We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

Does it pass the “Good Test”? Philippians 4:8, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” So, when you consider your belief about a particular issue is it true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise? Does it pass the “Love Test”? 1 Corinthians 16:14, “Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 13:2, “But do not have love, I am nothing.” As much I would like to do so, probably not a good idea to blast music at my neighbor’s home this morning to get them back for their loud party that when until 3 am. Does it pass the “Conscience Test”? 1 Timothy 1:19, “Keeping faith and a good conscience.” There is so much in Scripture about being careful to never violate our conscience. For example, everyone in the church can talk about watching a certain movie, but if you begin watching it and you begin feeling spiritually uncomfortable, regardless of how innocent the movie many be intended, you must not go against your personal conscience because the more you compromise your personal conscience, the more you will sear the spiritual sensitivity of your heart. Does it pass the “Profitable Test”? This means, just because something is not expressly commanded or forbidden in Scripture, it does not mean that action is necessarily profitable for your walk with Christ. We avoid legalism, but we also avoid the “can’t find anything against it in the Bible” to support all our decisions. 1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” And 1 Corinthians 10:23, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.”
Randy Smith

Because of our union with Christ, we are not hated. Weakness, wrongdoing, and failings cling to us, yes. But they do not establish who we are. We are the beloved of God. Though sin still exists in our lives, we have the status of the One who gave his life for us and to us – God’s own Son. And because of the love of that Child who now indwells us, we have the ability to change and progress in our Christian walk. Yes, there is still work to do, but as we seek to obey our God we must remember that we can obey him because of who we are. We are God’s beloved children for whom he gave his Son, and to whom he has given his Spirit. As the Bible says, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (I John 3:1).
Bryan Chapell

Bible – chinese – 新标点和合本 创世记 12

12
 神呼召亚伯兰
耶和华对亚伯兰说:「你要离开本地、本族、父家,往我所要指示你的地去。
我必叫你成为大国。我必赐福给你,叫你的名为大;你也要叫别人得福。
为你祝福的,我必赐福与他;那咒诅你的,我必咒诅他。地上的万族都要因你得福。」
亚伯兰就照着耶和华的吩咐去了;罗得也和他同去。亚伯兰哈兰的时候年七十五岁。
亚伯兰将他妻子撒莱和侄儿罗得,连他们在哈兰所积蓄的财物、所得的人口,都带往迦南地去。他们就到了迦南地。
亚伯兰经过那地,到了示剑地方、摩利橡树那里。那时迦南人住在那地。
耶和华向亚伯兰显现,说:「我要把这地赐给你的后裔。」亚伯兰就在那里为向他显现的耶和华筑了一座坛。
从那里他又迁到伯特利东边的山,支搭帐棚;西边是伯特利,东边是。他在那里又为耶和华筑了一座坛,求告耶和华的名。
后来亚伯兰又渐渐迁往南地去。
亚伯兰到埃及
10 那地遭遇饥荒。因饥荒甚大,亚伯兰就下埃及去,要在那里暂居。
11 将近埃及,就对他妻子撒莱说:「我知道你是容貌俊美的妇人。
12  埃及人看见你必说:『这是他的妻子』,他们就要杀我,却叫你存活。
13 求你说,你是我的妹子,使我因你得平安,我的命也因你存活。」
14 及至亚伯兰到了埃及埃及人看见那妇人极其美貌。
15 法老的臣宰看见了她,就在法老面前夸奖她。那妇人就被带进法老的宫去。
16 法老因这妇人就厚待亚伯兰亚伯兰得了许多牛、羊、骆驼、公驴、母驴、仆婢。
17 耶和华因亚伯兰妻子撒莱的缘故,降大灾与法老和他的全家。
18 法老就召了亚伯兰来,说:「你这向我做的是什么事呢?为什么没有告诉我她是你的妻子?
19 为什么说她是你的妹子,以致我把她取来要作我的妻子?现在你的妻子在这里,可以带她走吧。」
20 于是法老吩咐人将亚伯兰和他妻子,并他所有的都送走了。