Jesus: The Believer’s Inheritance

-
Image
  It is fascinating to observe when people talk about inheritance, ones mind would immediately cater properties, wills, houses, jewelries, and other material things. All of which are centered on material temporal things.   In 1 Peter 1:4 , although The Apostle Peter used the term “inheritance” once in his letter, Apostle Paul on the other hand, mentioned this term in his letters several times. ( Eph_1:14 , Eph_1:18 , Eph_5:5 , Col_3:24 ,) But what is so significant about this particular emphasis of Peter? After all, he made a brief description of the inheritance (verse 4-5) a believer will obtain now that he is part of God’s family.   The term “inheritance” is not something new among Jewish ears. Going back to the OT, when God divided the promised land among the 12 tribes of Israel, every tribe received a portion of the land as their inheritance, except for the tribe of Levi…”the priestly tribe”. They were the only tribe that didn’t get one. God’s reason for doing so is interesting. Th

A Parent's Prayer

-

A Parent’s Prayer

Newspaper columnist Abigail Van Buren has composed a “Parent’s Prayer” in which she stresses the practical side of raising children. Says “Dear Abby”:

“Oh, heavenly Father, make me a better parent. Teach me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say, and to answer all their questions kindly. Keep me from interrupting them or contradicting them. Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me. Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes, or resort to shame or ridicule when they displease me. May I never punish them for my own selfish satisfaction or to show my power.

“Let me not tempt my child to lie or steal. And guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say and do that honesty produces happiness. “Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me. And when I am out of sorts, help me, O Lord, to hold my tongue.
“May I ever be mindful that my children are children and I should not expect of them the judgment of adults.

“Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves and to make decisions.
“Bless me with the bigness to grant them all their reasonable requests, and the courage to deny them privileges I know will do them harm.

“Make me fair and just and kind. And fit me, Oh Lord, to be loved and respected and imitated by my children. Amen.”

—Pastor’s Manual

 

Source: Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 234). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

Popular posts from this blog

Marriage

-
Image
Marriage is not a man-made institution. For this reason, to redefine it is to go against the God who instituted it. Jesus said, “Haven’t you read…that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?” (Matt. 19:4 NIV) If we are to truly understand what marriage is and should be, let us look into God’s Word. God, our Creator, did not leave us without a clear definition. He not only defines marriage, He also gives provisions for the role of those who enter into it. Consider the following articles by http://www.gotquestions.org/ : 1) What is the Definition of Marriage? http://www.gotquestions.org/definition-of-marriage.html 2) What does the Bible Say About Same-Sex Marriage? http://www.gotquestions.org/gay-marriage.html Sadly, our society has been departing from the wisdom of our Creator. Even those of us who proclaim to know God are failing to follow H
Read more

From Theocracy to Monarchy, a study of 1 Samuel

-
Image
Today’s Message in a Nutshell–“From Theocracy to Monarchy”, a study of 1 Samuel The book of 1 Samuel takes us from the birth of Samuel, the last and greatest judge of Israel, to the anointing of Israel’s most beloved king, David. We find in this book a transition from “theocracy to monarchy” as God’s people chose to be “like all the nations” by demanding that a human king rule over them (1 Samuel 8:5), an outright rejection of the King of kings who had led them from Egypt to the Promised Land. Sadly, a number of believers today follow the error of God’s people in Samuel’s time. We reject God’s rule over us.  Rather than following God’s way, we instead embrace the ways of the world. The Scriptures, therefore, remind us to not love this world (1 John 2:15-17) or be conformed to it (Romans 12:1-2).  Rather, we should “set our affections on things above” (See Colossians 3). We also find in 1 Samuel repeated portraits of individuals who had a good beginning but a sad ending.  Eli judged ove
Read more

The Matter of Slander - Notes on James 4:11-12

-
Image
  The particular subject of James in James 1:36 and James 3:1-11 is the tongue. He again returns to this subject in James 4:11-12.  Based on our prior studies, it is clear that “what you say flows from what is in your heart” (Luke 6:45). In James’ imperative to “not slander one another,” the heart of the problem, as one has aptly put it, “is the problem of the heart.”  The term “slander” speaks of having the intent of defaming or of falsely accusing another. Note that in 1 Peter 2:12, the apostle Peter speaks of slander by unbelievers against believers, which is to be expected, since unbelievers speak from a heart that is fallen in Adam. In contrast, James, in 4:11-12, confronts believers who are slandering fellow believers. Ponder on Matthew 7:1-5, which calls for believers to not condemn fellow believers. Rather, believers should love one another, for “by this all people will know” that they belong to Christ (John 13:34-35). James reasons, quite aptly, that a believer ought not to sp
Read more