Deepen Your Roots

We all have a choice in this life: we can choose Christ and His ways or the ways of the world.

Deepen Your Roots

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful."

(Psalm 1:1)

On Tuesday of last week, I shared the devotion as we began our executive board meeting of the SBTC. I shared a similar message I had given the week before with our staff at our church. The devotion was based on Psalm 1, and I called it "Deepen Your Roots". I hope this teaching blesses you today.

I shared with those in attendance at the meeting that I would begin with a story that is not related to the actual devotion, but I just had to tell this to someone! I am so proud of our people at our church. Many are committed to sharing the Good News of Jesus with those who do not know Him. Richard, an Uber driver in Austin, visited our church one Sunday morning and was greeted and befriended by Gary, one of our deacons. Gary sat with Richard and later purchased him a Bible. After Richard started attending our church, our student pastor, Brandon, booked himself an Uber ride to the airport one day, and guess who the driver was? Yes, it was Richard! Brandon shared the Gospel with him. At a later date, Richard came back to our church, and our chairman of the deacons, Aaron, met with him and shared Jesus with him again, and Richard gave his life to Christ! On Easter Sunday, we baptized him, and his parents came to support him in his decision to follow Jesus.

Psalm 1:1 describes the man who does not follow the path of the world. We all have a choice in this life: we can choose Christ and His ways or the ways of the world. The person described in this verse is blessed because he has chosen not to walk, stand, or sit in places he should not. Perhaps you have read this verse before and noticed how there is a downward progression for the one who is not blessed. He chooses to walk in places he should not and eventually stands then sits. One way to avoid falling away in our zeal for Jesus is to keep moving forward in our walk with Christ.

Those who choose to walk away from the Lord and all they know that is right usually do so with a gradual compromise here and there. Or as the Christian band Casting Crowns says, it is "a slow fade." I have seen in our own church those who once walked with the Lord and had leadership positions in our church yet decided to walk away from Christ and their families. It is heartbreaking to see. But I don't know of anyone who all of a sudden decides to deny Christ and their families. Rather, it happens over time with a slow move away from the teachings of the Word of God until one reaches a point of totally walking away.

Let me encourage you today, especially those who are being severely tempted by Satan to turn your back on all you know is right: lean into Jesus! Do not walk with those who live their lives in violation of the Scriptures. Witness to them, but do not walk with them to the places they go. Do not stand where your feet should not be standing. Telling yourself, "A little compromise here and there never hurt anyone," is erroneous and faulty thinking. Finally, do not sit in places where you should not. Keep moving with Jesus! Stay grounded in His Word, pray, fellowship with other believers, and stay committed to Christ.

May the Lord help you and me today to deepen our roots in Christ so that we do not go down paths that do not honor our Lord.