A
daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and
exhortation.
Friday,
May
14,
2021
After
our first early morning chaplain visit yesterday we had
breakfast at the Speckled Hen restaurant in
Strasburg, PA and as we left this view across the street
reminded us of a bygone era.
(Click on photo for larger view)
(Click on photo for larger view)
"The
Blessing Of Good Roots"
Listen to this message on your audio player.
"Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away" (Luke 8:13). "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness" (Colossians 2:6,7).
We've been sharing for several
months about improvements to the field across from our
house. Trees have been removed as well as large rock
outcroppings to make the field more productive and
less likely to damage equipment. Yesterday afternoon a
tractor with a front loader went through the field
with several men and boys picking up rocks from the
field.Today's
first text is taken from the explanation to the
parable of the sower in which Jesus compares four
different soil types with the receptivity of the human
heart to His message.
The
parable itself (Luke 8:4-8) describes these soil
types as:
Packed soil, "some fell beside
the road, and it was trampled underfoot and the
birds of the air ate it up."
Rocky soil "Other seed fell on
rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered
away, because it had no moisture."
Thorny soil "Other seed fell
among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and
choked it out."
Good soil, "Other seed fell into
the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a
hundred times as great."
The
problem with rocky soil in agriculture is that the
seed withers away because it has no moisture. In the
explanation concerning our life these seeds have "no
firm root".
Today's
second text from Colossians 2:7, states we are to be "rooted
and built up in Him..."
Notice the elements of a fruitful relationship that should follow our conversion to Christ when we receive Him. It's expressed in the phrase "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
* continue to live your lives in Him,
* rooted and
* built up in Him,
* strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and
* overflowing with thankfulness"
Today
let us consider just the word "rooted" from this text.
Paul is likely drawing here on a familiar agricultural
analogy. Perhaps he had in mind the teaching of our
Lord, who warned of the deadly spiritual condition of
rootlessness in the Parable of the Sower. Jesus said
of the seed that fell on rocky soil, "Those on the
rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive
the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they
believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall
away" (Luke 8:13).
Roots are a vital part of the believer's life. We are to be "rooted and built up in Him". The Greek word for root is "rhizoo" and suggests stability, nourishment and life derived from contact with Christ ("in Him"). As a plant's roots sink deep into the rich soil for long term stability and nourishment, so too we should root our faith deep into sound Biblical doctrine and solid spiritual food that comes from knowing Christ. These well-nourished roots will keep us strong forever.
In our growing walk with Christ we find life-giving soil and a sustaining foundation. However, we have the responsibility to implement the means of grace that God has ordained for our "rooting." We all need a good, solid, ever-growing root system that reaches deep into the spiritual soil for our nourishment and stability that God graciously provides. This will render us both faithful and fruitful.
Developing and maintaining a solid spiritual root system includes an active, lifelong pursuit of reading, studying, meditating, memorizing, and obeying God's Word; regular communion with God through prayer; sharing with others of the good things of God; influencing others to come to faith and helping them to grow in their faith. As we grow in Him there is more and more that Christ reveals to us through the Bible, His Spirit, spiritual leaders, everyday experiences, trials, and life's circumstances. Two of the greatest ways we deepen our roots is by our Christian service and obedience to Christ's teachings.
Are you rooted in Him? Are your spiritual roots growing deeper and spreading like the roots of a tree? Thank God for His ever-abundant supply of spiritual nutrition that provides a foundation "rooted" in the living Christ!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
we are so very grateful that our family roots
are not the sole source of who we are nor does
it dictate what we can accomplish. Our
spiritual roots, because of our well-grounded
faith in You, goes much deeper and spreads
much broader. We are able to accomplish the
impossible and overcome life's difficulties
because our roots are connected to the Miracle
Worker. May the living water flowing from Your
Spirit quench our thirst and the spiritual
food from Your inspired Holy Word satisfy our
hunger causing us to grow in spiritual
maturity so that we remain safe and secure,
firmly rooted in You. Father, though the winds
and storms may shake us from time to time, it
is in You that we live and move and have our
being! Amen.
Notice the elements of a fruitful relationship that should follow our conversion to Christ when we receive Him. It's expressed in the phrase "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
* continue to live your lives in Him,
* rooted and
* built up in Him,
* strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and
* overflowing with thankfulness"
Today
let us consider just the word "rooted" from this text.
Paul is likely drawing here on a familiar agricultural
analogy. Perhaps he had in mind the teaching of our
Lord, who warned of the deadly spiritual condition of
rootlessness in the Parable of the Sower. Jesus said
of the seed that fell on rocky soil, "Those on the
rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive
the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they
believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall
away" (Luke 8:13).Roots are a vital part of the believer's life. We are to be "rooted and built up in Him". The Greek word for root is "rhizoo" and suggests stability, nourishment and life derived from contact with Christ ("in Him"). As a plant's roots sink deep into the rich soil for long term stability and nourishment, so too we should root our faith deep into sound Biblical doctrine and solid spiritual food that comes from knowing Christ. These well-nourished roots will keep us strong forever.
In our growing walk with Christ we find life-giving soil and a sustaining foundation. However, we have the responsibility to implement the means of grace that God has ordained for our "rooting." We all need a good, solid, ever-growing root system that reaches deep into the spiritual soil for our nourishment and stability that God graciously provides. This will render us both faithful and fruitful.
Developing and maintaining a solid spiritual root system includes an active, lifelong pursuit of reading, studying, meditating, memorizing, and obeying God's Word; regular communion with God through prayer; sharing with others of the good things of God; influencing others to come to faith and helping them to grow in their faith. As we grow in Him there is more and more that Christ reveals to us through the Bible, His Spirit, spiritual leaders, everyday experiences, trials, and life's circumstances. Two of the greatest ways we deepen our roots is by our Christian service and obedience to Christ's teachings.
Are you rooted in Him? Are your spiritual roots growing deeper and spreading like the roots of a tree? Thank God for His ever-abundant supply of spiritual nutrition that provides a foundation "rooted" in the living Christ!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
we are so very grateful that our family roots
are not the sole source of who we are nor does
it dictate what we can accomplish. Our
spiritual roots, because of our well-grounded
faith in You, goes much deeper and spreads
much broader. We are able to accomplish the
impossible and overcome life's difficulties
because our roots are connected to the Miracle
Worker. May the living water flowing from Your
Spirit quench our thirst and the spiritual
food from Your inspired Holy Word satisfy our
hunger causing us to grow in spiritual
maturity so that we remain safe and secure,
firmly rooted in You. Father, though the winds
and storms may shake us from time to time, it
is in You that we live and move and have our
being! Amen.As we
shared in our Thursday message yesterday
was Ascension Day and made for some interesting
sights as we did chaplain visitation in eastern
Lancaster County. The Amish treat the day as a
holiday and the roads were very busy.
Eshleman’s
Mill Covered Bridge, near Paradise, PA
(Click on photo for larger view)
(Click on photo for larger view)
I
took Brooksyne over to the Country Gift and Thrift Shoppe
in White Horse PA, one of her favorite MCC thrift
stores. I waited sitting in a rocking chair on the
front porch and saw a variety of interesting
traffic pass by. I would guess some 50 old order
"vehicles" passed by while I waited. We enjoy
seeing the children look out of the back of the
buggy and often waving. Reminds me of the era when
we had a station wagon with the back seat facing
backwards. Anybody else remember that!
(Click on photo for larger view)
(Click on photo for larger view)
This
family is traveling in style on an exceptionally
pleasant day.
(Click on photo for larger view)
(Click on photo for larger view)
I
noticed as they passed by many were sure
interested in looking toward the back of the
thrift store.
(Click on photo for larger view)
(Click on photo for larger view)
Heading
back toward Lancaster near Bird in Hand we passed
this buggy hauling the gear for a fun family
outing.
Finally
today:
Usually
our chaplaincy visits to various companies is a
one on one visitation with employees with very
little drama. We have many opportunities to
minister but we certainly keep confidentiality in
mind and thus rarely refer to our work unless we
can do so in a way that protects a confidence.
But
yesterday was the second time I (Brooksyne)
visited during a time that guests at a rather nice
hotel were certainly the talk of the morning. In
both encounters over the past months I was witness
to guests who abuse drugs in their motel room,
destroy property, and refuse to leave their room
until the police arrive and force them to do so.
This morning the guest began to throw his
belongings out the window (and there was plenty
since he'd been there over a week). When he
learned that the police would arrive if he didn't
check out he rattled off in my hearing, "I'll just
get out my medical card", the one that permits
marijuana, plus other things I won't disclose. It
was very evident that his situation was not
medical but immoral in the way he carried on,
broke the rules of drug use in the building, and
the way he swore at the manager. Our hospitality
workers deal with a lot of misbehavior and
dangerous threats. The housekeepers get to clean
up the terrible mess and destruction that these
kind of people leave behind. Even more sad is the
fact that a good number of the people who book
hotels during the pandemic are using their
stimulus checks, unemployment benefits and other
government freebies to get high and stay in the
hotel room over a period of days. That is a sad
fact that causes great distress to those who must
deal with such bad actors. We have a feeling what
we see is just the tip of the iceberg concerning
how messed up our labor markets are. Those who
work are working very hard while so many just
won't work! We see this virtually everywhere. We
mentioned having breakfast yesterday morning at
the Speckled Hen, a small eatery in Strasburg.
This banner is above their website: "Please note
our Temporary Hours listed below: We will close at
3pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to give our staff a
much need and well deserved respite while we
continue to seek new hires."
We
are preparing a message on this topic we expect to
share next week.
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& Brooksyne
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Weber".Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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