“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

“When Saul saw the Philistine Army he was afraid…….’Find me a woman who is a medium so I may go and inquire of her'”  1 Samuel 28:5,6

“If you want something done right, you’ll have to do it yourself.”

“Pull yourself up by your bootstraps”

“God helps them who help themselves.”

All popular sayings extolling the virtues of self reliance.  I felt the urging of the Spirit to choose the title that’s written although I believe that will turn some away from going any further and perhaps might spark disagreement with others that venture further.  As I have stated, before I claim no extraordinary scholarship in the Word so upon finishing this post if you have a different view, I would sincerely urge you to leave a comment with your view.

Yet it seems to me that we are in a world that increasingly celebrates and I would dare to use the word glorifies the self and its accomplishments.  It seems that the level of my success depends greatly on my level of self respect and self confidence. My ultimate goal is to achieve my dream.  I am told that I can achieve anything as long as I believe and yes work hard enough. I can and should rely on my judgement in all things and if I don’t understand or don’t agree, then I am perfectly right to disregard it and go my own way.

Yet here’s the problem; over and over again in both the Old and New Testament, we are taught about those people, often educated, sometimes wealthy people, pillars of society, deciding to go their own way either neglecting to consult God or rejecting His counsel, always with disastrous consequences.

Jesus Christ especially wants to stress this to His disciples as they were eating the last supper and soon Jesus would be taken from them.  As they transitioned from a Jesus in the flesh on earth, to Jesus Christ, resurrected and risen to heaven, sitting on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, Jesus wanted them to understand that they had to stay in Jesus Christ to accomplish any and everything.  Jesus Christ was clear to them and it still applies to us today:  …apart from Me you can do NOTHING!  Jesus makes no exception for strong effort or good thinking or generous behavior or anything.  When in Christ we can do great works, even greater than when Christ was on this earth; but anything we do, any effort exerted not in Christ will amount to nothing; PERIOD!

Take King Saul, now please understand this was not the Saul, who would become Paul of the New Testament.  This is King Saul who was from the smallest tribe of Israel, initially a humble man, selected by God to be the first king of Israel, although God was not happy with the nation’s request to have an earthly king.  King Saul had already shown his proclivity to be self reliant when he became impatient and offered sacrifices before battle which only the prophet Samuel and the Levite’s were allowed to do. Now an enemy the Philistines are at Israel’s door and King Saul is trying to get an answer from God about should they go into battle.  When an answer doesn’t seem to be coming, King Saul relies on his own judgement to go out and find a woman fortune teller to get his answer.

The interesting aspect of King Saul was he did not start out relying on himself.  He started out going to ask, then listening to and even following the direction of God through the Prophet Samuel.  It was during times of crises, like impending battle or later when he wrongly believed that David was trying to take his kingship away, that he forsook the counsel of God and instead, relied on his own judgement.  After all God had made him King hadn’t he?

Dear Sisters and Brothers, King Saul is a cautionary tale for all of us.  At what point or in what circumstances are we willing to forgo the counsel of God, the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, what activities do we feel Jesus Christ has no part in and it is in our best interest to rely on our self, our intellect, our power?

I can hear some now saying; that’s the problem with that thought process and the faith in general; Jesus Christ doesn’t want to be in my golf game, or with me as I watch TV and/or will go to a party with me; so I guess I have to give that all up!  Not at all.  Remember that Jesus attended weddings and even supplied wine.  Jesus, that I can find, never gave a commandment against recreation.  It is possible to participate in those activities and be in Christ.  How?  First by seeing those activities as a blessing from Christ.  To walk out in His creation on a golf course (and the way I play I see a lot of His creation in a lot of out of way places on the course).  You can also fellowship and support someone in need while playing.  In every activity you can ask yourself, is there and how can Jesus Christ use this with me?

Though understand this; just because you mention Jesus Christ in something doesn’t mean you are in Him during the actual action.  Going to a party and getting so drunk that you attempt to sleep with another person’s spouse, will never be something that is done in Jesus Christ.  Deciding to cheat or steal something at work will never be something that can be achieved in Jesus Christ.

It is clear that Jesus Christ does not want any aspect of our existence to be a part from Him.  He does not want us to have our efforts amount to nothing.  Jesus Christ knows that the enemy is always trying to drive a wedge between Christ and ourselves, starting in the garden; trying to convince us the appropriateness and reward there is if we will do our own thing.  The truly grace filled amazing thing, is that Jesus Christ wants us in Him right now; just as we are.  Christ does not demand that we become perfect and then and only then can we join into Him.  Christ knows that if perfection is required first; none of us will ever be able to abide in Him.  No, Jesus Christ promises us that the more we are able to be in Him the closerto perfection He will empower us to be.  What we need to be is in constant prayer, as well as not neglecting the Word, so we will grow ever closer, our constant striving will to be ever more often, in Jesus Christ.  That through the power of the Holy Spirit, leading us in the pathways of being in Jesus Christ, we will achieve lives that are a true blessing to ourselves and others as well as bringing praise to the name of our Heavenly Father.

Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father. we are eternally thankful that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to us and that He not only allows us but beckons us to live our lives in Him.  Grant us through the Holy Spirit, to resist the temptation of the evil one, to rely on ourselves, turning from You and Christ and traveling down the path to our self destruction.  As we strive to live ever closer to a complete life in Jesus Christ, allow us to bare fruit that will be a blessing to both ourselves and others.  That all the world might see the wisdom and value in being in Jesus Christ and bring praise to our Father in Heaven.  We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen