Digging Deeper~ 4th Sunday after Pentecost

Gen. 22:1-14: God tests Abraham to see if he loved God more than his son. How? He asked him to sacrifice his promised son to him. when Abraham showed that he was willing to do so, God provided a ram to sacrifice instead. or Jer. 28:5-9: Prophecy of God  bringing back the vessels back to the house of God now that I have broken the hold that Babylon had on his people.  Ps. 13: A prayer of a someone who is feeling down.  Or  Ps. 89:1-4,15-18 :I will sing of thy faithfulness of mercies to those who live righteously.  Rom. 6:12-23: God made men free from sin. If you have been freed from sin, do not practice it any longer. Mat. 10:40-42: Jesus told his followers that He would reward all who received his righteous followers. The theme is righteousness. Abraham was found to be righteous, because he showed that he loved God more than the son in whom God promised him (Gen. 22:1-14). There is a song in Psalms that speaks of God's faithfulness of mercies to those who live righteous lives (Ps. 89:1-4, 15-18). But this promise was hard to achieve because we as humans are born slaves to sin. I believe that is one reason Palms 13 was written. Because he realized this. But we do not have to stay in that sad state. Why? Because through Jesus God made it possible to be able to be freed from our slavery (Rom. 6:12-23). When that happens it is like when God broke the Jewish's time of slavery under Babylon and brought the vessels back to the temple to allow them to worship Him again (Jeremiah 28:5-9). Jesus told his followers that there was a reward to those who received and helped a righteous person (Mat. 10:40-42). Challenge of the week: Are you a slave to sin? If so go to God and ask to be set free through Jesus Christ.  As a Christian you should lean on The Holy Spirit to help you live out the life of righteousness. Also know as right doing. How does that look? Read the Bible to see what that looks like. Many of Paul's books tells you how a righteous person should act.  Accomplishment of the week: What did you accomplish this week? How?