Roots - Growth In Character Lesson 3 Series

A. INTRODUCTION

1. If God has called you to a certain place, at a certain time, for a certain job, to fulfill your certain dream, no matter how unfruitful it may look. Grow where God plants you and be fruitful.

2. Edmund McIlhenny had a beautiful plantation in Louisiana before Civil War destroyed everything. He stayed and created Tabasco.

B. ISAAC HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING ROOTS (GENESIS 26:1-33)

1. God said stay in land of promise. “The Lord approached Isaac, ‘Do not go down to Egypt … I will be with you and bless you’ … so Isaac stayed in Greear” (Genesis 26:1-6, NLT).

2. Prosperity. “Isaac planted … harvested a hundred times more grain that he planted … wealth grew … many flocks.

3. Affliction. “Philistines filled up all of Isaac’s wells with dirt” (v. 15). “Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country” (v. 16).

4. Continue affliction, next place discovered fresh water (v. 19). Philistines argued (v. 19)

5. Repeat difficulties (v. 22).

6. Moved to Beersheba. “The Lord appeared to him” (v. 23). “I am with you and will bless you” (v. 24). “Isaac worshiped” (v. 25).

7. Isaac did not go to Egypt, stayed in the land. “The very next day, Isaac’s servants … ‘we have found water’” (v. 32).

C. BONSAI CHRISTIANS DON’T GROW

1. Bonsai, a Japanese art form creates small trees that looks full grown.

2. With the right tools, skill, time, pruning its branches, and trimming its roots.

3. Bonsai trees looks every old, but knee high.

4. Bonsai Christians don’t master Scriptures, no prayer life, no fellowship, and no fruit of the Spirit.

5. Satan has tools to shear, prune, dig up. “The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away” (Mark 4:15, NLT).

6. John the Baptist. “The ax is laid to its roots” (Matthew 3:10).

7. The secret of tall flourishing trees is unseen roots.

8. But God will let you go through storms, droughts, and hurricanes, if your roots are deep into Scriptures and His presence.

D. IF GOD HAS CALLED/LED YOU TO A PLACE, SETTLE DOWN, GROW ROOTS

1. God found Moses in the desert, Job in trials, three in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the lion’s den, Elijah under the juniper tree, Peter in prison, Paul in a storm, God uses unusual places to manifest His glory.

2. God has a plan for you. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT).

3. God has gifts for you called abilities. “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other” (1 Corinthians 12:7, NLT).

4. Your dreams may be tattered, situation changed, God can restore broken dreams.

5. Do you have in life what you wanted or what God wanted?

6. If you don’t have in life what you wanted, you don’t have to keep what you’ve got.

7. God can restore what the enemy steals from you or destroys.

8. If you run away from problems, they will be worst at next place.

9. Eventually, the adversary recognized and told Isaac, “we can plainly see the Lord is with you” (v. 28).

10. Then the adversary and Isaac, “took a solemn oath not to interfere even with each other” (v. 31).

E. APPLICATION

1. God is not looking for a perfect place for you, neither should you. Find God’s place – including problems – and make it perfect for you.

2. Conquer your unwillingness, make a commitment and stick with it.

3. In God’s place you can have breakthrough.

4. In God’s plan you can have fruitfulness, happiness and fulfillment.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.

Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.

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