Roots 

The Origin of what we see.

    Often we may make a distinction of different parts of a tree, but really its parts do not define an oak tree, but an oak tree is a sum of its parts.  Mighty Oaks can just fall over under the heavy load of its own self, because while it never stops growing in limb and leaf, the root system reaches a point of attrition.  You cannot judge the strength of a tree on its' heighth or circumference.  The real strength is unseen, under the cover of dirt.

    We see God manifests himself in many ways, but he is still God uniquely and absolutely one in all of them.  You may be able to define a tree by its leaf or fruit, however you cannot hold up an oak leaf and say, “This is an Oak Tree.”  An oak tree is root, stump, limb, leaf and acorn.  We see the Great and Only God in the unseen root system of his omnipotence and omniscience.  You cannot discern him with the naked eye, but if you do a little digging in the soil of the world around us, you will hit a root that will arrest your attention of his presence.  Jesus Christ was and is the connection of the branches to THE ROOT; the trunk or the vine that all the branches connect to.  He gives us connection to the Root of God, and from the sap of the Holy Spirit we gain nourishment of the Root, through the Vine, we as the branches bear fruit.  If we lack fruit, it is because we lost our benefit of the Holy Spirit in a severed connection to Christ, and ultimately God.   GOD almighty is the root.  Jesus Christ is the Vine.  The Holy Spirit is the sap.  It s one Tree that is not only defined by root, stump or sap, they each uniquely are a part of the definition of the One and Holy God.  They are not separate and distinct, they are one and the same.  Before there was Christ, there was the Root of the Only God Jehovah.  Jehovah sprang forth from the dust of man and we have the vine of Jesus Christ.  We are his branches in our abiding and obedience to him that facilitates Godly fruit in our life that is nourished by the Holy Ghost.  Jesus Christ was and is the "Root" manifested.  

    So often in life we judge things around us by what we see, oblivious to the origins and roots of it.  I had this stream of thought come to me from two conversations in the same day.  They both brought this idea of roots up and it congealed in my mind.

    The Bible says, “The Love of Money is the Root of all evil.”   This is a very bold statement.  Below is this statement in context.  If you will read it, you will see the power even more pronounced.

1 Timothy 6:6-11  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  (7)  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  (8)  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.  (9)  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  (10)  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  (11)  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

    America is drunk on the drink of envy and the spirit of discontent.  We see it demonstrated in our culture.  The flames of advertising, marketing and the culture at large fan this spirit of discontent.  I don’t speak as one who has no experience.  I am a man of like “passions” and have partaken in this common characteristic.

    In reading the scripture, it struck me that the difference in Godliness and Evil is pretty simple.   Evil is never satisfied, always reaching for what it does not have.  Reaching, walking about, seeking, desiring, deceiving, plotting, pulling for the attention of our souls.

Godliness.   Think about this.  God needs nothing.  God possess everything.  God knows everything.  God can do anything.  God is. Think about the declarations of God.

In summary of all that I could say, God is.  His declaration to Moses was, “I am that I am.”   He is God all by himself.  God has need of nothing, made everything and dwells everywhere.

This is “Godliness”.   Evil is wanting, lacking, desiring, and seeking.  Godliness is. 

It is amazing to consider that the scripture says, that the “ROOT of all EVIL” is this “love of money”.

You don’t have to have money to love it and having it doesn’t mean you love it.  It is about perspective.  We must understand it is not just green dollar bills this is speaking of, but the things that money buys.  Avarice, Desire, Discontentment, leads to all sorts of evil.  Look in our own life, our challenges often stem from our effort to live beyond what we are able to afford.  We buy cars, build houses, buy buildings that are beyond us. 

We see it in our culture; every area is driven by the profit motive.  Hollywood gets a lot of attention for it’s base and evil fruit, but the same people who own Hollywood often own the Christian Industries.  Religion is packaged neatly in nice packages, with pretty faces and appealing colors, neat tag lines and engaging material, but just because it comes out of a Christian Bookstore does not mean that GOD is the ROOT of it.  Often the parent companies, or can I say it, the root of it is the same as what produces for profit things that are patently evil.

Many Christian Singers, writers, preachers and teachers have sold out their souls and ministry for the profit motive.  There talent may have originated with "The Root", but now it is nourished by spirits that are not holy. 

We see it secular religion.  Most recently the Episcopal Church ordained a Gay Bishop.  It may have the trappings of “Christianity”, but its root is not "THE ROOT".   God does not bear fruit of things that are in exact disobedience to himself.  Cells that don’t obey the DNA structure are called cancer, and Homosexual Bishops is anything but the fruit of God.  

I have been involved in a number of conversations about the need to get back to the origins of God.  Some call it “Old Time Religion”, but really it is just going back to the connection of Christ.   Often people seek the fruit of Godliness, when what is needed is the connection to Godliness.

Old Time religion, whether we are talking about Peter and James or our Azusa street forebears, they prayed hours a day, fasted days a week and studied the word of God incessantly.  Today we have people trying to be Godly on fasting days a year and hours a month.  

It is my deep held conviction that if we as Christians and ministers ever got back to praying hours a day and fasting days a week in mass, we would not do things, wear things or go places that grieve the Holy Ghost.  If we really got back to our deep connection with Christ and found the Virtue of the Root of Godliness, we would not have time to judge and inspect everyone else’s motives and we would be striving for oneness.   How did Jesus seek oneness?  He prayed for it.  Oneness with each other will not be found on a debate floor, but true oneness will be found when we all return to a place of deep consecration where we get in the flow of what comes from the root, through Christ, into our lives.   Paul said it, "You don't get along because your carnal."

We must strive for connection to "The Root".  That is where the leaf and the fruit of Godliness will be found.

I desire for this place of contentment.  I am not there.  I am like many pundits, I know where to get it and can write in long volumes where it is.  My challenge is just like yours.  I must not settle for the ability to annunciate our need, but to grasp it on my knees, possess in prayer, perfect it in fasting and not relent.  Most of us have been there.  I have.  I have seen things that are unspeakable in prayer and found tremendous virtue in fasting, but the nature of our humanity is that it must be constantly renewed, retuned and refreshed.

What glory I saw last week, is the Glory I must seek.  The virtue I felt the last time I knelt, is only found in His Holy Presence that will cause the wax of my own humanity to melt.  The commitment I made in the past, will not forgo the food that I must now fast.  All of the virtue of the fruit will first come from The Root.  

In Summary,

To be Connected, Filled and Fruitful,

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips

www.newbirth.us

John 15:4-12  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  (5)  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  (6)  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.  (7)  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  (8)  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  (9)  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.  (10)  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.  (11)  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  (12)  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

 GOD IS...

God is Love.

God is Holy.

God is Pure.

God is a Spirit.

God is Faithful.

God is not a man.

God is One Lord.

God is Righteous.

God is a Jealous God

God is a God of gods

God is a consuming fire.