their actions as Faith. Your actions to Start Your Harvest Project are called Faith 
• To have initiative does not mean anticipating everything in the Harvest Project. When Jesus declared healing on this person, he first Forgive his Sins, a root cause his friends did not realize was needed. It seems his sickness was sin related and only forgiveness would bring healing
• To start a project is a manifestation that we trust the Lord of the Harvest (John 5:19) 
• The Worker who did not invest his talent (gift, resources) lacked initiative and the Lord called him wicked and lazy (slothful, Mathew 25:26) servant.
• When we start a well-thought through Harvest project, it is an indication that we believe the dream is possible.
• When we start the Seedtime process it implies that we trust our competences 
• Harvesters, when ready and prayed up, they don’t shrink back (Heb. 10:38-39)

Altar Time
•    Pray for Faith to Start