Sentimentality and steadfastness: two good reasons why the world’s most beloved musical is coming to Avondale University. Source: https://wp.avondale.edu.au/news/2022/03/31/musical-more-than-just-about-the-songs/
Thursday: The Duty of Humanity
As soon as God created the first man, He offered him three gifts: the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8), food (Genesis 2:16), and the woman (Genesis 2:22).
Read Genesis 2:15-17. What is man’s duty toward creation and toward God? How do these two duties relate to each other?
The first duty of man concerns the natural environment in which God has put him: “to tend and keep it” (Genesis 2:15, NKJV). The verb ‘avad, “tend,” refers to work. It is not enough to receive a gift. We have to work on it and to make it fruitful — a lesson that Jesus will repeat in His parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). The verb shamar, “keep,” implies the responsibility to preserve what has been received.
Image © Educational Concepts Collection at Goodsalt.com
The second duty concerns his food. We have to remember that God gave it to humans (see Genesis 1:29). God also said to Adam that “you may freely eat” (Genesis 2:16, NKJV). Humans didn’t create the trees, nor the food on them. They were a gift, a gift of grace.
But there is a commandment here, as well: they were to receive and enjoy God’s generous gift “of every tree” (NKJV). As a part of this grace, though, God adds a restriction. They should not eat from one particular tree. Enjoying without any restriction will lead to death. This principle was right in the Garden of Eden and, in many ways, that same principle exists today.
The third duty of man concerns the woman, God’s third gift: “man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife” (Genesis 2:24, NKJV). This extraordinary statement is a powerful expression that highlights human responsibility toward the conjugal covenant and the purpose of being “one flesh” (NKJV), meaning one person (compare with Matthew 19:7-9).
The reason it is the man (and not the woman) who should leave his parents may have to do with the biblical generic use of the masculine; hence, perhaps, the commandment applies to the woman too. Either way, the bond of marriage, though a gift from God, entails human responsibility once the gift has been received, a responsibility that rests upon both the man and the woman to fulfill faithfully.
| Think about all that you have been given by God. What are your responsibilities with what you have been given? |
Amen!
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Dependence
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12.
The experience of the Christian in his earliest love is full of simplicity and freshness; but as his opportunities multiply, his experience should enlarge, and his knowledge increase. He should become strong to bear responsibility, and his maturity should be in proportion to his privileges….
But unless there is an hourly dependence upon Christ, increasing knowledge and privileges will result in self-trust and self-righteousness. The young Christian is in danger of forgetting that it is Christ that has begun the good work in him, and that it is Christ that must finish it. The soul must renounce all merit, and trust wholly in the merit of Him who is too wise to err. Man of himself can do no good thing. Said Jesus, “Without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). The soul is to stay itself upon God.
In the gift of Christ all heaven was poured out, and through Christ the Holy Spirit is promised to the believer. Jesus said to His disciples, “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). Christ not only offers pardon to the believing, repenting soul, but He promises him the constant aid of the Holy Spirit.
In the growth of the seed in the soil, man cannot see the working of unseen agencies that develop the plant to perfection, bringing up first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. But though young in the faith, you may know that you have passed from death unto life, if the fruits of the Spirit are made manifest in your life. If you are growing in faith and hope and love, you may know that your spiritual vision has been cleared. If you delight to dwell upon the plan of salvation, upon the glorious manifestations of the divine character, if your heart, in contemplation of the love of God, glows with thankfulness and joy, you may be sure that you have been illuminated by the beams of the Holy Spirit, and heavenly agencies are bringing your character up to maturity of Christian life.—The Signs of the Times, March 27, 1893.
Ye Shall Receive Power p.98
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for E and children that God will guide, provide, and protect. R
—-Please pray for Linda who has had a stroke.Rose
—-Please pray for my unbelieving brother and sister in law to accept Jesus. And that I will find a part time job I can do from home. Thank you. Rachelle
—-Prayers needed for my cousin Amy. She and hubby are calling it quits and she’s moving out. Jennifer
—-Please pray for me that I can have the strength and energy to continue working and also for overcoming all sin in my life. Ron
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Dear Friends,
My great-great-aunt, Aletha Phillips Spoor wrote many songs and poems in her lifetime. I had had the songbook that she had written for children, but it got burned up many years ago when we lost everything in a house fire. I thought I would share one of the poems from one of her poem books that I was able to find online.Be Brave
by Aletha Phillips-Spoor
Be brave, the sun will shine again
Although the rain-drops fall,
The bridge you fear before you,
You may not cross at all.
The robin sings the sweetest
And holds his head up high,
When the rain is falling fast
From out the leaden sky.
And when the darkness hovers near,
He sings a song of praise,
You’ll hear him warble sweet and clear,
His merry roundelays.
It isn’t worth your while to sigh
When storm clouds gather near,
Just count your blessings, ev’ry one
And sing a song of cheer.
The darkest clouds will vanish
The sun will soon shine through,
If, like the robin, you will sing
Then joy will come to you.
Our Mighty Helper assures us, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” Isa 43:1-3 “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” ”God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” ”I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Ps 56:3; 46:1; 34:4 “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.” “Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death,” “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Ps 27:1; 36:5-10; 33:18, 19; 34:6, 7, 17, 18 Psalm 107 is filled full with promises to be claimed.
Praise God! He has put in His Holy Word verses to cover all situations that perplex us or fill us with fear. May we turn to the Scriptures for the strength and help we so much need is my prayer.
Rose
A Spirituality of the Senses
by David Geelan | 29 March 2022 | I spent a few days at the beginning of the year deprived of sight, and it started me thinking about the role of our senses in life and in religious faith. I’ve been fortunate enough not to be infected with COVID-19 (yet), but many people around the […] Source: https://atoday.org/a-spirituality-of-the-senses/
1: The Genesis – SPD Discipleship Video
This video is produced by the South Pacific Division Discipleship team.
Lesson 1 – The Creation from SPD Discipleship on Vimeo.
Amen!(0)
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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/1-the-genesis-spd-discipleship-video/
