03Aug 2025 by sharon@rootedonthevine.com
It is hard for you to kick against the goads

It is hard for you to kick against the goads

Christianity, Spiritual
"It is hard for you to kick against the goads" (​Acts 9:5​) Saul, a Jewish and well-learned Pharisee, was on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven, and he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" I'm going to stop here, but I want you to read the rest of the story in Acts 9. WHAT ARE GOADS? Goads were tools used by farmers in ancient times. It is…
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11Sep 2024 by sharon@rootedonthevine.com
Gone With The Wind

Gone With The Wind

Christianity, Health, Spiritual
Have you seen the movie, Gone With The Wind? It's a beautiful classical story regarding love and loss but I won't go further with the description because I don't want to spoil the movie’s plot.  Do you know there is also a gone-with-the-wind principle in the Bible?  Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Here's what I mean by that… When you spend your whole lifetime acquiring material wealth, just one natural disaster like a hurricane, tsunami, or economic collapse can instantly wipe it away.   Your house, cars, properties, bank accounts, and investments will be all gone before you can make sense of it all. You see, anything that is visible is…
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09Aug 2024 by sharon@rootedonthevine.com
What Is Faith?

What Is Faith?

Christianity, Spiritual
What is faith? Faith is often heard in churches and conversations among Christians. But do we really know what faith means? Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. By faith, we understand that the universe was formed at God's command so that what is seen is not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11: 1 and 3). Faith is based on the person of Jesus Christ, the source of Truth. For Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) God has given everyone a measure of faith. That means that the level of each person's faith differs from that of another. You may have little…
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23Jul 2024 by sharon@rootedonthevine.com
Be set free from the shackles that imprison

Be set free from the shackles that imprison

Christianity, Health, Self-care, Spiritual
Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)   Reread the passage above but this time let it sink in your spirit. Now, what do you feel? Did you feel a dark cloud hovering over your spirit lifted, or you didn’t feel any change in your emotions? If you belong to the latter, let me expound and break the passage slightly more. Burdens are like pieces of baggage. Emotional baggage. Passing through an X-ray machine, you’ll find hate, resentment, bitterness, envy, indifference, anger, and other evil thoughts. Together with this baggage is a carry-on of don’t-bother-me kind of attitude and a long sourpuss face. No wonder you feel heavy and can’t live life with a lighter attitude.…
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21Jun 2024 by sharon@rootedonthevine.com
How to have a STRONG foundation

How to have a STRONG foundation

Christianity, Spiritual
We all want to have a strong foundation. This is the reason people go to the gym and carry some weights, do various kinds of exercises, and join fitness classes. This is good, however, this foundation only deals with the external — our physical health. There is another foundation that is more important than our physical. And that is our spiritual health. This is an area that is not really worked on. This is most often overlooked but very foundational in our overall health. When you have a strong spiritual life, it affects your mind, your attitude, and your actions.  Having a strong spiritual foundation starts by reading God's Word daily. The Bible has a lot of biblical principles that address every area of our life. The Bible is the…
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18Oct 2023 by sharon@rootedonthevine.com
Deal with your own dregs

Deal with your own dregs

Christianity, Health, Spiritual
  In ancient Israel, during the grape harvest season, the Jews would smash the grapes to get as much liquid as they could and strain the juice by passing the liquid from one jar to another to separate the liquid from the solids that have settled at the bottom of the container. They would then do the same thing and transfer the juice to another jar to further separate the finer solids that have come together with the juice. They will do this multiple times until only the liquids have passed through. And the solids or the sediments that have settled at the bottom are called dregs. What are dregs? Cambridge Dictionary defines them as the small solid pieces that sink to the bottom of some liquids, such as wine or coffee, that are not usually drunk. It is also used metaphorically in…
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10Oct 2023 by sharon@rootedonthevine.com
Growth Mindset – The power of your thoughts

Growth Mindset – The power of your thoughts

Christianity, Health, Spiritual
Our mindset determines our reality. They are like the rudder that controls where we are going. As Wikipedia defines it, 'A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves though a fluid medium, generally air or water.' Just like the rudder, our thoughts control where we are going. They steer our direction. So it's important that we train our thoughts to think positive and uplifting thoughts, and not useless ones. ​ ​ Do not let your mind wander aimlessly. Give it something to focus on and whatever the mind has conceived, that is what the body will follow. Remember the plight of the Israelites when the Lord told them to conquer the Land of Canaan. After Moses gave…
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25Nov 2022 by sharon@rootedonthevine.com
A Heart Of Gratitude

A Heart Of Gratitude

Christianity, Health, Spiritual
This Thanksgiving season, we should not only give thanks for all the good things we are grateful for. As Christians, thanksgiving should be a way of life; it should be a daily habit and not a onetime event that should be celebrated only during the November season. I Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. This is counterintuitive in our culture, right? I mean, how could you be grateful if you missed your flight, your kitchen appliances break down, or your car won't start and need major repairs? But read the verse again and meditate on it. The Lord God said to give thanks in everything. So that means everything --- from the good, the bad, and the ugly. Why…
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08Feb 2022 by sharon@rootedonthevine.com
DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND

DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND

Christianity, Health, Spiritual
We dress ourselves in the latest fashion. We crave the latest fads, gadgets and even go to extreme lengths just to be in line with the times. But all these things are only temporary. What is seen will soon pass away and what is not seen is eternal. If we pay so much attention to what is here now that will be gone tomorrow, how much more should we put emphasis on what will last forever? There has been so much buzz and craze on what happened ages ago. And it is still happening now, but it seems that people never pay close attention to Him. The Heavenly King came and is offering free gifts to everyone without reservation. His gifts last for eternity and can never be lost or…
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