Arrogance

You may say that your garden thrives on neglect. Some people may look at it and say it lives independently, but that is far from the truth. Even your garden needs God to plant, to water, and to give the increase. For your plants to claim independence is arrogant. They would be taking everything for granted. Seeds cannot germinate without soil, water, and sun; and plants even need the bees and worms to do their jobs. But the bees and worms are also interdependent on the process. Without the plants, soil, water, and sun, the creatures could not survive. For a human to claim, “I can do it myself,” is the same as a beautiful plant claiming, “I can do it myself.” How absurd.

BIBLE TRUTH
“He existed before anything else,
      and he holds all creation together” (Col. 1:17 NLT).

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3 NLT).

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
God designed all creation to be dependent on Him. Humanity was designed to depend on God, and without such dependence death results. The essence of original sin was man’s asserting his willfulness to be independent from God even though God provided everything necessary. Am I willing to be dependent?

PRAYER
Lord, I want to be blessed as one who trusts in You, as one whose confidence is in You. Please make me like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. I do not want to fear when heat comes, and I long for my leaves to always be green. I don’t want to have worries in a year of drought, and I want to never fail to bear fruit. (Jer. 17:7–8)


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Truly Independent

The Bible teaches we can be complete, be fulfilled, possess well-being, and enjoy quality of life only through the person of Jesus Christ as we experience Him as relevant to all areas of our lives. There can be no true happiness or healthiness apart from a desperately dependent connection with Jesus. But with all our wisdom we do not find the solutions for life’s struggles in Him. We believe we can be independent.

God is the only one who is truly independent, because independence is an attribute of deity. He does not rely on anyone or anything to complete Himself. He is not subject to control by others. Reality sets forth the fact that all that is depends on God. Nothing can exist apart from God. Everything owes its existence to God.

BIBLE TRUTH
“for through him God created everything
      in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
      and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
      Everything was created through him and for him” (Col. 1:16 NLT).

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
“But the God of Israel is no idol!
      He is the Creator of everything that exists,
including his people, his own special possession.
      The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is his name!” (Jer. 51:19 NLT)

Humanity was designed to be in a dependent relationship. We were never intended to be independent. God’s order is for His creation to depend on Him and His sufficiency in all areas of our lives. Do you still want to be independent?

PRAYER
Lord, I want to experience the joys of those who trust in You. I have no confidence in the proud or to those who turn aside to false gods. (Ps. 40:4)


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Psalms 25 Prayer Pattern

This psalm was chosen to provide a model designed by God showing ways we can approach Him in a desperately dependent fashion. Use Psalms Prayer Patterns to pour out your heart to God while acknowledging your weakness and His strength, as you grow deeper in your relationship with Him.

Psalms Prayer Pattern

O LORD, I give my life to you.
      I trust in you, my God!
Do not let me be disgraced,
      or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.
No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
      but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

Show me the right path, O LORD;
      point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me,
      for you are the God who saves me.
      All day long I put my hope in you.
Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love,
      which you have shown from long ages past.
Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.
      Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,
      for you are merciful, O LORD.

The LORD is good and does what is right;
      he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
He leads the humble in doing right,
      teaching them his way.
The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
      all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.
For the honor of your name, O LORD,
      forgive my many, many sins.
Who are those who fear the LORD?
      He will show them the path they should choose.
They will live in prosperity,
      and their children will inherit the land.
The LORD is a friend to those who fear him.
      He teaches them his covenant.
My eyes are always on the LORD,
      for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

Turn to me and have mercy,
      for I am alone and in deep distress.
My problems go from bad to worse.
      Oh, save me from them all!
Feel my pain and see my trouble.
      Forgive all my sins.
See how many enemies I have
      and how viciously they hate me!
Protect me! Rescue my life from them!
      Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge.
May integrity and honesty protect me,
      for I put my hope in you.

O God, ransom Israel
      from all its troubles.       —Ps. 25 NLT

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

I Can Be Complete

God wants me to be complete in the person of Christ, in my position as His child, and in the possession of His righteousness. But, we say, I have my own life plan that I am sure will be exactly what God wants for me, so if He would just enable me to accomplish my purposes I could be complete. I want God to empower me to not need Him. And so we travel our own path, claiming to be a Christian but refusing to be desperately dependent on Christ, who offers His portrait in place of our sketch.

BIBLE TRUTH
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (Gal. 5:24–25 NLT).

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
By what means are you going to choose to empower your life? Will you allow the Master to complete His self-portrait through your life by means of the fruit of His Spirit?

If you choose to live by the Spirit, the strongholds will be broken, resulting in a complete, divinely empowered life—a picture of Christ. If you are not dependent on Christ, today is the best day of the rest of your life; it will be downhill from here.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I want Your Holy Spirit to guide my life. I don’t want to do what my sinful nature craves. (Gal. 5:16)


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)