Some of the last words that Jesus spoke to His followers before He was lifted up to the Father is what we call the Great Commission. It is Jesus’ mission for the church.
Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
We are to make disciples!
But How?
In 2 Timothy 3:10-17 Paul outlines how to make disciples.
It brings together two components.
The first is us. We have to be willing to surrender our lives to do what it takes to make disciples.
We have to let God make us three things.
#1: People Who Are Examples
2 Timothy 3:10
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness.
Paul says that we have to be “audio-visual” Christians.
We have to teach. We teach the truth of God’s Word.
We also have to model how the truth of God’s Word works in the real world.
He mentions six areas in which we need to show people how Jesus does it.
We model conduct.
This word means to lead or guide. It is leading someone to a destination by going along with them.
Disciplining is not just telling people how to do something.
Church is not just telling people how to do something.
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
This verse is not just about Sunday morning. Remember the early believers were together daily.
Disciplining is doing life together.
Church is doing life together.
We disciple people by doing life with them and helping them to connect with Jesus.
We model by having an aim in life.
We do life with people and have a purpose and show people our purpose.
The phrase means to expose or view. We expose our purpose by letting people see us living that purpose out.
If I have no purpose, as many people don’t, then I can’t help people find God’s purpose for their lives. If I know God’s purpose for my life and live it out, then others can see and be led to live out God’s purpose in their lives.
Ephesians 2:6-7
And raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Our purpose, our life’s aim is to show how awesome and glorious God is. We are models that so that others will see that is their purpose also.
We model faith.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith is not natural. It is not natural or easy.
Faith is not just in theory. Faith is about real every day living. It is about trusting God with the big things and the little things. Faith is about trusting and obeying God when circumstances are clear, don’t make sense, or seem to discourage from following God’s directions.
We model patience.
Seventeen times in Psalms we are told to wait on God or told about the rewards of waiting on God.
We need to be patient with people and patient with God as He works out his will.
Again, patience is not natural for most people and it is never easy.
Noah waited for 120 years for God to bring the flood.
Abraham waited for 25 years for the promised son.
Moses waited 40 years for God to use him to free His people.
David waited 15 years to be king.
Patience is rewarded by God’s will being accomplished.
We model love.
John 13:35
By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
Love is to be modeled because it is the most essential character trait. If we don’t love, we won’t display any of the other traits of God.
It is also the trait that shows the world we belong to Jesus.
We model steadfastness.
Following Jesus is nota 100 meter sprint; it is an iron man triathlon.
Following Jesus is a life long journey.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
#2: People Who Endure
2 Timothy 3:11-13
My persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra - which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse deceiving and being deceived.
We are not to give up.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we don’t give up.
#3: People Who Encourage
2 Timothy 3:14
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believe, knowing from whom you learned it.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
We hear so much negativism in and from our culture. We as followers of Jesus are to encourage each other and build each other up. We are to encourage people as we see them obeying and seeking God.
It is God’s kindness that leads people to repentance. Jesus wasn’t sent into the world to condemn it but though Him to save it.
The second component is God’s Word.
2 Timothy 3:15
And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
God’s Word is the foundation of our relationship with Jesus.
We are to believe God’s Word.
2 Timothy 3:16a
All Scripture is breathed out by God.
The Bible is not man’s words, man’s thoughts, or man’s ideas.
The Bible is 100% God’s Word.
Since the Bible is God’s Word, we are to believe it and obey it.
We are to receive it.
2 Timothy 3:16b-e
And profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
God’ s word:
Teaches us what is right
Tells us when we don’t get it right
Tells us how to do it right
Equips us to live right
The Bible is not just so we will know facts.
The Bible is so we will live as God desires us to.
We are to let God’s Word accomplish it’s purpose.
2 Timothy 3:17
That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The purpose of God’s Word is to:
Make us fit to do the work God has given us to do at the very moment we are to do it.
Perfectly enable us to do God’s work.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about making disciples. We do that by giving ourselves to Jesus and sharing His Word.
Revelation 12:11
And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Surrendered to Jesus and His Word to Raise The Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Watching for Deception
John 10:10a
The thief comes only to kill and steal and destroy.
Jesus tells us that the thief, Satan, came to:
Kill
Steal
Destroy
Satan does the killing and the stealing and the destroying primarily through deception.
Paul outlines some of the specifics of Satan’s deceptions in 2 Timothy 3:6-9. He says, “For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burden with sins and lead astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.”
Deception is made up of:
Creeping or Worming into Your Life.
John 10:2
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Truth enters through the front door. It doesn’t try creeping or worming its way in in some unseen or undetected way. Deceit will look for ways to enter your life in such a way that you are unaware of it until it is too late and you have bought into it and began living your life based on a lie.
Capture
Deception captures you. It comes into your life looking good and godly and then kidnaps you and separates you from God.
Genesis 3:24
And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Deception captures you heart, your mind, your will and puts you in a pit. The pit is empty and messy. And you feel like there is no hope, no way of escape.
Paul felt that way. In Romans 7:24 he says, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
Sounds Hopeless!
But then Romans 7:25 says, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Jesus rescues us from the pit that deception leads us into.
Burdened With Sins
The enemy uses guilt to deceive us.
Matthew 27:3-5
Then when Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
Judas could have been forgiven, but in his guilt he listened to a lie, was deceived and killed himself.
Guilt not dealt with or dealt with based on a human-focused method will lead to death and destruction.
Guilt dealt with by repentance will lead to life.
Various Passions
The enemy uses lust to kill, steal, and destroy.
There are two kinds of passions that scripture talks about.
One kind is found in John 2:17. It says, “Then His disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: ‘Passion for God’s house will consume me.’”
It is a passion for God and to do God’s will.
Another is found in 2 Peter 2:10. It says, “And especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.”
It is a lustful passion. A passion for things associated with this world, not Jesus. Lust is a passion for something that is not rightfully yours or that you don’t and never will have a right to.
The enemy tries to convince us that anything but Jesus will full the hole in our hearts. When the truth is that only Jesus fills the hole.
Always Learning and Never Able to Arrive at a Knowledge of the Truth
The enemy will let us study and study and study the Bible as long as we don’t ever reach the truth. Some of the most ungodly people I have ever met knew what the Bible said in great detail.
Knowledge is not salvation.
JESUS IS SALVATION!
The enemy doesn’t want you to reach the truth. Truth is Jesus. He doesn’t want you to reach Jesus and abide in Him and His Word. The enemy doesn’t care if your mind is full of biblical knowledge as long as that knowledge doesn’t bring you to the point of surrendering your life to Jesus as your supreme authority.
Many are deceived into thinking that because they know certain facts and believe in God then everything is fine.
It is not about knowing.
It is not about believing.
It is not about having said a prayer.
It is not about going to church.
It is about surrender.
The knowing and believing and praying and going to church can lead you to the surrender. But it is about the radical, illogical, irrational surrender of your life to Jesus as your Master.
In John 8:31-32 Jesus says, “If you abide in My word you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
Deception fills you with knowledge.
Jesus sets you free.
Corrupted in Mind
The word corrupted can also mean depraved.
Deprave means to make something immoral or wicked.
Deception leads us to be corrupted or depraved which leads us to immorality and wickedness.
Romans 1:28
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
Wrong or corrupt or depraved thinking will lead to wrong or corrupt or depraved living.
If you want to live right, let Jesus transform your thinking, your mind.
Paul says in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
If Jesus doesn’t transform your mind then it will be deceived. Only a mind transformed by Jesus can discern what is good, acceptable, and perfect.
Disqualified Regarding the Faith
Deception leads to a counterfeit faith.
In Matthew 22:23-33 Jesus is asked a question about a situation concerning marriage and the resurrection. It was asked to trap Jesus into making a mistake that the religious leaders could use against Him.
In verse 29 Jesus says, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
The religious leaders were religious but their faith was counterfeit.
Deception leads us to believe that all faiths are equal. That all religions are of equal value. It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere.
In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
There are not may ways to God; there is one - Jesus.
In John 14:6 Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Deception says there are many roads to God; pick the one you like.
Jesus says I AM the road, come to Me.
Paul says in verse 10 that all this deception will not get far. God will bring everything into the Light.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls IS NOT about deception, guilt, lust, mere knowledge, corruption, or counterfeit faith.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls IS about truth, freedom, purity, salvation, transformation, and real faith in The Real God.
I saw this past week a glimpse of the CHURCH. It was awesome. I saw people who had been broken by the world being healed and restored by the reality of Jesus in their lives. I want the Truth of God’s Word and the reality of Jesus’ Presence to make us who God created us to be.
Without Deception Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
The thief comes only to kill and steal and destroy.
Jesus tells us that the thief, Satan, came to:
Kill
Steal
Destroy
Satan does the killing and the stealing and the destroying primarily through deception.
Paul outlines some of the specifics of Satan’s deceptions in 2 Timothy 3:6-9. He says, “For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burden with sins and lead astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.”
Deception is made up of:
Creeping or Worming into Your Life.
John 10:2
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Truth enters through the front door. It doesn’t try creeping or worming its way in in some unseen or undetected way. Deceit will look for ways to enter your life in such a way that you are unaware of it until it is too late and you have bought into it and began living your life based on a lie.
Capture
Deception captures you. It comes into your life looking good and godly and then kidnaps you and separates you from God.
Genesis 3:24
And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Deception captures you heart, your mind, your will and puts you in a pit. The pit is empty and messy. And you feel like there is no hope, no way of escape.
Paul felt that way. In Romans 7:24 he says, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
Sounds Hopeless!
But then Romans 7:25 says, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Jesus rescues us from the pit that deception leads us into.
Burdened With Sins
The enemy uses guilt to deceive us.
Matthew 27:3-5
Then when Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
Judas could have been forgiven, but in his guilt he listened to a lie, was deceived and killed himself.
Guilt not dealt with or dealt with based on a human-focused method will lead to death and destruction.
Guilt dealt with by repentance will lead to life.
Various Passions
The enemy uses lust to kill, steal, and destroy.
There are two kinds of passions that scripture talks about.
One kind is found in John 2:17. It says, “Then His disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: ‘Passion for God’s house will consume me.’”
It is a passion for God and to do God’s will.
Another is found in 2 Peter 2:10. It says, “And especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.”
It is a lustful passion. A passion for things associated with this world, not Jesus. Lust is a passion for something that is not rightfully yours or that you don’t and never will have a right to.
The enemy tries to convince us that anything but Jesus will full the hole in our hearts. When the truth is that only Jesus fills the hole.
Always Learning and Never Able to Arrive at a Knowledge of the Truth
The enemy will let us study and study and study the Bible as long as we don’t ever reach the truth. Some of the most ungodly people I have ever met knew what the Bible said in great detail.
Knowledge is not salvation.
JESUS IS SALVATION!
The enemy doesn’t want you to reach the truth. Truth is Jesus. He doesn’t want you to reach Jesus and abide in Him and His Word. The enemy doesn’t care if your mind is full of biblical knowledge as long as that knowledge doesn’t bring you to the point of surrendering your life to Jesus as your supreme authority.
Many are deceived into thinking that because they know certain facts and believe in God then everything is fine.
It is not about knowing.
It is not about believing.
It is not about having said a prayer.
It is not about going to church.
It is about surrender.
The knowing and believing and praying and going to church can lead you to the surrender. But it is about the radical, illogical, irrational surrender of your life to Jesus as your Master.
In John 8:31-32 Jesus says, “If you abide in My word you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
Deception fills you with knowledge.
Jesus sets you free.
Corrupted in Mind
The word corrupted can also mean depraved.
Deprave means to make something immoral or wicked.
Deception leads us to be corrupted or depraved which leads us to immorality and wickedness.
Romans 1:28
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
Wrong or corrupt or depraved thinking will lead to wrong or corrupt or depraved living.
If you want to live right, let Jesus transform your thinking, your mind.
Paul says in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
If Jesus doesn’t transform your mind then it will be deceived. Only a mind transformed by Jesus can discern what is good, acceptable, and perfect.
Disqualified Regarding the Faith
Deception leads to a counterfeit faith.
In Matthew 22:23-33 Jesus is asked a question about a situation concerning marriage and the resurrection. It was asked to trap Jesus into making a mistake that the religious leaders could use against Him.
In verse 29 Jesus says, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
The religious leaders were religious but their faith was counterfeit.
Deception leads us to believe that all faiths are equal. That all religions are of equal value. It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere.
In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
There are not may ways to God; there is one - Jesus.
In John 14:6 Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Deception says there are many roads to God; pick the one you like.
Jesus says I AM the road, come to Me.
Paul says in verse 10 that all this deception will not get far. God will bring everything into the Light.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls IS NOT about deception, guilt, lust, mere knowledge, corruption, or counterfeit faith.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls IS about truth, freedom, purity, salvation, transformation, and real faith in The Real God.
I saw this past week a glimpse of the CHURCH. It was awesome. I saw people who had been broken by the world being healed and restored by the reality of Jesus in their lives. I want the Truth of God’s Word and the reality of Jesus’ Presence to make us who God created us to be.
Without Deception Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Alert in The Last Days
In 1 Chronicles 12:32 we are told that there were men of the tribe of Issachar who had understanding of the time in which they lived and could give the nation of Israel direction about what they should do.
We as followers of Jesus need to also be aware of the things going on in our nation and in the world and be able to help the church know what to do.
In Matthew 13:33 Jesus tells us to be alert about His Second Coming.
In Ephesians 6:18 Paul tells us to be alert and keeping praying for all God’s people.
In 1 Peter, Peter encourages us to be alert.
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming.
1 Peter 4:7
The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
That are several things in these 1 Peter passages about being alert that we need to notice.
They are connected with praying. We are to be alert so we can pray with godly understanding.
They are connected with Jesus’ Second Coming. We need to be aware that Jesus is coming back and be prepared.
They are connected with having a sober spirit. Sober means to be focused. We are to live life focused on Jesus, His word, and His will. We are not to just live life zoned out and not paying attention.
Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 about noticing things about the last days.
The term “last days” is the time after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and before his Second Coming. We are living in the last days. When Paul shares with Timothy some things to look for in the last days, we are to pay attention. We are further into the last days now than when Paul wrote this letter.
In 2 Timothy 3:1 Paul says that these last days will be days of difficulty.
We are not to be surprised and caught off guard by things like:
Natural Disasters
Persecution of Christians
Human-Based Views of Life
Rejection of God-Centered Values
These are not to discourage us. They are to remind us to be alert and to continue to serve and obey Jesus.
Paul mentions three changes that will occur in the last days.
2 Timothy 3:2a
People will be lovers of money, lovers of themselves.
A Change in Affection
People will be materialistic.
People will see the accumulation of wealth as a means of self-esteem and something that gives their life meaning.
Today in our nation personal debt is a huge problem. It is a leading cause of divorce. It helped lead to the Great Recession that we are still trying to get out of.
Materialism directs our affection to money and things and away from God.
Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:10 that the love of money is the “root of all kinds of evil.” He also says that it has caused some to abandon their faith in God.
Jesus tells in Luke 12 to lay up treasures in heaven, not on earth.
People will be self-centered.
This is called humanism, which teaches we don’t need God to be good and ethical. When we elevate self-love over everything, then our love for God and the things of God is lowered. This makes us vulnerable to selfishness, immorality, and sin.
The fact is that the essence of all sin is loving ourselves more than we love Jesus.
In Romans 12:3 Paul tells us “not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.” In today’s language we are told to “get over ourselves.”
2 Timothy 3:2b
Boastful, proud, abusive
A Change in Attitude
The change in affection leads to a change in attitude.
People will become boastful. They will point to themselves and exalt themselves and their accomplishments over everything.
1 Corinthians 1:31
Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Paul quotes from Jeremiah 9:24 to remind us that the only thing we have to really boast about is Jesus.
People will become proud.
The word proud here literally means someone who always has to be in the spotlight. They want others to notice them. They are always the best, they are always first, and they are always right.
James 4:6
But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Do you know what part of that verse blows me away? It is not that God gives grace to the humble. It is that God OPPOSES the proud. Having God oppose you is not a good thing!
People will become abusive.
The word translated abusive means to blaspheme. That means to report something that is meant to hurt someone.
Many will become people who have to be first and best, who want to be noticed by everybody and will do whatever it takes to make that happen.
2 Timothy 3:2c-5
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather then lovers of God - having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
A Change of Action
The change in affection which leads to a change in attitude leads to a change of action.
They love pleasure. They are religious. They have no godly power.
These are people outside of the church who talk about spiritual things but are focused on themselves.
These are people in the church who want things like they want them for their comfort. They serve Jesus out of duty, not out of a passionate love for Him. We are told to have nothing to do with people like this.
Paul is not telling us to staying away from people whose affections, attitudes, and actions are ungodly because they have no knowledge of or relationship with Jesus.
He is telling us to stay away from people whose affections, attitudes, and actions are ungodly inside the church. People who claim to have a knowledge of and relationship with Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Remove the Walls is about being people whose:
Affections Are For Jesus
Attitudes Are Like Jesus’
Actions Reflect Jesus
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about being alert and understanding the culture around us so we can help the church do God’s will.
Alertly Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
We as followers of Jesus need to also be aware of the things going on in our nation and in the world and be able to help the church know what to do.
In Matthew 13:33 Jesus tells us to be alert about His Second Coming.
In Ephesians 6:18 Paul tells us to be alert and keeping praying for all God’s people.
In 1 Peter, Peter encourages us to be alert.
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming.
1 Peter 4:7
The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
That are several things in these 1 Peter passages about being alert that we need to notice.
They are connected with praying. We are to be alert so we can pray with godly understanding.
They are connected with Jesus’ Second Coming. We need to be aware that Jesus is coming back and be prepared.
They are connected with having a sober spirit. Sober means to be focused. We are to live life focused on Jesus, His word, and His will. We are not to just live life zoned out and not paying attention.
Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 about noticing things about the last days.
The term “last days” is the time after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and before his Second Coming. We are living in the last days. When Paul shares with Timothy some things to look for in the last days, we are to pay attention. We are further into the last days now than when Paul wrote this letter.
In 2 Timothy 3:1 Paul says that these last days will be days of difficulty.
We are not to be surprised and caught off guard by things like:
Natural Disasters
Persecution of Christians
Human-Based Views of Life
Rejection of God-Centered Values
These are not to discourage us. They are to remind us to be alert and to continue to serve and obey Jesus.
Paul mentions three changes that will occur in the last days.
2 Timothy 3:2a
People will be lovers of money, lovers of themselves.
A Change in Affection
People will be materialistic.
People will see the accumulation of wealth as a means of self-esteem and something that gives their life meaning.
Today in our nation personal debt is a huge problem. It is a leading cause of divorce. It helped lead to the Great Recession that we are still trying to get out of.
Materialism directs our affection to money and things and away from God.
Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:10 that the love of money is the “root of all kinds of evil.” He also says that it has caused some to abandon their faith in God.
Jesus tells in Luke 12 to lay up treasures in heaven, not on earth.
People will be self-centered.
This is called humanism, which teaches we don’t need God to be good and ethical. When we elevate self-love over everything, then our love for God and the things of God is lowered. This makes us vulnerable to selfishness, immorality, and sin.
The fact is that the essence of all sin is loving ourselves more than we love Jesus.
In Romans 12:3 Paul tells us “not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.” In today’s language we are told to “get over ourselves.”
2 Timothy 3:2b
Boastful, proud, abusive
A Change in Attitude
The change in affection leads to a change in attitude.
People will become boastful. They will point to themselves and exalt themselves and their accomplishments over everything.
1 Corinthians 1:31
Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Paul quotes from Jeremiah 9:24 to remind us that the only thing we have to really boast about is Jesus.
People will become proud.
The word proud here literally means someone who always has to be in the spotlight. They want others to notice them. They are always the best, they are always first, and they are always right.
James 4:6
But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Do you know what part of that verse blows me away? It is not that God gives grace to the humble. It is that God OPPOSES the proud. Having God oppose you is not a good thing!
People will become abusive.
The word translated abusive means to blaspheme. That means to report something that is meant to hurt someone.
Many will become people who have to be first and best, who want to be noticed by everybody and will do whatever it takes to make that happen.
2 Timothy 3:2c-5
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather then lovers of God - having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
A Change of Action
The change in affection which leads to a change in attitude leads to a change of action.
They love pleasure. They are religious. They have no godly power.
These are people outside of the church who talk about spiritual things but are focused on themselves.
These are people in the church who want things like they want them for their comfort. They serve Jesus out of duty, not out of a passionate love for Him. We are told to have nothing to do with people like this.
Paul is not telling us to staying away from people whose affections, attitudes, and actions are ungodly because they have no knowledge of or relationship with Jesus.
He is telling us to stay away from people whose affections, attitudes, and actions are ungodly inside the church. People who claim to have a knowledge of and relationship with Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Remove the Walls is about being people whose:
Affections Are For Jesus
Attitudes Are Like Jesus’
Actions Reflect Jesus
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about being alert and understanding the culture around us so we can help the church do God’s will.
Alertly Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Crystal Goblet or Peanut Butter Jar?
Are you a crystal goblet or a peanut butter jar?
Dawson Trotman who founded the Navigators tells the story of having a friend in his home for the night and the friend asked for a glass of water. Dawson Trotman’s wife had been gone for several days so when the friend went to get a glass, there were only two in the cabinet. One was a crystal goblet and the other a peanut butter jar. The friend asked Dawson if he could use the crystal goblet. Out of embarrassment, Dawson told him he could, because the goblet was very expensive and had belonged to his wife’s grandmother and had great sentimental value. When the friend got the crystal goblet down he looked inside and saw that it was very dirty. He put it back and got the peanut butter jar which was very clean and used that for his glass of water.
The story illustrates the truth of 2 Timothy 2:20 which says, “Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, and some for dishonorable.”
Vessels are people’s lives. Some lives are for honorable or godly purposes and some for dishonorable or ungodly purposes.
All lives can be for godly purposes. But for lives to be used for godly purposes, those lives have to be:
Cleansed Lives
2 Timothy 2:21
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
Paul says that a cleansed life is a life that is:
Holy
Useful to the Master
Ready for Every Good Work
1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to CLEANSE us from all unrighteousness.”
Confession of sins to Jesus brings cleansing. But how do we keep ourselves clean?
According to Romans 12:2 it is by not being conformed to the values of this world, but by being transformed by God renewing your mind continual.
It begins with our minds.
Allow God to cleanse, transform, and control your thinking.
In Psalm 119:133 David asks God to, “Keep steady my steps according to Your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”
A cleansed life isn’t about a one-time act. It is about daily submitting your mind, heart, and spirit over to God’s control.
Balanced Lives
2 Timothy 2:22
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Living a godly life means that there are some things we are to flee and some tings we are to pursue.
Flee: evil desires of youth (things that in our immaturity looks good but lead to destruction)
Pursue: righteousness, faith, love and peace
We are given one thing to flee and four things to pursue.
Many contend that Christianity is mostly negative. But here we are given a four to one ratio toward the positive.
We are not in this fleeing and pursuing alone. We are to surround ourselves with others who are calling on God with a pure heart. We are to connect ourselves with people who are fleeing ungodly things and pursuing godly things.
This doesn’t mean we are to be living only in a “Christian Fortress”, but we are to have fellowship with other believers so we can live in a fallen world and have balance.
Forgiving Lives
2 Timothy 2:23-24
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil.
The first way we can lead forgiving lives is not to do things that cause arguments which produce the need for forgiveness.
The word foolish in this verse is the word we get our word moron from. Quarrels in this verse means fighting. So we are not to be morons and go around causing or getting into fights.
Quarrels are counterproductive because they don’t produce repentance. Repentance comes from followers of Jesus being kind.
Romans 2:4 tells us that God’s desire is for His kindness to lead people to repentance.
How is God’s kindness expressed to the world? God’s kindness is expressed through His people.
When God’s kindness expressed through His people is experienced by another person, it opens up the opportunity for us to teach them about God’s love and His plan for them.
Sometimes God’s kindness has to be shown to others by us as God’s people being patient as we endure suffering.
I think of Stephen.
Stephen as he was being stoned to death says, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
One of the people there assisting with killing Stephen was Saul, later to become Paul. The kindness of Stephen to those killing him was something that God used to transform Saul to Paul.
What Saul saw exhibited in Stephen as he died was what Jesus showed from the cross as He prayed for the Father to forgive them because “they don’t know what they are doing.”
Humbled Lives
2 Timothy 2:25-26
Correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
We are to deal with opponents, people who oppose us or what we believe, with gentleness. Gentleness carries the idea of humility. We are not to try to embarrass or prove others wrong. Our goal is to help people come to repentance. We do that by treating them with respect and not trying to argue them down.
We need to see people who oppose God not as enemies but as victims. They are trapped by the devil and have been taken captive by him and deceived into doing his will.
We should want them to come to their senses and escapes his enslavement.
Our condemnation will not accomplish that. God’s love expressed through His people will.
Being humble means we understand that we are not above falling into sin.
Galatians 6:1
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
We all can fall!
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about living a life that has been cleansed by God and is continually being cleansed by Him.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about living a balanced life of fleeing what God doesn’t want in your life and pursuing what He does want in your life.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about living a life that forgives just as Jesus does.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about living a humbled life so others can see Jesus through us.
Being Useful for God to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
Dawson Trotman who founded the Navigators tells the story of having a friend in his home for the night and the friend asked for a glass of water. Dawson Trotman’s wife had been gone for several days so when the friend went to get a glass, there were only two in the cabinet. One was a crystal goblet and the other a peanut butter jar. The friend asked Dawson if he could use the crystal goblet. Out of embarrassment, Dawson told him he could, because the goblet was very expensive and had belonged to his wife’s grandmother and had great sentimental value. When the friend got the crystal goblet down he looked inside and saw that it was very dirty. He put it back and got the peanut butter jar which was very clean and used that for his glass of water.
The story illustrates the truth of 2 Timothy 2:20 which says, “Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, and some for dishonorable.”
Vessels are people’s lives. Some lives are for honorable or godly purposes and some for dishonorable or ungodly purposes.
All lives can be for godly purposes. But for lives to be used for godly purposes, those lives have to be:
Cleansed Lives
2 Timothy 2:21
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
Paul says that a cleansed life is a life that is:
Holy
Useful to the Master
Ready for Every Good Work
1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to CLEANSE us from all unrighteousness.”
Confession of sins to Jesus brings cleansing. But how do we keep ourselves clean?
According to Romans 12:2 it is by not being conformed to the values of this world, but by being transformed by God renewing your mind continual.
It begins with our minds.
Allow God to cleanse, transform, and control your thinking.
In Psalm 119:133 David asks God to, “Keep steady my steps according to Your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”
A cleansed life isn’t about a one-time act. It is about daily submitting your mind, heart, and spirit over to God’s control.
Balanced Lives
2 Timothy 2:22
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Living a godly life means that there are some things we are to flee and some tings we are to pursue.
Flee: evil desires of youth (things that in our immaturity looks good but lead to destruction)
Pursue: righteousness, faith, love and peace
We are given one thing to flee and four things to pursue.
Many contend that Christianity is mostly negative. But here we are given a four to one ratio toward the positive.
We are not in this fleeing and pursuing alone. We are to surround ourselves with others who are calling on God with a pure heart. We are to connect ourselves with people who are fleeing ungodly things and pursuing godly things.
This doesn’t mean we are to be living only in a “Christian Fortress”, but we are to have fellowship with other believers so we can live in a fallen world and have balance.
Forgiving Lives
2 Timothy 2:23-24
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil.
The first way we can lead forgiving lives is not to do things that cause arguments which produce the need for forgiveness.
The word foolish in this verse is the word we get our word moron from. Quarrels in this verse means fighting. So we are not to be morons and go around causing or getting into fights.
Quarrels are counterproductive because they don’t produce repentance. Repentance comes from followers of Jesus being kind.
Romans 2:4 tells us that God’s desire is for His kindness to lead people to repentance.
How is God’s kindness expressed to the world? God’s kindness is expressed through His people.
When God’s kindness expressed through His people is experienced by another person, it opens up the opportunity for us to teach them about God’s love and His plan for them.
Sometimes God’s kindness has to be shown to others by us as God’s people being patient as we endure suffering.
I think of Stephen.
Stephen as he was being stoned to death says, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
One of the people there assisting with killing Stephen was Saul, later to become Paul. The kindness of Stephen to those killing him was something that God used to transform Saul to Paul.
What Saul saw exhibited in Stephen as he died was what Jesus showed from the cross as He prayed for the Father to forgive them because “they don’t know what they are doing.”
Humbled Lives
2 Timothy 2:25-26
Correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
We are to deal with opponents, people who oppose us or what we believe, with gentleness. Gentleness carries the idea of humility. We are not to try to embarrass or prove others wrong. Our goal is to help people come to repentance. We do that by treating them with respect and not trying to argue them down.
We need to see people who oppose God not as enemies but as victims. They are trapped by the devil and have been taken captive by him and deceived into doing his will.
We should want them to come to their senses and escapes his enslavement.
Our condemnation will not accomplish that. God’s love expressed through His people will.
Being humble means we understand that we are not above falling into sin.
Galatians 6:1
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
We all can fall!
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about living a life that has been cleansed by God and is continually being cleansed by Him.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about living a balanced life of fleeing what God doesn’t want in your life and pursuing what He does want in your life.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about living a life that forgives just as Jesus does.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about living a humbled life so others can see Jesus through us.
Being Useful for God to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
Joe
Sunday, April 19, 2015
We Are Created for God's Pleasure
In the movie Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell is asked why he ran with such intensity. He said that he could sense God’s pleasure when he ran as fast as he could.
You and I were planned for God’s pleasure.
Psalm 149:4
For God takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation.
The smile of God needs to be the goal of your life.
Psalm 119:135
Smile on Your servant; teach me the way to live.
In 2 Timothy 2:14-19 we are given four ways we can bring pleasure to God and make Him smile.
First, Don’t Quarrel
2 Timothy 2:14
Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value; and only ruins those who listen.
We are commanded not to get in “word fights”
Witnessing, evangelizing, sharing the Gospel, and sharing your Jesus story is not to be about arguing to prove that your belief is right and others are wrong.
Quarreling is about YOU being right.
Sharing your Jesus story is about helping the other person to be right with GOD.
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
The things that makes God smile is not how right we are but how much we love.
Second, Don’t Mishandle the Word of God
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
We are told to give maximum effort to studying AND applying God’s Word to our everyday living.
We are told to be a workman, one who works to please God. We are not to see ourselves as experts or elite but as an ordinary worker who us seeking to serve his Master, Jesus.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
We are told to correctly handle the word of truth.
We are use God’s Word in a “straight forward manner.”
We are not to use God’s Word to manipulate things to prove a point or to justify sin or to guilt people into doing something.
God’s Word is truth and we need to use it as God’s truth to help people come into a relationship with Him and grow in Him.
The Word of God is not a club to hit people over the head with.
The Word of God is not a rule book to make people do what we want them to do.
The Word of God is a love letter sharing with us:
Who we are (sinners)
Who God is (the One who loves sinners)
What God has done for us out of His love (death and resurrection)
How we can respond to His action of love (surrender and obedience)
We share the whole truth of God’s Word, popular or not.
Third, Stay Away From Irreverent Babble
2 Timothy 2:16-18
But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.
We are not to be involved in fruitless discussions.
1 Corinthians 10:23
All tings are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.
A good test about what is said in Bible study discussions is, “Does it build up spiritually?” If not, we should just shut up.
The result of godless chatter is that the body become sick and could even die.
Proverbs 11:9
The godless destroy their neighbors by their words, but the righteous are saved by their knowledge.
This irreverent babbling or godless chattering is worse than useless. It is destructive to people’s faith.
Fourth, Stand on God’s Firm Foundation
2 Timothy 2:19
But God’s firm foundation stands bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
The firm foundation is:
Our life surrendered to Jesus as our Lord
The church (our faith family)
God’s Word
There are two things that will keep us standing on God’s firm foundation.
Relationship - “The Lord knows those who are His.”
John 17:3
This is eternal life that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Everything connected with Christianity, even eternal life is about a relationship with Jesus as our Savior and Lord.
Repentance - “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
Acts 11:18
When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God saying, “Then the Gentiles also God granted repentance that leads to life.”
Repentance leads to life.
Acts 3:19-20
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.
Repentance leads to sins being blotted out, experiencing spiritual refreshment, and having Jesus fill your life.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about knowing you were created by God for His pleasure.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about making God smile by who you are and how you live.
Knowing and following God’s Word, staying away from arguing about God’s Word, avoiding godless chattering, and standing firm on the foundation of a relationship with God and His church will bring God great pleasure and make Him smile.
With God’s Pleasure Raising the Roof and Removing the Wall
Joe
You and I were planned for God’s pleasure.
Psalm 149:4
For God takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation.
The smile of God needs to be the goal of your life.
Psalm 119:135
Smile on Your servant; teach me the way to live.
In 2 Timothy 2:14-19 we are given four ways we can bring pleasure to God and make Him smile.
First, Don’t Quarrel
2 Timothy 2:14
Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value; and only ruins those who listen.
We are commanded not to get in “word fights”
Witnessing, evangelizing, sharing the Gospel, and sharing your Jesus story is not to be about arguing to prove that your belief is right and others are wrong.
Quarreling is about YOU being right.
Sharing your Jesus story is about helping the other person to be right with GOD.
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
The things that makes God smile is not how right we are but how much we love.
Second, Don’t Mishandle the Word of God
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
We are told to give maximum effort to studying AND applying God’s Word to our everyday living.
We are told to be a workman, one who works to please God. We are not to see ourselves as experts or elite but as an ordinary worker who us seeking to serve his Master, Jesus.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
We are told to correctly handle the word of truth.
We are use God’s Word in a “straight forward manner.”
We are not to use God’s Word to manipulate things to prove a point or to justify sin or to guilt people into doing something.
God’s Word is truth and we need to use it as God’s truth to help people come into a relationship with Him and grow in Him.
The Word of God is not a club to hit people over the head with.
The Word of God is not a rule book to make people do what we want them to do.
The Word of God is a love letter sharing with us:
Who we are (sinners)
Who God is (the One who loves sinners)
What God has done for us out of His love (death and resurrection)
How we can respond to His action of love (surrender and obedience)
We share the whole truth of God’s Word, popular or not.
Third, Stay Away From Irreverent Babble
2 Timothy 2:16-18
But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.
We are not to be involved in fruitless discussions.
1 Corinthians 10:23
All tings are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.
A good test about what is said in Bible study discussions is, “Does it build up spiritually?” If not, we should just shut up.
The result of godless chatter is that the body become sick and could even die.
Proverbs 11:9
The godless destroy their neighbors by their words, but the righteous are saved by their knowledge.
This irreverent babbling or godless chattering is worse than useless. It is destructive to people’s faith.
Fourth, Stand on God’s Firm Foundation
2 Timothy 2:19
But God’s firm foundation stands bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
The firm foundation is:
Our life surrendered to Jesus as our Lord
The church (our faith family)
God’s Word
There are two things that will keep us standing on God’s firm foundation.
Relationship - “The Lord knows those who are His.”
John 17:3
This is eternal life that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Everything connected with Christianity, even eternal life is about a relationship with Jesus as our Savior and Lord.
Repentance - “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
Acts 11:18
When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God saying, “Then the Gentiles also God granted repentance that leads to life.”
Repentance leads to life.
Acts 3:19-20
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.
Repentance leads to sins being blotted out, experiencing spiritual refreshment, and having Jesus fill your life.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about knowing you were created by God for His pleasure.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about making God smile by who you are and how you live.
Knowing and following God’s Word, staying away from arguing about God’s Word, avoiding godless chattering, and standing firm on the foundation of a relationship with God and His church will bring God great pleasure and make Him smile.
With God’s Pleasure Raising the Roof and Removing the Wall
Joe
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Experiencing the Peace of Jesus
Sixty-six times we are told in the Bible not to fear. The reason God tells us so many times not fear is that we face things that move us to be fearful all the time. Life is many times very scary.
One of the main causes of fear is a lack of peace. We don’t have peace. Even we who are disciples of Jesus many times lack that sense of peace.
When the Bible talks about peace it does not always mean a lack of conflict. When we are told that we can have peace through a relationship with Jesus, that peace is not an absent of conflict or problems. That peace is a tranquility or rest in the middle of conflicts and problems.
In John 14:27 Jesus says, “Peace I leave you; My peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Jesus’ peace is not like the peace of the world. The peace of the world is conditioned on outside circumstances. Jesus’ peace is based on His Spirit dwelling in you.
Paul talks about Jesus’ peace in Philippians 4:7. He says, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The peace that Jesus gives is:
Beyond human understanding
Guarding our hearts
Guarding our minds
There are four things we need to know and remember to experience the peace of Jesus.
#1: The Person We Serve
2 Timothy 2:8a
Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and descended from David.
Jesus died for your sins.
Jesus, by His death, gives you the supernatural ability, by the presence of His Spirit, to overcome fear and worry when you acknowledge your sin and accept His death to pay for your sin.
Jesus rose from the dead.
The resurrection of Jesus proves that He is God.
We don’t serve a dead guy.
We don’t serve a way of life or a philosophy of life.
We don’t serve a book or a certain view of the world.
We serve a risen, living person who is Lord!
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us today.
Jesus was descended from David. Jesus was 100% human as well as 100% God (no I can’t explain that).
Hebrews 2:18
For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.
Jesus was tempted and He suffered through the temptations, so He is able to help us when we are experiencing temptation.
Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus was tempted as we re, but He did not let the temptation lead to sin. He cannot only help us, He can and does give us victory over the temptation. We can with confidence come to Jesus and find mercy and grace.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about serving Jesus and, in the serving, experiencing peace. We can have peace by serving Jesus because He was tempted but did not sin, died as our perfect, sinless sacrifice and rose from the dead.
#2: The Power of God’s Word
2 Timothy 2:8b-9
This is my Good News. This is the reason I’m suffering to the point that I’m in prison like a common criminal. But God’s word cannot be imprisoned.
Paul was in prison, being treated like an “evil doer” or felon for teaching the Gospel. Paul was not whining about it. The truth is that while in prison Paul was ministering to the guards and other prisoners and writing may of the letters to the church that are now part of the New Testament.
Paul says that even if he is imprisoned, the Word of God is not.
The Word of God is powerful.
Isaiah 55:11
It is the same with My word. I send it out, and it produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
God’s Word will never be void of effect in people’s lives.
Hebrews 4:12
For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The power of God’s Word is that it penetrates to the very core of who we are, It shows us what is really in our hearts. It showed us how God can change our hearts.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about allowing the power of God through His Word to change our minds and hearts and make them like Jesus’.
#3: The Reason for Our Problems
2 Timothy 2:10
This is why I endure everything for the sake of those who are chosen by God so that they too may experience salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Paul was willing to endure suffering so that the Gospel might be spread and people would be saved.
I am not impressed with people whose testimony is that God has made them rich.
I am not impressed with people whose testimony is that God has given them great power or position.
I am not impressed with people whose testimony is that God has given them great health and they have never been seriously ill.
I am impressed with someone who has cancer and is still praising and serving Jesus.
I am impressed with someone who is sacrificing comfort and convenience to serve Jesus.
I am impressed with someone with huge obstacles and disadvantage who is serving Jesus.
Most people can serve Jesus and praise Him when life is good. People who have been radically changed by Jesus serve and praise Him when life is not good.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is abut being willing to sacrifice and suffer so that people have the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel.
#4: God is Faithful
2 Timothy 2:11-13
This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with Him, we will also live with Him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will deny us. If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He will not deny who He is.
If we die to sin, we will live with Jesus now and forever.
If we persevere (showing our submission to Jesus’ reign in our lives), we will reign with Jesus as our King.
If we reject Jesus, He will not acknowledge us now or in eternity.
God’s faithfulness toward us is not dependent on our faithfulness toward Him.
God promised that He will:
not abandon us
not stop loving us
not lie to us
God’s faithfulness is seen in the truth that what He says He will do, He WILL DO.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about experiencing the peace of God by:
Remembering the Person we serve
Remembering the Power of God’s Word
Remembering the Reason for our problems
Remembering that God is Faithful
In the Peace of God Raising the Roof and Removing Walls
Joe
One of the main causes of fear is a lack of peace. We don’t have peace. Even we who are disciples of Jesus many times lack that sense of peace.
When the Bible talks about peace it does not always mean a lack of conflict. When we are told that we can have peace through a relationship with Jesus, that peace is not an absent of conflict or problems. That peace is a tranquility or rest in the middle of conflicts and problems.
In John 14:27 Jesus says, “Peace I leave you; My peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Jesus’ peace is not like the peace of the world. The peace of the world is conditioned on outside circumstances. Jesus’ peace is based on His Spirit dwelling in you.
Paul talks about Jesus’ peace in Philippians 4:7. He says, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The peace that Jesus gives is:
Beyond human understanding
Guarding our hearts
Guarding our minds
There are four things we need to know and remember to experience the peace of Jesus.
#1: The Person We Serve
2 Timothy 2:8a
Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and descended from David.
Jesus died for your sins.
Jesus, by His death, gives you the supernatural ability, by the presence of His Spirit, to overcome fear and worry when you acknowledge your sin and accept His death to pay for your sin.
Jesus rose from the dead.
The resurrection of Jesus proves that He is God.
We don’t serve a dead guy.
We don’t serve a way of life or a philosophy of life.
We don’t serve a book or a certain view of the world.
We serve a risen, living person who is Lord!
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us today.
Jesus was descended from David. Jesus was 100% human as well as 100% God (no I can’t explain that).
Hebrews 2:18
For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.
Jesus was tempted and He suffered through the temptations, so He is able to help us when we are experiencing temptation.
Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus was tempted as we re, but He did not let the temptation lead to sin. He cannot only help us, He can and does give us victory over the temptation. We can with confidence come to Jesus and find mercy and grace.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about serving Jesus and, in the serving, experiencing peace. We can have peace by serving Jesus because He was tempted but did not sin, died as our perfect, sinless sacrifice and rose from the dead.
#2: The Power of God’s Word
2 Timothy 2:8b-9
This is my Good News. This is the reason I’m suffering to the point that I’m in prison like a common criminal. But God’s word cannot be imprisoned.
Paul was in prison, being treated like an “evil doer” or felon for teaching the Gospel. Paul was not whining about it. The truth is that while in prison Paul was ministering to the guards and other prisoners and writing may of the letters to the church that are now part of the New Testament.
Paul says that even if he is imprisoned, the Word of God is not.
The Word of God is powerful.
Isaiah 55:11
It is the same with My word. I send it out, and it produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
God’s Word will never be void of effect in people’s lives.
Hebrews 4:12
For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The power of God’s Word is that it penetrates to the very core of who we are, It shows us what is really in our hearts. It showed us how God can change our hearts.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about allowing the power of God through His Word to change our minds and hearts and make them like Jesus’.
#3: The Reason for Our Problems
2 Timothy 2:10
This is why I endure everything for the sake of those who are chosen by God so that they too may experience salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Paul was willing to endure suffering so that the Gospel might be spread and people would be saved.
I am not impressed with people whose testimony is that God has made them rich.
I am not impressed with people whose testimony is that God has given them great power or position.
I am not impressed with people whose testimony is that God has given them great health and they have never been seriously ill.
I am impressed with someone who has cancer and is still praising and serving Jesus.
I am impressed with someone who is sacrificing comfort and convenience to serve Jesus.
I am impressed with someone with huge obstacles and disadvantage who is serving Jesus.
Most people can serve Jesus and praise Him when life is good. People who have been radically changed by Jesus serve and praise Him when life is not good.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is abut being willing to sacrifice and suffer so that people have the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel.
#4: God is Faithful
2 Timothy 2:11-13
This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with Him, we will also live with Him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will deny us. If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He will not deny who He is.
If we die to sin, we will live with Jesus now and forever.
If we persevere (showing our submission to Jesus’ reign in our lives), we will reign with Jesus as our King.
If we reject Jesus, He will not acknowledge us now or in eternity.
God’s faithfulness toward us is not dependent on our faithfulness toward Him.
God promised that He will:
not abandon us
not stop loving us
not lie to us
God’s faithfulness is seen in the truth that what He says He will do, He WILL DO.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about experiencing the peace of God by:
Remembering the Person we serve
Remembering the Power of God’s Word
Remembering the Reason for our problems
Remembering that God is Faithful
In the Peace of God Raising the Roof and Removing Walls
Joe
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Being Strong to the End
In Deuteronomy 31:6 Moses tells the nation of Israel to be strong.
In Joshua 1:6-9 three times God tells Joshua to be strong.
Strong in these verses means to be courageous, firm, resolute, and to prevail.
God wants us as His followers to be courageous, not letting fear direct us.
God wants us as His followers to be firm, not unstable.
God wants us as His followers to be resolute, not complacent.
Ephesians 6:10 says, “Finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”
At times we all feel weak. Satan uses fear, fatigue, and frustrations as weapons against us.
So how do we become and stay strong followers of Jesus till the end?
2 Timothy 2:1
So, my child, draw your strength from the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
We must be empowered by the grace of Jesus.
In the New Testament we find three types of grace.
Saving Grace
Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.
Equipping Grace
Romans 12:6
In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.
Empowering Grace
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
The grace referred to in 2 Timothy 2:1 is empowering grace. It is the grace that God gives us to deal with issues and problems in our lives that are ongoing.
In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul talks about a “thorn in the flesh” that he has and he asks God three times to remove it.
Jesus’ answer is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9. Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Jesus did not remove the issue in Paul’s life. He gave Paul the ability to deal with it by His grace. In doing it this way Jesus received the continual glory for it.
How do we receive this empowering grace of God?
We have to acknowledge our weakness.
If we don’t acknowledge we have a weakness then we don’t really need God’s empowering grace. We are saying, “I can handle it all by myself.”
We have to saturate our minds with God’s Word.
Psalm 119:25-28
I am laid in the dust; preserve my life according to Your Word. I gave an account of my ways and You answered me; teach me Your Decrees. Cause me to understand the way of Your Precepts, that I may meditate on Your wonderful deeds. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your Word.
God’s Word is true, so it can show us the truth of God and the truth of our situation. It gives us the understanding that God is greater than our struggles.
We have to thank God for His empowering grace.
We want ask God for help and then want to see if He comes through the way we want Him to before we thank Him. The pattern in Scripture is we ask and then thank God for the grace before we see the answer. Remember, righteous people walk by faith not by sight (or emotion).
When we stop focusing on the difficulties of living the Christian life and start thanking Jesus for His empowering grace, we receive power to overcome every issue, obstacle, and hindrance in our lives.
2 Timothy 2:2
Take the things you heard me say in front of many witnesses and pass them on to faithful people who are also capable of teaching others.
We must multiple.
Multiplying is making disciples. It is not a program. It is not for some special “class” of believers. It is what Jesus commands all of us as Hid followers to do according to Matthew 28:18-20
It is continually investing our lives in the people around us, teaching them and walking with them through life’s joys and trials.
We must be willing to work and sacrifice.
2 Timothy 2:3-7
Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.
We are given three pictures of the work and sacrifice we will face so God can grow us stronger.
The first picture is of a soldier.
A good soldier endures hardships.
John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
We will face hardships or tribulation. Things like persecution, being misunderstood, being lied about, and opposition.
A good soldier does not get entangled with trivial things. Our focus is on doing God’s will.
A good soldier wants to please his commanding officer.
Our commanding officer is Jesus and our desire is to please Him in everything we do.
The second picture is an athlete.
An athlete competes by following the rules.
The rule we follow is the rule of Jesus as Lord of our lives according to His Word - the Bible.
An athlete trains and conditions his body for the competition.
An athlete doesn’t just show up for the games; he shows up for the practices.
An athlete does all that so he can win.
We as Jesus followers do that to win the prize.
The prize is the victor’s crown. The wreath placed on the head of the victor of an Olympic contest. It is not a kingly crown. That one belongs only to Jesus.
The third picture is a farmer.
Being a follower of Jesus is many times just plain hard work.
When the farmer works hard, he harvests a crop that he gets to enjoy.
When we as followers of Jesus work hard, we see a crop harvested.
The crop is people surrendering their lives to Jesus and entering into the Kingdom of God.
The harvest is worth the work, because Jesus wants there to be a great harvest.
In Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labors are few, therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labors into His harvest.”
In 2 Timothy 2:7 we are told to think about what has been said. We are to examine our lives to see if we are growing stronger. God will help us to see the reality our lives by His grace.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about working hard and living a life of sacrificial service.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about allowing Jesus to use you to multiply by making disciples.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about allowing the grace of Jesus to strengthen you daily.
Jesus wants us to be strong - courageous and firm and resolute and to prevail. This will happen as we surrender our lives to Jesus as the strength and authority of our lives.
Strongly Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
In Joshua 1:6-9 three times God tells Joshua to be strong.
Strong in these verses means to be courageous, firm, resolute, and to prevail.
God wants us as His followers to be courageous, not letting fear direct us.
God wants us as His followers to be firm, not unstable.
God wants us as His followers to be resolute, not complacent.
Ephesians 6:10 says, “Finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”
At times we all feel weak. Satan uses fear, fatigue, and frustrations as weapons against us.
So how do we become and stay strong followers of Jesus till the end?
2 Timothy 2:1
So, my child, draw your strength from the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
We must be empowered by the grace of Jesus.
In the New Testament we find three types of grace.
Saving Grace
Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.
Equipping Grace
Romans 12:6
In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.
Empowering Grace
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
The grace referred to in 2 Timothy 2:1 is empowering grace. It is the grace that God gives us to deal with issues and problems in our lives that are ongoing.
In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul talks about a “thorn in the flesh” that he has and he asks God three times to remove it.
Jesus’ answer is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9. Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Jesus did not remove the issue in Paul’s life. He gave Paul the ability to deal with it by His grace. In doing it this way Jesus received the continual glory for it.
How do we receive this empowering grace of God?
We have to acknowledge our weakness.
If we don’t acknowledge we have a weakness then we don’t really need God’s empowering grace. We are saying, “I can handle it all by myself.”
We have to saturate our minds with God’s Word.
Psalm 119:25-28
I am laid in the dust; preserve my life according to Your Word. I gave an account of my ways and You answered me; teach me Your Decrees. Cause me to understand the way of Your Precepts, that I may meditate on Your wonderful deeds. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your Word.
God’s Word is true, so it can show us the truth of God and the truth of our situation. It gives us the understanding that God is greater than our struggles.
We have to thank God for His empowering grace.
We want ask God for help and then want to see if He comes through the way we want Him to before we thank Him. The pattern in Scripture is we ask and then thank God for the grace before we see the answer. Remember, righteous people walk by faith not by sight (or emotion).
When we stop focusing on the difficulties of living the Christian life and start thanking Jesus for His empowering grace, we receive power to overcome every issue, obstacle, and hindrance in our lives.
2 Timothy 2:2
Take the things you heard me say in front of many witnesses and pass them on to faithful people who are also capable of teaching others.
We must multiple.
Multiplying is making disciples. It is not a program. It is not for some special “class” of believers. It is what Jesus commands all of us as Hid followers to do according to Matthew 28:18-20
It is continually investing our lives in the people around us, teaching them and walking with them through life’s joys and trials.
We must be willing to work and sacrifice.
2 Timothy 2:3-7
Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.
We are given three pictures of the work and sacrifice we will face so God can grow us stronger.
The first picture is of a soldier.
A good soldier endures hardships.
John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
We will face hardships or tribulation. Things like persecution, being misunderstood, being lied about, and opposition.
A good soldier does not get entangled with trivial things. Our focus is on doing God’s will.
A good soldier wants to please his commanding officer.
Our commanding officer is Jesus and our desire is to please Him in everything we do.
The second picture is an athlete.
An athlete competes by following the rules.
The rule we follow is the rule of Jesus as Lord of our lives according to His Word - the Bible.
An athlete trains and conditions his body for the competition.
An athlete doesn’t just show up for the games; he shows up for the practices.
An athlete does all that so he can win.
We as Jesus followers do that to win the prize.
The prize is the victor’s crown. The wreath placed on the head of the victor of an Olympic contest. It is not a kingly crown. That one belongs only to Jesus.
The third picture is a farmer.
Being a follower of Jesus is many times just plain hard work.
When the farmer works hard, he harvests a crop that he gets to enjoy.
When we as followers of Jesus work hard, we see a crop harvested.
The crop is people surrendering their lives to Jesus and entering into the Kingdom of God.
The harvest is worth the work, because Jesus wants there to be a great harvest.
In Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labors are few, therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labors into His harvest.”
In 2 Timothy 2:7 we are told to think about what has been said. We are to examine our lives to see if we are growing stronger. God will help us to see the reality our lives by His grace.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about working hard and living a life of sacrificial service.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about allowing Jesus to use you to multiply by making disciples.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about allowing the grace of Jesus to strengthen you daily.
Jesus wants us to be strong - courageous and firm and resolute and to prevail. This will happen as we surrender our lives to Jesus as the strength and authority of our lives.
Strongly Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
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