God's New Things

 

We begin a new year today. My wife and I had the joy of worshiping with our son and his family today and listening to our son teach God’s Word. My son taught on the new things God does and is doing and will do. Listening to him teach today reminded me of the new things Jesus is about to do in me and my wife’s lives as we enter retirement. I want to share with you some new things that I am praying Jesus will do in my life this year.

 

Psalm 96:1

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!

 

I want to have a new passion to worship Jesus. Jesus has a passion for me and showed it by His death and resurrection. I want to have a new and stronger passion for Him every day.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about passionately worshiping Jesus with all we are every day.

 

Proverbs 27:25

When the grass is gone and the new growth appears and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered…

 

I want to grow in new ways to become more like Jesus. I have always struggled with fear, and I want to have new trust and have a boldness like Jesus had.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing Jesus to grow you in new ways and in new areas.

 

Isaiah 43:19

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

 

I want Jesus to do a new thing in my life. There are some things that I have never done because, as a fulltime pastor, I did not have the time. Jesus has blessed me with more free time, so I want to allow Him to do new things through my life.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is opening our lives to Jesus so He can do new things in and through us.

 

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you are to love one another.

 

I want to love with a renewed love.

 

A renewed love for Jesus

A renewed love for my wife

A renewed love for my children and grandchildren

A renewed love for the Body of Christ

A renewed love for those who do not know Jesus

A renewed love for those who do not love me

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is loving Jesus with all that we are and loving others like we love ourselves.

 

Romans 7:6

But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

 

I want to serve Jesus in a new way in the power of the Holy Spirit. I want to have a life that is so not understandable. I want to be so different than the things of this world by the work of the Holy Spirit that people look at me and shake their heads in wonderment.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is serving Jesus, not resting in our own strength and resources, but by the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.

 

Ephesians 4:24

And put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

 

I want to put on the new self and have my life be characterized by righteousness and holiness. I want my life to be free of unrighteousness and lack of holiness.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living a life characterized by righteousness and holiness.

 

I don’t know what the new year will be like or what it will hold but I know Jesus holds me and everything connected with me and the future.

 

I pray that 2023 will be filled with new adventures with Jesus for you!

 

In New Ways Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

Joe