Picture in your mind if you will a vegetable garden. The ground has been tilled and the rows have been made. There aren't any weeds or grass, just fresh soil. A gardner comes and plants seeds in the rows and gently covers them with soil and waters them and watches over them, waiting for life to pop through the soil. If a weed or grass pops up he quickly pulls it out by the roots so that his garden is clean. If he gets distracted and allows weeds and grass to grow in his garden it will soon be overtaken and his garden will produce less and less vegetables. Much like our mind produces less and less godly thoughts when we allow our mind to be absorbed with worldly things. Eventually your mind becomes so full of shallow, worldly thoughts that you have to really work hard at getting your mind back on God's word and serving Him much like trying to clean weeds and grass out of a garden of growing vegetables. In Mark 3:27 we read that Jesus said, "No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house." When I read this I thought about our mind and our thoughts and how much power they have over us and can cause us to fail because we aren't keeping our mind on course therefore allowing our enemy, Satan, to plunder the gifts that God has given to us. We want to think about godly things and apply God's word to our lives by dwelling on his word and replace negative thoughts with positive biblical thoughts to encourage ourselves. But negative thoughts and thoughts of worldly things try to take over our mind and smother the good thoughts of faith and courage and strength that we find in Christ much like weeds and grass taking over a garden. Soon the weeds and grass are so thick that it's almost impossible to harvest your vegetables. When we allow our minds to be distracted by worldly things our faith can be weakened.
How are you distracted from being who God has called you to be? What binds you up inside so that your mind stays focused on things other than God's word and His will for your life? What past or present sins or thoughts of sin hold you in emotional bondage so that you do not feel worthy to represent God and fulfill the ministry that He has given to you? Are you utilizing your gift(s) that God has given you to spread the gospel, minister to others and help your fellow brother and sisters in Christ or are you bound by negative thoughts? Are your good's being plundered? Or are you studying the Holy Bible for yourself and tending the garden that is your mind? Written By: Lisa Clewis 04/20/18