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The Real Strength of Weakness

August 11, 2011 by Fritz

And [God] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness…Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. – 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10

Jon Gosselin Before and After

Years ago I caught a glimpse of John Gosselin, yes the one in the TV series, when a hair restoration company gave him a free treatment. He seemed like a nice unassuming guy, a faithful husband (I never watched a single episode so I really wouldn’t know). Later he turned into quite a playboy, splitting his family apart, and I wonder — the fresh look seemed to open the door to truly hurtful results.

I had a college friend with serious stomach problems who asked for prayer and God healed. He later said to me, “I can, now, party and drink all the beer I want!”

I got to know a new couple at church who loved Jesus. In their fifty’s, the wife had a degenerative bone disease and expected to eventually be in a wheel chair. My pastor prayed for them and she was gloriously healed. They soon quit attending church and we lost touch so I called to find out she decided to go back to her nursing career and was too busy for church or past friendships.

Yes, I believe God heals and wants us physically whole but sometimes not being physically whole keeps us spiritually growing. These are not always mutually exclusive but when they are, which would God consider best?

— fritz@langgang.com

Posted in Faithfulness, Healing, Weakness | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

Not Some Dead Guy Telling Me What To Do

August 10, 2011 by Fritz

Garret Keizer

“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. – 1st Corinthians 15:14

Some ask what difference it makes whether or not Christ was, really, bodily raised from the dead — lots! Garret Keizer, American author, writer and essayist puts it this way,

“On the day when I can no longer believe in the resurrection I shall no longer be able to follow Christ. It’s not that I require a reward after death, it’s just that I refuse to have a dead guy running my life.”1

— fritz@langgang.com
1. Marry a Pregnant Virgin: unusual Bible Stores for New and Curious Christians by Frank G. Honeycutt, pg 171

Posted in Faith, Garret Keizer, Quotes, resurrection | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

Just Too Tense

August 9, 2011 by Fritz

The story is told of a man complaining to his psychiatrist about continuous nightmares, first of being an indian Tee-Pee then of being a pup tent over and over, driving him crazy. “Relax”, said the doctor, “You’re just two tents (too tense)”.

Verb tense, however, has nothing to do with nerves — it’s what tells us when action happens.

Notice the two verb tenses in Pauls’ words to the Corinthians — after giving a whole list of the kinds of people who won’t make it to heaven he adds,

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. – 1st Corinthians 6:11

English combines two tenses, the past tense (washed, sanctified, justified) with the present tense (are), to express action that began at some point in past but hasn’t quit.

Why is that important? I wasn’t only forgiven for what I did, I was, but I am still being forgiven, still being changed, still cleansed — and someone like me needs that.

— fritz@langang.com

Posted in Forgiveness | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

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