May Your Roots Grow Stronger

May Your Roots Grow Stronger

I love porches and outdoor designs. As I was searching for an idea on how to incorporate some design elements with our deck and back yard, I came across a photo of a bridge made of what looked like tree limbs. As I read the caption I was amazed. “In India there are 500 year old bridges weaved from living roots that can withstand the monsoon floods and don’t ever rot. Instead they grow stronger with time.”

God spoke to my heart: He wants us to know that when we are living in Christ our roots will withstand the monsoons that come our way and they will not rot but instead grow stronger with time. We are not strengthened in ease or comfort. We are strengthened in growth and that includes trials, storms, hardships, and places we don’t even know about.  The exercising of our faith produces strength no matter what weakness we have in the flesh. In fact, His strength is shown greatest in our weaknesses. 

 We do not fear either flood or drought for we are watered, tended and cared for by God Himself. Christ intercedes for our every need and has made the way for us to live strong, sturdy and useful lives as we put our lives in His hands. Our usefulness will not cease as we grow older, for just as the root bridges are in use even at 500 years of age, so we can have strength of spirit and be fruitful for the Kingdom all the days of our lives.

Oh beloved, God desires to strengthen your roots! He has a plan to take you beyond yourself. This growth He desires is beneficial for your life. It is absolutely impossible to grow without being watered by the Spirit of God as He shows you the way to stronger life in Christ. While you may not have asked to be stronger, it is God’s plan that each of His believers is strengthened in the inner person, so that you will stay strong and not weaken. It is also so that you will be a bridge of Christ to others needing to know the way as well.  It’s time to quit fearing the future because that future is your bridge to stronger faith in Christ. No need to hide from anything for you are hidden in Christ and your roots are going to grow stronger and stronger as you live in the light of His Word. Even as you face things that look insurmountable in the natural, you are being strengthened and built up in your most holy faith.

God loves you and He’s for you. Trust Him today and look to the Lord when anything surprises you or comes against you. May your roots grow stronger as you lean on Him and grow in grace and knowledge all the days of your life.

John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’

Ephesians 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

Jeremiah 17:8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.

Colossians 2:7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. NLT

You are Indeed Beloved of God!

Forty one years ago today Danny and I had our first date. I know many of you don’t believe in love at first sight, but I will tell you this: once I met Danny face to face I never wanted to date anyone else and he felt the same way. Call it what you want, we clicked, we committed, we became a couple. I did everything I could to find out all about Him. His likes, his tastes, his hobbies, his feelin...gs about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The more we spent time together the more comfortable I was with him. The more I went out with him, the more I enjoyed his presence. He literally was perfect for me. I can tell you it’s been a wonderful life.

Thirty-one years ago I met Jesus. This too was love at first sight. Once I met Jesus face to face I never turned back. We clicked. I was committed. I began a lifelong plan to find out all I could about Him. I have studied to know His likes, His dislikes and more. I know His outlook on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I can tell you it’s been a wonderful life, living in Christ.

My life with Danny has managed to have a storybook ending in many ways, but we’re imperfect people making concessions for one another, overlooking faults and mistakes. We’ve learned a lot about things from one another. Because of Danny’s love for me I’ve learned about loyalty, faithfulness and truth. He will not lie no matter what. He remains my one and only love and I have remained His.

My life with Christ will have a storybook ending as well – the Book tells me that He is My one and only Savior. No one else will do. He is faithful to me and faithful to His Word. I’ve learned everything that’s worth knowing from Him. Because He loves me unconditionally, I know He can be trusted. His Word is true. He is my Savior and I love Him more and more each day.

Oh beloved, there are things you need to know about the Lord that you won’t know if you don’t give your life to Him completely. Halfhearted allegiance to Christ is about like being half married. And that’s not possible. He knows everything – everything about your life, about your challenges, about your disappointments and more. He knows more than you do – He knows how many days He has given you, what lies ahead and He knows how to love you unconditionally and yet completely. He’s not a man that He should ever lie. He is honor bound to His Word and His Word is honor bound to Him. You can trust Him with your whole heart for your whole life. No one else is so trustworthy. No one else can meet all your needs. No one else will be there for you no matter what. Whatever you are facing, He is with you for the long haul. Whatever you are dreading He will come in and walk with you. He is the Great I AM and He loves you.

He’s calling you today and He’s asking you to step up to a closer walk. It may seem a little fearful to put your trust in Someone like Him, but it’s worth it. He will take your life and guide you through every wreck, every valley, every mountain, every flood, every change in seasons, positions, friendships and more and stay with you all the way.

He loves you and He calls you beloved. He’s for you and He’s going to remain with you, on your side, forever. Pick up the Word and find out everything you can about Him. His love is real and His care is perfect and that’s all that matters as you live in the light of His love.

I John 4:9-10 God showed how much he loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Psalm 117:2 For He loves us with unfailing love; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord!

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through?

Psalm 33:18 But the Lord watches over those who fear Him, those who rely on His unfailing love.

Psalm 27:8 My heart has heard You say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming”

Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me!

Let God Remind You Who You Are!

There are lots of rumors that get circulated over the internet and through social media. Often the same story gets reinvented every few years and pops up again and again.  The rumors usually revolve around things we consider important.  Children, politics and health are three of the major rumor mills.  It is very important to keep informed of current events, but not everything we read on the internet is true.  One of the best ways to check out rumors is to go to snopes.com With a simple check, you can know instantly if a story circulating is true or not. It shows on their page a huge green TRUE or a huge red FALSE.  Lots of rumors presented as true turn out to be false.  Sometimes there is just a little bit of truth mixed in with the false. It’s still false. 

Don’t you wish a huge TRUE or FALSE could just pop up every time you hear something? Wouldn’t that be great? How simple would it be to know instantly what is right and wrong or true and false? It would solve a lot of problems and keep hurtful things from being believed.

What are you believing this morning?  Do you know how to handle the truth and how to put away the false? Maybe you’ve heard that you’re worthless or useless.  Perhaps you’ve been rejected, mistreated or misled. You’ve tried to do better, get over it and move on. But you secretly believe what someone else has told you. You may have been labeled as a problem, a reject, or worse.  You may have been told that your past is your Truth but God says differently. Your past has been overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and you can be sure that God is changing you and redeeming every area of your life.

Oh beloved, run to the Word of God and check it out! When you read God’s Word you are seeing His Truth and are able to reject the False.  God knows your heart and He has wonderful plans for you. He calls you beloved, even when you don’t feel loved.  He calls you cared for, even when you feel oh so lonely.   I pray this morning that as you take in His Word, open it up and read it – you will be reminded of who  you are in Christ.  God loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters!

 

Romans 9:25 As He says also in Hosea, "I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, 'MY PEOPLE,' AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, 'BELOVED.'" (NAS)

I Peter 2:10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Ephesians 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

 

Where Do You Live, Beloved?

Both Danny and I moved quite a few times when we were kids.   Sometimes it required changing schools in the middle of a school year. That was never fun.  We’ve lived where we are now for the longest we ever lived anywhere. Now we travel a lot, both around the state and longer trips. When we meet people, the question usually comes up both ways, “Where do you live?” 

You may well be asked, “Where do you live believer?”  Do you live in the light of His Word? Do you live in the realm of His precepts? Do you know that you are a royal citizen of a holy nation?  We have indeed become strangers in this land, for our hearts no longer lean towards the secular but the spiritual.  We have a new country, heaven, as our reward. We are no longer content with the status quo. We find ourselves out of sync with today and looking forward more and more to a home with Jesus in heaven for eternity.  

Oh beloved, where are you living this morning? Are you living in perfect love? Are you living in mercy, grace and peace? Are you living by every Word that proceeds from His mouth? Do you realize just how wondrous this life in Christ really is?

God loves you (PERIOD)  God loves you because His essence and being is LOVE. He doesn’t love you because of anything you do or don’t do. This perfect love transcends our deepest failings, it overcomes our greatest needs, it covers our hardest lifestyles. It overlooks all, it never gives up on you! He loved you before you were conceived, He loved you in your mother’s womb, He loved you as He watched you grow and mature. He loves you when you accept Him as Lord and Savior and He loves you when you falter and stumble. He will love you, beloved, forever and always.  And because He loves you He is for you – to guide you, direct you, protect you, care for you, pick you up, dust you off, restore your losses, forgive your sins, bless your life, renew His mercies on your behalf, gather you up under His wings, walk with you through valleys, floods and more.

Oh beloved, live in the light of His Word, for there is no other place you can live so loved. Earth has lost its charm and heaven is waiting. Spend time with the love of your life and live loved!

Philippians 3:20  But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.

Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” (NAS)

1 Thessalonians 5:8  But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

Colossians 1:12  always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people, who live in the light.

Psalm 119:93  I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me. (NAS)

It is In the Giving Away that We find Real Joy

To make extra spending money when I was little, my mother crocheted doilies. I’m talking about the huge triple ruffled kind that was stiff starched and prominently displayed all over the house. She crocheted with tiny needles and fine thread. I have the last doily she worked on with the needle and thread attached that she was using.  Some would say that is a silly thing to hold onto. But it’s a visible reminder that regardless our life’s circumstances we should continue to create and enjoy every day.  She crocheted those lovely pieces as though she would be keeping them forever, never lacking in quality no matter that they were going to someone else’s home.  She thoroughly enjoyed the very things she was destined to give away.

Often we humans hold tightly to the things we hold dear. Whether it’s friendship or ministry or family or hobbies or talents.  They’re ours we reason. We don’t share well. We keep things to ourselves. We’re almost miserly with our affections.  Yet it is in the giving away that we find real joy.

Oh beloved, God knows your heart. He knows you want to enjoy the days He’s given you, but you find it hard to release the worry and the fear.  What if you give it all? What if you forgive completely, love whole-heartedly and let Him be first? What if you use up the talents He gave you for others? Run to Him this morning and lay it all at His feet. He will take what you are holding back and exchange it for a treasure trove of beauty in your life that’s meant to be shared, distributed, given away. You can trust Him beloved, because all that you give away and in the measure with which you give it is how He will give back to you. He says you cannot give too much. Even in your lack, if you begin to give you will see amazing things begin to happen.  How blessed are we to be people who can trust Him with everything? He loves you, He’s for you and that’s all that really matters.

 Matthew 25:29 For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.

Romans 8:32 Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?

Psalm 37:3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.