Have you noticed what a mixed up world we live in today? Some old timers might say that things used to be much simpler than they are now. For sure, with the media as it is now, a person can certainly hear a lot of differing opinions on a multitude of subjects. Without a firm grip on the truth of the Word of God a person might well become confused and uncertain.
The scripture speaks well when it says -
Prov. 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.
God does have an order for the matters of our lives, although so often, well meaning people, even in the name of ministry, give out harmful messages.
I would like you to put yourself into a little story with me, to illustrate an important truth. Are you ready?
Imagine that you have planted a good sized vegetable garden. (Even if you have never planted a thing in your life, just imagine it to be so. :)) You have spent a lot of time preparing this garden to produce a bountiful crop of beautiful, healthy vegetables. You have tilled the soil, removed rocks and weeds and have been careful to break up any large dirt clots, so that the soil will be fine and ready for the seed. You have added vitamins to the soil, planted, mulched and watered. You have even planted flowers that add to the beauty of the garden and aide in distracting insects and bugs.
Now as you stand looking over your garden on a fine, warm, summer day, you are pleased to see tiny green shoots that have popped through the soil. It looks as if they are little green arms raised towards the sky, rejoicing in the warmth and brightness of the sun and fresh air. They are so tiny, yet so healthy, young, tender and full of life.
You smile and feel satisfied with what you have accomplished, feeling hopeful of a lovely crop to come. As you turn about looking over the garden, you notice your neighbor's garden. It is not nearly so well tended as your own, and there are a lot of weeds needing to be pulled. However there are vegetables that are beginning to be seen on some of the vines. Her garden was, apparently planted earlier than your own.
Suddenly you cry out, as you see a number of rabbits munching away at the new tender growth. You leave your garden gate open, as you run through it, waving your arms and calling out, in an attempt to frighten the rabbits away. Through the neighbor's garden gate you go, successfully running several fluffy bunnies out between loose boards of the fence. But you soon realize that there is another group of larger rabbits nibbling away on the other side. Dashing after them, they scatter, searching for a way to get away from you as fast as they can. Just as the last fat bunny has escaped, you see your neighbor hurrying toward the garden, cursing in anger. "Get out of my garden!" she yells, as she comes closer to you. "Mind your own business! I can take care of my own garden! Go home now!"
You stare at her in unbelief. No words of thanks for all your trouble; no acknowledgment of the fact that you have just saved much of her garden?
"Can't you hear me?" she fairly spits. "Get now or you will be in trouble for trespassing!"
Shaking your head in anger and disbelief, you turn and walk back to your own garden. Just as you step inside the gate, you see fluffy tails scurrying about and a dozen or more rabbits dash past you and out the gate.
In dismay, you gasp. Much of the pretty green shoots that only moments before seemed almost to smile with their own new life, are gone! Most have been eaten off! You sit down in a path for a minute and begin to cry. But only for a minute. Then you get up and begin to inspect plant after plant, smoothing the soil around each one, talking to them as if they knew what you were saying. "Damage has been done," you say, "but with care and work, you may still live to grow and produce."
As you walk around the fence, inspecting it carefully, to make sure no critters can get through it, another neighbor approaches, wearing a big smile and giving a jolly greeting. "Could you possibly help me with my garden?" she asks. "since I have never grown a garden of my own before and I see you know all about gardening."
You smile wearily and answer. "You may watch me as I tend my own garden," you say. "You may learn from my mistakes. I will be glad to talk to you as I work and give what information I have. But I must tend my own garden, before I help anyone else. We each must grow our own garden."
Thinking of a story like this, it only makes sense for a person to make sure to tend their own garden first, rather than loose it. Especially when there is no one else to do it for you.
But isn't it interesting how seldom this is understood in more serious matters of life?
How many mothers leave their own children in the hands of someone else, who may or may not be a mother herself, while they either do other work or even take care of another woman's children for wages?
No one should be able to know, understand or love a child like it's own mother, yet today so many important things get turned around. Now I understand that there are cases where a mother has been left with no husband to provide and must do what she can to provide for herself. Still there are multitudes of mothers who make the choice to put their children in another's care for reasons that are not absolutely of necessity. There is something that they value so much, think they must have, or fear being without, that they make a choice to give the care of God's inheritance to another for a number of hours each day, often five days a week.
In Deut.11:16 &18-22 Moses told the people this -
16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
18 Therefore shall ye lay up these words in your heart and in your soul, and bind then for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 And shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;
23 Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
Look at the promises given for obedience to these instructions! Multiplied, or increased days; in other words longer life, for you and your children, plus the driving out of other nations and possession of nations greater than yourself. In other words you will not have to fear being overpowered by enemy nations but will possess them!
We can see by these scriptures, that even before Jesus came and brought us a new and living way that leads to life eternal, God intended for parents to see to it that their children knew His words and knew to serve him and love him. He did not instruct them to find teachers to teach their children these things, but gave instruction; detailed instructions, as to how to do this themselves. The parent would first have to know them himself and then pass them on. These words were to be kept in their heart and soul so that they would not be deceived. These words were to be seen and known by their children continuously and it was the parent who was to see to this. This was not designated to others.
How much more is it important that our children know the words of life; the words of Jesus!
How many youth ministers spend their time out trying to reach and rescue someone elses child, who has gotten pulled down by the world and the deceits of the enemy. Their parents may or may not even appreciate the work he does. Later another youth minister may come behind them and try to minister to their children who had not had as much of their father or mother's time, because they were so busy in ministering to others.
How turned around things become when we do not recognize God's plan for us to grow our own garden first!
Notice in the Bible, that to be a bishop, some of the requirements were that he first be married, have children and that he was to preside over (have control of his children); that they be in subjection to him with all honor and respect.
1 Tim. 3:1-5 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, ...
3 Not given to wine ...
4 One tht ruleth his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
WHY?
1 Tim. 3:5-7 (For if a man know not how to rule (preside over[Strong's]) his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice (newly planted, that is (figuratively) a young convert [Strong's]),
lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
In other words, he had to first be experienced in the care and provision of his own garden first. (Notice the meaning for the word 'novice' was one newly planted.) He had to have grown to maturity himself and succeeded at handling his own family before he took on a position of presiding over others.
The Bible also tells us that a man who does not provide for his own house has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. As a believer he should know that it is the will of God for him to provide for his own family.
1Tim. 5:8 But if any provide not for his own , and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
(an infidel is one that is not a believer in Christ)
The woman's body tells her what God's will is for her.
God designed her so that her child would be completely dependent on her as he grew and developed in her womb for nine months. Then he made it to be that the baby would come from the womb to her breast. If a baby is laid on his mothers skin and nursed immediately at birth, the suckling will cause her body to produce a hormone that aides in preventing hemorraging after the birth and causes contractions that loosen the placenta from the wall of the womb, so that it can be delivered intact.
It will help the baby not to loose body heat and need an incubator to restore it and it will soothe and comfort the baby on it's arrival into it's new surroundings. The baby will begin to receive a substance called colostrum, which has a high protein and antibody content, that will line his intestines preparing them to receive the milk that is to come and to ward of germs and infection.
It was God who designed that a child be fed and nurtured in the arms of his mother. God made it plain what his will was, by his own design. But the god of this world has worked long and hard to keep the eyes of God's creation from seeing these simple truths or valuing his will and plan.
Yes, things have gotten all mixed up.
2 Cor. 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Preachers urge people to go out into various avenues of ministry; to seek God for His call for their lives. But the first ministry He has for us, is that of the care of our own garden, our own, family. He wired into our being. This is where we are to first learn to let God lead, direct and use us in the building of His kingdom and the doing of His will.
Ps. 127:1 "Except the Lord build the house (Strong's, ... family ...), they labor in vain that build it ..."
And brother and sister, God builds His own way, according to His own will and design.
Titus 2:3, 4 and 5 That the aged woman likewise, ...
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, ( see the blog ), good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed,
My such strong language!
Does this scripture really suggest that if a woman is not a keeper at home, the word of God is blasphemed? Folks this is very important! God designed us. He wrote His plan for us into our very makeup. He planned that we tend our own garden first. He planned that we tend our own relationship with Him before we attempt to reach the world. How can we give to others something we do not have ourselves?
There is no plan better than God's; no design more perfect, with more evidence of it's purpose.
Prov. 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto council is wise.
Satan is always glad when he can turn a person's eyes from the wisdom and purpose of God, to look beyond, even if be on the problems of others, so he can sneak in and destroy his house.
But you say, "Are we not to reach out to others?"
Yes and we can and we will. Not before or in place of the place God has first called us. If we put our focus there first, with all care and devotion, we will find there will be many opportunities to reach other lives. But know this too, that when we tend to our own garden, others see it, and recognize something there is right and good. Others will be drawn to the truth as they see it lived out in you and yours.
Each child of our own that we raise following His plan and His instructions, dying to self that they might live, grow and be useful men and women of God, is a soul for His kingdom, His heritage, who will influence many others it their lifetime.
So little mother, never underestimate your role as a mother and a wife. It is the call of God. Tend your own garden and grow it well and others will see your good works and glorify the Father above!
Hard working Fathers, never underestimate your role as husband, provider and father. You reflect the image of Father God. Care well for the family He has placed in your hands and others will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Let us each tend our OWN garden first!
check out this blog to learn more about mothers at home: -
I really like this! Good job!
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