Keep the Garden of our Souls
Genesis 2:15 “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”
In the beginning, God placed man in a beautiful garden, to dress and keep it.
After the fall of man, when he was chased out of Eden for his sin; he was given another garden to keep: The garden of our souls.
Our souls are our minds, hearts, and wills….our personalities.
Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are issues of life.”
Is our soul-garden producing fruit? Or is it full of thorns and briers?
Hebrews 6:7-8 “For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, recieveth the blessing from God:
But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”
Here is the complaint of many workers of God…they have been busy keeping a watch for other souls (by prayers, and the Word)….
but often forget the one thing needful for themselves…..fellowship and communion with Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus, when He was here on earth, gave a parable about a certain fig tree:
Luke 13:6–9 “He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years have I came seeking fruit on this fig tree and found none: cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I dig about it, and dung it:
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that Thou shalt cut it down.”
Yes, He was speaking about Israel here….yet the meaning is true for all who are not bearing fruit.
(For you see, we all bear fruit, if we have His Spirit and faith within)
The Father is telling His gardener, Jesus Christ, to get rid of this plant. I’ll plant something else….it is no good.
But Jesus says, Father Lord, let Me dig about it…..give them more of the influence of the Spirit, and more Light.
Let Me fertilize it by showing more of My Word. I will cause an awakening to come, and see if they will respond and yield.
If they yield and obey Me; and bear fruit (the fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23] within)…..all will be well.
If not, then they are in Your hands to trim, or cut off any excess; or remove it altogether.
But how do we keep our souls? How do we bear fruit?
It comes, in yielding to the life within. Yeilding is to come over to Their side.
God places His life within us by His Holy Spirit, and gives us faith.
Faith is an active ingredient….It works, and never stops working in us…to keep us grounded in Him.
By faith we believe…(Hebrews 11:3)
By adding to our faith, by the promises God gives us, we receive much more….(2 Peter 1:5-8)
By faith we overcome…(1 John 5:4)
By faith we remove the mountains of problems and anxiety….(Matthew 17:20)
It is our shield against the fiery accusations of the devil….(Ephesians 6:16)
We are sanctified by faith…(Acts 26:18)
Christ Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.
Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
He works within us….and around us in our circumstances…..and for us….to bring us into His presence with praise.
Let us learn to yield to Him, in His Word, His Spirit, and His light.
Jude 20-21 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
What grows in the garden of your soul?
Jude 24-25 “Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 