In Not For

Col.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” [with emphasis].

A lot of people are attractive from a distance but when you get close enough, they are repulsive. Have you met people that look beautiful on the outside but when you experience them, their character is foul and the fruit of their lives is unsavoury. I pray that you will be attractive and you will be productive, in Jesus Name. A lot of people have questions about Jesus cursing the fig tree. The fig tree had leaves but did not have fruits. If Jesus was really hungry, why did He not just go somewhere else to find food instead of cursing the tree?

The short answer is His ways are not our ways. Leaves represent the external things that people can see from a distance. The truth is that when your life has leaves, you attract inspection and scrutiny. So, heaven moves close but the leaves are not what heaven is looking for even though it is the leaves that attracted heaven. When heaven comes close, heaven is looking for fruit. When God comes and He does not see fruit, God does not take it lightly. When a fruit-bearing tree does not fulfil its purpose which is to produce fruits, God is not impressed. The evidence of roots is fruit. How you know when someone has roots is you see fruits. No roots, no fruits.. When your roots grow deep in God, your life will overflow with gratitude; with thanksgiving.

1 Thess.5:¹⁸ “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” [with emphasis]. The root word for “be thankful” or “give thanks” there, [eucharisteo] actually means gratitude, appreciation, praise, and recognition. God is saying be grateful in all things, show appreciation in all things, give praise in all things, show acknowledgment and recognition in all things and not for all things. There is a big difference. The Bible did not say be thankful for all things. The Bible says be thankful in all things. You really should not be thankful for all things. There is a lot of evil going on that has nothing to do with God. So why should you be thankful to God for that? There are situations you find yourself that have nothing to do with God. Stop thanking Him for it.

Prayer: Father, as my roots continue to grow down deep into You, cause me to overflow with thanksgiving in all things regardless of the circumstances, in Jesus Name. Amen!