Vineyard of Thorns

The one downfall to roses are their thorns. Roses are beautiful, but if not careful, you can prick yourself with a nasty thorn while admiring their beauty. If you have ever been pricked by a thorn, you know that the pain lasts the whole day, and sometimes even a couple of days thereafter. Roses are beautiful, but the thorns they carry distract from their beauty. 

Just like thorns poke and prod, we can poke and prod upon other people. If we aren't careful, the thorns spoken of here can be compared to our misspoken, angry, and hurtful words that we most often prick our closest family and friends with. Although they know our real beauty so to speak, the hurtful things we do or say distract from those qualities and can create a semi-lasting, negative impact throughout the day or week or month. 

How do we combat the thorns of our roses? 

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." (Psalm 19:14 ESV)

When you are feeling the pressure on your shoulders, when people seem to be getting on your last nerves, when you're overtired and just want to lash out at the first person you see, pray that prayer. Think about what God would want you to do. If you're not careful, the words of your mouth can stab someone straight in the heart, whether you meant what you said or not. Are the words you utter so important that they cost you a relationship? Before you say something you shouldn't, think of your words as thorns. By themselves they don't harm anyone, but as soon as they touch others they have the potential to cause some damage. 

Sometimes we are just a little too late. We might slip something out of our mouths and regret it as soon as it leaves our lips. If this is the case, which most often it is for everyone including myself, confront it as soon as you label it as sin. First, confess it to God. 

1John 1:9 " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness"

But it doesn't stop there. Confront the person you did wrong to. It takes a lot of humbling, and it is definitely one of, if not the hardest things we could ever do. But it can sometimes be the difference between saving a relationship or letting it gradually be destroyed. After you ask for forgiveness, a weight will be lifted off your shoulders. If it's hard to come straight out and ask for forgiveness, maybe start off by being honest and letting them know you've had a rough day and that you are sorry for your words. Make sure, however, that you are careful not to use your troubles as an excuse for your actions. Although you have had a bad day, others have as well, and therefore a bad day doesn't equal an excuse to lash out in anger at others. However, confessing your problems along with asking for forgiveness is a good start at getting used to confessing your sins to the people you've sinned against. Eventually, asking for forgiveness will come naturally and will bring you closer go God then ever before, and closer to others. 

"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body" Proverbs 16:24

The Silent Rose

Imagine soft music playing in the background while you relax and bask in the sweet aroma of your favorite scented candles, with only a bouquet of fresh roses and your feet arched up on soft pillows in sight. Sounds like something many of us wish we could do right now instead of carrying on with our busy schedules; going from here to there with no end in sight. For many of us, this scene (or another like it) is something of a fantasy. So how do we create that feeling we feel in our most relaxed setting while we are out and about keeping up with our daily lives? How do we keep ourselves calm and collected whenever nothing seems to go our way? How do we fight every urge in our body to scream at whatever or whoever gets in the way of the task at hand?

Well let's look at the obstacle in our way: the mind. Our minds create a sense of anxiety due to doing one task after the other after the other. The list of things to do go on and on...OR...you simply have gotten so used to staying busy that you wouldn't know what to do even if you did have free time. Either way these both could be labeled as one thing...sin. "How could staying busy be a sin?" you might ask. Well staying busy isn't a sin...but forgetting Jesus in the midst of your busyness is. Neglecting acknowledgement of the Savior who gives you the ability to carry out each task before you is the root of your stress. 

In Luke 10, Jesus and his disciples went to a woman named Martha's house, and Jesus was teaching the people there. Martha was busying herself serving everyone, stressing about each and every thing she had to do, while her sister Mary was sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus, receiving his words with joy and peace and a renewing of mind. Jesus said to Martha in verses 41 and 42 

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

Jesus didn't tell her that what she was doing was wrong, but that her anxiety and neglect of the most important, everlasting part of our lives was. Mary realized that Jesus was more important than the task at hand. That spending time listening and learning from Him was needed in that moment. That the tasks could wait, even for just ten minutes, so that she could get refreshed and receive a peace like no other to carry her throughout the day. That Jesus needed her to spend time with Him, and he would give her the strength she needed to carry on. Martha, of course, didn't purposefully neglect Jesus. She simply allowed other things to take the priority and push him out. 

But there is hope. Jesus will take us, just like he did Martha, and show us that we need him. That we need to take a break and bask in HIS presence. We need to get spiritually refreshed so that we can be  physically ready to face the world with Him by our side. So put the music on, put your feet up, light those candles, grab your Bible and silence that rose of yours so that you can realign yourself with our Creator who is always there to give us peace and strength to make it; not week to week or month to month, but day to day, minute to minute, and second to second.

A Blood-Stained Rose

Have you ever noticed the similarity between the color of a rose and the color of blood? Blood has such a negative connotation, while a rose receives high praises. Literally speaking, blood, of course, is not pleasant. But figuratively speaking, it can be. Now, I know what you are thinking. How can blood be pleasant in ANY way, figuratively or literally? But if we look at blood in a different sense, it will shine light as to how it can be perceived.

BLOOD: "The red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues" (Google's definition).

Blood, as seen through this definition, is a necessity. This, I am sure, you already know. Therefore, why do we seemingly hate it? In a similar fashion, blood can metaphorically symbolize hardships. Blood, sweat, and tears is a saying many of us are familiar with. It's something we can associate with hard work, or even what we have "spilled out" in various trials of our lives. "If something will take blood, sweat and tears, it will be very difficult and will require a lot of effort and sacrifice" (usingenglish.com). Yet at the end of the day, that effort and sacrifice shapes us into the person we are; gives us the color to our rose.

Jesus understands how detrimental blood is.
Matthew 26:28 "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out FOR many FOR the forgiveness of sins"
Ephesians 2:13 "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST"
Acts 20:28 "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God,which he obtained with his own blood"

Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. The ultimate sacrifice. The very proof of his love for us. Jesus endured criticism, physical beatings, and death for us, for YOU. YOU were bought with a price: Jesus' blood, his death, on the cross. But he rose again. Death brought life. Grief turned to joy, to hope. We were created in God's image; Jesus is who we are to model our lives after. Jesus endured death to save you from your sins, making your trials measly in comparison. Just as his death reaps life, everlasting life, for all those who decide to follow him, your trials can produce a new, better, you, if you just allow Christ to turn your trials into hope by turning to him when you feel overwhelmed, depressed, unhopeful, etc. He can make your blood-stained rose a joyous outcome rather than a life-threatening blow. Simply allow him.

That's What Makes You Beautiful

Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of. -Charles Spurgeon

We have been talking a lot about trials lately, and how we need to draw close to God during the trials. When we draw close to him, he will give us the strength to get to the other side and become the beautiful rose we are meant to be, but that doesn't mean that you will never experience a trial again. Trails are a part of life, but this shouldn't discourage you. It should encourage you. It should give you hope that in the future you will be a better person than you are now; that God isn't finished with you yet. If you feel like you've messed up, God offers you forgiveness and a way to become better if you only draw close to him and be willing to do what he says. Trials, yes they can hurt, yes they can seem to last forever, but that's what makes you beautiful. That's how God forms your blossom into a beautiful rose!

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast" (1 Peter 5:10).

Withering Rose

To flee unto God is the only stay which can support us in our afflictions, the only armor which renders us invincible -John Calvin

Many of us are becoming like withering roses in life. We have faced many trials, and don't feel like facing any more. When trials come our way, instead of standing strong and drawing close to God for such strength, we try to ignore the trial, hoping it will go away. The problem is: this is causing a withering of our hearts.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

Trials are what molds us. The trials in our lives shape us into who God wants us to be. If you don't try to learn anything, or don't stand strong and don't draw close to God through your trial, then your rose won't grow (which is God's intention: for us to become stronger and better people through our hardships once we reach the other side). Instead, our hearts will begin to wither when we don't trust God throughout the trials. We will feel lost, depressed, and discouraged because we lack the hope that God offers us. God wants us to be steadfast throughout our trials by trusting and relying on Him. Only then will our rose be able to grow to the flower God wants it to be. Only then will we feel a peace like no other, because of the hope God gives us. God gives us hope, courage, strength, and peace in our hearts and minds!

Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take. Joshua 1:9

Thorns of Laziness

"The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns" Proverbs 15:19 Thorns are the part of a rose that noone cares for. I don't think any of us like picking up the beautiful flower, only to be pricked by a nasty thorn on its stem. All of us have thorns in our lives. When I say this, many of you will begin to think of thorns you must deal with. You will more than likely think of a trial you're going through, or a job that you detest doing, or maybe even a specific person who irritates you. But today we are going to focus on our OWN thorns. The thorns AKA things we do that destroy our character. Specifically: the thorns of laziness. All of us are lazy in one way, shape, or form. The Bible has a lot to say about laziness, especially in the book of Proverbs. God says that laziness gets a person nowhere. We could speak a lot about the wrong of being lazy, but lets focus on spiritual laziness. In Hebrews 6, it begins with a calling for people to grow and mature in their faith. Spiritual maturity can be defined in many ways, but in verse seven it is described as being "Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed [and will receive] the blessing of God." Spiritual immaturity or lack of faith is described as "land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned" There is such thing as being spiritually lazy, and this is a very dangerous spot to be in. When your life isn't showing any signs of your faith in Jesus Christ, you are spiritually lazy. The fact is: when you are in Gods word more, you will begin to learn and should apply what you learn. God blesses you for your obedience and faithfulness. "Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper" Proverbs 13:4. "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." Hebrews 6:10-12. Don't you want Gods blessing? Don't you want to be known for being close to God and not for being spiritually lazy? Then pick up your dusty Bible and don't just read it, but actually apply it to your daily life! Laziness will entangle you in its thorns, but Jesus Christ can free you from those thorns if you simply allow him to!

Dealing with the Complexity of Our Roses

"The flowers of most species have five petals, with the exception of Rosa sericea, which usually has only four. Each petal is divided into two distinct lobes and is usually white or pink, though in a few species yellow or red. Beneath the petals are five sepals (or in the case of some Rosa sericea, four). These may be long enough to be visible when viewed from above and appear as green points alternating with the rounded petals. There are multiple superior ovaries that develop into achenes".......Wow! I don't know about you, but that seems really complex to me. Roses are very complex flowers. They have many different parts that make them into the beautiful flowers that they are. Without even one of these parts, it wouldn't make the rose that we all adore. Roses, as we know resemble us and our lives, and I'm sure we all can agree that our lives and ourselves are very complicated and complex. The thing is: we all make things complicated. We blame all the work we must do or other people for the bad moods we are in or the stress and anxiety we feel, but really: WE are the ones who CHOOSE to let the stress get to us. We have a choice whether or not to let our bad moods be determined by the things needed to get done or the words people say. We can't let work and people be our excuses as to why we are how we are or why we act how we act. It's time to take responsibility for our rose. It's time to realize that we need to not take life so seriously, and instead focus on Jesus who makes everything less complicated. He can take away our overwhelming feelings of stess from things needed to get done and he can take away those confusing emotions and replace it with a peace that surpasses all understanding. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27).