Restoration and Forgiveness on Dec 18 2014

Restoration and Forgiveness

Read James 5:19-20. How does the work described here compare with the work done by Elijah, John the Baptist, and others? See Luke 1:16-17; Acts 3:19.

My husband has wondered away from the truth for almost 9 years. I don't know whether I am able or even capable of turning him back since he has asked me not to attempt nor even pray for him to come back to the Lord. Therefore, I pray that someone turns him back and let him knows his error. As a wife, I hope to turn him away from his error but I know my husband. He will not listen to my advice. He will choose to listen to his "friend's" advice. I pray that his "friend" will help him. Just like many years ago, a stranger who becomes my friend was able to turn me from my error and save my soul from death. 

As I study my quarterly lesson, I ponder upon the goodness of late Andrew Chan Cheak Wan. He truly covered a multitude of sins for me. His witnessing compared with the work done by Elijah, John the Baptist and others was that he turned me to become a child of God. Late Andrew was anointed with God's Spirit. I was a disobedient child but I looked up to his wisdom when he invited me to his home, explained to me the scriptures from Daniel and Revelation. He made me ready for a serious one year bible study prior to baptism at United States in Kentucky, Morehead. Late Andrew had indeed prepared me to accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior.  

I repent and therefore be converted so that my sins may be blotted out. My conversion requires me to do the work of saving souls, especially dealing with my husband who departed from truth with much patience, sympathy, tenderness, and humility. I learn to love my husband with gentleness. Restoration and forgiveness in my marriage is about learning to love like Jesus. If I have hatred in my heart, it only stirs up strife in my family. I'm reminded to love, so that love covers all sins.  

Prov. 10:12

12 Hatred stirs up strife, 

But love covers all sins.

Think of someone who has really done wrong and knows it too. What can you do, what can you say, to help draw this person back toward the Lord?

What I can do is to have sympathy and empathy for the person. What I say is not important. In order to draw a person back toward the Lord, it is the work of the Holy Spirit. I need to have the Holy Spirit resides in me in order not to have a double-minded behavior. My actions always speak louder than words.  

Models of Prayer

Models of Prayer on Wednesday December 17, 2014.

What do we learn about prayer from Elijah's example?

James 5:17-18 

"17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit".

Elijah was a human being just like all of us. He prayed earnestly. He prayed with a purpose in mind. God answered his prayer with no rain for three years and six months. Then, he prayed again, the heaven gave rain and the earth produced vegetation and its fruit. Otherwise, no rain, no crops and it would have no food for the people. 

How is it connected with healing, forgiveness, and restoration?

Healing in the sense that God seeks to heal and to forgive sinners and He restores the earth and us, the sinners to become a New Person in Christ. 

As a church, we are seeking revival and reformation. But it must begin in our own lives, our own selves, on a personal and daily basis. What choices can only you, yourself, make that will determine the direction and, ultimately, the destiny of your life?

My choices for determining the direction and, ultimately, the destiny of my life is to:

1. First Thing First, spend quality time with God. I like my early morning quiet time which helps me to receive the direction of my day and my life.  

2. Prayer has power to move mountain. I didn't know how to pray but God's Spirit within me will help me to make petition to my God. I just put my trust in Him, knowing that I can ask anything in His name, surely He hears my prayers. 

3. When I lost my direction, thinking of ending my life, I'm thankful to God for sending me an animal, my cat Cutie, to remind me of His promises in His Words and in the Book of Nature, in order to get back my courage to face life difficulties. God has the power to shape my destiny according to His good purposes. I believe in God's destiny for my life. I look for evidences of God's love. 

Matthew 6: 25-34 (NET Bible)
6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry33 about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 6:26 Look at the birds in the sky:34 They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds35 them. Aren’t you more valuable36 than they are? 6:27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?37 6:28 Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers38 of the field grow; they do not work39 or spin. 6:29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 6:30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass,40 which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,41 won’t he clothe you even more,42you people of little faith? 6:31 So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 6:32 For the unconverted43 pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 6:33 But above all pursue his kingdom44 and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 6:34 So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.45

4. Keep God's commandments for an eternal life. Time is running out. I concern for keeping myself focus in seeking to grasp the idea of bringing God a living sacrifice of Praise. I constantly remind myself to Rejoice and Praise Him for Christ as my Redeemer. He is ready to help me to obey to sacrifice all for the sake of my Redeemer.

5. Always give honor and glory to God. I made bad choices but I should not forget the lessons I learned from making bad choices. As Christ's follower, God cares for me just like the flowers of the field. Truly, I can't change myself, but I can make my choice and it rests with me to determine what I will become. 

6. I make my choice to yield to Holy Spirit, the best teacher who helps me to awake me for a desire for the imperishable treasure, so that I understand my direction in earthly life is to store up treasure in heaven. 

7. I only want to give God His voice in speaking to me. People can speak their word and I can talk to people but it's God's voice alone that is most powerful. His voice is the only voice that I would listen to. 

8. Be a true learner, a lifelong learner in God's knowledge. The truth is not depend upon on the intellect to tell me about how to determine the direction and destiny for my life. God fill me up as well as other Spiritual Giants who have the mind with Great thoughts, pure thoughts who can inspire me to give my desire for Christ. Hold on to a perception of truth that is higher and holier. Transform upon His love and mercy and to continue my study in pursuing the wonderful work of saving souls by communion with God. 

9. A pureness of purpose with a simplicity of an earnest, dependent faith so that my Christian life is fruit bearing - a reproduction of Christ's character in me, that it may be reproduced in others. 

10. Humility of heart in the face of God. Always seek divine guidance and the angels of God will be near me to give me immediate help. Be like a little child, having an experience like a little child helps me to meet God's expectation.  

Christ, the End of the Law - Sabbath School Lesson 7 2014b

Christ, the End of the Law - Sabbath School Lesson 7 2014b
Sunday
Where Sin Abounded (Rom. 5:12-21)

Read Romans 5:12-21. In what way is the message of God's grace revealed in these texts?

The message of God's grace revealed in these texts:

1. All men can't escape death because all men sinned. Even babies who had not sinned, can't escape death either. 

2. Free gift is not like the offense, due to Adam's offense, many died. The gift of Grace through one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. Through Jesus, we're justified.
 
3. I like verse 17: "For if by the one man’s 7offense
death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of
grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the
One, Jesus Christ".

4. The justification of life is so impressive because in verse 19:  "For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by zone Man’s obedience many will be made righteous". 

5. Grace reigned through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Wow, "a person condemned to death by inhering the sin of the first Adam can now embrace the gift of life by accepting the
righteousness of the Second one, Jesus". Thank you God for His marvelous Providence. 

Monday May 12

Law and Grace (Rom. 6:15-23)

According to Romans 6:12, 15-23, what are the implications for living a life of grace? See especially Rom. 6:12, 15, 17.

1. Stop sinning. Obedience to righteousness means that you present your daily life by obeying Jesus who leads us to righteousness. Be a slave to righteousness for holiness so that at the end, you receive everlasting life.   

2. Romans 6:23 "For ethe wages of sin is death, but fthe 8gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord". 

 

Sabbath School Lesson 1 Quarter 1, 2014: Disciples and Scripture

Sabbath School Lesson 1 Quarter 1, 2014: Disciples and Scripture