As I was praying in the spirit the other day, I saw a vision of a strong hand uprooting the weeds in the garden. One by one the weeds were being uprooted, leaving no trace of the weeds, and not even the roots anymore. This process happened again and again while I was praying. I believe this is the hand of the Lord that uproots the weeds in that garden.
I asked the Lord what these weeds and the garden mean.
The weeds can mean 'anything that is not from Him', and this includes all the wrong practices in our lives, and even the wrong practices in the church as a whole.
The garden can mean 'our lives, the church as a whole, and His people' - any of these.
The Lord then spoke, "Tell My people: This is a time of uprooting, cleansing and purifying. Let My hand uproot the weeds in your life, because I am setting you free from whatever that has bound you all these years. I am preparing and getting you ready for the greater glory and greater use in My kingdom."
Beloved of God, what are the areas in our lives that need uprooting, cleansing and purifying?
Different people different. Different church different. Let the Holy Spirit enlighten each of us. Take time to commune with the Holy Spirit. Set time for the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit will speak to us, show us, and enlighten us. It can be certain hurts in our life, certain wounds in our life, certain bitterness in our life, certain sin in our life, or whatever that is not of God that He wants to uproot in our life. Yes, even human traditions or human practices that is not of God. Or whatever 'tumor' or 'unwanted growth' in our life. Let God search our hearts. Let God shine into our spirit and soul, like a torchlight that shines into a room or a house.
For Scripture reference, we shall go straight to Matthew 15:1-2, 'Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."'
Here's the background. These scribes and Pharisees came from Jerusalem to where Jesus was at that time, in order to investigate and assess the words and works of Jesus, and possibly to find fault with Him. So, they questioned Jesus on why His disciples did not follow the tradition of the elders of washing hands before eating bread.
Now, the matter in question here had nothing to do with good hygiene. So, before you eat, by all means wash your hands for hygiene purpose. But as far as this part of the Scripture is concerned, it has nothing to do with good hygiene, but rather, the religious officials at that time were offended that Jesus' disciples did not observe the rigid and extensive rituals for washing hands before meals.
In Matthew 15:3-6. Jesus answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother...' But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" - then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition."
When Jesus' disciples were accused of transgressing the tradition of the elders, Jesus gave a very strong reply. Jesus replied that these leaders were far too concerned with their ceremonial rituals. The ceremonial washing were based on man-made traditions, and not the Scripture. Of course Jesus 'ruffled the feathers' of these religious leaders at that time. This was just one of the many conflicts He had with the religious leaders those days, which eventually caused them to deliver Him to be crucified. But you see, somebody has to speak the truth. And you know what? Jesus is the truth that came down! He is the way, the truth, and the life!
In order to understand Matthew 15:3-6 better, let's go to Mark 7:11-13 as a cross reference. Jesus said, "But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"' - (that is, a gift to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."
What is this 'Corban' here? In this practice, a son could say that his possessions or savings were Corban, i.e. 'especially devoted to God', and therefore unavailable to help his parents. Through this human tradition, a son could completely disobey the command to honor his father or mother, while looking ultra-religious! Jesus exposed this man-made tradition, and He called this as making the Word of God of no effect through these people's tradition. This is just one example of the many man-made traditions during Jesus' days. Now, in the context of our modern days, it is the same. Through the past many decades and centuries, so many man-made traditions have been added to the church.
In Matthew 15:7-9, Jesus continued, "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."
In Matthew 15:10-12, when Jesus had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."
In Matthew 15:13, Jesus said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted."
This word 'uprooted' here is 'ekridzoo' in Greek, and it means 'to pluck out by the roots'. The word 'ek' means 'out', and the word 'ridzoo' means 'root (like the roots of a plant)'. When these two words are joined together, 'ek' and 'ridzoo', the compound word means 'to rip out by the roots'.
Indeed, this is the time to allow the hand of the Lord to uproot whatever that's not of Him in our lives. Why? So that His work in us and through us will not be hindered, and we can express His kingdom without hindrance. So that we can experience His greater glory, and we can be of greater use for His kingdom! This is the gist of what the Lord wants to speak to us today through His vision and through His words.
Matthew 15:15-20 says, 'Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Explain this parable to us." So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."'
Beloved of God, we can pray this prayer as an individual, "O Lord God, search my heart. Show to me if there's any area, or any attitude, or any practice in my life that is not of You. I want to be totally surrendered to You. I want to be totally submitted to You. I want to be totally yielded to You, so that You can use me for Your greater glory and for Your kingdom, and so that I can be used unhindered by You."
Let us humble ourselves before the Lord. Let us allow the Lord to search our hearts. It takes humility on our part to admit and to let go of certain areas in our lives that is not of God. Please understand that this is not a condemning message, but this is a restoring message. Because the reason for this message is so that His work in us and through us will not be hindered, and so that we can walk in the fullness of His purposes and plans in each of our lives. Amen.
Let us pray: "O Lord God, we thank You that You are setting us free in this time and season, You are setting us free from whatever that has bound us all these years. You are preparing and getting us ready for the greater glory and greater use in Your kingdom. So, we allow You, and we allow Your hand to uproot any 'weeds' in our lives. We allow You to do the cleansing and purifying work in our lives, in our family, in our church, in our ministry, in our business, and in all that we put our hands to do. In the name of Jesus. Amen."
