Who We Are in Jesus Part 1

In Romans 8:17, we are told that we are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Jesus.

If we are children of God and heirs of God, what is our birthright?

Over the next several weeks I want to list and discuss our birthright in Jesus.

Matthew 5:14

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

We are the light of the world and the darkness cannot suppress or overcome it.

Darkness is simply the absence of light. When light penetrates darkness, it immediately and completely overcomes the darkness.

Paul says in Philippians 2:15 that we are to shine like lights in a dark sky. We can do that because, as God’s children, we are the light of the world.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living as the light of the world.

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!” And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”

We are living in Christ’s authority, which gives us power over all the forces of the enemy.

When I live in my authority and power, Satan defeats me.

When I live in God’s authority and power, I experience victory over Satan.

In Matthew 28:18, Jesus tells His followers that all authority is His and, based on that, we are to go into every part of the world and make disciples.

God bestows on us His authority and power to grow His kingdom.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living and operating under God’s authority and power.

John 15:1

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

John 15:5

I am the vine; you are branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.

We are the branches, a channel for Jesus’ life and energy.

When we stay connected with Jesus, we produce fruit.

When we stay connected with Jesus, we will be channels of God’s power and blessing.

When we stay connected with Jesus, we will be people God can and will use to change the world.

Jesus is the focus, and staying connected to Him is the key.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is staying connected to Jesus.

Romans 8:1

There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

We are never condemned by Jesus, but declared fully forgiven and righteous.

Jesus does not condemn us. When He confronts us with sin, it is for our

good. Jesus forgives us completely.

Jesus declares us righteous with the righteousness that He Himself is.

We deserve none of this, but Jesus does it out of His grace.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living in the forgiveness and righteousness of Jesus.

Romans 8:35

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Romans 8:37-39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death not life, nor angels nor rulers, not things present, not things to come, nor powers, not height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are secure in Jesus’ love for us and we are overwhelming conquerors in Him.

Nothing, Nothing, Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love for us.

We will never be unloved. We may feel unloved, but we will never be unloved.

We are conquerors because Jesus won the victory over sin, death, and Satan and He gives us that victory.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living in the security of and victory of Jesus’ love.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?

We are the temple of God – the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit lives within each of us as followers of Jesus.

Colossians 1:27 says Christ in you is the hope of glory. Jesus lives in us through the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9 says that every follower of Jesus has the Spirit.

We don’t have to depend on ourselves or our abilities or our resources; we depend on the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

When we know who we are in Jesus, then we will have more confidence.

When we know who we are in Jesus, then we will have more boldness.

When we know who we are in Jesus, then we will have more security.

Living Knowing Who I am In Jesus

 Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                              Joe

Intimacy with Jesus

I know one person better than any other human being in the world. That person is me. I know me. I know the thoughts and desires that no other human knows but me. I know that what others see in me is not always what is on the inside.

Knowing me like I do and also knowing that Jesus knows all the things about me that I know (Jesus really knows more about me than I know), I am in total amazement at the desire Jesus has for a relationship with me.

The most amazing thing about the relationship that Jesus wants with me is the intimacy that He wants in that relationship.

There are many verses that show us the intimate relationship that Jesus desires with us. I want to focus on four.

Romans 5:6-8

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – through perhaps for a good person one would dare to die – but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus died for us while we were ungodly sinners.

Jesus didn’t wait for us to realize we were ungodly sinners. He died for us while we were still under the control of sin and not even aware of our condition.

We might be willing to do something nice for really good people.

Jesus died for us as really bad people.

I know the idea that, without Jesus, we are bad does not go along with the values this world teaches. The Word of God makes it clear that Jesus is the only good one and that every human being is unrighteous, does not do good, and has no respect or love for God naturally.

Jesus gave His life while I was in absolute rebellion against Jesus and His authority.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is acknowledging that, apart from Jesus, we have nothing good or righteous in us.

Luke 19:10

Jesus came for the lost.

Jesus came to seek the lost. He did not wait for the lost to come seeking Him. He took the initiative to go and find the lost. Jesus spent His three years of ministry going out to where lost people were and inviting them to enter into a relationship with Him.

Jesus did not act as the offended party, even though we had offended Him with our sin. He sought to reconcile us, as His human creation, with Him, our Creator and Lord.

I don’t seek out people who have offended me. I tend to wait for the person who has hurt me to come and ask for forgiveness, and then I will forgive him.

Jesus went looking for people to forgive them.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing that Jesus reached out to me when I was lost.

Mark 2:16-17

And the scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that He was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

When I tell God that I am ok without Him, that I don’t need Him, it breaks His heart, but He will abide by my wishes and stay out of my life.

When I admit my sin, Jesus says that I am the kind of person that He came to call into a relationship with Himself and the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus knew that people who considered themselves righteous were not desiring a relationship with Him. Jesus also knew that a person who knew he was a sinner was desiring a relationship with Him.

In Luke 18 Jesus tells the story of two men who went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee who prayed out of a heart of pride and self-righteousness. The other was a tax collector who prayed out of a heart of humility and repentance and confession of his sin. Jesus said that the tax collector went away justified. He was justified because he acknowledged his sin, asked for forgiveness, and desired a relationship with God.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is acknowledging our need for Jesus and receiving His forgiveness and establishing a relationship with Him.

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus invites people who are weary, tired, ready to quit, to come to Him.

Jesus invites people who are carrying heavy burdens, who are bent over with the weight of what they are having to carry, to come to Him.

Jesus promises that when the weary, heavy burdened come to Him, He will give them what they need – rest.

Life wears us down and what we need many times is rest. We need rest that goes beyond the physical. We need a rest in which we know that, no matter what circumstance we are facing in this life, we will get through it because Jesus is with us through it all.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing rest in our relationship with Jesus.

Jesus invites weary, ungodly sinners to surrender their lives to Him.

Jesus will give these weary, ungodly sinners – rest, forgiveness, love, grace, and mercy. The greatest thing that Jesus gives us is an intimate relationship with Him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

I am overwhelmed that Jesus even wants a relationship. I am more than overwhelmed at the intimacy that Jesus wants with me in that relationship. I am truly grateful for a God that loves me that much.

In Great Intimacy with Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                   Joe

Truths to Live By

In Galatians 6:11-18, Paul closes the letter to the Galatian believers with four final truths that are important for us as followers of Jesus.

In verse 11, Paul uses large letters in writing himself to these believers.

Galatians 6:12

Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

First, don’t try to live to please others so you can avoid persecution.

We live in a fallen world and Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that we will have troubles, but that He has overcome the world. Jesus also tells us in Matthew 5 that those who are persecuted will be blessed.

We don’t glorify or honor God by trying to please others or by trying to blend in with the culture. No one likes persecution, but if the choice is between persecution or denying Jesus, we need to be willing to endure persecution.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being willing to face anything so that we might honor Jesus.

Galatians 6:13

Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.

Second, following rituals and traditions doesn’t honor God.

Paul says that even those who are circumcised don’t follow the law. The law was more than circumcision, and those who were insisting that these believers be circumcised were not following the whole law. In the book of James, we are told that if we break just part of the law, we are law breakers.

The grace of Jesus, not the law, brings you into relationship with the Father.

The grace of Jesus brings life and the law brings death.

The grace of Jesus restores and redeems and the law only tells us we are wrong.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is depending on grace for everything.

Galatians 6:14

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Third, we only boast in the cross of Jesus.

We are not to boast in:

Our accomplishments

Our wealth

Our ability

Our intelligence

Our anything

We boast in what Jesus did for us on the cross.

It is in the cross that two things have occurred:

The world has been crucified to us

We have been crucified to the world

Crucifixion means death. People did not survive being crucified.

So, another way of expressing what Paul is saying is that the world is dead to us and we are dead to the world.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is seeing the things of the world as having no value to us.

Galatians 6:15

Neither circumcision not uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.

Fourth, it is about Jesus making you into a new creation.  

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we are told that anyone who is in Jesus is a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come.

The true test of being a follower of Jesus is not outward, surface things. The test is if we have been transformed by God’s Spirit. Following Jesus means that we have been forgiven of our sin and made into a new creation.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being transformed into a new creation in Jesus.

Galatians 6:16-18

Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God. Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Paul desires these Galatian believers to experience the grace and peace of Jesus.

Experiencing the grace of Jesus always leads to experiencing the peace of Jesus. If we don’t experience the peace of Jesus, then we will not have hope. If we don’t have hope, we will give up and we miss the blessings Jesus wants us to experience.

Following Jesus by Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                         Joe

Jesus' Life Principles

I was not a great science student in school. I do remember that there are laws of science that work all the time. Things like the law of gravity and the fact that the sun always raises in the east and sets in the west. There also spiritual principles that work all the time and that we, as followers of Jesus, need to know and live based on.

Paul lists some of them in Galatians 6:7-10.

Galatians 6:7-8

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

The principle is that everyone reaps what he sows.

I hear a lot of people, particularly Christians, who complain about people that they perceive to be ungodly prospering. They want these “ungodly” people to get what they (the critics) think is deserved.

Paul says that God is not mocked. Mock means to treat with contempt or ridicule. Paul is telling us not to worry about people who reject God and live ungodly lifestyles because they will reap what they sow.

If we sow to produce things that are focused on this earthly life, we will reap what this earthly life has to offer but it will end in corruption. The things of this earth are only temporary and will end.

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus tells us not to lay up treasures here on earth because they will be eaten up by moths or corrupted by rust or stolen by thieves. We are to lay up treasures in heaven were those things will not hurt or destroy our treasures.

If we sow to the Spirit (Holy Spirit), we will reap eternal life. It is through the Holy Spirit that we have eternal life.

In Romans 8:9 we learn that if we have the Holy Spirit, we belong to God, and if we don’t have the Holy Spirit, we don’t belong to God. It is the Holy Spirit that transforms us into new people who have eternal life.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is sowing to the Spirit and reaping eternal life.

Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

The principle is persevering brings a harvest.

The greatest reason for giving up is discouragement. When people get discouraged, they give up and quit and miss the blessing God wants to give them.    

We are to persevere in:

Worshiping Jesus

Serving Jesus

Loving Jesus

Obeying Jesus

Following Jesus

Jesus is greater than any discouragement we will ever face. When we allow the Holy Spirit to give us endurance, Jesus will bless us with a great harvest.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is persevering in following and obeying Jesus.

Galatians 6:10

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

The principle is that we are to do good to others.

The concept of doing good to everyone is to treat others in an upright manner in which we honor them.

We are to treat everyone in that way. We are told to especially treat other followers of Jesus that way.

In John 13:35 Jesus tells us that love for other followers of Jesus will mark us as His followers.

Followers of Jesus come from every ethnic group and every language group and from all segments of every culture. The only thing they have in common is Jesus. If these followers of Jesus, with nothing in common but Jesus, truly love each other, then it shows that they really are followers of Jesus.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is loving and treating with honor and respect all people.

Living in relationship with Jesus means that we live by the principles He has established:

Sowing to the Spirit

Persevering in serving Jesus

Treating others with respect

These principles come from Jesus and they work because they are from Him. Jesus is truth and so everything that comes from Him is truth.

Living by the truth brings us a harvest of blessings.

Living by Jesus’ Principles in Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                      Joe  

How to Relate

In Galatians 6:1-6, Paul outlines how followers of Jesus are to relate to each other.

Galatians 6:1

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

We are to lovingly confront each other for the purpose of restoration and redemption.

Many times, we confront either to make others feel guilty or to make ourselves feel good.

Paul tells us we are restore a brother or sister who has fallen into sin. We are to do it gently. The object is to restore, not condemn. The way is with gentleness, not harshness.

We are given a warning to watch out that we don’t get caught up in temptation that could lead us into sin also. 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is to restore people to Jesus.

Galatians 6:2

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.

We are to be in the kind of relationship with other believers in which we are available to support them and help them with the burdens they have in their lives.

We will all at some time in our lives face difficulties that are so big they could overwhelm us. When we who are followers of Jesus see that happening, we need to make ourselves available to help our brother or sister through the difficulty.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is helping others to deal with and get through the difficult times.

Galatians 6:3

If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

We are to humble ourselves as we relate to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

God’s word in James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

When we willingly humble ourselves it:

Helps and encourages others

Honors God

Allows God to bless us

We never want God to have to humble us, but we constantly want to humble ourselves. When we do that, God pours out His grace on us.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being willing to humble ourselves so that we can lift up others.

Galatians 6:4

Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.

We are to test our own actions.

When we test our own actions, and in so doing become aware of sin, we can confess and repent and have nothing in our lives that hinders our fellowship with Jesus.

When we do that, we can have a healthy, godly pride in knowing that our relationship with Jesus is good and we don’t have to make ourselves feel good by comparing ourselves with others.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being open and honest with God and having nothing to hinder our relationship with Jesus.

Galatians 6:5

For each one should carry his own load.

We are to take care of ourselves and not depend on others to do what God has called us to do and given us what we need to do it.

We are to help each other but not become so dependent on each other that we look to other people and not God. We as followers of Jesus are to live God-focused lives.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is depending on God for everything.

Galatians 6:6

Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

We are to share with fellow followers of Jesus. We are to share especially with those who teach and disciple us.

According to James 1:17 every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights. The purpose of the gifts that God gives us is to benefit us, to glorify God, and to share with others for their good.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is benefiting others with the gifts God gives us.

The marks of being a follower of Jesus are loving each other and unity. The characteristics that Paul lists in this passage lead us to loving our brothers and sisters and living in unity with them as the Family of God.

As the Family of God Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                             Joe