Phony or Real Believer? How Do You Abide & Why Does it Matter?
It’s hardly the second month of the year, still in the chill of winter, when I’m watering my citrus fruit tree by the front window, wondering yet again, why the poor thing keeps losing fruit.
Producing doesn’t come from how much you work — but how deeply you abide in the vine.
Behind me, open on that old, burned blacksmith table that I use as a desk, lies all the various editions of The Book, open to the book of John, where I’m working and studying and writing, for school, for my soul, the pages open to those words: “As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
I set my watering can down – and feel this watering within, in all kinds of tired and parched places:
Your life only produces true fruit — to the extent your life truly abides in Christ.
Producing fruit isn’t about your work — producing fruit is a work of the Vine.
Producing doesn’t come from how much you work — but how deeply you abide in the vine.
“All our sap and safety is from Christ. The bud of a good desire, the blossom of a good resolution, and the fruit of a good action, all come from Him,” writes theologian John Trapp.
You don’t have to worry about whatever’s coming — your focus is to abide in the vine of Christ and fruit will come.
I’ve been feeling it along the frayed edges of my thoughts, all the loud whirl of the world, all the stresses and the unknown spreading out across every one of our calendars, and I’m surprised by the deep relief of it that’s slowly unfurling within:
You don’t have to worry about whatever’s coming — your focus is to abide in the vine of Christ and fruit will come.
I turn the fruit tree a bit closer to the window.
I too can turn and trust:
No matter what hardship you’re bearing —when you abide in Christ, you’re bearing fruit.
No matter what hardship you’re bearing —when you abide in Christ, you’re bearing fruit.
Our real work isn’t advancement in the world of commerce or culture, but real attachment to the vine of Christ.
As I work on my doctorate in spiritual formation and soul care, that’s what I’ve been studying, writing, learning,
To abide in Christ — means to shelter in Christ, move into Christ, dwell in Christ, attach to Christ, live with Christ, remain in Christ.
Which is to say:
In the midst of a storm, the call is to shelter in place.
And in the midst of life’s storms, the call is to abide & shelter in Christ.
Storms may pound, storms will distract, storms keep peeling life back and away – but what remains, what endures, what perseveres, is that we remain holding onto Jesus, who holds onto us.
True disciples remain in the Word as they go about their work, because, for true disciples, remaining in the Word is their main
This is how we abide.
How we remain in Jesus, when everything is mainly being tossed and turned and thrown about, is how we keep abiding in Jesus.
When Jesus says, “If you abide in My Word, you are truly my disciples,” He’s speaking inclusively to everyone, as all of us fall into one of three groups:
There are some who aren’t His disciples…. there are some who are fake disciples…. and there are some who truly are His disciples. And the mark of true disciples is that they abide in His Word, they remain in His Word.
How do you know if you are a true believer?
True disciples don’t let the Word remain on the shelf, the desk, the counter, while they go about their main work. True disciples remain in the Word as they go about their work, because, for true disciples, remaining in the Word is their main work.
How do you know if you are a true believer?
The question of whether you are mainly a disciple of Jesus – is answered by whether you abide in Him, remain in Him, when the moments of your day mainly go sideways.
True disciples so savor the goodness of Jesus, that nothing else the world offers tastes near as good – so they stay in Jesus. Remain in Jesus. Abide in Jesus.
How do you know if you are a true believer?
“By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him…” says The Book.
The question of whether you truly believe in Jesus – is answered by whether you truly abide in Jesus.
The question of whether you genuinely know Jesus – is answered by whether you genuinely abide in Him.
The question of whether you are mainly a disciple of Jesus – is answered by whether you abide in Him, remain in Him, when the moments of your day mainly go sideways.
Real rest is only found when our minds remain in Jesus.
And there is Jesus’ eyes tenderly finding yours:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest,” says Jesus who understands our sideways days, the days of overwhelm and stress: “Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
I pick up the watering can, lighter now, and pick up these cards, these 40 Daily Ways to Abide in Christ, that speak to heart questions –– When Feeling Worried…. When Needing a Soul Reset… When Beginning My Day… When Ending My Day — and then answer how help me to keep abiding right in that moment, keep remaining, help me to keep keeping company with Jesus in and this is learning to live, really live, freely and lightly.
Real rest is only found when our minds remain in Jesus.
The only way to remain sane – is to find ways for your moments and your mind to remain in Christ.
And I place these cards, these 40 Ways to Keep Company with Christ in all the moments of the day – all like cups of cold water – throughout the house, at the sink, the mirror, the counter, the desk – all offering the relief of how to remain in the Only One who will remain in the end.
When I make the bed every morning — I lean on Jesus in prayer, bringing the same friend’s name to Him every morning. As I begin every morning, as I make that first steaming coffee, I read the next Psalm that is there is open there on the book stand in the kitchen and drink deeply of Living Water. As I do my chores throughout the day, I tuck a memory card into my pocket and meditate on that Word and find my truest memory returning to me: I live in Jesus and He lives in me and in Him is where I dwell, safe and secure.
And this is what I amazingly discover throughout the day : Abiding is attachment…. and attachment to Jesus is security through absolutely anything.
And keeping these cards, “40 Ways to Keep Company with Jesus” along the main routes of the day, keeps the mind and heart remaining in the safest place: in Jesus.
I can feel myself beginning to bear better and riper fruit: The only way to remain sane – is to find ways for your moments and your mind to remain in Christ.
You keep sane by keeping company with Jesus.
You keep sane by keeping company with Jesus.
The fruit tree that remains in the front window, it perks with a deep watering, and I can see, all along one branch, tender new green tendrils coming. The fruit comes, as there is a coming to the light.
As there is a coming back to Life.
This is the only real fruit that matters.
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