露臉 露恩

Finding Face, Saving Grace

Category: Faith

  • Numbers: the first is always His…

    Cover to Cover

    Reading: Numbers 1:1-3:51

    Focus: Numbers 3:11-13, 40-51

    The first things are generally more valuable. The most treasured items are those that were first produced, even if they weren’t the best (maybe except in terms of technology). The older an antique, the greater its value. The first car off the Porsche production line only increases its value, rather than depreciating. The first house, even though run down and broken, is the most memorable and precious. The firstborn child is the one where one dreams and hopes for a better future.

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  • Leviticus: a two-faced God?

    Cover to Cover

    Reading: Leviticus 26:1-27:34

    Focus: Leviticus 26:1-46

    When people ask you to describe a person, you generally gravitate to their pleasant and good characteristics, or if it’s someone you dislike, you generally gravitate to their more negative (in your opinion) characteristics. Rarely do people give a balanced perspective when they describe a person. The same goes for God, you often find that there are two extremes which people focus upon. The first, generally Christian, response focuses upon God’s grace and love; the second, generally non-Christian, response focuses upon God’s wrath and justice (injustice from most perspectives).

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  • Leviticus: forever free…

    Cover to Cover

    Reading: Leviticus 23:1-25:55

    Focus: Leviticus 25:1-55

    We live in a world where the rich are only getting richer, and the poor are only getting poorer. Over the generations, the status of families and businesses have overpowered and domineered over those who simply have not been able to keep up. As they continue to grow from the failure of those smaller than them, their growth expands exponentially as there is close to no way for people to catch up.

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  • Leviticus: it’s simply not good enough…

    Cover to Cover

    Reading: Leviticus 20:1-22:33

    Focus: Leviticus 22:17-33

    I used to have a violin teacher in high school, a Russian violin teacher, who was never satisfied with my progress (catalysed by my lack of practice and apathetic attitude towards her). Without fail each week she would have an episode, “No, no, no. Not like that! (*insert unintelligible Russian*) Like this! Like this!” or something of similar effect. Suffice to say, while I progressed, it was simply not good enough for her. (When you realise that we had students in the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, with calibre that high…you just can’t compare.)

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  • Leviticus: because I am God!

    Cover to Cover

    Reading: Leviticus 16:1-19:37

    Focus: Leviticus 19:1-37

    Don’t you hate it when your parents give you the response, “Because I told you so!” It’s not that you disagree with what they want you to do (ahem!) but you just want to know the reasoning behind it. “Why do I have to do it?” … “Just because!” … “But why?!” And then the anger flares up and then no longer is it about the issue at hand but your disobedience and lack of respect. All you wanted was just a simple explanation.

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