Fools for God

Sometimes my beliefs seem crazy. What Christians believe have the surface appearance of really farfetched tales of fiction. I sense this sometimes when speaking to one of my grandchildren about heaven and hell, creation, angels and demons, and more. Stranger than that are the people of biblical record. One man built an ark before the world was purposely flooded by the Creator. A reluctant preacher spent three days inside a whale because he refused God’s call to warn the people in a certain city. A donkey talks to a prophet while an angel nearly runs him through with a sword for being uncooperative. Really?

If any of these examples were in headline news today, we’d scoff. What would you think if you heard an undefeated, famous weight lifter with a long ponytail say that he’d lose all his strength from a haircut? We’d call him a nut case for sure.

And, what about the BIGGEST one of all? Jesus, the only man-God to grace our planet. You’ve read the Scripture that forewarns this one as a fool’s Reward, right?
[ Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom ] For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Therefore, we “fools” can be ecstatically thankful that God left His throne to live among us before He died on a cross to save us. We claim His shed blood makes us as white as snow. We hear God’s voice and are members of a spiritual family with a King and a Kingdom to belong to. One day we plan to celebrate a wedding feast with the majestic, glorious Bridegroom, the Love of our hearts and lives. Yes, this is what it means to be a fool for Christ.

Praise our wonderful God, the rewarder and Reward of our faith, for He has given us unquestionable proof and EVIDENCE for all we believe.

Earth’s past, present, and future is a book God is writing; it’s a Divine Drama of love, romance, adventure, conflict, sacrifice, complete with a Hero and happy ending.

When I was in third grade I heard my first lesson of faith. The teacher wrote on the chalk board the following:

Question: Why did God make you?
Answer: God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next.

I didn’t know at the time that God would pursue me relentlessly the rest of my life. It would be awhile before I understood about His relationship and plans for people on earth, with Israel in particular as a major part of the plot, and of the unfolding revelation of Himself and His desires. He wants our hearts.

Faith was never meant to be rules to follow or doctrines and truths to grasp. It’s a crazy, wild love affair. It’s funny how God operates. He confounds those who are wise in their own eyes and gives depth of wisdom to the simple. So, fools rush in

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Below is an uploaded document I put together of Prophecies of the Bible and How Jesus Fulfilled Them. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone — it is especially good for sharing with Jewish people, in giving overwhelming evidence that Jesus is their long-awaited Messiah.

The Jewish Messiah – a study by Margaret Montreuil

My Good News about THE Good News!

I spent a few months writing the sequel to God in Sandals last year, just after my 4th visit to Israel. Oh, it was all in God’s plan that I’d write again….little did I know when I made the plans for my trip to those historical, sacred places I described in the book. I left Israel revved up and ready to embark on the story of the first century church. I wanted to write about the very beginnings … the fellowship of believers in Jerusalem who witnessed seeing Jesus and becoming His ambassadors of the Kingdom. And, my story starts with non-believers: Jesus’ own brothers. The book literally unfolded as I wrote.

Here’s the background story of the why I wrote His Kingdom Come.

What was it like for Jesus’ closest friends, relatives, and disciples when he conferred the Kingdom of Heaven into their hands? What was it like to have intimately known the Lord on human terms, to have known him while he walked beside them, to then suddenly discover what it meant to know Jesus INSIDE of themselves? What might this pivotal moment in history been like?

The beginning of Christianity looked different than it does today. Most of the believers were Jewish and they understood Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah. Jesus was, to those who followed him, the hope of their nation and the Light of the world. However, the Kingdom Jesus ushered in didn’t look the way anyone expected and yet the Scripture foretold, in uncanny detail, all that Jesus fulfilled in his life. Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, the Son of Israel; the roots of our faith are Jewish and God’s deep love is most wondrously revealed when we understand the degree and extravagant way God came to us.

Even though most Christians have heard the story of the beginnings of the church countless times, I don’t think there is another book like this one. I set out to make it more true than fiction. I wanted to tell the story in a way that would be fresh and new–that would engage our hearts and minds as only stories can do. I set out to flesh out the historical characters who lived during this astounding time. I wanted to reawaken readers to the reality of what Jesus has done and is still doing for those he calls his own.

So, I’d like to invite you to come on a journey … come and see those extraordinary first few years when Jesus’ followers and enemies find themselves caught up in an amazing but difficult time of transition in the epic story of God’s redemption.

Here’s the link that will bring you to be able to read about the book and also a good portion of it for free….  http://www.freado.com/book/9056/his-kingdom-come-a-novel

Please pass the word. Word of mouth is the only way this book will be marketed. Thanks! The book is available in hardcover, softcover, and e-book formats. Barnes and Noble online has the cheapest prices right now.

Oh, guess what? It snowed in Charlotte this week. Here’s a photo of my grandson and me and our snowman. He only lived one day and then melted.

He only lasted one day!

Margaret

HIS KINGDOM COME: A Novel

His Kingdom Come: A Novel

Click on the book cover for a “look inside” preview of this new story!

WestBow Press released HIS KINGDOM COME live on the Internet just before Christmas. I received the author’s review copy the third week of December. What a gift! This is so exciting. I pray you’ll enjoy this book’s  “look inside” feature and then, if you like what you’ve seen, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE  pass on this widget (the http link below) to everyone you know … it’s really such good news!

TO HELP THE CAUSE ….

Here’s the “link code” to the Book Marketing/Review widget. http://freado.com/book/9056/his-kingdom-come-a-novel

Copy and paste it into your email, your own blogs, your facebook page — anywhere you can!

Thanks so much my dearest friends!

Margaret