Children Of The Promise...96 (Born By The Power Of The Spirit)[Gal 4:21-31] / Anne's Faith Column

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Children Of The Promise...96

(Born By The Power Of The Spirit)

[Gal 4:21-31]  

 

 / Anne's Faith Column 

 

/ By Priscilla

 

Abraham, the father of faith,

had two sons, one was the son

of a slave woman, the son

of the flesh,

 

 

and the other was the son

of a promise, born to Sarah,

the woman God had chosen.

 

 

Through our faith in Jesus,

we are now heirs of the promise,

belonging to one of the descendants

 as numerous as the stars in the sky,

born of God's chosen woman.

 

 

Apostle Paul appealed to those

who were under the law

through verse 21.

 

 

Abraham, in the ordinary way,

produced a son by the woman slave.

 

 

On the other hand, we can see

that God worked to fulfill his covenant,

and the son of the promise was born

to Abraham by the free woman.

 

 

This shows how precious

the son of promise obtained

in God's time was through

obedience

 

 

and perseverance to the end,

even if it took a long time.

 

 

This is also God's will and

providence to let us know that

only the son of the promise

can become a true heir to

God's inheritance.

 

 

However, those who choose

the law, which is supervision,

as a way of salvation, are tied

up under the law according

to their beliefs

 

 

and live lives

of dependent slavery

under the law.

 

 

So, like a caterpillar that has

not become an adult, they are

trapped in the environment

 

 

and the laws they have made

themselves and become

unable to be free.

 

 

We are not

the children of the slave.

 

 

If we ourselves deny the life

of following Jesus Christ,

the way of salvation,

 

 

we will be

no longer children of God,

but those of the desires of the

sinful nature.

 

 

That is, we won't be heirs

of God's promise, but children

of the slave who cannot take

over God's inheritance.

 

 

But in reality, in the world

we live in, on the contrary,

because the children of t

he flesh are stronger,

 

 

there are  many times when

they insult and persecut

the children of the power

of the Spirit who will take

over God's inheritance.

 

 

At this point,

we, as children of God,

 

 

should know that God's granting

such trials and persecutions

to us is of great significance

in its own way.

 

 

What God really wants us

to do is go through hardships

and trials in the process

of being refined by Him

 

 

and be sure to acquire

 the qualifications as

heirs to take over the

inheritance.

 

 

We should realize that

God is waiting for us to

overcome, endure, and

pass by those hardships

 

 

and trials by relying on the Lord

and walking with the Holy Spirit.

 

 

Is there anyone who is in trouble

at this moment among the

children of the promise?

 

 

Are you sobbing in disappointment

and confusion, losing your identity

with discouragement and

frustration?

 

 

Then, brothers of faith,

from now on, take heart as

 the 'Apostle Paul' exhorted!

 

 

And remember that we are

not children of the flesh!

 

 

"Therefore, brothers, we are not

children of the slave woman, but

of the free woman."

(Gal 4:31)

 

 

Then how should we lead our lives?

 

 

1) When we go forward by faith,

we should first remember that 

we are children of freedom

with the status of light, 

 

 

by the law of the Holy Spirit,

not  bound by darkness. 

 

 

2) As children of the promise,

we should clothe ourselves with

righteousness and lead joyful lives

 as children of purity and holiness.

 

 

We should imitate Jesus

and follow Him and be willing to

lead lives as God's heirs, serving

those around us.

 

3) We should take it for granted

that we must live separately

from the world.

 

 

We come to experience many 

different persecutions and

 trials while serving God.

 

 

However, we should keep in mind

that this is God's will to refine us

and ultimately benefit us.

 

 

So we should be willing to

accept such difficulties.

 

 

Prayer

 

Thank you, Lord. 

 

 

Even though the message

of the cross may seem foolish

to those who do not believe

in Jesus,

 

 

please help us to be able to

overcome trials and persecutions

with the joy of the Lord and live 

lives satisfied with salvation!

 

 

Furthermore, please help us

to become children of joy without

lack, and then heirs of f

 

 

Amen

 

 

- To Be Continue - 

 

 

2010/10/11

 

/ By Priscilla