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Seven Bible verses about Roots

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Seven of the 50 "Jubilee Cards" help us catch onto the Roots Rhythm. The seven verses on these cards below are snippets from all over the Bible that get us started in seeing God's complex and vibrant "Abraham Strategy", working through the spiritual descendants of Abraham to bless the whole human race.

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If we had only one Bible verse to help us catch onto the tempo of the Roots Rhythm, it would probably be the first one of the seven, Genesis 12.3:  All families on earth will be blessed through you (Abraham). 

 

It takes some time to get our minds around it, but that doesn't matter. We can love it before we understand it all. We just move with the rhythm as far as we understand, and we gradually get better at it. These seven verses on the Jubilee Cards are a great starting point. 

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How hard is a Jubilee "workout"?

 

It is actually very relaxing. In about a minute the workout helps us get the truth about ourselves and our role in God's campaign onto our minds. We see ourselves as life-bringers, fruitful branches, etc., but we do not see those roles as things we have to try harder to do. 

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Forcing ourselves to play those roles is as impossible as forcing ourselves to go to sleep. The harder we try to sleep, the more awake we stay. We have to relax. It is the same with “seeing ourselves in Christ.” We just relax and welcome the identity that God is giving us. And that’s what the cards help us do.

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Simplest workout technique: pick up one Jubilee Card from the stack. As you start to glance down, say to the card, "Make my day." Then read it. 

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Stay alert but relaxed during the day: always be watching for opportunities to connect, heal, or bless people, and keep asking God for more. The more blessing you get to deliver, the better you feel at the end of the day. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20.35) 

 

Remember, however, this is not a project you design or a contest in which you compete. This is God's campaign. Don't work hectically and don't get stressed out. You are not alone, not for a minute.

 

Decompress in the evening: Thank God for who you get to be in Christ and for any chances you had today to be a life-bringer (or whichever word was on today’s card). If you have some mistakes to confess, you can pray, “I’m sorry, Lord. I only made that mistake because I forgot who I was. Thank you for who I am by your grace, and let me live tomorrow more like the real me.” 

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Don’t make the Jubilee Cards a burden, and don’t worry if you miss a day or two. You are not trying to score any points or prove anything with your exercising. You are trying to develop a new way of seeing yourself in Christ. Your aim is slow permanent change.

 

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Jubilee Cards for Roots Season (default wording)

 

Put your name in the blanks below, or use the JUMP button at the top of this page for instructions about printing your full set of 50 cards, with or without customization. Note: the full set includes the seasonal icons and omits the words in black bold print below--more visual appeal.

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Sundays 

SYNC Card 8 

 

Roots Verse:  All families on earth will be blessed through Abraham, and that includes 
yours, ________.

     Adapted from The Message paraphrase of Genesis 12.3

 

Prayer:  Thank you that as we bless others, we are part of the fulfillment of your ancient promise to Abraham.

 

Declaration:  This is a day to remember God's promise to Abraham, and to live like it matters. 

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Reminder:  We see ourselves in Christ as fruitful branches on the Abraham family tree.

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Mondays

SYNC Card 9 

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Roots Verse:  Some of the branches were pruned and you wild olive shoots were grafted in. Now you are fed by that rich and holy root, but that doesn’t give you any bragging rights, ________.

     Adapted from The Message paraphrase of Romans 11.17

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Declaration:  This is a day to remember God's promise to Abraham, and to live like it matters. 

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Reminder:  We see ourselves in Christ as fruitful branches on the Abraham family tree.

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Prayer:  God of Abraham, thank you for grafting us into Abraham’s family tree and letting us get nourished by that root.

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Tuesdays

SYNC Card 10 

 

Roots Verse:  Just go ahead with what you’ve been given, ________. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him.

     Adapted from The Message paraphrase of Colossians 2.7

 

Prayer:  Thank you for our deep roots in Jesus, through whom we become members of Abraham’s family. 

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Declaration:  This is a day to remember God's promise to Abraham, and to live like it matters. 

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Reminder:  We see ourselves in Christ as fruitful branches on the Abraham family tree.

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Wednesdays

SYNC Card 11 

 

Roots Verse:  I am the Vine, you are the branches. When we are attached, _______, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing.

     Adapted from The Message paraphrase of John 15.5

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Prayer:  Thank you for our living attachment to Jesus the Messiah, the source of a fruitful life.

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Declaration:  This is a day to remember God's promise to Abraham, and to live like it matters. 

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Reminder:  We see ourselves in Christ as fruitful branches on the Abraham family tree.

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Thursdays

SYNC Card 12

 

Roots Verse:  The Spirit of Christ produces fruits such as these, ________: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, loyalty, tolerance, and self-control.

     Adapted from The Message paraphrase of Galatians 5.22-23

 

Prayer:  Thank you that a fruitful life comes not by us trying harder but by accepting your Spirit’s influence.

Declaration:  This is a day to remember God's promise to Abraham, and to live like it matters. 

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Reminder:  We see ourselves in Christ as fruitful branches on the Abraham family tree.

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Fridays

SYNC Card 13

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Roots Verse:  Now that you belong to me, you are an heir of Abraham. You have a share in everything I promised him, ________!

     Adapted from The Message paraphrase of Galatians 3.29

 

Prayer:  Thank you that we get to be heirs in Abraham’s family, sharing in all the promises you gave him.

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Declaration:  This is a day to remember God's promise to Abraham, and to live like it matters. 

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Reminder:  We see ourselves in Christ as fruitful branches on the Abraham family tree.

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Saturdays

SYNC Card 14

 

Roots Verse:  Jew or Gentile, backward or sophisticated, slave or free – none of it matters any more, ________. I lift my people above all that.

     Adapted from The Message paraphrase of Colossians 3.11

 

Prayer:  Thank you for making us all equals in the family of Abraham. We won’t look down on anyone today. 

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Declaration:  This is a day to remember God's promise to Abraham, and to live like it matters. 

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Reminder:  We see ourselves in Christ as fruitful branches on the Abraham family tree.

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FAQs on Jubilee Cards

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Why are we reading these cards at all?

 

Because the Jubilee Cards help us see ourselves in Christ, and that is the best way for us to start every day. Our days go a lot better when we know who we are than when we are mixed up, insecure, or when we just forget.

 

If we see ourselves the way the Jubilee Cards guide us, we will be good for each other and for everybody we meet the whole day. If we don’t, we may see ourselves as losers, weaklings, victims, or people who don’t fit anywhere. Then our days can get really messed up with fear, anger, shame, or loneliness. That’s miserable, and it can get us into even worse things. 

 

There’s more! The Jubilee Cards are only the tip of the iceberg of what the Bible tells us. If you look these verses up in the Bible and read the verses around them, you will see what we mean. Enjoy what is waiting for you there.

 

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Why are they called “Jubilee Cards”?

 

• “Jubilee” means a special celebration, and every Jubilee Card gives us something from the Bible to celebrate. 

• Jubilee often means a 50-year celebration, and there are 50 Jubilee Cards -- 7 SYNC icons x 7 verses per icon = 49, plus one bonus verse for the “jubilee” number of 50.

• If you see yourself the way the cards lead you, you will be “jubilant” (“jubilee-ant”). You will love who you are and what you get to do because you are “in Christ.”

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What is the point of making the "Roots Declaration" on the card? 

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For Self-defense: By making a Roots Declaration, we affirm that God has defined us as part of his campaign team (or global movement). No one can take those roots away from us because no one can undo what God did through Abraham. The Declaration reminds us how secure our identity is. 

 

For Significance: Because the purpose of the campaign team is to bless the world, it is a very significant group to be part of. And every time we bless someone in any way, we are part of the fulfillment of God's ancient promise. No one can tell us that any other group loyalty or any other cause is more significant than that.

 

To prevent waking up grouchy: As for this negative way to start your day (which a OnePoll study said is true for the average American about 300 days per year!), we humans were never designed to be content when we are feeling insecure or insignificant. We don't sleep well. We don't look forward to a day as it begins. And we feel bad about being grouchy, which makes us even more grouchy.

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When we do wake up grouchy, the Roots Declaration raises our sights. It gets our attention back onto our privilege of being rooted in God's promise to Abraham. Our purpose is great--to bless everyone we can. With that mission, we feel good about ourselves. We will never be aimless or bored, two other common sources of grouchiness. 

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As people in SYNC with Jesus, we are authorized to declare that God's campaign is designed to connect, heal, and bless the whole world. His strategy is to use the campaign team or God-movement to bless all other groups.

 

So if you are in SYNC, go ahead and use your authority. Shape your world. Make your day by repeating whichever version of the Declaration works best for you. (If you aren't sure what "in SYNC" means, see "Campaign prayer of Jesus" under "God's campaign".)

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Can I honestly make the declaration on the cards if I'm not convinced that Abraham even existed, much less that God made any such promise to him?  

 

Not really, but you can still live this day experimentally if you are so inclined. Suppose it's true that Abraham existed and that God made that huge promise to him. Suppose God is using the "Abraham Strategy," working through his own team of humans and directing that team to bless all humans?

 

Imagine how your day would be different if you saw yourself as part of that ancient and modern campaign team. Then, as far as you are willing, live your day from that perspective and see what happens.

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