Roots and Fruits

If I were to ask you, who are you, what would be your answer? Would you tell me you are a lawyer, professional athlete, banker or executive? Those would be great sounding answers but they are what you do, not who you are. Too often in today’s times we confuse who we are with what […]

If I were to ask you, who are you, what would be your answer? Would you tell me you are a lawyer, professional athlete, banker or executive? Those would be great sounding answers but they are what you do, not who you are. Too often in today’s times we confuse who we are with what we do. No one can blame us. The society we live in is driven by our status. Most people want to be recognized by the power or influence we have. The answer to the question of who we are is what we are made of inside. Kind of like a tree, we have a root system. In a tree, the root feeds the trunk. In us, our root system feeds what we do.
We are told in Jeremiah 17:7-8 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” We often confuse the trunk feeding the roots, but the roots feed the trunk. We try and start with the outcome only to find we don’t have the necessary foundation or root system to sustain what we desire. Matthew 12:33 says 33 “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt, for the tree is known by its fruit.” What fruit do you want to be recognized by?

Jerusalem, Jerusalem

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" (Matt. 23:37 ESV)   Are you familiar with...

These Qualities

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly...

Welcome To Spring

I know, you’re ready for the pollen to go away. But isn’t it a beautiful time of year. Did you catch the equinox? It occurred on Monday, March 20. You can even check out the exact time. Four times every year we know the dates for the precise movement of the sun, or to...

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ESV) “For God” - The only God, all-powerful, all knowing, without beginning or end, Creator of all things. “So loved” - More than...

Wisteria

I find myself captivated by Wisteria every year at this time. Partly because it was Cathy’s favorite spring time flower. She really like the purple blooms. But we never planted any and neither does Jane have any interest in planting Wisteria. The opening words of an...

Got A Question?

Do you have a question you would love to ask Jesus? What would it be? He was certainly asked a lot of questions. Like the one Peter asked about the future of his fellow apostle, John. Jesus’ answer? “What is that to you? Be faithful to me.” He didn’t always give an...

After God’s Own Heart

David, King of Israel, was described as a man after God’s own heart. I can imagine other biblical characters who would fall under the same category. What about us? Can we come close to that kind of heart? How did David get there? From his childhood he had a deep and...

Groundhog Day

14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was...

Provided

And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21 ESV) Those words spoken by Job need to be pondered by all of us. We came into this world with nothing...

Some Wisdom for the Day

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. (Prov. 29:2 ESV) One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. (Prov. 29:23 ESV) Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath....