“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord.For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”

  Jeremiah 17:7-8

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.” 

      Matthew 7:24-25

What makes the Bible so wonderful is that it doesn’t just tell us what to avoid and what not to do rather it almost always, in the same passage, directs us to life, salvation, and a vibrant relationship with Christ. And these passages in the Old and the New Testaments are great examples of just that. 

We’ve already looked at the reality that there are only two spiritual options in this life. Even for those who would deny the authority of scripture, these two spiritual choices are all that there is and the world, by rejecting the gospel, has made their choice. Last time, we looked at how not to live by trusting in mankind, our own efforts, turning away from God, and hearing but not acting on God’s Word. So let’s look at the better of the two, the way that brings power, purpose, and perspective. 

Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind…but…blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. And it’s more than that. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. So if you were asked in whom or what you trust, what would be your response? Would you be able to say that the Lord is your trust? Jeremiah, using another word picture, goes on to describe what this blessed life looks like. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit” (compare to Psalm 1:1-3). This description involves three (3) things: Stability, Vitality, and Productivity.

Stability (Tree Planted By Water) 

If there is anything that a born again believer in Jesus should be in this world, it is that of being stable. Spiritual stability doesn’t come from intellectual doctrine alone rather true spiritual stability comes from an authentic relationship with Jesus in which we walk with Christ everyday. We could compare this saving relationship with Jesus to that of marriage. When evaluating our marriages, the issue isn’t reduced to a series of statements that we could make regarding marriage (even though those statements may be completely accurate.) Our marriages can only be properly assessed by examining the relationship that we have with our spouse. The stability of marriage hinges completely on that relationship. The same is true with our relationship with Christ. Our spiritual stability isn’t simply a matter of making doctrinal statements about God, humanity, salvation, and so forth (even if those statements are all rooted in truth.) Our spiritual stability comes as we walk with Christ daily and foster a deep, intimate relationship with Him. Just like marriage, this doesn’t happen by accident. It takes work and we must desire that relationship with Jesus over and above anything else that we might pursue in this life. 

Our Christian lives require regular time spent with God and His Word. When we ignore time spent in the Word, we can expect to forfeit spiritual stability. Being exposed to regular preaching and teaching of the Bible (including our own study) acts as a way of nourishing us spiritually. Like the “streams of water” that feed the tree, God’s Word feeds us, making us stronger and more healthy. And as we grow, we become more stable, not just in doctrine, but in our relationship with Christ. Paul tells us about this spiritual growth process. Consider the following:

…until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming…

    Ephesians 4:13-14

 Paul is referring to the role of leadership in the church to instruct and equip those within the body. Then he gives us the goal of this biblical instruction: unity, knowledge, and spiritual maturity. Only when we are actively growing in our faith do we experience the spiritual stability that God desires for His children to have. And what is the result of this spiritual maturity? We will no longer be spiritual children. Do we consider ourselves to be maturing adults or mere children when it comes to our relationship with Christ? As children, we run the risk of being deceived but as maturing adults, we position ourselves to survive other’s attempts to drive us away from our Savior. Paul reminds us that as maturing, spiritual adults, we will no longer be, “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming…” 

Three phrases emerge from this passage of scripture. First, we have “every wind of doctrine.” When it comes to opinions regarding doctrine, there seems to be as many as those who render them. But remember, spiritual stability comes not just from what we know but rather is enjoyed when we are stable in whom we know. When the often fruitless arguments about scripture begin, we can lean on what Christ Himself has revealed to us as we spend time with Him and His word. 

Secondly, we see that spiritual maturity protects us from “the trickery of men.” As born again believers in Jesus, our faith is in Christ Himself, not in the spiritual establishments of mankind. There are those in this world who would seek to “trick” or deceive us, but a strong relationship with Jesus, coupled with a firm knowledge of scripture, and we can find ourselves completely protected from those who would seek to draw us away from our Savior. 

Lastly, we see that spiritual maturity protects us from “craftiness in deceitful scheming.” When listening to someone else offer up spiritual teaching or counsel, it’s always important to ask the question, “Is this person leading me to a specific doctrine, denomination, or tradition or are they leading me to Jesus?” The answer to that question will usually allow us to discern the “craftiness in deceitful scheming.” Christians are followers of Christ not followers of man. Spiritual maturity will allow us to see the difference between the two. Solid churches are those who lead people to Jesus.

Vitality (Leaves Will Be Green)

When we walk in the power of the Spirit of God, we experience spiritual vitality. And when we combine vitality with spiritual stability and productivity, it is not difficult to see what God intends for those who have given their lives to Christ. As born again believers in Jesus, our spiritual “leaves” should not wither. Healthy trees have green leaves, teaming with life. Only when the leaf is detached from the tree does it begin to lose life, turn brown, and wither away. 

Jesus tells us that if we will remain, abide, and walk with Him daily, we will bear fruit. As long as the leaf stays connected to the tree, receiving all of the nutrients that come from the “streams of water,” benefiting from the strong root system and health of the tree itself, the leaf will not wither. Our lives are no different. As we surrender our lives to Jesus and receive the Spirit of God within, we effectively stay connected to the life-giving power of God. And as we stay connected to Him, we enjoy all of the benefits of His strength and power. He provides the “streams of water” for our souls. He makes sure that our spiritual leaves do not wither and that we produce spiritual fruit. It is in Him that we find stability, productivity, and spiritual vitality. We are the children of God, we have been redeemed, forgiven, saved, and given eternal life. And it is for all of these reasons and more that we should be a people exhibiting spiritual vitality.

Paul provides us with a reminder that physical age does not and should not affect our spiritual vitality. Consider the following:

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

    2 Corinthians 4:16

Notice that this “renewal” comes in spite of the fact that our physical bodies are aging. Our outer man (the physical body) is decaying. But although we experience physical aging, our inner man (the spirit) is being renewed. Why? Because our vitality is not limited to our physical condition. Yes, physical health and vitality are important if we are going to function at the highest possible level. But it is our spirit within that gives us the drive to persevere and accomplish the things for which God has created us. While the physical and spiritual aspects of our lives are to work in tandem, physical ability alone is simply not enough. There are many who enjoy physical health yet do not really enjoy life because of a lack of spiritual health. Anxiety, despair, and depression are realities for some, even physically healthy individuals. In fact, when the spiritual is broken, the physical usually follows suit. So Paul reminds us that, as Christians, we continue to be renewed every day, even as we age. And the result of this daily, spiritual renewal? We do not lose heart! Again, physical health is a tremendous blessing from God but it is our spiritual condition that dictates whether or not we lose heart. If we are walking in the power of the Spirit of God, we can live in and enjoy complete spiritual vitality!

Spiritual vitality is exclusively accessible to those who have given their lives to Jesus Christ because spiritual vitality comes from God. Consider the following:

He (God) gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.

Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

  Isaiah 40:29-31

It is true…when we are weak, God demonstrates His strength in and through us. It is God who gives strength to those who are weary (Matthew 11:28). It is God who provides power to those who lack it. Even when we are young (physically speaking), we can find ourselves growing tired and weary yet God is faithful to meet us in that place and provide the power and strength that we need. Even when we fail, when we stumble badly, God is faithful to bring us back to a place of spiritual strength and vitality. This provision can only be explained by the supernatural power of God. But this promise of vitality is only for those who belong to Christ. God will stay faithful to us and when we need that extra measure of power, we can completely trust that He will provide.

This is what Paul was praying for as he spoke these words:

…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man…             Ephesians 3:16

First, we need to understand that we can pray this prayer over our own lives. Secondly, we need to acknowledge that the source of spiritual vitality comes from “the riches of God’s glory.” It is the goodness of God that brings about spiritual vitality in our lives. But thirdly, we can see that this spiritual strength and power is a direct result of having God’s Spirit living within our hearts. It is in the inner man that God strengthens us and it is by the power of the Spirit of God in us that we begin to see this become reality in our lives. Anyone who has walked with Christ for any length of time has, no doubt, seen this materialize in their lives. 

Spiritual stability, productivity, and vitality are ours to enjoy as we continue to yield our lives over to the One who died and gave His life on our behalf. Surrender your life to Jesus today and begin to enjoy all of the promises of God! 

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…

      Ephesians 3:20

Productivity (Nor Cease To Yield Fruit)

Healthy trees produce fruit. Healthy Christians do the same. If we want healthy, fruit-bearing trees, we must see that they are in the best condition possible. The better the tree, the better the fruit. Our lives are no different. If we want to see good, effective, life-changing fruit come out of our lives, we have to spiritually nourish and care for ourselves. Jesus talks about how this fruit is to come about. Consider His words:

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

        John 15:5

Jesus gives us the most important factor in whether or not we will bear fruit…abiding in Him. This word “abide” means to “stay in a given place, state, relationship, or expectancy.” It means that we dwell in a relationship with Christ and that we remain in that relationship. As we do this, the natural product is spiritual fruit. 

Today, it seems that so many people are merely desiring to obtain a pass into heaven or acquire some kind of “get out of jail free card” when it comes to their Christian faith. They live like the world yet believe themselves to be abiding in Christ. Instead of looking for spiritual fruit, they seem content to find all of the loopholes in life by embracing a worldly lifestyle while trying to hold onto Jesus at the same time. This kind of Christian existence simply will not lead to spiritual productivity. 

So what does it mean to be spiritually productive? The short answer would be that Christians should be pointing others to Christ. Whether it is our words, our attitudes, our motives, or our lifestyle, all things about our earthly life should be a testimony to the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. We’ve been changed, redeemed, forgiven, and set free. What person, newly rescued from a life and death situation, would not honor and tell everyone about their rescuer? Gratitude leads to a life of service to Christ. And we don’t do this with sour faces or heavy hearts. Christian service is the most rewarding and joyful experience that we can have in this life. It supersedes all other endeavors because it is participating in something far greater than anything that can be measured here on earth. We were created to have a relationship with God and through faith in Christ, being saved, and receiving the Spirit of God into our lives, we can have just that. And as we live, breathe, and abide in Christ everyday, the byproduct is spiritual productivity!

Spiritual productivity also means that our lives produce something of eternal value. While many (if not most) people seem content to spend their earthly lives building their own kingdoms, which will not stand the test of time, Christians are to be spending their time building up the kingdom of God. Instead of being money-focused, Christians are God-focused, setting their minds on things above (Colossians 3:1-2). One life is investing in the temporal while they other is investing in the eternal. Consider the following:

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 

But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

    1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (NLT)

Paul reminds us that we cannot build on any other spiritual foundation than Jesus Himself. This is what Christ was saying when He spoke “apart from Me you can do nothing.” Any kind of spiritual productivity, something that will last into eternity, must be built on the foundation that is Jesus Christ. But beyond that, Paul describes what it will be like in the day of judgment for Christians. Our earthly work will be tested by fire. This is symbolic of putting our work to the test. If it is burned up, meaning that we had invested only in the temporal, then we will suffer loss. But if our work is tested with fire and remains, we will receive a reward. This passage finishes with a reminder that our salvation is not linked to our work. We don’t work to be saved rather we work because we are saved. So the question has to be asked, “Is there a connection between our love for God and our productivity for the kingdom?” We would be wise to examine our level of spiritual productivity.

But before we close out this look at spiritual productivity, we need to look at one of the leading causes for a lack of productivity…bitterness. Consider the following:

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

        Ephesians 4:31-32

What prevents us from spiritual productivity or contributes to our ability to produce fruit is the root of our lives. Just like a tree has to have a healthy root system, so our lives must be free from a root of bitterness. In the passage above, Paul reminds us to rid ourselves of several things. Certainly wrath, anger, clamor (fighting), slander, and malice should not be found in the Christian life but it is the first item on Paul’s list that is at the root of all of these other things. Bitterness leads to wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. Observe anyone that has been hurt by another and you will likely see that person taking verbal jabs at the offender. Why? A root of bitterness has developed in that person’s life and unless it is replaced with a healthy root system, one that nourishes and restores, then the lack of productivity will continue. So what does this mean for us? We need to guard our hearts against bitterness. Once that root develops, it will begin to cloud all other aspects of our spiritual lives. Only when we are able to truly forgive and move beyond the hurt, guilt, and baggage of the past, will we be fruitful, productive Christians. 

Jesus, On How To Build Our Lives

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.” 

      Matthew 7:24-25

Hearing the Word of God and acting on it, meaning that we are building our lives on it, obeying its instructions, and trusting the promises given, makes us the kind of builder that Jesus describes as “wise.” The same rain, floods, and wind that come against this house (life) are the same as those of the foolish builder yet this house (life) will stand. Why? Because it had been founded on the rock! And who is this Rock? It is the Lord Jesus Christ! When we surrender our lives to Him, we receive a complete pardon from God, receive the Holy Spirit, and then begin a life of stability, vitality, and productivity. There is simply nothing that compares to the life that we have in Jesus! Call on Him today!

…for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

  Romans 10:13