1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: You're listening to daily devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stangey, 4 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: and today's devotion is inspired by Ephesians Chapter three, verses 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: seventeen through nineteen, which says, so that Christ may dwell 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and 7 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 1: grounded in Love, may have strength to comprehend with all 8 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: the saints. What is the breadth and length, and height 9 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: and depth? And to know the love of Christ that 10 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the 11 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: fullness of God. What are you rooting your life in? 12 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,279 Speaker 1: What kind of soil are you seeking to become established in? 13 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: How far did the the roots of your life currently reach. 14 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: God's word encourages us to be rooted and grounded in 15 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: the love of Christ. All aspects of our lives should 16 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: be firmly anchored to Jesus. What are the benefits of 17 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: being rooted in Christ? Well? If our lives are rooted 18 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 1: in Christ, healthy forms of fruit will be produced. The 19 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: way we think will be impacted. The way we live 20 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:32,320 Speaker 1: will change, the way we respond to stress will be altered. 21 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: The way we treat one another will be improved. When 22 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: we're rooted in Christ, we will be nourished by Him 23 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: and will gradually grow mature in our faith. Christ hasn't 24 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: saved us with the desire to leave us like we 25 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: were when he found us. He rescued us with the 26 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: desire to foster genuine growth and maturity within us that 27 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: fully reflects his loving heart. Let's pray, Lord, we thank 28 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: you for your word, and we thank you for the 29 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: privilege that it is to look at it together. And Father, 30 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: we're grateful for the things that we see in this 31 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: passage of scripture that encourage us to be rooted in 32 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: your son, Jesus Christ. And Lord, we recognize that as 33 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: we're rooted in your son, there are things that we 34 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: will understand on a much deeper level. We'll understand the 35 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: depth of your love in a more complete way, will 36 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: be blessed with wisdom that's far beyond the wisdom of 37 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: this world, and will learn to appreciate the things that 38 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 1: you foster and create and do, and the activity that 39 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 1: you're up to right now. Lord, we're grateful that our 40 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: lives can be anchored in such a way because we 41 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: know that the alternative is dreary. Lord, there was a 42 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: time when our lives were anchored in the wisdom and 43 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: in the way of this world, and all it did 44 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: was produce death, despair, and depression. But we don't want 45 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: to go back to that. You've given us a new 46 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: mind in your son, Jesus Christ, and by your grace 47 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: we now experience your fullness, and we're thankful for this blessing. 48 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: Thank you, Lord for reminding us of these truths as 49 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: we look at your word together, and by your grace, 50 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: we pray that you would foster joy within us, as 51 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: we know that our lives are tethered to you, our Lord, 52 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: who promises to never let us go. We're grateful for 53 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: all of these things, and we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.