Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

July 13
Friday


KILLER PLANTS

READ:
Luke 14:16-26
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If anyone comes to Me
and does not hate his
father and mother, wife
and children,...he
cannot be My disciple.
__Luke 14:26
_________________________________

Some forest workers fight fires. Others battle fast-growing plants. A Mercury News article reported that teams of volunteers are wroking hard to remove invasive plants from the redwood forests of the santa Cruz Mountains. Workers point out that many of the non-native species they are fighting are sold in garden stores. The German ivy plant, for example, has become a serious problem in California. This fast-growing exotic house plant competes with the native species, smothering and shading everything in its path. It can completely cover and destroy a tree.

Thinking about these home-grown invaders can help us understand something even more crucial than saving trees. Jesus warned us that anything that competes with Him for our hearts can choke our spiritual lives. He said that even from following Him (Luke 14:16-26). Our Lord demands our undivided love and loyalty.

Once we value Christ above everything else, we will learn to love our family with a deeper and healthier love. But until our ultimate loyalty is determined, home-grown affection will do in our hearts what fire or German ivy will do in a forest.

Don't let anything compete with Christ. __Mart De Haan
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~To follow Christ we must let go~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Of all that we hold dear;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~And once we have denied ourselves,~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~Our gains become more clear. ___Sper~~~~~~~~~~
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The more we love Christ,
the more we'll love others.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 14:16-26*************

16 ...A certain man gave
a great supper and invited
many, 17 and sent his servant
at supper time to say to those
who were invited, "Come,
for all things are now ready."

18 But they all with one
accord began to make
excuses. The first said to
him, "I have bought a piece
of ground, and I must go and
see it. I ask you to have me
excused."

19 And another said, "I have
bought five yoke of oxen,
and I am going to test them. I
ask you to have me excused."

20 Still another said, "I have
married a wife, and therefore
I cannot come."

21 So that servant came
and reported these things to
his master. Then the master
of the house, being angry,
said to his servant, "Go out
quickly into the streets and
lanes of the city, and bring
in here the poor and the
maimed and the lame and the
blind."

22 And the servant said,
"Master, it is done as you
commanded, and still there
is room."

23 Then the master said to
the servant, "Go out into the
highways and hedges, and
compel them to come in, that
my house may be filled.

24 For I say to you that
none of those men who
were invited shall taste my
supper."

25 Now great multitudes
went with Him. And He
turned and said to them,

26 "If anyone comes to
Me and does not hate his
father and mother, wife and
children, brothers and sisters,
yes, and his own life also, he
cannot be My disciple."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The Greek word Kurios is translated "master" in this text. It is used
of someone who has authority over another. The term applied to a
sovereign, a prince, and even the Roman emperor. Christ is Lord of
the believer by right of creation and redemtion. __HDF