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Archive for the ‘Belief’ Category

Shh!

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” — Psalm 91:1

God has a secret!

King David called it a place1 of God’s protection and a shelter from strife and pride.2 Job, (pronounced with a long “o” and best known for his personal suffering) said it was a place where wisdom lived but that it had only been heard of, never yet discovered.3

The apostle Paul called that place a mystery, hidden for hundreds of years … until NOW! He said he, actually, discovered it and so could we!

He wrote the mystery is found by getting connected, literally, to God through Jesus!

This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you” – Colossians 1:26-27

Not a euphemism, when joined to Christ we become a physical extension of himself — so much so that what we do in our bodies, good and bad, is what we are doing with and to Christ.4

When God looks at us he is seeing an extension of his son. Christ’s payment on the cross for sin, ours5. The Holy Spirit working in Jesus, now working in us. Our debts, his. Our bodies, his. Our needs, his. His closeness to the Father, ours. And when Jesus returns for us we shall be like him.6

This changes everything!

– fritz
1. Psalm 91:1
2. Psalm 31:20
3. Job 28:20-23
4. 1st Corinthians 6:13-17
5. 1st John 4:17
6. 1st John 3:2

Related Post: “Thin Places” — March 20, 2012

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SharedCar3Yesterday I had a conversation with our Son about the car. He was incensed we would put our car he drives in the shop without providing another for his use. I tried to explain it was my job to administer our shared resources for the good of all — which means sometimes he has to wait and/or find alternatives to the places he wants to go.

Reasoning did no good, I guess because it combined two words: “Him” and “Wait”.

Today God had a conversation with me about almost the same thing. This world, everyone and everything in it, is a shared resource. It’s his dirt, he must administer those resources according to his wisdom and love — which means sometimes I have to wait and/or find alternatives to get me places I want to go, trusting that what I really need he will provide.

Sharing resources requires patience, a positive attitude, and perseverance.

— fritz

* Get your own dirt. April 27, 2012

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Augustine of Hippo

Augustine of Hippo

Difficulties put focus in the wrong place — how I feel, what I didn’t get, what they did to me, why God didn’t meet my expectations! The “I”, “My”, and “Me” focus gets nowhere peacefully.

Psalm 37 gives six(6) action steps to getting out of that swirl and moving on to something better. First on the list is letting go of the burn.1 The second act is deciding to trust God by getting up and doing the right thing.2. Third step:

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” — Psalm 37:4

This one comes with a lovely promise! Who is going to give me what I really want if I don’t? God.

Doing this means several things. It means relinquishing both the control and the result to God. It means putting focus on him and what he wants, and it means being pliable. The word translated here as “Delight” literally means to be soft, pliable, delicate.

What if my heart’s desires are selfish, vengeful, and ungodly? If we are pliable God can change that and mold our hearts to desire what is good.

The ancient philosopher, St. Augustine, living in the first century discovered this very thing and wrote the famous line, “Love God and do whatever you please: for the soul trained in love to God will do nothing to offend the One who is Beloved.”

Step #3 – Let your heart be pliable in God’s hands.

— fritz
1. Step #1 – Fret not, 02/21/2013
2. Step #2 – Trust and do good, 02/22/2013

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