Week Thirty-Seven - Spiritual Mildew

This past spring, we returned to England from a year's furlough in the States to a lawn choked and dying, overtaken by weeds and moss. After I applied weed and moss killer, dead, dry patches covered the lawn, but the grass wasn't coming back to life. 

Finally, I paid a professional to come in with heavier chemicals, and after several weeks, my lawn began recovering. Moss, mildew, and other destructive things like parasites and fungi attack gardens, vegetables, and flowers. Surely, if it weren't for the goodness of God, they would spread and create famine all over the land. 

Comparatively, spiritual mildew is also a great blight. It takes root when a debilitating general apathy, a deep trial, or a hurtful confrontation leaves you empty and dry. Have you noticed a deficiency of sincerity in yourself or those around you? Do you see or experience spiritual laziness or debilitating pride? Are your prayers shriveled and your service cold? All of these are warning signs of spiritual mildew creeping into your heart.

When it comes to the moss in the garden, intense heat must dry it out and kill the roots. Spiritually, the moss and mildew of our blighted hearts need the light of the Word and heat from the blessed Son of Righteousness to shine intensely. The roots of pride, bitterness, apathy, and laziness must be killed so new spiritual energy and hope can grow.

Friend, maybe you, like my lawn, suffer from spiritual mildew. You feel flat, overtaken, and covered in dry, dead patches. It may be time for you to call in the professional, the great Healer of your soul, and let Him use Spirit-filled chemicals to restore the beauty of your soul's garden. Forgiveness, repentance, and honest confession must be tilled into the soil of your soul before weeds and mildew can ever be removed.

Psalm 51:10-12 is one of David's prayers about his personal spiritual mildew. He prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit."

Let this be your prayer, and may His Word shine into your heart today and create lush spiritual beauty!

Week Thirty-Six - I'm Not Listening

When rebellious teenagers or stubborn adults set their minds to having their own way, they stop listening. Proverbs 13:1 reads, "A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke." Very straightforward, isn't it? Wise people listen; scorners don't. 

This short chapter in Proverbs reveals more about people who aren't listening. 

They want everything to come easily to them. Verse 4 reads, "The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing."

Their pride creates continuous friction. Verse 10 reads, "Only by pride cometh contention."

They spend until they are poor. Verse 11, "Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished."

They are frustrated when plans fail. Verse 12, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick."

They can't understand why their way is so hard. Verse 15, "The way of transgressors is hard."

Yet, they refuse to alter their course. Verse 19, "It is an abomination to fools to depart from evil."

So they look for people to agree with them. Verse 20, "A companion of fools shall be destroyed."

And they are never satisfied. Verse 25, "The belly of the wicked shall want."

And all the while, they refuse to listen."A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise" (Proverbs 15:12).

Friend, refusing to listen to wise counsel is the surest way to an unhappy and unproductive life. 

Let's compare the benefits of listening to what we've just drawn, still from Proverbs 13.

Verse 4 - "The soul of the diligent shall be made fat."  Hard work pays off.

Verse 10 - "With the well advised is wisdom." Receiving sound advice makes for better decisions.

Verse 11 - "He that gathereth by labour shall increase." Earning and saving create wealth.

Verse 12 - "When the desire cometh, it is a tree of life." Good goals produce good outcomes.

Verse 15 - "Good understanding giveth favour." Life is easier when you make good decisions.

Verse 19 - "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul." Progress feels good.

Verse 20 - "He that walketh with wises men shall we wise." Good companions are paramount.

Verse 25 - "The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul." Doing right brings satisfaction.

Which side sounds more beneficial to you? And are you listening?