What the children of God must know
Genesis 13:18 So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord.
Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #268 Would You Be Free From Your Burden of Sin (#202 in previous version)
When God told Abraham to send off his nephew Lot, Abraham conflicted. More than the Word of God, his own safety was more important to him. However, according to His promise, God fulfilled His covenant through Abraham’s family line. Abraham, who realized the covenant, moved according to God’s time schedule. What is the way for us to follow God’s time schedule without wandering, like Abraham?
1. Realizing my identity
If a cup is filled with unclean water, even if clean water is poured in, the water will become impure. Who am I? I am a child of God. Then, why am I acting like an unbeliever and making judgments as such? In order to restore my status and authority of being a child of God, I need to first empty myself of that uncleanness and prepare a new vessel. Perhaps you are thinking and acting upon your own values, prejudices, subjectivity, and experiences, even though you are a child of God. It is time for us to start the prayer of restoring our status and authority as children of God.
2. Using the authority of a child of God
All of our personal problems, family problems, and societal problems stem from the sin of having become separated from God. Through Jesus Christ, we have received salvation, and now, as children of God, we must utilize our authority every day. Because of our frailties, we cannot overcome our environment by our own strength. Though we are surrounded on all sides, and though we are swept over by hardships, we are children of God who belong to God. The moment we use our authority as children of God, the powers of Satan lose their strength.
3. Knowing the meaning hidden within the Word
Egypt bespeaks of the state of being inside the Genesis 3 problem, having been separated from God. Pharaoh represents Satan who goes against the Word of God. Satan hinders us from hearing the Word of God and he obstructs us from receiving blessings. The exodus represents the act of being freed from the law of sin and death. Salvation means the resolution to all problems within Jesus Christ. If we lose hold of the meaning of the Word, we cannot enjoy the status of a child of God.
-Begin the prayer of using the status of being a child of God in order to fight against the forces of darkness that hinder us from knowing the meaning and significance of the Word. North America Businessperson’s Conference Lecture 2 / 2012.2.29