Fixed & Firmly Planted; Where Are Your Roots?

Fixed & Firmly Planted (Where Are Your Roots)?

Fixed-fastened securely in a particular place or position; not easily moved; to lodge or implant (an idea, image, or memory) firmly in a person's mind; direct one's eyes, attention, or mind steadily or unwaveringly toward.

Firm-An unyielding structure or surface; having a solid or compact structure that resists stress or pressure; not easily moved or disturbed; not weak or uncertain

Plant-to put a seed, flower, or plant in the ground to grow

Seed-the beginningof something which continuesto developor grow (an ongoing process)

Roots-the part of the plant or tooth that grows below the surface and holds it in place

Hey Beloveds happy Monday! I pray you have an exciting favor filled week! Before we begin let me advise you the format of this blog is different than my usual format, this blog is designed to be more of a devotional or bible study (you decide). I will periodically do these style blogs so it gives us something to meditate on throughout the day, week, etc. As you can see I like to start with definitions so we have a clear understanding of what the words mean. So with that being said let’s jump right into.

At my parents old home they had a tree in their front yard that was massive. The tree had grown so big the roots began to grow above the surface in the front yard & had stretched under the house into the backyard. That tree had been there for many many years, it had weathered many storms & remained in its place for many seasons. Because the tree had developed roots it became unmovable & unshakable. One-day contractors had come to cut down the tree. They started by cutting the branches off one by one & then moved on to the base of the tree but that wasn’t enough to kill the tree because the roots of the tree still remained. You’re probably thinking what’s your point? My point is sometimes there are different areas in our lives that remain deeply rooted because we have only dealt with the surface things or perhaps we haven’t dealt with them at all.

Are you ready to get into? If you haven’t grabbed a pen, paper, iPad, tablet or whatever your preferred method of taking notes is, I highly recommend you grab it….I’ll wait (I promise). Where are your roots? Where have you been securely fastened?There are various types of seeds that have been sown into our lives & have now taken root. Not every seed planted brings forth fruit that is beneficial to us. We may have had seeds of discord, abuse whether it be mental or physical, doubt, worry, fear, anxiety, poor self image, identity crisis, addiction, poverty, dysfunction, tradition etc. planted in our lives, & if we’re not careful we can allow those seeds to take root, then we become fixed & firmly planted in the wrong things.

Let’s take a quick look at the purpose of roots. Root is what keeps us fixed in one position. A root'sfour major functionsare 1) absorption of water & inorganic nutrients, 2) anchoring of the plantbody to the ground, & supporting it, 3) storage of food & nutrients, 4) vegetative reproduction & competition with other plants. The roots are the source of nutrients & security. It’s what causes the plant to thrive or die.

Luke 8:4-8; 11-15 Message bible

4-8 As they went from town to town, a lot of people joined in & traveled along. He addressed them, using this story: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the road; it was tramped down & the birds ate it. Other seed fell in the gravel; it sprouted, but withered because it didn’t have good roots. Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it & strangled it. Other seed fell in rich earth and produced a bumper crop.

“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”

9 His disciples asked, “Why did you tell this story?”

10 He said, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom—you know how it works. There are others who need stories. But even with stories some of them aren’t going to get it:

Their eyes are open but don’t see a thing,

Their ears are open but don’t hear a thing.

11-12 “This story is about some of those people. The seed is the Word of God. The seeds on the road are those who hear the Word, but no sooner do they hear it than the Devil snatches it from them so they won’t believe & be saved.

13 “The seeds in the gravel are those who hear with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm doesn’t go very deep. It’s only another fad, & the moment there’s trouble it’s gone.

14 “And the seed that fell in the weeds—well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out & nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and having fun.

15“But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.

1. Anytime a seed is planted, it is always dispensed with an expectation of a harvest. Without a seed there can be no harvest.

Those that are into gardening don’t just open their window & throw seeds on the ground. A skillful gardener is strategic in planting their seeds. They plant their seeds with expectation that, their seed will produce whatever kind of seeds they planted.

The seed is the word of God. The more time we spend in the word the more the word comes alive & begins to activate in our lives & produce fruit. The word is what provides us the nutrients we need to grow. The word is what causes us to develop & maintain healthy roots.

2.The ground needs to be prepared for the seed.

You can’t try to plant seeds in weeds & thorns & expect to see your seeds grow & establish roots, because the conditions of the ground are not proper. There has to be preparation before you can even plant a seed into the ground. You need to know what kind of seed you’re planting, is the climate conducive what you’re trying to produce. You can’t plant an apple tree and expect it to bring forth watermelons nor can you try to plant tomatoes in the winter & expect them to grow.

3. Now that your seeds have been planted, what next?

You don’t just plant your seeds & that’s it. They require nurture & care. They require maintenance they need basic things like water & sunlight to grow. The water & sunlight is what helps the seed germinate & begin to bring forth roots. It doesn’t happen automatically after you place your seeds in the ground.

How to maintain healthy roots:

We need to remain connected to the source. The root is how nutrients are supplied once the roots are removed from the source the plant begins to die. When we remove ourselves from thee source our spirit man begins to die.

John 15:5-6 Amp

5I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me & I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 6If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, & withers; such branches are gathered up & thrown into the fire, and they are burned.

Ps 1:1-3 Amp

1BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, & enviable) is the man who walks &lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans & purposes], nor stands [submissive & inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [& the mockers] gather.

2But his delight &desire are in the law of the Lord, & on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders & studies) by day and by night. [Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 3:1-29; II Tim. 3:16.]

3And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [& tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade orwither; & everything he does shall prosper [& come to maturity].

I Cor 15:58 Amp

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing & being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].

The process:

Are there times in our lives we aren’t producing healthy fruits? Are there times when our roots become tainted? Yes, does that mean it’s over for us? No, but we must be careful not to allow things to infect us & to cause our roots to die. Just like in the natural we have to prune our bushes & pull up weeds, it’s the same way in our spiritual lives. We have to allow God to pluck up those areas that are harmful to us & to those around us.

John 15:5 Amp

Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); & He cleanses & repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more & richer & more excellent fruit.

Heb 4:12 Message Bible

God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen & obey. Nothing & no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.

In order for us to mature & grow into healthy, thriving, & fully functioning Christians we must allow God access to our lives. The only way we will see growth is by feeding yourself with the word of God. The more you cling to the word of God the more unmovable you become. You won’t be so easily moved or swayed by what happens around you. You become firmly planted. Where are you fixed & firmly planted? Are you like the tree that’s firmly planted by the rivers of water bringing forth good fruit or are you that seed that was trampled or eaten by birds? Or are you the seed that was choked by the weeds? Where are your roots?