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Archive for the ‘Bible Characters’ Category

A Role Model for Today

Posted in Daniel, tagged on April 8, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

The story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den is an old favorite. This man was sent there because of political treachery within a corrupt Babylonian society.

The decree went out, no one could pray to anyone but the king. Daniel not only prayed, but prayed out loud as he had always done, facing Jerusalem. You can read about it in Daniel Chapter Six (6).

Our culture, at least in the West, is so very much like that Babylonian kingdom and we are called to live within it like Daniel. The decrees go out on what we can or can’t do under one penalty or another. Daniel wasn’t belligerent about it, he did not protest in the streets, but he did not hide, either. Whether praised or vilified he lived a godly life, and so should we.

Spend some time in the little book of Daniel, he is a great role model.

– fritz

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Easy – Not Always Wrong

Posted in God's Calling, God's Plan, God's Will, Hearing from God, Jacob, tagged on April 7, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been. Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” – Genesis31-2-3

It’s easy to hear God say what you want to hear – but easy is not always wrong.

Jacob, keeping his father-in-law’s sheep, noticed a strain in their relationship and he longed for home. God often works in these circumstances, like a mother eagle pulling feathers out of her nest so the little chicks become uncomfortable and want to fly.

So how does one know if the time is right for a change?

Two indicators:

  1. If the change requires manipulation of people or systems or a compromise of principles, be cautious. Most things I had to finagle ultimately turned out to be mistakes.
  2. If an opportunity is accompanied by an inner peace and a sense of excitement, God is probably involved.

If your circumstances become difficult, God opens the door, and you have peace about walking through,  take the step and don’t even look back.

– fritz

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Think it Through!

Posted in Anger, Jacob, Leah, Rachel, tagged on April 5, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” – Genesis 30:12-13a (NIV)

A cautionary tale about getting so wrapped up in the moment we fail to notice the bigger picture.

Leah was happy because her servant had a second child by her husband, Jacob.

She was so focused on the rivalry with her sister,  she saw everything from a win/lose perspective and thought she was winning.

But think about that a minute!  (pause here) What she did not think about was that her husband was sleeping around with the hired help, and more than once! Culture or not, no wife wants her husband intimate with others.

Intensity often blocks us from thinking things through. Israel’s prime minister, Golda Meyer, in 1957 said, “Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us”. Love her or hate her she was saying that they were not thinking about what was really important.

As followers of Jesus we need to not be so focused on “winning” that we miss the bigger picture of what is right.

Sound Byte: Avoid Win/Lose Situations (even when you think you’re winning).

– fritz

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