Thursday, June 13th

Here's Today's Devotional from The Vine...

When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away. - Matthew 13:6

A root is very important to the life of a plant or a tree. You could take a green branch from a living tree and set it in the ground and for a little while it may seem alive; but soon, under the sun's heat, it will wither. It has no root. The root is not a very beautiful part of a tree - it is hidden away out of sight and nobody praises it - yet it is essential to the tree's life.

In the same way there is a hidden part in every Christian's life. It is not easily seen by others. It is the heart-life, faith, love, communion with God in his Word and in prayer. No one praises a Christian's inner life; it is secret and no one sees it and yet it is the root of the whole, strong, beautiful life which others do see and praise. It yields fruit which benefit those who are around the Christian.

Jesus says the trouble with these shallow-soil people is that they have no root in themselves. The root-principle of Christian life which consists of faith in Christ and love for Him cannot be found in their hearts. Where there is such a root no persecution can tear it away, no outward circumstances can affect the permanence of its life. It is not kept alive by any external influences. Its source is in the heart. It feeds on heavenly food. Temptation and persecution only make the true Christian purpose all the stronger.

But it is not so with this root-less, shallow religion. It has no inward life of its own. It is not produced by an unconquerable love in the heart for Christ. It depends simply on external excitement - a well-rehearsed church meeting, great worship music, a favorite preacher or the influence of friends - something in outer circumstances which keeps the emotions excited for awhile. It has no root in itself. In such a religion there is nothing to carry a life very far through difficult experiences.

By Book	Old Testament	New Testament	Proverbs & Psalms
Psalm 46-50	2 Samuel 20-21	Acts 8:4-40	Proverbs 14:25-35