IF anyone has taken care of a little garden, he knows how much work is necessary to make the flowers and vegetables grow. They need to be watered, cared for, undesirable branches taken off and dead leaves plucked and thrown away.
But what requires most time and effort is keeping the weeds away. No matter how much care is given a plant, if the weeds are not kept down, they rob the ground of all the nourishment and elements needed to make a successful garden.
We can liken this garden to our lives. It is made up of what honors and what dishonors the Lord. Our thoughts, our conversation, our deeds that bring glory to the Lord, we must cultivate so they will yield greater fruit, but the bad habits, careless words, foolish thoughts we must seek, through the Lord's help to destroy, so that our life will yield abundantly the glory, and praise to Him who deserves our all.
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things, (all these things are found only in Christ, who is the object for our thoughts and hearts) "and the God of peace shall be with you." Phil. 4:8, 98Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Philippians 4:8‑9).
Messages of God’s Love 12/11/1932