POWER
It’s not a long word.
It’s not a hard word to spell.
It’s not a complex word.
Power is something that many people want.
Power is something that many people focus their lives on.
Power is something that many people will give anything to get.
Many people worship in the Temple of Power.
The gods in the Temple of Power are:
Achievement
Success
Money
In Scripture there were two men who worshiped in the Temple of Power.
The first was the Rich Young Ruler.
Matthew 19:16-22
Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question - if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.” “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
The young man wanted eternal life. He wanted salvation. However, he wanted to do something so he could earn it.
He saw eternal life as another trophy. He probably had many. He saw salvation as an earned reward.
One of the most common gods of success people worship is following religious rules.
In Jesus’ lifetime the Pharisees certainly fit that description. They were all about the rules. Jesus harshest words were directed to them because they were not worshiping God. They were worshiping the power that came from following the rules and making others follow them gave to them.
Following rules doesn’t accomplish what God wants to do in our lives. Look at what Paul says in Colossians 2:21-23.
“Don’t handle this,” “Don’t taste that,” “Don’t even touch that thing”? These rules refer to earthly things that are gone as soon as they are used. They are only human commands and teachings. They seem to be wise, but they are only part of a human religion. They make people pretend not to be proud and make them punish their bodies, but they do not really control the evil desires of the sinful self.”
Jesus wants to transform your life. Religious rules can’t do that.
Jesus invited the rich young ruler to give up his wealth and follow Him.
The young man said no. He chose his wealth and possessions over Jesus. The wealth and possessions were his god and he didn’t want to exchange them for the One True God - Jesus.
As followers of Jesus, we must acknowledge our helplessness and need.
Salvation is not something we can ever earn or deserve. Ephesians 2:9 says, “It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.”
People who worship in the Temple of Power like to brag about their achievement in earning their salvation by following the rules.
People who worship in the Temple of God acknowledge that they are helpless and depend on God’s grace.
The second person is the Rich Farmer.
Luke 12:16-21
Then He told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger one. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and my other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, ‘My friend you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’” Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.
Notice all the “my’s” in this passage. The farmer really thought it was all about him. He thought it was his achievement. He thought is was his success.
Many people view wealth with divine attributes.
They see it as their source of Security.
God’s Word says that wealth cannot be very secure and that we should not seek to be rich or poor.
Proverbs 30:8-9
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of God.
They see it as the source of Satisfaction.
Wealth can never satisfy because we will always want more.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness.
They see it as the source of Significance.
Wealth cannot get us what truly makes us valuable: a relationship with Jesus.
In Matthew 16:28 Jesus asks, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
Is earning wealth, achievement, or success worth my soul, who God created me to be?
When we worship in the Temple of God we connect with Jesus.
Jesus is our Provider
John 15:5
I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who live in me while I live in them will produce a lot of fruit. But you can’t produce anything without me.
He produces the fruit for us and through us.
We exist for Jesus.
John 15:8
My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are My disciples.
Our lives are to honor the Father by following Jesus.
Jesus is all we need.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him,, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus is our Provider.
Matthew 6:25
Therefore, I say to you, don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, what you’ll wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes?
Matthew 6:31-33
Therefore, don’t worry and say, “What are we going to eat?” or “What are we going to drink?” or “What are we going to wear?” Gentiles long for all these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. Instead, desire first and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Jesus will meet your needs.
Philippians 4:19
And the same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Jesus provides for us in life and in death.
John 14:2-3
In My Father’s house are many dwelling places, if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.
We have to depend on Jesus in death also because we are not going to leave here with any material things.
Ecclesiastes 5:15
As he came from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came; he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands.
It makes sense to alot of people to save up enough:
Dollars
Brownie Points
Box Tops
Soup Labels
Chuck E. Cheese Tickets
Good Deeds
To try and earn salvation.
That is how it is suppose to work in America - we earn it, we make our own way, we pay for everything with blood, sweat, and tears. We are self-made people.
Jesus, however, defines success and achievement entirely differently.
It is stepping away from the wealth.
It is stepping away from the stuff.
It is stepping away from the business.
It is stepping away from the prestige.
It is stepping away from the position.
It is Matthew 5:3-10, it is being
Being Poor in Spirit
Mourning
Being Meek
Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness
Being Merciful
Being Pure in Heart
Being a Peacemaker
Suffering Persecution Because of Jesus
When you worship in the Temple of Power you think you can earn your salvation.
Paul says in the first part of Romans 6:23 that “the wages of sin is death.” A wage is something you earn. When I try to the very best of my abilities I earn - DEATH.
When you worship in the Temple of God you know you are helpless to earn your salvation. You know that without Jesus and His death on the cross and His resurrection you have no hope. Then the second part of Romans 6:23 becomes your reality, “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
YOU CHOOSE!
Acknowledging It Is Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Worshiping in the Temple of Pleasure
You were created to worship God.
Psalm 150:6
Let every living thing praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
You were created to serve God.
Matthew 4:10
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
You were created to love God.
Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
We can measure what we worship, serve and love by looking at:
- What we spend our money on.
- What we spend our time doing.
- What we are devoted to.
When you look at this three areas of the American culture you will see that what we worship, serve and love is - Pleasure.
The culture says, “If it feels good do it!”
The culture says, “It’s my body I can do what I want with it.”
The culture says, “It’s my life. I can do what I want with it.”
But I hear the worship of pleasure even in the church.
The church says, “I deserve to have that.”
The church says, “I deserve to be happy.”
The church says, “Well, God wants me to be happy.”
We need to move from worshiping at the Temple of Pleasure to worshiping at the Temple of God.
How do we move from the temple of pleasure to God’s temple?
First, let Jesus be your portion.
Lamentations 3:24
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
As your portion He is your provision and security.
Psalm 16:5
Lord, You are my portion and my cup [of blessing]; You hold my future.
As your portion He is your strength.
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the Rock and firm Strength of my heart and Portion forever.
As your portion His is your refuge.
Psalm 142:5
I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
If you make pleasure your god then:
- You will be disappointed.
- You will wind up with a lot of hurt.
- You will not find satisfaction.
If you let Jesus be your God then:
- You will never be disappointed.
- You will experience peace.
- You will be satisfied.
Second, let Jesus be your satisfaction.
Jeremiah 25:31
I will fully satisfy the needs of those who are weary and full refresh the souls of those who are faint.
Jesus will satisfy you by:
His Love
Psalm 90:14
When morning comes, let your love satisfy all our needs. Then we can celebrate and be glad for what time we have left.
His Good Gift
Proverbs 5:18-19
Let your own fountain be blessed, and enjoy the girl you married, when you were young, a loving doe and a graceful deer. Always let her breasts satisfy you. Always be intoxicated with her love.
Jesus will satisfy:
Our Needs
Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will guide you always: He will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strength of your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Our Desires
Psalm 145:16
Opening Your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.
When pleasure is your god it leads to:
- Emptiness (not being satisfied)
- Hopelessness (believing we will never be satisfied)
When Jesus is your God it leads to:
- Fullness
- Hope
Ephesians 4:13
Until we all reach the unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Romans 5:5
Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
In 1 Kings 18 Elijah has a country-changing contest with the false god Baal and his prophets. Elijah challenges them to a contest to see who is the true God.
In 1 Kings 18:21 it says, “Elijah stood up in front of all the people and asked them, ‘How long will you try to have it both ways? If the Lord is God, follow Him, if Baal is God follow Him.’” The people didn’t say a word.
Why didn’t the people say a word? They wanted both pleasure and Yahweh.
God wants to bless you.
God wants to pour out His love and grace and mercy and joy and peace and hope.
God wants you and me to experience pleasure.
But God will not bless us when the very things He is blessing us with are His rivals for our worship, service and love. He will withhold His blessing in the very area we lift up as false gods.
Inside the Temple of Pleasure gifts are turned to - Idols.
Following and worshiping those gifts turned into idols (false gods) will lead to pain.
Inside the Temple of God good gifts are recognized as gifts from God and He is worshiped, served, and loved.
Following and worshiping Jesus leads to joy and peace.
You Choose!
In the Temple of God Raising the Roof and Removing The Walls
Joe
Psalm 150:6
Let every living thing praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
You were created to serve God.
Matthew 4:10
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
You were created to love God.
Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
We can measure what we worship, serve and love by looking at:
- What we spend our money on.
- What we spend our time doing.
- What we are devoted to.
When you look at this three areas of the American culture you will see that what we worship, serve and love is - Pleasure.
The culture says, “If it feels good do it!”
The culture says, “It’s my body I can do what I want with it.”
The culture says, “It’s my life. I can do what I want with it.”
But I hear the worship of pleasure even in the church.
The church says, “I deserve to have that.”
The church says, “I deserve to be happy.”
The church says, “Well, God wants me to be happy.”
We need to move from worshiping at the Temple of Pleasure to worshiping at the Temple of God.
How do we move from the temple of pleasure to God’s temple?
First, let Jesus be your portion.
Lamentations 3:24
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
As your portion He is your provision and security.
Psalm 16:5
Lord, You are my portion and my cup [of blessing]; You hold my future.
As your portion He is your strength.
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the Rock and firm Strength of my heart and Portion forever.
As your portion His is your refuge.
Psalm 142:5
I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
If you make pleasure your god then:
- You will be disappointed.
- You will wind up with a lot of hurt.
- You will not find satisfaction.
If you let Jesus be your God then:
- You will never be disappointed.
- You will experience peace.
- You will be satisfied.
Second, let Jesus be your satisfaction.
Jeremiah 25:31
I will fully satisfy the needs of those who are weary and full refresh the souls of those who are faint.
Jesus will satisfy you by:
His Love
Psalm 90:14
When morning comes, let your love satisfy all our needs. Then we can celebrate and be glad for what time we have left.
His Good Gift
Proverbs 5:18-19
Let your own fountain be blessed, and enjoy the girl you married, when you were young, a loving doe and a graceful deer. Always let her breasts satisfy you. Always be intoxicated with her love.
Jesus will satisfy:
Our Needs
Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will guide you always: He will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strength of your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Our Desires
Psalm 145:16
Opening Your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.
When pleasure is your god it leads to:
- Emptiness (not being satisfied)
- Hopelessness (believing we will never be satisfied)
When Jesus is your God it leads to:
- Fullness
- Hope
Ephesians 4:13
Until we all reach the unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Romans 5:5
Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
In 1 Kings 18 Elijah has a country-changing contest with the false god Baal and his prophets. Elijah challenges them to a contest to see who is the true God.
In 1 Kings 18:21 it says, “Elijah stood up in front of all the people and asked them, ‘How long will you try to have it both ways? If the Lord is God, follow Him, if Baal is God follow Him.’” The people didn’t say a word.
Why didn’t the people say a word? They wanted both pleasure and Yahweh.
God wants to bless you.
God wants to pour out His love and grace and mercy and joy and peace and hope.
God wants you and me to experience pleasure.
But God will not bless us when the very things He is blessing us with are His rivals for our worship, service and love. He will withhold His blessing in the very area we lift up as false gods.
Inside the Temple of Pleasure gifts are turned to - Idols.
Following and worshiping those gifts turned into idols (false gods) will lead to pain.
Inside the Temple of God good gifts are recognized as gifts from God and He is worshiped, served, and loved.
Following and worshiping Jesus leads to joy and peace.
You Choose!
In the Temple of God Raising the Roof and Removing The Walls
Joe
Sunday, January 12, 2014
There is Only One God
Everybody is looking for something to worship. Satan will help us to find things to worship. He will direct us to false gods. He presents thousands and thousands of false things for us to worship.
Part of the spiritual battle we face daily is a war of the gods for our affection and worship.
Satan tries to get us to worship him by worship other things.
There are two events in Scripture that show the truth of Satan attempts to get us to worship anything put the One True God.
One is Eve’s temptation in the garden.
Genesis 3:5
God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree, you will learn about good and evil and you will be like God.
Eve is being enticed to make herself her god. Eve would become own god.
The other is Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.
Matthew 4:10
Jesus said to him, “Go away Satan! Scripture says, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’”
Jesus was tempted to worship and serve something other than the Father.
The greatest temptation we have is idolatry.
Idolatry isn’t just one sin of many sins; it’s the one sin that all others come from.
Satan knows it is impossible for a human being to serve two masters.
Jesus says that in Matthew 6:24. He says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Here Jesus makes reference to serving God and money, but you could substitute anything in the place of money - success, sex, position, power, drugs, family or religion.
Paul also expresses concern about even followers of Jesus being drawn away from following Jesus.
In 2 Corinthians 11:3 he says, “I am afraid that your minds will be corrupted and you will abandon your full and pure devotion to Christ - in the same way that Eve was deceived by the snake’s clever lies.”
We have to believe and live based on the truth that God is the only God. This is true based on Who God Is.
First, He is the only real God.
Exodus 3:14-15
God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob - has sent me to you.”
God is I AM. He is not I was, I will be, or I might be. He is I AM!
Other gods are not evil gods or lesser gods. Other gods are no gods. They are fake. They don’t exist. When a person worships and serves any other god but Jesus, he is worshiping and serving nothing.
Second, God is a jealous God.
Exodus 34:14
Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Jealous means one and only, not having any rivals. God wants to be the only one you worship. God wants to be the only one you serve. God will not share your affection with any other god. God is jealous for you.
Third, God is a consuming fire.
Deuteronomy 4:24
For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Hebrews 12:29
For our God is a consuming fire.
God is described as a consuming fire eight times in the Bible.
What is that telling us about God?
Consuming fire signifies that God is passionate about us, He places a high value on us.
We were created to love God and He wants us to love Him like He loves us - passionately.
Jesus tells the church in Laodicea that they have a big problem when it comes to how they are relating to Him.
In Revelation 3:15-16 Jesus says, “I know what you do, that you are not hot or cold! But because you are lukewarm - neither hot, nor cold - I am ready to spit you out of my mouth.”
God wants us to love Him with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul, and all our strength. Any thing less is unacceptable.
Because of who God is - Real, Jealous, and a Consuming Fire - He demands some things from us.
God demands to be our priority.
Exodus 20:2-3
I am the Lord your God, the One who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves. Do not have any god except Me.
There is no hierarchy - God is to be first and only.
God is not at the top the organization - He is the organization.
God is not the president of the board - He is the board.
Jesus tells the church at Ephesus that He knows they are a right believing, hard working, persevering church. But in Revelation 2:4 Jesus says, “But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].
Jesus, not being morally upright, being religious, being theologically correct, being devoted to the church, has to be our only priority.
God demands to be exclusive.
Exodus 20:4-5
You shall not make yourselves any idols: any images resembling animals, birds, or fish. You must never bow to an image or worship it in any way, for I, the Lord your God am very possessive. I will not share your affections with any other god!
God will not allow us to share our worship or our affections with any other “god”.
God owns all creation. That includes you.
God created you and He died for you so you could be recreated.
Also God is the only one who can:
Help you
Direct you
Satisfy you
Save you.
Which makes God the only one worthy of your worship and devotion.
God demands to be glorified by His creation.
Isaiah 42:8
I am the Lord; that is My name. I will not give My glory to anyone else or the praise I deserve to idols.
God created you to glorify Him.
Your mind was created to glorify God.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.
Your heart was created to glorify God.
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
You were created to glorify God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
All creation was created to glorify God. Humans are the only part of creation that does not glorify God naturally. We were given a choice. So, when we glorify God it makes Him smile with joy.
In Psalm 106:19-20 we are told that Israel traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass eating bull.
We in the twenty-first century have also traded our glorious God for equally stupid things.
We have traded God for:
A house we constantly upgrade
A promotion that comes with a raise
Acceptance by the popular group
A body that is trim & fit
A perfect adoring family
Religious traditions that makes us feel comfortable & superior
Anything can become an idol.
We need to remember the truth that Paul shares in Romans 5:6-8 that most of us would not even think about dying for a good person (I know my list of who I would die fir is very short). But Jesus came and died while we were still sinners.
We need to get rid of our idols and come to the One True God - Jesus, who loves you and proved it by dying for you.
What are you going to do in response to who God is, what He has done, and what He demands?
With Jesus as My Exclusive Priority Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Part of the spiritual battle we face daily is a war of the gods for our affection and worship.
Satan tries to get us to worship him by worship other things.
There are two events in Scripture that show the truth of Satan attempts to get us to worship anything put the One True God.
One is Eve’s temptation in the garden.
Genesis 3:5
God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree, you will learn about good and evil and you will be like God.
Eve is being enticed to make herself her god. Eve would become own god.
The other is Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.
Matthew 4:10
Jesus said to him, “Go away Satan! Scripture says, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’”
Jesus was tempted to worship and serve something other than the Father.
The greatest temptation we have is idolatry.
Idolatry isn’t just one sin of many sins; it’s the one sin that all others come from.
Satan knows it is impossible for a human being to serve two masters.
Jesus says that in Matthew 6:24. He says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Here Jesus makes reference to serving God and money, but you could substitute anything in the place of money - success, sex, position, power, drugs, family or religion.
Paul also expresses concern about even followers of Jesus being drawn away from following Jesus.
In 2 Corinthians 11:3 he says, “I am afraid that your minds will be corrupted and you will abandon your full and pure devotion to Christ - in the same way that Eve was deceived by the snake’s clever lies.”
We have to believe and live based on the truth that God is the only God. This is true based on Who God Is.
First, He is the only real God.
Exodus 3:14-15
God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob - has sent me to you.”
God is I AM. He is not I was, I will be, or I might be. He is I AM!
Other gods are not evil gods or lesser gods. Other gods are no gods. They are fake. They don’t exist. When a person worships and serves any other god but Jesus, he is worshiping and serving nothing.
Second, God is a jealous God.
Exodus 34:14
Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Jealous means one and only, not having any rivals. God wants to be the only one you worship. God wants to be the only one you serve. God will not share your affection with any other god. God is jealous for you.
Third, God is a consuming fire.
Deuteronomy 4:24
For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Hebrews 12:29
For our God is a consuming fire.
God is described as a consuming fire eight times in the Bible.
What is that telling us about God?
Consuming fire signifies that God is passionate about us, He places a high value on us.
We were created to love God and He wants us to love Him like He loves us - passionately.
Jesus tells the church in Laodicea that they have a big problem when it comes to how they are relating to Him.
In Revelation 3:15-16 Jesus says, “I know what you do, that you are not hot or cold! But because you are lukewarm - neither hot, nor cold - I am ready to spit you out of my mouth.”
God wants us to love Him with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul, and all our strength. Any thing less is unacceptable.
Because of who God is - Real, Jealous, and a Consuming Fire - He demands some things from us.
God demands to be our priority.
Exodus 20:2-3
I am the Lord your God, the One who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves. Do not have any god except Me.
There is no hierarchy - God is to be first and only.
God is not at the top the organization - He is the organization.
God is not the president of the board - He is the board.
Jesus tells the church at Ephesus that He knows they are a right believing, hard working, persevering church. But in Revelation 2:4 Jesus says, “But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].
Jesus, not being morally upright, being religious, being theologically correct, being devoted to the church, has to be our only priority.
God demands to be exclusive.
Exodus 20:4-5
You shall not make yourselves any idols: any images resembling animals, birds, or fish. You must never bow to an image or worship it in any way, for I, the Lord your God am very possessive. I will not share your affections with any other god!
God will not allow us to share our worship or our affections with any other “god”.
God owns all creation. That includes you.
God created you and He died for you so you could be recreated.
Also God is the only one who can:
Help you
Direct you
Satisfy you
Save you.
Which makes God the only one worthy of your worship and devotion.
God demands to be glorified by His creation.
Isaiah 42:8
I am the Lord; that is My name. I will not give My glory to anyone else or the praise I deserve to idols.
God created you to glorify Him.
Your mind was created to glorify God.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.
Your heart was created to glorify God.
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
You were created to glorify God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
All creation was created to glorify God. Humans are the only part of creation that does not glorify God naturally. We were given a choice. So, when we glorify God it makes Him smile with joy.
In Psalm 106:19-20 we are told that Israel traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass eating bull.
We in the twenty-first century have also traded our glorious God for equally stupid things.
We have traded God for:
A house we constantly upgrade
A promotion that comes with a raise
Acceptance by the popular group
A body that is trim & fit
A perfect adoring family
Religious traditions that makes us feel comfortable & superior
Anything can become an idol.
We need to remember the truth that Paul shares in Romans 5:6-8 that most of us would not even think about dying for a good person (I know my list of who I would die fir is very short). But Jesus came and died while we were still sinners.
We need to get rid of our idols and come to the One True God - Jesus, who loves you and proved it by dying for you.
What are you going to do in response to who God is, what He has done, and what He demands?
With Jesus as My Exclusive Priority Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Miraculous Marriage
What is the toughest job you have ever had?
Mine has been and is being a husband.
Marriage is hard work so if you don’t want to work don’t get married!
It takes a miracle for a marriage to really work.
Now, let’s define a miracle. It is an extraordinary event that shows God is intervening.
You and your spouse CAN NOT make your marriage work and make it what it is meant to be.
It takes you, your spouse and - JESUS.
In Matthew 19:3-10 some Pharisees come and ask Jesus if it is “lawful” for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus tells them it was the Father’s will from the beginning that marriage be a life long relationship. That it is to be a relationship where the two people become one. God then has joined them together and no person has authority to separate them. The Pharisees ask Jesus why Moses then established divorce and Jesus tells them it was because of , people’s hard hearts. Jesus says, “That anyone who divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
The disciples say, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”
In other words the disciples were saying, “Marriage is too hard. It’s better to stay single.”
It takes a miracle!
What are the biblical characteristics of marriage?
Hebrews 13:4
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
Characteristic #1: Honor
We are to honor marriage. The marriage relationship was established by God and we are to honor it.
We are each to honor our spouse. We are to see them and treat them as the most valuable human blessing we have. We are to treat them as precious.
We are to honor the God who created marriage. We do that by fulfilling the commitments we made to our spouse in God’s presence.
Genesis 2:24
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Characteristic #2: Intimacy
We are to have social intimacy with our spouse by sharing ideas and opinions.
We are to have emotional intimacy with our spouse by sharing dreams and goals.
We are to have physical intimacy with our spouse by sharing our bodies. We need to hold hands, hug, and have sex.
I am very afraid that the church has convinced many people over the years that sex is wrong and dirty. Well, when God told Adam and Eve to fill the earth, He meant have sex. It is the only way to produce children.
Please, remember God created sex and everything God created, when used in the way God told us to use it, is good.
Sex is awesome!
Also remember that if you are not building social and emotional intimacy, you will not have great physical intimacy.
Genesis 2:25
Both the man and the woman were naked, yet felt no shame.
Characteristic #3: Wonder
No, I don’t mean wonder like, “I wonder why they did that.” I mean wonder like WOW! I mean wonder like seeing your spouse in awe.
Your spouse needs to be your best friend. With them you share you deepest dreams, your deepest desires, your deepest secrets, your deepest joys, and your deepest fears.
You need to be constantly studying your spouse and learning about them. You need to work toward a PHD in knowing your spouse.
Each day should be a day when you thank God for the gift of your spouse. Yes, even those days when you don’t like their behavior or attitude.
Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church - He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, as also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Characteristic #4: Respect
We normally read “wives submit to your husbands” and stop. When we do that, we miss the real truth of this passage.
Wives are to submit as we, the church submits to Jesus as our Savior. I don’t submit to Jesus out of fear, abuse or domination. I submit because I love Jesus so much for dying on the cross for my sins I want Him who loves me like that to have control of my life.
Wives are to respect their husbands out of a desire to show them how much they love them. A husband needs the respect of his wife. That is the number one emotional need of a man: to feel respected. When a wife respects her husband, it fills him up and makes him feel valuable.
This respect is unconditional. It is not a respect that has to be earned. Respect in the work place, in friendships, or in leadership is earned, but in a marriage relationship the wife should respect her husband out of faith in God and a desire to please Him.
Ephesians 5:25-28
As for the husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. He did this to make her holy by washing her in a bath of water with the word. He did this to present Himself with a splendid church, one without any sort of stain or wrinkle on her clothes, but rather one that is holy and blameless. That’s how husbands ought to love their wives - in the same way as they do their own bodies. Anyone who loves his wife loves himself.
Characteristic #5: Love
Husbands are to love their wives. They are to love them, not any old way they want, but as Jesus loves His church.
This is unconditional love. Love that gives themselves to the other person. Love that put the needs of the other before their own. Love that sacrifices for the other person.
James 1:19
Remember this, my dear friends! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry.
Characteristic #6: Communicate
Lead with your ears.
Follow up in love with your mouth.
Let anger straggle along way in the rear.
James is saying: communicate, communicate, communicate. Communicate is listening first and then speaking. You can never communicate too much.
The most frequently used illustration for the relationship that God wants with us as His people is the marriage relationship.
Your marriage Does Not belong to you: it belongs to Jesus.
The marriage problem we face in our culture is not one of:
Faithfulness
Compatibility
Love
Communication
The marriage problem we have in culture is one of surrendering to God’s will and obeying Him.
I personally know the awesome gift that marriage is. My wife is married to one of the most stubborn, work-focused, at times thoughtless men who exists. She has been my wife, when for 41 years; that‘s devotion. I know what is to neglect a precious gift of God and almost lose it. I know the joy of God healing, restoring and redeeming that gift and making it better than it has ever been. I know what it feels like to be genuinely unconditionally loved and respected beyond anything I deserve. I also know what it is like to love another person more than I love myself and to joyfully give myself to that person. All of this is not from Jan and Joe. All of this is from Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is Jesus make your marriage:
one that honors Him and each other
one that is intimate
one in which unconditional respect is shared
one in which unconditional love is shared
one where wonder and awe fill your days
one where conflict leads to communication
one where forgiveness is not withheld
one where snuggling on the couch is the norm.
Do Jan and I still have conflicts? - YES!
But because we are allowing Jesus to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls that conflicts are temporary, not fatal.
Together Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Mine has been and is being a husband.
Marriage is hard work so if you don’t want to work don’t get married!
It takes a miracle for a marriage to really work.
Now, let’s define a miracle. It is an extraordinary event that shows God is intervening.
You and your spouse CAN NOT make your marriage work and make it what it is meant to be.
It takes you, your spouse and - JESUS.
In Matthew 19:3-10 some Pharisees come and ask Jesus if it is “lawful” for a man to divorce his wife. Jesus tells them it was the Father’s will from the beginning that marriage be a life long relationship. That it is to be a relationship where the two people become one. God then has joined them together and no person has authority to separate them. The Pharisees ask Jesus why Moses then established divorce and Jesus tells them it was because of , people’s hard hearts. Jesus says, “That anyone who divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
The disciples say, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”
In other words the disciples were saying, “Marriage is too hard. It’s better to stay single.”
It takes a miracle!
What are the biblical characteristics of marriage?
Hebrews 13:4
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
Characteristic #1: Honor
We are to honor marriage. The marriage relationship was established by God and we are to honor it.
We are each to honor our spouse. We are to see them and treat them as the most valuable human blessing we have. We are to treat them as precious.
We are to honor the God who created marriage. We do that by fulfilling the commitments we made to our spouse in God’s presence.
Genesis 2:24
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Characteristic #2: Intimacy
We are to have social intimacy with our spouse by sharing ideas and opinions.
We are to have emotional intimacy with our spouse by sharing dreams and goals.
We are to have physical intimacy with our spouse by sharing our bodies. We need to hold hands, hug, and have sex.
I am very afraid that the church has convinced many people over the years that sex is wrong and dirty. Well, when God told Adam and Eve to fill the earth, He meant have sex. It is the only way to produce children.
Please, remember God created sex and everything God created, when used in the way God told us to use it, is good.
Sex is awesome!
Also remember that if you are not building social and emotional intimacy, you will not have great physical intimacy.
Genesis 2:25
Both the man and the woman were naked, yet felt no shame.
Characteristic #3: Wonder
No, I don’t mean wonder like, “I wonder why they did that.” I mean wonder like WOW! I mean wonder like seeing your spouse in awe.
Your spouse needs to be your best friend. With them you share you deepest dreams, your deepest desires, your deepest secrets, your deepest joys, and your deepest fears.
You need to be constantly studying your spouse and learning about them. You need to work toward a PHD in knowing your spouse.
Each day should be a day when you thank God for the gift of your spouse. Yes, even those days when you don’t like their behavior or attitude.
Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church - He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, as also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Characteristic #4: Respect
We normally read “wives submit to your husbands” and stop. When we do that, we miss the real truth of this passage.
Wives are to submit as we, the church submits to Jesus as our Savior. I don’t submit to Jesus out of fear, abuse or domination. I submit because I love Jesus so much for dying on the cross for my sins I want Him who loves me like that to have control of my life.
Wives are to respect their husbands out of a desire to show them how much they love them. A husband needs the respect of his wife. That is the number one emotional need of a man: to feel respected. When a wife respects her husband, it fills him up and makes him feel valuable.
This respect is unconditional. It is not a respect that has to be earned. Respect in the work place, in friendships, or in leadership is earned, but in a marriage relationship the wife should respect her husband out of faith in God and a desire to please Him.
Ephesians 5:25-28
As for the husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. He did this to make her holy by washing her in a bath of water with the word. He did this to present Himself with a splendid church, one without any sort of stain or wrinkle on her clothes, but rather one that is holy and blameless. That’s how husbands ought to love their wives - in the same way as they do their own bodies. Anyone who loves his wife loves himself.
Characteristic #5: Love
Husbands are to love their wives. They are to love them, not any old way they want, but as Jesus loves His church.
This is unconditional love. Love that gives themselves to the other person. Love that put the needs of the other before their own. Love that sacrifices for the other person.
James 1:19
Remember this, my dear friends! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry.
Characteristic #6: Communicate
Lead with your ears.
Follow up in love with your mouth.
Let anger straggle along way in the rear.
James is saying: communicate, communicate, communicate. Communicate is listening first and then speaking. You can never communicate too much.
The most frequently used illustration for the relationship that God wants with us as His people is the marriage relationship.
Your marriage Does Not belong to you: it belongs to Jesus.
The marriage problem we face in our culture is not one of:
Faithfulness
Compatibility
Love
Communication
The marriage problem we have in culture is one of surrendering to God’s will and obeying Him.
I personally know the awesome gift that marriage is. My wife is married to one of the most stubborn, work-focused, at times thoughtless men who exists. She has been my wife, when for 41 years; that‘s devotion. I know what is to neglect a precious gift of God and almost lose it. I know the joy of God healing, restoring and redeeming that gift and making it better than it has ever been. I know what it feels like to be genuinely unconditionally loved and respected beyond anything I deserve. I also know what it is like to love another person more than I love myself and to joyfully give myself to that person. All of this is not from Jan and Joe. All of this is from Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is Jesus make your marriage:
one that honors Him and each other
one that is intimate
one in which unconditional respect is shared
one in which unconditional love is shared
one where wonder and awe fill your days
one where conflict leads to communication
one where forgiveness is not withheld
one where snuggling on the couch is the norm.
Do Jan and I still have conflicts? - YES!
But because we are allowing Jesus to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls that conflicts are temporary, not fatal.
Together Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)