[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
โ๐๐๐ธโ๐ ๐๐:๐๐
“For
FROM Him and THROUGH Him and TO Him are all things. To Him be the glory
forever. Amen.”
แดสษชs แด แดสsแด ษชs แดสแด แดแดแดษดแด แดแด แดสแดsแด แดา แดสแด สแดแดแด แดา สแดแดแดษดs. ษชแด's แดสแด แดสษชแดแดแดษชแด แดxแดสแดssษชแดษด แดา แดสส แดสแดแดสs แดแดแดส สแดs สแดแดษด สแดษชสแด
ษชษดษข. แดษดแด
แดกสแดแด แด แดกแดษดแด
แดสาแดส sแดแดแดแดแดแดษดแด ษชแด ษชs! แดแดแดสษดษชแดแดสสส, ษชแด ษชs แดแดสสแดแด
แด แด
แดxแดสแดษขส (hymn of praise).
The
three prepositions employed here reveal
the Sovereignty of God:
From
Him — the Source
Through
Him — the Means
To
Him — the Goal
Furthermore,
they reveal the past, present, and future aspects of all
existence. Everything that exists is created by glorious God, is being
preserved by glorious God, and its purpose is to give all the glory to the ever-glorious
God.
To
God be the Glory, Amen! ๐
ROMANS
12
I'd
like to think of Paul loading his gun in Romans 1-11, if so, then from chapter
12, he started firing like an LMG or an AK-46 rifle— non-stop,
bang-bang-bang... ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
It's
full of firing imperatives (commandments) that anyone who reads will be hit by
one verse or the other verse. Even a blind man will see, and the deaf will hear
its convicting exhortation.
One
adamantium bullet that penetrates my vibranium shell of self-estimation is
v3. "For through the grace given to me I say to
each one among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think;
but to think so as to have sound thinking, as God has allotted to each a
measure of faith."
Paul
doesn't regulate a common standard of self-estimation. It differs according to
the measure of grace and faith one receives.
The
standard of measurement or comparison is not with others but with oneself —
balancing our self-estimation with self-deprecation!
ROMANS
13:11
"And
do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from
sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed."
"To
awaken from sleep."
"Now,
salvation is nearer!"
Paul
loves to compare sinners to those who are sleeping because those who sleep do
not know what's going on, but in this passage, he likens even the believers to
those who sleep. And we know why! Don't we often find ourselves in spiritual
slumbers, such as failing to read the Bible every day, to pray every day, to
battle specific sins in our life?
Lord,
help me to be always awake in prayer! Allow me not to be like the disciples in
Gethsemane! Help me to be like the Psalmist and Jeremiah!
BTW,
Paul also loves to talk of Salvation as justifying a sinner before God, which
is a one-time event, but in this verse, he is talking about the glorifying
aspect of salvation.
O
Lord, come soon!
ROMANS
14:1
"Now
accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing
judgment on opinions."
This
verse is simple but very profound. I always know and seem to always practice,
but actually, I think I'm not. And I'm afraid, perhaps, I could be most guilty
of it.
For
instance, in my church, we have a guy who never eats pork. I would often tell
him, "You're wasting your life!" Well, everyone who hears will lol!
Certainly, that's not a judgment, nor a violation of v19, but I think it's neither
the confirmation of v19.
I
see in my world and myself that we'd rather look witty, humorous, and smart
than be very kind, gentle, and considerate. On the contrary, Paul would have us
known for our gentleman-ness and gentlewoman-ness!
โ๐๐๐ธโ๐ ๐๐:๐
"Now
we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and
not just please ourselves."
Rom.14:1
points our attention to the weak, and Rom.15:1 to the strong! But both of them
have identical exhortations!
The
strong must consider the weak and even strive to please them! That's terribly
difficult. Come on, Paul! Actually, it's
not easy, so, we are instructed, exhorted, and commanded! (v2)
When
people refuse to listen to, me and fall into this and that trouble, my first
reaction oftentimes is, "Let it be! Haven't I warned them
sufficiently?" However, this verse reminds me that the reason they behave
like this is because they are weak, and it is because of this, that the strong
must help!
Or,
and this is also true that when non-Christians behave badly, it tempts me to
despise them, abandon them, and leave them to damnation. But didn't Jesus come
into the world because they are already damned in the first place?!!
๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐
โ๐๐๐ธโ๐ ๐๐:๐๐ก
"For the report of your
obedience has reached to all. Therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you
to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil."
Paul concluded his magnum opus with a
warning against division, dissension, disunion. He exhorted us to be wise in
good things, anything that builds up the church. And to be innocent in evil
things. The word "innocent" literally means unmixed. Thus, implying
to avoid, to abstain, to not associate with dividers, the false teachers'
scheme. Because as v18 reveals, they are insincere and selfish!
Many pigeons have a habit of dirtying
my balcony with their poo. I shooed them, and still, they come again and again.
Sometimes, I fancy hitting them, smacking them, and even killing them! Well,
their wings are always smarter than my hands. One day, two pigeons were
fighting. I approached. They were still busy fighting, ignoring my presence.
Well! I caught them easily.
The threat of division is always
lurking, is real, is dangerous, and is often fatal. Let's be wise in good
things, and be unmixed with evil things.
Lord, silence in me the craving or
any potential action of division if there be. Help me to endure, to be patient,
to build up, and to strive toward unity. Amen!