I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
“In the work of God today, things are often so constituted that we have no need to rely upon God. But the Lord’s verdict upon all such work is uncompromising: “Apart from me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Such work as man can do apart from God is wood, hay, stubble—and the test of fire will prove it so. For divine work can only be done with divine power, and that power is to be found in the Lord Jesus alone. It is made available to us in Him on the resurrection side of the cross.
That is to say, it is when we have reached the point where in all honesty we cry, “I cannot speak,” that we discover God is speaking. When we come to an end of our works, His work begins. Thus, the fire in the days to come and the cross today effect the same thing. What cannot stand the cross today will not survive the fire later. If my work, which is done in my power, is brought to death, how much comes out of the grave? Nothing! Nothing ever survives the cross but what is wholly of God in Christ.
God never asks us to do anything we can do. He asks us to live a life which we can never live and to do a work which we can never do. Yet, by His grace, we are living it and doing it. The life we live is the life of Christ lived in the power of God, and the work we do is the work of Christ carried on through us by His Spirit whom we obey. Self is the only obstruction to that life and to that work. May we each one pray from our hearts, “O Lord, deal with me!”
Watchman Nee or Ni Tuosheng (1903-1972) in Sit, Walk, Stand (Carol Stream: Tyndale House, 1977) 44.
Someone asked me about the focus of our time at the GTP Global Gathering earlier this month.
I told them that we had spiritual time and strategic time. For the spiritual time I made everyone read Frank Laubach’s book Letters by a Modern Mystic so they learn to hear God’s voice. And that I taught them the Surrender Novena to teach them to get self out of the way and practice surrender daily.
For the strategic time, we discussed five points related to GTP 2.0 and collaborating to form PAGs worldwide.
But please notice closely the investment and emphasis. I wanted everyone to learn to hear God’s voice and to practice surrender. If they take that posture of listening and surrender, then God can do His best work through us together. If we do not, then all our work, sadly, is a waste of time and God’s money.
Anyone who knows me knows that I have lots of patience but it runs thin when we waste time and God’s money.
I will not stand for it. You shouldn’t either. Think about the people you support. Do they exhibit this posture of surrender? Or are they just focused on doing things they can do. Do you see God’s power at work in them? Perhaps the best way to end today’s post is how Watchman did?
“O Lord, deal with me!” Show me the pathway to my most generous service. As self is the only obstruction, teach me to die to self. Try the surrender novena daily to get there.
Jesus, I surrender myself to you. Take care of everything.