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The query of every young person is when will I know I am grown up?  Legally the threshold is 21 years of age.  However, any adult knows that there is a lot more growing up after that.  My mom used to say, they are still wet behind their ears—not sure where she came up with that! 

Since spiritual life-change is one my core values, a top question is, when is a person a spiritual grown up?  A group of Fortune 500 statisticians discovered in a survey they created for Willow Creek Church that there are four primary stages of spiritual growth the last of which is ‘Christ-Centered’.  Their definition of that was “My relationship with Jesus is the most important relationship in my life.  It guides me in everything I do.” That still begs the question, how does one know when a relationship with God is truly the most important in their life?  How might that have validation? What I have found to be a more discerning statement is, ‘the strength of one’s devotion to Jesus Christ is not measured by her or his speech, but by his or her sufferings’.  I.E. the measure of a person’s devotion to any cause, right or wrong, is the depth of suffering one is willing to endure for it. 

One of the most revealing evidences of the authenticity of the apostle’s spiritual conviction was their motivation to endure incredible opposition for decades for absolutely no earthly gain.  They left families and friends and with no financial support went out and preached the gospel of the kingdom of God.  All but the apostle John became martyrs for what they deeply believed, not for the applause of humans or any earthly benefit.  They did not have ANY security, financial or otherwise.  Extremely few today would seriously consider doing this.  Far too few ministers of the gospel today, who claim to be called of God, will go wherever, even to remote parts of their state, without any financial or emotional support.  That is striking when compared to early believers who endured the most severe persecution, losing their jobs, possessions and even their lives ONLY because they followed Christ’s teachings.  

When Jesus first appeared to the original eleven apostles, He showed them His pieced hands as proof of what He had endured.  When the apostle Paul offered to the believers in Colossae proof of his zeal for God, he pointed to “…remember my chains” (Col. 4:18, NLT2).  He was able to say to the believers in Galicia “I bear in my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus” (Gal. 6.17, NLT2). 

Paul described spiritual maturity as “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” who gave His all for others.  Why?  so, you and I can live comfortably secure yet complain or have anxiety attacks?  What we fail to understand is that our greatest inner joy comes in giving our all for the cause far bigger than anything earthly thing we can gain—the cause of God’s kingdom.  Our spiritual immaturity or short sightedness is inhibiting us from walking in the abundant life Christ died to give us.  From real life experience Paul wrote, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses (lit. sickness, distress), so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9b-10, ESV)  What do you intuitively sense your next step is in experiencing the joy of being a spiritual grown up?  When do you plan to take that step?

Decisions affecting the future are hard to make.  Deciding which career to focus on, which job to take, what house or vehicle to purchase, should I marry or wait, those relating to furthering one’s education, electing a political or church leader; these and many, many more challenge our relationship with our God.  All too many who call themselves a Christ-follower, make such decisions based on how they feel or what they think might be best at that moment in time.  It is all about them or their immediate take on a situation instead of acknowledging their life is no longer their own.  An authentic Christ-follower is bought by the blood of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20) and are therefore love-slaves of the most-high God.  Jesus’ brother wrote You don’t even know what your life tomorrow will be! You are like a puff of smoke, which appears for a moment and then disappears. What you should say is this: “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” But now you are proud, and you boast; all such boasting is wrong. So then, those who do not do the good they know they should do are guilty of sin.  (James 4:14–17, GNB)  In other words, to make such decisions without finding out what our God says about the matter is arrogant pride. 

What a conundrum in our life does is to help us take a hard look at who is really governing our life.  Sometimes we make our judgment about a job, person or institution based on what we consider to be stupid, egotistical, or lacking discretion on their part.  While our perspective may be a correct assessment on their part, what we do not know is if the Spirit of God plans to use that person or employment to bring about His greater plan.  We must remember God used an Egyptian Pharaoh and schooling to educate Moses and called King Nebuchadnezzar who God used to discipline His people.  In our 2020 election, we have two candidates, neither of whom are ideal in our eyes.  Therefore, a person much look past our assessment of the person to find who has shown evidence that they have allowed the Holy Spirit to work through them in order to promote greater righteousness in our nation.   

When a person I have worked with behaves very poorly or teaches something I understand to be very contrary to truth, to be candid, my initial response is to get angry and/or distance myself from them—even fire them if I’m their employer.  But before I can make a good decision, I must first find a way to prayerfully desensitize my emotions and thoughts.  Only then am I capable of looking at the bigger picture and hear the gentle whisper of the Spirit’s guidance in what step I should take next.  When I take time to do that before acting, I often have found my first reactions, though appearing correct was quite mistaken. 

When facing a challenging decision about your future, I urge you to be cautious about following your elevated emotions or initial thoughts.  Instead, take time to dial your mind and emotions way down  You can do this by spending quality time seeking to know God’s perspective on your next move. 

Regretfully, I have learned the hard way from making emotionally driven or over thought decisions gets me out of alignment to God’s plan and purpose.  Unfortunately, the consequences negatively affected not only me but others as well.  I know both the deep regret of rash decisions as well as the deep-seated joy of slowing down so I can connect with God and allow Him to guide me in making a fruitful choice.  My prayer is that you can learn from my regrets and enjoy a more blessed and fruitful life as well as remain in sync with the purpose of our Father.   

Albert Einstein was a brilliant scientist who listened to a different drumbeat.  He was known for not being bothered with such trivialities as changing his clothes or conforming to the fads of his culture.  While he probably was not so admired by people who saw him then, his accomplishments have made him a hero today.  Other heroes of the past also listened to a different drumbeat.  Jesus certainly did. 

It’s interesting that so many want to dress differently from others.  Yet strangely enough these apparent non-conformists also look and sound just alike.  This is true for those anti-socials, leaders, business owners and yes, ministers as well.  Unlike conformists, past spiritual heroes did not listen to others around them.  They were more like Jesus who marched to God’s drumbeat.  All too often we look to the natural talents, physical appearance, mental capacities, personalities, etc. and attribute their apparent success to such qualities themselves. 

A compass is not valued because of its physical appearance.  Rather, we use it because its needle repeatedly mysteriously points us North.  Jesus, as other spiritual heroes who later followed, also commonly had an inexplicable fixation on God and His leading.  Jesus hinted to this when He said, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about” (John 4:32, NLT2). When Jesus rose from the dead, when Peter and John heard His tomb was empty, they both ran to the same tomb. However only John saw and believed (John 20:8).  What did he see that Peter did not?  Earlier, Elijah saw God’s army surrounding him while his servant only was able to see the Syrian’s horses and chariots surrounding them (2 Kings 6:15-8).  Spiritual saints of the past were able to see into another sphere yet able to also maintain contact with their world and thereby offer life and hope to their contemporaries.

If there ever is a time when our world desperately needs such spiritual heroes, it is today.  When a person encounters God, when they are truly born-again, according to Ezekiel 36:25-27, they receive God’s Spirit within them.  This Spirit is the different drumbeat that not only causes them to be careful to obey God’s laws but also to see and hear what others cannot see or hear.  While this ability to so connect with God is intended for every believer, most of us allow cultural drumbeats to distract us.  We thereby become deaf to His calling to live out the fruit of His Spirit in our world when such models are so desperately needed.

Now is the time for each believer to take the initiative to do whatever is necessary to retune the focus of our spiritual eyes and ears to God’s drumbeat that beats out the rhythm of hope, life and truth as our world moves more deeply into chaos, hostility and unrighteousness.  God is looking for spiritual heroes in our communities and relationships.  Sports, hobbies, possessions, and pleasures are fine in their place but now is not the time for us to allow them to dominate our thoughts, time, or affections.  The Bible reminds us we are strangers in this world and the time is quickly coming upon us when we must show God’s love, peace, and wisdom in the way Jesus did before He left this world. 

With that in mind, what drumbeat have you been listening to that you must now tune out so you can best hear and follow His drumbeat?

I have been listening to the book Harbinger II by Johnathan Cahn.  He leaves a reader with some interesting things to ponder.  One thing is certain God’s judgement on America is coming.  It has left me asking, ‘What constitutes an authentic connection with God?’ 

Paul pastored a church in Ephesus for a couple years.  While there, an unusually intense revival occurred when many brought several million dollars’ worth of magic art books to a public book burning.  It is thought Epaphras was converted there and later started a church in nearby Colossae.  Only about 33 years later, in Revelation 2:1-7 the apostle John records a very thought-provoking vision to this same church family.  To them Jesus commended their right spiritual activities but also said they had somehow lost connection with the vine (cf. John 15:5-6). Their love for God had degenerated into simply going through empty and hollow Christian motions.  Therefore, Jesus told them to either repent and go back to their first love for Him or He would totally remove their connection with Him.  Wow! Jesus is telling us that doing all the Christian duties without passion for Him does not qualify as authentic connection with Him.

Jesus also told those who were prophesying, casting out demons and performing many miracles, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness (Matthew 7:23, ESV).  This tells us independently doing supernatural works does not necessarily qualify as authentic connection with Him.  This illustrates Jesus’ words You are the ones who make yourselves look right in other people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For the things that are considered of great value by human beings are worth nothing in God’s sight (Luke 16:15, (GNB)

Paul later wrote in 1 Corinthians 8:2-3 that Bible knowledge itself does not qualify as authentic connection with Him.  John wrote And this is eternal life, that they know [euphemism for sexual relations in the New Testament – knowledge that motivates automatic obedience] you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3, ESV).  Having one encounter with the Holy Spirit is not the same as intimately knowing Christ.

It is sobering when I think of how many who carry the umbrella of “Christian” are disconnected from authentic Christianity.  These are the ones who, at the end of the day the Harbinger book describes is coming, will be shocked, probably angry at God, when they discover the slippery grace they had embraced did not make the ‘cut’ and they are left behind. 

There can be no real spiritual health without intimate knowledge and connection with God or if it is sought after with the wrong purpose and valued by the wrong standard.  2 Corinthians 13:5 reads Examine yourselves to see whether you are still in the Christian faith. Test yourselves! Don’t you recognize that you are people in whom Jesus Christ lives? Could it be that you’re failing the test? (GW)  Paul explains communion is one time to practice this self-examination. 

While the Harbinger II book is far from perfect, it did point out that we are no doubt in the midst of God’s overdue judgement on America’s rebellious sin against Him.  With rampant abortion, hostility towards God and His laws, pandemic (plague), broad based division and anarchy, huge fires, etc., it appears probable His judgment has begun.  If ever there is a time when we need to have certainty that we have an authentic connection with our Lord, NOW is the time.  If you are uncertain, find someone whose attitude and demeanor confirms they are authentically connected to God and ask them to help you become connected or reconnected with God Almighty. 

Seven years ago, two of my grandsons suddenly lost their father in death.  I vividly remember driving away from their house with Izac, the oldest, sitting in his car seat and hearing him break the silence saying, “my daddy died”.  I flinched.  Daddy’s death cut a deep scar in his mind and emotions that will never go away.  Over the last 7 years, especially the boys and their mother have learned to accept and live with those scars.  

I have six more grandchildren who fortunately did not experience the pain of losing a dad. However, they along with millions of others have encountered different distressing things that also cut deeply into their psyche as well.  The pandemic we’ve been going through is leaving its mark on millions around our globe.  Scores have lost their businesses, jobs, familial and friend relationships, and dreams while others have lost their childhood innocence through physical or sexual abuse or a sundry of other tragic experiences.   Common to all, it feels like their losses are forever.

The Hebrews’ relationship with God was similar to that an adultery filled marriage.  God’s people repeatedly committed spiritual adultery by worshipping heathen gods.   To bring them back to His loving protection and provision, He allowed them to feel consequential, painful losses in the form of invasions, droughts and plagues (some like our pandemic) to wake them up to their self-destructive choices.  In the prophet Joel’s day God sent swarms of giant locust that devoured their crops to the point it ruined their fields bringing drought to their land.  He still loved them in that condition and reached out to them promising, “The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.” (Joel 2:24-25, ESV).    

I so admire Moses who, while living at ground zero of the magnetism of power and luxurious treasures of the world empire of that day, voluntarily forsook all those privileges because he ..reckoned that to suffer scorn for the Messiah was worth far more than all the treasures of Egypt… (Hebrews 11:26, GNB).  Ask yourself, how hard would it be for me to make such a drastic decision when surrounded by wealth, popularity, position, and power?  To make that kind of choice in that environment would require very sober thought.  It would amount to doing what Jesus did when He chose to deny Satan’s offer of all the kingdoms of this world and their glory. (Mathew 4:8-9)  Moses and the humanity of Jesus were convinced God the Father is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Yes, it requires a deep genuine trust in God’s love and power for you to put to rest what you have lost.  God’s plan for your life didn’t end when you experienced your debilitating loss.  Instead, His plan is for you is close the door to the past loss and open the door He has placed before you and enter into His restoration.  It will be the completion of what He had been preparing for you to enjoy before you encountered your loss.  We learn that from how He restored the serious losses in the lives of Job, Moses, Joseph, the lame and blind men, the leper, the impotent man—even Jesus Himself.

The fact is, we have far too much junk in our lives and until we experience a good spiritual house cleaning, we are not able to enjoy God’s restoration which will lead to a far better life.  If you are struggling to release to God whatever you have lost, I pray you will choose to diligently seek to intimately know more of God’s ways, values and character.  Those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. (Psalm 9:10, NKJV). 

I love discovering gold nuggets in the Bible that reveal God’s character, core values and ways.  Mark 10 reveals a very sizable nugget into God’s core values that is relevant today.  A stark contrast found in God’s response there brings to the surface one of God’s often-overlooked core values.  

The setting finds Jesus walking and talking with His disciples on the road to Jerusalem.  On their walk He told His twelve disciples he was going to be betrayed, condemned, put to death and rise from the dead.  They heard the death part but never heard the resurrection part.

As they walked, two of Jesus disciples (James and John), probably fanaticizing on when Jesus would be the king of Israel, asked Him for a favor.   Jesus asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:36, NIV)  Each wanted to sit on one side of Jesus when He sat on his throne.  Jesus told them, “You don’t know what you are asking” and went on to say He could not grant them that favor.  

Later in Jericho, Bartimaeus, a blind man, heard a rumor Jesus was passing by.  He too wanted a favor from Jesus so he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me”.  When he finally connected with Jesus, Jesus asked him the same question He asked James and John, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51, NIV)  This time Jesus’ response was, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” (Mark 10:52, NIV)  Instantly the man could see and began following Jesus on His way to Jerusalem.

I would love to have seen all this unfold.  I would love to have seen James and John’s face when they heard Jesus ask blind Bartimaeus the same question then answer his request by healing him.  After all, this dude had not left jobs and families to become His faithful disciples.  

You see the gold nugget here when you compare the similar requests keeping in mind Jesus could do NOTHING miraculous with His own ability (John 5:19)—just as you and I today.    Since Jesus only did what He saw God the Father do, both responses had to be traced back to the decision maker–God the Father. The question then is, why did He say “No” to the disciples who had followed Jesus for about 3 years, yet say “Yes” to the blind beggar who had never even seen Jesus before?  Have you felt the bite of resentment when God didn’t answer your request the way you expected but He did for someone else?

The gold nugget lies below the appearance of things.  The rich gold color is found by considering the motives of the hearts of those making the request, not in the surface political correctness.  James and John, as faithful in service as they had been, lusted to gain personal power in what they envisioned as His coming kingdom.  In contrast, not only did Bartimaeus want to see, we also see his heart led him to immediately begin to follow Jesus.  It is all about the motives of the heart.  James 4:3 (ESV) puts it this way, You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.  We can fool ourselves about our real motives, but our Heavenly Father knows what is really driving our requests or good deeds.  The bottom line is, we will not see our prayers answered if we ask selfishly. 

How can we get this matter right so God can answer our requests?  Jesus gave us this answer in Mark 11:24 where He connected God’s answers with praying.  Prayer is not simply giving God your requests like you give a short order cook.  God intends prayer to be a connection with God’s heart, as Jesus pictured the vine connected with the branch.  When you connect with God, His desires become your desires so He guides what you ask for, not your selfish sin nature which James teaches will hinder your requests.  Remember, John wrote This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14, NIV)         

Children with an outgoing personality characteristically love to have people watch them, especially their parents but often strangers as well.  A few are born actors or performers.  I grew up singing and acting in church, turned out to be a pastor but not because I was a born actor who found pleasure in being in front of people.  Like Paul I was compelled to serve in those roles. (1 Cor. 9:16)

However, whether I like it or not, I am in the show business—and if you are a believer you are as well!   Ephesians 2:7 states how believers will be showcased as trophies — examples of God’s expression of His incredible wealth of grace and kindness.  According to Ephesians 3:10 the viewers will be unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm.  But relax.  You and I will not have to speak or preform.  The focus will be on how God has graciously transformed depraved, undeserving broken vessels into vessels of honor.   The point is, God will showcase me because I have NOTHING to display that comes out of my behavior, worth, knowledge or skill set.  The brilliant and very gifted apostle Paul considered all he personally had to offer as dung/manure (Philippians 3:8-9) compared to mercifully gaining Christ.

Job was an example of this.  Job 1:8 (NLT2)  Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”  You and I are also keepsakes of the Spirit’s craftsmanship intended for display.  He showcases what He shapes out of pliable clay in His hands in stark contrast to what Satan does with sinners.    

We often think of Daniel, who was thrown into the lion’s den, as a hero.   However, we need to remind ourselves he was not tossed to the lions so he would become a hero.  What happened to him was not even about him as much as it was about God wanting to display His power to king Darius of the rising heathen empire.  Daniel was just the willing servant God used to make sure that king Darius clearly understood He was the most powerful God.   Darius got the message loud and clear.  Darius did not make Daniel into a hero but asked “Daniel…has your God…been able to deliver you from the lions?” (Da 6:19-20).  Then went on to decree that in every part of my kingdom people should tremble with terror in front of Daniel’s God, the living God who continues forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed. His power lasts to the end [of time] (Daniel 6:26, GW).   Daniel was simply an earthly actor in a real-life drama that became an applause to Almighty God, not to Daniel.     

Back the story up to when Daniel had to choose to go through his common daily practice of opening his window and praying to our God.  He calmly proceeded with his daily pattern even though he knew his ill-willed enemies were spying on his every move and the consequence of his choice would mean the king would be forced to feed him to hungry lions. That looks like conviction to me, not a sideshow. 

Do you have such convictions that despite your busy schedules you make time for such regular times of prayer and worship to our God?  Second, if you knew evil people were eager for you to give them a good excuse to have you killed, would you calmly give them that opportunity on a silver platter by opening the window and praying as usual?  Or would you try to think of a way to make your prayer time more discrete?  My point is Daniel was not trying to be a trophy.  He was simply walking out his decades old conviction of worshipping his God.  Our role is not to try to be trophies by our efforts but rather simply live out His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ep 2:10).  That is the show business the Spirit is shaping you for.  Are you pliable clay in His hand allowing Him to shape you into that kind of a trophy?   

As a child I was often said to be compliant.  My dad blamed the college I attended for making me so independent.  But I didn’t go to Berkley I went to a Bible College.   All I have been able to connect to becoming so independent was the pain I felt in my senior year of high school.  It awakened my need to build a protective wall around myself.  Whatever the case, I did become quite independent.  I loved Sammy Davis’s song “I Gotta Be Me”.  That way of thinking seems harmless and in some respects is healthy.  However, our society’s interpretation of it is the very antithesis of Christianity.  Self has become a god to which we often bow in worship.       

Often when a person practices something the Bible forbids, their normal rebuttal goes something like this, “You can’t judge me.  This is only between me and God and it does not hurt anyone else.”  The fact is, Adam and Eve’s sin was personal, but it has continued to cause all humanity to suffer because they violated God’s instruction.  When Achan secretly stole what God had forbidden for the Hebrews to take from Jericho (Joshua 7:5) all the Hebrews suffered and thousands died, including Achan and his family.  When a person privately holds a root of bitterness against someone, it defiles not just him/her but many (Hebrews 12:15).  No one is a solitary Christian.  If a person is a believer, that person is a member of the body of Christ.  In the context of one man’s sexual sin in the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul warned, Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough (1 Corinthians 5:6b, NLT2)?  If a person thinks their failure to give God His tithes; their indulgence in sexual activities outside a marriage (Bible term is fornication), their gossip or ugly attitude, etc. is just between them and God; their Bible illiteracy is showing and they are living in delusion.  The relationship between us and others is so sensitive that even the appearance of evil (1 Th 5:22, KJV) must be avoided for the sake of others.  When a believer violates what God has instructed, their selfish sin infects the spiritual body especially those closest to him or her.

Christianity is counter-cultural which means; while the current in the river is flowing downstream, Christianity is forcing its way upstream.  I am not proud of my earlier years of independence.  I have shed tears of sorrow for it and God has forgiven and enabled its chains to be broken—but to be transparent, if I’m not careful it still pops its head up from time to time.  It is a constant battle for me to swim upstream.  In the midst of my sporadic failure in this matter, I’m committed to getting back up and following this spiritual truth, if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad, (1 Corinthians 12:26, NLT2).  Falling as I do, I lean on this truth in the Bible that reads, the LORD himself watches over [me]! The LORD stands beside [me] as [my] protective shade (Psalm 121:5, NLT2).  Each of us has a strong nature but the Christ within each of us is stronger and will defend us!   Although I get tired and fall, He will pick me up and send me on down the path of His righteousness.   In that light … since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1, NLT2)  We do live a solitary life in that no one can live our life for us.  However, we are not solitary Christians!

Do you get irritated when a friend, spouse or your child come up with a great idea or do excellent work on a project and then someone else take the credit for the idea or the hard work?  Perhaps it does more than annoy you; it makes you furious!  Could it be that we practice that same irritating behavior, especially in relationship with our God by taking credit for what He has done or is doing through us? 

Is there not an uncanny exhilaration after achieving a major accomplishment in education, business or have overcome a bad habit?  Is that exhilaration based on how it makes you feel about yourself or about God’s grace?  We proudly put the letters behind our name when we achieve a secondary level degree or proudly accept the applause after giving a moving speech or making a big sale.  I recall a groom who, after the ceremony put his chest out and gave that proud look as if to say, “Look what I’ve just done”.  While we certainly must aggressively work to develop our God-given skill or mental capacity, yet all we accomplish was enabled by family genetics, coaching, finances and and God’s gracious orchestration—all beyond our control.     

I recently was in a study group examining the “fruit of the Spirit” the apostle Paul wrote about in Galatians 5:22-23. The group leader made the point that the listed virtues are not the results of our efforts.  The only part we play in them is a decision to feed and nurture the God-imparted passion for a closer relationship with the Spirit.  One of the group participants had held the classic thought that the fruit mentioned was something each person was responsible to grow in their life.  As this fresh thought progressively dawned upon her, she slowly exclaimed, “I have to work to get my mind around that thought!”   Our default human nature wants us to think we are solely responsible to become like Jesus—except when we mess-up in which case we blame someone else.  

We can find great relief from the pressure that comes from this performance syndrome by humbling ourselves and admitting without God, we can do nothing.   Our role model Jesus said that was true for Him in John 5:30 and specifically said of us, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NLT2)

The apostle Paul wrote, For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (Philippians 2:13, NLT2).  Gardeners and farmers are forced to totally depend upon crops growing when they do not understand exactly how it happens.  Yes, they must prepare the soil, fertilize, etc. but as Jesus explained,   “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens (Mark 4:26-27, NLT2).  That verse has humbled and encouraged me MANY times.  It reminds me that any good fruit that flows from my life is His working in me, not because out of my ingenuity or initiative.   Yes, I must do all I can do to work with Him; however, it is His empowerment that produces the fruit.  And He is doing this transformational work when I do not even know it is happening.  How then can I honestly take the credit for the work only He can perform.  When we do well and people recognize our efforts, the least we can do is remain humble, say “Thank You” and comment that you had a lot of help, especially from God.

So much of the stress we feel is of our own making.  We put expectations on ourselves to make God or His work look good when all we really can do to make that happen is to seek to love and serve Him with all our heart.  Trying to use our efforts to do His work only causes more stress which is what wears us out.  When we focus our investment on seeking Him with all that is within us, it is amazing how He leverages our feeble efforts to look exceptional.   This is what the promised abundant life looks like.

What did you sign up for when you became a Christ-follower?  Was it to avoid going to Hell?  Was it to escape problems in your life or because you thought being a Christian equated to living a more tranquil life?  So why did you choose to walk down that path?  Perhaps you just wanted to check it out to see if being a Christ-follower might offer you better earthly benefits.   Hopefully, you did it because you sensed a deep need for God’s forgiveness and a desire for a close relationship with Him.

Somewhere in the back of many people’s mind there is the idea that if I live a really good life or do everything God tells me to do, my life will be abundantly blessed, meaning void of serious problems.  If a person has tragedies or serious hardships it is assumed that person does not have faith or is not close enough to God.  With that premise songs have been written, sermons have been preached and promises implied that instead of facing proverbial lions or life’s hard bumps, a Christian would experience a soft, smooth ride into God’s heaven.  That sounds appealing, especially when facing a worldwide pandemic with anarchy in our major cities and our country is far more divided than united. 

Jesus actually promised the opposite by saying in the world [as long as you are sucking oxygen] you will have tribulation[Greek word meaning trouble involving suffering].  But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b, ESV)  Indeed the early believers faced real lions and painful persecution.  Is this what you signed up for when you decided to follow Jesus?  If not, it probably feels like you have been a victim of the old bait and switch sales pitch.  God’s plan looks more like the picture of a bird feeding her babies reaching up to be fed, nested on a branch hanging within inches of deafening water crashing down 20 feet into a churning river.  The contrast of the bird at total peace within inches of disaster is striking.  This is a word picture of one of God’s ways with humans—perfect peace in the midst of a storm. 

Jesus was the only perfect human (yes, with a veiled deity which He chose not to utilize).  If a perfectly righteous life could result in external serenity was possible, it would stand to reason that Jesus, above all, would have experienced it.  However, He transversed this earthly life experiencing perfect peace and treacherous attacks at the same time.   The disciple Mark records this episode in His life.  Mark 1:9-11 (ESV) In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”  Wow!  Life cannot get any more blessed and exhilarating than that.  God sensationally stamped His full approval on Jesus’ life with others there to witness the event.   Jesus must have been at the ultimate peak of his human emotional and mental capacity.  One would imagine that He would now ride off into the sunset to a bliss-filled life.  But the very next verse (vs12-13) goes on to read the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.  So much for the fantasy of obedient Christians being blessed with a trouble-free life!

By probing deeper into Jesus’ life, you find He experienced perfect inner peace as He faced far greater testings than any other human.   It was His intimacy with our God that allowed the Holy Spirit to take each and every step of that perilous and painful life with His humanity.  Herein was the source of His (and our) peace that the world cannot give.  God designed tests in life to motivate, teach and strengthen one’s faith and love for Him.  As it is in school, or other aspects of life, tests are only bad if we have not properly prepared ourselves for them.   The apostle James wrote My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways. You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you will not need anything. (James 1:2-4, GW)