Need of the Root - The strong foundation for your building

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (Mathew 13:5-6)

We all need things very fast. Whether it is the growth of the church or the speed of the vehicle we travel. We need speed. We are eating fast food. Instant meals are available everywhere. We do not have time for cooking. "Do not be overawed when a man grows rich when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him." There is a time for everything.

Our watch is fast, so we say God is very slow. As per God's watch, he is on time. Jesus said to Mary at the wedding at Cana "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" "My time has not yet come" Yes there is a time for everything.

Jesus told his brothers, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come."

We are living in a super fast era. Everything happening very fast in the lives of human being. We can see Christians who are here one day. On the other day, they are not there. Why? We are looking for the fastest growth. We want to become rich very fast. We are not willing to do the things which will make us rich. Nowadays stitching a white shirt will make you a pastor. We want everything to happen just now. We can see such plants around us which grow very fast. We know people who grow very fast in different areas. But after a few months or years, if you look for them, you wouldn't find them. Why?

Because they do not have root. They wither very fast. They are not able to withstand the heat of the sun. Sun is coming up. If you ask the effect of the sun's rays to a plant which yields 100% fruits, it will tell you, "Because of this Sun's rays I am bearing 100% fruits, if it was not there, I could not do it". Amazing. For some plants, the heat of the sun is good for their growth and they need it. For some other plants, the sunlight has a killing effect.

To withstand the sun's rays, plants need deep root. The upper part of the plant is visible. But the root is not visible to the outward world. We don't know how deep it is and how good it is. But one thing is certain. If a plant has good root, deep root, it will not wither when the sun comes up. If it withers, we know the root is not good enough to support the plant. The root is not doing its duty. It is there for the sake of a name.

Hidden roots show the secret life of a person. Even though we see a person outwardly, we do not know what is inside. There are two parts. One is visible and the other is invisible. We judge according to the visible part. But God looks at visible and invisible part of our life. That is why the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. A man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

If a person grows faster than he should, there is something wrong going on behind the scene. Life is not a stage show. In stage shows, there are beauticians behind the scene. They make the actors beautiful. Originally they are not as beautiful as they appear. Decorating materials and colors are making them beautiful. Beauticians make them appear beautiful. It is for a short time. It will not last more than a few hours. Outward appearance can cheat you.

We had a cock-nut tree in our backyard. It was a healthy cock-nut tree. Bearing the good number of cock nuts. We consider it a good and healthy cock-nut tree. But one day when the wind blows, that cock-nut tree fell down. We were wondering why it fell down. While we closely examined the tree, we found that the root of the cock-nut tree was eaten up by worms. We never knew that. It was a good tree outwardly. Worms attacked the tree under the soil. They eat up the root very fast that we did not get enough time to recognize it.

There are worms doing its part to fell the tree. We do not know. It is happening. It is happening under the ground. It is not visible. We need to be aware of these insects which eat up the root. The root that holds the plant firm on the ground. Be careful about the worms which eat up our root. They come in groups and attack very fast. It would be late for us to prevent their attack. Beware of worms which eat up the roots.

We need to give importance to our secret life. We will not go to heaven with our outward life. What are the things we need to do in our secret life:

Prayer

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote, "Prayer is the nerve which moves the mighty muscle of God".

Satan coming to attack you secretly. His attacks are not visible. Just like the worms attacking the root, he comes invisibly. Fight with him in your prayer. Your enemy is coming invisibly. Terrorists place bombs in different places. They are not visible or recognizable. They do their work secretly. They are not announcing it that they are placing the bomb in such and such a place. They place the bomb in a crowded area and slip away secretly from there. They attack secretly. If you are facing problems, close your doors and pray. That is the medicine to kill the worms. We love to pray while standing in the church or in front of the congregation. When you are alone, what do you do? Do you pray? How long will you pray? You should have a secret prayer life.

Praying secretly is the root. It is not visible.

Giving to the Needy
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Giving to the needy secretly is the root. It is not visible.

Secret Holiness

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while, his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

One day Joseph went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

Joseph did not run away for publicity or fame. He runs away from the sin. Inwardly he wanted to be holy and pure. Many of us are holy, just because we are not getting any opportunity. Are you in that group? Holy due to nonavailability of chance.

Keeping oneself pure is the root. It is not visible.

All the high rise buildings have two parts. One is visible and the other is invisible. If the invisible part i.e, the foundation is not strong, the building will fall very easily. So is the foundation of our spiritual life. Our foundations are:

1. Secret Holiness
2. Secret Giving to the needy
3. Secret Prayer.

They are the strong roots. If they are strong, when the sun comes up, you will not wither. If your roots are strong, the sun's rays will enrich you. You will bear fruits 100%. You will live forever. When the trials and tribulations come, when you go through the deepest darkness of your life, when you suffer from sickness, when everyone turns against you, when your friends and relatives accuse you, when you are in financial crisis, you will not fall or fade away. you will live strong. Just like the plants need the sunlight for its growth, you need the light of God for your growth. It will enrich you.