Weekly Guide：Week 41
November 04, 2018
Forward
We completed last week the reading of the Second Corinthians. This week we will complete the book of Galatians and starting on the Ephesians.
Last week at closing of the Second Corinthians, Paul defended his status as an apostle where he boasted in his own weakness to demonstrate Jesus’ grace. This will be elaborated further in the book of Galatians.
We often fall victim to desire to barter blessings with our actions calling upon our own ability to renew and persevere. Some even use suffering as a way to spiritual growth instead of accepting it as a consequence of the falling world. Paul’s experiences demonstrated the truth about gospel. It is not by one’s own perseverance to overcome adversity, not by one’s capacity to withstand fleshly wounds, nor by one’s ability to endure suffering. It is by the power of God’s grace He gives to His people. The thorn in Paul’s body is not a calling to suffer, but a promise God gives to all Christians so that when we are weak, His power may be seen through our weakness. Gospel is good news because His grace is sufficient. God reveals Himself through His word. We can only boast for the word became flesh. Our inadequacy is an opportunity for God’s power and grace to be shown.
May God’s word renew you all each day!
Question
What is the real gospel?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Paul’s status and authority as an apostle came from God through Jesus Christ.
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False gospel from human is different from the true gospel which is from God. Preaching false gospel shall fall under God’s curse.
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True gospel comes from God’s revelation. True gospel is of righteousness through faith.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - Preaching gospel and the truth is to win approval of human beings or God? Paul’s dedication to gospel did not aim to please the other apostles. He went to Jerusalem to prove the gospel he preached was the true gospel. Have I withheld the truth when I preach because I was afraid to offend or I wanted to please the others?
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Community - Paul was accepted by all apostles not for his ability but for he preached the true gospel. Paul did not hold back to rebuke Peter because Peter had become an apostle before him. Both are examples of standing firm on the foundation of faith without taking something or someone by their face value. A relationship like this is one based on true faith and transparency. What does the apostles’ testimony remind me? Have I taken anything or treated anyone by their face value?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
When did the promise of being righteous through faith come about?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The Galatian believers received their salvation through faith, not law.
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The promise of being credited righteous by faith was given before the law. We don’t receive grace through law.
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Law is to prepare us, as our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.
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The spiritual growth of the Galatian church proved that they did so through faith not through law.
Meditation: My Story
- Walking with God - As the Galatian believers, our salvation and our spiritual growth proved that righteousness is gained through faith, not through law. Reflect back to the day I became a believer and throughout my life, how God’s grace and blessings were given to me through my faith, not my conduct?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
How do we gain freedom through God’s promise?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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We became God’s children through His promises, not through our works of being slaves of the law.
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Jesus Christ released us to grant us freedom. If we burden ourselves again by the yoke of slavery of the law, then Jesus’ redemption becomes meaningless.
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In Christ, the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love, not by bondage of the law.
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In Christ, we wait eagerly through the Spirit by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
Meditation: My Story
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Identity - What are the differences of being free children of God and being slaves under the law? Although I have not been through the law as the Israelites, are there other laws burdening me in my life that cause me to forget my status as a child of God and live like a slave?
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Walking with God - A life freed from slavery expresses itself through love. What does a faith like this bring about in my life? Reflect in my life, when have I seen the outcome of such faith?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
How should we view the freedom God gave us?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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To be devoid of fleshly indulgence, we must follow the Spirit, live by the Spirit, and bear the fruit of the Spirit.
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Follow the Spirit to do good to all people, carry each other’s burdens, love others, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.
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Boast only in the cross of Christ and become a new creation.
Meditation: My Story
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Community - What is the relationship with others like when one lives by the Spirit? I shall always go back to my relationship with God first to find an answer when I have problems in my relationships.
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Integrity - How do the Spirit and flesh contradict each other? What real life example can I find on myself? What does this passage remind me of if the Spirit and my flesh are battling in me? There are nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. Which aspect am I lacking in? Am I willing to rely on God to bear the fruit in me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What is the spiritual inheritance of a Christian?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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As our inheritance, our election by the riches of His grace in Jesus Christ, redemption by Christ’s blood, and adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the proof of our inheritance from God.
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The inheritance from God allows us to connect with His power. And such is the same power that raised Christ Jesus from death. Only when God enlightens the eyes of my heart I would know truly and rely on His incomparably great power.
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God blessed us in heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ for us to be holy and blameless so that He would be praised for His glory.
Meditation: My Story
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Identity - Pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Do I truly know Him? Do I truly know He gave us the inheritance? Do I truly rely on Him? Even though I claim to know Him but do I often prioritize worldly inheritance over the heavenly one and relying on human power more than His? Let me pray to God to open the eyes of my heart to truly know Him.
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Integrity - The purpose of the blessings we receive from God is not to glorify us but by His calling that we may live out the life of Christ so that His glorious grace may be praised.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What is the life of Christ’s ambassador?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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By His work on the cross, Jesus Christ unified the Jews and the Gentiles into one to create a new people. This work of Jesus’ alone brought the Gentiles who had no part in God into His kingdom to receive His inheritance.
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By His work on the cross, Jesus destroyed the wall between the Jews and the Gentiles so that we are not defined and separated by our races, accomplishments, or background. Instead, we are unified as one in the Lord.
Meditation: My Story
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Identity - Jesus through His works on the cross gave us a new identity: People of God. What do I see as important identities in my daily life, occupation, politics, country, race, heritage, or family? We can only cause isolation if too much emphasis is placed on any of these identities. Only when we place the utmost importance our identity as People of God, we would then be able to connect with God and unite with others through Him.
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Community - Jesus through His works on the cross put to death the hostility between us and God. He brought together the ever-contentious Jews and Gentiles to unite them into one people. What hostility do I have still toward others?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Scripture Reading
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Are leaders of church custodians or servants?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Paul reminded the Corinthians to not judge but wait for the second coming of Christ.
+ Paul warned those who puff up themselves and belittle of others.
+ Paul taught and disciplined the church as a father to his children to unite and look up to Christ.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - Have I ever judged others? Ask the Lord to help me not to judge and wait for Jesus' second coming.
+ **Integrity** - Am I able to withstand the test of fire for what I build atop the foundation?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What to do with brothers and sisters who are doing obvious wrongs?
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Paul warned the church about sexual immorality for the wrongdoers would not inherit the kingdom of God.
+ Our past sins have been cleansed in the name of Jesus Christ. By His power, God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Do I realize that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? Can I remind myself often that I need to live out a holy life?
+ **Community** - What to do about disputes between Christians?
+ **Integrity** - How should I be associated with the unbelieved? What should I watch out for?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What's God's purpose for marriage?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ God established marriage to keep us faithful to our spouses.
+ We may faithfully serve God whether married or not.
+ Circumcise or not is nothing. Keeping God's command is what counts.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - What is God's calling for me in marriage? How do I follow God's will to have a holy married life?
+ **Fidelity** - For whether I'm married or not, how do I use my situation to serve the Lord?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What is freedom in Christ?
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ For those with knowledge shall be careful not be stumbling blocks of those with weak conscience.
+ The sacrificial food to idols is nothing to God. We don't' gain nor lose anything by eating or not.
+ If eating sacrificial food to idols causes others to stumble, then don't eat it.
+ Paul put up his rights so he can preach and not hinder the gospel of Christ.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Paul has all the legal rights but would rather put up with them for the gospel. Does my life in Christ obey the higher authority to live out a life with sacrificial love?
+ **Community** - Do I often mind about my conduct so I don't stumble those who are weak in faith?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How to win over temptations?
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Israelites failure in front of temptation shall serve as a warning to us.
+ God is faithful that He always provides a way out of temptation.
+ Not to seek our own good but for the good of many others.
+ Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Do I have any idol in my life? Do I put it higher than God? How can I get rid of the idol?
+ **Community** - How should I build up my fellow Christians through my freedom in Christ?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Why did Paul raise the question of covering and supper?
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ It was a tradition of the time to wear head covering. Paul suggested women of the period should cover their heads.
+ Remember the Lord and examine oneself during the Lord's Supper before eating the bread and drinking the cup.
+ When eating together, we ought to wait for each other.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - Do I dress appropriately in church? Would the way I dress cause others to stumble?
+ **Integrity** - Am I willing to follow Lord's authority and priority?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Are leaders of church custodians or servants?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Paul reminded the Corinthians to not judge but wait for the second coming of Christ.
+ Paul warned those who puff up themselves and belittle of others.
+ Paul taught and disciplined the church as a father to his children to unite and look up to Christ.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - Have I ever judged others? Ask the Lord to help me not to judge and wait for Jesus' second coming.
+ **Integrity** - Am I able to withstand the test of fire for what I build atop the foundation?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What to do with brothers and sisters who are doing obvious wrongs?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Paul warned the church about sexual immorality for the wrongdoers would not inherit the kingdom of God.
+ Our past sins have been cleansed in the name of Jesus Christ. By His power, God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Do I realize that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? Can I remind myself often that I need to live out a holy life?
+ **Community** - What to do about disputes between Christians?
+ **Integrity** - How should I be associated with the unbelieved? What should I watch out for?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What's God's purpose for marriage?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ God established marriage to keep us faithful to our spouses.
+ We may faithfully serve God whether married or not.
+ Circumcise or not is nothing. Keeping God's command is what counts.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - What is God's calling for me in marriage? How do I follow God's will to have a holy married life?
+ **Fidelity** - For whether I'm married or not, how do I use my situation to serve the Lord?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What is freedom in Christ?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ For those with knowledge shall be careful not be stumbling blocks of those with weak conscience.
+ The sacrificial food to idols is nothing to God. We don't' gain nor lose anything by eating or not.
+ If eating sacrificial food to idols causes others to stumble, then don't eat it.
+ Paul put up his rights so he can preach and not hinder the gospel of Christ.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Paul has all the legal rights but would rather put up with them for the gospel. Does my life in Christ obey the higher authority to live out a life with sacrificial love?
+ **Community** - Do I often mind about my conduct so I don't stumble those who are weak in faith?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How to win over temptations?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Israelites failure in front of temptation shall serve as a warning to us.
+ God is faithful that He always provides a way out of temptation.
+ Not to seek our own good but for the good of many others.
+ Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Do I have any idol in my life? Do I put it higher than God? How can I get rid of the idol?
+ **Community** - How should I build up my fellow Christians through my freedom in Christ?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Why did Paul raise the question of covering and supper?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ It was a tradition of the time to wear head covering. Paul suggested women of the period should cover their heads.
+ Remember the Lord and examine oneself during the Lord's Supper before eating the bread and drinking the cup.
+ When eating together, we ought to wait for each other.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - Do I dress appropriately in church? Would the way I dress cause others to stumble?
+ **Integrity** - Am I willing to follow Lord's authority and priority?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What did Nehemiah do after the completion of reconstructing the wall?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ After the wall had been rebuilt and doors were set in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed.
+ Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the citadel were put in charge of Jerusalem. Hanani was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.
+ God put it into Nehemiah's heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families.
+ The whole company numbered 42,360.
+ The list of some heads of the families contributed to the work.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - To rebuild the wall, Nehemiah assembled the people to unify them and bought them to become one. We need to be aware that serving is not just to get things done, but to build relationships in constructing Christ's body. What can I learn from this?
+ **Fidelity** - What was Nehemiah's criteria to put Hanani in charge? What can I learn from this?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Why did all the people come together?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ In the seventh month, Ezra read aloud the Law before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
+ Nehemiah and Ezra said to the people: "This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
+ The whole company built temporary shelters and lived in them. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - What were the people's reaction when Ezra praised the Lord, the great God? When I worship, do I shout out amen from within my heart?
+ **Identity** - Why did the people weep when they listened to the word of the Lord? Why did they celebrate in great joy later? Have I experienced similar feeling when worshiping God?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did the Israelites make a covenant with God?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. They confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.
+ The Levites praised the Lord that He created everything and delivered Israel time after time.
+ They confessed their sins against the Lord.
+ In view of all this, they made a binding agreement, put it in writing, and affixed their seals to it.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Why did the people fast? What does it mean for the confession of their sins? Through prayers, do I have a better understanding of my spiritual identity and original sins?
+ **Identity** - What does it mean to Israelites' understanding of God by looking back in history? Do I often look at God's blessing from the past so I may know better God's will?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What commitments did the Israelites make to the Lord?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ List of those who sealed the agreement.
+ The rest of the people who separated themselves for the sake of the Law of God, all bond themselves with a curse and an oath, to follow
the Law of God given through Moses and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord.
+ They assumed the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of God.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Integrity** - After fasting and sealing the agreement, the Israelites bond themselves with curse and oath to marriages, sabbath, offerings. Let me do a reality check of my commitment to my own spiritual growth.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How were the Israelites dispersed in Jerusalem and other cities?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ The leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.
+ The people of Judah and the Benjamites lived in the villages with their fields.
+ The account of the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel.
+ At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the people celebrated joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.
+ Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites, contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Who must live in Jerusalem? Those leaders have the burden of protecting the people's safety. What can I learn from that?
+ **Fidelity** - What did the Israelites emphasize on at the dedication of the wall? Do I view importantly the holidays in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ, such as the Good Friday and Easter? Why?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Forward
We will complete the reading of the Book of Nehemiah this week and start on the Book of Esther.
Nehemiah dedicated the wall and all people were in great joy. The greatest joy of life is not the fulfillment of material desires as it cannot be forever satisfied in what is gained and will always be lost. Only the joy from sacrificing to God gives us the eternal memory for He enables us to be joyous in the midst of all difficulties and struggles. It is holy and pleasing to God to offer, to let go, and to commit ourselves to Him. The sound of joy in Jerusalem can be heard in faraway lands and our joy can bring those who are lost.
May you all be renewed each day in God's word.
### Question
What purification work did Nehemiah do in Jerusalem?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ No Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God.
+ Eliashib provided Tobiah with a large room in the temple. Nehemiah was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room.
+ Nehemiah saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in all kinds of loads into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Nehemiah warned them against selling food on that day.
+ Nehemiah rebuked those who married foreigners, made them take an oath in God's name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves."
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Integrity** - Israelites did not take care of the Levites, violated the Sabbath, married foreigners, and so on were offenses committed knowingly. Am I doing some inappropriate things knowingly?
+ **Fidelity** - The people committed offenses when Nehemiah was away from Jerusalem. What responsibility does a leader have toward the people? In correcting the people's behavior, how did Nehemiah's action inspire me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
Prayer
Notes and Responses