Resurrection People - Part 2

Do something right now. Gently press two fingers against the inside of your wrist.

Feel that?

That rhythm is your pulse. Blood moves through your body, keeping you alive without you having to think about it, manage it, or earn it. It just pumps.

The early disciples believed something about that pulse that most of us have never seriously considered. Paul writes it in Romans 8:11 CSB: “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.”

The power that rolled the stone away from the tomb — the same power that reversed death itself — is the same power that is in you right now. Not a smaller version of it. Not a distant echo of it. The same power, alive in you, beating in you, and working through you.

Most of us move past that too quickly on our way to the practical application. We know the verse. We've heard it. But we don't live like it's true.

I've spent seasons of my life running on fumes. I've experienced burnout, disconnected and going through the motions of ministry while privately wondering if any of it was real. I was preaching about resurrection while quietly wondering if anything would actually change in my own life. I knew the theology. I had read the verses. But somewhere between my head and my daily experience, the power got lost.

What I've learned slowly and through some painful detours is that the problem wasn't the power. The problem was that I had stopped expecting it to show up! I had exchanged a living faith for a professional one. I was reading the Bible for other people, not for myself. I was praying because that's what pastors do, not because I actually believed anyone was listening.

The power didn't go anywhere. My expectations had just closed the door on it.

Paul describes this power in Ephesians 1 as "the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead." (Ephesians 1:19-20 NIV) Resurrection power is not reserved for spiritually impressive people. Nor does the right level of faith or the right track record unlock it. It lives in you because of what Jesus did, not because of what you've done.

The question isn't whether the power is there. The question is whether you've stopped expecting it to work.

Identity Statement:

“The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in me. I am running on Resurrection Power!”

Reflect:

Be honest: are you living like resurrection power is available to you, or like you're mostly on your own? What would change today if you took Romans 8:11 at face value?

Prayer:

Jesus, I confess that I often live like the power left when things get hard. Remind me what lives in me. I don't want to go through the motions of faith while the real thing is available. Amen.

One final quote: 

“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.8.11.NIV

JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM

Faith Begins by Hearing

Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” (NLT)

Everyone who follows Jesus first heard the Good News somewhere. At some point, in some way, the message of Jesus reached them.

The apostle Paul wrote these words in a letter to believers in Rome as he explained how people come to faith. Faith begins when the Good News about Jesus is heard. God uses the message of Christ to open the hearts of people everywhere with His beautiful invitation to new life.

But what makes this news so good?

Sometimes people hesitate to talk about faith because they have not fully discovered how good God truly is. Some imagine God as distant or angry, ready to judge. But that is not the God revealed through Jesus.

Jesus is compassionate. He knows every person, including you. He sees every story, including yours. He understands your fears, struggles, and burdens.

Jesus did not come to condemn the broken. He came to carry judgment on Himself, to lift what is heavy, and to bring healing and hope to all who will receive Him.

This is the Good News: God loves people. God is near. Through Jesus, forgiveness and new life are possible...for you, for your loved ones…for all people.

When this truth takes root in your heart, sharing it will become less about obligation and more about overflowing love and joy. The Good News was never meant to stop with us.

Someone in your life is waiting to hear it, and they may need to hear it from you.

A simple conversation, a gentle invitation, or a small act of kindness may lead to a life-changing moment of transformation when someone hears the Good News—from you—for the first time ever. Will you share it?

JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM

Justified by Faith

I'm learning every day! Here's a great devotional from Bible.com:

The letter to the Romans is packed with deep theological truths that are meant to shape the way Christians live. Paul, the writer of the letter to the church in Rome, covers the details of what is known as “the Gospel message”—a message that was handed down to them.

One of the central components to the Gospel is that salvation comes through faith alone. That means that we are saved by the power of God through believing and trusting in Jesus. Every Christian comes to God through faith—not through good deeds or by trying to earn salvation.

Paul says that we have peace with God by our faith in Jesus. Prior to that, we were considered ungodly and unrighteous, because we would live our lives in our own power, doing our own things. This led to separation from God.

However, by faith in Jesus, we are justified before Him. This means that through Jesus’ own sacrifice, we are made right before Him. Even though we still make mistakes, we stand innocent before God because of Jesus.

It’s through being justified that we become children of God. We can have a relationship with God because of our status in Christ. We have access to God Himself, knowing that He is transforming us through our relationship with Him.

This means none of us can brag or boast about being a child of God. We all receive grace freely through faith. So right now, take a few moments to thank God for the incredible gift of salvation that He offers you. Then, reflect on what it means to be included in His family.

JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM

Overcome Worry

I worry to much, so I'm reading a short 'plan' on Bible.com about overcoming worry. Here are a few comments from that 'plan'. Please note that I'm just copying and pasting here, so these comments and quotes are in no particular order. 

“So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭2‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.” ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

““That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Don’t worry!

Jesus taught us how to be content in this life. He said: " Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"(Matthew 6:25 NKJV).

Lord Jesus told us to be content with what we have and not to worry. Why do we worry? 

Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:9 NKJV: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition” 

That is why Solomon, the richest man who ever lived said, “For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 2:22-23 NKJV).

When humans were created by God He gave us the ability to have satisfaction. His hope is that we would find satisfaction in Him. We must believe that God provides everything we need for our satisfaction so that we can fulfill His plans on earth.

Our mind is our battlefield!

Your brain is an extraordinary gift from God that must be put to good use. Everything that we think or do begins in our minds. Because of this we need to rely on God, as our understanding and thoughts are very limited, while God is unlimited. 

God is the Architect of all architects who can see from the beginning to the end. He knows the processes and sequences. He also has ways beyond our understanding, ways to deal with difficulties and solve problems that might never cross our minds.

 There is a truth in Colossians 3:2 NIV that can encourages us to have the mind of Christ. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." We can choose to always think about God. 

This requires us to process through our prayers, words, worship, and ministry—all we do. 

Our perspectives and thoughts determine who we are, our decisions, and the direction our life will take. We can have the mind and perspective of Christ.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

JoJo The Mystical Monk - JJtMM