fruitfulness - do we limit God?

Recently I have been thinking about fruitfulness a good deal. Jesus talks about being fruitful in His last extended dialogue with His disciples. As I have pondered His words on fruitfulness, some questions come to mind What are the characteristics of a fruitful life? How does one become fruitful?

I have learned that when I have this kind of question, frequently the answer is discovered in nature. In fact, in John 15, Jesus uses a metaphor from the vineyard to teach about fruitfulness. I am becoming increasingly convinced that fruitfulness occurs as we discover God's ways of doing things and then began to act in harmony with His ways.

Recently I was challenged in an email that I was placing God in a box; that I was not giving Him an opportunity to act and move. As usual when receiving these kinds of challenges, I pondered what was said. As I considered what was said, a thought occured to me - I would never plant our garden here in the last days of November. Does that mean that I am limiting God? Do I limit God when I encourage my clients to feed their cattle for maximum productivity? Should I plant my garden in November expecting God to produce a harvest? Should I counsel my clients to feed their cattle inexpensive sawdust so that God has a chance to do something miraculous?

I believe that one of the hindrances to our personal fruitfulness is our paradigm of God as a magician. We sit around and wait for God to work some miracle when He has already outlined the path to fruitfulness. Husbands that desire God to work a miracle in their marriage are foolish if they choose not to love their wife as Christ loves the church. Farmers that plant crops outside of the planting season are fooolish to expect a harvest.

The real supernatural miracle working power of God occurs in the context of acting in accordance with His ways. The gardner tills the ground, plants the seed, waters it, and controls the weeds. God gives the supernatural increase. Miracles occur in finances as we submit to the God-ordained rythm of work and generosity.

I want to live in harmony with God and His ways. I desire that He be glorified due the fruitfulness in my life. However I can not expect to become fruitful without effort on my part.

natasha again

This morning I had another encounter with Natasha. After all the weeks of lashing out against the milking protocol; after weeks of nervousness, today was different. She casually chewed her cud as I prepared her for her turn in the milking process. She quietly stood as the milking process continued. For the 6-8 minutes that it took to milk her, she was as relaxed as when she was a heifer on a sun-drenched pasture. I could detect no traces of the McDonald's special sauce on her, no shreds of lettuce were anywhere to be found. In fact she smelled a lot like a real live cow. I am happy for Natasha!

Since my Wednesday morning milking duties occur long before the world awakens, I usually have lots of time to think without distractions. Once again Natasha stirred my thoughts about discipline and fruitfulness. She is becoming productive and fruitful due to the fact that she submitted to the process of discipline even though at the time, the discipline seemed harmful to her.

It occurred to me how often Christians complain of being attacked by the devil. Frequently the felt discomfort is not so much an attack from the devil as it is a painful reaction to God's discipline. We kick against God's parameters. When the resulting pain occurs, we are quick to blame "the enemy". In reality, we are not being attacked by the devil, rather we are experiencing the self-inflicted pain of resisting God's hand.

During one of the most deeply formative seasons of my spiritual life, it seemed as if God was my enemy. Every strength of mine, every identity fell under the hand of God. When I finally quit kicking against His hand, life became more simple and somehow more free than ever before. It was during that season that I learned to look for the hand of God in the midst of pain of discipline.

Be careful when attributing discomfort to an attack from the devil. Without a doubt we have an enemy that seeks to destroy us. However, in the hand of God he becomes a tool for our spiritual growth. I am convinced that the majority of our discomfort is not from some demonic attack. Instead it is a result of our self-centered reaction to God's discipline.

the magic ingredient

My job puts me in close contact with dairy producers. I frequently interact with producers who are looking for the magic formula or a magic ingredient that will increase the milk production of their herd. Interestingly, they are frequently the producers whose cattle produce less milk. The real key to profitable milk production is not some magic feed ingredient. Rather it is the compilation of many small details done well. There is no shortcut to healthy productive cows.

I have notice that we as Christians often have the same "magic ingredient" thought process. We hope for the "thing" that will give us deliverance. We wait for the "check in the mail" to bail us out of our financial difficulties. We expect God to somehow suddenly intervene and everything will be okay.

The problem with this mindset is that it immobilizes us from discerning and implementing the strategies that will truly accomplish what we want. Instead of seeking God's wisdom for our situation; instead of practically implementing the revealed strategy, we wait. (and wait...and wait...). When the "magic formula" never comes or when it doesn't seem to work the way we thought it would, we become disillusioned.

There really is no magic formula for entering the kingdom of God. There are no shortcuts to abundant life. In Jesus' words - the way to life is narrow and constrictive. Don't waste time and energy on shortcuts!

the ring again

I wrote this a number of years ago and have posted it earlier. However it seems to fit with the discussion here so I will post it again.

Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” (Mark 10:32-34)

From my leadership experience, I have discerned a startling truth – People will willingly follow a good leader almost anywhere except into the valley of the shadow of death. God’s pattern of leadership as revealed in Jesus requires leaders to embrace what feels like a downward spiral into the shadows, into a place where the glory of leadership dissipates completely.

Jesus’ disciples were astounded that He would choose to travel to Jerusalem in the face of imminent danger. His steady movement toward a place of apparent death struck fear to their hearts. Their consternation with Jesus’ travel plans blinded them to see through the valley of the shadow of death to the glorious reality of the resurrection.

Jesus’ disciples had dreams of Jesus being a king like David. In their minds, not only was Jesus destined to be a king, but they were poised to have leading roles in this emerging glorious kingdom. Therefore, Jesus’ journey into the shadow lands of death caused a great deal of consternation in them. They needed Him to establish a kingdom, to be the monarch of the new Jewish superpower.

In the context of Jesus’ journey into impending death, in the context of their fear, James and John came to Jesus asking for positions of power in the empire that they were certain that Jesus would establish. (Read Mark 10:35-37). It was as if they were reminding Jesus that He had a responsibility to establish the new Jewish superpower.

Jesus’ experience with His disciples mirrors much of my own experience. People will follow a leader as long as the leader is building something magnificent. They deeply desire to be a part of something grandiose.

For leaders seeking validation from the people they lead, it becomes easy to never make the journey into the valley of the shadow of death due to the expectations of those being led. To not complete the leadership journey, however, will negate the leader from engaging with God’s pattern for leadership. Consequently the Kingdom of God is never established through that leader.

It is important to note that Jesus’ own journey into the shadow lands was the prelude to resurrection power. God was establishing His kingdom through Jesus. Even so today – leaders must journey to the shadow lands of death to discover a new and fresh authority and life.

From my own experience I can tell you that any leader who makes the journey into death and the cross will probably not be popular. Throughout the years of leading and being a catalyst in the emergence of God’s Kingdom on earth, I have experienced the resistance that comes from the demonic hordes seeking to destroy the new things God was bringing forth. However, the greatest resistance I have received on my walk with God occurred when I intentionally followed God into the valley of the shadow of death.

Many of the people I have led consistently applied pressure on me to abandon the journey into “nothingness” regardless how much I tried communicate with them the power (and the Jesus pattern) of the journey into “nothingness”. Beyond the pressure from people, my own desire for significance was compounded by the voices of the enemy encouraging me to choose a less threatening path to resurrection life. (Which, incidentally, does not exist).

For the past number of years, the gentle whisper of heaven, the voice of the Father, has invited me to choose the way of the valley of the shadow of death, to enter a place that seems and feels insignificant. I have chosen to resolutely heed the invitation, knowing that in all likelihood, I would find myself not on some grandiose stage, but in the shadows of the world and the church.

However, I have found some diamonds in the place of darkness. In the shadow lands I have found that the barrier between heaven and earth are minimal. In the shadow lands, I experience the kiss of the Father for an extended period. His kiss has sustained me in my resolution to press ahead. In the shadow lands, I discover God as my friend. I become acutely aware of the invitation to participate with Him in the redemption of creation.

Press on to Jerusalem; it is the way of God. Purpose to enter the valley of the shadow of death as God invites you to do so. To grasp at our dreams of greatness will cause us to miss the point, to miss resurrection life.