Abide

In John 15:5, Jesus tells us, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." I don't know when I read those words for the first time, but over the years I have encountered them on multiple occasions.

I studied that verse over ten years ago when I first went through Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God. You would think that by now, I would have mastered the meaning of this verse. But the funny thing about time is that it all depends on how you use it. If I had spent the last several years meditating upon the truth of John 15:5 and if I had spent the last several years applying it, it would have shaped my ministry.

Instead, I have neglected this truth. I got busy. I thought I had enough training, enough experience to handle the less important stuff. I ran headlong into processes and projects because I thought I could really do something. Abiding didn't factor into my thinking.

I thought, "I can't do everything, but I can do something." It would have been wiser to listen to Jesus, "For apart from me you can do nothing." The frustration and fruitlessness of my life is not due to the Lord's inability, but my lack of abiding. Had I focused more on the abiding and less on the doing, my abiding in him and his abiding in me would have naturally bore fruit.

I can do nothing. It sounds discouraging when you first hear it, but it really is liberating. But Jesus isn't saying we won't accomplish anything in this life. He is saying that without him our lives will not produce fruit or achieve our God given purpose.

Paul echoes Jesus' meaning when he states, "I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13). We must begin with the knowledge that we can do nothing apart from Christ, in order to live in the truth of Philippians 4:13.

If we are not careful, pride will trick us into wasting time on fruitless labor. In humility, we must come to God with empty hands. As Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

In humility, we abide in Christ. Abide in Christ means that we live in him. We commune with him in prayer and Bible study. We meditate upon his Word and work. We walk in his footsteps. When we abide, we bear fruit.

Friends, don't tuck John 15:5 away for another day. Dwell on it. Let its truth sink in until it seeps into the very marrow of your soul. Let it encourage you. Let it challenge you. Let it bring you into rest. Jesus calls you to abide and promises to produce fruit in you, so abide.

Discpline Yourself for the Purpose of Godliness

I have heard it said, "If it says it once in the Bible, it's important. If it's in the Bible twice, it's meant to get your attention. If it's in the Bible more than twice, you better be paying attention." We know all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), and that we had better listen to it all. But the saying makes a good point. God doesn't repeat himself needlessly. How many times did God speak through a burning bush? Once.

I might miss something if I only read it once, but if I read it a second time the wheels of my mind start turning. If I read it a third time, I break out a pen and begin taking notes. Something similar to that happened to me yesterday.

I was studying for a class I'll be teaching in the spring (2014). The material I was looking through referred to a book I had previously read, and I decided to get it out and start reading it again. The book is Don Whitney's Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. As I begin to read I was confronted with 1 Timothy 4:7, "Discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness."

My life has been less than disciplined lately. I have been struggling for a long time to pull everything together. I had just about lost all interest in trying to right the ship, so to speak. As I prayed and studied Saturday evening, the Lord confronted my laziness. Then on Sunday, I was confronted with 1 Timothy 4:7.

After mulling that verse over for a bit, I went on with my studies. I had picked up a different book to look at a couple familiar passages, and guess what greeted me. It was 1 Timothy 4:7. Different author, different context, but it was the same truth, applied in a new way. So I got my pen out, and started taking notes.

I was reminded that I am a disciple, a learner of Christ. The core of disciple is discipline. If I want to be like Christ, I have to pursue it. I'm prone to forget that truth. He has given me every means necessary to accomplish the task, but he expects me to use those means to do it. What is my goal? Godliness. How am I going to get there? Discipline.

Of Bugs and Men

Do you remember that story about the ant and the grasshopper? The ant busied himself all summer gathering food, while the grasshopper fiddled his days away. Winter came and the grasshopper had nothing to eat, while the ant snug in his hill waited for winter to pass.

I am amazed by the observational powers of the ancients. They took time to look, listen, and learn. At least, some of them sought to make something out of their observations. They weren't content to see or hear something, and then go their way. They pondered the meaning of what they saw and heard. They then sought to apply this new knowledge in ways that would enrich their lives and the lives of others.

I believe it was Aesop who told the tale of the Ant and the Grasshopper. The story is rooted in the observations that ants work hard, while grasshoppers sit around making noise and destroying vegetation. Another ancient, Solomon, observed the work ethic of ants. He used the ant as a teaching tool.

He said, "Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise" (Prov. 6:6, ESV). Then he goes on to explain what we can learn from the ant. He states, "Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest" (Prov. 6:7-8, ESV). There are several principles which can be drawn from these verses.

1. Be a self-starter. Ant may serve a queen, but they don't need someone driving them with a whip. The colony needs food, and it must be gathered in. Ants just do what they need to do.

2. Work when it is appropriate. There is a time for work and a time for play. Procrastination is trap that strips life of its joy and purpose.

3. Don't fear hard work. Work isn't a bad thing. When we treat it as a demoralizing act, we fail to see work correctly. Work is a reflection of God's nature. He is the Creator, Sustainer, Provider, etc. All of these title describe some type of work.

4. Work satisfies our cravings. When we work, we are able to get the things we need and want. We may not get as much as we want or all that we want, but hard workers, generally, get what they need.

Solomon urged his reader to consider the ant. Are you like the ant? I'm beginning to fear I more like the grasshopper. I look at all the "busyness" in my life, but wonder where the productivity is. I seem to be always in motion, but I never have anything to show for it.

The good news is that in Christ there is hope. There is time to correct course. If you (or I) have played the grasshopper, we can still consider the ant. We can do all things through Christ who is our strength. These truths apply to both our physical and spiritual life. The discipline that is necessary to succeed in the workplace is necessary to succeed in spiritual development. Friend, look to the ant and be wise.