Responsibilities

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 20-21

Abraham's attitude is not always responsible, in particular often seek safety in the face of danger or conflict which eventually led to a bitter fruit, that he should expel Hagar, his mistress, and Ismail, own son (21:10-14).

As the head of household, Abraham should not simply follow her advice to take Hagar as a young wife, because it reflects the distrust of the ability of God fulfilled His promise to give Abraham descendants. Because Abraham did not dare to take responsibility in decision-making, not surprising that Abraham's confusion when his wife asked him to drive his young wife. If Abraham took responsibility as head of household who makes decisions, dilemmas (two difficult choices) of selecting a young wife or an old wives would not have happened.

In the structure of the Christian family, the husband is the head of the stairs that should lead in decision-making and should lead the whole family to follow the will of God. Although the husband and wife must work together in educating children, the responsibility remains in the hands of husbands. Wife is a companion to help her husband so her husband could carry out their responsibilities. If the husband is not responsible, the wife will occupy the position of the husband, and the decisions taken by the wife will be heavily influenced by an unstable feeling. If a wife wants her husband to carry out their responsibilities properly, he should always give support and encouragement to her husband.

Colossians 3:18
"Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord."

Who's Building Your Children?

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 19

Options Lot to settle in the city of Sodom was wrong because he's just the aspect of soil fertility (prosperity) and ignore the need for a good environment. As a result, pagan vision helped shape the views of children Lot (13:10,11, 19:31-32).

If people in ancient times, especially the aspect of soil fertility in choosing a place to live, people in the present, especially prioritizing business development facility, education, and entertainment, which also will also determine the price of land. From the beginning until now, rarely a priority there is spiritual development and a good environment for the children as the main criteria in choosing a place to live.

A lot of people wrong by assuming that our lives and our families is determined by the material, when in fact many factors that shape these lives. By prioritizing the material, Lot forget that the neighborhood will help shape the mindset of his children. After the city of Sodom and Gomorrah and the Jordan valley were destroyed by God with fire and brimstone, the two girls Lot felt that they had to connect the descendants of the family and the only way to have children is by having sex with their fathers because there is no other man can they meet. As a result, the older daughter gave birth to a boy named "Moab", ie the ancestor of Moab, and the younger gave birth to a boy named "Ben-Ami", the ancestor of the Ammonites. Both nations are hostile to Israel. It was horrible due to the influence of environment on the behavior of the daughters of Lot's family!

Proverbs 22:6
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Boundaries of Faith

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 18

Abraham failed to ask for forgiveness for the city of Sodom because he did not dare to come out of the limits of his faith. If Abraham dared to ask for forgiveness on the understanding that God is full of grace, may God give forgiveness.

When God tells his plan to punish the city of Sodom, Abraham begged forgiveness on the basis of the righteous in the city. Unfortunately, Abraham allegations about the existence of the righteous in the city wrong. Abraham request rejected by God because the request is based on the supposition that do not match reality, namely that ten people were not really there in the city of Sodom was. Supposition ten righteous is the faith of Abraham limits based on rational considerations. Should limit our faith is not determined by rational considerations, but by the grace of God. We ask not because we deserve to receive what we ask for, but we ask for on the understanding that God is full of grace.

What is limiting your faith. If you're sick and prayed for God to heal, if you set limits on who can and diseases that can not be healed by God? Does God only can cure the common cold? Does God also can cure cancer, kidney, heart, bird flu and swine flu? Does God can help in financial trouble? Does God understands and can provide a solution to the problem of life friend? Does God live only help when we've considered good by God? Does your faith is limited?

Ephesians 3:20
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

The Importance of Keeping the Faith

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 16-17

Faith is absolutely necessary to hold the promise of God who sometimes seemed absurd. Doubt makes Abraham's hard to refuse when his wife suggested that he take Hagar as a concubine. A moment of faith can bring off the painful effects.

Sara who had menopausal difficult to keep believing that she would get pregnant and bear children for Abraham. Therefore, Sarah suggested that Abraham take Hagar as a concubine. Abraham's willingness to follow the advice of Sara is an ironic thing to remember that in the previous chapter, Abraham believed God's promise that he himself would have descendants (15:5-6).

To understand this story objectively, be aware that the events as God reaffirms his promise to give offspring to Abraham and Hagar when Sara offers to be taken as a young wife who is an interval of perhaps about 10 years. Even though Abraham and Sarah seems to believe God's promise of their descendants, they are not too sure that this promise will be fulfilled through the womb of Sara. They do not think that the idea took Hagar as a young wife with a very bad effect, namely competition and conflict between old wife and a young wife (16:4-6; 21:9-14). Later, their descendants developed into the nations warring in Palestine today.

Sad side of the story of Abraham's family, reminds us that faith in God's promises must be maintained in the long run, not just one or two years, but for life. Removing the faith can bring painful consequences!

James 1:2-3
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

Struggling to Interest People

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 14-15

Although Abraham is basically a peace-loving, the greatness of character when he appeared 318 people mobilized his men to fight for liberating Lot, his nephew, of the enemy prisoners.

The character of Abraham who love peace (tend to always avoid arguments) visible from a few events. First, as his servants and servants of Lot fight, he decided to split from Lot to avoid problems. He also invited Lot to choose the place (13:1-12). Second, the beauty she has the potential to invite trouble, he chose to ask his wife claimed to be his brother (12:11-13). Third, when Sara was desperate to ask Abraham married Hagar in order to have a child, he went along (16:1-6), so he must have a deep sadness when he had to expel Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham's son from his marriage to Hagar (21:9-14).

Abraham's character that always avoid arguments as described above, it is surprising that Abraham dared to lead his people to fight against the king's army and Kedorlaomer allies kings (14:1-16). His affection to Lot, his nephew, made Abraham able to overcome his fears. This epic story of Abraham is a reproach to us that says to love your wife or husband or children or the poor or the church, but not willing to fight to realize that love. When the love of God is in our hearts, it's natural if we dare to take risks to fight for the people we love!

1 John 4:18
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

Trusting God

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 12-13

Abraham was willing to obey God's command to leave his country and his extended family because he believed that God always meant well and would preserve his life. If we do not believe in God, for even simple commands we will be hard to obey.

The displacement of Abraham from his family environment is important to remember that Abraham most likely come from the moon gods. Even so, Abraham did not follow the practice of idolatry. The influence of the worship of the god of the moon visible from the action of stealing Rachel terafim (small-sized statue of the god, so easy to take) belonged to his father (31:19). Given such a family context, not surprising that God wants Abraham to leave his family environment.

Imagine the difficulties and risks that must be faced by Abraham in following God's command. Abraham was a rich man who had many possessions (13:6) and many servants. Maid who can afford to go to war alone amounted to 318 people (14:14). According to the size of that era, it is clear that he could be classified as a conglomerate. Imagine also how much the journey that must be taken by Abraham and his party given the distance from Haran into Jerusalem is about 890 km. Remember also that the transportation was generally used as a vehicle and camel road conditions at that time was much worse than now. Therefore, following God's command to move from Haran to the land of Palestine is a very hard struggle, so that the necessary faith to believe and obey God's command. [P]

Hebrews 11:8
"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

Don't Occupying God's Position!

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 10-11

Human hubris that want to make a tower that reached to the heavens peak (11:4) reflects an arrogant attitude, it is also resistance to the commandment of God to men to fill the earth (1:28).

Sin often happens because people do not realize that his creation is lesser than God. Satan's temptation of Eve (3:1-5), the temptation to eat the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, is the temptation to equate degrees with God.

Many of the sins and problems that originated from the attitude of God wants to occupy the position. For example, someone who kills another accidentally had established himself as one who has the authority to take the rights of other people's lives, and the authority to take someone's life right is the authority of God. Similarly, a revenge himself has taken the rights possessed by God to judge and punish (cf. Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 10:30)

One form of resistance to the authority of God is the attitude of complaining or protesting the existence of self. When we protested why we are born in poor condition or in a state of disability, we inadvertently assume that we ourselves have the right to be rich or have the right to be born in perfect condition, so we are not directly blame the God who formed us from the womb since our mother (Psalm 139:13). If we accept the authority of God over us, we will have peace.

Luke 1:51
"He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts"

Stick to the Faithfulness of God

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 8-9

Although the destruction of nature have been made everywhere there natural disasters, including floods, we can believe that there will be no flood as big as in the days of Noah's flood covering the whole earth, because God is faithful to his promise.

The tsunami that ravaged Aceh has made many people wonder whether the flood that occurred in the days of Noah will be repeated again. The word "tsunami" comes from Japanese, "tsu" which means "harbor" and "nami" which means "wave". The tsunami was coming events of high sea waves suddenly and very quickly to the coastal area some time after an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslide on the ocean floor.

In addition because of the tsunami, flooding can also be caused by high rainfall in the catchment area the water is reduced, either due to deforestation and uncontrolled because of changes in land designation, for example, from water catchment areas turned into a settlement. Another factor that makes the flood continued to occur is the global warming that makes many icebergs melt and sea levels rise. At present, the flood is one of the main dangers which threaten human life.

In these situations, if we still can trust God's promise that will not happen again as the great flood occurred in the days of Noah (9:11)? Yes, we can be confident that God would keep His promises. Earth is approaching destruction (2 Peter 3:10) and the flood would still be happening, but the flooding that occurs will not cover the whole earth as the days of Noah! [P]

Numbers 23:19
"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

The Punishment Will Come

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 6-7

At the time of Noah's flood happened at the time of the unexpected by the people at that time reminded that God's punishment for human sinfulness will occur at the time set by God (compare with Matthew 24:37-44).

There are many things that can make people ignore the coming of God's wrath in the days to come. First, the punishment will come that will happen at the same time to all people in the days to come. Currently, we have not seen the reality of the punishment because the punishment has never happened. Second, the number of predictions that proved wrong makes many people doubt whether the punishment was really there. Third, sin is so attractive that many people feel affection for leaving innocent lives, even though they realize that sin always has consequences. Fourth, the devil is always trying in various ways to make us forget that the advent of punishment, among others, by making us become so busy that do not have time to think.

Our attitude toward sin and the salvation offered in Jesus Christ will determine whether our future will face eternal punishment or otherwise, we receive eternal blessings. If we choose to live in sin and we reject the salvation in Jesus Christ, the punishment would be a horrible moment. If we are willing to forsake sin and to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, when the punishment will be replaced with comfort and eternal blessings to be given to the children of God.

2 Peter 3:9
"God does not neglect keeping his promise, even if some people regard it as negligence, but He is patient with you, because he is not willing that anyone perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Responsibility to Our Family

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 4-5

Cain and Abel story is a reminder that God must be hold accountable for all of our attitudes and actions toward other people that God placed all around us (Compare this with Ezekiel 3:18).

"Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9) is a reflection of the attitude of Western individualism, which is currently being spread as a result of globalization. Without te-sense, attitudes contrary to the general norms of togetherness in this Eastern world as if he were to accept justification. At present, active, competition, and the difficulties of life make human beings tend to think of himself. More and more elderly people who feel lonely and the children who are not noticed by her parents. In fact, we often encounter struggles between brothers inherited.

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and the scribes who regard the maintenance of the parents as less important than religious purposes (Matthew 15:5). The Apostle Paul also rebuked those who ignore the hard responsibilities of the family, "if anyone does not provide for his relatives, let alone the rest of the house, people the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (1 Timothy 5:8).

Although the burden of this life is increasingly heavy, we must always remember that family care responsibilities who are elderly should not be handed over to the church or charity and responsibility for the care and raising children should not be left to domestic servants.

Genesis 4:10
His Word: "What have you done this? Brother's blood cried unto me from the ground."

Hope in Recovery

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 3

Understanding that the fall of Adam and Eve into sin has made all men are born in a state of sin is something sad. Instead, our hope is that the recovery will occur later when the Lord Jesus comes back.

In common sense, we can see that all people are born with a variety of similarities with their parents, not just the physical side, but also from the character. In terms of theology, Christians believe that human beings are born in sin because of human sinfulness inherited Adam (Romans 5:12). Note that the man (Adam) was created in the image and likeness of God (1:26-27; 5:1), but Seth, the son of Adam, born, according to appearance and image of Adam (5:3). Adam was created in a state of innocence, but because Adam and Eve had fallen into sin, his descendants were born in the image of Adam and Eve had fallen into sin.

Because humans are born in a state of sin, not surprising that in this world there are many crimes. Strict law could reduce crime, but never can eliminate crime. In a country run by very strict laws were always going against the law.

Before the Lord Jesus came for the second time, crime will continue to exist in this world. Only after the Lord Jesus to come back to this world to give the new body that no longer have the inclination to sin, to punish Satan and his followers, and establish a new heaven and new earth, then we can have freedom from sin and evil.

Revelation 21:4
"And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death no more; there will be no more mourning or wailing, or sorrow, for all that time has passed.".

Unity in Marriage

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 2

Destination weddings are not that two people like each other are free to have sex or to have offspring, but to a man and a woman love each other can come together to complement each other and help each other.

God created humans as social beings who have a need to relate to others (2:18). The initiative of God to create Eve as a worthy partner for Adam to show that God blessed the marriage between men and women. Even so, to realize that the happiness of a marriage will be determined by the attitude of each partner. Willingness to humble ourselves and each other adjust to the couple would guarantee happiness, but the attitude to maintain their selfishness will destroy a marriage. Note that the union between men and women depicted in 2:24 like two glued pieces of paper together so that each can stand alone.

If not watch out, unity in marriage can be destroyed by a third party. Unity can only be achieved when men and women respectively would leave the attachment with the environment (including the extended family) to look at various problems of life together. This means that each load be a burden shared and individual interests must be compromised to form a common interest. Engagement with others (parents, children, friends) are more powerful than the bond with the wife or husband is a threat to a marriage.

Genesis 2:18
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Life Must be Accountable

Bible readings for the day: Genesis 1

Teaching the Bible that God is the Creator of heaven and earth and all its contents, including humans, with the consequence that one day every human life must be held accountable before God.

No one who saw the creation of world events, so the necessary faith to believe that the whole universe, including humans, were created by God. Instead, it takes greater faith to believe that humans are the result of evolutionary process completely natural. Belief in creation is based on the revelation of God in His Word, while evolution is a hypothesis (basic assumptions) that the truth remains to be seen. All the "evidence" that underlie the evolutionary hypothesis is a supposition which is still questionable truth. For example, the order in the universe is considered to underlie the evolutionary hypothesis is reasonable according to the spectacles of creation, namely that sense if God created the universe on a regular basis. Assumption that the age of the earth millions or billions of years based on the belief that the earth was not created by God, but are formed through a process of evolution

If evolution is true, God the Creator of the universe was only imaginary and not really there, so people do not need to be responsible to anyone. If creation is true, we must account for our lives. We must evaluate ourselves by asking, "Is my life is in conformity with the purpose God created me?" If we believe that God is the Creator of the universe, can not we can trust the hypothesis of evolution!

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Obedience Brings Victory of Faith

Bible readings today: Exodus 14:15-31

Obedience to God's leadership does not always lead to a smooth life but to live a victorious faith.

On entering the New Year, generally we are in a state of regret for past, as well as concerns over its future. That state of Moses when he led the Israels out of Egypt recorded in Exodus 14. After more than 430 years the Israels lived as slaves in Egypt, God raised Moses to lead them into a new phase. However, after leaving Egypt, they arrived at a dead end: in front of the sea and behind the army of Pharaoh. Advanced means of suicide, retreat means giving yourself massacred by swords and arrows of the mighty Egyptian army. The situation was made Moses facing 2.5 million people who think with the mindset of 'regret the past' and 'fears future' (14:11-12). Why did Moses and the Israels that led to a situation full of struggles like this? Is it because Moses did not obey? Of course not! That devotion to the Lord who brought them in a situation like that.

Devout life does not necessarily free us from the problems of life. However, after reading the Bible today we finished reading, it is clear that the end of the obedience of Moses is a victory of extraordinary faith. The people of Israel not only freed from the threat of enemy soldiers, but their inclusion feels His power is magical. Therefore, no need to regret the days that had passed on years ago and did not have to worry about the days in this new year. Commit to life with full adherence to the leadership saith the Lord. Use reflections book echoes this stage V as a guide reading the Bible every day.

Isaiah 56 : 1
This is what the LORD says: "Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.