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Weekly Guide：2022-2023 Week 46
November 20, 2022
Week 46 Day 1: Mystery of God ⇧ ⇩
Question
What is God’s mystery?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Knowing God and His will is an important part of all Christians’ life. It is not something that can be obtained by an intense training or bootcamp, but a lifelong endeavor of following God’s will.
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Jesus Christ is the realization God’s mystery, His abundance, His knowledge and wisdom which are all within Christ Jesus.
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Preaching the mystery of God is a task God gave to Paul. He preached with all kinds of wisdoms to present everyone fully mature in Christ.
Meditation: My Story
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Integrity - To become a person of God’s liking, of His characters, is built upon knowledge of God and knowing His will. All of these are through a process of gradual transformation which requires time. Do not despair for temporary setbacks nor be arrogant for small gains. To build God’s characters, we must retain His word in our heart and produce a crop by perseverance. How shall I persevere with patience and not be frustrated and give up?
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Fidelity - To preach gospel requires all kinds of wisdom. It is a task that involves innovations where we need to build up relationships, to understand the society and culture, to explore the use of technology, to build up our own knowledge, and through all means to present everyone fully mature in Christ. How does this inspire me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 46 Day 2: Elemental Spiritual Force ⇧ ⇩
Question
Life is elemental spiritual force of the world?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Moses’ law is a shadow of things to come, the foretelling of Jesus, an incomplete revelation of God’s wisdom, the elemental spiritual force. Jesus is the reality of God’s true image in this world where God’s abundance is realized in Jesus.
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The Jews’ way to righteousness through the works of the law can easily fall into traps of hypocrisy in that arrogance is brought out of self-imposed worship where false humility and harsh treatment of the body lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
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The reborn Christians are not bound by the law because Jesus has already redeemed us from the law. The new life puts to death the evil that come out of the flesh.
Meditation: My Story
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Identity - Humans have always tried to obtain righteousness through works of their own. Confucius claimed that he could follow his own heart without offending the law when he was seventy. Today’s society tries to solve the problem of crime through politics, laws, culture, and education. However, the Bible tells us that it is impossible and even harmful if we try to achieve righteousness through our own works because to proclaim being self-righteous does not build relationship with God, it puts us farther away from the truth. The real righteousness is given by God through His redemption for our sins so that we may be saved by faith in Christ. What faith do I have in Christ so that I may be called righteous?
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Integrity -The sanctification of the believers and building up of our characters are based on our relationships with God through the bread of life so that fleshly desires may be restrained. Dependence on methodology without God is self-reliance that causes self-righteousness. What self-righteousness do I need to throw away and turn myself over to God?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 46 Day 3: Connect with Love ⇧ ⇩
Question
How do Christians connect with each other with love?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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God’s chosen people are redeemed through God’s love. Likewise, being the church, the body of Christ, all parts of the body must connect with love, bear with each other, forgive one another, and bind together in perfect unity.
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Paul had great relationship and co-worked with many Christians of the time included the once opinionated Mark.
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The disciples of the early churches stay connected and co-operated with each other across churches. The elders and all believers also had great bonds as they carried out the great commission from Jesus. They united throughout the cities around the Mediterranean together and influenced the society of the time much more than possible by efforts of individuals.
Meditation: My Story
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Community - There are two aspects of love between believers: 1 forbearance and forgiveness; 2. Teach and admonish. How am I loving others with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in my heart?
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Fidelity - We are ambassadors of Jesus’ great commission in the world today. How am I setting aside of differences in race, heritage, region, societal status, and culture to seek unity in truth and by God’s gifts and place to preach His gospel to make disciples all nations and baptize them in Him?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 46 Day 4: Foundation of Faith ⇧ ⇩
Question
How does a spiritual life with faith, hope, and love become witness of gospel?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The gospel of Jesus Christ is not limited to teaching by words but also encompasses the faith given by God through His great power.
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A beautiful spiritual life allows others to see the work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope.
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A life imitating the Lord’s is the best and the most beautiful witness for Christ’s gospel.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - We are taught through words the gospel of Jesus Christ. And, we are given the life of Christ for which we may grow into on our way to sanctification through the great transformation power of God and continuous works of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is not enough to only learn the spiritual knowledge, but also with humility, lay up our lives to let God destroy the old and build the new. Pray to God to help me commit my life to Him.
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Integrity - What faith, what love, and what hope does a mature life have? What is work produced by faith? What is labor produced by love? What is endurance inspired by hope? How should I live a life of faith, love, and hope facing the daily challenges and works?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 46 Day 5: Faith Role Model ⇧ ⇩
Question
What can be seen from Paul’s life of faith, love, and hope?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Paul’s faith helped him to strive to please God and rely on God to preach His gospel.
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Paul’s hope helped him to endure severe suffering facing strong opposition and rely on God to work courageously.
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Paul’s love helped him to care and comfort for the believers as mother nurses for her child and father encourages his own children.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - God is a witness of Paul’s faithful, loving, and hopeful life which was a result of his reliance on God. The opposition Paul faced was not unique to him as the same opposition was faced by the Thessalonian church as well as today’s believers. Likewise, the close relationship Paul had with God can be ours, too. What opposition do I face now? How shall I rely on God for my faith, love, and hope?
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Community - Paul’s love to the Thessalonian church was like a caring mother nurses her children and a comforting father encourages and urges his children. The aim is to help the believers to live lives worthy of God. How does this remind me to respond to fellow Christians’ criticism? What is my motivation and aim when urging them? What deeper understanding do I have about loving each other which God had commanded me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 46 Day 6: Crown of Glory ⇧ ⇩
Question
Who is Paul’s hope or joy or crown of happiness?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Paul’s hope, joy, and crown of happiness is the believers when they stand before Lord Jesus Christ when He comes again.
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The reason Paul wanted very much to be with them and sent ahead Timothy was to strengthen and help complete the Thessalonian believers’ faith.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - Paul worried that His suffering would cause the Thessalonian believers to give up their faith. God uses suffering to strengthen the believers’ faith, but it can also be used by Satan as distraction. The suffering Paul remembered the believers. At the same time, the believers’ faith was strengthened to bring comfort to Paul. To face suffering has always been difficult but through Paul’s suffering, we see God blessed, comforted, and strengthened Paul and Thessalonian believers. How does today’s passage help me view the sufferings myself or others are facing?
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Community - God gave us shepherds who look after us. Likewise, there may be others who need our shepherding. How does Paul’s love to the believers remind me to love those around me? How does believers’ response to Paul remind me how I shall respond to my shepherds?