Rooted

I have about twenty-seven baby strawberry plants in my house. This year it was time to remove the old ones and the new ones I wanted to start are a different variety I wanted to try because I was not pleased with the previous variety I had or its production.

To prepare them to grow properly and eventually to go outside and overwinter, I had to start them inside where the temperature was more reliable and even. Another key factor to starting them inside is root development. For them to thrive, survive the winter, and eventually be productive growers next spring, they need to develop a strong root system.

I would say having a strong root system is a vital component of the Christian life for us to thrive and be productive, also.

Friend, we will not be all that God has called us to be in not taking great care for what we are established in and getting caught up in every little thing that comes our way. Our firm foundation is in Christ alone, and it is in Him that we must well plant our Christian root system.

Colossians 2:7 admonishes us to be, “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith…”

There are many swaying doctrines, but only one Christ. There are many thoughts and theories, but only one way of truth (John 14:6). If it is not Jesus, it is not our right source. If it is not our right source, it will not properly encourage the healthy growth that we need. Where there is no growth, the plant and our walk of faith will be stunted and/or eventually die off.

But the one who is properly rooted will be fed, nourished, supplied, thrive, grow, and eventually produce a mighty harvest.

We are meant to grow.

We are meant to produce more and more fruit.

Our Christian life is all about Jesus because Jesus is the reason for our Christian life. He is the central reason and the center of our faith that we are to bring everything else back to.

Don’t let the questions and uncertainties of this life stunt your growth. Place your roots deep in Jesus Christ alone, my friend, and you will grow.

Pray, Pray, and Pray Some More | A 1 Minute Word of Encouragement

Thank You, God, that You have given us this position of prayer, this place of power where we can not only lay our burdens down but also intercede for others in our lives. We can pray for the unsaved status of souls, petition heaven for healing or hurts, and seek answers for the help we need. A place where God, our Heavenly Father, has given us permission to come and unload it all before His holy throne.

When we fall on our knees, we fall before the only true King of all eternity. In that place, we open our hearts and pray.

Therefore, don’t stop. Pray, pray, and pray some more. Never give up. God hears and is attentive to the praying heart of His children: “𝓑𝓾𝓽 𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓖𝓸𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓱 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓶𝓮; 𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓱 𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓿𝓸𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓹𝓻𝓪𝔂𝓮𝓻. 𝓑𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝓮 𝓖𝓸𝓭, 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓱 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓶𝔂 𝓹𝓻𝓪𝔂𝓮𝓻, 𝓷𝓸𝓻 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝓮𝓻𝓬𝔂 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓶𝓮.” 𝓟𝓼𝓪𝓵𝓶 66:19, 20

Text Free Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Eternity Focused | Words to Live By

“𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒚𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒂𝒏.” 𝑳𝒖𝒌𝒆 21:36

There is a future, a time to come that will reach beyond all we see today. Our hope is for that day. We live this Christian pilgrimage for that time. Our promises were never to be completely fulfilled or satisfied in our natural life. But in eternity, more than we could ever conceive with our human intellect will be ours as we lay down the burdens of these days forever and step into glory the natural man cannot fully comprehend. Watch for that day. Be ready for that day.

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Matthew 24:42

“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” Mark 13:33

“Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

“And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” Luke 12:37-40

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4

“Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” Isaiah 51:11

Be Patient | Words to Live By

When it doesn’t go your way… be patient.

When it doesn’t fall into place as you imagined… be patient.

When it doesn’t seem fair… be patient.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Everything that is not like God will fade away, but you who endure to the end and remain patiently in hope, will see the reward of your perseverance. “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” James 5:7

Unmovable!

Steady ahead
into this day,
anchored in Jesus,
our power to stay.
©Word for Life Says

“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.” Hebrews 6:19

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

Morning Verse | The Head and Not the Tail

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒:

“And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them.” Deuteronomy 28:13

Wisdom’s Ways | Words to Live By

They say 10,000 steps a day helps to promote a healthier you. How healthier would our inner man be if our daily steps, our daily living, were marked by wisdom’s ways?

“My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦’𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤; 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐮𝐧, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞.” Proverbs 4:10-12, NLT