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Shrub vs Tree

5/13/2014

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By Cindy Geyer
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The Living Word
This is what the Lord says: Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on his flesh for strength and whose heart turns away from God. He will be like a shrub in the desert, and will not see any good come. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one
lives. Jeremiah 17:5 -6

The Word In Motion:
Observe: Cursed is the one who trusts in man.
Trusting man is putting confidence in the wisdom and power of men or self, which should be placed in God alone. It is making men and ourselves what we lean upon, rest upon, depend upon,  for our shelter and our protection.

Man is called flesh - to show folly of those who trust or make their confidence in it. 
Man (flesh) is weak and feeble, like a body without bones. They have no dependability and no stability. To trust in man is a departure from the heart of God.

Those who trust in man perhaps draw nigh to God with their mouths and honor him with their lips, they call him their hope and say they trust but really their heart departs from God, when troubles come.  They cleave to  their flesh. 
It is a folly to trust in man, for he is not only frail, but false and deceitful too. We say we trust in God, but we really don’t, we rely on our own thoughts and fears in the difficult circumstances. So our hope and fears rise or fall according to our feelings.

Consequences of this: A sorry shrub. 
The product of barren ground - sapless, useless, and worthless. 
His own comfort will fail him and his hopes will be blasted in time of drought.
He shall wither and fail. When good comes he will not even see it. His expectations will continually be frustrated. He can't produce fruit. A dry, dry, dry place, without moisture, parched, withered, barren.  A tumbling tumbleweed.

BUT: Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8 

Trust means to commit yourself unreservedly to God. It is to trust that He is all sufficient, both to fill up the place where those have fail us and to protect us from those who set upon us. It is to make the Lord the good you hope for, and the strength you need during all our hard circumstances. 

Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding. Pro 3:5

Blessing of this: A flourishing tree.
A tree planted by the waters , a choice tree, about which great care has been taken to set it in good soil. A tree that spreads out its roots and thereby is firmly fix. It spreads roots out by the river where it draws abundance from it. This denotes the establishment and comfort of those who have put their trust in God.

A tree thus planted, thus watered, shall not fear when heat comes, shall not receive any damage from the scorching heat of summer. It is so well watered that it shall be sufficiently guarded against drought.

Those that trust their God
  • They shall flourish - a tree that is always green whose leaf never withers. 
  • They shall be fixed. an inward peace and satisfaction. - no fear of drought. 
  • They will want for nothing
  • They shall be fruitful in holiness and in all good works. 
  • They will not cease to produce fruit
  • They will derive strength and grace from  the God they have put their trust in. 


I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They are meek and humble who trust in my name. The remnant will do no wrong, speak no lies, nor will deceit be formed in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid. 
                                                                                                                                                Zephaniah  3:12-13

I will leave a remnant. People who express patience under afflictions. People who do not trust in their own strength. They trust in God, their God. All their confidence in self and man is abolished. They have a quiet trust in God alone. Their acts are just and holy. Their daily conduct reveals them as children of God. There is no lies, nor deceit on their lips. They rejoice and experience God’s victory. They cast away fear and exult in divine protection.  Their hands are not slack in discouragement and despair nor are they fainthearted. A purified, humble, trusting, sincere, and loyal remnant, they will receive deliverance, forgiveness, safety, peace, and salvation. Those who trust in God alone 
A Flourishing Tree.

We are not strong in our human spirit We are strong BY the spirit of the Lord.  
                                                                                                                                                Ephesians 3;16-17



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