Extending the Tap Root...

Extending the Tap-Root

Drought stretches the natural vine’s root.

As long as there is abundant water on the surface the root feeds there;

but drought sends the taproot deep in search of moisture.

The more frequent and severe the droughts, the deeper the taproot grows.

In the same way, the day of trouble sends our spiritual taproot in search of nourishment.

It either seeks moisture in the physical, visible world, or it descends towards the unchanging ever-flowing river of life.

For this reason James wrote: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

What are these “trials” that the readers of James’ are having and enduring?

Poverty was prominent among them, the letter is filled with references to poverty and wealth!

Chap. 2 makes it clear (vv6-7) that religious persecution was one cause of their poverty.

By stressing that the trials were “various” James deliberately casts his net widely,

including that many kinds of suffering that Christians undergo in this fallen world: sickness, loneliness, bereavement, disappointment...

What did James mean by the “testing of our faith?”

He meant that trials

test our confidence in

God’s sovereignty and goodness.

This “testing” isn’t intended to determine whether a person has faith or not: it is to determine whether a person has faith or not;

it is intended to purify faith that that already exists.

Believers can respond in joy to trials, because we know that God uses trials to perfect our faith and make us stronger Christians.

Believers can respond in joy to trials, because we know that God uses trials to perfect our faith and make us stronger Christians.

When life’s circumstances are going well, we all believe that God is good.

But, when life turns sour we begin questioning: “Is God really good?

Would a good God allow this kind of pain and suffering?”

We are fruitful during trial and testing according to our confidence in God’s goodness.

Tragically, many Christians never gain this trust.

Fruitful or Barren?

Why do trials make some people self-irrigating, but have little affect upon others?

Because some relate to God’s allotted trials redemptively, while others relate to them with resentment.

Complaining,

grumbling, and

unforgiveness shunt our tap-root,

binding it to the physical and visible.

But

thanksgiving,

worship, and

humility

during trial and suffering, send our taproot progressively deeper and deeper.

Niki and I have struggled for many years relationally, for many issues in our marriage.

We’ve spent many-a-time begging God for mercy.

For one year my wife and I spent many sleepless nights begging God for mercy.

Although our faith was weak, we tried to sink our roots into God rather than our unpleasant circumstances.

By God’s grace, we did our best to worship God with thanksgiving,

not knowing whether the ending would be happy or sad.

We resisted the temptation to resent God or one another.

Ultimately,(again, by God’s grace) God has His way in our marriage...

The confidence in God’s sovereignty and goodness that weathers any storm

grows when God tests our faith this way.

We learn that God is faithful. Our taproot is extended.

But, those who grumble and complain during trial waste the God-given opportunity to become self-irrigating.

Everyone admires the faith of George Mueller (1805–98).

But, most don’t know that his faith grew because he obeyed during times of testing, and then watched God’s faithfulness. “The only way to learn strong faith is to endure great trials,” Mueller wrote. “I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.”

After three children and thirty years of marriage, a friend’s husband left her for a younger, more attractive woman.

She was bitter towards her husband and deeply resented God.

I begged her to forgive God, forgive her husband, and give thanks for how God was going to use her distressing circumstances for good.

She refused. She glared at me, arms crossed, and defiantly clung to her resentment.

Her taproot went to the surface for sustenance.

For many years she has been Jeremiah’s unfruitful “bush in the wasteland”—unable to see “God’s prosperity when it comes.”

C. H. Spurgeon’s (1834–92) wife was an invalid.

On top of this, he was frequently depressed and suffered recurrent illness.

And, like Wesley, he lived with Herculean pressures to get things done.

Nevertheless, he was able to confidently say, “Trials are the winds which root the tree of our faith.”

John Bunyan (1628–88) spent twelve years in prison for preaching the gospel.

His children grew up without their father.

But, later he wrote: “It is said that in some countries trees will grow but will bear no fruit because there is no winter there.” He knew that faith deepens best in the winter seasons of God’s redemptive purposes.

So What?

Why is all this important? First, like the owners of those vines in California, God seeks fruit from His people.

And, fruit is not a luxury: It is a necessary byproduct of saving faith. — And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

The root is that from which the tree draws its sustenance;

therefore, the picture suggests that not only will the tree be overthrown,

but its source of nourishment will be taken away.

There is no hope for such a tree.

“every tree” makes it universal—there are no exceptions.

The sinner must not think that he can get away with his sin.

“Therefore” links this up in logical sequence; John regards the destruction as inevitable.

In verse 8 he has spoken of fruit befitting repentance; now it is simply good fruit.

The tree that lacks such fruit will be totally destroyed—not only cut down but also thrown into the fire.

And Jesus added, — Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

The Father gets rid of the dead wood so that the living, fruit-bearing branches may be sharply distinguished

from them and may have more room to grow.

Remember this reference to God’s work in removing that which is spiritually detrimental from a given Christian’s life.

It means to have our bad habits stripped away.

It means to have our priorities reordered,

our values changed.

At times it may mean the removal of friends who are hindering rather than advancing our spiritual growth.

At times it may mean the removal of friends

who are hindering

rather than advancing our spiritual growth.

The imperative to be fruitful is serious business.

Second, this parable () teaches us the importance of patience.

Most taproots descend slowly.

I have been a Christian for thirty years, and I am just beginning to enjoy a deeper taste of this faith.

Remember, the intensity of the grape’s flavor doesn’t peak until the vine is 30 to 50 years old.

Be patient with God and yourself.

Third, to this point we have discussed what God does to deepen our roots, but there are three things that we can do also.

Obey God in small things.

Years ago, after being broke and virtually unable to pay I began tithing when I could not afford it, and each time God provided my needs my faith grew.

The man who obeys builds his life on rock. Neither wind, rain, nor storm can shake him. ().

For example, we started to tithe every two weeks when I got paid and there were times when we struggled because we were in a sense tithing all our spending money until next payday.

I read of a guy to felt lead to give a needy woman $15. But hesitated because it was his spending money till his next pay day. Well he gave it to her.

I struggled because it was all my spending money until next payday. Finally I obeyed.

Finally I obeyed.

The very next day, he recieved a check for $14.85 marked a few hours prior to when he gave the lady the money.

The next day I received $14.85 in an unmarked envelope, postmarked 12 hours before my gift.

So God has a blessing on the way before he even gave.

The experiences of God’s faithfulness deepen the taproot of faith.

But, they can’t occur until we obey in the face of uncertainty.

In addition, immersion in God’s word enhances the length of our taproot.

describes the man immersed in his word as: “a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.” ().

Remember, faith comes from “hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ ().

Last, ask God to make you self-irrigating.

Expect it. Look for it.

Martin Luther said, “Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say, or do.”

Be like Jacob. Wrestle with God, and don’t let go until He gives you this quality of life for your own.

Unless there is a yearning within us for that which is eternal, we shall turn to that which is temporal for sustenance when the day of trouble comes.

If you have been born of God a yearning for the immutable, unseen river of life will grow in you. Yield to it. Don’t quench it.

God will extend your taproot deeper with testing.

When these trials come—“consider it all joy.”

God is good.

God is sovereign.

God loves even you, and

He means it all for good.

This is the confidence that can make every believer self-irrigating and unshakable in good times and in bad.