One of the most uncomfortable things in the world for me is anticipation. I can't stand when something lies before me and yet I can't do anything about it. In football, the only thing that drove me crazy was the couple hours right before a game. The week of practice leading up to the game was grueling but I didn't mind it. Even the few days after a game, when I was so sore I couldn't walk, weren't all that bad. But the anticipatory moments right before kick-off were almost unbearable for me.
I don't like the idea of having something to do, but not being able to just "get it done," or at least get started. "Not yet" is a phrase that I'm all too familiar with, but not very fond of. "Hold on" is something that I'll tolerate, but only if I have to. "Pending" is a word that has become utterly contemptuous to me... I don't like it.
Well I can only imagine how the apostles felt in Acts chapter 1 when Jesus spoke those aversive words to them. Having already been instructed that they were to bear witness to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and finally the "ends of the earth," about Jesus the Christ, He tells them that they are to "wait." Unbeknownst to the apostles, their witnessing was going to determine the fate and future of the Church; and while these Christ-ians may not have fully understood the ramifications of their task, I'm sure they knew it was pretty important.
The reality is this: The apostles had been in a preparation period for at least the last 40 days, and now Jesus was telling them that they couldn't put into practice all that they had learned from Him until a promise was fulfilled, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about."(Acts 1:4). To make it worse, there was no date or time given as to when this was going to happen. They just had to trust and wait. The reason they had to wait is because they did not yet have the key ingredient that would make their toils a success, "power" from the Holy Spirit. The "power" (Dynamis) that they were waiting for would ultimately carry them as they undertook this daunting task of preaching "Christ" to the world. Jesus knew that while they had the information they needed, they were still not prepared; They needed God's spirit acting alongside them.
My suspicion is this:
Often times we find ourselves in these times of preparation. We know (partially) what we are to do, we feel as though we're ready, but we still have not been released to action. Upon discovering my call to the ministry in 2006, I immediately thought that it was time to be a pastor. You couldn't tell me that I wasn't ready to begin this great work that God had given me to do. Now I realize that there are years of preparation, of which I am now residing, that need to take place before I will be "prepared" to act. God knows just what we need in order to carry out God's plans for our lives, and to do it in a way that would bring glory to God's name. Most of us get so impatient with what we are supposed to be doing (or what we think we are to do), that we forsake the necessary preparation that will ultimately carry us through.
My challenge is this:
As we wait for God to give us the key ingredients that we need to carry out His plans, let us be patient. Let us not jump out into the field of life before we have been 'sent' by God. Whatever you are endeavoring to do with your life, make for certain that you give God the time that He needs with you in order that you will bring glory to God's name.
This may not apply to everyone, but to those of us who are waiting on God to say, "go forth," I want to offer this consolation: Pray and don't allow anxious impatience to propel you to premature action. I don't know what it is that God has you waiting on, but rest assured that when the time is right (when you are ready) you will have your chance.
Note: Man, this is for me...
Special Note: Whatever you are doing with your life, whether in ministry or not (directly), understand that we ALL need the same Holy Spirit (and "power") if we are going to carry out God's plan.
Be blessed...
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Waiting on God pt. 1 - "When God Shows Up Late"
I'm running out of time. The clock is ticking and there is no sign of hope. If something doesn't happen fast it will be too late. Lord if you don't do something NOW...
Have you ever grown frustrated with waiting on God? Have there ever been times in your life when you needed God to act fast but He just didn't act fast enough. Has your situation ever flatlined while it seemed that the only One with the power to resuscitate it just sat by and did nothing?
These are the exact sentiments of Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus was deathly ill, and they waited for Jesus to come and save him (John 11:1-44). Mary and Martha, trusting that Jesus had the power to keep their brother from dying, sent word to Jesus letting Him know what was going on in the fleeting life of their brother Lazarus. They knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus could keep their brother from dying, but the bible says that even though Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, He stayed where he was for two more days, seemingly doing nothing about their situation (John 11:6). What kind of savior would just sit by and let someone that He loved die when He had the power to keep him alive? What kind of savior would take His sweet time in answering a call of distress when someone's life was at stake? I'll tell you...
A Savior who is not bound by human chronology (our 'time' system); A Savior who is secure in the abundant divine power that He had/has, and now possesses; A Savior who has the power to raise the already dead; and most importantly, a Savior who was trying to get His people to 'believe' in Him.
The truth is, Mary and Martha believed in Jesus as long as Lazarus still had breath in his body; as long as their situation was still living; as long as 'time' (chronos) had not yet run out. But their faith stopped there. They didn't even stop to think that maybe this 'Jesus' could not only keep Lazarus from dying, but He could reverse the death that ultimately took place. This not only shows us Jesus' power, but it also shows how much the Christ truly loves His people. Several times in this story, the bible mentions something of how Jesus was feeling through all of this (i.e. Jesus wept, He was deeply moved.) Jesus was moved by the melancholic nature of what was going on with the people that He loved. It had to have been difficult for Jesus not to act when He probably wanted to, but He had to allow the people to see the extent of who He was and what He was capable of, so that they would 'believe'.
We know how the story ends: Jesus ends up blowing every onlookers mind by taking faith, which they had in part, to a brand new level. Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead!
My suspicion is this:
Many of us 'box' God into our time schedule. We think that if God doesn't act by a certain time, day, year, etc. that He must not care about us or our circumstance. We get so anxious and begin to lose focus on our Lord, paying more attention to our problems than Him. We have faith in part, but our faith is limited based on the "rules" of society, culture and ultimately this world.
My challenge is this:
Understand these things...
1. God is not bound by 'time' as we know it. God is eternal and has no limits. This means that while you and I are limited by time, God operates on an eternal scale. In other words, when time seems to run out for us, it doesn't for God. We are bound to 24 hour days, 7 day weeks; chronos. God operates on His own time scale. So with God, it is NEVER too late. We just need to stop losing faith when He doesn't move when we think he SHOULD.
2. God DOES care about our circumstances. Just like Jesus was "moved" by the pain that Mary and Martha felt, He is also compassionate toward our hearts and what we 'feel'. God is 'very present' in the lives of His people. God is not this 'cold' God that society sometimes makes Him out to be, but rather He cares. God cares deeply about us, and it DOES pain Him to sit by and watch us hurt. However, God is more concerned about our faith and trust in Him than He is concerned with our temporary pain, because God knows it is temporary. Trust me, it isn't easy for God to watch us go through things, but He is trying to show us what He is capable of for the sake of our faith, which is NOT temporary.
Read John 11:1-44
Reflect on a time or times that it seems as though God did not come through for you.
Realize that God cares, and He always comes through for us in His own way. We just can't give up and simply move on, stripping from God the opportunity to work in our situation.
Remember that it is never too late for God to intervene. God is not bound by our sense of time.
Be blessed.
Have you ever grown frustrated with waiting on God? Have there ever been times in your life when you needed God to act fast but He just didn't act fast enough. Has your situation ever flatlined while it seemed that the only One with the power to resuscitate it just sat by and did nothing?
These are the exact sentiments of Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus was deathly ill, and they waited for Jesus to come and save him (John 11:1-44). Mary and Martha, trusting that Jesus had the power to keep their brother from dying, sent word to Jesus letting Him know what was going on in the fleeting life of their brother Lazarus. They knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus could keep their brother from dying, but the bible says that even though Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, He stayed where he was for two more days, seemingly doing nothing about their situation (John 11:6). What kind of savior would just sit by and let someone that He loved die when He had the power to keep him alive? What kind of savior would take His sweet time in answering a call of distress when someone's life was at stake? I'll tell you...
A Savior who is not bound by human chronology (our 'time' system); A Savior who is secure in the abundant divine power that He had/has, and now possesses; A Savior who has the power to raise the already dead; and most importantly, a Savior who was trying to get His people to 'believe' in Him.
The truth is, Mary and Martha believed in Jesus as long as Lazarus still had breath in his body; as long as their situation was still living; as long as 'time' (chronos) had not yet run out. But their faith stopped there. They didn't even stop to think that maybe this 'Jesus' could not only keep Lazarus from dying, but He could reverse the death that ultimately took place. This not only shows us Jesus' power, but it also shows how much the Christ truly loves His people. Several times in this story, the bible mentions something of how Jesus was feeling through all of this (i.e. Jesus wept, He was deeply moved.) Jesus was moved by the melancholic nature of what was going on with the people that He loved. It had to have been difficult for Jesus not to act when He probably wanted to, but He had to allow the people to see the extent of who He was and what He was capable of, so that they would 'believe'.
We know how the story ends: Jesus ends up blowing every onlookers mind by taking faith, which they had in part, to a brand new level. Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead!
My suspicion is this:
Many of us 'box' God into our time schedule. We think that if God doesn't act by a certain time, day, year, etc. that He must not care about us or our circumstance. We get so anxious and begin to lose focus on our Lord, paying more attention to our problems than Him. We have faith in part, but our faith is limited based on the "rules" of society, culture and ultimately this world.
My challenge is this:
Understand these things...
1. God is not bound by 'time' as we know it. God is eternal and has no limits. This means that while you and I are limited by time, God operates on an eternal scale. In other words, when time seems to run out for us, it doesn't for God. We are bound to 24 hour days, 7 day weeks; chronos. God operates on His own time scale. So with God, it is NEVER too late. We just need to stop losing faith when He doesn't move when we think he SHOULD.
2. God DOES care about our circumstances. Just like Jesus was "moved" by the pain that Mary and Martha felt, He is also compassionate toward our hearts and what we 'feel'. God is 'very present' in the lives of His people. God is not this 'cold' God that society sometimes makes Him out to be, but rather He cares. God cares deeply about us, and it DOES pain Him to sit by and watch us hurt. However, God is more concerned about our faith and trust in Him than He is concerned with our temporary pain, because God knows it is temporary. Trust me, it isn't easy for God to watch us go through things, but He is trying to show us what He is capable of for the sake of our faith, which is NOT temporary.
Read John 11:1-44
Reflect on a time or times that it seems as though God did not come through for you.
Realize that God cares, and He always comes through for us in His own way. We just can't give up and simply move on, stripping from God the opportunity to work in our situation.
Remember that it is never too late for God to intervene. God is not bound by our sense of time.
Be blessed.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
"What's Your Price?"
"Then one of the Twelve - the one called Judas Iscariot - went to the chief priests and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over." (Matthew 26:14-16
This passage marks the manifestation of what has been going on in the heart and mind of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples. As many of you are already aware, Judas, for thirty silver coins agreed to "hand" Jesus "over" to the chief priests. The reasons that Judas took these actions are unclear and highly debatable. Judas walked with Jesus and talked with Jesus, and yet under the right circumstances, he was willing to "deliver" (entrust?) Jesus over into the hands of those who were already looking for an opportunity to arrest, and ultimately kill Him.
In Christendom today, the name "Judas" has come to be utterly repulsive amongst the believing Body. How could one of Jesus' own disciples, a person Jesus called "friend," just give Him over to the enemy like this? How could someone who was in Christ's inner circle abandon Him like this? Even the biblical writers refer to him as "the betrayer" on a number of occasions, reinforcing the way we read about Judas. We drag the name "Judas" in the mud as if he were Satan in the flesh.
The bible doesn't speak to the motives of why Judas did what he did, but in this short passage it becomes clear that thirty coins was all it took for Judas to "betray" the Christ. In short, thirty coins was Judas' price.
Question: Do you have a price?
My suspicion is this:
While many of us condemn and slander Judas for "betraying" Jesus, if we were honest many of us have "handed" the Christ "over" in a similar manner, and do regularly. Even though we may not do it in a physical sense, we often times "betray," "hand over" or "entrust" Jesus to those who do not remotely have His cause in mind. Many of us, under the right circumstances, will just "give" away the Christ, instead of fighting for Him and defending His cause. Instead of defending the faith, we treat it like a credit card, swiping it when we need it, and keeping it tucked away in our wallets/purses when we don't (as if there were ever a time that we don't need our faith). So again I ask, "Do you have a price?"
My challenge is this:
Begin to take your faith seriously and treat Christ as a treasure that you would be willing to give your life for; He did it for you. We should all come to a place where when someone asks if we have a price, we can say with boldness, "No!" Until we are willing to give our lives for Christ, then it is safe to say that we do have a price.
Be blessed...
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
"The Hypothetical Carpet"
I was hesitant in posting this for a number of reasons. I assure you this one came from the core of who I am. Enjoy!
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As I lay on the floor and look deeply into the carpet, this is what I see:
I see threads of all different colors that are so tightly woven together that it makes up the floor. There is red, blue, tannish yellow, green, brown, grey, and even orange. The colors were scattered all around and mixed in throughout. The blendings of the colors made for an even balance, which resulted in a decent looking carpet (an interesting sight). If all these colors were not mixed in, but rather congregated with each of their own, this would be the ugliest carpet in the world(hypothetically)... But it isn't...
As God sits high and looks low that is exactly what He sees. A people of all different colors, but all with the same thread. The beauty of His creation lies in the perfect mix of imperfections, somehow needing each other for a sense of completeness... That is, we His people. But if we, His people do not allow ourselves to be so tightly woven together amongst those that are different from us, in such a way as to produce something as sturdy as the floor (with the same humility as one... that is, the floor), then we do His perfect creation an injustice and pervert His masterpiece to the point of causing something so potentially beautiful to appear as something that is just plain old ugly... Just like that hypothetical carpet.
People of God and those who may not know they are... yet. We need to realize that we are the beauty of this world. Not because of us, but because God made us in His own image. Yea we may be different in stature, color, etc., but we all have the same make up. So from a broader perspective, our differences are probably 2 percent of our being as we pertain to others. We are all very... the same. Yea, I know... I could have used the word similar, but even that allows enough leeway for that one obstinate knuckle head to hang his or her hat on the few differences that are present amongst human beings. So I use the words... "The same"; because whether or not we like it or are even willing to accept it, that's what we are. The perfect mix of an imperfect state of being, which was (Genesis 3) and still is self inflicted, yet while somehow (Christ) still being able to maintain an exclusive uniqueness, that when unified according to God's desire and plan can only be described by one word... Perfect.
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As I lay on the floor and look deeply into the carpet, this is what I see:
I see threads of all different colors that are so tightly woven together that it makes up the floor. There is red, blue, tannish yellow, green, brown, grey, and even orange. The colors were scattered all around and mixed in throughout. The blendings of the colors made for an even balance, which resulted in a decent looking carpet (an interesting sight). If all these colors were not mixed in, but rather congregated with each of their own, this would be the ugliest carpet in the world(hypothetically)... But it isn't...
As God sits high and looks low that is exactly what He sees. A people of all different colors, but all with the same thread. The beauty of His creation lies in the perfect mix of imperfections, somehow needing each other for a sense of completeness... That is, we His people. But if we, His people do not allow ourselves to be so tightly woven together amongst those that are different from us, in such a way as to produce something as sturdy as the floor (with the same humility as one... that is, the floor), then we do His perfect creation an injustice and pervert His masterpiece to the point of causing something so potentially beautiful to appear as something that is just plain old ugly... Just like that hypothetical carpet.
People of God and those who may not know they are... yet. We need to realize that we are the beauty of this world. Not because of us, but because God made us in His own image. Yea we may be different in stature, color, etc., but we all have the same make up. So from a broader perspective, our differences are probably 2 percent of our being as we pertain to others. We are all very... the same. Yea, I know... I could have used the word similar, but even that allows enough leeway for that one obstinate knuckle head to hang his or her hat on the few differences that are present amongst human beings. So I use the words... "The same"; because whether or not we like it or are even willing to accept it, that's what we are. The perfect mix of an imperfect state of being, which was (Genesis 3) and still is self inflicted, yet while somehow (Christ) still being able to maintain an exclusive uniqueness, that when unified according to God's desire and plan can only be described by one word... Perfect.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Fruitfulness pt.3 - "Redirecting Our Efforts"
STOP TRYING TO LIVE RIGHT!
That is what I told one of my friends the other day as he poured his heart out to me about how he just couldn't seem to do what was right. He knows he needs to change but he can't, and the harder he tries the harder he falls. I explained to him how he and (all of us) have already proven that we cannot live right (on our own) no matter how hard we try. Paul said it best in Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." This is the reality for all of us because we come from a fallen nature, and we are all in need of a savior.
This thought led me to Galatians 5:16-25. Paul addresses the Galatian Christians in the issue of living by the Spirit and gives them what I would call the "master key" to living right. He speaks of how the only way we can refrain from gratifying the desires of our sinful nature is by living by the Spirit (of God). He then goes on to paint the extreme contrast between the results of the two natures.
1. The ACTS of the sinful nature: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. In essence, he covers the whole gamut. He goes on to talk about how anyone who lives like this will not inherit God's kingdom.
2. The FRUIT of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
I want to highlight the difference between two words, ACTS and FRUIT. 'Acts' is an action word. It is a word that describes something that any person can do. We consciously 'act' in certain ways. To some degree, we have control over the way we act. 'Fruit' is not an action word, it is a noun. Fruit is not something we can do, nor can we control it (to any degree). Fruit cannot be forced, it is merely a by-product of something else.
The point that Paul is making is the same point I want to make: We can't live right (on our own). Living right is a by-product of our fellowship with the Spirit of the Lord.
My suspicion is this:
Most of us don't make enough time for the Lord to truly be led (continually) by the Holy Spirit. We make ourselves too busy to read or pray. We are too busy to go to bible studies or fellowship in God's word with friends. As a result we resort to trying to live right on our own. We run on the fumes that we have left over from last week's Sunday services, and wonder why we are completely carnal by the end of the week.
My challenge is this:
Begin to think of how you can redirect your efforts in your Christian journey. Take the time to put effort into your prayer life. Make the time to invest effort in reading and meditating on scripture. Create the time to fellowship with other Christians in a spiritually rich environment. We have to put ourselves in position to be LED by God. Remember, we can't force fruit; it is a by-product.
Now let me clarify: When I say "stop trying to live right" I am not saying cast off restraint and tell God, "you do it." I am simply saying that as long as we try to live right out of our flesh we will continue to stumble. Yes, we should give effort in this Christian journey, but many of our efforts are in vain because they are unrealistic and off target. We CAN live right, but only with the help of God. We were created to NEED God, and we can't ever forget it. It is designed this way on purpose.
Be blessed
That is what I told one of my friends the other day as he poured his heart out to me about how he just couldn't seem to do what was right. He knows he needs to change but he can't, and the harder he tries the harder he falls. I explained to him how he and (all of us) have already proven that we cannot live right (on our own) no matter how hard we try. Paul said it best in Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." This is the reality for all of us because we come from a fallen nature, and we are all in need of a savior.
This thought led me to Galatians 5:16-25. Paul addresses the Galatian Christians in the issue of living by the Spirit and gives them what I would call the "master key" to living right. He speaks of how the only way we can refrain from gratifying the desires of our sinful nature is by living by the Spirit (of God). He then goes on to paint the extreme contrast between the results of the two natures.
1. The ACTS of the sinful nature: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. In essence, he covers the whole gamut. He goes on to talk about how anyone who lives like this will not inherit God's kingdom.
2. The FRUIT of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
I want to highlight the difference between two words, ACTS and FRUIT. 'Acts' is an action word. It is a word that describes something that any person can do. We consciously 'act' in certain ways. To some degree, we have control over the way we act. 'Fruit' is not an action word, it is a noun. Fruit is not something we can do, nor can we control it (to any degree). Fruit cannot be forced, it is merely a by-product of something else.
The point that Paul is making is the same point I want to make: We can't live right (on our own). Living right is a by-product of our fellowship with the Spirit of the Lord.
My suspicion is this:
Most of us don't make enough time for the Lord to truly be led (continually) by the Holy Spirit. We make ourselves too busy to read or pray. We are too busy to go to bible studies or fellowship in God's word with friends. As a result we resort to trying to live right on our own. We run on the fumes that we have left over from last week's Sunday services, and wonder why we are completely carnal by the end of the week.
My challenge is this:
Begin to think of how you can redirect your efforts in your Christian journey. Take the time to put effort into your prayer life. Make the time to invest effort in reading and meditating on scripture. Create the time to fellowship with other Christians in a spiritually rich environment. We have to put ourselves in position to be LED by God. Remember, we can't force fruit; it is a by-product.
Now let me clarify: When I say "stop trying to live right" I am not saying cast off restraint and tell God, "you do it." I am simply saying that as long as we try to live right out of our flesh we will continue to stumble. Yes, we should give effort in this Christian journey, but many of our efforts are in vain because they are unrealistic and off target. We CAN live right, but only with the help of God. We were created to NEED God, and we can't ever forget it. It is designed this way on purpose.
Be blessed
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Fruitfulness pt.2 - "Cultivating Productivity"
Have you ever grown frustrated with yourself in this Christian journey? I have, and do quite often. We desire to do great things for God but we hit periods in our lives that it seems like we aren't doing much of anything. On top of that we find ourselves slipping back into the things that God has ultimately delivered us from. The desire to do right is there, but for some reason we just can't seem to carry it out (note: Romans 7:7-25). We try and try and exhaust ourselves with trying to produce and nothing, absolutely nothing blossoms. We think, "maybe I just need to try harder," so we toil more, only to find ourselves even more emotionally spent. Then we question ourselves, "Am I saved?" and wonder if we even belong in this life. We can't stand the fact that we can't CONTROL our own productivity, so why even try... Lets be honest, there are times in our lives that we just do not feel very fruitful, and frankly it is pretty frustrating.
I find encouragement to this problem, one that we ALL have (or will have), in John 15:1-17, specifically verse 5. Jesus addresses his disciples and the issue of productivity, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." The point of this verse, and the whole passage is to help the disciples understand that they absolute NEED Jesus if they are going to be fruitful. There is NO way that they can "bear fruit" unless they are "in," "with," or "by (proximity)" Jesus. The point is, they need to stay connected. If they don't they will wither and will be of no use.
I have realized that the reason I grow frustrated with the productivity in my life is because I forget what Jesus said in the b clause of verse 5, "apart from me you can do nothing."
Here's my suspicion:
I suspect that I am not the only person who feels this way at times. Most of us really try hard to bear fruit. The problem is not one of working hard, it is one of working smart. Friends, we have to learn how to stay connected. We often get so caught up in living right and trying to be productive that we lose sight of Jesus. Sometimes we just forget about Christ. As a result, we begin to grow more and more frustrated with life and our fruitfulness ceases no matter how hard we work. We slowly but surely make idols out of the fruit that we bear and no longer deem it necessary to strive to remain "in Christ." We start taking ownership for our own productivity, and not a moment later that productivity ceases.
Here's my challenge:
Let us realize today that the ONLY way we can bear fruit for the kingdom of God is by staying connected (in, with, by) to Jesus. So we need to redirect our efforts. Take time to spend with God in the word. Take time to spend with God in prayer and contemplation. Begin to live and breath the words spoken by Christ. Meditate on God's word continuously. Put the same effort that you put into yourself into your relationship with Christ, and watch your yourself become fruitful again.
Be blessed.
I find encouragement to this problem, one that we ALL have (or will have), in John 15:1-17, specifically verse 5. Jesus addresses his disciples and the issue of productivity, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." The point of this verse, and the whole passage is to help the disciples understand that they absolute NEED Jesus if they are going to be fruitful. There is NO way that they can "bear fruit" unless they are "in," "with," or "by (proximity)" Jesus. The point is, they need to stay connected. If they don't they will wither and will be of no use.
I have realized that the reason I grow frustrated with the productivity in my life is because I forget what Jesus said in the b clause of verse 5, "apart from me you can do nothing."
Here's my suspicion:
I suspect that I am not the only person who feels this way at times. Most of us really try hard to bear fruit. The problem is not one of working hard, it is one of working smart. Friends, we have to learn how to stay connected. We often get so caught up in living right and trying to be productive that we lose sight of Jesus. Sometimes we just forget about Christ. As a result, we begin to grow more and more frustrated with life and our fruitfulness ceases no matter how hard we work. We slowly but surely make idols out of the fruit that we bear and no longer deem it necessary to strive to remain "in Christ." We start taking ownership for our own productivity, and not a moment later that productivity ceases.
Here's my challenge:
Let us realize today that the ONLY way we can bear fruit for the kingdom of God is by staying connected (in, with, by) to Jesus. So we need to redirect our efforts. Take time to spend with God in the word. Take time to spend with God in prayer and contemplation. Begin to live and breath the words spoken by Christ. Meditate on God's word continuously. Put the same effort that you put into yourself into your relationship with Christ, and watch your yourself become fruitful again.
Be blessed.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Fruitfulness pt. 1 - "What's Behind the Leaves?"
Have you ever heard Easter referred to as "Holy Halloween?" Me neither, up until a bible study that we had in our Young Adult Ministry last March/April. When this particular young man said this everyone laughed because we all knew exactly what he meant by it. Every Easter, people come out of the woodworks to attend church with their best outfits (costumes) on. While this is true of Easter, I wonder if this same concept could be applied to churchgoers weekly...
We have grown so good at painting on our "church faces" and putting on our "Sunday's best," even though our lives are in shambles and we have no substance.
This is what I see going on in Mark chapter 11. Just before entering the temple and finding it transformed into a "den of robbers," Jesus is recorded as being "hungry." On their way out of Bethany, Jesus and His disciples head towards Jerusalem, but before arriving Jesus comes across a fig tree "in leaf." Hungry Jesus approaches this fig tree with hopes of finding fruit, but when He pulls back the leaves he finds nothing. Let down, Jesus curses the fig tree and continues on His journey to Jerusalem. Why would Jesus get so upset at a fig tree that isn't bearing fruit when He knew that it wasn't the season for figs? Fig trees were the sort of tree that only bore fruit in certain seasons. There were times of the year when fruit was abundant and there were times when productivity was scant at best. I'm sure Jesus understood this. But I'm sure that Jesus also understood that fig trees often bore fruit even when it wasn't the season of figs, because some fruit would still remain on the tree throughout the year, kind of like "remnant" fruit. Fig trees were often known for at least having some fruit on them year round. To make it even worse, this fig tree was "in leaf." For a fig tree to be "in leaf" meant that it gave off an attractive appearance. It meant that everything about the tree was beautiful, and that the chances of their being "remnant" fruit were great. So it isn't impossible to understand why Jesus was so disappointed in this tree that had no fruit.
My suspicion is this:
Many of us are just like this fig tree, "in leaf." We merely look good. We dress up on Sunday's. We put on our "Holy Halloween Costumes," and we hide who we truly are. We give off a great appearance and make it seem like we are full of fruitfulness, but in reality we are nothing more than barren fig trees that are "in leaf." We aren't bearing any fruit. I think it is interesting that Adam and Eve, after having their eyes opened, used fig leaves to cover their nakedness. Just like them we seek to cover up who were truly are and what is really going on in our lives. We forsake transparency and cling to upholding the right image. We are "Gold-plated Christians" at best(Thanks Jesse T. Williams).
My challenge is this:
Read Mark 11:12-26 and Matthew 21:18-22 in your quiet moments with God (I would also encourage you to read John 15:1-17). Pray and ask God to first help you to let go of the "need" to merely look good. Search yourself and ask God how you can be more fruitful. Get sincere about your walk with Christ. I would hate for us to continue to look good and for someone to come to us "hungry," only to find out that we have nothing more than an "image" to offer.
Be blessed family
We have grown so good at painting on our "church faces" and putting on our "Sunday's best," even though our lives are in shambles and we have no substance.
This is what I see going on in Mark chapter 11. Just before entering the temple and finding it transformed into a "den of robbers," Jesus is recorded as being "hungry." On their way out of Bethany, Jesus and His disciples head towards Jerusalem, but before arriving Jesus comes across a fig tree "in leaf." Hungry Jesus approaches this fig tree with hopes of finding fruit, but when He pulls back the leaves he finds nothing. Let down, Jesus curses the fig tree and continues on His journey to Jerusalem. Why would Jesus get so upset at a fig tree that isn't bearing fruit when He knew that it wasn't the season for figs? Fig trees were the sort of tree that only bore fruit in certain seasons. There were times of the year when fruit was abundant and there were times when productivity was scant at best. I'm sure Jesus understood this. But I'm sure that Jesus also understood that fig trees often bore fruit even when it wasn't the season of figs, because some fruit would still remain on the tree throughout the year, kind of like "remnant" fruit. Fig trees were often known for at least having some fruit on them year round. To make it even worse, this fig tree was "in leaf." For a fig tree to be "in leaf" meant that it gave off an attractive appearance. It meant that everything about the tree was beautiful, and that the chances of their being "remnant" fruit were great. So it isn't impossible to understand why Jesus was so disappointed in this tree that had no fruit.
My suspicion is this:
Many of us are just like this fig tree, "in leaf." We merely look good. We dress up on Sunday's. We put on our "Holy Halloween Costumes," and we hide who we truly are. We give off a great appearance and make it seem like we are full of fruitfulness, but in reality we are nothing more than barren fig trees that are "in leaf." We aren't bearing any fruit. I think it is interesting that Adam and Eve, after having their eyes opened, used fig leaves to cover their nakedness. Just like them we seek to cover up who were truly are and what is really going on in our lives. We forsake transparency and cling to upholding the right image. We are "Gold-plated Christians" at best(Thanks Jesse T. Williams).
My challenge is this:
Read Mark 11:12-26 and Matthew 21:18-22 in your quiet moments with God (I would also encourage you to read John 15:1-17). Pray and ask God to first help you to let go of the "need" to merely look good. Search yourself and ask God how you can be more fruitful. Get sincere about your walk with Christ. I would hate for us to continue to look good and for someone to come to us "hungry," only to find out that we have nothing more than an "image" to offer.
Be blessed family
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