The Seed~

Genesis 28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;


*The Seed*
A successful business man was growing old and
Knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.


Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children,
He decided to do something different. He called all the young
Executives in his company together.


He said, 'It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO.
I have decided to choose one of you. 'The young executives were
Shocked, but the boss continued. 'I am going to give each one
Of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant
The seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with
What you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then
Judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be
The next CEO.'


One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,
Received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the
Story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted
The seed.. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.
After about three weeks, some of the other executives began
To talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.


Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.


Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.


By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have
A plant and he felt like a failure.


Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he
Had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but
He had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.
He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the
Seed to grow.


A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company
Brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.


Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.
But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick
To his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment
Of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot
To the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety
Of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful --
In all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and
Many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!


When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young
Executives.


Jim just tried to hide in the back. 'My, what great plants, trees,
And flowers you have grown,' said the CEO. 'Today one of you will
Be appointed the next CEO!'


All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with
His empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to
The front. Jim was terrified. He thought, 'The CEO knows I'm a failure!
Maybe he will have me fired!'


When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened
To his seed - Jim told him the story.


The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim,
And then announced to the young executives, 'Behold your next
Chief Executive Officer!


His name is Jim!' Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow
His seed.


'How could he be the new CEO?' the others said.


Then the CEO said, 'One year ago today, I gave everyone in this
Room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it,
And bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds;
They were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.


All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and
Flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you
Substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the
Only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with
My seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!'


* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust


* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends


* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness


* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment


* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective


* If you plant hard work, you will reap success


* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation


* If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest


So, be careful what you plant now;
it will determine what you will reap later.

'Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back' Psalms 37:26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

Psalms 37:28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

Psalms 69:36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Psalms 89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Psalms 89:29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

Psalms 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

I received this e-mail from my dear neighbor. I have been struggling as we Christian's and human's sometimes do in finding the time for really good Bible studies. So I grabbed at the chance to use "The Seed" as my devotional today. I added these Bible verses as I was studying them I became quite convicted! How are you sowing your seeds? It is very hard to keep your temper down when your raising teenagers even the best Christians in the world will fail at this, I know I have a lot lately. In the end we will reap the rewards from being stead fast and strict. Please pray for me that my tongue will not be used for the devil but that I will speak kind words.

I hope all of you are well and enjoying this Spring like weather and if your not I hope you will be soon. I did get in a little gardening this morning, between classes. My pansies have not did well at all this year. I think it is the weird changes in the temperatures in our area. The daffodil's did OK and I'm hoping my tulips will survive this heat. It was mid-eighty's here yesterday.

Have a Blessed day my friends. Love and prayers. Lisa