BBD 01.31.10 Weeds of the Heart (Classic)
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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(A Devotional Classic from 2002)
01.31.10
Weeds of the Heart
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an
evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of
the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. - Luke 6:45.
The Fire Department in Denver, Colorado received a strange emergency call
from the nearby city of Montbello. The woman who called claimed to be
trapped in her home by tumbleweeds that had filled up her yard jamming
against the house. Not only did they fill up her yard; they had risen to a
height of 16 feet. A spokesman for the Fire Department said there were
"thousands" in the woman's yard.
We have to wonder at what point did the woman in Montbello decide to call
for help. Most likely, the tumbleweeds piled up over a period of several
hours or even days. She apparently waited until the situation was completely
out of control. However, the important thing to note is that she did finally
ask for help.
When the weeds of bad thoughts, evil thoughts, impure thoughts are piling up
in our heart at what point do we ask for help? At what point do we decide
that instead of constantly imputing thoughts that are damaging, we instead
store up thoughts that are good? Do we wait until they have piled up to such
a point that we are trapped? Do we wait until out of our mouths are coming
hateful evil relationship damaging words? Do we wait until we are unable to
make a good decision because our hearts are so polluted with evil?
We must be aggressive in controlling those weeds of evil thoughts, or they
will quickly overrun and ruin our lives. In Proverbs 4:23 we are told to
"keep" our hearts or "guard" our hearts. We must filter or bring into
subjection every thought, everything that enters our lives. The Bible tells
us how to do that in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, "For the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strong holds, casting down
arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." In
the Name of Jesus we must take captive, take control of every thought,
everything that enters our lives. If those thoughts are evil we must take
them captive in the Name of Jesus protecting our hearts from those evil
weeds.
Not only must we guard our hearts and avoid the pollution of our lives from
evil, we should at the same time fill our lives with good. The Bible tells
us how to do that in Philippians 4:8-9, "Finally brethren, whatever things
are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever
things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good
report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -
meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and
heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."
We must not wait until we are trapped and even destroyed by the weeds of the
world. Guard your heart, take captive the evil in the Name of Jesus, and
fill your heart with all the good things of God.
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