I no longer call you servants ... but friends

I have been wanting to post on this subject for a long time since my last post. I just taught on the words of Jesus just a few hours ago from John 15. It stems from reflecting on all those who I have served with over the years. Seeing many of you over the last few months has me missing and reflecting on you and how I consider you all my friends. For many of you I see at a distance and it brings me great joy to see you continue to in the faith. I so want to pick up the phone and call all of you. I see Jesus communicating this truth as he looks at each and everyone of us. Paul echo's his heart to remain with the churches that he has labored with over the years. I have had so many great moments with you all, and I long to spend more time with you all. So to all I have served with and continue to serve with, consider me one of your trusted friends that you can call on at any time.

Joe

Who thinks I should do the Face Book thing and what are your thoughts about it?

CADEN JOSEPH

Say Hi! to my new baby boy. These past few weeks have been pretty amazing and eventful. I think it all started after having breakfast with Kelly Slater. I went surfing with friends and sitting right next to me at the SC cafe was Kelly Slater we did the head nod thing and went on eating breakfast. A few days later, I was up at kids camp. We had something like 260 kids with another 100 leaders and God moved in everyone's life. I am so amazed how the team works together and serves the kids. A few days after camp baby Caden was born and then a few days after that we started VBS. We had something close to 200 kids and I would say it was one of our best Vacation Bible schools. MY team really stepped up and made a point for me to spend some time with Caden. A few days later Caden's birth mother wanted to spend more time with him so he was in my arms one minute and gone for a couple days. It was so difficult but God proved himself to be faithful and Caden is home now. Yesterday we launched Adventures in Science (exploring Gods miracles) and it was also a complete success. It was so great to see Matt Agosto on stage with kids. Today I'll be picking up the youth at camp and I am already hearing reports that God moved miracously. A few days from today I"ll be heading up to Lake Mead for college camp and Mike Larkin will be sharing. How cool is that and he also will be bringing his boat. A few days after that I will be directing the father son camp out and I am beleiving for great things as well. A few days after that I pray I will be off to some time away with my family and starting my vacation with a Triathlon in Newport. Sorry for not posting but how do you even keep up with a schedule like mine and report about it. When you see God move like I do, it makes complete sense to join the Angels in singing Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord.

pray for me because I am praying for you. Caden kept me up last night so I had time to get on line. Love you all.

God is good.

Joe

Life is not about me

I thought I would be in agreement with btaylor since Chapter 4 is all about a life in complete submission to God. Chapter 4 is for sure a Venti with triple shot espresso and go ahead and throw on the whip. So much that I just may spend a few days meditating on it. I'd like to comment on v.1

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

I don't think we recognize that the core of issues with one another is our selfish desires. James says you want something and you don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.

I have found it to be true that when I give up my desires for His I find that my life is full of blessings and peace. All the battles in my life originate from a desire for something that is birthed from me and and not Him. James is so true when he says friendship with the world is becoming an enemy of God. James is not talking about a physical world, remember God said it was good. James is talking about the sin of the world and unfortunatly it's in our nature. When we lose our life we say no to sin and find life in Him. So today I pray that my life I live is not mine but His. The scripture also tells us that when we lose our life we find it. So I encourage you to start living for Him. v. 7 Submit yourselves then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

I wonder if resisting the devil is saying no to caffeine? Is Caffeine from the devil?

Choices

Thanks for the comments and insight and to everyone else I am sure you will follow. On to Chapter 3:16-18

"Choose to devote yourself fully to God rather than to your own selfish and wordly desires. Devote yourself to the Lord, and godly wisdom and righteosness will begin to grow in your life."

We cannot serve two masters. We cannot say we love and serve God and then live ungodly lives. Good works and a controlled tongue is the kind of life James is calling us to. I think today is a good day to make a new covenant with our lives and especially our tongues to please the Lord. I am sure all of us have said and did things that have caused us to stumble. The imagery that James gives of a ship being controlled by a small rudder brings insight to the messes we make in our lives. If your mouth has gotten you in trouble and steered you off direction let's point our rutters in a new direction and sail for calmer seas. Is Christianity as simple as controlling ones mouth and living a selfless life?

In Him,

Joe

Time To Go To Work

Chapter 2 in James is pretty straight forward and cuts right to the heart. So I guess the question is how dead is our faith? When was the last time you saw your faith in action. James describes faith in action as meeting peoples needs. I am actually posting in San Diego getting ready to take the kids to Sea World. This weekend is all about serving my kids. I would say it doesn't take much faith since it bring me so much joy to see them respond to Carolyn's and I weekend of focusing so much attention on just them. Isn't it true that the greatest and joys in life is when you do lay down your desires for somoene else's. I pray all of our faith is filled with acts of Love. Someone can show me some love by making a stinkin comment. Let's start making some comments because I know so many of you have unreal insight. Actually I realize so many do not know I am posting again with some kind of consistency so please pass the word. I actually had a cup of joe while I posted this evening so good. I let you know how Shamu is doing.

Smell you later,

Joe

Good Times

Welcome to all the first timers to a cup of joe. Looking forward with great anticipation to see all the comments as we begin our time in the book of James. Last night at bible study was amazing. I was truly blessed with the discussion and even more to see everyone connecting after. Sorry to kick everyone out, but I did miss my girls, I don't know what Becky's exuse was. So much to comment from Chapter 1 and I know all of us would like to read your insight and wisdom from last night.
my comment comes from vv. 9-11.
"Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away."

Whether you have little or abundance now, compared to eternity it doesn't really matter. My prayer is for all of us to have abundance and walk humbly with our King. I realize that many of us do carry so many burdens and do with out, but the encouragement is even in a life filled with pain and misery one can glory in his exaltation. Nothing can be greater that recognizing our position as a child of God. So if your experiencing abundance rejoice in humility and if your facing trials and hurts rejoice in knowing that you're a child of the living God and He loves you and is preparing a place for you where there is no death, sorrow, or crying. let the post and the coffee flow.

Joe

The Great Mystery

I thought I would do a random Post. I had a dream the other night and I know it was from the Lord. Sometimes people make comment about me working with kids and young adults. The comment is phrased in a way that I could be doing bigger and greater things. In my dream I was having one of these discussion and the Lord used me to bring proper perspective to a friend who was missing out on what the scriptures calls the great mystery. The Lord took me to Matt 13 about the Parable of Weeds. In my dream my friend was more interested in earthly treasures that will only pass away. I went on to share the joy that I receive when I sense the Lord using me to open the eyes to a kingdom that is not of this world. I say this to encourage whoever reads this post and is faithful sowing seeds into a kingdom that is not part of this world. You might not be understood by those who live for this world (the mystery) but you are understood and building an incredible treasure in a kingdom that is not part of this world, but is eternal.

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Matt 13:44

Be encourage and Press On