Remove the Thorns...
Have you ever had a thorn in your finger or toe?
How about one that is so small that you can't see it?
You can definitely FEEL it but you can't readily SEE it.
We have thorns like that in our life.
You may not see it as thorns,
You may not recognize it as a thorn,
But it's a thorn.
Jesus told a parable about seeds being sown in different kinds of soil.
One soil in particular He says,
"The seed falling among the THORNS refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful."
How many of us are in that category?
How many of us know that Jesus is Lord and Savior,
But due to the worries and busy-ness of the world,
It chokes off our mind to Him,
It keep us FROM getting closer to Him.
The THORNS of this world tell us "There's not enough time to spend with Jesus",
But have time to scroll for hours through mindless short videos.
The THORNS of this world tell us "I can do it later",
And yet we immediately post photos of our self, family or food.
The THORNS of this world tell us "I'm building wealth for God",
And yet we make increasing wealth our god rather than Jesus.
The THORNS come in many shapes and sizes,
Satan is tricky in how he surrounds us in THORNS.
"Satan disguises himself as an angel of light"
What's the use if we spend and hour getting ready to put on makeup,
If we won't spend 15 minute in silence with Jesus?
What's the use if we spend an hour at the gym,
If we won't spend 10 minutes seeking Jesus?
What's the use if we spend 30 minutes making a video for social media,
If we won't spend 5 minutes to be still for Jesus?
"Be still, and know that I am God"
These are the THORNS of the world,
They look pretty and attractive,
They are enticing and addicting,
They are sweet like honey,
But they are THORNS.
How can you remove the THORNS?
One baby step at a time.
Step 1) Realize that you have THORN problem.
- If you never admit you have a problem, God cannot help you.
Step 2) Pray for help.
- Praying is the single most powerful thing you can do.
Step 3) Take a micro-action.
- Choose to spend 5 minutes with God first thing in the morning.
- Keep it simple. Say hello, ask for help to make Him a priority.
Do this for ONE week.
Set an alarm,
Put it in your calendar,
Make it a daily appointment for you and God for 1 week.
See what changes for you. It'll be great!
"Dear Heavenly Father,
Help, I have THORNS all around me,
Worries of this world,
Goals and ambitions,
That keep me from spending time with You.
I'm stuck in my worldly ways,
I make everything else a priority,
But I can't seem to find time for You,
Help remove my THORNS.
May I make You a priority,
May I look to You more today than I did yesterday,
Help me take a baby step each day towards You,
I can't do it without you.
In Jesus name, Amen."
Cheers to asking God to remove your THORNS to spend more time with Him. Wohooo!!!
