Are they Crazy?

Read Genesis 11: 1-9.

The Tower of Babel is an account that many of us are familiar with. We've listened to the Sunday School story, and we usually sum it up as a bunch of crazy people, unwisely trying to reach Heaven by building a tower, and God gives each of them a new language and scatters them all over the Earth, and that's why we have many different languages today. Seems like an interesting, unrelatable history account right? 

Wrong. 

Have you ever realized that this account can be applied to your life? 

Let's take a look at the people. Who were they? “These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.” (Genesis 10:1). 

So the flood has already occurred, and the Earth is in its beginning stages of replenishment. After the flood, the earth was meant to be filled with people again. However, these people were all gathered in one place. God commanded them to fill the earth. But they didn't listen to God's command. They refused to move on. They felt comfort and security. They were afraid to disperse across the earth as God wanted. 

In doing so, they disobeyed God's command. 

God didn't want them to disperse across the earth as a form of punishment. It was meant for their good. In the dispersment, the earth would become replenished with people. And generations down the line, Abram would be born, and out of the line of Abraham would come Jesus, the Savior of the world. God knew what the future had in store, and it was meant for their good. But they let fear rule their lives. 

So as a result, people turned away from God, and began to trust in themselves. Instead of listening to God, they started to rebel against Him. They wanted to show off their abilities, and they became prideful, trying to "play God." The building of the tower was an act of rebellion.  

So what happens next? God lets them build. They build and build and build, and they are sinning more and more, very proud of themselves; refusing to realize that in turning toward their pride, they were turning away from everything God had in store for them. 

So what does our loving Father do? The passage says that He comes down (v.5). He didn't have to. He could have let them build and build. They could never reach Heaven anyway. But our Creator cares. He gave each of them a different language, forcing them to scatter upon the Earth. He loved them. He forced His hand on them in love; for their own good.

How many times can we say that we are just like the people at the Tower of Babel? How many times are we afraid to listen to Christ's calling in our lives, because we feel comfortable and secure where we are at? I don't know about you, but there are many times in my life that I wish I could go back and tell myself to trust Jesus; that everything would be okay; that better things were in store. But we get caught up in the moments of life. Not remembering that Christ has a plan for our future. 

We don't see that something seemingly bad or scary happening in our life is something that Christ is going to use for our good, so we turn away and try to do things on our own. We rebel against God, thinking that we can do things better. 

But thank the Lord that He intervenes and turns us back in the right direction.   

We cannot rely on self. We fail. Christ never fails. We can't see our future, Christ does. We can't see clearly in the midst of the storm. Christ is the Peace in the storm. Therefore, let go of the reins. Our lives are in danger in our hands. But they are always safe and secure in Christ's hands. 

The Rooted Rose

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving

Colossians 2:6-7

Every form of plant-life is grounded upon its' roots. These roots extend deep into the ground, providing a firm foundation for them to stand on. Without the roots, there would be no plant, or at least, not for long. When you pluck a rose, that rose will eventually die because of its lack of roots. Roots are "the part of a plant that attaches it to the ground or to a support, typically underground, conveying water and nourishment to the rest of the plant via numerous branches and fibers." They are established deeply and firmly. Without the roots attached to the rose bush, roses are just a pretty image of death. Although carrying a very beautiful outward appearance, inwardly they are dying, and it is only a matter of time before that death begins to show. 

In the same way, we need The Root, The Foundation, The Establisher in our lives- and that is only found in Jesus Christ. 

We need to be rooted in Jesus Christ and his teachings and walk in him, being continuously built up and established. To walk in Christ is to live a life patterned after His. 

Trees don't plant themselves. Flowers don't plant themselves. Christ is the Planter. He extends grace to us, and therefore we are to honor Him. We are to have a relationship with Him. He redeems us! He is the Life-Giver, so what is holding us back from lavishing in the nourishment His roots provide? 

A worldy rose shrinks, wilts, and doesnt grow. It never truly blossoms. It will not transform from a bud to a beautiful flower, because it allows sin and the world to hold it back. Are you that rose? 

"A man is not established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous cannot be moved" 

Proverbs 12:3 

Wickedness, sin, and the world do not establish you. Rather, it tears you down. It creates a downward spiral in your life, and traps you. But the root of the righteous cannot be moved.

In Psalm 1, we see the consequences of being a worldy rose. Joy and contentment in God builds our rose up, but if you associate with things that glorify sin, you will be dragged downward.  If you depend on Christ in all things, and allow Him to nourish your soul, you cannot be moved. There is nothing and no one more powerful than our God!  Dont let sin and the world drag your rose down!!! Stay rooted in Christ! He will build you up continually! But this requires consistent examination of our hearts and minds. And this requires you to consistently be spending time with Christ and His Word. But reading the Bible and praying must be accompanied by obedience. Reading without applying isn't glorifying God. Find joy, contentment, satisfaction, redemption, transformation, and the life-altering power of Jesus Christ, our Foundation, our Refuge, and our Strength.  

Examine your rose. Are you rooted in Christ or rooted in the world? Are you being built up by Christ or torn down by the world? 

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 

Pic creds  https://www.google.com/search?q=roots&rlz=1C9BKJA_enUS649US649&hl=en-US&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAWoVChMIs6n-3fmLyAIVBOyACh1A0QwQ&biw=768&bih=909#imgrc=aTp1-xXCWp9SnM%3A 

The Rested Rose

Tired. T-I-R-E-D. For many of us, the best part of the day is when our heads hit the pillow. But does it have to be this way? Do we have to live in constant drowsiness?  When will it ever end? 

What many of us don't realize is that our physical exhaustion has everything to do with our spiritual condition. 

Our schedules are filled- there's an endless list of tasks needed to be done and even when we get a moments rest, we find ourselves beginning to think about the next thing to accomplish. We don't take time to take care of ourselves because of the constant pressure to keep going; feeling like a failure if we don't. We try to "out-do" other peoples' exhaustion. When hearing someone else complain about their own lives, our next thought or statement might be "if you think you're tired, imagine what I am" and before we know it, we are all sucked into our own prisons of never-ending exhaustion. 

But we have the key to get out.

We don't have to feel exhausted. Let us look to God's Word for proof. 

From the very beginning, God designed a day of rest, proving rest is vital for everyone. God rested on the seventh day, therefore we should rest in model after Him. How should we rest? 

Martha, a woman from the New Testament that many of us know well, was once so "busy", that she missed the chance to sit at Jesus' feet. Her sister Mary, however, was right there listening to Jesus' teaching. Luke 10:40 tells us "Martha was distracted with much serving." What was Jesus' reaction? 

"“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.””

Luke 10:41-42

What was that good portion? Christ Himself! Nothing is more important than Jesus Christ, but Martha let the list of tasks needed to be done to get in her way. While she was exhausting herself with her busyness, she was missing the God who can take away all our exhaustion and give us peace! 

Are you "distracted with much serving"? Are you missing Jesus? 

“What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 

Does this describe you? Are work and miscellaneous tasks your main focus in life? Is it leaving you filled with sorrow and a restless heart? Have you been neglecting your time and focus on Christ? 

Most of us, if not all of us, including myself, have neglected both our physical and spiritual rest. 

Are you neglecting your physical needs? Oftentimes we get so caught up in our busyness that our physical bodies gradually deteriorate. In order to perform all of our tasks to the best of our ability, we must make sure we are taken care of. Make a few changes to ensure your good health (to the best of your ability).  Instead of spending the end of your day watching TV, cut it short and catch some extra zzz's. Instead of passing through the McDonald's drive thru, grab some healthier, wholesome food. Once your body starts feeling better,  the wear and tear of exhaustion will dwindle down. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,” 1 Corinthians 6:19. We are commanded to take care of our bodies! 

"If you're tired physically, you're more likely to be short with your spouse and kids [family and friends]. Get proper rest and eat life-giving foods" -Marriage Works 

You may feel like neglecting yourself is for the best and something you can handle, but in reality- it not only affects you, but it affects the ones around you. 

Most importantly, get some spiritual rest! Spend time in God's Word on a consistent basis. Not just "when I can find time." Praise Him. Talk to Him. He gives the lasting peace you need to combat your physical exhaustion. Spending ten minutes of quality time in God's Word satisfies way more than spending 60 minutes in entertainment. God will rejuvenate and revive you like no other. 

"Rest sets us up for joy. When exhausted—our tendency is toward a negative, even critical attitude. Fatigue can bring out our worst, while a restored body and soul sings praises to God Almighty." 

-Wisdom Hunters

“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength..."" 

Isaiah 30:15 

Returning and rest. Returning here means repentance. We are to repent from our sins and rest in God, paired with quietness and trust. God's next statement in this verse is:

"...But you were unwilling"

Are you unwilling to repent and rest in Christ? Are you unwilling to be still and trust God in the midst of the chaos? How then can you expect to find rest? 

Copy and paste this link to listen to the song, Lord I Need You 

https://vimeo.com/132943072 

Lord, I come, I confess

Bowing here I find my rest

Without You I fall apart

You're the One that guides my heart 

Let these words pour out from your mouth. Meditate on them. Meditate on God's Word. And never forget the God who holds you together.  

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28 

 

 

The Weeds of Anxiety

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Philippians 4:6-7

Are the "what-ifs" in life getting you down? Have weeds of anxiety sprung up in your heart and mind? How do you get rid of them? How can your mind finally meet peace?

This passage from Philippians is among one of the most well known from the Bible. But do we really understand what it means? If we really are living by these verses, we shouldn't be anxious; but instead we recite the verse over and over and like and share it on Facebook, yet it still has no affect on our lives. Let's dissect these verses, and let Christ uproot the weeds of anxiety that have so quickly taken over.

We are commanded not to be anxious about anything. Anxiety is a sin, and consumes our minds and lives. But when a rose patch is full of weeds, is it counted as a loss? No- we must take the time and the effort to go to each individual weed and pluck it out. Not from the surface, but from the root. We must take a look at the root of our anxiety. Elizabeth George said in her book, The Heart of a Woman Who Prays,

Over 90 percent of what you worry about never comes to pass. To worry is to waste time; therefore, the more you worry, the less you accomplish

Look at the root of your worry weed. Is it unnecessary? Is it a waste of energy? "Do not be anxious about anything"

We all know that simply understanding that we aren't to worry, doesn't stop us from worrying- so what is the weed killer? What will stop the worry before it starts?

Christ! He is the only one who can pluck each and every one of your worries from your life. Call upon Him!

Prayer and supplication is the mixture that Christ will use to spray on our seemingly relentless patch of weeds. So, "let your requests be made known to God," Talk to God! As soon as the "what if" enters your mind, tell Him. And fight it back through the power of prayer! The person who takes away the weeds of anxiety is Christ; so if we are not consistently in communication with Him or spending time with Him in His Word, how can we expect our anxiety to go away? It can't fix itself! When one weed sprouts up and isn't taken care of, more weeds will begin to grow and take over. So instead of letting your anxiety sit and weigh on your heart and mind, turn to the God who can kill the thought before it even sprouts.

And what is prayer and supplication accompanied by? Thanksgiving. This is one of the key weapons we have against anxiety, but many of us aren't using it. It is all "gloom and doom" as soon as a weed shows its head, and we cease to realize that we have plenty to be thankful for! Start thanking Christ instead of focusing on what there is to be worried about. Once you develop a pattern of thanksgiving in your life, I promise you that your worries will begin to fade off into the distance.

So instead of simply reading this passage of scripture...get out and live it! Stop letting your weeds grow out of control in your rose patch and turn to the "peace of God that surpasses all understanding." The only way your weeds will disappear is through Christ. And the only person who will guard your hearts and minds is Christ. So what are you waiting for? Run to Him!



-

The Sanctified Rose

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 

"But of Him you are in Christ, who became for us wisdom from God- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption- that as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord"." 

Like a worm eating away at the petals of a rose, sin eats away at our hearts and lives. The worm rips and tears away the beauty that the rose was made to display, and if not taken care of, it leads to the death of a rose that had so much potential. That worm is the beginning of destruction and sin always brings destructive results in our lives! 

When Christ saves us and enters our hearts, we are no longer encapsulated by that worm. We no longer have to live enslaved to our sin, letting it eat away at us bit by bit. We are now slaves to Christ, which is where true freedom lies!  We are sanctified, and the outcome is eternal life. (Romans 6:22). Sanctified means being made holy in your heart and life- and this can only be done by the Holy Spirit. We are sanctified from our sin! We have a new status and a new destiny! Christ cleanses and restores our rose to the beauty we were always meant to display. 

But it doesn't stop there. Sanctification is graciously given to us at salvation, but it is meant to be continued through a consistent purification process, that continues until we see Jesus face to face (1 Peter 1:2). The Holy Spirit constantly cleanses our roses, resulting in our obedience to Him. But that's not its sole purpose. Our sanctification, and our life's purpose above all else is to glorify Jesus Christ: our Lord, our Father, our Creator. For "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord"! 

So...is your rose showing signs of sanctification? Is your rose glorying in Christ for all the world to see? Or are you infested with worms? Let Christ enter your heart and cleanse you from all unrighteousness, because He is the one and only cure! 

Resources:

MacArthur Study Bible 

ESV Study Bible 

Pic creds: 

https://www.google.com/search?q=rose+infested&rlz=1C9BKJA_enUS649US649&hl=en-US&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAWoVChMItrOp5ZfhxwIVh40NCh2JNwGx&biw=1024&bih=653#imgrc=tyQPgSCT2AxBOM%3A 

The Complacent Rose

For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster

Proverbs 1:32-33

When someone gives you a bouquet of beautiful roses, what do you do with them? You will probably go home, find a vase and fill it with water and plant food; you will then arrange the roses just right in the vase and find the perfect spot to place your flowers on display for everyone to see. The roses look beautiful. Then, many times, after having perfectly set them out, we leave them there. Once they die, or begin to show signs of wilting, we throw them out. 

Complacency, as defined by dictionary.com, is "a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc."

We may not have meant to let the roses start wilting on the counter, but becoming complacent with their state of perfection and not tending to them led to their death. 

Likewise, when we plant flowers in a garden, and they start blossoming beautifully, do we stop tending to them just because they are "oh-so-perfect"? No, of course not! If we do, it will only be a matter of time before they start to wilt and die. In the same way that not tending to the roses on the counter or the flowers in the garden will lead to a plant-sized problem, not tending to our spiritual lives will lead to an eternity-sized problem. We absolutely cannot become complacent.

When life is perfect, we tend to forget God. We forget to tend to our hearts. We neglect tending to our spiritual lives. We become complacent. However, when we enter bad times in our lives and start wilting, we begin to draw near to God, begging for him to rescue us and pour water over our lives and souls. Then when everything gets set on the counter of our lives just "oh-so-perfect," again, we turn away from God, only to fall into the same old sinful pattern of complacency, "for the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them."

Others of us live in a different kind of sinful pattern. There are many of us that instead of drawing away from God by becoming complacent in the "perfection" of our lives, draw away from God by focusing too much on the bad. When life seems to be going great, we start feeling a "dread of disaster," just waiting for something bad to happen. We are constantly watching our lives, focusing so much on what challenge will rear its ugly head in our rose-patch next, that we miss what God is doing in our lives in that moment. This can only be combated with wisdom- the "me" in verse 33. This wisdom is established in the fear of the Lord. "whoever listens to me [wisdom] will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster."

Both patterns are very dangerous, and should be fixed immediately. Don't fear the future in such a way that you miss the beauty God is blossoming in your life in the present moment! And don't get so caught up in the "perfection" of your life that you forget the Gardener, the all-powerful God, who has allowed your rose-patch to blossom!! 

When Two Become One

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Genesis 2:24

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that marriage is not always a bed of roses. No relationship is for that matter. There are good times and there are bad times. There are times when you feel like giving up, and times when you feel a blossoming in the relationship like you've never felt before. There are frustrations, hurt, and ugly sides to marriage that sometimes go un-talked about. Communication issues, affection issues. We are all individuals, and we all have individual wants, needs, and desires. Often times, these expectations aren't met. At times, marriage and relationships can hit  some dry patches. 

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, 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

Here is where the problem lies- we focus too much on what is wrong in our relationship and what needs to be changed, especially in the other person, rather than focusing on the positive. This wilts our marriage and relationship. We set up false expectations that ourselves and our spouses can never live up to. We feel an emptiness, and the only person who can fill that emptiness in our hearts and our lives is JESUS. So instead of relying on your spouse to fulfill all your needs and live up to all of your expectations, first look to your Heavenly Father. A flower needs good soil, water, and sunlight to survive. We need Jesus to survive. Seeking your spouse out as your source of life and happiness will only leave you wilted and drained. And it isn't fair to put anyone in the position of being your savior. They will always fail! Christ is our one and only Savior. 

So when you feel like nothing is going right for you in your marriage, look to Christ. When you feel all alone, realize you are NEVER alone with Christ on your side. When your spouse dissapoints you, look to the God that NEVER dissappoints. And most importantly, stop trying to change your spouse!! It will only lead to dissappointment and hurt in a marriage. First look at yourself! Maybe you need to change your perspective. Often times, we miss the amazing qualities of our marriages and relationships because we become too focused on the dry patches! 

"When you start looking for the good in your spouse, you automatically stop looking for the bad. Freshen your perspective!" - Marriage Works via Facebook 

While you are busy inspecting your spouse's rose and how your spouse needs to change, you fail to realize that there are plenty of areas in your OWN life that need changing! No one is perfect. No marriage is perfect. No spouse is perfect. There is always something in our lives that we need Christ to change. Ask Christ to change YOUR heart, and instead of praying for Jesus to change your spouse, ask Him first and foremost to change YOU. 

You may be thinking, well you don't know my husband/wife. I don't need to change as much as they do. Again, no one is perfect. Have you ever made a mistake in a relationship or marriage? Have you ever said a hurtful thing and come to regret it? Have you ever hated a sinful pattern in your life that you just can't seem to get rid of? We all have! Would you want your spouse to be unforgiving and cold-hearted to you, even after you ask for forgiveness? Of course not! Treat your spouse the way you want to be treated, even if they don't extend that same attitude back to you. Christ can move through you to positively affect your spouse through your Christ-like actions. 

So then that leads to this question...

What if your spouse doesn't treat you in a way that you feel you deserve? What if they are unforgiving and spiteful? What if you feel like you are the only person putting any effort into the relationship? 

First look at your relationship with Jesus. Jesus is constantly seeking us out. He wants you to give Him your all. Do you always do so? Or do you ignore Jesus' callings in your life? Are you working on your relationship with Christ? What if the answer is no, or not very often? Jesus Christ still seeks after you. So we should extend that same behavior toward our spouse. We don't deserve Jesus' love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, but he still offers it to us anyways. Realize that your spouse is human too. Humble yourself and bow before Jesus Christ. Confess and repent, admitting you are a sinner just like everyone else, in desperate need of our Life-Giver, and let Jesus shine through you to your spouse. 

Every rose has its thorns. Every relationship has its dry patches. The question is, what are you letting Christ do through YOU, to change that dry patch into a blossoming bed of roses? 

The Upright Rose

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Philippians 3:13-16

It is very easy to determine whether a rose is in a healthy or an unhealthy condition. A healthy rose has a vibrant color; its petals are smooth, not brittle; it's upright, not wilted. Unhealthy roses show signs of decay- discoloration, crumbling petals, a noticeably drooping appearance. Which rose are you? Have you been tending to your spiritual life? Or is it showing signs of decay? Are you upright, pressing on "toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God" or are you drooping? We need to be upright roses!

The word upright can be defined as honorable, righteous, just, blameless, and according to dictionary.reference.com, "being in accord with what is right." So what does that mean exactly? Let's dissect the upright rose. In this passage from Philippians, we see a common theme- "straining forward," "press on," "toward the goal," "upward call." These suggest that we are in need of progress. We must continually reach ahead. What are we reaching toward? A prize. And what is that prize? Jesus. Eternal life. Not what we see in the here and now, but what comes after- what is for eternity. Because that is what truly matters.

How do we do this? Straining forward isn't easy. When we feel like the petals of life are crumbling beneath us, how do we press on? We hear God's call to remain upright, and we must respond*. "Let those of us who are mature think this way" (v.15). The word "mature" in the passage can also be translated as "perfect." If you're really perfect/mature, you will realize you're not yet perfect/mature*. Plain and simple: we need Jesus. We need to rely on Him.

In Philippians 1:9-11, we see another passage dealing with uprightness. We are to be pure and blameless (v.10). We need to constantly grow in Christ. We need to have a growing sense of urgency, a desire, to get to know our Creator more. Like Noah, we should walk with God- having an ongoing intimacy with Christ (Gen. 6:9). As we follow Jesus more closely, we will see an increase in uprightness within us. We will begin to see joyful obedience. We will experience a love and satisfaction like no other. This doesn't mean we will be perfect, but we need to continually see an increase in our likeness to Christ. We can only get that by spending time with Him. "Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes THROUGH Jesus Christ," and this results in "the glory and praise of God," (Phil. 1:10-11). We are not to strive to be upright for our glory, but for HIS.

This may seem impossible. We may never get where we want to be. We might feel like we can never possibly be as upright as we hope. The world is too heavy on our shoulders. Our rose is wilting and we can't seem to keep pressing on. But let us look at someone who remained "blameless and upright; one who feared God and turned away from evil", even when he lost everything he had (Job 1:1). Let's look at the life of Job. In Job 1, we see that Job was a man who had everything anyone could possibly imagine. He was beyond blessed in family and possessions. Then one day, he lost everything he had. He lost his children and his wealth. Read Job 1:13-19 to read the extent of his loss. He tore his clothes, shaved his head, and fell to the ground....and what did he do next? He WORSHIPED. And he goes on to say this:

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord

Job 1:21

He had grief, YET he trusted in the Lord. He held a posture of grief YET he worshiped.

So even when your whole world seems to be crashing down; even when you feel like you fail time after time again; even if you feel the pressure of this life threatening to wilt your rose, don't let it! Take it all to Jesus! Glorify Him through it all! And you will remain an Upright Rose, with the strength of Christ, "straining forward to what lies ahead."




*ESV Study Bible footnotes Phil. 1 and 3

Photo Creds: https://drscdn.500px.org/photo/60051542/m%3D2048/b3a64ec25c3bbe507f91768798a32a92

The Grass Withers

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

1 Peter 1:22-25

You just woke up. You're sitting outside sipping on a warm cup of coffee; you're soaking up the crisp morning air and the smell of freshly-cut grass while looking out upon God's beautiful creation. You hear birds chirping, you see flowers blooming- you're in awe. You feel relaxed; at peace. It's the calm before the storm- the calm before you embark on the busy day that lies ahead. Then your alarm goes off. You pull out your phone. Time's up. Dread fills your mind as you force yourself to get up and moving, longing to just press pause, and stay in that moment forever. What if I told you that you could?

In these verses from 1 Peter, we learn that life is short. The freshly-cut grass and blooming flowers that we wish we could enjoy forever are temporary. They are here for a season, and are gone again with the snap of a finger. The good news? "The word of the Lord endures forever." Real, lasting peace isn't found in the wee hours of the morning when all of life seems perfect. It is found in Christ. Even when our lives are in shambles, we can still find that everlasting peace that only Jesus Christ can provide. 

What should we do with that encouragement? Extend it to others! Show others the same love that Christ shows you! Choose to "love one another fervently with a pure heart"! Love is a choice! "Fervently" here means to stretch to the limits. So when your husband, father, mother, brother, sister, coworker, employer, friend, [you fill in the blank] are getting on your last nerves? Show them fervent love- because that is what Christ gives to you. Because you're no longer "of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever". And because, let's face it- life is short and eternity is forever. 

Pic creds http://www.suggestkeyword.com/ZGVhZCBncmFzcw/ 

Thorns of Life

"The seed cast in the [thorns] is the person who hears the kingdom news, but [thorns] of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it" Matthew 13:22 (MSG)

Have you ever seen a beautiful rose bush laced with hundreds of thorns? Most are, and some more than others. The bush could contain plenty of luscious roses, but the thorns always seem to outnumber whatever lovely display of roses there is to see. 

We are roses in a world enlaced with thorns. The question is, are we tangled up in them? In Matthew 13, Jesus is illustrating a message using a parable about a farmer planting seed. The seed is the gospel, and is cast onto the ground. Depending on the soil, the seed will either last, or die for lack of a good foundation. I want to focus on the thorny ground. Re-read verse 22. The thorns of worry and want choke out the seed. This type of foundation relates to a person who cannot break with the love of money or the world. They care too much for the world and are decieved by riches. This type of person hears Christ, but then their love of the world chokes out the Word of God. And any one of us can easily become this person in this thorn-enlaced world. 

"You cannot focus on the kingdom of God while tangled up in the thorns of this life" -James MacDonald 

In Matthew 19:16-22, Jesus is speaking to a rich young ruler. The young man asks what he should do to have eternal life. Jesus proceeds to tell him in verse 21, "go, sell what you have and give to the poor." Jesus wasn't setting terms for salvation, but he was testing the young man to see where his heart lay.* He failed the test. He "went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions," (vs. 22). He allowed his love for himself and his love for possessions* to ensnare him in a thorn, and he ended up rejecting Jesus! 

The world is temporary. Christ is not. Our fancy cars, beautiful homes, big TV's, and life savings will go away. We are going to die one day and face reality. Did we allow ourselves to be ensnared in the thorns of the world, choking Christ out, or did Christ enter our hearts, and grow in such a way that no thorn could overtake us? 

"And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" 

1 John 2:17 

*The MACARTHUR Study Bible footnotes Matthew 19:16-22

Roses Set on a Hill

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven"

Matthew 5:14-16 

A rose shines on display for all to see. Have you ever heard the saying "stop and smell the roses,"? Roses are symbols of happiness, joy, satisfaction; beauty, love, and friendship. The list can go on and on. Roses stand out among flowers, and rightly so. They are beautiful! And it is easy to inspect each one we see. It is easy to pick out their imperfections. It is easy to distinguish between a healthy and unhealthy rose. In the same way, we are like roses. It is easy for us to pick out other's imperfections. It is easy for us to identify in our minds who is "good" and who is "bad." And often, we do this without inspecting ourselves in the same manner. 

Christ is the light of the world, and when He enters our hearts, we carry that light in us as well. We become a rose "set on a hill," with a very heavy responsibility. We are put on display. Others watch us. We become role models, whether we like it or not. So it is time to inspect ourselves for a change. 

"The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness" Luke 11:34-35

The eye referred to here is the Word of God, or the source of light. Re-read the passage again and replace the word "eye" with "source of light." The Word of God SHOULD be our source of light, but if its not, then something else is. So what is your source? Who, or what, is replacing God's Word in your life? Who or what are you putting the most energy into? "take heed, that the light which is in you is not darkness" 

A rose needs water, sunlight, and good soil to survive. If it doesn't receive these things, it will start to show. It will begin to wilt, petal by petal, taking away its glorious beauty. When people look at the rose, all they will see are the wilted petals. Are you receiving the nutrients of God's Word? Or are you nourishing yourself with bad soil? Inspect your petals. Are you wilting? Or shining Christ's lighton glorious   display for all to see? 

None of us are perfect, and never will be. And Christ often works best through our imperfections. However, this doesn't give us a free pass. We cannot truly bloom in this life without going to the Author and Perfector of our faith. Every rose has its faults, but we must let Christ nourish us and restore those faults so that we can display His light to the world! 

Photo creds: 

http://aquifer.deviantart.com/art/Shining-Rose-106485393 

The Hedge Trimmer

The way of a lazy man is like a hedge of thorns

         Proverbs 15:19a

Many of us are trapped with a hedge of thorns holding us in captivity. We have much to offer. We have the capability of being a beautiful rose, and showing that beauty to the world, but there is a hedge of thorns standing in our way. That hedge is a hedge of laziness. 

Whether the hedge be physical, emotional, or spiritual, all of us have a streak of laziness in us that likes to rear its ugly head from time to time. We can become so consumed in one area of our life, that other areas are neglected. We can become so busy, that we lose the energy to even think about devoting time to the areas that are being neglected, even when we know they are. We become trapped in this hedge of thorns, but the good news is- we have the trimmer needed to break free. Yet...we don't use it. That hedge trimmer is Jesus Christ.               

The busyness of our lives can become overwhelming. Duties as a wife, mother, high school or college student, employee, etc. can weigh us down. We tend to tell ourselves that we deserve to be lazy in certain areas of our lives because of all we do, but in reality, they are excuses. There is a difference between rest and laziness. There is a fine line between the two, and we need to constantly evaluate ourselves and go to Christ for his evaluation, to see where our hearts lay. Because not only does our laziness affect ourselves, it affects others. 

"Because of laziness the building decays, and through idleness of hands the house leaks," Ecclesiastes 10:18

This verse is an analogy to the kingdom of a lazy monarch, and can become an analogy for our lives as well. Just like a lazy monarch affects his kingdom, a lazy wife, mother, daughter, student, employee, and follower of Christ will and does affect others, especially the people closest to you- the people in your home.

"What all thorns have in common is that they threaten to displace Christ as Lord in our lives. They try to  overwhelm us with their bigness and scare tactics...or in some cases, their appeal" - Caitlin Williams 

We often become too lazy to remove the thorns of laziness from our lives, and this is when our laziness takes a turn for the worse- it becomes sin. 

As a wife and mother, we hold a greater responsibility. We are in charge of the heart of the home. We are to strive to make the home a peaceful sanctuary. And even if we are not a wife or a mother, we still hold part of the responisbility of the home and those around us. Our attitude affects others, whether we realize it or not. 

All of this might sound like bad news, but there is good news. We still hold in our hands the hedge trimmer, our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. When you feel overwhelmed, when you feel tempted, when you feel like you don't have the willpower, turn to Christ and His Word. Ask Christ for help. 

You can't do it all yourself. You can't meet every need that is thrown your way without continual refreshment in God's Word. Spending time in the presence of Christ will rejuvenate you in a way like no other. He will refresh your body, soul, and spirit.

"The more time you spend with the Lord, the more radiant you will become" -Stormie Omartian 

Ladies, become a Proverbs 31 woman! I challenge you to go through Proverbs 31 and make a list of all the character traits a virtuous woman has. Strive towards them! Ask Christ to help you become her! And I promise you, Christ will rip apart the hedge that is holding you captive. "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised" Proverbs 31:30. 

 So...invite Christ in! Pick up that hedge trimmer and use it!! You have all the tools you need! 

Photo creds: https://louisaapril.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/i-never-plucked-the-rose/