While serving Christ one must remember that one needs to depend entirely upon Christ. An independent spirit only produces frustration and failure as well as wood, hay, and stubble at the Judgment Seat of Christ. As creatures we totally depend upon the Creator. As finite we completely need the Infinite. As servants we look entirely to the Master.
There are many men today going about the ministry in their own power which is the power of the flesh. Many individuals possess great gifts and talents and enjoy unusual skills. However, none of these make a successful servant. A man may go on for years seeming to accomplish much for the work of the ministry, yet in the Lord's estimation little may be worthy of reward.
Our Lord in John 15:5 said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing." These are powerful words. That which one does apart from dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ and by His Spirit amounts to nothing.
No matter how wonderful or impressive one's works might appear unto men, without our works being the product of abiding in Christ they will amount to nothing. As the branch of the grape vine cannot produce fruit unless it remains attached to the vine and draws its nutrients and power from it, neither can the servant of the Lord. It is in Christ that we find our righteousness, holiness, and our acceptance to produce fruit. Apart from Him all of our righteousness appears before God as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We have nothing in us, apart from Christ, that can produce good fruit acceptable to God. "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing..." Romans 7:18
We must understand and remind ourselves often that all of our skills, talents, gifts, and abilities are a gift from God. We breathe His air, eat His food, live in His world, and enjoy His blessings. Without God there is nothing. If you are going to serve God you must do it with an attitude of dependence upon Him. Paul the apostle says in I Corinthians 15:10, "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." Do you see Paul's dependence upon the grace of God to be what he was and to do what he did? Paul does not boast in his abilities, but rather he boasts in the Lord's ability in and through him. Paul sees himself as a willing branch abiding in the vine producing fruit. Remember, the fruit is called the fruit of the Vine not the fruit of the branches!
