Proverbs of a 41 yr old man

Changing Seasons, Changing Treatments series. This is the time of year in the Spring season where we must deal with new growth of weeds. This will be the final writing on this series and most important I feel. I want to talk today about Bindweed. The LORD has led us to study different weeds that may spring up not just in our lawns but in hearts and lives. Seasons of life change for us, and we must in Christ daily be seeking his wisdom for our lives here on Earth. The enemy of our souls wants to sift us like wheat; how much more does he want weeds growing in the garden of our hearts. So, Bindweed. Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) is a vining weed often mistaken for morning glory due to its similar appearance. It is known for its persistent and invasive nature, spreading through both seedlings and an extensive underground root system. Bindweed can wrap around plants and structures, making it difficult to control. Bindweed is even called a “zombie plant” because it’s so difficult to kill. Bindweed can sprout, resprout and resprout from wide, spreading roots that can reach as deep as 30 feet underground! And, if you let this weed’s flowers go to seed in your garden, watch out: The seeds can stay viable for up to 50 years. You must dig or pull all bindweed shoots when they first appear and keep pulling. Repeated pulling will weaken the roots until hopefully they die out. If you let bindweed get established, you may never be able to eliminate it. Now let's spiritually break this down for wisdom. This Bindweed reminds me first of the parable of the Sower in Matt. 13. Where the seed of the Gospel falls among thorns, which grew up and chokes the planted Word in mens hearts. 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. We are called to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God. We have been given new hearts and minds, a soil ready for spiritual harvest. But as we have been studying about spiritual weeds, it starts to grow in our lives. This Bindweed is a deep weed that is bound in the heart of man. It's a foolishness that is bound up in the heart that only the rod of discipline from our Heavenly Father can drive out. Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever. The Apostle Paul talks about this prideful and bitter flesh in us that needs to be cut out completely. The tenacles of this root go straight to the heart and affects every human. This is a day by day acknowledge that this Bindweed need to be removed daily and be loosed from our lives. We must dig and pull out all bindweed shoots when they first appear and keep pulling. Repeated pulling will weaken the roots until prayerfully they die out. And we know when Jesus comes again, He will give us new bodies, free from this body of death. Till then, tend to this Bindweed that chokes the very life Christ died to give us. I will let Holy Spirit speak to you more clearly about this spiritual Bindweed as I close with Romans 6:4-11. Thank you for joining me on this spiritual weeds journey. For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be annulled, that we are no longer enslaved to sin. For when we died with Christ, we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.

So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Amen. Col. 3:5 Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.