A common proverb here where I come from is loosely translated as “if you do not seal the breach in the wall, you will build a new wall”.
This is used to warn people about the danger of not resolving problems that are seemingly small. This is a common failure in life generally today. We let situations spew out of control even though all the warning signs are there and we all know what is going to happen.
We see people engaging in risky behavior, playing with dangerous entanglements all the while believing that they will escape the repercussions of their behavior. There is some sort of belief in invincibility; some sort of deception that what happened to others cannot happen to me. Then disaster strikes and we all say, “I don’t want to say I told you so but I told you so”. That is if you were courageous enough to sound the alarm or warn them.
In various professions if not all, we have early warning systems that warn people of impending danger and there is a protocol to follow when the systems detect a possible danger. We also have checklists that we use to ensure that everything is in order. Farmers can tell you when they spot a particular thing on their crops that they need to intervene or they will not have a harvest. Teachers too can tell, from experience, at least most of the time, that a particular student is heading towards troubled waters. Even the weather people can give a fairly accurate prediction of what he weather will be like. Life too has early warning systems.
But alas, we as children of GOD seem clueless. We have dispensed of our prophets and forced them to cower in guilt and shame. A prophet prophesied something, it did not come to pass and we , yes, we the Christians are the first to shout “ false prophet!”. Who knows maybe the concerned people to whom the prophecy was sent repented and GOD relented? Remember Jonah. Blessed him, he didn’t live in this generation. He would have been burnt on the online stakes and streets. We have mocked and laughed them out of town. We follow the world in its predictions, solutions and interventions. We can’t even tell what’s wrong with ourselves and our families and our communities. And worse still if we can, we will not follow GOD’s prescription and /or protocol. We will do it our way.
I note that the checklists of GOD are there. HIS protocols are there. Who you should marry? How you should live with your family? How you should raise your children? What you should eat? How you should care for your body? What the church leaders should be and look like? What the women should do? What the men should do? How you should behave in the presence of rulers? What to do if you want to see HIS face? The protocols are there, but we say; “it’s the Old Testament”, “GOD didn’t really mean that, did HE?” “ Who can live like that?”. Then we go around making fun of the people who are doing what The MOST HIGH says. Beloved, the principles and protocols of GOD work. Even the world governments have borrowed heavily from these systems and are passing them off as their own. So, wisen up and just do what The LORD has said and do it the way HE has said. You will save yourself trouble and pain.
In the song of Solomon , 2:15, we see the man asking that the little foxes that ruin the vineyard be caught, why , because if they are not caught, they will destroy the vineyard and you will have no fruit. That simple and clear and we all know what our LORD does to plants that bear no fruit.
Look Beloved, you must bear fruit. Whatever it is that prevents you from bearing fruit, deal with it. Remove the pests from your vineyard. Remove that habit from your life. Repair the faults in your walls, remember if the faults are deep, you may have to start over. If you have to start over, start properly , do it the right way and be sure to keep the little foxes away.
What is your little fox? How many foxes are in your vineyard? Beloved, you have the opportunity to act as the exterminator in your life. Exterminate the sin, the drugs, the addictions, the hatred, the deceit, the immorality, the cheating, the killing, the evil lifestyle. Clean up your vineyard. Clean up your life. The LORD is willing to help you and deal with the situation if you ask HIM. HE is faithful. You do your part, abide in HIM.
It is also said and known that prevention is better than cure. Beloved, when you see darkness in any format, turn away. Walk in the light. Stay away from wicked company. Stay away from forbidden material. There is a reason we have eyelids, stop buttons, delete buttons, and feet or other mechanisms that we can use to steer ourselves away from evil.
We have all seen movies where poison is administered to people slowly but surely and at the end without a sound, in the absence of keen eyes, lives are snuffed out, just like that. Beloved, some of our actions are like that, like poison in small doses. The little foxes in our lives are like that too, small but deadly in the end. Need I say more, yes, I will say this Beloved, remember that little strokes fell great oaks.
Beloved, the scripture informs us, "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15.
Do you want to know JESUS as your personal Lord and Savior? Your eternity is at stake! JESUS has opened the door of salvation to every person. But there is coming a day when the door will be closed. Today is the day of salvation. Choose to be in the family of GOD. JESUS died so that we can spend eternity in Heaven with HIM. Don't delay! And if you want to begin a relationship with GOD or resume a broken one, say this: O GOD, I come to YOU today. I know I am a sinner. I believe that JESUS died on the cross to save me and HE resurrected on the third day. I repent of my sins and forsake them. I confess JESUS as my LORD and SAVIOR . I invite JESUS into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank YOU JESUS for saving me and making me a child of GOD. Amen
