God Likes Books

"Every day of my life was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place." - Psalm 139:16b

God likes books, words, and writing - from the beginning of history to the end.

As important as preaching is, as enjoyable as pictures are, as entertaining as videos have become, it is the common book, with written words, God has chosen to use for everything he cares about.

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" - Revelation 20:12

Why? Not sure, I just think he likes books, words, and writing - and we should learn to enjoy them, too.

- fritz

No Control

"And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not" - Luke 9:49-50a

Jesus never tried to exert control over anyone.

He told the wind to cease, demons to leave, sickness to be healed, and spoke the truth in the face of opposition but he never forced his will or ways on anyone.

How much different would our lives be if we purposed to not try to control.

- fritz

Still Lacking Something

The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? - Matthew 19:20

The Bible tells of a good man who came to Christ and was told to sell everything and follow.

What's important to notice is not the command of Jesus to sell everything, but the man's overwhelming sense something was lacking from his life even after all the good he had done!

The issue is not being good but who is calling the shots.

Jesus told many of the good people of his day,

"[T]he publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you." - Matthew 21:31b

He wasn't recommending being bad but that God's Kingdom is for those who turn everything in their lives over to Christ.

When there is a nagging feeling that something is still lacking, check to see if there is still something (maybe even something good), withheld from Christ.

Throw it down and find rest to the soul.¹

- fritz

^{1 - Matthew 11:29}

Not My Fault, Still My Problem

"And the LORD spake ...When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean ... and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue" - Leviticus 15:1-2, 14-15

Yuck! Old Testament laws can be very graphic but if one believes, as the early Christians,¹ that even Old Testament law has application today, then what do these verses tell us?

They show that even unintended uncleanness is still uncleanness. Having a boil, lesion, or zit is certainly not the intention or even the fault of the individual, it's the way we all are - the human condition.

Yet it still needed cleansing and sacrifice.

We are, all, born with various problems, tendencies, and orientations. Whether our fault or not they are still unclean and need the forgiveness and cleansing of Christ.²

- fritz

^{1 - 1st Corinthians 9:9-10
2 - 1st Corinthians 6:9-12}

PeaceMaking

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." - Matthew 5:9

We think of peacemakers as those as who try to get people to stop fighting.

But what if it is something else?


Scot McKnight tells us in his book One.Life

[P]eace is a result and not a goal.

Peace is the result of years in a good relationship. Marriages shaped by love result in peace. Instead of focusing on having a good marriage, a husband and a wife who focus on loving one another will have a marriage of peace.

Societies that are shaped by justice and love become societies marked by peace...

People who love find peace, whether they think about it or not.

Maybe being a peacemaker means choosing to do loving acts in an unloving situation. Maybe those are the ones who will be called the children of God

- fritz

Maturity

Maturity - knowing what not to say and not saying it.

"If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body" - James 3:2b

-fritz

Better Than Dreamed, More Difficult Than Imagined

Jim Martin, pastor and author of a blog I regularly read made an astute comment, Monday, February 21st¹

I often tell couples before they marry that marriage will probably be better than they ever dreamed and more difficult than they ever imagined.

He goes on to say

Marriage can be difficult, in particular, when you have never seen a healthy marriage up close.

So where else can a person learn to be married?

1. Observe married people who seem to be doing something well...
   
2. Be a part of a Community of Faith that values biblical marriage...
   
3. Seek Counsel from an older couple who is experiencing a good marriage...
   
4. Read books on marriage...
   
5. Listen to the words of Jesus, especially on the topic of relationships.
   

This is something we all need to take to heart!

- fritz

1 - Read Jim Martin's entire post here
2 - Related Post - "Married to A Friend", Patrikin, February 23, 2011