Habits and Hope - Motivation for Purposeful Change

Out of the Weeds and Thorns - Break Free

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There is so much in life that can crowd us and make us lose sight of what is important but we can reclaim the victory that he intended for us.  I am so excited to share with you what he gave me for you.

Mark 4:3-20

Roots

  • vascular system (like your nervous system) spreads and travels from the bottom and connects to the rest of the plant
  • provides anchorage for the plant
  • takes in the nutrients and water that allow the plant to grow
  • store nutrients

    • Parallel this

    Roots

    • Vascular - The spiritual ties to prayer, scripture, fellowship and more have to run throughout, interconnected to all the parts. The roots have to have vessels to reach the rest of the plant.
    • Anchorage - the stronger it is, the stronger we are.  There are some very large trees that have roots that are more like a ball and in a hurricane, we know those are the ones that will go first.   The trees that I have seen stand 200 years of some of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded were the live oak.  Did you know that the deep lateral roots can grow up to 90 feet from the trunk of a large tree?  Did you know that the horizontal roots can run up to 7 times the width of the tree top?  If you want to really grow, you want to go places and not fall down in every storm life throws at you.  You have to have to be really rooted in the wisdom of God.  Your roots need to be deep and wide, like the old bible school song.
    • Nutrients + storage - our spiritual roots are what feed us, and encourage us all the time.  It should be a constant flow but there should also be storage to call upon when times get rough.

      • Thorns

      • Sometimes we have God plus the other things
      • Then the other things are allowed to creep in and are getting too much attention and nourishment, it starts stealing and taking away from God until the spiritual side is choked out.
      • Asparagus is one plant that if you can keep the weeds down for long enough for it to grow up and nourish it well, it will grow big enough to choke out the weeds.  The weeds aren't the focus, the weeds don't get the attention, just God.

        • Remember the 2 greatest commandments are LOVE GOD with ALL of your heart, ALL of your soul, and ALL of your mind, and LOVE OTHERS as yourself. Matthew 22:36-40

        Psalm 136:23-26His faithful love endures forever. He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever. He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever.  Nothing feeds my soul more than this.

        Examine Jesus and 40 days. How did he fight back? With scripture and knowing how what the enemy was using was being twisted- he knew the context. Matthew 4:1-11

        Psalm 23 - table in the presence of our enemies (Don't get the enemy a seat at your table - Louie Giglio)

        Recognize the enemy.

        Put thoughts, behaviors, etc to the test:

        If God is love, test it against 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 - patient, kind, not broad, not boasting, not envy, not dishonoring, not self-seeking, not easily angered...

        Philippians 4:8 - is your thought honorable, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent?

        Distractions:

        Food is often used as a temptation - Adam and Eve Genesis 3:1-24, Jacob and Esau Genesis 25:29-35, Jesus in the Wilderness - it isn't too small to use for the enemy, it isn't too small to glorify God.

        Nothing fills as Christ fills - the vase; Jesus is the living water John 7:37-39 and John 4:10

        So when you write your story and change the person you identify with, I hope you can take these visuals and become the person that God created.  He formed you with a purpose and we are all intended to produce fruit but it doesn't always mean our fruit looks the same.


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        Habits and Hope - Motivation for Purposeful ChangeBy Habits and Hope