I loving watching people. People totally fascinate me. People also fascinate God. I believe it to be one of the ways God and I are like. One of the things that fascinates me about people is how we try to make life have meaning and purpose. Most of us try hard to do the right things or to do enough things that we can look at our life and call it meaningful.
In Matthew 16:25 Jesus makes a bazarre statement. He says, "For whover wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." I have read that verse many times. I used to just read and go, "Yeah right," and go on.Now when I read that verse I stop because it seems to connect with me more than ever. I think it is becasue as I grow older I want my life to really count for something. I realize the only way my life can have meaning is to surrender myself and I mean all of myself to Jesus. Jesus is what makes life have meaning and purpose. It is not what I do that focuses attention on me that gives life purpose, it what I do that focuses attention on Jesus that gives real purpose to my life.
Since Jesus is what gives life meaning, I decided to look at what Jesus said about life. The first thing I did was to look at the words Jesus used to mean life.
One of the words translated life is the word helikia it means age or time of life. Jesus is simply referring to life as a span of time. I can live 10 years, 25 years, 50 years, or 100 years and my life can impact the world or not. It doesn't depend on the length of life, but on the content of life.
Another word translated life is the word bios. It means physical life. It is simply existence. Every person who has been physically born into this world has bios. Just because a person has bios doesn't mean that they are really living. People with physical life don't necessarily have meaning and purpose. Our existence gives us value, but it doesn't always give us purpose.
A third word translated life is psyche. This word means soul. Human life is not just physical. It is also spiritual. Jess uses this word a lot. He wants us to understand that our lives are both physical and spiritual. He indicates that it is the spiritual aspect that gives life its meaning. Our lives have meaning because as people, we have a soul that can connect with God. When I connect my life with God I have both value and purpose.
The last word is zoe. It means vibrate life. This life is not just physical existence, but real living. A life filled with purpose, meaning, adventure, and yes, suffering. It is a life lived in relationship with Jesus. Jesus uses this word when He says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
In talking about life Jesus uses the word zoe more than any on the other words to describe it.
When I try and save my life I can only experience helikia and bios. When I lose my life for Jesus I will experience psyche and zoe.
God created me to not just exist (helikia & bios) but to really live (psyche & zoe).
In Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls we will allow God through His Son, Jesus and His Spirit to give us real life (zoe).
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Let's Get Real About Same Sex Marriage
I have been following all the furor over the President coming out in favor of same sex marriage. Let's get real! We have known for some time that the President was supportive of many issues dealing with the homosexual community. He is not stupid. He knows that he will not get many if any votes from those who are opposed to same sex marriage, so he guarantees himself a stonger vote from the homosexual community by coming out in favor of same sex marriage. The President is first and foremost a politician. Does the President coming out in favor of same sex marriage make same sex marraige right or wrong? The answer is no it doesn't.
I read a letter in my home town news paper from some person saying that in the early church there were marriage ceremonies for same sex couples. First, that is a lie and the person just simply made that one up. Second, let's say that the church, and the time peroid that the person referenced meant they were referring to the Cathloic Church, had ceremonies for same sex marriages. Does the fact the church had same sex marraige ceremonies make same sex marriage right or wrong? Again the answer is no.
The fact that the President of the United States says same sex marraige is right and that the church had ceremonies for same sex marraige does not make same sex marraige right. Why? The nature of marraige is not determined by the President, the church or the culture. The nature of marriage is determined by the one who instituted it - God. Man didn't invented marriage, God did. In Genesis 2 we are given the account of God created humans, male and female. Then in verses 22 & 23 it says, "Then the Lord God made woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man'." This was the first marriage ceremony. Father (God) giving the bride (Eve) to the groom (Adam) and even complete with vows. God clearly estabishes marriage here as between one man and one woman. Jesus in Matthew 19 agrees with the Father that marriage is to be between one man and one woman only.
I don't care what the President or the church or the culture thinks about same sex marriage. I care what God thinks. God in His Word indicates that marriage is one man one woman.
God graciously gives us the freedom to think and believe and live like we want to. He does reserve the right as Creator, Lord, and Savior to have the ultimate say. He also tells us that if we choose to disobey Him and His will we have to live with the results of that disobedience.
My job as a surrender disciple and follower of Jesus is not to condemn people. Jesus says that in John 3:17. My job is to in love speak the truth. I believe that same sex marriage is wrong because God says it wrong. I don't believe I have the right as a Jesus follower to try and punish or ridicule people who choose to support same sex marriage.
You have the right both from God and from our nation to believe and live as you desire. I don't have to agree with you or support you in your choice. I do have to love you. My loving people doesn't mean that I agree with them all the time. And my disagreeing with a person doesn't mean that I don't love them. Let's stop looking at same sex marriage as an "issue". Let's look at people not issues and love not condemn.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
I read a letter in my home town news paper from some person saying that in the early church there were marriage ceremonies for same sex couples. First, that is a lie and the person just simply made that one up. Second, let's say that the church, and the time peroid that the person referenced meant they were referring to the Cathloic Church, had ceremonies for same sex marriages. Does the fact the church had same sex marraige ceremonies make same sex marriage right or wrong? Again the answer is no.
The fact that the President of the United States says same sex marraige is right and that the church had ceremonies for same sex marraige does not make same sex marraige right. Why? The nature of marraige is not determined by the President, the church or the culture. The nature of marriage is determined by the one who instituted it - God. Man didn't invented marriage, God did. In Genesis 2 we are given the account of God created humans, male and female. Then in verses 22 & 23 it says, "Then the Lord God made woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man'." This was the first marriage ceremony. Father (God) giving the bride (Eve) to the groom (Adam) and even complete with vows. God clearly estabishes marriage here as between one man and one woman. Jesus in Matthew 19 agrees with the Father that marriage is to be between one man and one woman only.
I don't care what the President or the church or the culture thinks about same sex marriage. I care what God thinks. God in His Word indicates that marriage is one man one woman.
God graciously gives us the freedom to think and believe and live like we want to. He does reserve the right as Creator, Lord, and Savior to have the ultimate say. He also tells us that if we choose to disobey Him and His will we have to live with the results of that disobedience.
My job as a surrender disciple and follower of Jesus is not to condemn people. Jesus says that in John 3:17. My job is to in love speak the truth. I believe that same sex marriage is wrong because God says it wrong. I don't believe I have the right as a Jesus follower to try and punish or ridicule people who choose to support same sex marriage.
You have the right both from God and from our nation to believe and live as you desire. I don't have to agree with you or support you in your choice. I do have to love you. My loving people doesn't mean that I agree with them all the time. And my disagreeing with a person doesn't mean that I don't love them. Let's stop looking at same sex marriage as an "issue". Let's look at people not issues and love not condemn.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Burdens
I have a burden. My burden is for revival. I want to be revived. I want to have a passion for Jesus. I want a passion for His Word. I want a passion to obey Him. I want a passion to worship Him. I want a passion to communicate with Him. I want a passion to serve Him by serving others. I want a passion for helping others to know Him and develop a passion for Him.
I also want revival for Jesus' church. I want my local faith family to be alive and obsessed with Jesus with nothing else competing against Him. I want the church in American to experience revival. I want the church in America (all followers of Jesus) to have one pure and holy passion to know Jesus and follow hard after Him.
I want John 2:17 to characterize me. my faith family and the church. The verse says, "His disciples remembered that it is written, Passion for your house consumes me" I want passion to consume me and every believer so that Jesus can be glorified.
I want the reality of Joel 2:28-29 where Joel predicts God's Spirit being poured out on all His people to be experienced by the church. I want to be filled and empowered and enabled by God so that I can and will obey God.
I want the reality of Habakkuk 3:2 where Habakkuk prays for God to revive and make known His work in the world to be experienced by God's people. I want God's power to be displayed through all of God's people so that the world can know Him.
The whole reason for Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is for God to open up us as His people and pour His Spirit on us and in us so that we can display His glory to the world.
If you will join me in asking God to do that I would really like to hear from you.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
I also want revival for Jesus' church. I want my local faith family to be alive and obsessed with Jesus with nothing else competing against Him. I want the church in American to experience revival. I want the church in America (all followers of Jesus) to have one pure and holy passion to know Jesus and follow hard after Him.
I want John 2:17 to characterize me. my faith family and the church. The verse says, "His disciples remembered that it is written, Passion for your house consumes me" I want passion to consume me and every believer so that Jesus can be glorified.
I want the reality of Joel 2:28-29 where Joel predicts God's Spirit being poured out on all His people to be experienced by the church. I want to be filled and empowered and enabled by God so that I can and will obey God.
I want the reality of Habakkuk 3:2 where Habakkuk prays for God to revive and make known His work in the world to be experienced by God's people. I want God's power to be displayed through all of God's people so that the world can know Him.
The whole reason for Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is for God to open up us as His people and pour His Spirit on us and in us so that we can display His glory to the world.
If you will join me in asking God to do that I would really like to hear from you.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Death and Dying
Last week a very close friend of mine with to be with Jesus. He had been in a battle with cancer. I know many people look at this as if he lost the battle, but he actually won. He is cancer free now with no possibility of it ever returning. The pain that he endured for so long is over. I would count that as a win. Death however is still hard. It is hardest for those who are still living and miss the perosn who has died. I can honestly say, "I hate death!" Death for those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus is not to be feared. But it is also not something that we are to embrace and desire. The sting of death comes from sin. Through Jesus' death and resurrection He overcame sin and death. I don't have to fear my physical death if I die a spiritual death. In Galatians 2:20 Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." When I allow myself to be crucified with Jesus and die to self and live in Jesus then I don't have to fear physical death. I still grieve over not having my friend to relate to, but I am joyful for him because he is with Jesus.
There are other types of death that are much more tragic then physical death. I am watching the death of several marriages. The death of a marriage is much more tragic and painful then physically dying. The death of a marriage means the death of a dream, the death of a relationship and can mean the death of security. It breaks my heart to watch two people who at one time loved and cherished each other degenerate into fighting with and hating each other. It also breaks my heart to see their children hurt so deeply as they watch their family and their world fall apart. The death of intimacy and hope and security is worse than any physical death I have ever witnessed.
It pisses me off to see marriages and familes dying. It means that Satan has won a victory. It doesn't have to happen. It doesn't have to end in death and Satan winning. Jesus raised people back to life physically. Jesus raised and is raising people back to life spiritually. He can take whatever the illness is that is causing a marriage to die and heal it. He can take a marriage that is dead and bring it back to life. The key in restoring a marriage is the same as it is in facing physical death without fear - Surrender!
In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." God can and will restore our lives, our dreams, our hope, and our marriages if we will surrender ourselves to Him. Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about surrendering ourselves, everything we are and everything we have, to Jesus. When we do that He can do anything.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
There are other types of death that are much more tragic then physical death. I am watching the death of several marriages. The death of a marriage is much more tragic and painful then physically dying. The death of a marriage means the death of a dream, the death of a relationship and can mean the death of security. It breaks my heart to watch two people who at one time loved and cherished each other degenerate into fighting with and hating each other. It also breaks my heart to see their children hurt so deeply as they watch their family and their world fall apart. The death of intimacy and hope and security is worse than any physical death I have ever witnessed.
It pisses me off to see marriages and familes dying. It means that Satan has won a victory. It doesn't have to happen. It doesn't have to end in death and Satan winning. Jesus raised people back to life physically. Jesus raised and is raising people back to life spiritually. He can take whatever the illness is that is causing a marriage to die and heal it. He can take a marriage that is dead and bring it back to life. The key in restoring a marriage is the same as it is in facing physical death without fear - Surrender!
In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." God can and will restore our lives, our dreams, our hope, and our marriages if we will surrender ourselves to Him. Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about surrendering ourselves, everything we are and everything we have, to Jesus. When we do that He can do anything.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
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