Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Matthew 4:7
Brendan and I have the privilege of working with a team of folks from our church who minister to others in the body who have needs for assistance with home repairs, home maintenance, etc.. In short, we are the honeys who do the "honey do's." Oftentimes, the list includes pulling some fairly obstinate and hardy "weeds" and, lemme tell ya, these "weeds" are akin to some small trees I've encountered. They are stubborn and woody and deep and unrelenting. A lot of what we encounter can be handled with a weed whacker and a rake but these weeds? Nope. They have to be dug and coaxed and finally just hauled out with all your might! While embarking on a weed excavation adventure recently, I was reminded that this is what happens when sin takes hold of our lives. At first, there are little "transgressions" - a lie, dishonesty, an overpayment that doesn't get returned. Then, when we don't confess our sins and get right with God, the weeds grow. Someone likened sin to putting your toe in the water - you don't go in if it's too hot or too cold but you put your toe in and "test the water." That's how weeds are. When they're pulled regularly, they don't have a chance to grow and flourish and choke the light of Jesus out of our lives. Left untended, the woody weeds of sin get bigger and thicker and heartier and before we know it, we're in so deep we don't know how to get out of it and we're strangled by things like pornography or adultery or drugs. A little bit hurts, a lot hurts more and we need the Master Gardner, Jesus, to search our hearts and take away that is unclean and not pleasing to him. We need Jesus to create a right spirit within us. A spirit which, like a garden, bears good fruit and no weeds. Where there is the good soil of the love of Christ, where His light shines to help us grow in His image that garden which is our life.
Is there sin in your life that is threatening to choke out the love and light of Jesus? Like David did, ask God to search you and know you and to remove that which is unpleasing to Him. Ask God to renew you and create a right spirit within you . . . then be prepared to grow some awesome fruit!
Precious Father God - search us, bring to light the weeds of sin that threaten to choke out your love and separate us from you. Create a new heart within us Oh, God that the fruit we bear will be beautiful and bear the precious fragrance of your Son Jesus.
If you would like to know more about how to receive Jesus as your Savior and learn how He died to give you life, contact us at austingibson@cox.net. We will be happy to pray with you and share the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.
In Him - Andrea and Brendan Austin
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