Daily Verse

Gossip Weeds

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So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! James 3:5 ESV

My New England home is famous for its Vermont cheese, maple syrup and Fall foliage, but one lesser-known product which we have in abundance is poison ivy. This lovely plant has nice shiny leaves, prolific annual growth and pretty red berries. Those lovely berries are greatly loved by the birds, which happily gobble them down and then generously plant them everywhere that isn’t paved or under water. In today’s verse, the Apostle James tells us about a far deadlier poison than that in our ivy: That is the poison of our words. A single seed of malicious gossip, whether by text, social media or by phone, can destroy relationships, careers and even lives. James says, that though started by just a tiny spark, that they can set an entire forest on fire. But the good news is that in the same way that gossip spreads, words of grace can also spread, and in an even more powerful way, In Galatians, we are given the list of the kinds of seeds that God wants us to plant:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; Galatians 5:22-23a

Right this moment we have the opportunity to begin planting loving words, joyful praises, peaceful phrases, patient encouragements, kind offers, good suggestions, faithful promises, gentle assurances and self-controlled responses. These seeds, when planted in our garden will lead to a far different and better harvest. James ends by calling it:

And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:18

Though we must be patient because it will take a season for these seeds to grow, the harvest will be worth it. So, what’s growing in your garden today?

How is Your Garden of Prayer?

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Pulling Weeds in the Garden of Prayer

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  Romans 8:26 ESV

In my time as a landscaper, I think I learned more spiritual lessons on my knees in the garden, than on my knees in church. Maybe the most important was that weeds grow far better than flowers, both in a perennial bed as well as in our prayer life. This came to me after spending two days weeding and edging the flower beds at a weekend place in the country of one of my customers. Then on Saturday they ca3lled and asked me to stop by. That morning as we walked around surveying the vast flower beds, Mary Ann turned to me and said, “I can’t believe it Peter. You’ve done such a marvelous job. Those flowers are growing so strong that they are choking out the weeds!”

For a moment I was struck speechless but deciding that explaining the details of the 16 hours of work it took to make it that way, I simply smiled and nodded. Our prayer life in many ways is not unlike those gardens. When everything is in order and we are seeking God, amazingly things will blossom around us, as God goes to work in every corner of His garden. But when we neglect our time in the prayer closet, it won’t take long for weeds to grow, and those flowers (answers to prayer) will not choke out the weeds. We need to get back down on our knees, and with God’s strength and direction, begin to pull them out one by one. The kinds of weeds that grow are almost endless, but here are three of the most common –

The Weed of Prayerlessness – Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way. 1 Samuel 12:23 KJV

Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com

2) The Weed of Selfishness – You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3 ESV  

 

3) The Weed of Sleepiness – And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Luke 22:45-46 ESV

We need the Holy Spirit to motivate us – to direct our hearts, wake us up so that the light of Christ can shine in our hearts again!

Have I Crowned Him Today?

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So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

The words of the hymn, All Hail the Power of Jesus Name” are awe inspiring:

“All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.”

But when we walk out the doors of tour churches and back to our homes, the crowning of Jesus in our daily lives seems far away. Maybe we should ask ourselves, “Have I crowned Him Lord of ALL – My finances? My relationships? My job? My schedule? And maybe most important of all, my time?” Is Jesus being crowned as I go to the grocery store, stop at my favorite restaurant, or drive through busy traffic? How can I serve Him today?

In today’s verse, the Apostle Paul makes it clear, that Jesus is interested, not only in the great scene around the throne, where He is being worshipped by angels and crowned with glory. His glory is also to be seen when we stop for a sandwich, order a large, iced tea and go about our errands. What an amazing God! He whose hands were able to form the heart of burning stars also cares about how we mow our lawns. The one who commanded the light to shine out of darkness also knows what we are planning to say to our neighbors. Sometimes my greatest question is not just whether God will allow me into Heaven, but rather why in the world He cares at all about someone so mundane as myself. I can bore my family in a matter of minutes and yet, God seems interested in those small anxieties that keep me awake at night. And when I recall the commandment Jesus gave us to love our neighbors as ourselves it seems that He whispers to me, “And I have chosen you as my neighbor, when I gave my life for you!!

And Crown Him!
Crown Him! Crown Him! Crown Him!
And crown Him Lord of all!

“All Hail the Power of Jesus Name” by Edward Perronet 1780