Where's Your Heart Located?

"A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left." - Ecclesiastes 10:2

God's word has a subtle way of putting us in our place.

The next time you think you are so wise and able, ask yourself on which side of the body is your heart - the right or the left?

Mine too.

- fritz

Gentleness and Glory!

"The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars ... maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory" - Psalm 29:9

"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way" - Isaiah 30:21a

God's voice is so powerful it breaks trees, and does whatever he wants it to do. Yet, he is so gentle with us - he is heard in a whisper and lets us choose to follow.

- fritz

Gospel - Like a Cake Mix!

"but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." - Hebrews 4:2b

I'm no cook, but I do know something has to be added to dry ingredients to make them stick together and become an actual cake! Just putting the dry mix in the oven doesn't work.

The Gospel is like that. Faith needs to be added to make it hold together in a person's life and become a blessing.

Where does the faith come from? God, gives faith for the asking.

- fritz

Accepted!

"wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." - Ephesians 1:6b

Words change meaning. Today, we accept a lot of things we are not pleased with, simply because we must.

This is NOT what the Bible means! The original Greek word used by the Bible actually means "highly favored", "charming", "circled with favor".

What's more, with its precise word form and endings the Greek word, here, tells us an additional nuance. Ours was not a onetime time acceptance but ongoing! We are currently living in the high favor of God by being in the one whom He loved, our savior, Jesus, the Christ.

- fritz

Two Oars on Life's Dinghy

"..holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck" - 1st Timothy 1:19

Living is sometimes compared to guiding a boat. It could end up where you want to go or it could end up drowning everyone on board.

There are two (2) oars on life's rowboat:

1. Faith
2. A Good Conscience

The Bible says letting go of either is a real mistake!

- fritz

How Do You Receive Correction?

"And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man" - 2nd Samuel 12:17

David stopped listening to God or his conscience. He saw what he wanted and it ended with adultery and murder. Because he was king no one dared confront him - except Nathan, the prophet.

Though perhaps not with the same sin, we all have times of closing off our conscience and spiritual ears, requiring God to send someone like a Nathan.

God always does it - maybe by using a spouse, a friend, your pastor, even a Police officer - but how do we handle it?! By denial, anger, and self-righteousness -- or by soul searching, repentance, and kindness toward the messenger?

It doesn't have to end badly. King David penned his response in Psalm 51. He also named one of his children, Nathan, no doubt after the man whom God used to bring him back to life.

- fritz

Desires can be Good.

"If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work" - 1st Timothy 3:1

I have been in churches where expressing a desire to lead made one suspect. Everyone just knew a calling was something not to desire but surrender under duress.

Paul had no such ideas. God moves through holy desire, and so should we.

- fritz