The Fruitfulness of Dying

Reading for the day

• Stanford: 12-29 Blessed Lameness
• 2 Chronicles 33

Devotional Thoughts

I am beginning to see that idolatry is a much bigger issue in my life than I ever imagined. In the past week, as I have read and written, the subject has come up a couple times. But I’m am beginning to see that almost every sin in my life, if not ALL the sin in my life, is the result of an idol, something that I have allowed to take God’s place.

Brad Bigney in the book “Gospel Treason” defined idolatry as “Anything or anyone that captures our hearts, minds, and affections more than God.” And the reality is that I sin when what I want is more important than following what God has said!

In his devo for today, Miles Stanford said this, “We died with Him, but most of us are not being conformed to His death and hence are not like Him in life! In the measure that one dies to the old, in the same measure does one experience life in the New.”

The reason we are not affective and productive in our Christian life is because there are still idols that we have not “died” to. It’s like what Jesus talked about in the parable of the grain of wheat. (John 12:24-26) “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains along, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life…”

We think too too little of the death-fellowship with our Lord. What does it mean to die with Christ? Dying with Christ means that I take self, and all my desires, everything that I worry about, everything that causes me to be anxious, the things that I find happiness in… all my idols, (all the vain things that charm me most) and I cast them out, and I put God back on the throne! Stanford said, If you are willing to die with Him there will be effortless multiplication. There is no limit to the fruit that comes out of death.” 

Stanford said, “Our greatest liability is self confidence. Our greatest asset is Christ confidence. It usually takes years to discover one’s misplaced confidence. The flesh will fail us every time, and under all conditions. The Lord Jesus never fails us under any conditions.”

As I read the story of Manasseh today in 2 Chron 33:10-20 I thought it was interesting that after God judged Manasseh, Manasseh sought the Lord as a result. When Manasseh sought the Lord, and saw the Lord answer and show compassion on him, it says, “Then Manasseh finally realized that the Lord alone is God.” What is it going to take in my life for me to recognize that there is only one God and He wants my full devotion and focus. And until that happens, I will not an effective instrument in His hands.