Time to plant

2 Samuel 11:1 It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle..."

Spring is often thought of as the time to plant flowers and gardens. But spring is also the time when young teens have run away from home, vandals have worked their destruction, and armies have marched to war. God made the spring to be a time of new beginnings, of hope and renewal, but Satan has tried to turn it into a time of ruin and death.

Therefore, God's people must be vigilant. God has created this earth for periodic renewal as Solomon tells us: "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2).

Spring is a time to plant. People want to be out planting their flowers, putting in their vegetable gardens (the second time, this spring), and doing work of renewal on their home place. But since Satan is trying to work the opposite, God's people need also to be out planting seeds of righteousness in every heart around us. Perhaps our planting in lives will stop the teen from running away, change a vandal to a helper, and change kings' hearts to desire peace (do not think that you cannot affect a leader's heart).

It is coming out that there were those who had opportunity to affect the heart of the shooter at Virginia Tech. But they choose to not get involved, and as a result the man went on to kill 32 people, and then himself. We also do not know but that when we choose to be involved in a life seeds of righteousness are planted that thwarts the work Satan has tried to do. But we will someday. When we all stand before Christ and he says, "Well done, good and faithful servant," and we turn around and behold the people the seeds of righteousness has changed, we will be overcome with the victories that stand behind us. So, have you done your spring planting yet?

"But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ"

(Eph. 4:15). The truth of righteousness planted grows up to be a Harvest of Truth.

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Editor's note: Jim Duncan is the pastor of Mountain Bible Church, Mountain, Mo. He may be contacted at P.O. Box 146, Pea Ridge, AR 72751; or by telephone at 417-341-8504; by e-mail at [email protected]. His Web site is www.jamesduncan-writer.net.

Religion on 05/13/2015