Unique Relationship

 

I love the fact that when we as disciples of Jesus have a relationship with Him, it is unique. It is not one size fits all. My relationship with Jesus’ is not exactly like your relationship with Him. And because it is a relationship, it is not like anyone else’s relationship with Jesus. So, there are things in my relationship with Jesus that are unique to Him and me.

 

One of the things that Jesus has shown me is that being wealthy is not part of His plan for me. If I had a lot of worldly wealth, I would not depend on Jesus like He desires me to. It is not wrong to be wealthy and in fact I have known people that Jesus’ plan for them was to be wealthy because they knew how to use it for His kingdom.

 

Another thing that Jesus has shown me is that I am not to own a gun. Now, there is nothing wrong with a person owning a gun. The fact is that our U.S. Constitution guarantees each citizen the right to own a gun if they desire to. I believe that is a right that we should guard. But even though I know how to use a gun, Jesus has shown me that His will for me is not to own a gun. I would depend on that gun for my family’s security and protection instead of depending on Jesus.

 

One of my big struggles is depending on things other than Jesus.

 

The passages I use to remind me to depend on God for my provision and not on worldly wealth:

 

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

 

Luke 12:20-21

But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

 

Material wealth tempts me to look to it for my provision and financial security and wellbeing. These two passages remind me to focus on building God’s kingdom and spiritual wealth instead of building my kingdom and acquiring material wealth.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove Walls is focusing on God’s kingdom and having wealth in a relationship with Jesus.

 

The passages I use to remind me to depend on Jesus for my protection and security:

 

Isaiah 52:12

For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

 

Isaiah 54:16-17

Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created a ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from Me, declares the Lord.

 

2 Corinthians 10:3-4

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not of the flesh. We are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

 

When we follow Jesus, we are promised that He will go before us and guard us from the rear also. We are also promised that no weapon will succeed against us and we will have powerful weapon that are not of the flesh but will be able to destroy spiritual strongholds.

 

I am tempted to look to and depend on things other than Jesus to protect me and my family and give us security. So, I focus on Jesus and His protection of me and my family and depend on the spiritual weapons He has given me.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is depending on Jesus for my protection and using the powerful spiritual weapons that He has given me.

 

We all share some things in common in our relationship with Jesus but we all have a unique relationship with Him.

 

Uniquely in Relationship with Jesus,

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

Joe