Day 4 - Battles and Blessings

Battles and Blessings
The Christian life is 'battle and blessing, battle and blessing.... battle and blessing...'
Rick Warren thinks that the Christian life is on two tracks: at any given moment in life there are usually blessings, but also battles to face.

Proverbs 1:1-7
1. Listen to steer through battles and blessings
Proverbs are pragmatic and wise advice learnt from a lifetime of experience.
They help you attain 'wisdom and discipline' - two vital aspects of life, which do not happen overnight.
Wisdom is the 'art of steering' through the battles and blessings of life, and living skillfully in whatever conditions you find yourself.
Wisdom as Joyce Meyer says, is choosing to do now what you will be happy with later on.
Wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of knowledge. The fear of the Lord can be translated reverence which means to respect and honor the Lord as God.
The most important lesson you can learn about life is to start with God.

Lord, help me to learn the art of steering through the battles and blessings that lie ahead.

Matthew 4:1-22
2. Learn how Jesus dealt with battles and blessings
Jesus faced three powerful temptations:
  -Instant gratification (economic)
   People do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God
  Although bread is necessary it is not enough on its own. We need regular spiritual food even more than regular physical food
  - Attention seeking (religious)
  a temptation to do something dramatic though not productive to attract attention
  Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
  -Wrong means (political)
Even in a devastating situation, Jesus was not daunted. He was fearless and courageous in the face of the battles. Life is not just a matter of defensively seeing off the attacks; there are also positive advances to make.

Lord, help me to follow the example of Jesus in battle and blessing. May I learn your word so I can respond to temptation and be courageous in proclaiming the message of Jesus.

Genesis 7:1-9:17
3. Learn how others have coped with battles and blessings
Christian should be positive people; the blessings outweigh the battles.
 - Creation: Human beings are created in the image of God; there's a nobility and dignity about all human life. Treat every human being with respect and dignity.
 - Fall: God's judgement came because of the seriousness of sin: every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood
 - Redemption: Those who are in Christ are safe. 'Prosper! Reproduce! Fill the earth!
 - Glorification: everlasting covenant into eternity

Lord, thank you that ultimately your blessings  far outweigh the battles. Help me to remember that my light and momentary battles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweigh them all.
 
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steer 1. (보트.자동차 등을) 조종하다 2. (특정 방향으로) 움직이다 3. (영향력 등을 발휘하야) 이끌다/몰고가다
You row and I'll steer
The ship steered into port.
She steered the team to victory.

pragmatic 실용적인
a pragmatic approach to management problems 경영상의 문제들에 대한 실용적 접근법들

reverence: a feeling of great respect for someone or something 숭배
The poem conveys his deep reverence for nature.

presume on (우정 등을) 이용하다
I felt it would be presuming on our personal relationship to keep asking her for help.

goad  (~을 할 때까지) 못살게 굴다. 들들 볶다
He finally goaded her into answering his question.

embark on ~에 시작하다, 착수하다
She is about to embark on a diplomatic career

unscrupulous 부도덕한, 무원칙한
unscrupulous methods 무원칙한 방법들

achieve/gain/accomplish/attain one's ends 목적을 이루다
She was now satisfied since she gained her end/purpose.

rebuke 힐책/질책하다, 꾸짖다 n. 질책
The company was publicly rebuked for having neglected safety procedures

devastating 대단히 파괴적인, 엄청나게 충격적인
devastating news/ affects/ disaster/ criticism 충격적인 뉴스/영향/비판

preaching 설교함. 설교

daunt : make a person feel slightly afraid or worried about dealing with it 겁먹게/기죽게 하다
She was a brave woman but she felt daunted by the task ahead. 앞에 놓인 과제에 가가 준느 기분이었다

repent 뉘우치다. 회개/후회하다
God welcomes the sinner who repents

defensively 방어용으로; 수동적으로

inclination: a feeling that makes you want to act in a particular way. 1. (~하려는)의향, 성향 2. 성향
He did not show the slightest inclination to leave. 떠나려는 의향을 조금도 보이지 않았다
He was a loner by nature and by inclination. 타고난 성격으로 보나 성향으로 보나 혼자 있기를 좋아하는 사람이었다

redemption 구원, 구함
the redemption of the world from sin 세계를 죄악으로부터 구함

glorification (신의) 영광을 찬양함, 찬미, 찬양, 찬송