Tag Archives: Romans

Blogposts, Lee Johndrow, Musing

When In Rome Do As The Romans Do – When In Heaven…

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A Word To Hear
A Word To Hear

At 3AM I heard this statement, “When in Rome do as the Romans do. When in heaven do as the heavenly do.” Wow! Where are you seated? And even as I say it out loud, I wonder is there something to “do as the heavenly dew.”

I am a word person. Not just from a biblical or faith perspective, but from a “what does it mean” perspective. Words have meaning and they have power. It is not about semantics (Now there is a Greek word. It deals with understanding based on historical or psychological emphasis.) but more importantly, the reality, getting the full flavor out of a word or it’s understanding. Continue reading When In Rome Do As The Romans Do – When In Heaven… →

Blogposts, Tidbits & snippets

Two Sides Of The Coin-Rejoicing and Weeping

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A Snippet Of Truth
A Snippet Of Truth

Yesterday my friend Mark brought a woman up who had received a check, unexpectedly in the mail for something from 10 years previously. She testified. One of the things Mark said to the body was that  we need to rejoice when others get blessed. Yes it is a biblical principal, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” But there is something about getting excited with someone who is excited. Why pray for healing in others if you are not going to be excited when they get it? I find the more we get excited for others the more we see it happen.

In my book on decrees, I talk about decrees over properties, families and friends. The perspective (At the right hand of the throne of God.) is important to us. When we see just how good it can be or how good it is, we are watching the joy of the Father. What parent would be unhappy to see blessing in a child’s life? If you are upset about it, let me just simply say, “you are shortsighted and selfish.” You need to change your mind about it.

I just read of a parent who lost her son last night. I do not know all the details, but I do know that she does not deserve some of the cutting remarks that I have seen posted. Weep with those of them who are weeping.

I find many find it easier to weep and comfort someone (Maybe it is “thank God this is not me!”) than it is to rejoice with someone who just got a blessing. I would say it is time to change that.

The word rejoice in Romans 12:15 means this:

1) to rejoice, be glad
2) to rejoice exceedingly
3) to be well, thrive
4) in salutations, hail!
5) at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute

Rejoice exceedingly.

I found this in the book of Maccabbees.  It said they “rejoiced” exceedingly at the success of others. EXCEEDINGLY. Get excited about another’s success. About their prosperity or healing. Do not be like the older brother who was disheartened and dismayed at his brother’s homecoming party. Be excited when the body is blessed, for it is a blessing to you!
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Blogposts, Lee Johndrow, Ministry, Musing

The Fence Around The Church

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Who comes to your church? I often ask myself does it look like those of Jesus’ companions. Tax collectors, prostitutes and those not “allowed” in church. I can honestly say our fellowship looks more and more like that. I am excited about that! Why? It means they feel welcome. Did you know they felt welcome to be with Jesus, despite their sins, their strongholds and their belief?

Many of my friends are crying out that “God lost America” yesterday. If He is that weak then why would you serve Him? I assure you He is not. The difficulty for many is to realize God gave a group of people all authority here. It is on us.

For years we built a fence to keep “them” out. If you think I am talking about immigration you would be wrong. I am talking about the fence we “built” around the church. Before I was saved, I was a them.  Now I am an “us”? Does that really make sense in light of scripture?

The Supreme Court ruling yesterday does nothing for me except to highlight the need for “limited” or smaller government. There are many reasons for limiting government. One is people get to live life as God intended it…with freedom. Whether that freedom sends “chills” up your back or not, that is the freedom God intended and Jesus advocated. He never was “okay” with their sin but He wasn’t okay with them being outside His “reach” either. I want small government. My opinion, my choice. (Have you read the papers? Are you seeing any overriding value to “bigger is better” when it has to do with control?)

With that said.

There is a difference between influence and control. Jesus never intended to “control” anyone. Dominion “can” come by control, but it is better when the people buy into it.

For years our “us vs. them” mentality has grown. We have taken scripture, used it without context, to control or condemn, and forgot about love. We pulled our children out of schools and bemoan the lack of educational values, including morality. (I am not against Christian schooling or home schooling, my question is your reasons. My wife and I have done both.) Paul said “And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” Romans 10:14

One of the reasons I appreciate being in business and around people is I am around the “sinner.” I was speaking to a friend of mine who works in business. He was “bemoaning” the fact that employees are getting saved and coming to work saying “I am interested in church.” He said it makes it hard to find people to work Sundays!

God never intended our reach to be confined to a building of “good” people. His intent all along was to reach the broken, the downtrodden, the sinner. He intended His death, burial and resurrection for all mankind.

After 20 plus years of life with Him, I feel I can say so many have become “churchified,” failing to be subjects of the King, hence the word Kingdom, that sight of the goal has been lost. It tells us that the “heathen” was given for our inheritance yet many poo poo the idea of the lost, their thinking on various subjects and more.

Let me be frank. We have lost inventors, singers, businessmen and more because of our ungodly attitude towards people. We have acted like the world too often to have influence a lot of the time. If our neighbors do not know we are believers that to me, is a problem. If our coworkers do not know that is a problem. And last but not least, if our children do not know.  In the latter I am speaking of the child who goes to church and sees parents “pose” for the cameras and go home, lacking love or affection.

Before we denigrate those in Congress, the Senate, the Presidency or the Supreme Court we must look at our own actions. I am painfully aware of the difference between a believer and an unbeliever. I know the end game. I am not saying do not hold those accountable to their oaths of office. BUT, do not hold them to a higher standard than you hold the church.

All sin was paid for. Theirs, yours and mine.

Let us get back to the place of practicing the walk of Jesus. Not in a religious manner but with the love that He walked in.

I read today of a famous pastor and government leader who in light of the Supreme Court ruling on DOMA said, “Jesus wept.” If Jesus wept, it is because His church is quick to point the finger anywhere but at their own efforts. We pulled out of government, we pulled out of schools, we pulled out of life, all for the sake of bad teaching and theology. We missed the very thing He was trying to do. Establish HIS kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

If you are dismayed about the ruling, can I suggest it is time to search one’s soul and ask the obvious. Have I influenced those about me with His goodness? Have I made known His name? Have I condemned or have I freed? Have I locked them out and locked myself in?

For the sake of this generation I lay down my life(My thinking, my desires, my hopes and I supplant them with his!) to carry out His words and His will. God was not looking for a democracy or a republic. He was looking for a people. For He is God and that is a theocracy. Where He is the head and we are the body.

And that folks…is a wrap.

 

 

 

Blogposts, Musing

Present In Truth

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Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

As I read that, there is something truly “present” in what is said. This is not afar, but a present reality. It goes on to tell us that in this hope we were saved. A reality. “Now hope that is seen is not hope.” We know our salvation is there, so is not the completion of something done, and something new upon us?

We have been held back by a future thought process, that seems to not be truth. I recognize that adoption speaks of a maturity(30 years, -“this is my son, whom I am well pleased in.”) or an age, but I think we need to relegate some things to their proper places.
In the scriptures as Jesus heads back to deal with the “Lazarus issue” Martha comes to him with a “past glory” thinking. “If you had been here…” Mary dealt with a future glory, “the son of God who is COMING into the world.” They missed a very present reality. Jesus was not the hope to come, or the glory past, but the glory manifest in their midst.

Lazarus(God help us!) in a grave cloth, bound hand and foot. How did he get out?

It is tie we realized the presence of the presence and walk in the operation of a present reality. A maturity simply because WE ARE! It is time for us to “unbind” them.