Weeds

     Our own personal weeds can crowd out the beauty, choke out the goodness, and take up our precious time while dealing with them. Yesterday, Jesus told us the weeds of evil will be growing right along with us until He removes it, in its entirety, one day.

     One more weedy truth came to my mind today. Weeds can be deceptively beautiful. Their flowers imitate and blend in with the gorgeous summer flowers in our gardens until we can't tell them apart. They insert themselves until they fit right in. Satan’s lies may attract us to the very things that will destroy us. The flashy, the flamboyant, the feel-good, the fake, and the foolish things of life can take us away from the pure, the precious, the perfect love of becoming Christ-like.

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14

     Satan wants nothing more than to be god-like, to take our worship and attention from the true Christ to himself. He will distract, distort, imitate and initiate, substitute and subtract from the truth. Keep your attention on the eternal prize and do not lose sight of the truth. Take the time to read, understand and imbed God’s Word in your hearts. Only when we understand the truth can we recognize the lie.

Jesus,

We understand the times and the wiles of our enemy. Keep us alert and attentive to You alone. Lead us not into tempatation and deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Forever and ever.

Amen                                                                                                  

Wheat and Weeds

     Jesus reminds us that the weeds and the thorns of evil will be with us until the end when He brings everything to completion. His righteousness will finally pour out and we will be delivered from all sin and evil and usher in a new heaven and a new earth that will never end.

     As each day brings us closer to that final glory, do not be surprised by the evil around us. He explains that the wheat (His children) and weeds (Satan’s followers) would grow side by side until He sends His angels in for the final harvest. After His parable about the wheat and the weeds, He explains it fully and graphically to the crowd.

He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man, The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age and the harvesters are the angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels and they will weed out of His kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They wil throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whosoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:37-43

Jesus,

These words are hard to read. Let us have ears to hear and let us spread the good seeds of Your kingdom to the world. You do not want to lose even one. Show us how to overcome evil with love.

Amen

Weeds

     Those pesky weeds in our lives are tough to overcome. Some have been around pretty much our entire lives. Others have crept in unannounced and bring discouragement. Others are so hidden we may not even know they are within us causing damage to our souls.

     When you face discouragement and doubt read Scripture on hope and faith. If you have a habit to break, read about God’s power and strength to walk with you every minute. If there are bitter roots stuck from childhood, read Scripture on God’s love, His unconditional love. He will never let us go and His love can conquer and overcome.

     Here is a great resource for you. I use it almost every day:

blueletterbible.com. You can pick any version of the Bible, put in any book or verse and/or any subject or word you might be interested in looking up. It is an invaluable resource. The power of God’s Word cannot be overstated. The truth of it has withstood the test of time. The Bible is a living, breathing testimonial to the Creator and Author and Finisher of time. Trust in its truth. Memorize some verses and let’s pull out, kill and destroy, or slowly overpower our weeds.

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Dear Jesus,

Your Word gives us hope when we are lost, compassion when we grieve, truth when we doubt, faith when we have no answers, trust when we have been let down. You provide everything we need.

Amen

Weeds

     So my weeds are having a fabulous year. They have spread their good cheer all over the place, popping up in unexpected places,growing tall and strong and rooted deep. Wish I could share the joy along with them, but they are taking over their quiet and much prettier neighbors. Might have to kick them out! They are a bit obnoxious and overwhelming, a bit pushy and well, down-right sneaky.

     Where are the weeds in your life? Are there things or people draining your healthy root system? Is there something tall and strong taking the beauty and joy out of your life? Is there an obnoxious habit or a discouraging person bringing you down? Jesus has the power to crowd out the weeds with good seed. Eventually the good soil and seed will replace those pesky weeds. A little prayer, some watering of the Word, a sprinkle of God’s love and the warm Sonshine upon you will work its magic. Let’s kick them out.

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.  Luke 8:14-15

Dear Jesus,

Let us be the ones who grow good seed. Show us the weeds we need to remove or replace with You. Sometimes the weeds creep up unexpectedly and sometimes they have been there for years and we don’t know how to remove them. All things are possible with You.

Amen

A Time

                                                                                 

     God’s timing is perfect. He sent His Son to earth at “the set time” (Galatians 4) and Jesus will return, not as a suffering servant, but as a triumphant King to set His rule upon a new heaven and a new earth at the precise moment, in the fullness of time, for all eternity.

     We were born for a “time such as this.” (Esther 4:14) Why here? Why now? God chose you and me for this time in history, to play our part and to find our purpose. Life is precious. Each breath belongs to our God and He chose when we would take our first and when we will take our last. The beginning and the end. He is there. For such a time as this. I can almost hear His footsteps.

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David and the bright, Morning Star. The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ and let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Yes, Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.  Revelation 22:12-13, 15-16, 20-21

A Time

     God provides the seasons, the spring and fall rains and when the crops are grown in good soil they become rooted deep and able to bear much fruit. Let that be said of us. Our youthful ways, our energetic young adult years and our middle-age wisdom and maturity can achieve in us a growing and deepening faith in Christ that brings us to a firm old age. Plant the seeds of the Word and wait and watch with patience for the final harvest. Look at this verse and pray it will be true for each of us.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:3

Lord,

Let our aging become beautiful in your sight as we grow in the image of Your Son and shine with His light wherever we go. Root us in Your loving Word. Let the truth wash over us as streams of living water, growing our spirit so strong that it will not wither.

Amen

A Time

     Fall is in the air. There is a letting go and anticipation. Letting go of the warm weather brings the possibility of a cute pair of new boots. Soup, stew and chili replace the fresh fruits and vegetables. The scent of fresh flowers turns to the smell of bonfires and the sight of falling leaves. Beauty and change are a part of the seasons of the year and the seasons of life.

There is a time for everthing and a season for every activity under the heavens; a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

Dear Father,

There is a time for everything under the heavens. Teach us to appreciate each one. Today we praise You for the ability to let go of what is past and anticipate what is ahead. We welcome this season of fall.

In Jesus name,

Amen