We had in our garden a huge tree that seemed to tower to the sky and was greatly admired. Although it hid us from the glare and heat of the sun, but what a mess it made of our patio and caused us many hours of trying to continually clean up the fallen leaves, endless seeds in the spring and droppings from the many birds who inhabited the tree. The time eventually came this week when we decided enough is enough, we grew weary of the endless work. Each year the tree was left standing the work became more burdensome instead of being a blessing. It was now so close to the house it shrouded our rooms in darkness.

It took four strong men, much heavy equipment, and hours of sweat and labor to cut down that tree and yet the tree was still evident because of the wide spreading deep root structure. You see cutting off the branches and even the trunk didn’t take care of the mess the tree had made of the garden. The mess was not due to the fallen leaves born on the hefty branches but rather was due to the developing of the deep roots over the past 26 years. The life of that tree was in its root structure. A hefty stump grinder had to be brought in and with the sweat and tears of hours of labor to penetrate the depth of the roots and axe them until not one part of the root was left.

Likewise in our lives cutting off the branches of sin and the trunk of rebellion does not clean up the mess the fruit of sin makes in the garden of our lives. It may appear that our lives are beautiful but that tree has been hiding us from the heat of conviction of the Son. We are busy trying to clean up the surrounding areas of the littered leaves of our fallen nature born on the unrighteous branches while hoping for a crop failure when our corrupt sowing produces so many harmful abundant seeds germinating a life of their own in all areas of our lives. When we decide enough is enough and the burden is too great, shrouding each room in our hearts in darkness, we decide to spend countless hours with counsellors, pastors and even friends with many trained techniques but the root still has to be dealt with or it will produce again. The only stump grinder that can obliterate those tangled roots and cause the proud trunk of rebellion to fall is the blood of Jesus applied with humble tears of repentance. Only then can we begin to develop a root structure in the True Vine that will produce leaves of obedience born on branches of faith, bearing the fruit of righteousness and authentic seeds to produce life in others.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

John 15:1 & 5 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 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.

CHALLENGE: Are you tired of those unrighteous branches littering the path of your life with the fallen leaves of sin? It’s time to apply the only stump grinder that can obliterate that root of pride with all those smaller tangled roots of self.

May my book “DEVELOPING A SECRET HISTORY WITH GOD” inspire you as you start a new root structure in the True Vine.

This Book and accompanying Study Guide will revolutionize your quiet time with God. Available now at Amazon/ Barnes & Noble/ Walmart/Kindle Nook / Ibooks/ Lulu/ Rhema Publications/ Cl France or a bookstore near you.

Or you can order the book directly from me today and receive a personal signed copy. Thank you for your support of my ministry. Walk with the King and be a blessing! e-mail maggiebass@epix.net or message me on Facebook