Life

 

In Genesis 2 the creation of humans is described. Verse 7 says, “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

 

God gives life to humans.

 

In John 10:10 Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Jesus came to give us abundant life.

 

The word used in John 10:10 is the Greek word zoe. It means a life that is animated and filled with vitality. It is life that is real and genuine. It is living, not just surviving.

 

We live in a lake resort town. There may be as many boats, jet skis and ATVs as cars. So, the last year has been very hard on the economic health of our community. It also has been hard on the emotional health of our community. Friday morning and Saturday morning my wife and I went for our daily walks. We went in the morning before the New Mexico wind comes up. In the last year when we went walking, we saw few cars and few people at the businesses. But on these two mornings there was a lot of traffic and many people at the businesses getting things to head out to the lake. We saw a lot of smiles as we went about town and that is something we have not seen for over a year.

 

What we have experienced over the last fifteen months has been surviving, not living. Humans were created by God to live, not just survive.

 

We need love to live.

 

Jeremiah 31:3 say, “The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued My faithfulness to you.”

 

We need to know that God loves us and that His love is eternal and that His love will never go away or even diminish. God loves us to the max all the time. We also need to know that His love for us is not based on how we perform. His love for us is based on the reality that He loves us. It is about Him, not us.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing and experiencing God’s unconditional love.

 

We need purpose.

 

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

 

God has a purpose for each of us. God created us for a life of purpose, a purpose that is for our good and to give us a future of hope.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is to experience and live out God’s purpose for your life.

 

We need peace.

 

In John 20:19 the first time Jesus appears to the disciples after His resurrection He says to them, “Peace be with you.”

 

Jesus knew that what the disciples needed at that point was peace and so He gives them peace.

 

In John 14:27 Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

 

The peace that Jesus gives is not based on circumstances but on Him and on His faithfulness to fulfill all of His promises.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is not living fearfully but living with the reality of God’s peace.

 

We need joy.

 

Joy is really living with the assurance of God’s steadfast love, living fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives, and knowing the peace of God because we have a relationship with Jesus.

 

Joy is not based on our circumstances but on the presence of God’s love and God’s purpose and God’s peace.

Joy will be experienced by having Jesus first in your life and others second and yourself third – JOY.

 

God created you and me to live, not just survive.

 

May you know God’s love.

May you know God’s purpose.

May you know God’s peace.

May you know God’s joy.

May you know the zoe of God and really live.

 

Living in Jesus and Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                          Joe