Bearing Fruit

In case you didn't read my last post, John Riddle is the minister who married Kyle and me. I don't know him as well as Kyle does, but I do know that he is an awesome person and disciple (Diane, you need to figure out how to set up a google account so you can post corrections to my terminology...) Anyway, I promised I would share with you what I learned from him during dinner last Saturday, so here's what I got.

One of the biggest things we wanted to know was what in the world should we do about all of the craziness going on in the country today. For me (and I know it goes back MUCH further than this), but for me, it goes back to my senior year in high school. That year, one of my best friends and I were SGA president and vice-president, which really just meant that you got to do announcements and the devotion over the intercom every morning. Except...that year, no devotion. We were allowed to say the pledge of allegiance, but no prayer and no "Wind Beneath my Wings" or "El Shaddai." I remember being a little upset and angry, but I guess I was too young or naive to think about what was happening on a bigger scale. I wish I could go back and do something then, but at the very least I want to do something now.

I am a very honest person, even if to my own detriment, so I will tell you the reason I decided to go to Mr. Riddle for advice. I love to watch Glenn Beck. Think he is great. He suggested that if we wanted to get involved, the first thing we needed to do was go to our pastor, minister, spiritual counsellor, etc. You may think Glenn is crazy, but that is some good advice. (You should try to watch him this week, see what you think).

Here's what Mr. Riddle said:

1. You must be a good sheep first! You must be abiding in Him and bearing fruit. If you try to accomplish anything without doing this first you will be unsuccessful. The enemy will knock your legs right out from under you!

2.Be at peace and know that God is in control. He knew this was going to happen. Realize that our time here is just a "parenthesis in eternity."

3.Once you have established your abiding relationship and are bearing fruit, then you may be called to do something on His behalf--spiritually, politically, whatever. And if He calls you to do something, you will know it.

Makes perfect sense, right? Mr. Riddle actually wrote a discipleship series that included steps to an abiding relationship. I can get you a copy of that part if anyone wants it. Also, he wants to come back to Dothan to do a workshop for us. I'm not exactly sure what all that would include. He said he wrote it for men, but would be glad to give the workshop to couples. Let me know if you are interested so we can get it set up. It would probably be sometime in October, I'm guessing. The workshop takes 9 hours and he is willing to break that up into two saturdays. I'll get more details for you, but I think at least part of it will teach you how to invest, rather than spend, your life here.

Also, girls, since it came up several times during our study of the "Praying Wife" about how many times you are supposed to pray for things I asked him about that, too. There wasn't really a direct answer (i.e. pray 7 times and in 3 days it will be revealed to you...), but here's what he said.

First of all, if you are praying for something that you know is His will, then go ahead and thank him for it because He's going to give it to you.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: That if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. If we know that He hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have that which we asked of Him." --1 John 5:14,15

When you are praying about a problem or in times of trouble:

1. Thank him for the problem. He allowed it to be there for a reason, for you to grow from or for you to be enriched by. We benefit from negative circumstances. From Mr. Riddle's Discipleship Series..."Negative Circumstances are usually for one or more of three reasons: Discipline, Deployment or Development. Probably 80% of the time they are for our development and if handled correctly develop our Christlike character and we are protected from the negative impact of them."

For example, right now I am very thankful that a pipe underneath our house busted this weekend and we discovered that all the pipes under the house are rotten and need to be replaced. We turned the water on to take a shower for church yesterday morning and found that the leak is so big we have zero water pressure. I'll let you know how it turns out...




God will not let any circumstances into your life that you can't handle. It is comforting to know that "anything that happens to you today has gone through God's filter and he has said 'yes' or 'no.' You can either depend on Him to get you through and benefit from it or struggle through on your own and waste that opportunity to grow. Mr. Riddle said that he went through a 10 year period of time in his life that was the worst he has been through, but it didn't seem like it because he had figured this concept out.

"Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long." --Psalm 25:5

And, of course, "...all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. --Romans 8:28

2. When having problems or negative circumstances, know that we can always count on Him for goodness and lovingkindness, and thank him for it.

"...no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly." --Psalm 84:11

"..he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him." --Psalm 32:10

Ask God specifically to show you goodness and lovingkindness in these difficult situations. Write it down when you do, so you can go back and remember all the times He has. Just remember that this has to be done within the context of an abiding relationship!

Please let me know if this does not make sense. Being a clear communicator is not one of my gifts!