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>Lord or lunatic

July 5, 2010 by Fritz

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“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven … Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord … then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart” – Matthew 7:22

Some teach Jesus thought of himself only as a good man trying to do the right thing and hoping in the future; that it was, really, his disciples who came to the conclusion Jesus was the divine Son of God.

But Jesus firmly believed in his own Lordship and proclaimed it would be He who decides at the end of the age those entering God’s Kingdom. What kind of a man proclaims that? Either the Lord or a lunatic. The “just a good man” theory isn’t even on the table.

Paul writes

He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself. – 2nd Timothy 2:13b (amplified)

– fritz

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>Divine Opportunities – Taken or Not

July 4, 2010 by Fritz

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“Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted” – Isaiah 7:4

Ahaz went down in history as a wicked and faithless king, but it didn’t have to be that way. Second Kings and Second Chronicles both record his rule1, but Isaiah tells us an additional detail.

Ahaz’s kingdom was under attack and God sent the prophet, Isaiah, to extend an offer – trust in God and be faithful. It was a divine opportunity but it also came with a warning

“If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established”2

Sadly, Ahaz didn’t take his opportunity choosing instead to go to surrounding kings for assistance, begging their help. They helped themselves to his wealth and left him in shambles.

We, too, are extended divine opportunities to turn our lives over to Christ and follow Him.

“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” – Jesus (John 12:46)

Our choices make a difference.

-fritz

1 – 2nd Kings 16 and 2nd Chronicles 28
2 – Isaiah 7:9

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>Living up to our beliefs

July 3, 2010 by Fritz

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“[T]he kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” – Jesus 1

The cost of the kingdom of Heaven is the cost to the man in this parable – all that he had. But the man jumped at the chance; why? Because he was convinced of the value of that treasure and his opportunity.

Faith is not a leap in the dark, it action based on what we are convinced. Action based on what we hope is not faith, it’s hope.

The man in this parable acted according to his faith, we all do whether we realize it or not.

“We often speak of people not living up to their faith. But … genuine beliefs are made obvious by what people do. We always live up to our beliefs–or down to them, as the case may be…”

Want to know what you really believe? Look at what you are doing.

Having trouble giving your all? Ask Jesus to give you a better look at his treasure; to touch it, feel it, and bury it in your heart. Giving all you have will seem like a bargain!

Jim Elliott put it this way, “He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose.”

– fritz

1 – Matthew 13:44
2 – The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard published by HarperCollins, copyright 1998
Related Post:Hidden Treasure (12/31/09)

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