The Fruit of Abiding.. Craig Denison Ministries

 

The Fruit of Abiding

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

This life is marked by a single choice: who or what will we center our lives around? This choice takes each of us down a path of decisions that shape who we are, what we feel, who or what we value, and what we will have accomplished at the end of our days. To center our lives around ourselves or the things of this world leads only to destruction. But, to center our lives around meeting with God fills each moment with the glorious abundance of God’s love, provision, and transcendent peace. May your life be marked by union with your Creator as we explore what it means to center our lives around meeting with God this week.

Scripture:“Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Devotional:           

So often out of a right desire to do good and God-honoring works we try and force fruit out of ourselves without taking the time to rest and receive the nutrients we can only get from abiding in our heavenly Father. A branch disconnected from an apple tree can no more produce good fruit than you and I can do good works apart from continual abiding in the love, grace, and presence of God. Without truly centering our lives around meeting with God, we’ll never produce the fruit we were created to make. Jesus taught us in John 15:1-5,

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 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.

God’s heart is for us to abide in him all day, every day. How incredible is that! You and I can graft ourselves every day into the perfect, good, and powerful vine of our heavenly Father. We can wake up every day, open our hearts to God, and live out of the union afforded us by the powerful sacrifice of Jesus.

Rather than striving to do good works from the moment our feet hit the ground, we must take time to be loved by our heavenly Father. Rather than making our own opportunities to serve God, we must allow him to guide us to the works he’s set out for us. Rather than trying to lead others to Jesus by our own efforts, we must simply live openly and honestly with others, thereby revealing God’s heart to meet with those who are broken and in need of him. And rather than living as if God has left us to our devices, we must acknowledge our union with the Holy Spirit in every moment, thereby allowing his loving presence to permeate everything we do.

James 2:26 teaches, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” Connect yourself to the wonderful vine of Jesus today. Center your life around meeting with him. It’s only in abiding in God that your faith will produce works that are alive, eternal, and filled with the transformational power of God’s Spirit. May you discover the freedom and love available to you in continual communion with your heavenly Father today.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of abiding in the vine. Allow Scripture to stir up your desire to rest in God today.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

“Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

“That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3

2. Where have you been striving to do good works apart from the abiding presence of your Creator? What parts of your life need to have a greater connection to the love of God?

3. Take time to rest in the presence of God. Abide in him. Don’t look to or think about the things set before you today. There will be plenty of time for tasks and relationships. Focus all your attention on the reality of God’s nearness and open your heart to receive all the love he has for you in this present moment.

The absolute most powerful and good work we can do every day is pursuing continual communion with God. More than God wants us to strive to serve him, he simply wants us to let him love us. More than he wants any work of our hands, he wants our hearts. His love comes without agenda. There is immense value in the children of God simply living in relationship with the Father. Don’t let the works-based systems of this world seep into the grace-based relationship you have with God.

Extended Reading: John 15

Better Reactions, Better Relationships..LYSA TERKEURST

 Better Reactions, Better Relationships

LYSA TERKEURST 

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)  My heart raced when I saw their number pop up on my phone. I had been avoiding a conversation with someone who had already made it known to me that they didn’t see things the way I did. I just knew it was going to be hard and probably not go well. Nothing in me wanted to have this conversation. I was beyond aggravated. Hurt. Angry. And tired of being misunderstood. Maybe you can relate. I answered the call with only two goals in mind: to prove how right I was and how wrong the other person was. How do you think that conversation went? Not well. This conflict happened many years ago, so the rush of emotion has dissipated, and now I can see more clearly how wrong my approach was. One thing that has helped me over the years has been memorizing — and making every effort to live out — our key verse for today: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). When I dug into the deeper meaning of the word “gentle” in this verse, I found that, in Hebrew, the word is rak. Rak is used 16 times in Scripture and relates to the quality of being tender, soft or delicate in substance. The connection with “answer” means our response should soothe and comfort the one listening to us. This means that, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to exercise emotional restraint by giving gentle responses rather than harsh or painful ones. This enables us to turn away wrath instead of stirring it up, which only serves to cause further damage. So how do we walk this out practically? Even with — maybe especially with — some of our most challenging relationships? I have found it helpful to ask myself three questions: 1. What part of this issue can I own and apologize for? Often when conflict occurs, two people have two opposing narratives about the situation at hand. And usually there isn’t one person who is perfectly right or all-the-way wrong. I’m not talking about owning things that aren’t ours to take on. But if there is a part that’s mine, I don’t want to let pride keep me from doing what’s right. If I make peace with the part I need to own and apologize for before the conversation, there’s a greater chance I’ll stay calm in the conversation, and it’s the only way I’ve ever seen the other person’s heart soften. But if I enter in with a heart set on retaliation, Proverbs 15:18 reminds me it will result in conflict escalation: “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention” (ESV). 2. How can I soften my heart toward this person so I honor them despite how they react? This one is hard. Really hard. But I know hurting people often hurt people. Usually the person with whom I’m having a conflict has some kind of past or current hurt feeding this issue in their life. Chances are, that hurt doesn’t have anything to do with me, but it’s adding to their emotional response in this conflict. Softening my heart is easier if I can sympathize with the hurt I can’t see. Again, if I can lay down my pride, honor will be my reward. Proverbs 29:23 reminds us, “Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor” (NIV). 3. Are there any necessary boundaries that may need to be implemented in this relationship? If we continually find our emotions hijacked by repetitive conflicts or intense conversations in one particular relationship, it may be time to consider setting boundaries. If this is new to you, I want you to know confidently that the purpose of boundaries isn’t to push another person away. It’s to help us fight for togetherness by defining what is and is not acceptable. We can do this all in a way that honors Jesus through displaying gentleness and kindness. Boundaries actually help us love others without losing the best parts of who we are in the process. Your boundary should help set the stage so your emotions can stay more regulated, you can regain a sense of safety and you can feel more empowered to make any necessary changes. As you consider this, you may find it helpful to process with a trusted godly mentor or Christian counselor. Conflict may be inevitable, but there is a way to pursue relational health and honor God in the middle of it all. I believe better reactions will lead to better conversations, better conversations will lead to better relationships, and better relationships will lead to better living. Dear Lord, please help me pause and allow the Holy Spirit to intervene when I want to react in ways that don’t glorify You. Even when I’m caught off guard, may Your love and patience be the spillover from my heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Wisdom of Right Relationships..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Wisdom of Right Relationships

Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 10:23-24

The subject of positive relationships is near to my heart because God has provided me with such good friends. These are the people who challenge me to do more for the Lord. My friends love me, but they certainly aren’t content to let me stay as I am! If they spot a sin in my life or see something I could do better, they say so.

Paul gave relationships a high priority too. The apostle surrounded himself with people who could help him achieve two things: fulfillment of his God-given mission and conformity to Christlikeness. While Paul was pouring himself into the lives of others, he was being built up and strengthened by his fellow believers. That, in brief, is the Lord’s plan for every one of His children.

What about you? Do you have certain relationships that motivate you to pursue God more fervently? It does matter whom we allow to influence our lives. The Father equips your brothers and sisters to invest in you—to encourage you, to pray for you, and to prod you toward a more complete faith—so that you are prepared to devote yourself to serving others. Good relationships with people who build each other up can help believers fulfill God’s plan for their lives.

The finest relationships are between people who want to see each other succeed in faith and therefore “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Heb. 10:24, niv). In other words, our best friends are those who love us as we are but never cease to challenge us to be better for the Lord.

For Now We See in a Mirror Dimly..Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 For Now We See in a Mirror Dimly (1 Corinthians 13:12)

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

Today’s Bible Verse Is: 1 Corinthians 13:12 - For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

In my thirty-seven years of life thus far, I’ve been a member of multiple denominations in the faith. And within those denominations, I’ve experienced a plethora of various opinions on all manner of what we like to call “secondary topics”—meaning, they aren’t essential to salvation, the identity of Christ as God’s Son, or the implicit nature of the Trinity. Secondary topics typically include different ideas on eschatology (end times), Arminian vs. Calvinist views, baptism, worship styles, spiritual gifts, frequency of communion in church, etc. (We won’t list the color of the carpet in the sanctuary, though some might argue for that! Ha!)

Christians are all unique (and flawed) human beings, and they’re understandably going to have differing views. Even when we look to the Bible and agree on it being the inerrant, inspired, infallible Word of God, we still risk interpreting it differently. The Bible even talks about how right now, we only see dimly, but one day in Heaven, we’ll understand so much better.

It can be exhausting to think you understand something in Scripture, then hear an opposing view and think “oh, wait, that makes sense too.” Or look at another Christian and think “they don’t believe X, but look how close to the Lord they are. Maybe that means they’ve got it right instead of me!”

Personally, there was a season in my life where I didn’t realize it, but I was slowly withdrawing from the daily disciplines of my spiritual journey. I had begun to stop reading the Word regularly or praying. It wasn’t based in apathy so much as it was in fear. A wise mentor asked me a powerful question one day as I was discussing this shift with her. I had admitted that I was afraid to dive deep into figuring out a particular element of my faith because of all the controversy about it. People I love and respected, people whom I knew walked with the Lord had very opposing views on these topics, so it was confusing for me. It made me pull back. I heard myself say, “I just don’t want to get it wrong.”

This woman looked at me and very calmly asked, “What would happen if you did?”

I just stared at her, unable to provide an answer. She’d just revealed there was no true foundation to my fear. What would happen if I chose to believe a particular way on a secondary issue, and it turned out later I was wrong? Would I lose my salvation? No. Would I have grown away from the Lord? No. If anything, I’d be closer because I’d have been drawing near again!

You’re not alone in these occasional bursts of doubt. But don’t give up or allow the enemy camp to sway you away from digging into God’s Word. And trust me—he’s trying!

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Refuse to listen to the lie that you’ll never know the full truth, so why bother? If anything, let those anxieties over “getting it wrong” spur you deeper into the Word and into prayer. You’re not going to figure everything out this side of Heaven, but you’ll bear the fruit of a relationship with the Lord on the journey. Ultimately, when we’re walking with the Lord, we can trust the Holy Spirit to steer us in the right direction on any of these hard topics.

A Prayer for When You Don’t Know What God Is Doing..Molly Law

 A Prayer for When You Don’t Know What God Is Doing

By Molly Law

“How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God” - Psalm 13:1-3

When life is stagnant, it can be hard to hear God’s guiding voice. It is an unknown occurrence that happens from time to time. We can be in the Word, seeking God through prayer daily, yet no doors seem to be opening, all we hear are crickets in return.

The beautiful part of Salvation is not just that we believe in the Savior and await eternity with him, which is certainly a wonderful thing, but we also get a friend who enters our hearts and stays with us on this earth until we join the rest of the Trinity in heaven. The Holy Spirit, who is God, is part of our very core. When we seek the Lord, the Holy Spirit evokes his wisdom, guidance, and comfort through us. 

Following the Holy Spirit’s guidance has always been an active choice for all my life decisions. I’ve always been ready to do God’s will in my life. Whenever I had a life decision, God would close all other doors and reveal the one he wanted me to go through. As I pursue another life course, all the doors I have tried remain closed. With each passing day, as I await the one to open, my hope continues to dim until it feels like it could fade entirely.

Before that can happen, I reach for the Word of God, my life source. As I flip to the Psalms, I realize that I am not the first to feel like this — not by a long shot. David’s vulnerability through his written prayers is so relatable, it feels as if he shared it on his social media post today. How timeless they feel as he cried out to the Lord thousands of years ago, “O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest” (Psalm 22:2). 

The time in between, traversing the desert can almost feel worse than hearing a “no.” Of course, we would love the “yes,” but at least with a no, there is closure — one of the closed doors can be eliminated so that we feel as if, surely, the one door is just about to open. 

There is no quick fix for this, no profound insight that I could give. All I know is that God’s timing is perfect — and that there is a reason he is not moving right now. No answer is his answer. He’s saying, “Wait on me. It is not time yet. I’ll let you know when it is.” And you know what? I believe him. I trust him even when it seems as if the silence tells me otherwise. 

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,
Please let me remember your own words about your perfect timing, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

You know that I am waiting for an answer for something that is very close to my heart. A desire you placed in me long ago. Lord, it is getting increasingly harder to wait. I am losing hope. I feel like you cannot hear me. Where are you, my God? 

When I feel like pulling away, I pray you will pull me tightly to your side — that I will still come to you daily so that I do not take matters into my own hands that will undoubtedly lead me astray from the path you had set out for me.

Be with us all as we go through the desert of our lives — as the silence grows louder until it becomes unbearable. Give us comfort and peace. Let the Holy Spirit stir within us, letting us know that you are still there, that you are with us even in the unknown. 

I pray for the day that you open that one door in answer. I pray as we await that fateful day that our trust and faith in you will not diminish. I pray we stay steadfast in our devotion and trust in you no matter what happens. 

We love and trust you, our Father, Friend, and Confidant.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Are Your Relationships Meaningful?..Aaron D’Anthony Brown

 Are Your Relationships Meaningful?

By Aaron D’Anthony Brown

“Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

What is a meaningful relationship?
There’s a certain conversation that plays out week after week on Sunday mornings. One person says, “Hey. How are you?” “Good,” the other responds, “How are you?” “Good,” the first answers, mirroring the second. This conversation probably sounds familiar. Most of us have either initiated or participated in such dialogue, inside and outside of church. But on the subject of Sunday mornings, what is the likelihood that every single Sunday, we’re actually doing good? Of all places to be dishonest, we pick the Lord’s house.

This brings us to an important question. Are our relationships meaningful? Don’t be too quick to answer. If our relationships are meaningful, why do we bestow the label of friend upon people who aren’t close to us? Why do we even have superficial conversations at church, a place where we are called to be vulnerable?

Much like the worldly culture surrounding us, the church has also lost sight of what constitutes meaningful relationships. Instead of calling someone an acquaintance, we say friend. Instead of communicating when something bothers us, we keep quiet to avoid offending. Though these behaviors mark our present day, they are not indications of meaningful relationships. Not according to biblical standards.

The Book of Psalms and Proverbs especially help us understand how to cultivate depth, even when someone is not our friend. We learn how to communicate and handle conflict. We also receive admonishment for better listening, prioritizing other people, making time for others, and ultimately, treating people the way that we would want to be treated. The lessons are there, we just have to heed them.

After all, we go to church not just for the sermon but for people and not just to learn but to put what we learn into practice. If we are to be one body, one family, and one church, then we should treat each other accordingly. What better day to start than today?

Intersecting Faith and Life:
The relationship dilemma at church, though widespread, is not insurmountable. After identifying any problem, next comes the solution. In fact, here are five different ways we can add more depth to our interactions.

Pause
One reason we have superficial exchanges at church and elsewhere is because we’re in a rush to our next destination. Instead of being in the moment with the person we’re speaking to, we feign politeness and keep moving. But lying isn’t polite, and if the person needed help but didn’t immediately know how to ask, who are we to pass them by? Take a moment. Pause. Be present.

Listen
When you reflect on your day-to-day conversations, what’s the ratio of you listening as opposed to talking? If we’re being honest, many of us opt to talk instead of listening, but Scripture makes clear what should come first and more often. Be quick not to speak, but listen.

Ask Questions
A good way to practice speaking less and listening more is to ask questions. Making inquiries of the other person helps them feel recognized, seen, and important. The same way we feel when people ask questions of us. Moreover, questions give them an incentive to keep talking.

Initiate
Do you wait around for people to ask you to hang out or do you initiate? The answer is easy when we’re considering an already-established relationship. You likely answer differently, though, when thinking about those you don’t know well. New relationships could be on the horizon, but you need effort to get there.

Appreciate
Another way to make people feel special is to give thanks. Not just for the obvious things like gifts or a ride to work. Thank people for spending time with you, for sharing secrets, and simply for being your friend.

As Christians, we profess a Jesus kind of love. That kind of love makes time for others, listens intently, asks questions, initiates, and offers plenty of gratitude. Trade in what’s superficial for what’s real, and let’s perfect the church today.

Further Reading (and Listening):

• Colossians 4:6
• Proverbs 18:2
• 1 Peter 4:8
• Proverbs 17:17