Transplant: Bible Principles to Grow & Prosper with God

By Leah Cast

Through his love and grace, God has transplanted us from the bondage of our past to the freedom of new spiritual life with him. But how do we remain rooted, growing and flourishing in our relationship with God? Transplant will guide you through 30 Bible principles needed to have a prosperous life with the Lord. This weekly devotional and prayer guide covers topics to help you thrive as a believer, including foundational Biblical truths, identity in Christ, producing spiritual fruit and maturing in your purpose. Transplant integrates thoughtfully curated visual imagery with storytelling and detailed scriptural study to partner with you on your journey of growing and prospering with God. Artfully designed to provide a beautiful reading experience, Transplant features 35+ full-color images of modern photography, making it the perfect addition to your coffee table or library.  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Outskirts Press
• Release date: Apr 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9781977264343

Leah Cast

Leah Cast is an award-winning author of inspirational writings. Her work includes the Christian devotional Transplant, the children's book Beautiful You and the poetry collection With Open Eyes. She's a lifelong student of the Bible, is married to the greatest man she knows, and is best known as "Mom" to three high-energy kids in whom she's hereditarily passed down her love of going and doing. Leah’s also an award-winning communications strategist, professional model, former newspaper journalist and night owl who does her best writing after midnight next to an artfully crafted cappuccino. While she doesn't have a green thumb, she's thankful God does as he continues to nurture and prune her with his transforming love. www.leahcast.com

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SECTION I:

ROOTS

WEEK 1:

FAITH

We can be confident because we live based on the truth of what we believe rather than what we see around us.

During a day of first grade homeschool with my daughter Summer, I asked her: What do you think it means to have faith? She thought about it briefly, then replied in a matter-of-fact tone: That God is with me. That he’ll protect me, and that I’m never alone.

Her understanding at her age always makes me smile. And while her answer seemed simple at first, it so clearly brought to light the essence of genuine faith. She believes God is with her, therefore, she knows she is never alone. Her faith in God is the root of her understanding of self and how she interacts in the world. Her belief in God’s word as truth is a foundation that breeds a spiritual view on life rather than a natural one.

Roots are foundations that support everything else that is built. Spiritually, our roots begin with faith. Our first step toward spiritual life and growth is accepting God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus. Ephesians 2:8 (ESV) says, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God... Ephesians 3:12 (NLT) adds: Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

Christ and his powerful sacrifice for us provide access to salvation and relationship with our heavenly Father. But faith also sustains us through the journey. It is the center of our hope, strength, and perseverance. The Bible says we are encouraged when we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV). In other words, we can be confident because we live based on the truth of what we believe rather than what we see around us.

In nature, roots anchor a plant to its nutrient source and prevent it from being washed away during a storm or heavy rain. In a similar way, faith anchors us to the Lord. Think of Peter when he saw Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14. Because Peter believed, he was able to walk on water, too. His first steps toward Jesus were accomplished by faith. However, when Peter took his eyes off Jesus, and instead began focusing on the strong winds and waves, he became afraid and began to sink. He lost faith partway through the journey and let doubt take over.

Like Peter, our faith will be tested by the winds and waves of life. But we serve a powerful God! If we keep our eyes on him, our faith can keep us anchored. James 1:2-3 (NLT) says, Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

 BACKGROUND

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) describes faith as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The Amplified Bible adds that faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses. At the root of our faith, then, is the belief and acknowledgement that God is who he says he is. This belief then leads to our trust and reliance in him and his word. Hebrews 11:6 (ESV) says, And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Faith pleases God in an incredible way! Throughout the Bible, there are numerous examples of God moving on behalf of people because of their faith, from God’s miraculous rescue of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to the many miracles of Jesus. If we want to experience God moving in our lives, we should build up and exercise our faith.

 A CLOSER LOOK

How do we build our faith? The Bible says faith comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). I love how the Amplified Bible states it in Romans 1:17 (AMP): For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith] … The more we learn, read, and hear God’s word, the stronger our faith will become. When we exercise our faith, we open doors for God’s power to show up within us and around us.

However, exercising faith involves more than our inner thoughts and beliefs. We show our faith by what we say and do. Without actions to back up our beliefs, our faith is dead. James 2:26 says that faith without works is like a body without a spirit.

Let’s consider a natural example. My children have faith in their dad. I know this, not because they have told me, but because of how they talk about him, how they respond to him, the bold things they request and even the lack of worry they display while going about their daily lives. They live like children who believe their father loves them and will take care of their needs. They ask for things (whether it be a spaceship or pet pony) like children who believe their dad can grant it. And when they do get a yes from their father, it is the ultimate authority on any given topic. No one could tell them otherwise if Daddy said so.

The Bible tells us to come to God like children. Our faith should be confident and without doubt. It should be evident in how we respond to God and how we speak to the mountains in our lives. In Matthew 17:20 (NLT) Jesus said, I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.

 SCRIPTURE IN FOCUS

There is power in our faith. One of my favorite stories of faith described in the Bible is that of the woman with the issue of blood we read about in Mark 5:25-34. When this woman came to Jesus, she had suffered from a flow of blood for 12 years and had exhausted her resources trying to find a cure, only for her condition to have grown worse. Let’s look at how faith impacted her situation.

The woman believed Jesus was a healer.

This woman’s faith began by hearing about Jesus (Mark 5:27). The scripture doesn’t tell us exactly what she had seen or heard about Jesus to convince her to approach him, but whatever it was, she believed wholeheartedly that Jesus could heal her.

The woman acted based on her faith.

Mark 5:28 (NLT) says when the woman saw Jesus in the crowd, she thought to herself, If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed. And then she did it. She acted in faith.

The woman’s faith activated God’s power on her behalf.

Immediately after touching Jesus, the woman’s bleeding stopped, and she was healed. This act of faith caused Jesus to stop in his tracks. And then he asked, Who touched me? Remember, Jesus was in the middle of a crowd. His disciples thought the question was strange because many people had touched Jesus. But the woman’s touch was different. Mark 5:30 (NLT) says, Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him when the woman touched him. When he saw her, Jesus said in verse 34, Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over. She was healed because of her faith.

 PRAYER FOCUS

Thank the Lord for his gift of salvation and ask him to give you fresh understanding and revelation in his word to build your faith. Ask God to help you overcome any unbelief in your heart as you walk with him. Offer your life to him and believe in his power to transform you daily.

WEEK 2:

REVERENCE & HUMILITY

To revere God is to let go of the pride that says, ‘my way,’ and walk in the humility that tells God, ‘your way.’

As we draw near to God through faith, our eyes are opened beyond our natural understanding. It is like moving toward a mountain: the closer you get, the more you realize how big it is and, subsequently, how small you are in comparison. We can respect the grandeur of a mountain when we are standing at its foot, and looking up, its peak is farther than our ability to see.

Similarly, believing in and knowing God should come with reverence. An acknowledgement of who God is should cause us to properly position ourselves in submission to him. We should have deep honor and respect in awe of him, shaping the way we respond to him. Psalm 103:11 (ESV) says, For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.

As Christians, we shouldn’t shy away from the fear or reverence of God. It is healthy and roots us in proper perspective. I think of growing up with my own dad. As a kid, I knew he loved me and would do anything for me. But I also understood that part of his love involved discipline and teaching me the way to a prosperous life. Because he had the power to discipline, there was a natural fear of disappointing him. This reverential fear was rooted both in the acknowledgement and respect of my dad’s authority (as the parent to a child) and in love (my desire to express appreciation for all my father did for me). It is a balance found in healthy parent-child relationships. And it is a balance needed in our relationship with God.

We are creations relating to our Creator. The truth is, we couldn’t fathom all that God is if we tried. Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT) says, ‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’ Knowing that there is absolute truth in God beyond our own thoughts, should cause us to seek him from a place of humility. We should desire to shed our mindset to understand as much as we can of his mindset. To revere God is to let go of the pride that says, my way, and walk in the humility that tells God, your way.

 BACKGROUND

If we look at the passage in Psalm 103 cited earlier, the word fear is translated from the Hebrew word yārē’ that, in the context of this scripture, relates to reverence or the proper rendering of respect based on the recognition of an individual’s power and position. However, when Jesus tells us to fear God more than people in Matthew 10:28, the translation from Greek implies a reverential fear relating to God’s power to bring judgment or consequences. Reverence, then, is layered. It is a response that occurs out of respect and honor when we realize God is holy and we are saved only because of his grace. It is also a response that should shape our actions as we seek to please and (avoid displeasing) God.

 A CLOSER LOOK

Throughout Proverbs, humility and reverence are spoken of in parallels. Proverbs 22:4 (ESV) says, The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. Reverence and humility go together. It is impossible for us to revere God and not humble ourselves under his greatness. The Strong’s Concordance relates being humble to a mindset that stresses God above self with an understanding that we receive all things from him. Like reverence draws out God’s compassion for us, humility does too. 1 Peter 5:5 (NLT) says, ...God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Revering God in humility helps us to not just see God in truth, but to see and respect his creation in truth. God doesn’t value the things our human nature values. The Amplified Bible states 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 this way: Just look at your own calling, believers; not many [of you were considered] wise according to human standards, not many powerful or influential, not many of high and noble birth. But God has selected [for His purpose] the foolish things of the world to shame the wise [revealing their ignorance], and God has selected [for His purpose] the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong [revealing their frailty]. The Bible says that, in God’s eyes, humility brings honor (Proverbs 18:12). And when we humble ourselves, God exalts us (1 Peter 5:6). This goes against our selfish nature and self-centered culture. But, when we understand God loves us with grace, we can see others through the same lens.

Humility is at the root of being like Christ. Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV) says, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Like Christ, our goal should be to value others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3) and use our freedom in God to serve others (Galatians 5:13).

 SCRIPTURE IN FOCUS

In Luke 7:36-50, Jesus was at a Jewish religious leader’s home. The scripture says when a sinful woman from the city heard Jesus was eating at Simon’s house, she brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume and knelt at Jesus’ feet, crying. She washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair and rubbed them with oil. When Simon saw this, he said,