God loves a questioning, seeking generation

Posted on June 3, 2019 by jwfisch

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Ask [and keep on asking] and it will be given to you, seek [and keep on seeking] and you will find, knock [and keep on knocking] and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

Jesus has issued a challenge. I don’t think many people think of it that way when they see this verse, but that’s really what it is, and that’s the spirit in which it was given. Jesus has issued a general challenge to all to come and get to know Him. It’s at least an invitation, but I think it’s more than that. Come on, if you want to know me better: take me on. You won’t be disappointed. This, of course, is the reason for the challenge. Jesus wants a relationship with us, and He wants the give-and-take of a two-way relationship. He wants a relationship with someone who wants one with Him.

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Posted in Meaning of life, Millennials | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Jesus comes in through the window

Posted on May 31, 2019 by jwfisch

 

 

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Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.  Edith Wharton

My wife loves open windows. If she had it her way, she would have our windows open year-round, rain or shine. It’s about the fresh air. I’m thinking about the NPR program, “Fresh Air” and what a great title that is for a program. Open windows let in fresh air.

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Posted in worship | Tagged , | 5 Comments

To judge or not to judge

Posted on May 30, 2019 by jwfisch

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How hard it is to avoid passing judgment! Patricia, one of our readers, wisely pointed out in a comment on yesterday’s Catch that when I suggested that the preacher railing against pornography has probably got a pornography problem, I was giving you permission to judge all preachers who get mad at some sin as being guilty of the same. While that could be the case, it isn’t necessarily always the case and certainly no cause to pass judgment. Isn’t that what we are trying to avoid here? In the process of trying to get you to avoid judging, I was giving you cause to judge more, and I didn’t even notice that until I read her comment.

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Posted in grace, grace turned outward | Tagged | 2 Comments

The judging game

Posted on May 29, 2019 by jwfisch

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I take notice today that there are actually two sides to judging: there is judging, and there is being judged. Both are important and both are something we should be without. We don’t talk very much about the second one, but it may be harder to get rid of than the first.

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Posted in grace, grace turned outward | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Another admissions scandal

Posted on May 28, 2019 by jwfisch
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Pre-school candidate par excellence.

Our son, Christopher, lives about ten minutes from a church that has the reputation, among many churched and even non-churched people, for having the absolute best pre-school in town. It’s like the USC or Stanford of pre-schools. Christopher’s daughter, Jocelyn, is three years old and eligible to attend this school in the fall. There’s only one problem. They started too late on the admissions process. A place in this school is so sought-after that the closest Joci can get to enrollment for next fall is the wait list.

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Posted in grace, parenting | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Taking the high road

Posted on May 24, 2019 by jwfisch

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So whatever happened to Nabal, that foolish guy in the story of David and Abigail (1 Samuel 25) who refused to share his bounty with David and his fighting men, and would have met his fate at the end of David’s sword were it not for the timely, courageous action of his wife Abigail? The scripture reports that after David listened to the advice and counsel of Abigail and went back to his camp, appeased by the gifts of food and wine that she had brought him, she went home to report all that had happened to Nabal and found him “In high spirits and drunk.” So it happened that the following morning, when he was sober and Abigail told him all that had happened including how close he had come to losing everything including his own life, that Nabal’s “heart failed him and he became like a stone. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died” (25:37-38).

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Posted in grace turned outward, walk by faith, women | Tagged , | 6 Comments

A proper disregard for the law

Posted on May 23, 2019 by jwfisch

 

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[Note: If you’ve been reading the Catch all week, you can skip the first two paragraphs.]

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Posted in discipleship, parenting, relationships, women | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Going AWOL from the culture war

Posted on May 22, 2019 by jwfisch

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In the story of David and Abigail (1 Samuel 25), David vows retribution for the way his men were treated by the landowner (Nabal) who should have been grateful for the kindness his servants received from them. These men of David were armed and dangerous fighting men who stood guard in the field against thieves and robbers while the servants of Nabal were shearing their sheep. (Nabal had 3,000 sheep; it was a major enterprise.) In return, it was customary to assume the soldiers would be able to share in the food and wine that always flowed freely during the festive celebration at the conclusion of the shearing time. Nothing doing. And not only did Nabal turn down their request, he hurled insults at them concerning David. No wonder David was bent on making Nabal and his whole household pay. But this is where David stepped over the line because vengeance is something that should always be left in the hands of the Lord.

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Posted in Christianity and politics, Worldview | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Lay down your swords

Posted on May 21, 2019 by jwfisch

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“So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him [Nabal] by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.” (1 Samuel 25:22 KJV)

No doubt about it; David was pissed. He had just had a handful of his fighting men sent away by a wealthy rancher named Nabal, who refused to share any of the food and wine of his sheep-shearing festivities with them; this, after David and his men had protected them in their fields. “Night and day they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them,” one of Nabal’s servants had reported to him. Nonetheless, Nabal had turned down the request and insulted them and David in the process. “Who is this David?” Nabal had said. “Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?” (:10-11)

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Posted in discipleship, grace turned outward, Worldview | Tagged , | 7 Comments

From here to eternity

Posted on May 20, 2019 by jwfisch

 

 

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Relationships involve our most important experiences of the eternal in this life. Relationships and the Word of God are the two tangible things we possess in this life that will last forever. Everything else is temporary; everything else will burn.

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Posted in relationships | Tagged | 8 Comments