Today, the first time I’ve written in months and months, I wan’t to talk about God’s calling.
**I’ve recorded this post so your ears can read it instead of your eyes. You’re welcome.***
But first…simply cannot believe it’s January. And not only that, but midway through the month. This time last year I’d done a lot of praying and thinking about what I wanted to do. About what God wanted me to do. About God’s calling for me. Where He had gifted me, what I naturally felt at peace doing. And it all came back to writing and teaching.
So I set out to revamp the website (something Derek says I do far too often…) And I did. The redo took way too long and the launch got pushed farther and farther behind. But I kept plugging away.
But then a funny thing happened. When it was done, I felt this tightness and pressure. Instead of reaping joy from writing and enjoying studying God’s Word I concocted a heaviness that scared me away from writing on my new, beautiful site. So I found lots of other things to do. I convinced myself that I’d know when the time was right. I’d have something perfect to say and I’d write it. In the mean time I filled up my schedule with contracts and projects and all kinds of things. Things that left me too tired to write or study. I knew God’s calling wasn’t to be stressed or not at peace, I knew God’s calling–but I avoided it.
Oh, yeah…and there was a terrible bout of anxiety in there too. It had nothing to do with writing or blogging. But it halted me. Because when I hit a patch like that I convince myself that a person struggling cannot contribute anything but more struggle. That’s a lie.
But as time went on the message became more and more clear. This is what God’s calling me to do–at least at this season in life. Not the struggling and the stress–the learning, teaching and studying. The soft voice I hear in my prayers has become louder and louder. Messages have been coming my way that are prodding me to move forward, be brave, continue. The radio, the Bible, the audio books I’m listening to, even strangers have lately (and by lately I mean over the last 6 months) have all been unknowingly speaking into my soul. I can hear God in my prayers asking me if I’ll listen to them. Because I’ve obviously been avoiding listening and obeying Him.
Maybe you can relate?
Maybe?
And perhaps the most nagging thing of all has been Abraham. Yes, from Genesis. And from the song about him having many sons. (more…)
Hello again. It’s been a while and I’ve got a lot to tell you.
Not in the sense that I know a ton and I’m smarter than you.
Or in the sense that I’m about to unload a TMI situation on you.
It’s just that it’s been a while, and a lot has happened and I’ve missed you and I’ve missed this. But we’ve got time. So, consider this an introduction to Amy Allender Bible Study Blog and resources.
Last time I really wrote, I was in New Mexico, after having moved away from Minot, ND. Things were good and I was good and it was hot as blazes. But a funny thing happened. Even though I was excited to write…nothing came out. It was like turning on an old rusty faucet. A few drips forced their way out, but nothing else came up. And the crazy thing was, I was okay with that.
That alone is a testament to God’s goodness, grace and activity in our lives.
In the past, I would have been upset that no words came out. That I had nothing to say. I would have bought into the lie that without a “real” job or activities worth writing about that I was doing something wrong. I would have bought into the lie that I needed to share my life with others to affirm that things were good in my world.
Now, mind you, that’s not the only reason I wrote, but it was a reason. It was a way of reminding myself that even though I didn’t have a regular, real job…I was doing things, I was busy and I really did enjoy my life.
I don’t know if that makes sense or it’s just me.
Any way, back to New Mexico.
So when I wanted to go back to writing and nothing came out…instead of forcing it–or thinking I had to force it out…I was totally cool. God gave me a great season of peace and contentment, at least where blogging and writing has been concerned. Once we traded the Southwest for South Dakota, I started to feel the familiar panic set in of being in a new place with no business, few connections, and little direction.
BUT–instead of falling into my normal, natural pattern of discouragement and despair I did something different. You see, last year at this time I was fervently calling on the Lord for help and He showed up in a miraculous way. (I pinky promise I’ll tell you about that later.) I saw God work, I knew He was for me and I wanted His guidance. So instead of pouting, I got to it. I decided that I wanted guidance and direction and His grace more than I wanted the familiarity of a post-move depression. (Being down in the dumps is no fun, but it is familiar, and tricks me into justifying bowls full of ice cream every evening.)
So I prayed with intention. I prayed with expectation. Not expecting God to give me a certain answer, but expecting Him to answer. I told the Lord the things that I love to do and asked Him if He’d like to use those skills–if in His great mercy He could release me from the fear preventing me from pursuing things that He created me to love…even if they don’t seem like “real” jobs.
I prayed and I listened and somehow I scraped up enough self-discipline to truly wait on an answer.
And then it came.
Around January of 2017 I knew I needed to return to writing. Not in a rush, but in a strategic, planned, thought out way. It didn’t happen with prophetic dreams, or from hearing a booming voice. I just knew with great peace that Ineeded to streamline the content I was writing, to write with purpose. The hardest part was feeling a calling to cut out some of the variety in my writing. Instead of writing about everything and anything, I knew God was calling me to write about Him and His Word. Instead of striving to re-start the photography/design/video/art teacher/artist business again…in an effort to generate some income and have some kind of answer to the ever-terrifying question: “So, what do you do…?”
God gave me peace and encouraged me to trust that He will provide. That writing about Him is a good answer to that question. God has given me so much freedom in my life and this was one more place that He freed me. He told me that I am free to pursue this calling, because this is a good calling, worthy because He gave it to me to pursue, and that my value is in His eyes, not my job title, anyway.
It’s been scary. No other cute way to put it. But God has blessed me along the way. He gave me a day job, He gave me ministry opportunities, He gave me opportunity to teach art and use my design skills in new ways. God gave me time to rebuild, reflect, dream and redesign. I wish this was done sooner. The maintenance mode thingy said I would be done in early March. But early March became late March. Which turned into April 8th, then just “sometime in April.” And somehow that was okay. Instead of beating myself up for failing or falling behind the schedule, I knew God was in control. I knew the website would be done when it was done and that He’d give me the words when it was time to start writing again.
These are those words.
I don’t know that this is eloquent or even makes sense. But I’m so happy to be here writing and sharing life with you again. I hope this reintroduction hasn’t put you to sleep. Unless you are listening to the blogcast version as you are drifting off in an effort to sleep–then I hope I’ve totally bored you and you are snoring by now.
Just kidding. Everyone knows my voice is anything but soothing. That’s why I taught high interval training instead of yoga. The voice. And the flexibility. But I digress.
Now that you know a little bit about the last year, let me tell you what is coming up–God willing. You probably noticed that the site looks different. That’s because I’ve totally redesigned with a singular focus in mind–getting folks excited and interested in the Word of God and knowing God more personally. To put it simply, I want you to leave here inspired by God, excited about His Word and motivated to walk in faith.
Bible study is like my all time favorite thing and I totally geek out over it. There is nothing more important than knowing God and connecting to Him. It’s what we are all created to do. When we intimately know God, when our relationship with God is right…we are doing what we were created for. We live in purpose, with purpose. Truly knowing God and understanding what He says in His Word will change. your. life. Change it. Remodel it. Always for the better–always, always, always. I love everything about God’s Word and I want others to know that joy too.
If you aren’t excited about the Bible or have lost your fervor–check out this super awesome three-day kick start! It’s a good place to start if your Bible is dusty and you wish you read it more…but it’s also interesting enough for a well versed (pun intended) Bible geek to enjoy.
I’ve really tried my hardest to tailor the site’s design with readers in mind. Here are some new, cool changes I think you’ll appreciate. First, I am creating and offering special courses and studies and series (like that three day kick-start I just told you about!!) that will be delivered right to your inbox. These are resources just for you that will come right to you. I’ll always tell you when a new tool or resource is available…or you can just check the resource page. And I’ll never, ever spam you. The email kind, or the mystery meat kind.
Next, to help information really take root, or to help you think through complicated topics, I’ve got worksheets and workbooks on the way. I learn best when I can think critically, answer questions and write things down, and I know some of you do too.
One of my very favorite things is learning about culture, context, politics, and society of Biblical times. Knowing a little background can shed a used car-lot spotlight’s worth of light on a passage that you’ve never understood before, or add a deeper level of meaning to a passage that you’ve read a million times. The Bible always has more to learn, more to tell us. In the coming days I’ll write about history and context and I know your interest will be piqued!
Over the last year and a half I’ve learned a lot about God’s character. This has been a HUGE game changer for me. I’m excited to share my experiences with you and examine Scripture to find the truth of who God is.
Now, you might be thinking–“Oh, man…this all sounds great, but I really liked reading Amy’s posts before when she’d tell us all the random and embarrassing things she did.” Never fear. I think our most powerful tool as Christians is our past experiences and testimony. My best testimony of God’s goodness and active nature is evidenced in my own misadventures. I’m looking forward to continuing to share my life with you in the form of true to life devotionals that may cover anything from an epic battle with depression and anxiety to trying to tame a raccoon in our hollow apple tree and everything in between. Because every moment of every day–every victory and every hurt and every smile–all point back to a wonderful God. (And if you get really desperate for the old posts, they are safe and sound over here.)
Lastly, if you know me, you know I L-O-V-E audio books. And talk radio, and audio Bibles, and anything else that allows me to learn on the go. I know we already talked about my less-than-yoga-instructor voice, but if you want to be part of this community and just don’t have time to sit down and read…I will record all blog posts and make them available for download. It’ll be fun.
I guess what I’m saying in all this is–I hope my gifting in the realm of Bible geekery will be a blessing to at least one of you. I’m honored that you are here. I’m excited to learn with you.
Last night I attended a weekly prayer meeting at church. To say that I’m glad I went would be an understatement. There are a million reasons why I loved it so much. And I’ve written and rewritten this post, trying to include them all. But, I can’t seem to make it work in a readable, well-written way.
Instead, I’ll isolate one thing. I’ll boil it down even further. I’ll isolate one prayer. Perhaps the boldest, more earnest prayer I’ve ever heard. Its brilliant in it’s simplicity and powerful in its meaning. It went something like this:
Lord, I pray that if trials will bring us closer to you, that you’d place them in our paths.
Bam!
Often we pray that trials would be taken away from us, avoided. But this woman–who I deeply admire, who is wise in the ways of the Lord, who is facing trials in her own life–has the understanding to pray the opposite. That if the most effective way for us to be closer to God includes a trial…that that is what we shall have.
The ways of God are often counter intuitive to the norms of the world. Maybe our prayers should be a little more counter intuitive as well. Our deepest desires should be to love and honor God, to know Him, and to share His salvation with others. If hard times will help us realize those desires, we should welcome them.
That’s hard to say. It’s hard to accept. It’s hard to grasp. It’s even hard to type.
James puts it this way.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. –James 1:2-3
I’m not saying that we should all start crying out to God, requesting catastrophe and heart ache. I’m not suggesting we stop calling on the Lord to lighten our trials and burdens. What I am hoping, for my own life as well as yours, is that 2015 would be a year of great growth. That this would be a season in which our eyes would lock with Christ’s. That we would pursue the Lord so hard and so willingly that we embrace trials–trusting that they will yield a harvest of testimony and closeness to God.AmyPS–You should go to a prayer meeting sometime. It just might rock your world.
If you know me in real life you probably know that of all my activities and goings ons, youth group is one of my favorite. I just love encouraging high schoolers in their walk with Christ. After being away for so long, finally going back to youth group last night was a breath of fresh air. Cold, North Dakotan air…the kind that wakes you up and makes you feel alive inside.
They’ve been studying the fruit of the Spirit. In preparation for our time together last night I read Galatians and dove into some commentary on the book. Galatians is fascinating to me for lots of reasons. I’ll get in to those on another day.
Tonight I really want to share something that I discovered while reading Galatians 5, praying and reading the commentary on it. I’ll share with you, but first take just a moment to read the passage I’m talking about. {Emphasis mine.}
The works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I can wear myself thin with trying. Trying to be nice, to chill out and be peaceful, to harness self control. It’s exhausting. You know what I mean?
Between studying this passage and the amazing message delivered last night from our youth pastor–who I’m honored to consider a friend–God laid a few truths on my heart.
My attention was called to the wording used in these verses. It’s pretty obvious to anyone with 5th grade English under their belt that this passage is a contrast. But examine the words Paul uses to contrast these two lists. {I’ve got them in purple for you.} I could explain the importance of these two words: works and fruit. But my commentary says it so well.
It is significant that the apostle distinguishes between the acts of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Works are produced by human energy. Fruit is grown as a branch abides in the vine {John 15:5}**. They differ as a factory and a garden differ.
Another thing to take notice of, is the plurality of “acts” and “fruit.” Here’s a note on that:
Note that “fruit” is singular, not plural. The Holy Spirit produces one kind of fruit, that is, Christlikeness.
The fruit of the Spirit–all those nice, Christ-like, qualities–they are fruit of the Spirit. Not fruit of my trying. When we accept Christ honestly and truly as our Savior, He–through His Holy Spirit–lives in us. The fruit of the Spirit doesn’t grow as a result of our own efforts, but by the presence of God dwelling inside our very core.
When I asked my small group of teenage girls how these truths made them feel, there was an awkward silence. Then, someone spoke up and said it was kind of a relief. I agree.
It’s not up to me to produce the fruit. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. He’s living in my and I know He’s up for the task. God just asks that we set our focus on Him, that we love Him with everything we’ve got. When we do that, fruit will start growing naturally.
If you are feeling tired of trying, take a break. Jesus tells that he is a kind master. He is a refreshing drink of living water–not an exhausting run through the dessert. If you’ve ever looked at the fruit of the Spirit passage as a measuring stick of perfection and are frustrated with falling short…stop it. You will fall short. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control stand opposed to the fallen world we live in. Sure, we can do those things, but we can also wear ourselves out on trying. Instead, lock eyes with Jesus and let His amazing Spirit transform you into a garden.
Amy
*Here is a link to the commentary I have. I really like it. {Commentary is a supplement, not a replacement for reading the actual word of God, via the Bible.}
**The full impact of what this quote says lies in understanding the branch/vine analogy Jesus gives in John. See it here.
…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5-8
I love this verse in 2 Peter. {Read the whole chapter here.} Not only what it says in it’s entirety, but every tiny word and the very structure of the sentences. Look closely. Look at the word “add.” It’s a verb. It’s active, and requires effort. Scripture challenges us and encourages us to add to our faith. Like a plant left without water and sunlight, our faith will not flourish unless we add to it. Without some effort to grow and move forward, our faith will become stagnant. From there, it will be in danger of withering.
Take Peter’s advice and make ever effort to add to your faith this year. One effective way of doing that is to set some spiritual goals. A lot of the tips found in the first two posts {here and here} of this series apply to accomplishing and setting spiritual goals. However, here are five tips specifically geared toward setting goals for spiritual growth.
Center around Scripture.
Sometimes when it comes to spiritual goal setting it can be hard to know where to start. The obvious answers are to read the Bible more often and commit more time to prayer. Those are great–and we’ll talk about them some more in a bit–but our spiritual goals can encompass so much more than that. A thriving spiritual life will include more than that. When it comes to thinking outside the box the Bible can be a great tool for pointing us in the right direction for finding some spiritual goals to set. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the “fruit of the Spirit.” This, and any other passage that lists concrete characteristics, can be a starting point for a goal. Take one of the fruits listed and think critically about how you can manifest it in your life–then make it into a specific goal.
I came across an awesome article from Jelli Bean Journals while researching for this post. She does a wonderful job of explaining this principle of using Scripture to set a spiritual goal. I highly encourage you to stop over and read it. {It’s a quick, easy read!}
Word Goals.
Being in the Word of God is vital to growing spiritually. I tell the teens in our youth group all the time: It’s easier to believe and trust someone you actually know. One of the best ways to get to know the Lord is by reading His Word. I love reading the Bible, and I’m very good at sticking to my reading plan. But when it comes to setting reading goals, I’ve found–at least for me–it’s better to set a daily goal, rather than a deadline for my reading.
Pick a book you’d like to study, then set a daily goal. Maybe that means one chapter, or reading for 15 minutes. Reading the Bible isn’t a race. It is much more important to read, understand and apply the Word, rather than simply read all the words. I wrote a whole post on better Bible reading. You can read it here for more help on how you can reach your reading goals.
Prayer Goals.
Along with reading the word, prayer is our other tool for really getting to know the Lord. Make a goal to pray regularly. In addition, you should also expand yourself to pray in new ways. Prayer is not only about submitting requests to God, it can also be a form of worship, intercession, thanksgiving, and confession.
To help you stay on track find a method that works best for you. Create a daily prayer time or create prayer prompts that you’ll see throughout the day. I use prayer prompts…because often if I pray for too long my mind wanders. Here are some prompts I’ve used…photos of my cousins/niece and nephew taped to my mirror to remind me to pray for them as I get dressed in the morning; an alarm on my phone that reminds me to pray for a certain individual at a certain time each day; prayer when for my doctors when I pull into the parking lots. You might also find these kid’s techniques useful for diversifying and conquering your prayer goals. One is the ACTS method, the other is a hand method.
Mind Goals.
The Bible says …Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. {Romans 12:2a} Transforming ourselves by renewing our mind means we should also set and work toward some mental goals. Here are some synonyms for the word “renew”: Exhilarate, freshen, reawaken, revitalize. {See more synonyms here.} I don’t know about you, but my mind could sure use a dose of revitalization.
Remember that what goes into our minds roots itself in our hearts. What we meditate and dwell will over take us. For better or worse. Set a goal that will renew your mind. This might mean changing your media habits–TV, books, movies, music. Maybe it will mean starting to read books with a strong spiritual backbone, that will push your faith. Maybe your goal will be to sharpen your apologetics skills or memorize some Scripture. Whatever it is, make sure it stretches your mind and feeds your senses messages that Christ would approve of.
Stewardship Goals.
Our faith should be active. As you think about your goals, don’t stop with self-improvement. Think externally as well. Set a goal for being a steward of the Word and the Kingdom. Find a way to get involved and serve. Serve at your church. Volunteer with a faith based organization. Sponsor a Compassion child and start pouring into the heart of a kid across the world. Mentor a younger Christian. Find a way to be a steward.
As you approach your spirituals goals here are a few more things to keep in mind:
Don’t over do it. Set a few goals–maybe one in each area–then as you accomplish or grow in those areas, set another goal.
Keep at it. Don’t be tempted to throw in the towel if you miss a day.
Find a partner–join an accountability group or Bible study
Make it a family thing. Set goals with your family and your spouse, too. Set goals for your family and marriage.
If you didn’t read this article when I linked it up on Monday, you should totally check it out. It’s got Biblical advice and 25 verses to meditate on in regard to goal setting.
It’s December 17th. Christmas is still more than a week {okay, eight days} away. But every year shortly after December hits the calender the holiday starts closing in. Slow at first. A party here, cookies there. Then things become faster and more frequent as last minute gifts demand to be purchased, gifts need to be wrapped, travel plans made, events organized and attended. And then, around December 17th I start feeling a knot in my stomach because the pressure is simply becoming too much.
Maybe I’m alone in feeling this way. Or maybe you feel this way at some point during the month of December too.
I think there’s a reason we feel so much pressure during these days. It’s because Christmas is a big deal. Now, I’m not talking about the commercial big deal of Christmas. I mean, Christmas is a big deal. It celebrates what is tied for the event marked as the biggest deal of all time–Christ’s birth. God coming to Earth in human form. {The event tied with this is Christ’s resurrection. And, for the record…this is referencing Amy’s Personal Book of Big Deals.}
With this really big deal in mind, it’s no wonder these become days filled with activity. This is a season of giving because God first gave to us. This is a season of celebration because God gave us a reason to celebrate. This is a season of outreach because the joy and excitement of Christmas is contagious, which makes it a great time to win hearts and share the Good News.
A lot of effort goes into Christmas. Because it’s a big deal.
But before you go off and tell everyone you know that I said Christmas is all about giving loads of gifts, getting new toys and eating until even your stretchy pants feel tight, let me add a few more thoughts.
We have to remember to focus our business, our celebrations, and even our shopping on the reason Christmas is so monumental–Christ. Through all that we do during this season {and the others as well} we must remember that, “…whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“ {Colossians 3:17}
So all those parties–attend them, but only if you can do it in the name of the Lord. Go and have fun. Show uncontainable joy that looks out of place at an office Christmas party…because you are celebrating more than a Christmas bonus and a few days off–you are celebrating the moment everything changed. The moment God came to Earth. The moment the prophecy was fulfilled. The moment God made it possible to have a personal relationship with Him–no animal sacrifice required.
Buy the gifts, shop your heart out. But do it joyfully, knowing your gifts are a small symbol of the best gift ever given. Wrap them up and even add bows if you like…use those gifts as a tool to open conversation about the heart and attitude behind the gifts.
As I’ve spent time thinking about Christmas this year, my heart has been drawn to John 3:17. I think it sums the whole thing up pretty well:
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
That’s the Christmas story in a nutshell. Sure, there were angels and songs and kings and a journey and a barn–those are details, this is the main point.
This verse is significant because it dispels any notion of ulterior motive. Until Christ’s birth, God coming to our planet was often a terrifying and wrathful thing. The Israelites didn’t even want to hear God’s voice, because they were sure that encounter would cause them death. {Exodus 20} People knew He is great and they were sinful. Since sin entered the world, the human race feared not only God on Earth, but also His messengers. Think of all the stories that tell of angels being met with awe and terror. {Matthew 28, Luke 1:30}. Deep down, the human race knows it should fear, because it should be condemned and judged.
John 3:17 spells out God’s intentions. Jesus didn’t come to wipe out the mess, to tell us that we will never be good enough for God. Just the opposite. He came to save us. To tell us that He loves us, He knows us, and He wants to be with us. It’s a huge gift, totally free. He didn’t come to ask us to be perfect, but simply to love Him. And when we love Him, really and truly, it becomes easier to do everything, even Christmas, even shopping, even travel, even overbooked schedules in His name and for His glory.
Maybe take a minute tonight to refocus on the big deal that is Christmas. Remember why it’s such a big deal. Let that reality sink in. I’m going to take some time tonight to let that knot that’s started to form unwind…to wipe away the pressure of man–to make things sparkly and over the top for the sake of appearance–and cover my attitude with the joy of Christ’s arrival. Let your knot unwind too, and let the next 8 days pass by with insurmountable, unspeakable joy.
Yesterday we talked about bearing good spiritual fruit. Today I’m talking about bad apples. Originally this had all been one long post about the good and the bad, but I decided it was best to split it up. If you are hating the discussion of fruit, don’t worry, it’ll be over after this post.
{Image via…click over for another awesome devo on bearing good fruit.}
Just as the Bible tells us how to produce good fruit, and encourages us to do so…it also warns of bad fruit and those who produce it.
Think back to the orchard we visited yesterday. A good tree will produce good fruit. Big, juicy, ripe apples will hang from the branches of a good tree. So many, you’ll have to pick and share with your neighbors just to keep them from going to waste. Walk a little further down the orchard path and chances are, you’ll pass a bad tree eventually.
You’ll know it when you see it. A sick tree, infested with worms and eaten by moths and diseased with some kind of bark fungus will not bear apples worth eating. In that case it’s easy to see that the fruit is bad. You’ll walk right on by, never even thinking of picking one of it’s pieces to eat.
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.
Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Jesus tells us that spiritually unsound individuals may look innocent and good, but we can always tell who they really are by the fruit they bear. He goes far enough to say that a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. No more than a thorn bush can produce grapes. Jesus has assured us that the truth of a person’s character is in the fruit, that proof will never lie.
Let’s think about one more situation. {This is from my mind…not directly from Scripture.} Down the orchard a bit, there may be a seemingly healthy tree with no fruit on it at all. While it looks healthy–if it bears nothing, there is cause to think something is wrong. I wouldn’t consider a fruitless tree to be “good.” “Okay,” maybe…but not “good.”
We are called to bear good fruit. To do so, we need to be good trees, not just “okay.”
I think the hardest part isn’t avoiding being a bearer of bad fruit. That’s pretty basic for lots of church-goers. The hardest part is making sure we are bearing fruit at all. That we aren’t the healthy-looking tree, growing and doing just fine in the orchard…but turning out empty branches every time harvest rolls around.
To make an obvious statement, good people aren’t going to go around with baskets of luscious Granny Smiths, and bad people aren’t going to go around with a basket labeled “Poison Berries.” Until folks start doing that–we’ll have to look closer at the produce of their lives through deeds, actions and words.
Take a moment and assess this evening. What’s your fruit? Is it good? Is it bad? It is nonexistent? Ask a friend, find an accountability partner to help you. Think about what you can change to bear more good fruit. Maybe you need to weed out some negativity in your heart, or make an effort to speak positively. Think about your gifts, the things you excel at, and how you can use them to make more fruit. Think about the people you are surrounded by. Are they bearing fruit? Is it wormy or juicy?
I firmly believe that we have all been created with the capacity to do great things. To ripple in incredible ways. To have an awesome impact of the world around us. Now go. Self examine and start bearing.
I’ve been thinking about fruit. Maybe because the weather has taken taken on those cool, fall overtones and I’m craving apples and all things made from apples {cider, pie, turn overs, crisp…} But as I think about fruit it’s hard for me not to also think of Scripture. It’s all over the place. Discussions of fruit trees, parables about fruit, fruit of the Spirit. Fruit, fruit, fruit.
And I, for one, think this is the perfect time to take a moment to think about fruit. The year is winding down, fall is settling in and winter is right on its heels. It’s a good time to assess. We tend to think that the best time for assessment is around the New Year, but I disagree. That time of year is too busy and chaotic for me to get very self reflective. Maybe a little–between food comas and dashing from gathering to gathering. Maybe I can find a few minutes in there…but more often than not, when I get a moment to myself around the holidays I’d rather just sink into the couch and listen to some Bing Crosby.
The Bible gives us a very good measure for self assessment. Look at the fruit.
Over and over the Bible talks about good fruit, bearing fruit and the fruit produced. That’s the measure. To the dismay of many, faith is not completely invisible. We see it through the fruit our faith produces. Tangible evidence of what you believe, where your heart is, what matters most. Fruit in our lives can look like a variety of things. The Bible tells us that the fruit of our belief can be shown through works or deeds, by glorifying the Lord, by bearing witness to the world, and by possessing the qualities listed in the fruit of the spirit.
Colossians tells us that a life worthy and pleasing to the Lord, means a life that bears fruit through good works–and grows in the knowledge of God. {Verse here.}
Jesus says a good tree will bear good fruit and a bad tree will bear bad fruit…a tree is recognized by it’s fruit. {Verse here.} This seems like a no brainer…and I guess, it is. That’s probably why there are so many references to it in Scripture. It’s easy to understand and easy to imagine.
The trees that would be considered “good” would be those healthy, and heavy laden with good, juicy fruit. The kind of tree you’d take an apple from and eat it on the spot because it looks so good.
Jesus says that in order to bear good fruit {and lots of it} we must remain in Him and Him in us. We won’t bear the fruit He desires for us when we are separated from Him. He tells us God is glorified when we produce good fruit and prove ourselves to be His disciples. {Verses here.}
Like most things in life, the whole fruit bearing thing takes choice and effort. A choice and effort that can be hard to make in the midst of busy lives and Facebook and TV and meetings and work. A choice, like most important choices we make, that may require sacrifice and intentionality.
Tomorrow I’ll be finishing up this little discussion on fruit, by taking a moment to discuss bad apples. Take time today to think about the fruit you are bearing and pray that God will show you how you can bear even more.
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