Three things Jennifer, Malachi and Nehemiah have taught me. July 14th, 2010
Laying your life down for someone you love is a no brain-er:
There are different “levels” of love. Now I know that some people would say that’s an untrue statement and you have a right to your opinion… (you always have the right to be wrong:)) But honestly think about it…I’m sure you love different friends and family that you wouldn’t lay down your life for. (Before you read any further think about it, we all have friends that we love that we wouldn’t choose to willingly die for). There are people in my life that I love that I’m not willingly dying for, if it’s them or me, they better be ready to fight or die:). At this point you’re either happy I’m not your friend or rethinking your decision that you even became my friend. The truth is I love my wife and boys in an unselfish way, in a way that I can’t put into words. When I think of hurting my wife Jennifer my heart breaks…I might not be the perfect husband, but I hold my wife’s heart in the palm of my hand and hurting her is not a wise decision for anyone. When I look at my boys, my heart melts, they are the greatest gift that God has ever given to me. I love Jennifer, Malachi and Nehemiah in a way that I would willingly choose to die in their place. I wouldn’t even need to think it through, if it ever came down to them or me living, I would willingly meet Jesus face to face.
When I think of my love for Jesus, I want it to be that kind of love…I want my love for Jesus to be greater than my love for a friend or a casual family member. I want my love for Jesus to be so unselfish and authentic that I would willingly give my life for Him. I want Him to have a special place in my heart. Do you love Jesus like you love a casual friend or with a love that would allow you to lay down your life for Him? Remember He loved you enough to lay His down first.
John 15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Tomorrow I’ll talk more about what my family has taught me!
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (9)
July 15th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Thank you for the interesting post, even though it did take quite a large time to complete reading. (English is not my native tongue) Can I ask where you got your sources from? Thank you!
July 16th, 2010 at 6:38 am
Hi Josh…If you were to lay down your life would it be for christian friends or non-christian friends? The scriptures tell us that the non-believer hates the things of God so if you do the above I’m sure you would be thought of as traveling with a few bricks short of a load…;-) Franklin
July 16th, 2010 at 7:31 am
hey Jerry, not sure what you mean by sources?
July 16th, 2010 at 8:15 am
Hi Josh…In context (John14:13) I understand that Jesus is laying down his life for his true followers at that time…and even for those today who believe. But I don’t believe He meant for us to do the same thing or he would have told us so. He did tell us to love one another…and it is said in another place…that if we do so we fulfil the law. Protecting oneself…family…and friends is a normal human reaction and has nothing to do with religion. Franklin
July 17th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Hey Josh, been checking put your blogs this week. This one about laying my life down for someone that I love. It certainly provokes an interesting angle of the question, “what if?”… The revelant question is how deep is my love for other people in MY life which you clearly noted when speaking about Jenn & the boys.
The interesting part about this question/condition requires a true mindset and response of action when faced with a split second condition. This takes me back to a young man that was tragically killed when sponsoring a yard sale on Rt 9 in Wells a couple of months ago. He witnessed the vehicle collision and reacted by running to his mother in law and getting her out of the impact zone while at the same time taking the impact of the trailer that rolled over & killed him. In essense he laid his life down for his mother in law so she could live. As a trained Marine, he was familiar to quick decisions in preserving life.
Would I do the same when placed in such a situation? I would say yes. Christians around the world are making life changing decisions that have put them in that same place by being martyred because of their faith in Jesus Christ…Cassie did it at Columbine High School years ago…when faced with that decision…
July 19th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Mark 8:35 says “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”
In answer to Franklin, Jesus calls us to follow Him and his example was to die for the godless as well as the Godly.
But in a broader context, we have heard of people “having the life” or “living the life” referring to those who appear to be successful and without want for anything. I think Mark 8:35 is instructing us to give up our life that we want to live for ourselves and instead live for God in whatever way He has created us. For some, that is giving up a lucrative career to pursue the Great Commission in a far-away world. For others it’s giving up hobbies to raise Godly children. For still others it’s giving up watching TV to make our evenings available for serving our communities in various ministries. Ever since Adam and Eve ate that fruit we’ve had the internal human struggle of keeping our life or laying it down. We are selfish by nature. Through God’s grace and His love inside us we can lay down our lives for all men as God leads us. Perhaps we will never be called to physically die for someone, but do we refuse to lay down our selfish desires for those God is calling us to minister to?
For me it’s a daily battle: “Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 Hmm… Looks like Jesus knew that…
July 23rd, 2010 at 10:17 am
good stuff bill
July 23rd, 2010 at 10:52 am
Excellent stuff, Pastor Josh and Bill. I really believe that we begin by being able to love those close enough to us to the point of death (as Pastor Josh wonderfully illustrated), then our friends and family who we normally wouldn’t, then others in our life, so on and so on, up until the point we love not our lives even unto death (Revelation 12:11) and be able to even lay it down willingly for our enemies, as Bill pointed out. Matthew 5:38-48, baby! Great dialogue, people!
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Jesus is telling his disciples and a large crowd that unless the believer…and a follower of Him… are willing to give up the things of this world they are not true followers of his. This is a spiritual battle not a temporal one. The believer has to break away from following the evil one…and the idols that we worship… and be willing to give his/our full attention and worship to the true God in order to be approved. It is foolish to gain many things of the world and end up in hell because our worship is given to something other then God. If we are ashamed of Jesus and the gospel He will be ashamed of us when He returns in His glory. Praise his Name. Franklin