Wednesday, May 23, 2012

What is Life?

I loving watching people. People totally fascinate me. People also fascinate God. I believe it to be one of the ways God and I are like. One of the things that fascinates me about people is how we try to make life have meaning and purpose. Most of us try hard to do the right things or to do enough things that we can look at our life and call it meaningful.

In Matthew 16:25 Jesus makes a bazarre statement. He says, "For whover wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life  for me will find it." I have read that verse many times. I used to just read and go, "Yeah right," and go on.Now when I read that verse I stop because it seems to connect with me more than ever. I think it is becasue as I grow older I want my life to really count for something. I realize the only way my life can have meaning is to surrender myself and I mean all of myself to Jesus. Jesus is what makes life have meaning and purpose. It is not what I do that focuses attention on me that gives life purpose, it what I do that focuses attention on Jesus that gives real purpose to my life.

Since Jesus is what gives life meaning, I decided to look at what Jesus said about life. The first thing I did was to look at the words Jesus used to mean life.

One of the words translated life is the word helikia it means age or time of life. Jesus is simply referring to life as a span of time. I can live 10 years, 25 years, 50 years, or 100 years and my life can impact the world or not. It doesn't depend on the length of life, but on the content of life.

Another word translated life is the word bios. It means physical life. It is simply existence. Every person who has been physically born into this world has bios. Just because a person has bios doesn't mean that they are really living. People with physical life don't necessarily have meaning and purpose. Our existence gives us value, but it doesn't always give us purpose.

A third word translated life is psyche. This word means soul. Human life is not just physical. It is also spiritual. Jess uses this word a lot. He wants us to understand that our lives are both physical and spiritual. He indicates that it is the spiritual aspect that gives life its meaning. Our lives have meaning because as people, we have a soul that can connect with God. When I connect my life with God I have both value and purpose.

The last word is zoe. It means vibrate life. This life is not just physical existence, but real living. A life filled with purpose, meaning, adventure, and yes, suffering. It is a life lived in relationship with Jesus. Jesus uses this word when He says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

In talking about life Jesus uses the word zoe more than any on the other words to describe it.

When I try and save my life I can only experience helikia and bios. When I lose my life for Jesus I will experience psyche and zoe.

God created me to not just exist (helikia & bios) but to really live (psyche & zoe).

In Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls we will allow God through His Son, Jesus and His Spirit to give us real life (zoe).

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
                              Joe

   

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Let's Get Real About Same Sex Marriage

I have been following all the furor over the President coming out in favor of same sex marriage. Let's get real! We have known for some time that the President was supportive of many issues dealing with the homosexual community. He is not stupid. He knows that he will not get many if any votes from those who are opposed to same sex marriage, so he guarantees himself a stonger vote from the homosexual community by coming out in favor of same sex marriage. The President is first and foremost a politician. Does the President coming out in favor of same sex marriage make same sex marraige right or wrong? The answer is no it doesn't.

I read a letter in my home town news paper from some person saying that in the early church there were marriage ceremonies for same sex couples. First, that is a lie and the person just simply made that one up. Second, let's say that the church, and the time peroid that the person referenced meant they were referring to the Cathloic Church, had ceremonies for same sex marriages. Does the fact the church had same sex marraige ceremonies make same sex marriage right or wrong? Again the answer is no.

The fact that the President of the United States says same sex marraige is right and that the church had ceremonies for same sex marraige does not make same sex marraige right. Why? The nature of marraige is not determined by the President, the church or the culture. The nature of marriage is determined by the one who instituted it - God. Man didn't invented marriage, God did. In Genesis 2 we are given the account of God created humans, male and female. Then in verses 22 & 23 it says, "Then the Lord God made woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man'." This was the first marriage ceremony. Father (God) giving the bride (Eve) to the groom (Adam) and even complete with vows. God clearly estabishes marriage here as between one man and one woman. Jesus in Matthew 19 agrees with the Father that marriage is to be between one man and one woman only.

I don't care what the President or the church or the culture thinks about same sex marriage. I care what God thinks. God in His Word indicates that marriage is one man one woman.

God graciously gives us the freedom to think and believe and live like we want to. He does reserve the right as Creator, Lord, and Savior to have the ultimate say. He also tells us that if we choose to disobey Him and His will we have to live with the results of that disobedience.

My job as a surrender disciple and follower of Jesus is not to condemn people. Jesus says that in John 3:17. My job is to in love speak the truth. I believe that same sex marriage is wrong because God says it wrong. I don't believe I have the right as a Jesus follower to try and punish or ridicule people who choose to support same sex marriage.

You have the right both from God and from our nation to believe and live as you desire. I don't have to agree with you or support you in your choice. I do have to love you. My loving people doesn't mean that I agree with them all the time. And my disagreeing with a person doesn't mean that I don't love them. Let's stop looking at same sex marriage as an "issue". Let's look at people not issues and love not condemn.       

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
                            Joe

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Burdens

I have a burden. My burden is for revival. I want to be revived. I want to have a passion for Jesus. I want a passion for His Word. I want a passion to obey Him. I want a passion to worship Him. I want a passion to communicate with Him. I want a passion to serve Him by serving others. I want a passion for helping others to know Him and develop a passion for Him.

I also want revival for Jesus' church. I want my local faith family to be alive and obsessed with Jesus  with nothing else competing against Him. I want the church in American to experience revival. I want the church in America (all followers of Jesus) to have one pure and holy passion to know Jesus and follow hard after Him.

I want John 2:17 to characterize me. my faith family and the church. The verse says, "His disciples remembered that it is written,   Passion for your house consumes me" I want passion to consume me and every believer so that Jesus can be glorified.

I want the reality of Joel 2:28-29 where Joel predicts God's Spirit being poured out on all His people to be experienced by the church. I want to be filled and empowered and enabled by God so that I can and will obey God.

I want the reality of Habakkuk 3:2 where Habakkuk prays for God to revive and make known His work in the world to be experienced by God's people. I want God's power to be displayed through all of God's people so that the world can know Him.

The whole reason for Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is for God to open up us as His people and pour His Spirit on us and in us so that we can display His glory to the world.

If you will join me in asking God to do that I would really like to hear from you.

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
                          Joe

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Death and Dying

Last week a very close friend of mine with to be with Jesus. He had been in a battle with cancer. I know many people look at this as if he lost the battle, but he actually won. He is cancer free now with no possibility of it ever returning. The pain that he endured for so long is over. I would count that as a win. Death however is still hard. It is hardest for those who are still living and miss the perosn who has died. I can honestly say, "I hate death!" Death for those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus is not to be feared. But it is also not something that we are to embrace and desire. The sting of death comes from sin. Through Jesus' death and resurrection He overcame sin and death. I don't have to fear my physical death if I die a spiritual death. In Galatians 2:20 Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." When I allow myself to be crucified with Jesus and die to self and live in Jesus then I don't have to fear physical death. I still grieve over not having my friend to relate to, but I am joyful for him because he is with Jesus.

There are other types of death that are much more tragic then physical death. I am watching the death of several marriages. The death of a marriage is much more tragic and painful then physically dying. The death of a marriage means the death of a dream, the death of a relationship and can mean the death of security. It breaks my heart to watch two people who at one time loved and cherished each other degenerate into fighting with and hating each other. It also breaks my heart to see their children hurt so deeply as they watch their family and their world fall apart. The death of intimacy and hope and security is worse than any physical death I have ever witnessed.

It pisses me off to see marriages and familes dying. It means that Satan has won a victory. It doesn't have to happen. It doesn't have to end in death and Satan winning. Jesus raised people back to life physically. Jesus raised and is raising people back to life spiritually. He can take whatever the illness is that is causing a marriage to die and heal it. He can take a marriage that is dead and bring it back to life. The key in restoring a marriage is the same as it is in facing physical death without fear - Surrender!

In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." God can and will restore our lives, our dreams, our hope, and our marriages if we will surrender ourselves to Him. Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about surrendering ourselves, everything we are and everything we have, to Jesus. When we do that He can do anything.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls
                          Joe

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Doubts

In a recent conversation I had the person expressed a reluctance to share their doubts concerning God with me because they didn't think I ever had any doubts. I know that many people think that pastors don't doubt. Well, I don't know about other pastors, but I do.

My doubts fall into one of two kinds. One area of doubt I have is about God's goodness.I doubt some times that He is a good all-loving God. I know that sounds bad. I don't doubt God's existence because there is just to much evidence that God is. I do however at time question God's love for people (usually me or someone I love). I don't always understand why God does something or allows somethings to happen. I some times don't have a clue as to what God is doing.

When I am in one of those doubt periods of my life I have found two things that help me to trust God. One is to believe God is who He says He is in Scripture and second to focus on the cross. I know I will never understand God fully. If I did He would be a pretty wimpy God. I have to believe that God is:
1 John 4:8 & 16 - Love
Psalm 111:4 - Gracious
Daniel 9:9 - Merciful
Exodus 34:6 - Abounding in Love
I have to see the cross as an eternal proof of His love and grace ande mercy. I have to believe along with Paul what he says in Romans 8:32, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" God gave Jesus so that my sin could be paid for and I could know God and be with Him for eternity.

So based on what Scripture says and on the reality of Jesus' death on the cross for me - I Believe He is a Good and Loving God!

The second area I have doubts about God are really doubts that I am not good enough. I believe that God can and is willing to do anything for You not me. I am a nobody and there is no reason why God should love me or do anything important in my life. My doubt is about God working in and through me.

When I have this doubt I simply argee that I am not good enough, I am not worth it, and that I don't deserve anything. I also acknowledge that I never will be good enough or deserve it. The fact that Jesus had to come and die for me says that God knows I Can't Do It! So by recognizing and admitting my totally inability to be good enough I again see the cross as relieving my doubts. I see God as agree that I am not good and that I don't deserve His love, but loving me anyway. When God loving me is based in Him and not me then my doubts can be handle.

I still at times doubt. The latest was let's see, yesterday. I will always go through seasons of doubting. It is not the doubting that is the issue, it is what do I do with my doubt. Peter summs it up well in John 6:68 when he says, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." I will go to Jesus.

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
                               Joe  

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Surrender

We think of surrender as defeat. God sees surrender as freedom and victory. We are slaves either to Satan or God. If Satan is our master we have surrendered ourselves to him and we have given him control. We are thus slaves with no freedom or victory. If God is our master we have surrendered ourselves to God and we have given Him control.

Paul writes in Romans 6:13-14, "Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." When I have surrendered my life (including my body) to God and He is my master then I can experience life and righteousness and grace.

When God is my master I can also experience true freedom. In John 8:31-32 Jesus says to the Jews who had believed, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth with set you free." When God is my master I am free to be my real self, the person who God created me to be.

A great philosopher, Bob Dylan, once said you have to serve somebody. I surrender my life to serve Jesus and Him only. Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls involves surrender all of yourself to Jesus and allowing Him to be your Master.

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
                              Joe

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Turning Sixty

On February 18 I did someone that I have never done before, I turned sixty years old. In itself turning sixty is not a big achievement. It simply means I have lived a long time. When I say a long time even that is a relative term. Sixty will seem old to some of you and to some you will think this guy is just a youngster. I say, "God bless" all of you who still think of my as young at sixty.

When I turned sixty I began to think not of all that I had not accomplished with my life but with all the people God had brought into my life. God has graciously brought some amazing people into my life. And they have greatly blessed and enriched and changed me. I want to mention several because God had used them so much in my life.

The first people God used were my parents. I had the weirdest parents in the world. I know all kids think that their parents are weird. I'm sixty remember and looking back I now see that my parents Were Weird. They were also some of the hardest working and honest people I have ever know. They were not perfect, but that instilled in me a morality that still is intact today.

When I was a teenager God brought a lady into my life named Mary Founier. She was the first person I had ever met who really liked being a Christian and who lived it out all the time. Then a few years later God brought three college students into my life who not only loved Jesus but enjoyed loving Jesus and were excited about serving Him. These four people had a huge impact on the way I saw Jesus. And God used them to direct me to spend my life serving Him; preaching, teaching, and ministering.

The next group of people have had the biggest impact in my life, they are my wife and children and grandchildren. My wife is the most awesome person God ever created. She is not a perfect person, she did marry me, but she is the perfect wife. God has used her to love me, help me, confront me, teach me, and travel with me for almost 40 years. And though not every minute has been the best, I would honestly not trade any of our time together. She is my companion, my lover, and my best friend. Then there is my son. He is not perfect, but a dad could not possibly have ask for a better son. God has used him to show me so much truth over the years and now that he is thirty, now that makes me feel old, God uses him as a fellow disciple of Jesus to teach me ever more truth. I have a great daughter-in-law who loves and supports my son and to watch how she and my son relate brings great joy and delight to my spirit. Then there is my granddaughter, Goober. She is a constant source of joy and challenge. She has such a spirit of joy, wonder, and energy. I want to have that same joy in Jesus, wonder of Jesus and energy from Jesus that she has.

The finally group of people that God has used in my life are the pastors that I have worked with over the years. I worked with four pastors over a twenty year peroid. Three of these men were great friends and mentors. One was a jerk, but God even used him in my life to show me the kind of pastor not to be. I was taught by God through this men how to teach, preach, minister, and shepherd God's people.

The person who has most impact my life is not just a human being, He is the God/Man - Jesus. He is my life. I can not imagine living life without Jesus. Life is hard and at time it sucks. If I didn't have an personal love relationship with Jesus, not only would I not have lived to be sixty, I wouldn't have wanted to. It is not just that I can't imagine life without Jesus, I would have no life without Him. He Is My Life!

I don't know exactly how much longer I have on earth. I know that God has shown me that if He doesn't return or I don't die then He wants me to continue to pastor for ten more years. For those years and how ever many more God gives me I will allow God to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls.

Joe