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Archive for the ‘Dallas Willard’ Category

Where are God’s blessings?

Posted in Dallas Willard, Escapism, Quotes on July 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »

They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”) – Matthew 1:23 (Message)

In Christ God is with us in our life’s situation now. This is very hard to realize when the car breaks down, the children are sick, the job is floundering, and more sometimes all at once.

The fact is we must see our lives and circumstances as the place of God’s blessing, the place of service, and the place of our current calling. The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul said,

“we know that all things work together for good to them that love God … called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

We must hold tight (in spite of opposite feelings) to the knowledge that God is at work through the good and difficult – not that all things we experience are good things but that God is using all things, even the unwanted, for our good.1

“God has yet to bless anyone except where they actually are, and if we faithlessly discard situation after situation, moment after moment, as not being “right,” we will simply have no place to receive his kingdom into our life. For those situations and moments are our life.”2

— fritz@langgang.com

1 – see also: “Escapism in the Bible” (June 4, 2010)
2 – The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, published by HarperCollins, copyright 1998

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>What is Full-time Christian Service?

Posted in Dallas Willard, Quotes on June 30, 2010| Leave a Comment »

>We are all called to “Full-time Christian Service”. No, not as a pastor, missionary, or “Evangelist” but to be fully engaged with Christ in the roles we have.

We are conditioned to think service to Christ means doing “religious” things and we find those things increasingly irrelevant. We are not called to live his life, we are to allow him to live ours. Recognizing his presence to help us do our lives his way is very relevant, even essential.

Dallas Willard, a university professor, put it this way,

“As Jesus’ apprentice … I constantly have before me the question of how he would deal with students and colleagues … How would he design a course … How would he compose a test, administer it, and grade it? What would his research projects be, and why?1

Begin by asking, “Would Jesus do this line of work?” If not ask him to lead you to something else but if, “Yes”, ask him do it through you his way.

Butchers and bakers, homemakers and pastors, missionaries and factory workers, if serving Christ, are all in Full-Time Christian Service.

– fritz

1 – The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, Published by HarperCollins e-books, Copyright 1998

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The Unchangeable One Changes!

Posted in Dallas Willard, Prayer, Quotes, tagged on June 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »

God tells king Hezekiah to get his house in order because he is going to die. But Hezekiah prays and God changes his verdict saying,

“Thus saith the LORD, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.” (Isaiah 38:5)

Fifteen years later a new king reigns, at age 12, who would not have even been born had God followed through with His original pronouncement. History for a nation was changed by answer to prayer.

We sometimes think since God already knows what we need, why ask? We secretly wonder if He acts on His sovereignty, benevolence, and wisdom; not our asking. It may sound spiritual but that idea kills one’s prayer life.

Jesus throughout the gospels tells us to pray and not quit. Bible stories like this remind us God is affected by sincere prayer. His greatness is shown in sometimes changing decisions when asked.

It is not inherently “greater” to be inflexible. That is an unfortunate human idea of greatness, … it is far greater to be flexible and yet able to achieve the good goals one has set. And that is an essential part of the Divine Personality shown in the Bible”1

– fritz
1. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, Published by HarperCollins e-books, Copyright 1998, page 251

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