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Tree of Life

    What kind of faith do you have when it comes down to it? How much do you trust the Lord? The Bible repeatedly gives us the brilliant illustration of a tree. When we trust in the Lord we will be like a tree planted by the water, Jeremiah tells us. No matter how warm it gets outside, that tree will be nourished and maintain its green leaves because it is by the water. Jesus provides us with living water. That means that no matter how bad the circumstances of life get, if we trust in Him we know that we can have everything we need and can live our lives without fear. 

    The other main similarity is that just like a tree, we also bear fruit. We reap what we sow in life and if our faith is genuine, it will be seen through the fruits of our life. Galatians 5 tells us what good fruit looks like. Those things include love, peace, joy, self-control, patience, and many more. If those traits are an active part of your life, that is a solid indicator that you are following the Lord. Likewise, if you see someone who claims Jesus but does not display those kinds of traits in their life, then you know that their faith isn't genuine. Pursue a genuine faith in Jesus today comparable to the tree planted by the water and yielding godly fruits. 


Jeremiah 17:7-8 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (ESV)

Psalm1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (ESV)

John 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (ESV)

John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ (ESV)

Matthew 7:17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. (ESV)

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (NIV)


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