We spoke about fleas in our last devotional. We fumigated our home, placed powder on the rugs, put collars on cats, cleaned the sheets, and just when we thought we had the victory, one flea pops up to let us know it had survived. I read volumes of material on how to get rid of these uninvited guests. In all my readings, one theme was common. Find the source of their food.
This past week, I discovered the source, and it was disturbing. In one of our travel coolers, some things were left behind. We all thought someone else cleaned out the cooler, but that was not the case. When I opened the cooler, there was an old sandwich that had ballooned and transformed into mush of mold and other unidentifiable living objects. An old banana had transformed into a mysterious bacterium. The ice of course had melted which created a moist background for the experimental environment that occurred in my cooler. This was not the worst scenario. What I discovered was the source of my continuous dilemma.
Here inside my cooler was an active breeding ground for my friendly fleas. To my amazement there were eggs lined up on all sides of the cooler and even on the underside cover. Clusters and clusters of eggs, I have never seen such a breeding ground. On the bottom was a convention of female fleas shopping and conversing at the two newly opened supermarkets. One on Sandy-Wish Street, and the other on Wal-Muffin Avenue. The males were sipping drinks at the corner beverage store on Ice-melt Boulevard. I quickly closed the cover and took the cooler outside. I grabbed some powerful cleaning agents, my water hose, and proceeded to evict the tenants for destructive behavior on the premises. The source was gone.
I learned a valuable lesson. Until you deal with the root of the problem, the source of where the re-occurring difficulty exists, you can never have a resolution. The situation will continue to re-surface. The Bible talks about how God will deal with the root of the sin problem. “But he answered and said, every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” Matthew 15:3 . Until you deal with the root of the problem, you will have continuous problems.
In life, Christ gives us victory from our sins. However, some do not understand that we need to stay away from the roots that will cause us to fall back into the previous sin problem. For instance, an alcoholic should not be visiting friends in bar. The temptation is too great. A former drug addict should not be visiting places where drugs are sold. Some have used the excuse that we have to witness to people in these conditions. However, they forget two things. First, Jesus was not alone. Second, there are many other venues to witness to the very same people. Every person has weaknesses, and if you place yourself in a position of compromise, it becomes easier to fall back into the same problem. The Bible gives clear advice. “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” Proverbs 4:14,15.
We all have lingering roots that need to be plucked out. I have discovered that we don’t do a good job at getting rid of the roots. We do have One that is an expert at this. Let him root out the sins from our lives, He will do this with precision and love. “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.” Jeremiah 33:8 In Ezekiel, the writer explains how God deals with the repented sinner. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26-27
Here are some additional words of encouragement. “The question with each one of us should be, Is my heart right before God? Will this course of action glorify my Father, which is in heaven? If you have cherished a wrong spirit, let it be banished from the soul. It is your duty to eradicate from your heart everything that is of a defiling nature. Every root of bitterness should be plucked up, lest others be contaminated by its baleful influence. Do not allow one poisonous plant to remain in the soil of your heart. Root it out this very hour, and plant in its stead the plant of love. Let Jesus be enshrined in the soul.“ Our Father Cares p.128
“We may pick the leaves from a tree as often as we please, but this will not cause the tree to die; the next season the leaves will come out again as thick as before. But strike the ax at the root of the tree, and not only will the leaves fall off of themselves, but the tree will die. Those who accept the truth, in the love of it, will die to the world, and will become meek and lowly in heart like their divine Lord. Just as soon as the heart is right, the dress, the conversation, the life, will be in harmony with the word of God.” Historical Sketches p.123
May God bless you this Sabbath, as He roots out the problems of our lives
Angel
Angel J. Rodriguez, D.Min
Houston Central – Senior Pastor
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