Roots

Roots are foundations that guarantee stability and sustenance. Using the imagery of a tree, the call is to become unshakable through depth with Christ and His Word. Stability means deceitful winds don’t move the heart; sustenance is the unseen provision that keeps life alive through drought and pressure. Roots feed from the soil; so believers must feed from Scripture—excavating treasures, not skimming headlines. This year is a summons to become a studious people who love the text, not for platform or performance, but for survival and formation.

Jeremiah 17:8 sets the posture for the year: planted by waters, unafraid of heat, evergreen in drought, never ceasing to bear fruit. 2026 will not be different if people are not different. The Word is lifeline, not an accessory. Dwell in the secret place; don’t visit it. Fruitfulness is inevitable where roots are real, and pruning means being lifted to bear more, not discarded. The aim is holistic flourishing—spiritual, financial, mental, relational. That requires spiritual disciplines and practical wisdom: rebuild your CV, gain certifications, steward money, normalize therapy after deliverance, and form habits that sustain life.

Colossians 2:6–7 reframes growth: first rooted, then built up. Walk with Christ before working for Him. Rootedness isn’t being stuck; it’s being stabilized so you can walk well. This is a year for hiddenness, not hype. Roots are invisible but decisive; visibility without formation is vulnerability. Expect God to work beneath the surface in doctrine, prayer, fasting, obedience, consecration, and love. Guard your intake—sound teaching forms sound lives. What you ingest is what comes out when life squeezes you.

Luke 6 teaches to dig deep and lay foundation on the Rock. Storms will beat the house, not the foundation; the rooted remain unshaken. Roots anchor, nourish, strengthen, and sustain. Foundations look like consistent prayer beyond set moods or times, Scripture internalized until it becomes lived experience, spiritual disciplines that sharpen clarity (including wise fasting), and a Christ-centered identity that cannot be bought or bullied. Resist performative spirituality and fame-hunger; choose integrity in secret. The invitation for 2026 is not more activity, platforms, or noise, but death to self, disciplined devotion, and resilient faith that loves people deeply and bears fruit in every season.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Roots secure stability and sustenance Foundations determine whether a life stands when the winds shift. Depth with Christ makes a person unmovable and well-supplied even when circumstances contradict what is seen. Roots go where eyes do not—and that hidden depth is what holds everything visible together. [01:24]
• 2. Dig deeper than surface religion Skimming Scripture scratches the surface; excavation transforms. Cultivate habits that move beyond inspirational moments into disciplined study where questions are welcomed and mystery invites hunger. Communities that learn together become communities that last. [04:14]
• 3. Rootedness outlasts drought and heat Being planted by the waters means pressure doesn’t produce panic. Leaves stay green when hearts stay near the Source, and fruit continues even when the headlines turn bleak. 2026 changes as people change—by dwelling in the secret place, not visiting. [07:22]
• 4. Walk with Christ before working for Him Activity is no substitute for intimacy. Rootedness is not paralysis; it is capacity—going under before being built upon so the weight of calling doesn’t crack the soul. The work that endures flows from a walk that is real. [20:53]
• 5. Choose hidden formation over visibility Roots are about vitality, not virality. This is a year to be planted, not platformed—to prize the slow, unseen work of God over public impression. What stays buried in God today will bear durable fruit tomorrow. [19:12]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:35] - Roots: stability and sustenance
• [03:30] - Sustenance: excavate Scripture’s treasures
• [04:14] - Spoon or axe—how to dig
• [07:22] - Planted by waters amid heat
• [11:26] - Fruitfulness, pruning, holistic prosperity
• [12:24] - Practical growth: work, skills, therapy
• [17:16] - Hiddenness over visibility in 2026
• [19:12] - Rooted then built—Colossians 2
• [20:30] - Walk with Christ before work
• [31:16] - Dig deep—foundation on the Rock
• [36:05] - What roots do: anchor to sustain
• [39:07] - Foundations: doctrine, prayer, disciplines, identity
• [47:08] - Visibility without formation; beware fame
• [60:07] - 2026 call and practices

Bible reading

- Jeremiah 17:8

They 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.

- Colossians 2:6–7

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

- Luke 6:46–49

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Observation questions

1. In Jeremiah 17:8, list the outcomes promised to the tree planted by water. Which of those outcomes sound like stability? Which sound like sustenance?
2. In Colossians 2:6–7, what is the order of growth and why does that order matter? What are the two directions used to describe growth?
3. In Luke 6:46–49, what did the wise builder do before laying the foundation, and where did he place it? When the storm hit, what did the water beat against—the foundation or the house?
4. Name the four things roots do that define foundations, as listed: anchor, nourish, strengthen, sustain [36:05].

Interpretation questions

1. “Rootedness is stability, not being stuck.” How could someone mistake rootedness for passivity, and what would “walking in Him” look like so that stability turns into real movement and obedience [20:30]?
2. “Walk with Christ before working for Him.” In what ways can activity without intimacy crack a soul when the weight increases, and how might that show up in service, leadership, or family [20:53]?
3. “Roots are about vitality, not visibility.” What dangers show up when visibility rises faster than formation, and why does hidden growth usually produce healthier fruit later [47:08]?
4. “What you ingest is what comes out when life squeezes you.” How does intake (Scripture, teaching, media, conversations) shape a person’s reflexes under pressure [27:57]?

Application questions

1. Spoon or axe? If the goal this year is to excavate treasure in Scripture, what concrete change will you make in your Bible habits (time, plan, tools) so you’re digging, not skimming [04:14]?
2. “Dwell in the secret place; don’t visit.” What would it take to turn your secret place into a dwelling—especially your first hour of the day (for example, moving your phone, changing morning flow) [11:05] and [25:15]?
3. Roots feed from good soil. What’s one intake you will guard this month (podcasts, YouTube, IG) so you’re feasting on sound doctrine and not confusion [39:07]? What healthy intake will you add (Bible reading plan, group study, teacher you trust)?
4. Hidden first, then seen. Where are you tempted to be performative (public prayers, posting spiritual moments, chasing applause)? What is one hidden practice you will keep off-camera this month (secret service, private worship, anonymous generosity) [48:31]?
5. Holistic flourishing needs practical wisdom. Which next step will you take in the next 30 days—update your CV, apply for a course/certification, create a simple budget, or book a therapy session? What date will you do it and who will hold you accountable [12:24] and [13:14] and [15:46]?
6. Fasting sharpens clarity. Choose a simple, sustainable fasting rhythm for the next four weeks (for example, one meal on Wednesdays, or sunup to 3pm on Fridays). What’s the purpose of your fast (clarity, consecration, compassion), and what foods or screen habits will you adjust to help you see clearly [45:22] and [44:28]?
7. Walk with Christ before work for Christ. Look at your weekly commitments. What is one ministry activity you will pause or simplify so you can strengthen your daily walk (prayer, Word, obedience) without rushing [20:53]?
8. Fruit looks like love, gentleness, and peace. Is there a relationship where you need to “listen to understand, not to reply” or release offense? What humble step will you take this week—apology, message, or meeting—to make peace [22:54] and [57:15] and [57:59]?