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Think it Through!

April 5, 2011 by Fritz

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

Posted in Anger, Jacob, Leah, Rachel | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

Be an Encourager!

April 4, 2011 by Fritz

I am touched by Jim Martin’s Post on “A Place for the God Hungry” March 29, 2011. He asked his readers to think of someone who was their encourager.

Mom, Dad, and Me - 1958

For me it was my mom and dad who, in spite of having a difficult marriage, stayed together, loved me, and encouraged me to try new things. What ever I wanted to do at the time they helped – whether it was collecting sea shells, keeping honey bees, building hobby rockets, trying the theater, giving my life to Christ, becoming a pastor, leaving the pastorate to work construction, or leaving the family business to start my own. They loved my wife, they loved children, they supported my dreams and understood my failures. I am grateful!

I purpose to be that kind of encourager wherever I can,  trusting that where I fall short Christ will step in to be the encourager my Wife, children, family, and friends need.

Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will take care of me. – Psalm 27:10

Sound Bite: Everyone needs an encourager!

And Now the Question comes to you as it did to me:  Is there a family story that has been significant in shaping your life? Do you think about this often?

– fritz

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A Place For You!

April 3, 2011 by Fritz

Here are some actual characteristics of the disciples I think we can safely trust. If you resonate with any of these, you’re in a good spot and likely following Jesus:,

1. You think Jesus wants to take over the government so you cut off a soldiers ear in order to get the fighting started. (The neo cons are definitely disciples!)

2. You keep pestering Jesus about who he will give more power to in heaven.

3. You have no theological training but own a small fishing business which somehow makes you qualified because you “get it.”

4. The Holy Spirit crashes into one of your mini sermons so everybody can speak different languages and outsiders think you’re drunk.

5. People ask you if you know Jesus and you freak out and say no and run away.

6. You hear they killed Jesus on a cross and you figure the whole thing was a wash and you got duped.

7. You choose other disciples by playing rock, paper scissors.

8. You teach bad theology and have to have somebody else come over and correct you.

So there you go. My guess is there’s a place in there for you. So if you’re confused about theology or power hungry or just an average idiot, take the first step. You’ll get sorted out along the way. The disciples “became” some pretty great guys in the end. – Don Miller March 29, 2011

– fritz
Related Post: Not Very Clever – March 28, 2011

Posted in Discipleship, Donald Miller, Qualifications, Quotes | Leave a Comment »

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