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Are You A Risk-Taker?

8/21/2012

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Each person has a certain level of risk they are willing to take. Some are willing to take bigger risks than others. Others will take a risk as long as they have assessed the options and feel confident the reward is worth the potential loss.

Following Jesus Christ requires taking risks. There is the risk of faith, risk of reputation, risk of control, and a variety of other risks. Everything changes when you say yes to Jesus.

Years ago, I purchased a well used Nissan Sentra car primarily for commuting 70 miles one way to a Bible college. The driver side looked fine, but the passenger side had been in a major side-swipe accident. The rear passenger door would not open and both doors were crushed inward. Other drivers would give me lots of room when they saw the passenger side feeling I had nothing to lose in a fender bender with a car like that!

People with lives crushed by injustices, loses, and pain are willing to take the risk to follow Jesus because they have lost so much, they have nothing left to lose. Those who are sailing along well in life are less willing to give up everything and follow Jesus because they value too much what they are giving up.

A rich, young man came to Jesus and asked how he might inherit eternal life. He had been following the Ten Commandments, yet knew he was missing something important in life. When Jesus told the young man to take a risk, sell everything and give it to the poor, he could not take the risk and went away sad.

He made the same mistake that many people make today. They do not realize that when you take the risk, what Jesus has to offer is always greater than what have.

Mark 10:29-30“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

What risks do you face or have you faced to give up all and follow Jesus?


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Primary

8/14/2012

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The primary elections are held in our state today. Primary means something that is first in order, rank or importance. A primary election is an election that narrows the field of candidates before the general election.  It is an election which people rank the candidates by their votes.

I have done my research, heard or read the candidate’s reason why they are running and what they will work to accomplish if elected. Some elections appear to be a battle of who can promise the most. It is a great disappointment to place a person first in rank and they are unable to make good on their promises.

God is the only true God, yet there are false gods on the ballot that try to take God’s place. They promise to give us what we desire; recognition, satisfaction, and protection. They are completely unable to fulfill those promises, yet aggressively campaign for our vote every day.

The first of the Ten Commandments is to prevent us from expecting something true from false gods and having God as our one and only God.
Exodus 20:3
“You shall have no other gods before Me.”


Today, make God your primary choice in your life. Place all your expectations in Him to bring protection and satisfaction in your life. You will be recognized by God as His own and He will never disappoint.


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Are you a Risk-Taker?

6/25/2012

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Picture
Each person has a certain level of risk they are willing to take. Some are willing to take bigger risks than others. Others will take a risk as long as they have assessed the options and feel confident the reward is worth the potential loss.

Following Jesus Christ requires taking risks. There is the risk of faith, risk of reputation, risk of control, and a variety of other risks. Everything changes when you say yes to Jesus.

Years ago, I purchased a well used Nissan Sentra car primarily for commuting 70 miles one way to a Bible college. The driver side looked fine, but the passenger side had been in a major side-swipe accident. The rear passenger door would not open and both doors were crushed inward. Other drivers would give me lots of room when they saw the passenger side feeling I had nothing to lose in a fender bender with a car like that!

People with lives crushed by injustices, loses, and pain are willing to take the risk to follow Jesus because they have lost so much, they have nothing left to lose. Those who are sailing along well in life are less willing to give up everything and follow Jesus because they value too much what they are giving up.

A rich, young man came to Jesus and asked how he might inherit eternal life. He had been following the Ten Commandments, yet knew he was missing something important in life. When Jesus told the young man to take a risk, sell everything and give it to the poor, he could not take the risk and went away sad.

He made the same mistake that many people make today. They do not realize that when you take the risk, what Jesus has to offer is always greater than what have.

Mark 10:29-30“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

What risks do you face or have you faced to give up all and follow Jesus?


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Mark's World and God's World

5/22/2012

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God’s world is so much different than my world. The way He chooses to do things is so much better than the way I do things.

In my world, if expectations are not met the consequences are negative. When our children were growing up, an unpleasant summertime activity was weeding the garden. There was a greater success if there was a specific reward when the weeding was complete. If the garden was weeded in the morning I would take them swimming, or some reward for their success.

If they breached the unwritten contract there would be a new contract without a reward and perhaps a punishment. Because they did not finish weeding, they were not going swimming and they had to clean their rooms instead.

God operates much differently.

Jeremiah 33:31-32

“The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,”
declares the Lord.

Right now I would be holding my breath wondering what harder task is ahead because of failing to do what God wanted us to do in the first written contract or covenant. But God’s new covenant is BETTER than the old covenant. God begins to explain that the sacrifices will end because Jesus will be the perfect sacrifice for our sins on the cross. Jesus will be our High Priest whom we can have a relationship with God through, not just the priests in the temple. The Holy Spirit will be God’s guide in our minds and hearts.

Jeremiah 31:33-34
“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Instead of a more restrictive or punishing covenant, God gave us a SUPERIOR covenant. I am glad God is in charge and not me, because I need to operate more like God in my life.


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Ten in Stone and Two in Heart

2/7/2012

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This morning, my daily reading had me read through the 10 Commandments. The events surrounding God giving Moses the stone tablets with these 10 principles relating to worship and ethics were so profound that the people were shaking with fear.

The major shaking surrounding the 10 Commandments today, seems to be centered upon where they can be publicly displayed. I feel this overshadows the freedom we have in America to live these biblical principles on a daily basis.

What if everyone, everyday did the following:
1. Have no other gods but God.
2. Have no idols.
3. Do not misuse God's name.
4. Keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Honor your mother and father.
6. Do not murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not lie.
10. Do not desire possessions that belong to others.

What if everyone, everyday following the two commands Jesus said was most important of loving God and loving others?


If you and I have these two commands in our hearts, the ten in stone will be kept. Love God deeply today and out of the overflow, love others.

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    Mark Radeke

    Husband of one, father of five, pastor and friend of many.

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