Chuck Fattore

Cross

Chuck Fattore

"Life Long Learner"

Cross
Chuck Fattore


"Walking in the garden with Jesus"

Genesis 3:8: Then the man and the woman heard the sound of Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day….

The heart of the believer is Jesus' own garden where He grows the believer's fruit with the Holy Spirit's aid. He bought our garden with His own blood and claims the garden as His own! He separates our garden from the common pathways. Jesus builds a wall around our garden to protect us from the weeds and parasites born and nurtured in darkness and death. They have no place in the fruit-filled garden that Jesus did not give us!

Because of the worldly environment we live in, our garden requires a significant amount of spiritual energy to maintain! There are ongoing activities of weeding and feeding, cultivating the soil and watering in order to keep the garden's flowers thriving and fresh looking. We must regularly prune our fruit trees to keep them healthy and producing wonderful the wonderful fruit of the Spirit.

However, even a brief decline in attending to spiritual nurturing activities will cause a decline in our fruit's productivity… And further neglect will ultimately cause the demise of our special, fruitful garden. It's dilapidated condition invites mockery and scorn from our neighbors and enemies.

As in the care of our heart's garden, a Christian's slide begins when one takes time away from seriously cultivating our devotion to God! Blindly, we spend time placing our attention on the affairs of this world. Before long, our attention turns into emotional commitments that rival our attention to loving God. No longer loving Him with all our soul, heart, mind and strength. We attack those who disagree with us causing us to violate Jesus' commandment to love our neighbor, enemies and aliens within our borders. Our vigilance to God is breached and we fall into the trap of engaging in political power struggles. This refocusing, is especially damaging to the care of the fragile garden Jesus has given to sustain our growth in sanctification. This focusing of your energies to achieve access to political power and financial rewards comes at a great cost to a Christian's integrity in the world's eyes.

The garden that Jesus bought for us and seeded for our spiritual growth must be cared for with extreme dedication, obedience and careful husbandry. Protect its growth by avoiding the temptation to engage in this world's fruits of darkness. Daily visit Jesus in the garden He provided for you! Be determined to show your thankfulness by living in the garden with the light of God's Word.

I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses.
And the voice I hear falling on my ear.
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me.
And He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

Be Blessed Charles Fattore

Updated:07/02/2021