Seed, Time and Harvest

Here is a devotional email sent to me..i am just meditating on it. no comment right now. thought you all might like to read...



GENESIS 8:22 NIV22 "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, coldand heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

Planting seeds. Then harvesting the crop. As long as the earthexists, this is the way things work on earth.
This is true in the spiritual realm as well as in the physicalrealm. The Bible teaches that our words and our actions are theseeds we plant, that produce a harvest in our life.
If we are merciful to others, we will be treated with mercy. Ifwe show love and respect, others will show love and respect tous. If we speak words of faith and blessing, good things willincrease in our lives. But if we continually speak fear, doubt,and trouble, life will not go well for us.

GALATIANS 6:7 NIV7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what hesows.
The world has a saying based on this principle, "what goesaround, comes around." We reap what we sow. Using modern terms,we harvest what we plant. And the more we plant, the larger ourharvest will be, good or bad.

(Fortunately, because of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf,we can receive forgiveness and cleansing from our sins and notreap the harvest of death and failure we deserve.)

GALATIANS 3:13a NLT13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by thelaw. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself thecurse for our wrongdoing.

1 JOHN 1:9 NKJ9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive usour sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Too many people think God "moves in mysterious ways" and anyspiritual blessing we may receive is just like winning thelottery -- entirely by chance. But the Bible teaches us thatthe kingdom of God operates on the "seed principle."

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6 NIV6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reapsparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reapgenerously.

So the wise course of action is to continually give out whatyou would like to receive. If you desire respect, respectothers. Would you like people to give you things? Thencontinually look for opportunities to give to others.

LUKE 6:38 NLT38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you infull -- pressed down, shaken together to make room for more,running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you givewill determine the amount you get back. "

Seed, Time, and then Harvest is how God operates.
When Jesus wanted to explain to people how God operates in HisKingdom (or rule), He told them it could be illustrated byplanting a seed, which will then grow, and produce a harvest.

MARK 4:30-32 NLT30 Jesus said, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God? Whatstory should I use to illustrate it?31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is thesmallest of all seeds,32 but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it growslong branches, and birds can make nests in its shade."

When seed is planted, it grows up, and increases.
First you have the seed, which must be planted. Then the seedgrows. Growth takes time. This is why it can be helpful toremember this principle as "seed, time, and then harvest."Those are the three phases of receiving what God has providedfor you. Plant the seed. Be patient and keep believing whilethe seed grows. Then you will reap a harvest of blessing.
Jesus said this is the way He could illustrate how the wholekingdom (or rule of God) works.