The most ‘successful’ lie…

In Eden, the serpent (Satan in disguise) suggested to Eve that God didn’t actually want the best for her and Adam. Believing that lie resulted in the first sin and is still the biggest faith-destroyer in this world. By thinking that God does not want good for me, or is not using the painful events of my life for good, I am likely to take matters into my own hands instead of trusting Him. While I am free to make choices, I have no control over the consequences. 

For example, deciding to do my own thing puts a wedge in my relationship with the Lord. Jesus said: “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:14) He also said:

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21)

He describes the consequences of obedience, but what happens if I think His will is not good for me and say no? Instead of listening to God, I want whatever I can do or get? Specifics are hard to predict but one thing is certain:

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)

I don’t want to be God's enemy, but Jesus made it clear that no one can serve two masters. It is either God or myself, but when fed ideas from the Liar, he appeals to my selfish desires and blurs or blasts the goodness of God.

Obedience is also important in learning God's will. Like walking a dark path with a flashlight, I cannot see more than the next step unless I step into it. The lie is exposed as I pray and focus on truth:

Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law. . . .  You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. (Psalm 119:29; 68)

Obedience is important because: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.” (Psalm 24:4)

Doing what God says produces the good fruit of the Spirit and increases my ability to obey. The fruit of the Spirit requires giving up its opposites, but it does not take long to see the choice is a no-brainer. Believing truth produces good things because God is good and wants good. Believing the lie leads to selfishness, gross sin, and pain for me and everyone around me.

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:19–26)

Knowing God wants good for His people changes my prayer life. If the lives of my friends (or my life) seems uncomfortable or filled with ‘bad’ stuff, I’m learning to search for the good that God promises to use in transforming lives to be like Jesus. Sometimes His pruning hurts, but the end result is always amazing. Why not pray for ‘quick cuts’ and incredible results?

Not only that, the more I know God is good, the more my prayers are answered. He does this, not so I am blessed (even though I am) but so He is glorified. The Liar says otherwise. However, as God hears and answers prayer, but to put that Liar and his lies in their place. Answered prayer is another fruit of the Spirit. It blesses those who believe and pray, and astounds those who should be doing the same. 

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:7–8)

PRAY: Lord Jesus, the more I spend time with You and see Your goodness, the more my heart desires that You are glorified. This dark world needs to see and hear the truth. I know that some will resist and hate You, remain slaves of sin, self, and the lies, yet I also know You are able to shed light in the hearts of sinners. Be glorified in our hearts that we might be able to glorify You in our lives. Help me to submit to You always and resist the devil so he will flee from me (James 4:7). Millions need to realize that he is lying when he says You are not good. Amen.

Key to not being anxious

Exodus 36; Proverbs 12; John 15; Ephesians 5

Yesterday I started feeling anxious about this virus thing, not for myself but for the thousands of people who are dying, and for their families and the losses that accompany loss of life. The stress was not from the latest statistics, as bad as they are, but the projections for the future weeks and months. Two things came this morning that helped me.

The first was a gracious letter from my sister’s pastor. He wrote from the heart and included Scripture that reminds me of God’s goodness. He said he was blessed to know her and will always remember her and later added that death is not the end, that Christ has defeated the enemy and we will be reunited with those who have gone on before.

Then I read this: “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” (Proverbs 12:25) How true! That letter untied some of the knots and helped me move eagerly to John 15 and Ephesians 5. Both passages are filled with those ‘good words’ that make the heart glad.

I love the imagery in John 15 where Jesus illustrates the importance of abiding in Him. “Abide” simply means “to continue” or “to remain in the same place” or “to stay put” — telling me that I’ve enjoyed the promises of God and believing in Jesus — don’t move away from trusting Him because if I do, there are consequences. One of them is that I cannot bear fruit.

“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.” (John 15:4–5)

While He could mean more, the first ‘fruit’ I think of is the fruit of the Spirit. It is described clearly as attitudes. Also, not each one is a fruit alone but all of them together are the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit. That is, if I abide in Christ, all will be present.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22–23)

If one of them is missing, such as peace being replaced by anxiety, then all of them are missing. In other words, I cannot love others, experience joy, be kind and patient and so on if I am worried about anything! He also says: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:10–11)

Another good word is that when I am abiding, I have this amazing experience of answered prayer!

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:7–8)

In the past few weeks, my answered prayer list has been amazing. Some are personal (like solutions to problems) and others are huge (like changed attitudes in those who need Jesus, and changes in social situations). Prayer is more complex than abiding in Christ yet not abiding is a sure way to miss out on seeing God answer prayer.

God chose me so I would bear this fruit and thus ask and receive answers. He also commands abiding because I cannot love others without resting in Him. This is vital to obedience and to living as a Christian.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:16–17)

APPLY: The words of Ephesians 5 spell it out. I’m to be an “imitator of God” and “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” This means being careful how I walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Don’t be foolish or anxious but understand God’s will and be filled with the Spirit, giving thanks always for everything, caring for others because I worship and obey Christ. (Ephesians 5:1-2; 15-18; 20–21)

To Live is Christ — like a child with her Father

Yesterday I was praying for a nephew, but a bit uncertain how to pray. Just then, his mother (my sister-in-law) phoned with a prayer request from her son. Even without asking, God showed me how to pray for this young man.

Prayer is mysterious. As my brother’s wife and I talked about it, we agreed that God’s ways are not our ways. We usually ask Him to “fix” our problems, but instead He may give us greater strength to live patiently with them. Still, He makes marvelous promises regarding prayer.

But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. (John 15:7–8, NLT)

The key here to answered prayer is my behavior. When I am walking with Christ and obeying the Holy Spirit, God is glorified and my obedience proves that I belong to Him. When that happens, He is eager to grant the requests of His followers. This also brings glory to Him.

I am startled at the comparisons between this and good parenting. Like any loving earthly father, my heavenly Father enjoys blessing His children and doing things for us. It pleases Him to grant our requests. He desires the very best for us.

Nevertheless, God does not spoil His children. He is wise. He gives good gifts, but He does not give me whatever I ask for in selfishness or foolishly. An example might be a teen asking for the car. A good father considers that child’s ability. Is it safe for the child to be driving the car?

He also considers his or her behavior. A good father would not grant the car keys to a teen with a rebellious and defiant attitude. Instead, that teen needs to prove her reliability, not be “rewarded” for being a brat.

God is better than the best of earthly fathers. He never pats me on the head when I am acting in selfish and sinful ways. He knows that my bad behavior is not good for me and will get me in trouble. It makes sense that He listens when I am listening and turns a deaf ear to my requests when I am behaving irresponsibly and not ready for the answer.

Yesterday He showed me that abiding is like a marital relationship. Today, He shows me that it is like a parent and child relationship. His parenting is perfect. He knows exactly what to do with me and how much He can trust me, with car keys or with many other things. My problem is that I need to work on being a more well-behaved and reliable child.

To Live is Christ — how to practice abiding

Tonight my husband has an appointment at 6:45 p.m.. I plan to make supper a little earlier than usual so he can eat before he leaves for that appointment. I suppose I could say no, that doesn’t work for me, but in my marriage, we realize a far greater harmony and pleasure by a little cooperation.

We also realize the importance of listening to one another. He told me about his appointment. Had I been preoccupied or indifferent, those plans might be ignored. Then he would be unhappy that supper was not ready when he got home, and I would be unhappy that he had to leave without eating it.

It is a choice. I can fit my life into the plans of my spouse and vice versa, or we can each do our own thing and pay no attention to what the other is doing. By acting the latter way, we make marriage look like a bad idea, and are certainly going to find ourselves annoyed at each other, or worse.

This is another way of explaining today’s verses from John’s gospel. Abiding in Christ is about relationship, and is much like a good marriage.

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:7–8, ESV)

Abiding is about paying attention to the will of my Lord and Savior. He certainly is in tune with me and my needs, knowing them better than I know them myself. He longs to walk in harmony, but He is never the one that is out of step. If anyone is, it is always me. (This isn’t necessarily true about marriage — but no illustration is perfect!)

In a marriage, harmony, communication, and even mind-reading take time to develop and perfect. It is the same with abiding in Christ. While John puts them in reverse order, a major part of learning this is making sure His Word abides in my heart. I have to read it, think about it, remember what it says. When I know Scripture, I am more apt to understand what Jesus is thinking and planning. When that happens, life becomes very exciting and I am eager to do my part and fit into the drama that He is directing.

It is the same in marriage. Communication makes abiding possible. If I don’t know what my spouse is thinking, how can I fit in with his plans? Impossible.

Abiding in Christ could involve simple things like timing. When my relationship with Him is close, I know when to do or say something (or keep still). It could also involve the content of my words or actions. In the case of my recent dental fiasco, I had some strong ideas of how to respond to this unfolding situation. However, the Lord clearly instructed me to simply trust Him. In the abiding, He is revealing to me His will on this matter. Had I done what my own mind first considered, I would have separated myself from the will of God. That would have been foolish and costly.

Today, I have a to-do list. However, abiding means that both ears are open to His changes in my plans. Jesus may have guided my pen when I wrote the list, but should He give me an unexpected chore or interrupt the list with a greater need, abiding means that I will go with the flow of His leading and adjust accordingly.

While this concept totally riles many women, some of them Christian, the Bible talks about wives in this kind of relationship with their husbands. We struggle because fitting in with our hubby’s plans goes against our old nature. Women want to be independent and do their own thing. Nevertheless, God asks us to do it. In my experience, abiding in Christ is impossible if I cannot learn this on a human level.

That is, following the leading of Christ becomes impossible if I refuse to shift my routine so my DH can eat before his suppertime appointment. God gave me this relationship as a parallel. If I can harmonize my plans to fit with what my husband needs to do, abiding in Christ is clarified and practiced on a day-to-day level. It is also becoming much easier because I am learning how an attitude of abiding looks and feels.

God is so smart.

To Live is Christ — trust and obey

Depending on where a speaker puts the emphasis, a sentence can have several meanings.

    I love you? can be skepticism, even mockery.
    I love you — emphasizes the feelings of the speaker.
    I love you — makes the other person the center of attention.

This morning as I read the following verses, I wondered what part of verse 7 did the “by this God is glorified” point back to. Is it the two abidings, or is it the part about prayers being answered?

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:7–8, NKJV)

Many people think that God is most glorified when our prayers are answered. For instance, when someone is sick and we pray for His will, in the back of our minds we are thinking that instant healing will most glorify God. Sometimes it does. However, a story comes to mind . . .

Two alcoholics attended an evangelistic crusade. Both went forward at the invitation and both were saved. Years later, the person who led them to Christ revisited the same two men. One said that since his salvation, he’d lost all desire for alcohol and had never had another drop. The counselor praised God with him.

The second man had a slightly different testimony. He said that since his salvation he had craved alcohol every day, but God gave him grace to say no and he had never had another drop.

Sometimes God is glorified as much or even more when He does not answer our prayers but gives us grace to live with the problem or issue that we are trying to pray out of our lives.

I looked up these verses from John in another Bible. The English Standard Version aims for accuracy to the author’s intent. The difference is slight, but it clarifies the answer to my question.

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:7–8, ESV)

The context of these verses is about bearing fruit by those who are abiding in the Vine. This vivid imagery depicts branches grafted into the grapevine — who is Christ. If we draw our strength from Him as the graft draws from the parent plant, then we will produce spiritual fruit. By producing this spiritual fruit, Jesus Christ is glorified and we give the evidence that we belong to Him.

Sometimes I pray for what I think is the best thing. To me, it seems that my notion of the answer will most honor God. Yet God shows me how little I know. His ways are not my ways. I look for the spectacular and dramatic. Sometimes that works, but more often He responds by showing me more about abiding and fruit-bearing in my own life. To use another image, instead of removing the rocks from the streams of my life, He makes the water deeper.

I’m learning that God is most glorified when His people abide in Him no matter what He does with our prayers. If I keep praying thirty years for someone’s salvation, my steadfastness can glorify Him just as much as a change in the other person’s life. While I’d rather put my own character development in second place, God says that He is glorified by the fruit of patience and persistence.

Abiding in Jesus means giving up all reliance on other things. Whatever I trust besides Him has to be abandoned, including my own way of doing things. I think life would be much easier for me if God would just answer my requests the way that I pray them. Heal Lyle, save Carla, and so on. Instead, He offers a greater challenge. He asks me to be like Jesus, to rely on His sustaining power and continue to believe that He knows what He is doing — even when His answers do not match my requests.

To Live is Christ — Abiding and praying

The Bible has lots to say about prayer, but perhaps the most meaningful passage in my mind is this promise from Jesus as recorded in John’s gospel.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:7–8)

“Abide” means to stay, remain, live in, dwell, endure. The verse is telling me to stick with Jesus, living in Him as my only place to dwell. This “abiding” cannot happen when I sin. As soon as I do, I step outside of Him.

So the whole idea of abiding in Him is about keeping my life clean. I cannot do that unless I am abiding, so the two go together. Forsaking sin and abiding in Christ keeps me out of trouble.

The verse also tells me that His words need to abide in me. That is, the Word of God must live in my heart and mind. It needs to be the foundation for my thoughts, words and actions. Of course, when I sin, His word is simple not there. I have ignored it or forgotten it or just disobeyed it. One thing I know is that I need His words to keep my life clean. It is as the psalmist says . . . 

How can a young man (or an older woman) cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. (Psalm 119:9–11)

With those two “abidings” in place, Jesus then says I can ask God for whatever I want and He will do it for me! This is the key to having prayer answered all the time.

I don’t get all excited and think things like a mansion or a Porsche, because He has taught me a little bit about this abiding business. When I abide in Christ, then I am wanting things He wants. He isn’t into fancy houses or cars. When His word abides in me, I am praying His thoughts back to Him, and none of those are self-indulgent gimme prayers. Abiding is a change of where I live — not in my old sinful, selfish ways, but in a new place, in Christ.

Verse 8 adds a couple more strings to this “always get your prayers answered” promise. It is about more results — after the praying is done. I’m going to think about them tomorrow. For today, abiding gives my heart plenty to think about and aim toward.