Rooted

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude."

Last week I re-noticed a little tree that had sprouted and was trying to grow in our flowerbed close to the house. I've been ignoring it for a couple weeks, but this day I wanted to pull it up. I went over and yanked from the bottom of the stem....and not a budge. I proceeded to wrap the stem around my hand to get a better grip and tried again. Nothing. This scrawny five inch sprig with a few leaves wasn't going anywhere. Instantly God showed me a "there's a parable" snapshot.

Are we this rooted in Jesus and our faith? Is the seed of our faith about to be snatched, choked out, or scorched by the sun like the Sower & the Seed parable in Matthew 13? OR has our seed of faith landed on good soil and taken root where it's growing and bearing fruit? Are we sealed by the Spirit for having placed our full faith in Jesus and Him dying on the cross for our sins. Do we understand our need for a Savior and what repentance means...to turn away from sin...from our flesh, die to ourselves, and instead turn to God? All good questions to ask ourselves...to test ourselves to see if we truly are of the faith. Because if there is any doubt...the Lord wants us to know with full assurance the faith in Jesus that saves us and the salvation and redemption for our lives that comes with that.

This young baby tree was a picture of how our faith ought to be...FIRMLY ROOTED at all stages of our walk. How even from a young tree it stands firm and will not budge, even when being pulled and twisted...because its roots are strong. The enemy, the world, and temptations will come against us daily and try it's hardest to yank us up & disturb the ground of our faith and trust in God. With every tactic possible...his arsenal is full, strategic, and constant.

We can learn a simple lesson from these baby trees God has provided in nature. From the get go...be rooted in Christ. Maybe you are a young Christian, a new believer. Let this baby tree be a symbol of how to remain and abide in Jesus even as you are learning & changing. It's roots are small, but mighty. Just like a mustard seed of faith can accomplish much for God's kingdom...so can young faith if rooted in the Lord. Maybe you have believed for years, but are still drinking milk as Hebrews 5:11-14 speaks about. Maybe it's time to be eating solid food and maturing in your faith so that you can be more effective and fruitful. Maybe you have been lukewam in your faith walk for a while or a season as God warns us about in Revelation 3:15-16. Is it time to anoint your eyes with salve so you can see clearly your need for Him and ignite your faith. He says, "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent."

Wherever you are in your faith...stay vigilant to keep those roots growing deeper and stronger. Stand firm and be immovable like that wee tree. Have grit, be relentless in your drawing near to the Lord and resisting the enemy. Don't give up. As we keep walking with Him, the roots will push through the tough ground and spread out in assurance. The trunk gets wider, the branches extend, the leaves grow full, and the fruit comes. We grow into the likeness of Jesus as He finishes a good work in us....and our faith is on full display accomplishing what the Lord assigned to us for His glory.

How do we practically do this amongst the friction that comes against us? Stay in the word, study it, memorize it, let is wash over and renew your mind, let it write itself on your heart over and over. Be a lover of the Truth. That comes as we spend time in His word and commit to be consistent. It won't look perfect or the same everyday, but He is wanting our hearts, not a perfect pursuit. He wants our obedience, a relationship.

Pray. Pray without ceasing as He tells us to. Pray in the small things and the big. Pray honestly, boldly, often, with sincerity. Pray with and for other believers. Pray over and for non-believers and your enemies. Do not give the devil a foothold. Pray for the Holy Sprit to light up the word to you, for His understanding of it.

Praise! Praise Him. Turn on that worship music and let your heart rejoice. Even when you are sad or frustrated. Give thanks. Look around at all the that he has provided. Praise him on a walk, or at the dinner table, or in a journal. Express your gratefulness. For we don't deserve anything good on our own...but He has more than blessed us.

Join a church that teaches and preaches the Bible. God's Word in full...not just the lovely parts that sound good, but the full council of God. And then test what is said, through reading the word on your own to confirm what is said by the Holy Sprit. Be in community with your church so you are known, can have accountability, and your gifts can be used to build of the body. Find a mentor, someone who has walked with the Lord a long time that can impart council and wisdom. Have humility to be discipled. Be surrounded by believers so you can encourage one another in your walk.

Share. Share your faith, your testimony of what God has done in your life. Go and make disciples, pass along the wisdom you have learned from the Lord. The good news is not something we keep for ourselves, it is meant to go out and bring salvation to others and freedom from the condemnation and chains sin has on them that leads to death. Be bold in the face of persecution and rejection. As Jesus said in Matthew 10, "Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words....shake the dust off your feet."

Examine your ways. See what aligns with God's will and what doesn't. Be prepared to shed things that are pulling you away from the Lord instead of to Him. There is a dying to yourself/flesh/desires and taking up your cross daily. Following Jesus isn't easy, but it's worth the cost. Conviction is a good thing, it helps you identify what is of God and what is not so you can turn back to God in those areas and be fruitful. It's a battle with the flesh, but it is for our good and what this surrender produces is better than what we are trying to hold on to.

Lastly, study God's warnings and tactics on how to resist the enemies schemes. Be aware of your enemy and the ways he will come against you so you are not discouraged or surprised when these trials happen and the fiery arrows come; especially in the beginning of your faith or when you are recommitting yourself to God's will. Ask the Lord for discernment to see truth from lies so you aren't deceived...and from people who twist God's word for their own gain. Learn how to spot the wolves and to be "shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves," as Jesus explains. Test the spirits. Put on the armor of God. Join up in this spiritual battle with other believers and join ranks. There is power in the body of Christ when we gather together for His kingdom purpose.

There has been a somber reminder of how much evil there is in the world. A heavy weight on our spirit as believers. With the assassination of Charlie Kirk this past Wednesday...I couldn't help think of this small tree. That we don't have the luxury to play around lightly with our faith and just dabble in it. We need to hit the ground running with full endurance, zeal, and an acute awareness of our purpose God has called us to. We need our roots to be of real depth to sustain the battle we are guaranteed to endure as believers and to accomplish the tasks God has called us to. So be like that small tree...stable, unswayed, disciplined, unhindered. Resist the elements coming against you, grow and thrive being rooted in Jesus so we can be "built up and established in our faith." There is a season to sip the milk...but I believe we are living in a more urgent time where we need to have a quick gulp and start eating hamburgers right away if you know what I mean. No time to mess around. Let's be actively pursuing Jesus in all things...because we love Him, because we love people, and because we want Jesus to come back soon.

Light your Lamp,

AMS

Acts 20:24