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Day 1: Fruit starts in the root.

As we begin day one of our 21 days of Prayer and fasting journey, our focus over the next three weeks will be the fruitfulness of our Christian life. Often, we fall into the mindset trap that says the fruit of our Salvation is solely our eternal destination. Now do not get me wrong, that is a MASSIVE fruit of our faith in Christ. After all, John 3:16 says that whoever believes will not perish but have eternal, or everlasting, life! However, there is more fruit to produce before we see that fruit.  When we are only concerned with our eternal destination, we forget the main reason that followers of Jesus are still living life on this earth, to bear the fruit of a Christian lifestyle so that we can bring other people to Jesus! So, our journey over the next three weeks will look heavily into what it means to be fruitful for God and how we can do that to the best of our ability!


As we begin our journey into fruitfulness, one of the most vital things to understand is that we cannot just produce the fruit that honors God without being rooted in Him! The fruit starts in the root! Today as we do some root survey, we will look at Colossians 2, where Paul is writing to the church to walk in their faith in Jesus by being rooted and built up and established in Him. Let’s look at Colossians 2:


Colossians 2: 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

As a little Bible study help for you, when you are reading scripture and you want to understand it fully, break it down into bite sized chunks so that it can reveal the fulness of what God wants you to understand from it. Doing this in school allowed me so much more clarity on the author’s message! Let’s do it with the first sentence there in verses 6 and 7.


Therefore, –   Because of what was stated before


As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, –   Because you accepted Jesus the Lord by faith here is a challenge to receive what is next


So walk in Him, - Live your life with Jesus as the focus and to honor Him


Rooted - Establish deeply and firmly


And built up in Him - Made of several sections or layers fastened together


And established in the faith – Solidified and matured in the faith


Just as you were taught - Just as they were instructed by Epaphras who founded the church


Abounding in thanksgiving -  Existing in or providing a great or plentiful quantity or supply of thanksgiving!


Paul is telling this church, and its members, in Colossae that they have accepted Jesus with the firmness of faith that Paul is wildly excited about, as mentioned in previous verses, and that they should live a life that focuses on and honors Jesus. Then we see a description of what that looks like. Establishing a deep and firm grasp of our faith, stacking wisdom and works that are mature and solid in our faith., just as they had been taught by one of Paul’s converts named Epaphras. Paul ends the sentence with a familiar challenge and reminder that Christians should be abounding in, or having a plentiful quantity of, thanksgiving! Hear me loud and clear: Thanksgiving is the cheat code to fulfillment in a Christian life. Paul knows that being thankful will sustain us through every season of our life!


I know you’re thinking, “Does he do that for every verse he reads!?” Honestly, just the ones I want to understand! It can absolutely increase your understanding of, or deepen your roots in, the scriptures!


Here’s the takeaway: Paul immediately tells the church at Colossae, and us, why we need a good Spiritual root system. So that we do not fall into captivity of the World and teachings that will result in bad fruit and death. So today, survey where you’re planted and where your roots run to for education, entertainment, value, or nourishment. Are you rooted in the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, or the family of God? Or is your first turn to the devices of this world? Ask God in your prayer time today to reveal to you the things you are allowing influence in your life that could be causing a lack of fruitfulness. Mind your roots, let us make sure they are in good soil!


Over the next few weeks we will dig into, no pun intended, the health of our Spiritual life! I am excited that you have joined us on this journey!

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