One of the most insidious strategies of Satan is to convince us that we are unworthy of anyones love. I have battled this in my own life and I constantly see it as a huge hindrance in the lives of believers. It begins in our childhood when parents or other parent surrogates do and say things that communicate we don’t measure up and that we have failed to earn their love or approval. Those things may be a constant drip of criticism that communicates the child is never good enough and never meets the parents standards or it may be in the form of abuse or angry outbursts. Those behaviors leave the child with a deep conviction that he or she is somehow defective and deserving of the physical or verbal abuse. The other side of the coin that has the same effect is neglect or abandonment. When a child’s needs are not met, when a parent never has time for the child, when a parent is emotionally unavailable or physically leaves, the child is left with the impression that he or she doesn’t matter. The belief is, “There must be something terribly wrong with me for them to always be angry, never be pleased, never have time for me, or to leave me.”

As adults, we carry the imprint of that rejection and live with the fear that if anyone really knew us, they would not love us. We may also live with a belief that sooner or later the person who says they love us will leave us. Demonic spirits love to come in and amplify the thoughts that we are unworthy of love, that others only pretend to care for us, or that eventually we will be abandoned again by those we love and need. He accuses us day and night of our unworthiness.

One response to that belief and ongoing accusation is that we close our hearts and quit loving in order to avoid the anticipated pain of rejection. We may never express our needs because we believe we and our needs don’t matter or that our needs won’t be met and we will feel rejection all over again. Of course, the other strategy to avoid pain is to become a control freak believing the only way to avoid being hurt or abandoned again is to control everything and everyone in our lives. The irony is that the very behaviors we employ to keep people from leaving or hurting us actually drive them away.

The most devastating part of this strategy is the belief that we are unworthy keep us from believing that even God can love us. The premise about love that we are sold as children and that sets us up for Satan’s lie is that love always has to be earned by doing enough or by being enough. If that were true, only God could be loved because the rest of us and even the best of us always fall short in someway.

The truth is we actually love imperfect people all the time. They are called children. They cannot express themselves well. They are by nature selfish. They constantly mess up our house. They cannot tie their own shoes. They take and rarely give back. Yet we love them because we love them. They have done nothing to earn our love, yet we give them our best all the time, unless we are horrifically broken.

The truth is, we aren’t loved because we do better. We do better because we are loved. God’s constant message to us that we were a mess when he came looking for us and are still a bit of a mess today, but he loves us inspite of our shortcomings. If we cannot accept the fact that he loves us because of who he is rather than because of who we are, Satan wins. Without a belief and a revelation of God’s love, we can never love him back or pray with any faith that he will meet our needs. We can never worship him with passion. In fact, until we feel loved, we struggle to love the imperfect others, even though he commands us to do so.

I believe the only way out is for God to give us a revelation of his non-performance based love and how he sees us. Paul told the Ephesians, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better (Eph.1:17). Keep asking the Father to give you a Holy Spirit revelation of his love for you…just as you are. The sneaking fear that we aren’t good enough or haven’t done enough to deserve God’s love is a trap and a lie. Love is given, it is not earned. Most of the time, when someone asks, why you love them, you can’t really answer. You love them because you love them. You can love them, even when you don’t like them. That is why teenagers survive to live into their 20’s.

Make that your constant prayer and, by faith, thank God ten times a day that he loves you deeply. When you start to accept that truth, you will able to trust him for your care, give up your control, be yourself, be transparent, love others and accept their love for you. May the Lord bless you with a revelation of his amazing love for you. Blessings in Him.

It’s Spring and life is showing up again in West Texas. Flowers are blooming, fruit trees are flowering, fresh green leaves are appearing over night. People are thinking about planting and the local nurseries are starting to buzz with activity. Everyone will soon be looking for fresh fruit in the stories and in farmers markets. God will also be looking for fruit. John 15 is the famous text in which Jesus declares that he is the vine and we are the branches. He explains in that text that we cannot bear fruit unless we remain in him, connected to the branch through which all nourishment comes. There have been countless sermons preached on what it means to abide in him or remain in him, but it seems that what Jesus was emphasizing is fruit.

In verse 8, Jesus declared, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” Jesus has always been interested in the Father’s glory. In this context, he says that the fruit we bear does just that. We need to notice his expectation of each of us. He expects us to bear not just a little fruit or bear fruit occasionally, but that we bear much fruit. He ends that verse by saying that fruit bearing actually one of the marks of authentic discipleship. No fruit, no discipleship.

Perhaps, the pressing question that flows from this text is what constitutes the kind of fruit that Jesus is talking about. Whatever it is, we know it must be the same kind of fruit that Jesus produced when he walked this earth because our ability to produce comes through him. Every plant produces another plant that has all the qualities of the original. If we are attached to the vine, we cannot or should not bear fruit that is foreign to the source. So then, what should this fruit look like?

Let’s begin by considering what it shouldn’t look like. It should not look like the desires of the flesh. Let’s be honest. It is not unusual for us to chase the desires of our flesh and then assume that our success in fulfilling those desires is pleasing to God and is fruit for the kingdom. This natural fruit might fall under the categories of selfish ambition, seeking the praise of men, and covetousness. Even spiritual leaders can work hard to pastor the biggest church, write the best-selling book, be invited to the most prestigious speaking engagements at the largest conferences, etc. It is easy to paint these achievements as ways of serving the kingdom by influencing the most people for Jesus, but if pride or selfish ambition is the ultimate motive, this is not the fruit Jesus is speaking of. Jesus is always speaking of spiritual fruit that comes through the move of the Spirit not the move of our flesh. Men can astound us at times with their natural abilities and because we are impressed, we may assume that these men are operating by the Spirit. But the Spirit produces spiritual fruit that is eternal. Fruit produced by our natural abilities may impress, but it his not necessarily eternal.

I’m always concerned that the “prosperity gospel” gives rise to this kind of “fruit.” If you are not familiar with the term, it is a brand of gospel that declares material possessions are evidence of God’s favor. If you have faith for a thing and ask for it, then God will give it because of your faith. This is a biblical principle in part, but I don’t think Jesus had in mind his disciples living in 26 million dollar homes, driving a Ferrari, and flying to engagements in eighteen passenger privater jets. Of course, the rationalization for such extravagance is that God blesses his most faithful servants in such ways. Therefore, the more material possessions you have, the more he approves. If that is the measure of approval, then Jesus was a failure since he had “no place to lay his head” and had to be buried in a borrowed tomb.

What then is acceptable fruit? Scripture speaks of fruit in many places. One place, of course, is the the fruit of the Spirit outlined in Galatians 5:22-23. The first fruit God is interested in is the fruit of a changed heart and transformed character. It is the manifestation of love, joy, peace , long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. These fruits are to replace the acts of the flesh which include anger, jealousy, discord, rage, selfish ambition, etc. We begin to bear this fruit of the Spirit when we make ourselves available to God through time in the word, prayer, confession and repentance. We bear this fruit when we own our sin and weaknesses instead of rationalizing them or blaming others and bring the flesh before the cross so that the Holy Spirit can do his work in us. A believer who claims to be a follower, but does not reflect the fruit of the Spirit is not a good advertisement for Jesus.

A second kind of fruit is the fruit of good works. We are told that we are God’s workmanship created in Christ to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10). God prepared us to do good works. That means that as we do what God has ordained and destined us to do, we are bearing fruit that brings him glory. Again, this requires that we seek to know what God has planned for us and then run in that lane … the lane he has marked out for us. This approach to life is the biblical approach rather than deciding what we want to do with our life and then asking God to bless our plans rather than blessing us as we follow his plans. In best case scenarios, we discover the thing that was on our hear to do was the very thing God had placed there. However, one of Satan’s primary strategies is to distract and deter us from God’s plan for our lives. Our prayer should always be for God to guide us and direct us on to the paths he has laid out. Our greatest satisfaction and fulfillment will be found in that lane along with our greatest productivity in the kingdom.

Our praise to God is also fruit that we can bear. “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name” (Her. 13:15). Thanksgiving and praise are forms of spiritual fruit that flows from a heart of gratitude for all that God has done for us, It is not always praise in the form of music and song, but simply declaring the goodness and greatness of God in any form.

In addition to the forms of fruit we have already named, there is also the fruit of sharing the gospel and turning hearts to Jesus. Remember the parable of the sower who scattered the word of God on all kinds of soil. Many of the soils failed to produce a crop, but the seed that fell on fertile ground produced a hundred fold. When we declare the word of God, especially the gospel, it will not always fall on hearts that will receive it, but when it does, your planting will bear tremendous fruit in the kingdom of God…perhaps for generations.

So… we are called to bear much fruit in the kingdom of God – not natural fruit, but spiritual fruit. We will not do so by pursuing our own desires and calling it God’s will, but will produce it when we actually pursue God’s will and stay closely connected to Jesus. Gardens bear the most fruit when the gardener is intentional about his or her plantings, when the garden is weeded frequently, and when nutrients are continually added to the soil with the right amounts of water. The garden we tend for God will require intentionality, the constant removal of sin and fleshly motives from our hearts, constant connection with the vine and the life giving force of the Holy Spirit that waters every seed we plant in the name of Jesus. We cannot forget that we are expected by the Father to bear fruit in his kingdom and in doing so we will receive a great reward. Hopefully, all the life reappearing around this Spring will be a reminder of the things God wants to bring to life through us. Blessings in Him.

Most of us are familiar with Paul’s declaration in Ephesians 6 that “… our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand (Eph. 6:12-13).

I believe we are about to experience a very ugly season in America with the 2024 election cycle coming up. There will, of course, be the politization of every event between now and the election to bolster someones platform for the election. Guns will be front and center. Wokeness or anti-wokeness will continue to be a selling point for each party. Abortion rights will again be put on the front burner along with parental rights versus school boards. The problem is not that these positions will be talked about, but rather that they won’t be talked about. They will simply declare their position as the moral position while calling anyone who disagrees with them a bigot, racist, or hater…thus dividing the nation even more.

Our first impulse will probably be to join in the dispute, at least on an emotional level, to judge and condemn one side or the other. It will seem fair game to call out political leaders and label them with some demeaning or derogatory term since they will be doing that to one another. The problem is when we do that Satan wins. Remember Paul’s declaration that our fight is much more against spiritual entities than human. It is the demonic realm that is pushing hatred, division, and violence and influencing those who participate. If we get caught up in the game, everyone loses.

It is not that we should be silent about political platforms. We need to speak the truth, but in love. Scripture declares over and over that we are to respond to curses with blessings. We are to overcome evil with good. We are to love our enemies when they would do us harm. We are to treat others with respect when they have no respect for us. So do we just let evil have its way?

No. We are to fight against evil, but how do we fight? First of all, we must fight against it in our own hearts by not getting drawn into the hatred, the name calling, and the political bigotry that Satan is pedaling. Secondly, we pray. In Ephesians 6, after speaking about spiritual warfare, Paul calls the believers to pray. Pray for the gospel. Pray for the nation. Pray for truth to come out and corruption to be exposed. Pray for leaders. When asked, share God’s perspective on political issues. but keep to the issue. Vote. Encourage other believers to vote. Vote according to God’s word which defines right and wrong rather than our flesh that tends to side with culture. Ask God to unseat the demonic principalities that are having their way in our nation right now. Be proactive in raising your children up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. If you don’t actively evangelize your children with God’s truth, the enemy will evangelize them through the cultural influence of media and education.

We cannot be passive in this coming season. The church needs to pray more and teach more on issues that believers will be voting on and influencing others to vote on. We need to know clearly what God says about these things. Finally, we need to stand on biblical truths. As we do, we will be called haters, homophobes, transphobes, racists, and everything else. We need to brace ourselves and respond with love and good works…even doing good to our enemies.

Paul said that we must “put on the armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, we can stand.” He didn’t say, “If it comes,” but “when it comes.” That day may come in the next 18-24 months as the rhetoric ramps up for elections and politician are looking for groups to blame and accuse for every failing of this nation. If Satan is behind the craziness in our country right now, and scripture says he is…then those he influences will be coming after Christians because we are the only real threat to his kingdom on earth. We should not be surprised and we should decide now how we will respond when the day of evil comes our way.

Blessings in Him…..tom

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. (Jn.15:15-17).

This is one of those texts that gives us comfort. To know that Jesus would call us a friend not only makes him approachable but also elevates our status with God. Both of those truths are good news. If Jesus were simply Lord, we might still see him as unapproachable like a CEO of a huge company we might work for. He might know our name. He might sign our paycheck. He might even show up to make a speech on employee appreciation day. He wouldn’t, however, drop by our office or the loading dock to see how the family was doing and have a cup of coffee. He wouldn’t invite us home for Christmas dinner or ask us over to play cards with him and his wife. We would still sense the immense gulf between labor and management.

Unlike the hypothetical CEO above, Jesus offers each of us friendship. Friendship is the revelation that he is willing to confide in us the secret things that the Father has revealed to him. He offers us the esteemed position of confidant. He is willing to spend time with us, hang out with us, and share his heart and his plans. That is an amazing offer from the one who has been exalted to the highest place and given a name that is above every name (Phil. 2:9).

For most of us, that offer is both exciting and humbling. And yet, what many believers don’t realize is the position of friend is not automatic. Not every believer will be a friend of Jesus. John Bevere puts it this way in his book, Drawing Near. He writes, “Often we hear messages that proclaim all who receive Jesus are now his friends. Hopefully, you now realize God is not a cheap, group friend. Once while in prayer He cried out, ‘Ask my people if they want me to be as faithful to them as they have been to me?’ Jesus did not come as a savior so everyone could join the ‘born again club.’ He is looking for relationships with those who love Him as He loved them; here we find friendship.”

I have to agree with John because the verse just before the text quoted above declares, “You are my friends if you do whatever I command you” (Jn. 15:14). He goes on to say that he has chosen those as friends who bear fruit in the kingdom. So obedience and fruitfulness define those whom Jesus will call friends as well as their willingness to love one another. In some ways he defines the essence of discipleship here…love God, love one another, and bear fruit in the kingdom.

In the past fifty years, the theological pendulum has swung from the old hell fire and brimstone preaching of some evangelists to a total focus on grace. We are certainly saved by grace, but grace has been popularly defined by many believers as a license to live however they choose to live and still walk into heaven with head held high. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran priest who stood his ground against Hitler in Nazi Germany. He was eventually executed. One of his greatest posits was that there is a real cost to discipleship. Grace is free, but it is not cheap. On many occasions, Jesus talked about the necessity of bearing a cross if we are to follow him.

Without lapsing into legalism or salvation by works, we must still acknowledge that this who simply hear what Jesus says but do not put those things into practice have missed the mark and the relationship that Jesus desires. Our obedience and fruitfulness are not efforts to be saved, but our genuine response to being saved. If we want friendship with Jesus, it begins with obedience and not obedience only when our flesh agrees with his command. True obedience is measured by our willingness to surrender to the commands our flesh wants to reject.

I’m writing this as a reminder to myself as well as anyone else reading this. It is easy to coast and stay in our comfort zone when it comes to serving Jesus. Often, in my own life, the issue is not my involvement in sin, but my passivity when it comes to doing good…sharing my faith with a stranger, reaching out to the poor, acting in loving ways toward those who continue to hurt me, and so forth. I do want to be a friend of a Jesus, but I must remember that the offer does have conditions. But to settle for less, is to cheat myself and to devalue the price he paid to make that offer. I hope you are his friend.

Blessings in Him…