OT DAY 69 - Why Abraham Not Pray This Time? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Today's Reading: Genesis 22:3-10

** If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from my Devotion on Fire blog:

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To use this simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link:

 .Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf

Please click this link to read Genesis 22:3-10

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 22&version=ESV

Chinese: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=創 世 記 22&version=CUV

Bible Study

      The topic yesterday is "You Got to Pass Your Next Test". In today and tomorrow's passages we know that Abraham passed the most difficult test he ever had. Do you remember how he prayed and asked for God's mercy when God wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah? Why Abraham did not pray this time? How come?   

Let's take a look at what Professor John Goldingay says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :

    

     There is a contrast between Abraham's reaction to this bidding by God and his reaction when he knows what God intends to do to Sodom.  The earlier bidding led him into prayer, into asking whether God really means it.  This bidding does not have that effect.  Why might that be?  One difference between the two stories is that the first relates to Abraham's concern for someone else while the second relates to Abraham's concern for himself.  We might think it relates to Isaac, but the story focuses on Abraham rather than Isaac.  It is about testing Abraham, about Abraham's willingness to do what God says even when it is outrageous, when it concerns the fulfillment of God's own purpose, and when it goes against Abraham's feelings as a father…
     The story is about God and Abraham.  It brings to our attention the way we might see our relationship with God as entirely a matter of - well, us and our relationship with God.  Prayer is then about my getting God to do what I want for me.  Genesis 18 suggests that our relationship with God and our prayer is not so much about us and what we need as about other people and what they need.  Genesis 22 now suggests it is not so much about us as about God.  It is not about the fulfillment of my longings and the resolving of my fears but about my submitting to God.  

John Goldingay. Genesis for Everyone - Part Two. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.48.

      Wow! This passage teaches us a big lesson on when to pray and when not pray that is beyond our understanding. What have you got from Jesus today?  

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: Why Abraham not pray this time?

    What Jesus tells me today is so important that you got to understand. Why?Because when next time a test comes you may start to pray and pray and pray but forgetting that God just wants you to submit to His Will. What you need to is not to pray but to say, "Yes Sir!" Or, like what Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant, May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38)

    I don't have anything to say now. This is too big a lesson for us to learn. I pray and hope that you can be able to receive what Jesus wants to tell you today so that you know when to pray and when not pray but just submit to His Will!

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to know the difference when to pray and when not pray but to submit to Your Will. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

    Please click this link to the app. Andy Ng wrote. You really need to use that if you have an Android cel. Andy said he is going to do the App. for iPhone later:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ideal.rec.app

Please click this link to worship with us -

從心合一

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJWZQyLzDRQ

Amazing Grace My Chains are Gone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbe7OruLk8I

You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 

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

http://bishopsilas2.blogspot.ca/

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

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/

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

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

http://emmanuel330.blogspot.ca/

This blog:

Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)

http://discipler123.blogspot.ca/

Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year

http://www.htb.org.uk/bio