Your Guide to Understanding Joe:
There are, obviously, quite a few specifics that you'll learn as you get to know me better. But for starters, there are 4 main things you need to know, in order to understand me.
1. Joe Loves God!
What does this mean? Well first of all, the Bible clearly states that the natural response to God's love for us is to obey Him. So, everything that I do is motivated by my personal mission statement, if you will: “Living in such a way that I grow closer to the LORD every day and I am pleasing to Him.” This means a lot of things, but it definitely means living up to the level of revelation I have received (Philippians 3) and being led by the Spirit (Romans 8). I am very clear on what I am called to do, and after that, because I am submitted to Him, I trust my preferences. When I am “off,” I trust God to show me and I repent. I am honest and open to those whom God has called me to entrust myself. I have no problem being transparent and I am ready at any time to elucidate where I can be tempted. As the Bible clearly states in James 1, you cannot be tempted unless you WANT to do it, and I can be honest about the state of my soul.
2. Joe Knows the Bible
I can back up what I do with a Scriptural principle, not just a Scripture. Anyone can pull one verse out of the Bible and twist it to justify what they want to do. I live my life based upon PRINCIPLES that agree with, yet go beyond, the situational specifics and context of the Scriptures.
3. Joe is not traditional
I generally refuse to do something just because “that’s the way it’s always been done.” If I see that something is not Scriptural, I cannot act like it is something that I should do. I cannot deal with traditions, because they can render the Word of God ineffective (Mark 7) - as can a lack of faith (Matthew 13 & Mark 6). I am personally baffled when I see people who LOVE GOD, do something out of tradition. I don’t know why, and I’d probably get in less “trouble” in the church world if I could, but I can’t sit down and act like something is Biblical when it is not.
4. Joe will move in the freedom of the Spirit
When I am given a choice of what to do, I will choose what I want to do. I know that sounds pretty simple, but what I'm saying is that I cannot anticipate what your expectations of me are. When I don’t have a Word from God and I don’t feel led a certain way, I will defer to my preferences. Again, as my heart has been changed, my preferences have changed and every day I believe my preferences to be more God honoring. HOWEVER, if I am asked to do something specifically, my thought process changes. My first thought then is, “do I believe God wants me to do this?” If the answer is no or if I feel no leading to do it, I will not go to my preferences next. Rather, I say, “If this won’t cause me to sin and it won’t interfere with anything God has called me to do, then why shouldn’t I do it.” That is the thought process. Sometimes, my soul jumps in and gives me a reason not to do it. When that happens, I have to make a tougher decision: Do I love this person and inconvenience myself or should I go with my preferences. Now, my goal is always to love others above myself (and my preferences). I do not always meet my goal, but I press on towards my goal. I endeavor to not allow anything in my past (good or bad) to affect how I decide to move. I keep going, I keep pressing because God has called me to live at a much higher level than where I live now. He has called me Heavenward.
NOW, if you want to know a little more, you can feel free to read my Salvation Story (AKA: my testimony) on my website: http://www.joecapri.com
