Weeds, words, and the Word

Weeds.

Just about every garden I have ever seen has them. 

They grow seemingly over night and unless you are persistent about uprooting them, they will choke the life out of the beauty that is growing in your flower bed. 

Today I was out in a flower bed, working before the sun became too hot to bear. My mama was on her way to come help me but for about 15 minutes I had the place to myself. It was quiet with just the sound of cars passing by and birds chirping. The job of pulling weeds was almost relaxing. 

But as I was working, my hands digging deep into the soil to get the very base of the root, the Lord began speaking to me. Not in an audible voice, but a whisper to my soul. 

He said "This flower bed is like your heart, Lace. You have let certain sins not only form but take root in your life. Some of them are new, and will be simple to get rid of. But others have taken deep, deep root in your heart. To the point it will take some yanking and pulling and maybe even a little pain."

I continued to work, pulling up the deep seated roots of the flower bed as the sun began to grow higher and hotter. I began to think of the areas in my life where I haven't been obedient. The areas of my life where I haven't been a good steward of what the Lord has given me. Relationships, habits, attitudes, and self care flashed through my mind. With each weed I pulled up I asked forgiveness for the areas in which I have allowed complacency to settle in and become home to me. 

You see, if we are not careful, the weeds will take over the flower bed creating a mess and killing off the beauty that it was designed for. 

We were designed to be beautiful souls. To display the beauty of Christ every where. Yes, while we are still here on earth in sinful vessels, there will still be the opportunity for weeds (sin) to work it's way back into our life, but we have the power to uproot them in the name of Jesus. 

We need to uproot them as quickly as we notice they are rearing their ugly head. 

Our lives will show the symptoms of weeds growing in our heart. We will display beautiful flowers, or withered flowers who have been choked out by weeds and the inability for water to nourish us.  

That is the biggie, weeds prevent the water from fully nourishing the roots of plants.

Similarly, sin prevents the Word from nourishing our soul. 

This is the thing about pulling these weeds out of our lives..it takes work. This seems to be a touchy subject and I want to emphasize the fact that it is not work that earns our salvation. Faith alone grants us salvation. However, we cannot continue to do the same things we have always done and expect God to pull all the weeds while we continue on in our behaviors and habits. God gives us free will (1 corinthians 10:23) and we also gives us His Spirit to supernaturally help us rid our life of sin. We CANNOT do it on our own. But we must do our part.

 If it is gossiping, you must deliberately choose to shut your mouth and choose to change what you're thinking about.

If it is laziness, you must choose to get up and do something productive.

If it is gluttony, you must choose to step away and have self control. (2 timothy 1:7)

If it is judging others, you must choose to ask forgiveness immediately and train your brain to think about at least one thing good about that person you have the habit of judging. 

If it is pride, you must continually ask forgiveness when it rears its ugly head and choose to find ways of putting others before yourself.

If it is complaining, you must decide for yourself to choose joy and to see the good in whatever situation you are in. (philippians 4:11)

These are just some ideas. Things the Lord has taught me in my walk with Him. Talk to Him and ask Him to help you find ways to actively fight against the sin patterns in your life. (ephesians 6:10-18)
This is kingdom work.
This is sanctification. 

Today, I am thankful for a God who gives such a powerful word even in the most mundane of tasks and for His grace which never runs out. 

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 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.

You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial. 1 corinthians 10:23

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. -Colossians 2:6-7

Romans 8:11

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Philippians 1:21-22

 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. 

Colossians 4:2

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 3

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

2 Timothy 1:7

God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control.

Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Ephesians 6:10-18

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.