Apart from me you can do nothing

(As I was talking with him I said, “Brother, what has the Lord been teaching you these days?” He replied, “Only one thing: that I can do nothing apart from him.” “Do you really mean,” I asked, “that you can do nothing?” “Well, no,” he said, “of course I can do many things! In fact that has been just my trouble. Oh, you know, I have always been so confident in myself. I know I am well able to do lots of things.” So I asked, “What then do you mean when you say you can do nothing apart from him?” He answered, “The Lord has shown me that I can do anything, but that he has said, ‘Apart from me you can do nothing.’ So it comes to this, that everything I have done and can still do, apart from him is nothing.”)---Watchman Nee, p. 239 the Normal Christian Life

“Apart from me you can do nothing.”—John 15:6

What incredible truth! It’s clear and simple. If only I could live in this one thing; to let it sit in my soul all the days of my life. I am too prone to run ahead after my own plans and then only to check back with him along the way. Why do I try so hard to do so many things without him; without listening to him or for him; without seeking his voice; his guidance or direction? Perhaps, the truth deep down in my heart is that I feel like I can accomplish my work without him; that I trust in myself more than I trust in him! Perhaps I feel that if I did seek his direction and plans iI would find that they do not align with what I want. Maybe I am fearful that if I sought his direction he would lead me away from what I want to do or accomplish. My fear keeps me grounded, then, in my own strength (or weakness) and leaning on my own insight.

What a fool!

God and Our Schedule

We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and cancelling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions.

We may pass them by, preoccupied with our more important tasks, as the priest—perhaps reading his Bible—passed by the man who had fallen among thieves…

It is a strange fact that Christians and even ministers frequently consider their work so important and urgent that they will allow nothing to disturb them. They think they are doing God a service in this.

But it is part of the discipline of humility that we must not spare our hand where it can perform a service and that we do not assume that our schedule is our own to manage but allow it to be arranged by God.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

Listening

I’ve started carrying around a wooden spoon because my kids have stopped listening to me. If they won’t listen to me, perhaps they’ll listen to the spoon. He is silent, but strong.

The neighborhood pool is our favorite summer destination. It’s free and it’s a hundred yards from our house. Three of my four kids can swim. Delaney thinks she can swim. I’m not sure why she believes this is true, since she sinks like a rock in any water over 2 and ½ feet deep.

The story constantly repeats itself. I say, “Put on your arm floats so you won’t sink, then you can go anywhere in the pool you want to.” She refuses and then turns to walk off the first step only to enter the underwater abyss. I pull her up and she coughs and gags and spews a mixture of pool water, snot, and spit. And I go, “See, you need to listen to me. Wear your swimmies and you won’t sink.” She refuses. The process repeats itself.

Every morning, the first thing I do is to read five Psalms. There are 150 of them and dividing that up by a month’s time, that equals out to about five a day. I can go through all the Psalms each month. And when I read them, I try to not to stay too long. In this time, I usually don’t journal, reflect, or look too deeply. I simply skim them and listen as if they are a song playing in the background of my heart. I’ve learn to love its sound. The Psalms are read to wash over me, to get me into the Scriptures just to be around the ‘aroma’ of God’s words to me. My desire is to be a man who delights in the law of the LORD; who is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither. (Psalm 1)

Psalm 81 caught my eye this morning and I went back to think more about it. I’ll try to reread it a few times today to see if God will give me something new; something that can help me know him more. Here’s what I realized as I thought it over: we aren’t good listeners. We simply don’t listen. Maybe we hear, but we don’t listen. Go read it, specifically verses 6-16 and see what I mean.

God brought his people out of Egypt and put them in a rich and abundant land. Yet after a short while they started doing what they are so good at: chasing other gods. On this side of history, I want to scream out, “Idiots!” It’s easy to say this looking back. It’s always 20/20. But I do the same thing. We always do, don’t we? There is always something more we want than what we have. It’s true for me.

God said, “I removed your burden and your hands were set free. I rescued you. I brought you out of Egypt. Yet, you would not listen to me, so I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.”

“If you would only listen to me, you would open your mouth wide and I would fill it. I would subdue your enemies, I would feed you with the finest wheat and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Like Delaney, who refuses to wear her swim floats, who refuses to listen to me, I too often refuse to listen to God. I refuse to listen for God. And I find that even if I do want to listen, I am not still and quiet long enough to hear anything he might say. Life is too noisy, too fast, and too busy. There are too many distractions. Even though I have been freed from the slavery of sin and the burden of the old way of life, more and more I find that I return to the slavery and burdens. I trade freedom for more slavery.

Today, Lord, I pray that I would learn to listen. Open my ears. Help me to realize that your Word sets me free and helps me to live freely. Keep me from running after other gods; other idols. Soften my stubborn heart and turn my heart from following my own devices and schemes.

The God Who Does Not Get Tired or Look Away

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
"God has lost track of me.
He doesn't care what happens to me"?
Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?
God doesn't come and go. God lasts.

He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.

He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
they walk and don't lag behind.

Isaiah 40:27-31 From The Message

Identity

Why are we constantly concerned with our identity?

The essence of this concern is only how we wish to be viewed by others. It is merely the way we want others to think about us. Why do I constantly find myself working so hard to create an image? Why do I work so hard to build an identity?

I have found this to be a great bondage--a terrible enslavement. Constructing an identity is exhausting when it is found outside of the one God has already placed on us.What tremendous freedom is found when we cease thinking about building or constructing an identity and finally stop being so concerned about what others think about us or how they view us.

There is incredible life and peace and rest in who we already are in Christ? Our identity--the only one that matters--is already been given. Isaiah 43, Ephesians 1

peace and grace--

the essence of grace

With the entrance of Jesus came the indication that God was doing a new thing. "From now on, God's faithful will no longer follow him out of duty and obligation, but out of desire, which is the essence of grace,"*...which is the result of understanding grace; that we no longer need to perform to please God or gain his love or attention. It is freely given and the announcement is given in person, with the incarnation--God becoming a human and dwelling among us--ull of grace and truth.


*Neb Hayden, "When the Good News Gets Even Better"

waiting is the hardest

Acts 1:1-5 “Waiting to receive instructions from Jesus about what they are to do next.”

O Lord, we wait for you…
You are our soul’s desire
My soul yearns for you in the night
My spirit within me earnestly seeks you. (Is. 26:8-9)

Most of us do not wait well. I want things at once and do not like to wait, and if I have to wait very long. I can easily and quickly become irritable, impatient, cynical, and my heart and mind race with all I have to do. Or I will take things into my own hands and try to make something happen on my own.

Jesus, help me to wait for you.

HE WHO IS IN A HURRY delays the things of God.
— St. Vincent de Paul


from Robert Benson www.robertbensonwriter.com

The Gospel

The gospel is not simply doctrinal information about Jesus. It IS Jesus. The gospel is wrapped in a person: Jesus. And if he is lifted up as the centerpiece, the whole world will be drawn to him. The whole world will never be drawn to correct doctrine.

John 12:32 "When I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

Redefining Greatness

On their way to Capernaum, Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest. Jesus knew their thoughts and told them that if they truly wanted to be great, then they would have to become the least, they would have to give up all rights to themselves, take up their cross, and follow him.

This is the opposite of what the American culture tells us, which is to seek greatness, fame, and accomplish big things. It pushes us to seek the applause of others and it teaches us that our identity and worth is wrapped up in how much applause we receive. However, Jesus has another idea of what it means to be great. Jesus says that if you want to be great, then you must become the least and be the servant of all. How Jesus defines greatness is the opposite of the world’s definition.

I wonder more and more why we continue to teach kids and allow them to think that greatness is found in a life that parallels Hollywood stardom, professional athletics, or becoming a top executive of a major corporation. The result of this is the idea that a person is not great unless they become famous, highly paid, or accomplish something spectacular.

I’d propose to say that in order to be great, one must become like Jesus, who gave himself completely, all the way to death on a cross. Jesus said that anyone who wants to gain their life must lose it. Perhaps we should try to re-teach our ourselves what greatness is truly about. Perhaps we should push back on what the world says is great.


" ... Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness.
If you want to be important -- wonderful.
If you want to be recognized -- wonderful.
If you want to be great -- wonderful.

But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness. And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve ... You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant." -- Martin Luther King Jr.

Nothing New To Say?

Does anyone ever have an original thought anymore? We are quoting ourselves to death.

I have noticed how often my writing is full of the quotes of others. I must stop this and challenge myself to think...to have something new and original to say.

How many Facebook status updates must I read which someone is posting a quote of someone else?

Furthermore, the last few books I have read began every chapter with two or three quotes at the top of the page. What is more, there must have been two to three quotes mixed into the text of each page. A typical 10-page chapter of the last two books I read would contain 15-25 quotes. Then to make it worse, the author basically eats the quote and throws up on the page....merely retelling the quote in his own words.

Is it possible that a person who creates...who writes...who speaks... can have an original thought? Must we always rely on what has already been said? Could there be a book written without quotes? Or at least very few?

5.27.2010

Landon, my 7 year old son, left with a friend's family to go to Walt Disney World this morning for 6 days. I am not sure I like it. It's a selfish thing. I'll miss him. Before he left we went and devoured some pancakes at IHOP and played about a hundred games of tic-tac-toe. Good stuff.

Words That Give LIFE

“Sticks and stones might break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”

I think this is the most backward statement I have ever heard. When I was younger, there were many well-meaning adults who repeated these words to me in an attempt to fix my heart. I am not sure I ever believed this statement. I tried. I hoped. However, it couldn’t remove the wounds I had from the verbal rocks that had been thrown at me. I can still see the scars. Sometimes they don’t go away.

The words we say can give life or they can destroy life. We should take every chance we get to speak love, truth and life into our kids, no matter how old they are. A couple of months ago when I was talking to my dad on the phone, he said, “I am proud of you.” Statements like that are worth more than all the gold in the world. I’ll carry those words with me forever, because they cannot fade or perish, and they cannot be taken away. And I am 38 years old! Statements like these aren’t just for kids.

Every opportunity you have to speak is a chance to change the life of a child. You can tear down or give life. Kids are desperately thirsty for words of love or encouragement. I wonder if we truly realize this. Think through the conversations you’ve had this past week with your son or daughter. Did you speak words of life? Did you speak harm? Did you say anything at all?

When a kid (or anyone) rarely hears words that speak love, truth and life, they begin to wonder if they are unlovable. They begin to blame themselves for not being worthy of love. Kids too often sell their souls to the grade-givers of the world who are constantly keeping score and are repeatedly saying that they are not pretty enough, smart enough, funny enough, athletic enough, fast enough, etc. But you can change this by speaking words like these that give life and love:

You are beautiful.
You are unique.
I am proud of you.
I love you no matter what you have done.
Nothing can change the way I love you.

“The tongue has the power of life and death…” Proverbs 18:21

**as printed in East Alabama Christian Family Magazine http://www.christianfamilypublications.com/

Scripture

"Scripture is like a lion. ... Just turn it loose..." "Spurgeon

I've learned that the Scriptures really are alive. They are moving. They are speaking. Anyone who comes in contact with them comes in contact with the Spirit of the Living God. Even those with the hardest of hearts can still hear the voice whispering, "come to me." What is more, as I have discovered the 'alive-ness' of the Scriptures, my main objective is to try to get another person to dip their toes in it, knowing that this simple exposure to the Living Water might pull them head first into the deep end of truth and life.

The Scripture is not simply a history book with information about Christianity. No, it is alive and shouting and warning and inviting and loving.

God is attracted to weakness

“I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him.” Jim Cymballa "Fresh Wind Fresh Fire"