Posted in Bible Characters, Faith, tagged Hebrews 11 on September 27, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Gideon, Barak, Samson … who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised…Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured … Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were … put to death by the sword…destitute, persecuted and mistreated … These were all commended for their faith” – Hebrews 11:32-39 edited
Faith isn’t just shown in receiving of miracles but in staying true and faithful even when you don’t!
– fritz
Posted in Faith, tagged Ecclesiastes 07, Phil 03 on September 26, 2010| Leave a Comment »
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Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions. – Ecclesiastes 7:10
Remembering the “Good Old Days” is a waste of time. You can NEVER go back to what was – but you can go forward to something better if you keep focus.
[T]his one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore … be thus minded – Philippians 3:13b-16a
There is better yet to come!
– fritz
Posted in Faith, Righteousness, tagged Psalm 32 on September 23, 2010| Leave a Comment »
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Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. – Psalm 32:1-2
For those who can’t measure up in their own righteousness there is an alternative.
“Imputeth” literally means to “weave”, to “fabricate”, to regard as so – like when a large debt is owed but the owner decides to forgive the debt and regard it as paid; or like when a child draws a picture of “Mommy” and she considers it the prettiest picture in the world!
Abraham, described in the Bible as the father of all the faithful,1 was actually a disobedient liar and a deadbeat dad but he found an alternative, imputed, righteousness.
God had told him, who had no legitimate children, his descendants would be as numerous as the stars2 and that one of them would be the Messiah3 who would pay for his sins. Abraham believed God’s word and God call him righteous. When Abraham asked God to prove it God took an oath. That was good enough for Abraham and good enough for God.
If Abraham found it so can we!
Those of us who just can’t measure up can choose God’s alternative. We can choose to believe God’s word in spite of what we are told by others or what we have always thought. We can believe Jesus paid for our sins with his sacrifice. We can become an actual part of Christ’s body, like my finger is part of mine, and legitimately claim that promised lineage of God’s blessing.
“Those words (“God accepted Abraham’s faith”) were written not only for Abraham but also for us. God will accept us also because we believe in the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Jesus was given to die for our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God.” – Romans 4:23-25
What a wonderful opportunity!
– fritz
1 – Romans 4:11
2 – Genesis 15:5-6 and Romans
3 – John 8:56
Patrikin - Kinship through The Father 