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Become Unstuck and Make Great Decisions
How to Have a Full Joy: “Love One Another”
In the gospel of John, specifically in chapter 15, Christ gives a discourse on the importance of abiding in Him. He compares Himself to a vine and that His disciples are the branches. This is important because a branch cannot bear fruit if it is not attached to the vine. The implication being that Christ is the source of nourishment and enablement for the branches (His disciples) to bear fruit. This is also consistent with what you will find in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. No one can boast in himself, but in Christ, for it is He that has redeemed and given the ability to do good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Why is it important to abide in Christ? If you abide in Christ, you will bear much fruit, for apart from Christ, you can do nothing (John 15:1-6).
How do you abide in Christ? You obey Christ’s command. What was His command? “…that you love one another…” John 15:12.
Why is fruit so important? “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.” (John 15:8).
Fruit glorifies God and proves that you are His disciple. However, that is not the end. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11).
Do you have a full joy? Pause and ponder that question. Is your joy full? Here’s how you can tell whether or not you’re loving others. Do you have a full joy? If you’re loving one another, then you’re abiding in Christ’s love, fruit is produced, God is glorified, and you prove that you’re Christ’s disciple, all from one command – “love one another.”
If you do not love one another, you are not obeying Christ’s command. If you’re not obeying Christ’s command, then you are not abiding in Christ. If you are not abiding in Christ, then you are not producing any fruit. If you are not producing any fruit, then God is not glorified and there is no proof that you’re Christ’s disciple. If none of these are true, then you will not have a full joy in Christ. There is also a warning that if you do not produce fruit, God will remove the branch. However, those that do bear fruit get pruned so that they produce more fruit, glorifying God, proving to be Christ’s disciples, and a full joy is experienced.
Do you want to know what robs you of experiencing full joy? I believe it is spelled out well in James 4:1-12. There is no love for one another in the people of that passage. Their love is for the things of the world and it produces all types of harm, first on the inside and then carried out into actions.
If you love one another, you will experience Christ’s full joy. This is the command: “love one another.”
Do You Want a LifePlan?
Today marks a mile stone for me.
This past week I was in Boulder, CO, going through a certification and training process to facilitate an event called LifePlan.
Those of you who know me, know that I went through this process and through it, God took me to a new level of living and relationship! LifePlan was developed by a man named Tom Paterson and it helps a person discover why he/she exists and an action plan to achieve, maintain and evaluate that purpose.
Well, I am presently looking to begin facilitating LifePlans and I need some people who are interested to go through the process. Just up front, there is a cost involved on my end to facilitate it, and so that is all I will charge for this service of life change.
For more info DM me through FaceBook or go here: https://nickmeeder.com/get-a-lifeplan
Are You Truly Living, or Are You Wondering?
You have been created for great things. You have been made unique. You are one of a kind and there is no one else exactly like you. You have been placed here on earth for a specific plan and purpose.
The question is, do you feel that the above statements are true for you? Perhaps, rather, you feel that, though you know Jesus Christ, you seem to wonder through life going from crisis to stagnation until the next crisis comes. Zig Zigler said, “You’re either in a crisis, coming out of a crisis, or going into a crisis.” That is how many live their lives. This is no way to live! How can those who follow Christ not be living a free and victorious life? Yet, that seems much of the present state for many people.
There are two steps I’ve found effective for living, following, and choosing the purpose that I was created for, which, I believe, can also help you.
- Gain perspective on your past, the events and relationships that have influenced your life and how you make decisions. This is where you find what holds you back – patterns of destructive behavior, limiting beliefs, lies about yourself, those who negatively impacted you, and who you believe God really is. All of these influences impact who you are today, how you see yourself, others, and most importantly, how you view God. From all these influences is what impacts your decision making process. I suggest setting aside a period of quiet where you can be alone and undisturbed. Start by inviting the Holy Spirit to lead you into all the truth He wants to reveal to you about your past and your influencers. Ask Him to reveal the truth, how He wants you to change. Ask Him to use the truth to expose the lies you’ve believed about yourself, your life, your relationships, and most importantly, the lies you’ve believed about your Heavenly Father.
- Surrender your life to your Father in heaven for His purpose. Once you’ve gained perspective on who you’ve become and how you’ve become who you are, then begin by surrendering your life to your Father in heaven for His purpose. You cannot live the free and victorious life if you live your own selfish design of what you think will bring you fulfillment and peace. There is only One who can bring you fulfillment and peace. You cannot have permanent happiness and joy by trying to find it in your circumstances, career, financial gain, spouse, or relationships. You will find destruction and despair if you seek fulfillment by your own hand and power. Surrender to His LifePlan for you. Once you surrender, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of how He has gifted you. Seek out your giftedness. When you discover your giftedness, then stay there and operate in your sweet spot. If you’re implementing your giftedness, you will find, as the great runner, Eric Liddell, did, “…God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” When you’re operating in the giftedness that God has put in you, you will find the pleasure and delight in God that brings permanent happiness and joy.
Question: Are you living the plan God intended you to live? Do you feel free and victorious? What areas are you struggling in? If there was a process of discovering your potential, giftedness, and gaining perspective would you be interested? Please leave a comment.
1 Simple Shift to Effectively Change
Have you ever wanted to change, but every time you tried, it didn’t stick? Have you ever been frustrated because it seems that no matter how hard you’ve tried, you haven’t reached the goal you wanted to? Does it make you question if you have what it takes to change? Do you wonder if you’ve simply been born with less smarts or something?
Here is the truth: you begin to change by deciding to change. Few people know this, though, because few people know how to change or even what holds them back from changing.
I used to wait for change to happen to me. I used to wait for motivation to happen to me. I wondered why life didn’t change and I never did the things I wanted to do in life.
I changed when I decided to change and stopped trying to prove myself to the world or find validation in my relationships and career.
You can change by deciding to change. When you begin to change, you’ll hit resistance. Most likely your own internal voice will tell you that you can’t change, that you’re stupid, incompetent, or “average,” maybe even “below average.” It will say things like, “If you were changing, then this would be different.” “If you were changing, then this person wouldn’t have said that.” “If you were changing,…fill in the blank.” These voices are lies.
There are two ways of thinking. One says that if I have a bad day, or upset my boss, or have a fender-bender, then it only confirms my fear that I am not really smart or capable. The problem with this type of thinking is that this person needs their external world to define who they are internally because they don’t know who they are. Their identity and source of validation is in other people or their circumstances.
The other type of thinking says that whatever happens, I am God’s child, and I can learn and change (Romans 8). This person’s identity and worth are derived from being God’s child and so he doesn’t need to be someone for anything or anyone else. That person knows that he is worth far more than sparrows to God (Matt 10:31). He further understands that he was not worth dying for, since he deserved death for his sins (Romans 3:23). Yet, Jesus has given him new worth by imputing His righteousness to him, not because he was worth it, but because of the Father’s great love and his own name and glory. He cannot boast in himself or his works, but in Christ. He is a new creation through Christ (2 Cor 5:17). This type of person doesn’t need external forces to validate who he is because Jesus Christ has made him a new creation and continues to do so (Phil 1:6).
Where is your identity and worth? What do you look to to validate who you are?
When your source of validation and identity are found in Jesus Christ’s work of redemption in grace and your Heavenly Father, then you are free to make great decisions. You’re not a captive of other people’s opinions. You’re not a captive of your present career, family, or financial situation. You choose to do the things that bring you great joy because they are the things that God has gifted you to do. You choose to do the things that God delights in and reflect His glory.
Question: What do you believe holds you back? What do you want to achieve in life? Please leave a comment in the comments section below.