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."