Sunday 29 December 2013

How Is Your Garden Growing?

How Is Your Garden Growing

At this time of year our gardens can be unsightly, all sorts of things are springing up; weeds are growing; the grass has not been cut; the fence may have even been blown down by the bad weather.  Our gardens look dark and we're not able to enjoy it.  There are weeds and shrubs growing that we didn't plant.  To leave our gardens in that state is to leave it uncultivated.  I often pluck up the odd weed in my front garden on the way to my car.

Our minds and lives can be like our gardens - cluttered, dark and unsightly.  We can cultivate our minds and surround ourselves with positive things and people or let the weeds take over.  What you allow to grow in your garden is what will harvest.  What you sow is what you will reap.  Life is a sowing and reaping process.  It's about planting and harvesting.  Is the garden of your life uncultivated? Are you planting good seeds? Is the garden of your life darkened with weeds?

(Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  The earth was formless and empty and darkness covered the deep waters.  The Spirit of the Lord was hovering over the waters then God siad, "Let there be light." ) You see without light you will not be able to see your way clearly, you will stumble around in the datk.  You will get entangled by the weeds growing in your garden. God is the Light of the world and your mind is your life garden.  Without God you will live in darkness.  The absence of Gods' Spirit in your live will cause you to live in darkness and by your own desires but the presence of Gods' Spirit will bring light into your life and guide you to right living and fruitfulness.  His light will make you aware of the weeds in your garden.

Satan is the prince of darkness and deception.  He is a thief and his sole purpose is to rob you of what God created for you (John 10:10 - He came to steal, kill and destroy - Jesus came so that you might have life and have it more abundantly). Satan is a serpent and will deceive you, he will encourage you with the things that's not good for you (Genesis 3:1-1....."You won't die," the serpent told the woman, "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it and you will be like God knowing both good and evil.....").  Are you allowing the serpent into your life garden?  Disobedience leads to destruction; obedience leads to prosperity.  Satan is the enemy and he is real; Gods' word is truth and is also real, so who are you allowing in your garden? Are you allowing your garden to control you instead of you controlling your garden?

As human beings we often worry about how we will make ends meet and survive.  Do you realise that God created our provision before He created us?  Everything we will ever need, God has already gone ahead and provided it.  He created the earth and all things in it before creating man. He then gave man dominion over everything that He created with the express command to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28......."He blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground....."  God has supplied provision for all our needs but we fail to be fruitful and prosperous because we are not good stewards over what has been given to us.  We do not tent to and cultivate our gardens, nor do we sow our seeds in good soil yet we expect to reap a good harvest; we expect to be prosperous and fruitful.  The earth we live in and our minds are our gardens and just like Adam and Eve who were placed in a place of provision, all we have to do is to cultivate our gardens, pluck out the weeds, be obedient and follow Gods' instructions - our manual - in order to enjoy the things God went ahead and prepared for us.....

So ask yourself.....how is your garden growing?