HOW TO STOP FAMILY QUARRELS

Genesis 13: 1-18

New International Version (NIV)

     Abram and Lot Separate

How to Stop Family Quarrels

The herdsmen of Abram and Lot quarreled about using the land and where to graze and water their flocks. There just wasn’t enough room for both groups to live and raise their animals. Abram decided to stop the quarrel. (read in full Gen. 13: 1-18)

Most brothers and sisters quarrel at times. We have the Bible to give us examples on how to stop the quarreling: Abram and Lot gave a perfect solution. Give the other person first choice, be satisfied with what is left, no name-calling and no hitting (with insult or slander).

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

GOD’S OLIVE TREE (2)

  

RE-CAP: When Paul speaks of "branches," "he is talking about either individuals or nations specifically, but only about the masses of Jew and many Gentiles."

and

God has ceased to call many Jews, instead extending His call mainly to Gentiles, "grafting in" those who believe on Christ.

RESUMING: It is unnatural to graft wild olive branches into a cultivated tree. The Jews were natural branches in that they were "set-apart ones," part of the people to whom God gave great gifts and blessings (Rom.9:4-5). But these things constituted only the outward call to faith. In His providence, God has now chosen to allow most Jews to remain in their sin and to call many Gentiles to faith in Christ. And so, the Gentiles came out of their spiritual darkness and became partakers "of the root and fatness of the olive tree.," As Paul put it earlier in Romans, they became spiritual children of Abraham, the father of the faithful (4:13-18).

CORAM DEO

We Gentiles ought to consider again the blessings we enjoy as we partake of the "the root and fatness" of the household of faith: adoption by God, the presence of God, the covenants, the law, worship, divine promises, a magnificent heritage (Rom. 9:4-5), and much more. Let’s take time today to thank God for grafting us to His olive tree.

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

GOD’S OLIVE TREE (1)

Resuming with the root-branch imagery he introduced in verse 16, the apostle Paul now begins to build a metaphor centered on the image of an olive tree. This metaphor is difficult to interpret and has led to all sorts of misunderstandings and conclusions that contradict other Scriptural passages. We will try to break it down piece by piece and to understand it in the light of the whole counsel of God’s Word.

We saw on September 16^{th  https://bibletimestabletalk.blogspot.com/}  that the "root" of verse 16 is Abraham, and the fact that he was "holy" or "set apart" by God, means that his descendants (the Jews) are also set apart. 

Now Paul’s image of the root grows into an olive tree from which branches have been "broken off" to make way for the ingrafting of branches from a "wild olive tree." The broken-off branches are clearly Jews, descendants of Abraham, while the wild branches are clearly Gentiles, but what does Paul mean by "broken off." 

The easy conclusion is that he is saying that God withdrew His grace from some Jews, causing them to lose salvation. But this interpretation is precisely what Paul is arguing against in chapters 9-11, the idea that God has proved Himself untrustworthy by casting out individuals who were saved. And more important, Scripture leaves no doubt that true faith cannot be lost.  

When Paul speaks of "branches," "he is talking about either individuals or nations specifically, but only about the masses of Jew and many Gentiles." This interpretation fits with the context of chapter 11. No saved Jew has been condemned to make room for t Gentile. But God has ceased to call many Jews, instead of extending His call mainly to Gentiles, "grafting in" those who believe in Christ.

                                                   …to be cont.

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

SET ME AS A SEAL UPON YOUR HEART

You’ve seen it; young lovers today 

sometimes tattoo the image 

or name of their beloved on their

 neck or arm. Have you done so? 

The tattoo says that one permanently 

belongs to the other, that one is part 

of the other’s very being.

I like a tattoo on other people; but as for me, as I have grown a bit wiser these days, I now pray:

Lord, give me love. Make my love for you

Rock solid and unshakable. May I love you

With my whole heart, my whole being, and

My whole heart, my whole being, and my 

whole strength. May I love my neighbor

As Christ has loved us both. Amen.

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org