The Blessed Man – God’s Planting – Part Five

Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

• The first thing that God did on earth, after He created everything, except man, was: Genesis 2:8 “God planted a garden…”

Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

• To be planted implies that it did not happen by chance.  It was NOT growing wild!

Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

• We, as part of God’s garden, were carefully cultivated, planted by God’s own hand.

James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

• There was order, a plan, and a purpose to His planting; not just anywhere, but “by rivers of water…”
• An uncultivated soul is like an uncultivated field; all over-grown with briars, thorns and thistles.

Mark 4:7, 18-19

7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

• To be planted communicates firmness, permanence, and steadfastness. The definition of “to plant” is to fix or set firmly in position

God intended for us to survive and succeed.

• In times of trouble, testing, and trial; He wants us to remember; we are His trees.
• He planted us. He designed us to survive and succeed.

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

• To be planted implies that we have roots. “To root” means to become firmly established, settled, or entrenched; to be deeply anchored. Roots go down, that the tree may go up.  The further down they go, the safer it is for the tree to go up.
• Some trees have a strong tap root system (vertical growth with great stability).
• Other trees have a surface root system (horizontal growth with little stability).
• Vertical root systems illustrate people who put a top priority on their relationship with God. They see themselves and their need of God; tap root growing down. They see their potential in trusting God and glorifying Him; tree grows upward.
• Horizontal root systems illustrate people who put a top priority on their relationship with other people; their roots reach out to people, not down to God. As a result, the product of their lives is unstable. Even though it seems they are growing and giving God glory, eventually the lack of true depth in their relationship to God results in a great catastrophe in the midst of a storm.

Mark 4:6, 16-17

6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

• When we gain this depth in our relationship with God, we will remain unmoved and upright when the winds of opposition, false accusation, and false doctrine howl.

Ephesians 4:11-14

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Romans 6:5

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

When we are “planted,” it means that we have learned to trust God.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

That we have taken hold of Him and His love. 

Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

This gives us tremendous strength!

Ephesians 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

That we have firmly embraced Him and faith in Him.

Colossians 2:6-10

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: