Seedtime and Harvest.... Word Ministration

WORD MINISTRATION

The topic am treating is
SEEDTIME AND HARVEST

God created he earth to receive and produce seed. He earth does not keep the seed it receives. Those who plant seed into the earth receives back

During the time if creation, God made the earth to bring forth grass and herbs that yield seed. The reason He did that was so that through the seed, He would continue to have grass and herbs without repeating the command to produce plants again and again

The grass seed and herb seed took over the responsibility of self-replenishment.

11 And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth." And it was so. 
12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:11-12, ESV)

The law of seedtime and harvest has been in place since creation. As surely as there is cold and heat, summer and winter and night and day, there is seedtime and harvest.

It should be easy to exercise faith to receive after giving because we don't struggle to believe that winter follows summer and day comes after night
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."  (Genesis 8:22, ESV)

Apart from seedtime and harvest, there is what I call "seedplace" and "harvestplace"
Seedplace is where you sow your seed and harvestplace is where you harvest your fruit. The seedplace may be different from the harvestplace because God is the ultimate giver of the harvest.
You could sow in India and receive the harvest is USA "the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. The book of Ecclesiastes gives one the vivid description of giving and receiving
It mentions casting ones bread upon the waters and finding it after many days.

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.  
2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.  
3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.  
4 He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.  
5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. 
6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.  (Ecclesiastes 11:1-6, ESV)

Casting upon the waters and finding it after many days has a number of meanings. This may be referring to the agricultural method in which seeds such as rice were sown by scattering them onto ground that was covered with water.

Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free.   (Isaiah 32:20, ESV)

Casting of bread upon the waters refer to giving to the needy. I encourage you to give to the end and to the last person even if you are weary - five to seven. Don't give up as long as there is an opportunity to continue giving - give to eight. When you give to everybody and to every project at a particular time and specific place - to 7 - look for another person or project and give again to 8.

Note that the clouds that are full of water, rain onto the earth from where they receive water through evaporation and condensation. The clouds give back water to the earth - it is unnatural not to give back. The reverse is also logical - the earth receives the water it gives to the atmosphere when the rain falls. The earth is created to receive water. Negative circumstances should not prevent us from giving. We should not observe the wind or regard the clouds before we sow seed. During the creation of the earth when the earth was without form and void and darkness was all over the place, God defied the situation and commanded the light to appear. He went on to establish order and commanded the earth to produce plants bearing seed and it did.

People who observe the wind and regard the clouds are those who give excuses not to give to God or others. They find good reasons to support their determination not to take any risk in giving. Such people think what they have can increase if they hold on to it. The book of proverbs warns us against keeping this with the hope of them. It says people who distribute what they have increases, whereas those who withhold things gravitate towards poverty.

24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.  
25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.  
26 The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.   (Proverbs 11:24-26, ESV)

Nature abhors holding on to things - they get rusted, mouldy or rotten. People hate those who hold on to money and earthly possessions whiles others are in need - they curse them. The giving and receiving behavior of nature should encourage us to do the same. People who exercise faith in God naturally practice giving and receiving. Giving and receiving should be a life style, Paul worked hard to support himself and give to those who laboured with him in the ministry. The great motivator reminded the believers about Jesus Christ's words that it is more blessed to give that to receive. He reminded the Ephesian believers about the example he set by working in order to give to others and also demonstrate Jesus' admonition on giving.

33 I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. 
34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 
35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"  (Acts 20:33-35, ESV)

1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 
2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them.
3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.  (Acts 18:1-4, ESV)

Though Paul was entitled to receive gifts and support from the Corinthian believers and other churches, he did not take advantage of his apostolic office. The apostle chose to work to take care of himself so that he would not be a burden to the Corinthians.

6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. 
7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge? 
8 I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you.  9 And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way.  10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.  (2 Corinthians 11:6-10, ESV)

Paul's commitment to giving produced the corresponding grace to receive from others. Note that there is no way seedtime and harvest time will pass so never stop sowing your seed and you will never stop harvesting. God bless you and know that your seed of giving will always bring to you a harvest.