The Lord is asking us to consider our ways….
Published by Deborah Negron – Child of God
May 10, 2022 revised
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
John 15:1, 4-8
The perfect flower…
Cultivated and cared for by the gardener…
Watered precisely when necessary. Provided with the right amount of sun.
These flowers given the opportunity to thrive,
Yes, to thrive and give such beauty and satisfaction to those who have the grand pleasure of seeing the beauty of these flowers.
The gardener, proud of his dedication and his attention to his Rose Bush was repaid by being able to see who admired the beauty of his beautiful flowers. Attached to his Rose Bush these flowers would remain a special treasure.
One day a particular admirer came.
He seems to appreciate the garden.
He appeared genuine in his care for what the gardener had accomplished. He asked to share in the gardeners care. The gardener seeing as he had so much work, thought, the help would be valuable. Then, I can accomplish more work, he thought.
He agreed to allow the admirer to come in and assist with the garden’s care.
One day, the gardener came out to his garden. As he looked he saw all things looked as they always did. Yet something seemed off.
Somehow the rose bush seemed empty. There were very few Roses to admire.
As he came closer he noted that his most precious roses were no longer on the rose bush.
He was heartbroken.
In came the man who had offered to help him with the garden. The gardener mentioned how things had changed and how his most favorite Roses were gone.
The admirer said, well, its not lost. I have taken some of he flowers and dried them so I could capture their beauty permanently.
Horrified, the Gardener said, you have killed my flowers! Their beauty gone?
Oh no, it’s a modern way we can preserve the beauty of the flower. It looks alive, I’ll show you.
Many of us experience beauty in our lives. We have beautiful families, precious children and and yet we have a desire to have more. Meanwhile, those we have not been careful to guard against have come in and changed the beauty of our garden for falsehoods.
They have come in and perverted our gardens.
They have taken the very heart of what we have worked so hard for and want to keep our living treasure lifeless in a perpetual case.
Oh wake up husband, take out time from your ritual and daily routines. Cherish your wife. Appreciate her worth.
Oh dear wife, tend to your own husband. Be concerned to be true, give no room for the enemy to show you a fool.
Oh foolish father look in on who shares your space. They may be watering your garden and drowning the life out of your offspring.
Oh, sweet mom, be not fooled by the extra hands that seem to be there to help. They may steal your treasure and bring about great harm causing you heartache and loss.
Oh wake up brother and sister, wake up my friend…
Don’t let time go on. Begin to prune and cut away. Fight for your garden. Keep away the weeds. Keep away all who want to sweep in. Guard them Rose’s, guard the vines. I pray you still have time.
The Rose is attached so it has life…
When it is cut off it will surely die.
Your relationships matter. Finding ways to connect is necessary. Reconcile, Make ammends, tomorrow May be too late. Forgive, forget, there can be new growth. The Rose Bush can grow but living in past ideas of what has been will bring you to a sad end.
Call that loved one whom you lost touch with. Put to rest the bitterness. Let by goles by by goles and mend the fence.
We have all made mistakes. We have all failed at times. We are imperfect humans. But God calls us to a reconciliation.
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15
“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.
Isaiah 43:18
Hey, consider past hurts as waterbunder the bridge. We cannot change the past. Yet we can move in a different direction in the future.
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
I Peter 4:7-10
Keep no memory of wrongs but remember the mercy which God has shown us is something we ought to also portray. We are to be his reflection and his likness un to all.
When thinking of one another make it a point to remember what the Apostle Paul wrote.
In Philipi there were two women who at one time labored togerher. They were probably part of the same ministry. They shared the work. Somwhow they came to a disagreement. Paul does not go in to what happened but he urges the believers, the Philipians to help the to reconcile.
Paul was concerned with rhw garden of the Lord at Philipi. He wanted to make sure that the weeds of bitterness and discord were not allowed to continue to cause the church there to be damaged. In wisdom he insisted that the two women should be brought to a reconciliation.
I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 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.
Philippians 4:2-9
The Bible goes further when it tells us,
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:21, 23-24
We can appear to be beautiful flowers in God’s garden. We may appear to be lovely, or have some gift or talent that makes us appear to have life. But bitterness and discord can be like that one that cones in and makes of us dried up flowers. Lifeless and appearing to be beautiful yet not truly alive.
The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. He ruins the beauty of God in our lives. We must allow the Holy Spirit to prune away anger, prune away discord, prune away past hirts, prune away that which separates us from the Rose Bush.
Jesus put it this way in John 15,
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:1-2, 5
Let us be dilligent lest we be cut off.
May 10, 2022 revised
Published May 27, 2021
Life and Faith By Deb 
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