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>Don’t turn off your brain!

July 29, 2010 by Fritz

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“The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.” – Matthew 16:1

Jesus was asked for a sign from heaven proving He was the Savior. He told his audience they had the signs all around them if they would only use their brain and an observant eye.

“He told them, “You have a saying that goes,

‘Red sky at night, sailor’s delight;
red sky at morning, sailors take warning.’

You find it easy enough to forecast the weather—why can’t you read the signs of the times?” – Matthew 16:3b (Message)

Waiting for a sign isn’t an issue, but an excuse. An open mind, an observant eye, and a desire to see the truth are all that are really needed.

God can work with that!

-fritz

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>Freedom from sin even if not free of it.

July 28, 2010 by Fritz

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“And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” – 1st John 3:5

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” – Romans 6:14

Sin is the real culprit in our failed relationships and broken lives; most understand this but find it impossible to avoid.

Jesus brings forgiveness and the ability to refuse to obey sin’s call – he gives the ability to say, “No”. That fact is not diminished even when we still sometimes say, “Yes”.

Dallas Willard has a helpful way to look at this; take a moment to think about what he wrote.

“The psychological condition established in us by the influx of Christ’s life–a psychological reality–allows us to rise above our “old person” for the motivation, organization, and direction of our physical existence.

Even if we waver and turn back to the “old person”” upon occasion, we still are able to do otherwise. People without the new life have no choice. but we have a new force within us that gives us choice. In this sense we are free from sin even if not yet free from it. Doing what is good and right becomes increasingly easy, sweet, sensible to us as grace grows in us.”1

-fritz

1 – Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines (HarperCollins 1998) by Dallas Willard (emphasis is mine)

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>Bucket of the Mouth from the Well of the Heart

July 27, 2010 by Fritz

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“Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.” – Jesus (Matthew 15:11)

Jesus’ followers were criticized for what they ate, but Jesus said what goes into the mouth is not as important as what comes out.

“[T]hose things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.” – Jesus (Matthew 15:18)

The old saying is, “What’s in the well of the heart comes out through the bucket of the mouth.”

Want to know what is really in your heart? Listen to what you say in your unguarded moments.

BTW – Jesus changes hearts for the asking.

– fritz

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