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Archive for the ‘God’ Category

Walking on Water With Jesus

Posted in Christ, Faith, God's Power, Recognizing Christ, Symbolism, tagged , , on July 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me! – Matthew 14:29-30 (MESSAGE)

It was night and the weather was storming! The disciples were in danger, barely making any progress, barely staying afloat when Jesus comes walking by on the water on foot. They were terrified thinking it was a ghost, wouldn’t you?

Peter sceptically said, “If you’re for real then let me do it, too!”

“Come on!”, Jesus said and Peter walked on water. Metaphorically so do we.

Events and problems swarm around us threatening to capsize and drown. Jesus is there, barely visible through the haze, undisturbed by the commotion. He’s not a ghost, not a make-believe deity. He tell us we can be safe with him through it all — all we have to do is abandon our trust in the boat and go with him.

When walking with him, however, don’t expect the wind to stop or the water to thicken. Keep focused on his call and his care; it’s all there for the asking.

— fritz

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Advantages of being a Relative

Posted in Freedom, God's Children, gospel, Tax, tagged , on June 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Tax men came to Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay taxes?”

Peter said, “Of course.” But as soon as they were in the house, Jesus confronted him. “Simon, what do you think? When a king levies taxes, who pays—his children or his subjects?” He answered, “His subjects.”

Jesus said, “Then the children get off free, right?

Jesus made a special point to Peter that the kings of this world don’t charge their own children taxes. There are certain advantages to being a relative of the one in power.

Same with God — His Children live in His kingdom for free, too.

Why point that out? Because receiving Christ changes a person from being one of God’s “subjects/servant” to one of God’s “children”

So then, you are no longer a slave but a child. And since you are his child, God will give you all that he has for his children. – Galatians 4:7 (Good News Bible)

If you are Christ’s come to God as his child not his servant; it will change your prayer life!

— fritz

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Love and Loneliness

Posted in Benjamin Franklin, Creation, Explanations, God's Character, God's Favor, James Weldon Johnson, John Wesley, Quotes, tagged , , , on May 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Funny how literary works and old sayings get stuck in the back of the mind and we accept wrong ideas without thinking!

James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938)


Benjamin Franklin said, “God helps those who help themselves”, and over the years most think that is in the Bible. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism says, “Cleanliness is next to godliness”, and we think that’s somewhere in the Bible, too.

James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) wrote a poem in 1922 called, “The Creation”,

AND God stepped out on space,
And He looked around and said,
“I’m lonely—
I’ll make me a world.”

And it filters down that God was somehow lonely — creating us to keep him company.

While it is a great poem (I presented it in high school drama) it is not very accurate. God was NOT lonely, did not create us from a sense of need, and has never depended on us for anything.

Why is that important? Because there is a difference between Love and Loneliness.

Loneliness focuses on self whereas Love is selfless. Ever known someone who “loved” you because they were lonely? How about someone who really loved you (regardless of what it did for them)? Notice a difference, did you?

God created through selfless love even though he knew it would cost him what was most dear (Rev. 3:8). He gave his eternal Son because he Loved (John 3:16) though most would reject (John 1:11). And throughout eternity he shall demonstrate that selfless love by pouring grace and blessing on those who enter the “secret place”1 (Ephesians 2:7)

No, God is complete within himself needing nothing but decided to share that love with the universe so they could enjoy it, too.

— fritz

1 See “A Secret Place” — April 22, 2012

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