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Changing Perspectives

May 2, 2012 by Fritz

John Ortberg

“The growth of the disciples looked something like this: First they had faith in Jesus; then they began to have the faith of Jesus. Their mental maps began to look like Jesus’ mental map. — John Ortberg1

John goes on to say that the deepest conviction of the followers of Christ is boiled down to one sentence,

… his disciples realized that Jesus is the Savior of the world—that he really is the revelation of God himself—and therefore they trusted him with their eternal destinies as well. Elton Trueblood wrote these words, and I think they are profoundly true: “The deepest conviction of the Christian is that Christ was not wrong.”

That’s really what it comes down to, experiencing Christ in living enough to decide to believe him, to take up the faith he had.

Related Post: “Mr Monk’s Gospel Lesson” – May 14, 2010

1 Ortberg, John (2008-09-02). Faith and Doubt (Kindle Locations 715-719). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Posted in Discipleship, Faith, John Ortberg, Maturity, Quotes | Leave a Comment »

Waiting, Not Killing Time

May 1, 2012 by Fritz

“They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength” — Isaiah 40:30b

Many Bible verses tell us to Wait on God but they don’t mean killing time. The word used, here, for “wait” is first found in Genesis,

“And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together in one place…” — Genesis 1:9

So the term means to pull together into one place or, figuratively, one focus.

We, also, see the same word in Job,

“…as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work, so am I…” — Job 7:2

The word includes actively, expectantly, looking for something — a reward in this case.

No, waiting on God isn’t killing time, it’s focused attentiveness with an expectation of blessing. It may involve time because, after all, God’s on his own schedule — but his schedule is right and the results are worth the wait.

God “will help us at the right time.” — Hebrews 4:16b (GW)

— fritz
Related Post: Lesson from a Trapeze Artist – April 18, 2012

Posted in Explanations, Waiting, Watching | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

When Jesus Doesn’t Care (Rules are Rules)

April 30, 2012 by Fritz

“Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” — Mark 12:14b

Three times Jesus was accused of not caring. Here, some were trying to get Jesus to make a public gaff and derail his ministry. Does Jesus uphold a hated law and reject caring or does he turn against the law and risk arrest?
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The ones who really didn’t care were those trying to put Jesus into a box. They didn’t care what he thought, what was right or wrong, only what would further their cause. They were accusing Jesus of being like them.

They didn’t think Jesus cared because they didn’t care. We tend to project to God our own attitudes.

But Jesus went right to the heart — What, really, determines the ownership of anything? The image stamped upon it — what does it look like?

Who do you resemble? Who owns you? Are you stamped with your heavenly Father’s image or acting like the devil?

The good news — ownership can change!

It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood” — 1st Peter 1:18 (MSG)

— fritz

Posted in Character, Christ, Compassion, Ownership | Tagged , | Leave a Comment »

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