Tag: Jesus

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Living with Passion

Several times over this past weekend I heard individuals suggest or encourage the idea of living with passion.  It was such a recurring theme that is seemed liked maybe I should consider it for a while.  The idea expressed in multiple ways to me this weekend was one of living life to the fullest, being excited, having enthusiasm and really staying engaged in your life.  There was also an element of purpose and intent mixed in the messages as well.

I have been considering these thoughts all weekend and what it means to live with passion.  I am still not exactly sure, but I do think that you can’t do it if you don’t get up each and every day and approach the day as a gift from God.  My thoughts led me this morning in Philippians, first the fourth chapter and then back into the third right to these words:

Philippians 3:12-14

12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

12-14I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. (MSG)

I certainly have not mastered passionate living, but I will continue to consider it.  However, one thing I know,  I am putting my eye on the goal and I am not turning back.  Maybe thats the starting line?

Runners Set….

Go,  get off the line and live! Give it your all, focus on the prize and live for him.

And if you have any ideas on passionate living, share them!

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He’s Alive! He’s Alive!

I am still pumped.  Yes,  it didn’t happen for the Mountaineers, and that, well, that really stinks.  But there is another reason to be even more stoked today then a basketball game – even if the outcome had been different.  I am stoked, even overjoyed because —

He’s Alive He’s Alive!  Christ is Risen from the Dead!

6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8Then they remembered his words.  Luke 24:6-8 NIV

(see that here from Worship House Media!)

So, Its still a great day to be a Mountaineer, because Mountaineers are always free, and will always be free thanks to the events of this day!

Remember those Words?

He’s Alive He’s Alive!

(see that here from Worship House Media!)

1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do 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. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6:1-14 (New International Version)

Thats Real!   That’s life changing and that pumps me up!

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Fools and Humility

Well I was trying to come up with some good April Fools’ joke,  after I introduced a friend of mine as his brother last night in front of a whole gaggle of people, I think I better stop with the jokes.  However, one of the guys I was with told me that last year he didn’t go to work on April 1, intentionally.  When his boss finally called, he told him that some one had told him they did not have to come in on that day.  Thinking he had been tricked his boss laughed it off and told him to get into work.  After his arrival at the office, his boss ask him who had called him.  That was when the joke was played, as he told his boss that no one called, it was just a big April Fool’s joke.  The bossman was not happy.  Can you top that one?

Anyway, as we continue to march (er April) through the week towards the great events of the weekend, its hard to pass over a quick look at Jesus washing his follower’s feet.

14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. John 13:14

A really amazing example about leadership, and humility.  The Master places himself in a role of a servant to show the humility that his followers should demonstrate.  Boy, this is another of those difficult things isn’t it. Really, talk about an April Fool’s joke,  I mean, look, I am, well, ME.  and you are, well, of course, YOU.  Doesn’t everyone understand who WE are?  Like the t shirt from the 70’s “Its hard to be humble when you are perfect” or something like that.  (I still remember some girl in elementary school wearing that shirt.  She was not perfect!! )

But as followers of the Christ, we are given an example in humility with the footwashing and then later in the week with his humble submission on the way to the cross.  I mean look at the constraint he uses:

52“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”  Matthew 26:52-54 (New International Version)

And so we are told to mimic this model, and to put others in front of ourselves.  Today, maybe, try this with one person and see how that impacts your relationship with them.

1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.  — Philippians 2:1-11

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Betrayal

14Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. 16From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. Matthew 26:14-16 (New International Version)

Yep. Judas, the traitor.  The one who demonstrated his selfishness on the worlds stage.  This is the day where is seemed that Judas sealed the deal the “hand over” Jesus.  We give Judas a really hard time some times, because we know that we are so perfect!  But really, I was thinking this morning about “What are willing to give me if I hand him over?”or maybe “What am I wanting to get that makes me hand him over?” Don’t we find ourselves asking that question some times?

It may not be thirty silver coins, the price of a slave, but it may be something just as cheap.  Or it may be something of more “value” – a job, a thing, a pleasure, a moment?  Its a daily battle for us to continually balance the value of our “stuff” versus the value of freedom from Christ.  I personally find it rather easy to hand over Jesus for “stuff” , as much as it pains me to admit it.  We just have to remember that if we stick with him, we will get all that we ever want.

10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:10-11 (New International Version)

So today, don’t trade Him in.  Stick with him!  Complete your Joy!

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Abiding and One Command

Its one of those days where I really don’t feel like writing.  Already in this early day, early in this week, I feel consumed by the world around me and it’s pressures.  It is amazing how the monotony of life can attempt to crush your spirit and suck the joy right out of your life.

Because of that, I felt that maybe I should write about Peter’s three denials in the hours leading up to the activity at the cross, but that felt a little too dramatic.  However it is a constant battle to keep ourselves from answering this question

“Aren’t you one of his disciples?”

This way

“Not me.”

So then I glanced back into the some of the powerful teaching that Jesus laid out in his last few days on this world in a human body.  This is where some serious encouragement is doled out. Check it over in John 15:

1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Icey!

And then he finishes it this way:

17This is my command: Love each other

Really, that’s it!  You mean that is all I have to focus on today!  Boy that removes some of the stress. Once again he provides peace -I hope it did for you as well.