HOW TO GET STUFF DONE

This passage isn’t implying that a man can’t do anything without Christ. Atheists do a lot of things without Christ. But without Him, we can’t do anything of significance that is beyond our own power.
No branch can support a piece of fruit unless it is tied to a trunk. Likewise, I cannot do things that are eternally significant if I am not tied to Jesus. Balancing a household budget and working 50 hours a week are things an atheist can do. But bringing life to parched souls, impacting future generations, or seeing someone be healed from a prayer you prayed is possible only through the power of Jesus.

I’ve heard people say, “God doesn’t call us to be fruitful; He calls us to be faithful.” I guess they haven’t gotten around to reading what Jesus actually said. If we aren’t bearing fruit, then we aren’t faithful because being faithful is being close to the vine of Christ. And being close to the vine of Christ will bring true change and impact.

Just as all trees experience winter, every branch will go through seasons of barrenness. The church I lead hasn’t always grown. My finances don’t always improve. My friendships have sometimes been listless. Our lives can’t always be up and to the right. But if our season of faithful barrenness is stretching on for long periods of time without appropriate fruit, let’s stop fooling ourselves. We likely aren’t operating close to Christ. We are doing our own thing on our own power and with our own religiosity, and as Scripture says, that will lead to nothing. But when we abide in Christ, opportunities for powerful impact are endless.

PRAYER

Jesus, I want Your power that eclipses mine. Today, help me to produce something luscious, juicy, and satisfying. Amen.
GET MOVING
1. Identify something fruitful that you want God to do through you.
2. Spend five minutes sometime today talking (and listening) to God about how He wants that fruitful thing to happen.