July 27, 2016

Weeds or Roses
Matthew 13:24 – 28

‘“Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.  When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.  “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’  “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.”’
Last year I decided to plant roses in the back portion of my yard which meant I had to removed grass and weeds from the place where I wanted to roses to go.

I used a small pitchfork and hoe in order to loosen the weeds so I could pull them out by hand. I needed to remove the roots of the weeds before I planted the roses. It took me two hours a day for five days to area clear the grass and weeds.

My husband had to come out and help me and eventually, we had to hire someone else to come in and finish the job. Getting rid of unwanted stuff is a big job that takes time and patience.

A big problem with converting an area that was allowed to grow weeds unchecked, were the roots. The roots of the weeds had a head start over the roots of my roses. The roots of the weeds were older, mature and well established in that portion of the yard. The roots of my roses were new, immature and unestablished in their new environment. If I allowed the roots of the weeds to remain in place they would overtake the roots of roses and choke them out.

We have weeds that have been planted in our hearts and minds. Our weeds have been planted by the words of others. Then, without our consent, the weeds in our hearts and minds talk to us when we try something new.  Our weeds say things like; “You’re not good enough.” “You will never make it.” “You just aren’t that smart.” “You’re ugly/fat/too tall/too short, etc.” “You can’t do anything right.” “They will never accept you.”

On and on the weeds our enemy, Satan, has planted in us lie to us. YES! They lie to us in an effort to choke out God’s purpose for our lives. In John 10:10 Jesus says, ‘“The thief comes ONLY to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”’ The enemy’s job is to kill our lives; destroy our dreams, chock out our hope and dash our desires for greater, against the rocks of their lies. Our job is to plant and cultivate God’s word in our hearts and minds, which will uproot and destroy the weeds of the enemy.

It is time to take back our land that has been overrun by weeds. It’s time to uproot the lies we have been told down through the years and replace them with the word of God. Then and only then, will we blossom, even in the wilderness.

Isaiah 35:1-2a

“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.  It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing…”
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