Bootheel Ministires Outreach

05/31/2026

05/29/2026

John 15:2 KJV
[2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

What It Takes to Thrive

In both gardening and spiritual terms, planting and harvesting are exciting seasons. Planting is the start of an adventure; harvesting is the product of hard work. It’s easy to celebrate new beginnings and hard-earned completions—but one thing that’s not as much fun?

The pruning process.

Who wants to acknowledge what’s dead and unproductive in their lives? Who wants to trim back what’s already blooming—leaving you smaller, awkward, and feeling extra weak?

But pruning is exactly what we need to keep producing fruit.

“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
John 15:2 NIV

Jesus mentions two separate actions in this process—cutting off what’s dead and pruning fruit.

Cutting out what’s dead makes sense. It’s extra weight, it’s unproductive, it’s blocking sunlight, and it’s stealing good energy from branches that could thrive. But without proper context, pruning fruit feels backwards.

However, the purpose of pruning isn’t to disable something, but to revitalize it.

If a branch is weak or diseased, it could not only damage itself, but the surrounding trees as well. Without pruning, both the tree and the life surrounding it can never reach full potential.

Pruning creates room for more growth.
Pruning stimulates production.
Pruning keeps the plant or person strong.

God is a good Gardener. He wouldn’t be a good Gardener if He left you to yourself—overgrown, ineffective, and full of dysfunction. But He cares for those He loves. He cuts off what’s dead for your benefit. He lovingly trims back ineffective things in your life to make way for more fruit.

You can trust God with your life because He cares about who you are and who you can become.

So what “dead branches” are you dragging around? Is it possible that God is pruning you for future growth? Take a few moments and talk to God about any areas in your life that you recognize need to change.

05/28/2026

Proverbs 9:10 KJV
[10] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

The Key to Real Wisdom

Would you ever build a house without blueprints? Or assemble an airplane without instructions? Or conduct open-heart surgery without training?

Hopefully your answer is “no.”

If we want to know how something works, we should look to the expert for insight. In a similar way, if we want to know how the world works, we should look to God.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
Proverbs 9:10 ESV

God made the world and everything in it. He knows how life works best.

But too often, we look to ourselves or even to others to tell us who we are, what to think, and to explain to us how life works. The good news is:

Wisdom doesn’t begin with us—the created.
Wisdom begins with God—the Creator.

Are you interested in real wisdom? Genuine insight? True understanding? Look to God, study His ways, and consider His character. Examine Him closely and find what you’re searching for.

Real wisdom starts with a God-centered foundation. Everything else is built on that rock.

But as we do that, we must first honestly ask ourselves some hard questions: Do I want to learn from God, or would I rather do my own thing? Do I want godly wisdom, or would I rather be my own god?

Satan fell from heaven because he wanted more power than God. Adam and Eve struggled in the garden because they weren’t sure if they could trust God. And ever since, every human has been faced with a choice: to seek God, or seek life without Him. No one can make the decision for you, but—

If you want to be truly wise, you must choose God.

So right now, be real with yourself: Are you willing to surrender your way of thinking and genuinely look to God, or would you rather just do your own thing? If you feel a wall of pride going up within you, ask God to help you knock it down. Brick by brick, He can reestablish your foundation.

05/28/2026

Matthew 6:9-13 KJV
[9] After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. [10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. [11] Give us this day our daily bread. [12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgiv

05/27/2026

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

An Example Worth Following

Jesus stood in silence as he was stripped, spit on, beaten, and mocked. He stood there as they twisted thorns into a crown and shoved it onto His head. He watched as they gambled for His clothes. He was rejected, accused, beaten, stripped, and crucified—and He endured all of this willingly, because of love.

Imagine having unlimited power and authority, and giving it all up. Imagine voluntarily sacrificing your life so that others could also experience God’s deep, unconditional love. This is what Jesus modeled for us.

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges… When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

Jesus knew whose He was, and what He was called to do. He knew that selfless service mattered more than selfishness. He knew that humility was greater than pride. And He knew that obeying God would lead to our freedom and His glory.

Jesus modeled humility by laying down His life so that we could know the love of God personally. And if we say that we follow Jesus, then we need to have the same attitude and outlook on life that Jesus did. But we can only do this by staying united in Jesus as we follow His example together.

So, how do we stay united? We show love to each other. And how do we show love to each other? By thinking about other people first, and choosing not to hold onto bitterness. True love requires a willingness to let go of pride, and to serve without expecting anything in return.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:12-13 ESV

So who can you show love to today? Spend a few moments allowing God to reveal how you can practically embrace humility, stay united in love, and serve others selflessly today.

05/25/2026

05/25/2026

Psalm 23:3 KJV
[3] He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Finding Rest in God

Can you remember the last time you drank cold water after being outside in the hot sun? Or maybe diving into a lake in the middle of summer? It feels good to be refreshed physically, and all of us have different ideas about how to get refreshed.

God’s Word tells us that God is like a Shepherd who takes care of us. He protects us from harm and He makes sure we’re nourished.

One of the jobs of a shepherd is to provide the sheep with refreshment. This is why the writer of Psalm 23 says the Lord leads him into quiet places and lush spaces. Those things were refreshing to his soul.

Have you checked on your own soul lately?

Sometimes when we haven’t been refreshed by God, we end up living in a hurry. We keep our souls and minds busy going from one thing to the next. We become anxious. After long enough, we begin to think there might be something wrong with us.

In John 10:11, Jesus says that He is the Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep. This means that Jesus provides the right path that we should walk, spiritual protection and guidance through prayer, and also spiritual refreshment for our soul. When we spend time with Jesus, part of His job is to refresh us.

But in order to do that, we have to follow Him into those quiet spaces. We have to leave the noise and notifications of the world behind us and learn the slow pace of Jesus. We don’t have to hurry in our time with Him.

When we learn to quiet our souls by removing distractions, we can begin to enjoy simply being with Jesus. When we learn to enjoy Jesus, then He will do His job of refreshing our souls that are parched and weary without Him.

So take some time today without distractions and spend time with Jesus. If you find that difficult, that is an indicator that your soul isn’t used to resting. Your life will be so much healthier and satisfying if you make it a daily habit to be refreshed by God.

05/24/2026