Deeper Roots

Holy Tuesday is upon us, bringing the subject of Jesus cursing a fig tree on Monday, and it being discovered with withered leaves caused by the roots dying overnight  (“Fig Tuesday”).  We know Jesus never did anything out of anger, although at the moment it may have looked like he was hangry at the fruitless tree that normally, when covered in beautiful leaves, should have had fruit on it. He certainly was preparing a message for the people to think about.   I believe it was also for future disciples to be warned of the need to have DEEPER ROOTS.

We read in Mark 11:12-14 and then 19-22 (AMP)

 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He was hungry. ¹³ Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if He would find anything on it. But He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ He said to it, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening [to what He said].

¹⁹ When evening came, Jesus and His disciples would leave the city.²⁰ In the morning, as they were passing by, the disciples saw that the fig tree had withered away from the roots up. ²¹ And remembering, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi (Master), look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered!” ²² Jesus replied, “Have faith in God constantly”.

Parallels are drawn to the leafy but fruitless tree symbolizing shallow religious hearts of the people that bear no fruit due to the roots lacking spiritual depth.  As Jesus had just the day before turned over tables in the Temple, the dead fig tree also represented the state of Israel and the religious leaders who appeared holy but weren’t bearing the fruit God was looking for.

Deep roots are central to the metaphor of the fig tree, which had leaves (when mature and healthy, the leaves are as sparse as the figs take over), appearing healthy outwardly, but it lacked fruit because it lacked proper sustenance or depth.

I dare us to compare the healthy appearance of the Western church world today.

Holy Week, on the religious side of the week, is also known as Great Week as it represents the final days of Jesus’s earthly ministry.  Palm Sunday’s triumphant entry, Good Friday’s somber crucifixion, and, of course, Jesus’s rising from the dead on Easter represent the whole of Christianity.   Most Christians in the West are not talking about Holy week, if you are reading this, count yourself way above average.  Measure the difference between how many people attended church on Palm Sunday versus Easter.  And how few Good Friday sees. As for Holy Monday – Thursday, yawn.

In an age of careful image management and social-media upkeep, the warning against spiritual shallowness carries particular weight. The fig tree’s fate and the seldom taught subject on it in the church serve as a sobering reminder that authentic faith must produce tangible fruit in believers’ lives.  The real fruit shown on Mondays and Tuesdays from Galatians 5 is the better measuring stick:

“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is ¹love [unselfish concern for others], ²joy, [inner] ³peace, ⁴patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], ⁵kindness, ⁶goodness, ⁷faithfulness,  ⁸gentleness,⁹self-control.”

The church itself measures ‘fruit’ in statistics – church attendance numbers, salvations, baptisms, bible study attenders, members, how many volunteers, building size, social media subscribers, and of course, budget size, tithes, and offerings.    All good and important things.

Whereas the Bible and the call of the great commission call not only for evangelizing (thus yes salvations and baptisms are key) but the making of disciples.   Disciples are followers of Christ who give up their lives as Jesus and all the Apostles did to serve the Lord and ”Have faith in God constantly”.   How many leaves fall off the tree in the church because of shallow roots from the mere Sunday appearances and no Monday through Saturday time with God?

The truth is, Jesus is still looking for fruit today. Not perfection, but evidence of real faith, real transformation. The fig tree reminds us that God sees through appearances, and that’s not meant to scare us. It’s meant to wake us up and motivate us to take our roots deeper.

May this little writeup motivate you to take your faith deeper and Happy Holy Fig Tuesday, but don’t think I’ve finished yet.  I have only just begun.  Bookmark this for more lessons, with a deeper dive on how far God would love to take you..  Or if you have the stamina now keep on going…

Please don’t go away yet! Read below the red line for more. If this is your first time visiting Average Joe’s Portico, every post is written in two parts. You have just read the portion challenging the mind, body, and soul.  In or on The Portico (as in Solomon’s Portico or porch), I seek to tap into your spiritual side, but only IF YOU DARE.  If you are in a mood of ‘don’t shove God down my throat’, this part is not for you, it is your out. Otherwise, Keep reading past the Red Line Below and read Part 2  for the Spiritual side of this story.  (For an explanation of this creative writing attempt – read the ‘Do You Dare’ Tab) 

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I previously released a full story on how I discovered one day, breaking a shovel in my garden, how Deep Root subjects needed work in my life.  Here is the updated full two-part story:

I have always been a deep thinker.  Too often it has been a detriment to productivity as analyzing every angle creates long delays in reaching a decision.  Some call it perfectionism, others procrastination.  Do you find yourself stuck in one place like a mouse on a spinning wheel?   Hang around as we spin through the root cause of troubles – not going deep enough to dig out those Deep Roots.

Nine years ago, we moved into a 50-year-old home on an acre that amazingly did not have a veggie garden.  It is our 10th home, all of which required creating a garden so I was excited to use the previous experiences to create the best one ever.   I moved an old fence and found a spot with direct sun, but not too much sun, and close to a water spigot.  By hand and shovel, I dug out a 30′ by 35′ foot plot sifting out the grass and turning the hard red clay soil into a productive organic garden.   Year one turned out to be ok, but there were some sections where the tomatoes, peppers, and other crops were thin.  The plants were vigorous until mid-season, when they wilted away after only a few picks.

I thought the reason was due to the poor red soil.  I was certain I had covered all the bases as with every garden (like life) you have to deal with weeds, bugs, molds, not enough or too much water, birds, mice, deer, rabbits, ants (nothing worse than fire ants that I found several times the hard way while picking weeds, ouch with the stings!)  leaf-eating worms, rocks and more.  I brought in more compost and bags of enriched soil.  Year two was better but still, the production was nowhere close to the years past in my other gardens.  In year three, I expanded some; the grounds were better, and the crops increased, but still not up to par.  Those wilted pepper and tomato plants in a few spots were dumbfounding. I had done everything, I thought!

I was determined to find what was wrong, so I began to dig deeper the next Spring.  Further down, I discovered the culprit, these large tree roots from the tree that was cut down were blocking the depth the plants needed for the mid 90-100 degree weather.   I kept digging and chopping, pulling out a whole pile of these nasty roots!   They were deep underground roots I was not even aware were there?   I was going to use this unattractive photo for the cover.   Instead, I found one of some super large roots that had grown over an old temple in Ta Prohm, Cambodia.They were so deep, thick, and hard that I snapped the shovel I was using in half.  I nearly broke my neck as I fell headfirst over the shovel. Thankfully, I didn’t get bludgeoned by the spear.The crop produced last fall was phenomenal.  My organic gardening technique to combat bugs, birds, anoles, and whatever is to overplant.  100% by seed to keep the cost down and to eat the healthiest foods for eight months out of the year.  We’re still eating last year’s frozen peppers, beans, tomato sauces, and canned pickles and veggies.  We kept our neighbors happy too with the extras.  With inflation going bonkers the savings are actually noticeable now, and my favorite need for exercise and stress relief is met as well.  Not having to rely fully on commercial sources provides some security in case of a fallout of some kind. 

The theme here though, is not gardening, surprise.  For anyone that has ever been in therapy, you would know the therapist’s like to have you discover those deep roots of what may be causing your difficulties in a marriage or relationship or personal struggles of fears, worries, anxiety, depression, anger, addictive activities, and other things that steal your joy.  After finding those roots way down I realized often we do not find what is really causing difficulties in our emotional and spiritual health.  They are often much deeper than we realize.

A good therapist will help us find those root issues.  The problem though, is that after you think you’ve found the problem, via breaking a few shovels and spending lots of therapy time (and money)- they have no solution to the problem (s).   A perpetual circle of the mouse going in circles continues, as the therapist and psychiatrist need to pay their bills so you become a forever patient.   The problem, or merely pointing out the problem, keeps you coming back as you are told that the continuous regimen of digging is the solution when it is not.  It takes work to maintain a garden. It takes work to build a healthy mind and body and to continually maintain it as well.  Sometimes you hunker down and dig out the deep roots.

I have written many previous suggestions with solutions, one deep-rooted issue is finding how to forgive unforgivable people. Read it here.      The goal today is to encourage all to never give up, take the time to build themselves back up if you are down, or stretch deeper for increased growth.  Find and dig out those Deep Roots!

I hope that has helped you so far, but as always, I go deeper and separately into the spiritual side.  Don’t stop now, go deeper…

I always have bits and pieces of Biblical references on a subject. Today I felt it best to let you walk out the full text point-blank of what has prompted the subject of deep roots.  The book of Isaiah has the 2nd most chapters, next to Psalms, in the Bible. “In unsurpassed eloquence (From this doc)    Isaiah describes greatness, grace, and glory of God, the virgin birth, dual nature, earthly life, the sufferings and resurrection of the Messiah (Jesus Christ).”   I was deeply struck by the whole of Isaiah 56 in the expanded AMP version.  Read it and see if we hit the same buttons. (I’d be shocked if the same buttons are pressed)

Isaiah 56:1   This is what the Lord says,
“Maintain justice and do righteousness,
For My salvation is soon to come,
And My righteousness and justice is soon to be revealed.

²“Blessed (happy, fortunate) is the man who does this,
And the son of man who takes hold of it,
Who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

³Do not let the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
“The Lord will most certainly separate me from His people.”
And do not let the eunuch say, “Look, I am a dry tree.”

⁴ This is what the Lord says,“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold firmly to My covenant,

⁵To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial,
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off.

⁶ “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord,
To be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it
And holds fast to My covenant by conscientious obedience;

⁷All these I will bring to My holy mountain
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar;
For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

⁸The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares:
“I will gather yet others to them (Israel), to those [already] gathered.”

⁹ All you beasts of the field,
All you beasts (hostile nations) in the forest,
Come to eat.
¹⁰ Israel’s watchmen are blind,
They are all without knowledge.
They are all mute dogs, they cannot bark;
Panting, lying down, they love to slumber.

¹¹And the dogs are greedy; they never have enough.
They are shepherds who have no understanding;
They have all turned to their own way,
Each one to his unlawful gain, without exception.

¹²“Come,” [they say,] “let us get wine, and let us fill ourselves with strong drink;
And tomorrow will be like today, very great indeed.”

Two words jumped out at me as I thought about a couple additional roots last I found last week in my garden ahead of National Gardening Day.  Eunuch and Sabbath.  Did the same words pop out to you while reading the above?

4 “This is what the LORD says, “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths“

There is a movement that originally sounded like a great thing, where people of Jewish descent have found Jesus Christ to be their Savior.   Messianic Jewish churches have mixed in with evangelical gentile churches in the West, which is fantastic.   People have discovered the roots and traditions of the Jewish church and celebrate the old holy days.  While this can be fun for a while, when it becomes a renewal of the old law, it may be too far.  For some, it brings upon the warnings Paul made to the Galatians who insisted that new Christians become circumcised, the same as Jews, Paul said ‘Who has bewitched you?’

In Romans 7:6 he emphasized the fact that the old laws became obsolete “But now we have been released from the Law and its penalty, having died through Christ to that by which we were held captive, so that we serve God in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter of the Law.”  See Hebrews 8:13 and 9:15 and others for further understanding.

For many, our deepest root problem is from past religious strangleholds on our lives, but at the same time, we may pendulum swing too far the other way.  I was raised as a ritualistic Catholic, branded with it being an absolute requirement to go to church every Sunday (the modern Sabbath) and Holy Day.  It was not much different than the Jewish faith.   They say the 4th commandment is in the top 10 of important things to do.  The 10 commandments, in many cases, are not just suggestions; some are written in the law books too.  Murdering and stealing is against the law in every part of the world.  Perhaps they should have been called the 10 common sensements.  Most are not overly difficult to keep, lest of course they be expanded, such as Jesus saying hating your brother in your mind is equivalent to murder.

I reiterate how Isaiah started chapter 56 “This is what the LORD says, “Maintain justice and do righteousness, For My salvation is soon to come, And My righteousness and justice is soon to be revealed. Blessed (happy, fortunate) is the man who does this, And the son of man who takes hold of it, Who keeps the Sabbath without profaning it, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”  IS 56:1-2 AMP

The Sabbath was misconstrued by the Jewish leaders as another written law and a to do that few could keep.  We have the same warning signs to dig through the balance today in some church circles.

Jesus, who is God and while on earth as a human, while also being in tune with God, recognized that the 4th commandment ‘Keep the Sabbath‘ was being used as a tool for greedy gain.  Rather than warning that salvation was both near and far, the leaders were like the greedy and sleeping dogs of vs. 10-11 that did not bark that danger was looming while preaching all is well, prosperity is coming.   Make sure you bring your tithes every week and submit to our every word and our authority.  To reveal their hypocrisy, Jesus healed people on the Sabbath.  He told His disciples one day to go grab some food from the field to eat on the Sabbath, a no-no in their eyes.  He was not slapping himself in the face for writing the 4th commandment.  Now try to grasp with your hands and minds (with Holy Spirit understanding) what the trinity is all about and meditate on what we’ve read so far in this strangely, but accurately, written paragraph.

Selah/Pause in deep thought and listen to this first song on my playlist titled

For those who don’t like music or YouTube, the words of the 1st song The All in All help us go deeper to Jesus Himself who said “not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”  It can be confusing to see that He went out of His way to seemingly break the law of the Sabbath, washing of hands, and other rituals of the law.  The words of the song accurately identify who He is:

• “There’s only One who knows all that there is
• Only One who knows all that has been
• There’s only One who knows all that’s to come
•  The Alpha, Omega, Father, Spirit, Son
• First and the last The ancient of days Omniscient are all of Your ways
• Your everywhere all knowing The ever present One
• The Alpha, Omega, the Three in One
• You are the all in all, You are everywhere
• You are present You are the all in all,
• You are Omnipotent You are the all in all. Everywhere You’re present Everywhere He’s present Everywhere You’re present
• We begin to see The love You have Dawn in us
• You love the world    And we believe”

Pause Note – Selah or Pause is written in Psalms at times.  It means to pause and reflect.  Most people think it is like a moment of silence for 2 seconds in remembrance of a famous person at a sporting event.  Perhaps it is meant to be much more, longer, and deeper.  As I have been editing this I have had several long pauses and deep reflections.  I have thought about not posting this at all, which is common, yet have felt’ the prompting to just air it out raw.  Thus, that is what I did, raw and scary.  I know that some will have a hard time with what is written. I have a hard time with some parts myself; they are deep roots.

So what then was Jesus and Isaiah getting at then???

“To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths”

While thankfully for us men Paul eliminated adult circumcision (although 99% are circumcised for health reasons at birth) but he actually advocated abstaining from not only sexual activity but marriage itself.  He said: ” ⁶ But I am saying this as a concession, not as a command. ⁷ I wish that all the people were as I am; but each person has his own gift from God, one of this kind and one of that. ⁸ But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, that as a practical matter it is good if they remain single and entirely devoted to the Lord as I am. ⁹ But if they do not have self-control, they should marry;“

Oh my, the thought of being a total Eunuch makes my stomach completely squeamish!

Maybe being a total Eunuch is stretching things for a married man, but God is certainly though, calling and wanting a deeper, peace-filled, joyous relationship with us alone and others together with Him.  Some thoughts are so deep we must simply stop and pause and let them soak in and come to us.  Many we cannot even accept at all.   All is a lot to give away.

Men cannot truly understand what the pain of childbirth is like.  To the women reading this, we’re sorry.  Bear with something, though that we men become squeamish over, in fact, for some of us the thought just turns our face green, Eunuch.  A Eunuch is a castrated man.  Have you ever been watching a ball game of any type and see a man go down to the ground after being hit in the groin area?  It is usually looked at initially with a laugh and then a simultaneous groan from every man who has experienced that hit.  If you look at the face of a man who has had that happen, they typically start turning green or gray, depending on skin tone.

Here is an explanation of the pain comparisons of childbirth versus a kick in the groin from a man’s perspective.      To show my lack of understanding after some research I have found women have a similar painful feeling from a kick in the groin as well.  Here’s a more educational video on that topic.

Isaiah and Paul covered the subject, so did Jesus:

“The disciples said to Jesus, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.” But He said to them, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom the capacity to receive it has been given. For there are eunuchs who have been born that way from their mother’s womb [making them incapable of consummating a marriage]; and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men [for royal service]; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it.”    Matthew 19:10-12 AMP

Talk about getting off subject, no, I am not.   What is important to understand is that going deeper in our relationship with God is not being super religious.   It is not a crazy physical sacrifice like becoming a eunuch or self-flagellation. It is making the time to be devoted to him so much so that it is like giving up the things you love the most.    I repeat Paul’s statement (noting we do not know if Paul was a widower as some think or what his actual marital situation of the past was) “entirely devoted to the Lord as I am.” 

Jesus in the form of man on earth was no different than our human form.  Yet He spent the majority of time sabbathing (sic), that is, resting in the presence of God.   Yes, we do it in fellowship/church, in small groups, and one-on-one, but how much solo?  Jesus spent much time aside from the exhausting travels, preaching, and healing, alone, resting in God’s peace.  The disciples had tried to cast out an evil demon from a man and failed, Jesus told them not only was it their unbelief and lack of faith that caused them to fail but also because ‘this kind of demon does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Mt. 17:21

What He was saying is our ability to do the miraculous in every situation, as He did, comes from a deeper full relationship with him.  It comes from being entangled with God in such a way that it makes addictions we’ve felt from drugs, alcohol, winning, power from dominance surges, and yes sex – seem like nothing.  Do you have an emotional and uplifting relationship with Jesus?  Is it always ‘blessed, happy, fortunate’   If not at all (as I have spoken to several people in the past few years who have a book-only relationship with God), perhaps you, as I did for years, have a deep root to extract.

One of my deep-rooted problems aside from being in a few legalistic churches and ministries was being taught that ‘feelings lie.’   Part of my after-salvation background was with leaders who believed and taught cessationism.  In essence, the teachings say the very power of God that Jesus gave to the church in the book of Acts came to an end after the Apostles died.  Feelings and ‘trances’ are of the devil and not to be trusted; they are new-age or Gnosticism or charlatanism.

Jesus mentioned when a woman who needed healing from a 12-year-long bleeding disorder touched his garment that He ‘felt‘ the power being removed from Him.  If that is the case, then why was I taught to ignore feelings of the power of the Holy Spirit?  Why is it considered dangerous to get caught up with those identified or who identify as spirit-filled, who thrive on emotions?’   These same teachers tell us that anyone who participates in healing, speaking in tongues, casting out demons, and other things that Jesus did and told us to do are false teachers.  Despite having been healed several times, saved from the deathbed, and experienced several family miracles, I still fight the doubts.  Honestly, it has been a hard root for me to remove from my thought process.    Even after nearly dying.  It has made me look further into what is weakest in my walk, to strengthen it.

But in my garden, as I evaluated those roots pulled from the dirt, I saw my need to pull out those deep roots in my relationship with the Lord.  I realized I was led by the blind, remember that part from Is 56:10-1?  “Israel’s watchmen are blind, They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; Panting, lying down, they love to slumber. And the dogs are greedy; they never have enough. They are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unlawful gain, without exception.”

Is it possible I have been afraid of offending the doctrinally correct so much that my faith has been limited?   Have you, who are reading, felt the same weight?  I know I have and am thus working hard, breaking shovels, to get that root out.  Get rid of those voices of faith killers who cast doubts on every work of God and slam the supernatural.  If you haven’t noticed lately, this world needs miracles to get us out of the worldwide mess we are living in.

I read a post from one who came from my background about a spiritual leader who died at a young age, it went like this: “He looked cancer right in the eye and saw the sovereign hand of God and trusted Him. His faith and hope in the Goodness of God and the risen Savior was tested and found pure. He did not just leave a legacy of…”    How does one who looked at cancer in the eye “settle” for a sovereignty clause?  (I am Not questioning God’s sovereignty, no way, I question a person settling for defeat).  REMEMBER back in the Fig story what Jesus said when the Apostles noticed the withered fig – “Have faith in God constantly”.    I was saddened and recalled Jesus before He raised Lazarus from the dead, it said simply ‘Jesus Wept.’  The Jesus who said to the Apostles that they and all their future disciples, which has to include us 2000 years later, would do greater works than he did was weeping and angry because of death itself.  Just as He was angry at the tree with no roots acting pretty.  Jesus would not ‘look cancer in the eye and see sovereignty’  He would see that God is a healer.  When I was strapped in a life flight helicopter I didn’t talk to God about sovereignty I talked to Him about doing a miracle and bringing me through a stroke fully healed, – and He did!!

We see him here in John 11   “When Mary came [to the place] where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³ When Jesus saw her sobbing, and the Jews who had come with her also sobbing, He was deeply moved in spirit [to the point of anger at the sorrow caused by death] and was troubled, ³⁴ and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus wept.“

Jesus was also disappointed that the faithful believers still did not believe in Him other than superficially.    ‘Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days!  It is hopeless!” ⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe in Me, you will see the glory of God the expression of His excellence?”

How do we believe that Jesus who commanded us to take the powerful words of the Gospel to the world left behind the healing and miraculous power of the Holy Spirit?   Jesus dealt with the unbelief of His own disciples even to the last day after His resurrection.  He rebuked them for unbelief! And then told them what their calling is in Mark 16:

¹⁴ Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Let us remove the roots of unbelief.  Many of us have some really Deep Roots, dig vigorously to the point of breaking the shovel.   Isaiah’s prophecies all came true in Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Read about it often to validate your faith and make it real.  If you have not read the deepest Good Friday message thoroughly explaining the powerful Gospel, find another ten minutes and read it here. It has Deep Roots.

Seek what 56:7 promises to us now.  Find that joy often to overcome all doubts, to be healed of hurts that are deep-rooted hurting your faith.

All these I will bring to My holy mountain
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.   Isaiah 56:7

 One does not have to become a eunuch or require a more mature person to be with you to spend time on God’s mountain, He has invited us all.  Find the mountain and have Him show you how to overcome and dig out those Deep Roots and develop Deeper Roots of your own  May this Holy Tuesday study motivate you to spend more time in His Holy presence so that your tree will display the fruits of the Spirit 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

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P.S.  I do no advertising, but I do want to advertise one special thing to me, it is my son’s YouTube Page. He has a cartoon that started as a comic book written when he was in 2nd grade. It is about a fictional character with a weird name of King Swabber Knoffer.  You’ll find the page here,   and he has about 50 cartoons he hand-created (no AI junk) all in order from the very first to the latest on a PlayList here.  They’re all funny (in my opinion) and include subtle life lessons with friends with an occasional spiritual story throughout a cartoon for all ages, kind of like SpongeBob, but this idea was way before that era.