Plant & Grow

March 2023

We are all very aware that the world is in a crazy place right now. Which means that now more than ever, the space you create for yourself is so so important. The Bible says that in the last days people will fall away from their faith, there will be false teachers, and things get very confusing. This is why we need to make sure we get ourselves planted in a Bible believing, spirit filled, and fruit bearing church. We must get ourselves into a community of strong believers whose foundation is the Word of God. There are so many voices out there today. And if you are not careful with where you spend your time, what you listen to, and what you intake, you can be easily swayed like it says in Ephesians. See Ephesians 4:14, TPT, “And then our immaturity will end! And we will not be easily shaken by trouble, nor led astray by novel teachings or by the false doctrines of deceivers who teach clever lies.”

The Bible leads us by example In the New Testament with the assembling of churches. There were different groups of people assembled together in the name of Jesus where they were growing in the Lord TOGETHER. These early churches showed us how as believers we need to grow together with our families in Christ and to step into our spiritual giftings to edify the body of Christ. It even says in Hebrews 10:25, TPT, “This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing. In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.” When a group of people come together to worship and honor Jesus that is a clear image of heaven. Heaven is in a constant state of assembling together to worship the Creator. When we do that here, it is moments of heaven coming to earth. There's power there. There's faith there. There's miracles there. There's freedom and deliverance there. We NEED that, especially today. As we figure out how to safeguard ourselves in these end times so that we are not among those who fall away, we have to get planted in a truth filled house of God. Read in Psalms 92:12-15, AMPC, “The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” It says here that when you are planted in the house of God you flourish. Yes, God can meet you anywhere. He can meet you in your living room, in your car, at work, anywhere. But there is something special about coming together in His house with others who call Him Lord. There’s a special presence and anointing there. That is one of the reasons satan tried so hard to stop that from happening in recent years. God’s heart is family and community. That’s what started it all with creation to begin with. So He is delighted when His kids are in one place communing over the Savior of the world. We are called to go into the world and bring lost people to Jesus. However, we must make sure we are firmly rooted in a community that sows life and truth into us so that when we do go out into the world we are not swayed by the world.

Once we've been planted, we have to grow. We have to begin to mature in the Lord. We cannot stay in the baby phase forever where we are constantly the one being ministered to. There is a time and place for that. We all go through hard seasons where we need to be ministered to. But there is more for you than that. There is a mature place where you get to do the ministering. Where Jesus is able to act through you to minister His life to someone else. That is one of the coolest things we get to do in this life. We can read about this concept in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, TPT, “Brothers and sisters, when I was with you I found it impossible to speak to you as those who are spiritually mature people, for you are still dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. And because you are immature infants in Christ, I had to nurse you and feed you with “milk,” not with the solid food of more advanced teachings, because you weren’t ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready to be fed solid food,” There is more for you in your walk with Christ. You need to get into the Word for yourself and spend time in the presence of God. Begin your own relationship with Him and learn who He is and what He has for you. Go from milk to meat so then you can serve others out of the overflow of your relationship with Jesus.

When you get planted in the house of the Lord and find your spiritual home you find shelter and protection there. You will be with those who can stand with you on your side in the face of a world that is constantly screaming lies trying to pull you out of that covering. Then once you get planted, your roots are able to sink deep and begin to grow you up spiritually until you get to that spot where you’re able to flourish as a member of the body of Christ that you were created to be. When we get planted and then grow, it’s like we are building our lives on a solid foundation that is immovable in the face of the storms that come in this world. We see this truth in Matthew 7:24-27, TPT, “Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation. When the rains fell and the flood came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation. “But everyone who hears my teaching and does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand. When it rained and rained and the flood came, with wind and waves beating upon his house, it collapsed and was swept away.” So I encourage you to find your home church that believes EVERYTHING that the Bible teaches, not just parts and pieces. And one that allows the Holy Spirit to flow in all the ways He does. Then let your roots sink in and really lean in to knowing God and His Word so you can grow in maturity to where you’re able to help others grow too. Then you will be in a solid place to stand strong and unswayed when the false teachings try to pull you away.

I like to close each teaching with an invitation to salvation for anyone that has not yet welcomed Jesus into their life. Maybe you’ve read this and felt a pull on your heart. Maybe you’re in a place where you just need a solution. If so, this was meant for you and if you’re ready for the “moreness” of God, then believe in your heart and say out loud the following prayer: “Jesus, I repent for my sins, please forgive me for living a life apart from You. I believe that you are the Son of God and that you died on the cross for my sins and were raised to life again. I confess you as Lord over my life. Take my life and do something with it. And I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name amen.”

It’s as simple as that. Welcome to the family! That is solely the most important decision you will ever make. If you prayed that prayer, please send us an email and let us know. We would love to help get you connected to a Life-filled church in your area and help you get started on your journey of “moreness” with God. Click the chat button at the bottom of each page and send us a message!