OT DAY 72 - Pray for Marrying A Christian (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Starting from three days ago we add one important thing to our daily devotion. We start our devotion with one to two verses from the Psalms to praise God. We always have so limited vocabulary when we want to praise God. Let's learn from the Psalms so that we can be able to praise God in a better way:

O Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.         Psalm 8:1

Today's Reading: Genesis 24:1-20

** 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:

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

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 24:1-20

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=創 世 記 24&version=CUV

Chinese: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=創 世 記 24&version=CUV

Bible Study

      Today's passage tells us Abraham's insistence on Isaac marrying not a Canaanite woman and how his servant experienced the power of prayer for this important mission.  

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

    

     Abraham's strong insistence about Isaac's not marrying someone from among the Canaanites nuances all this.  It would ring bells for people listening to Genesis, in whose context the Canaanites are people practicing a religion that often attracts Israelites and influences them in a way the "proper" Old Testament faith disapproves of.  We have noted one instance, the way Middle Eastern religion could approve of the sacrifice of a child when the Torah and the Prophets do not…
     On the surface in this story, Isaac's not marrying a Canaanite girl is a cultural and ethnic principle, but it also presupposes a religious principle.  A Canaanite spouse will lead you into Canaanite ways.  

John Goldingay. Genesis for Everyone - Part Two. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.59-60.

      There are quite a number of Christians not guarding this bottom line anymore and they do not think marrying non-Christians have any problem. What do you think? Do you think this is a cultural problem or a spiritual problem? 

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: Pray for marrying a Christian

    What Jesus tells me today is to be aware of today's issue. I have a few good examples of some Christians married non-Christians and successfully led their spouse to become Christians. But, in most cases, the result is really not good. 

     I still remember when I was young, I decided not to have any girlfriend who is not a Christian and never marry anyone who is not a Christian. I asked our elder son Ignatius many years ago, I think when he was still in hight school and he has the same attitude as I have. 

     I do hope that my insistence that a Christian should marry a Christian won't hurt anyone but will bless more young people when they are willing to do that. Yes, it would be more and more difficult to find a Christian, or even harder good Christians to marry. But, that's the same situation as in today's passage.

     I think what we need to do is to have more people to pray for our young people so that they know that God will prepare them with their Rebecca/Isaac. Lots of time, our young people do not understand how important that is, they don't have anyone pray for them in this important issue, not even their Christian parents. Without prayer, I don't think things will happen. 

     You need to start to pray today no matter you or your children are trying to find a good Christian spouse. You need to pray for that daily! 

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to pray for this important issue of Christian marriage. 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