25/1/12 Acts 26:19-32
S: Acts 26:28-29 Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”
Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”
O: Agrippa was a king, while Paul was a prisoner. Yet, Paul took the opportunity of his legal defence to share the Gospel. Indeed, Paul was ultimately in a better position than King Agrippa & Queen Bernice, and Governor Festus, because he had eternal life.
A: Paul recognised that even though he was in chains, he was in a much better position ultimately because he was in Christ. So he boldly took the opportunity to share the Gospel with King Agrippa and the other VIPs.
P: Father, help us to keep things in Your perspective, like Paul did. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Momentary light affliction
20/1/12 Genesis 49-50; Psalm 8; Luke 20
S: Genesis 20:15,18-21 But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said. ... Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
O: When Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, their intentions were entirely evil. However, God took advantage of those evil intentions to do much good -- saving Egypt as well as their family from being wiped out by the 7 year famine.
Corrie and Betsie Ten Boom were two of the many Righteous Gentiles who helped rescue Jews during the Nazi Holocaust. They were eventually caught by the Nazis and sent to a concentration camp. Corrie was in despair at the situation but Betsie reminded her of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, that they should give thanks in all circumstances.
So Corrie agreed to pray with Betsie and give thanks for things like the fact that they were kept together and not separated, and that the prison guards did not discover Corrie had smuggled a Bible into the prison, etc. But then Betsie wanted to thank God for the fleas! The fleas? Goodness, Corrie wasn't sure that she could thank God for that. But months later, they discovered that the reason they had so much freedom in the barracks was because the guards were afraid to enter it due to the fleas!
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
A: Just like Joseph and Betsie, we might not understand the reasons behind any tribulations we might be experiencing right now, but, like them, we can continue to trust God.
P: Father, thank You that You remain in control. We need to trust You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
S: Genesis 20:15,18-21 But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said. ... Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
O: When Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, their intentions were entirely evil. However, God took advantage of those evil intentions to do much good -- saving Egypt as well as their family from being wiped out by the 7 year famine.
Corrie and Betsie Ten Boom were two of the many Righteous Gentiles who helped rescue Jews during the Nazi Holocaust. They were eventually caught by the Nazis and sent to a concentration camp. Corrie was in despair at the situation but Betsie reminded her of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, that they should give thanks in all circumstances.
So Corrie agreed to pray with Betsie and give thanks for things like the fact that they were kept together and not separated, and that the prison guards did not discover Corrie had smuggled a Bible into the prison, etc. But then Betsie wanted to thank God for the fleas! The fleas? Goodness, Corrie wasn't sure that she could thank God for that. But months later, they discovered that the reason they had so much freedom in the barracks was because the guards were afraid to enter it due to the fleas!
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
A: Just like Joseph and Betsie, we might not understand the reasons behind any tribulations we might be experiencing right now, but, like them, we can continue to trust God.
P: Father, thank You that You remain in control. We need to trust You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Sometimes we need to learn the same lesson again
8/1/12 Genesis 20-22; Luke 8
S: Genesis 20:1-13 Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace. But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!” But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.” In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her. Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.” Abimelech got up early the next morning and quickly called all his servants together. When he told them what had happened, his men were terrified. Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done! Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?” Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’ And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. When God called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a favour. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.’”
O: I had wondered for a long time about how Abraham could have committed this same sin the second time after what God taught him in Egypt. What he says in verse 13 here I think explains that. He didn't just commit this sin in Egypt, he committed this sin wherever he went since he left Haran, and possibly since he left Ur of the Chaldeans with his father Terah!
When one has been habitually committing a sin, even a clear rebuke from the Lord isn't enough to make one stop, as one easily falls back into the habit. So the Lord had to expose his lie again.
A: The Lord did not abandon Abraham in spite of him struggling with a habitual sin. So even as we struggle with habitual sins, we must not despair and stop following the Lord, but rather, we must keep repenting and keep turning back to the Lord until we are made perfect in Christ and overcome.
P: Father, thank You that You don't abandon us even when we continue to struggle with the same sins. Great is Your faithfulness! In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
S: Genesis 20:1-13 Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace. But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!” But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.” In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her. Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.” Abimelech got up early the next morning and quickly called all his servants together. When he told them what had happened, his men were terrified. Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done! Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?” Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’ And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. When God called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a favour. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.’”
O: I had wondered for a long time about how Abraham could have committed this same sin the second time after what God taught him in Egypt. What he says in verse 13 here I think explains that. He didn't just commit this sin in Egypt, he committed this sin wherever he went since he left Haran, and possibly since he left Ur of the Chaldeans with his father Terah!
When one has been habitually committing a sin, even a clear rebuke from the Lord isn't enough to make one stop, as one easily falls back into the habit. So the Lord had to expose his lie again.
A: The Lord did not abandon Abraham in spite of him struggling with a habitual sin. So even as we struggle with habitual sins, we must not despair and stop following the Lord, but rather, we must keep repenting and keep turning back to the Lord until we are made perfect in Christ and overcome.
P: Father, thank You that You don't abandon us even when we continue to struggle with the same sins. Great is Your faithfulness! In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Believers make mistakes
7/1/11 Genesis 18-19; Psalm 3; Luke 7
S: Genesis 19:6-8 So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. “Please, my brothers,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing. Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection.”
O: By our modern standards, we would be horrified at a father offering his two virgin daughters to be raped to protect his guests. But Lot was a product of his culture. God did not judge Lot for this, although Lot's mistakes perhaps contributed to his daughters later committing incest with him and birthing the Ammonites and the Moabites who later become enemies of the Israelites.
As I had pointed out in We're responsible for what we know, God doesn't condemn a believer for doing wrong stuff that they don't know is wrong, though there are consequences to their unknowing sins.
A: There's much that we already know about right and wrong by God's standards, so we should follow that first.
P: Father, thank You for Your mercy, and lead us in the way everlasting. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
S: Genesis 19:6-8 So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. “Please, my brothers,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing. Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection.”
O: By our modern standards, we would be horrified at a father offering his two virgin daughters to be raped to protect his guests. But Lot was a product of his culture. God did not judge Lot for this, although Lot's mistakes perhaps contributed to his daughters later committing incest with him and birthing the Ammonites and the Moabites who later become enemies of the Israelites.
As I had pointed out in We're responsible for what we know, God doesn't condemn a believer for doing wrong stuff that they don't know is wrong, though there are consequences to their unknowing sins.
A: There's much that we already know about right and wrong by God's standards, so we should follow that first.
P: Father, thank You for Your mercy, and lead us in the way everlasting. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
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