Thursday, August 22, 2013

DAY 460 - How to Follow Abraham's Fatherly Example? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)


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Today's Reading: Romans 4:18-25

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Please click this link to read Romans 4:18-25

Bible Study

      Today's passage is a continuous arguments of yesterday's catch. And that is, what should we do if Abraham is our father. Simple, we just follow his fatherly example. 

Bishop N.T. Wright's says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright):

     What Paul is saying is that in Abraham's faith, and in faith of the same kind, human beings are put back together again and enabled to rediscover what a genuinely human life is like.
     This is how it works.  Humans ignored God, the creator (1:20,25); Abraham believed in God as creator and life-giver (4:17).  Humans knew about God's power, but didn't worship him as God (1:20);  Abraham recognized God's power, and trusted him to use it (4:21).  Human beings did not give God the glory he was due (1:21); Abraham gave God the glory (4:20).  Human beings dishonoured their own bodies by worshipping beings that were not divine (1:24); Abraham, through worshipping the God who gives new life, found that his own body regained its power even though he was long past the age of fathering children.
     The result in each case is telling.  Humans dishonour their bodies by females and males turning away from one another into same-sex relationships (1:26-27); Abraham and Sarah, through their trust in God's promises, are given power to conceive a child (4:19).  Deep within the heart of God's covenant promise lies the fulfilment of the basic command back in Genesis 1, the command which goes with the creation of male and female in God's image: Be fruitful and multiply.  

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone: Romans:Part12. Louisville,KY:Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p78.

     Do you have a better understanding why Abraham is the father of all now? How can you follow Abraham's fatherly example?  
                                    
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"



Spiritual Journal

     What I heard from Jesus today is: How to follow Abraham's fatherly example?

    What I got today from Jesus is a powerful reminder that there are lots of things we need to follow Abraham's good and blessed example.  Yes, he reversed everything human beings intentionally do to against God. And, it is Satan who has been deceiving everyone to reverse God's plan. If we follow Abraham's fatherly example, we can help many people as well as ourselves to reverse Satan's deadly deceiving plan each day. 

    Are you willing to follow Abraham's fatherly example? 
    

Dear Lord Jesus, 

Lead us to follow Abraham's fatherly example to reverse Satan's plan so as to rediscover your mighty blessed plan on us.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.


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Daily Devotion on Fire 2(2 years plan -One year New Testament, one year Old Testament): 

Daily Devotion on Fire (3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

Break.Build (40 days daily devotion- First Baby Step for new Christians): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

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世世代代頌讚你的作為，傳揚你的大能!

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