dm1965

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness? Holiness is God. His character, His personality and who He IS. In this world we are called to be holy because God is holy. Therefore we are to be in the world, but not of the world. It's not easy to be separate ourselves from today's modern society, with so many social norms that defy the Word of God and even, in some cases, deny His existance, but praise God, His Holy Spirit gives us the strength to be overcomers, and if we miss it, we are in the Age of Grace where we can run to the Father, with contrite spirits, and He will forgive us. He knows our hearts and He knows we can't do it on our own. Were that the case, Jesus would have never came and sacrificed His life for our salvation. What a merciful God, that in spite of our weaknesses and sinful ways, He loves us unconditionally. What a mighty God we serve! We are obedient by learning and obeying the Word, having a daily relationship with God, being sensitive to the Holy Spirit. walking in the fruits of the Spirit and having a humble heart that is willing to repent when we mess up, so that we are in rightstanding with the Lord. We are saved by grace, and our righteousness is as filthy rags. We strive to live for God, but we also are redeemed through Jesus Christ. I say this because if we aren't careful, its so easy to start looking at our works to be righteous. We strive to do our best. And its not just what we do, but the condition of our heart that defines whether our works are for rewards in heaven or here on earth. I want rewards in heaven. My biggest struggle with holiness is remembering who I am in Christ when I mess up. I struggle with guilt to the point where I will pull away when God wants me to run to Him. I am taking this course because I need my mind renewed by the Word, so that I may have victory in that area. I used to have a close walk with God and I allowed everyday cares of the world to take precedence over my relationship with God. I loved Him but He wasn't first in my life. And what I made first failed me, of course. I want my Jesus back in first place! This class is helping me to study His Word and grow in Him. Praise God for this online class. God bless you all for this online class.

Q1. (1:13) What about Christ's coming should get our undivided attention? Why should it inspire hope? Why should it inspire self-control and soberness? What happens in our lives when we don't really expect Christ to come soon? As children of the Most High God, our attention should be focused on living for Him, and in doing so the fruit of the Spirit will manifest in our lives. When we don't live for Him as we ought, we display a sloppy life, which glorifies things of the world and doesn't bring true Glory to Him, (meaning our living pointing to salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord). No day should be taken for granted that He is tarrying in Him coming. For as the bible says, no man will know the day or the hour. But we will know the season, and the sign of the times certainly point to the soon return of the Lord. My (our ) hope is inspired in the coming of the Lord for several reasons. We are in the disposition of grace and with grace we can look forward to the following: Salvation will finally be received and consummated (1:5, 9) Our now-maligned faith will receive its full reward and receive finally its "praise, glory, and honor" (1:7) Christ's glory will be manifested (1:12; 4:13; 5:1) God's visitation or inspection of our good deeds will take place (2:12) Judgment and vindication of Christians' righteous behavior (4:5) You will receive a crown of glory (5:4) He will restore, strengthen, confirm, and steady you (5:10) Oh what a wonderful day to come. And living a holy life,being called to holiness, our hearts desire should be to be an example that will draw many to saving knowledge and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! Amen...

Q5. (1:8-9) According to 1 Peter 1:8-9, what is the basis of Christian joy that is "inexpressible and glorious"? How does this joy interplay with human emotions? Is it essentially emotional? How does it differ from what is generally regarded as the pursuit of "happiness"? Extra Credit: How can you tell the genuine article of joy from the counterfeit? In my experiences, the Joy of the Lord is a completely different type of joy that I feel in the natural. It is a joy that bubbles out of my soul, a connection with the Most High God that brings a sense of fellowship and intimacy with the Holy Spirit as we bask in His presence and His Joy. I cannot even express it in words because it is so glorious. Its like being eveloped in a warm blanket of peace with a happiness in your heart that assures you the the Most High God, Creator of all that is, is giving you His undivided attention. Because He is Love, there is a feeling of love and completeness that echos in my soul and fills me. Unlike natural joy that is fleeting for the moment, just thinking about the experience resuscitates this Joy back in my heart, comforting and strengthening me, while natural joy is for a moment, and is easily deflated by situations and circumstances. Natural joy can be quenched in a second. This joy is rekindled easily by meditating on Who God is and the Power of His Might. What He has done for me and that He has me in the palm of His hand and has a good plan for my life and other believers. We all have pursued what we consider our happiness and in the Grace and Mercy of God, He has allowed us to do so, even when sometimes our choices are not His will for our lives. And that, brothers and sisters, is short lived indeed. There is still a void, an emptiness that resides in our heart and soul after accomplishing what we thought we wanted. The Joy of God, through our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, fills that void and gives us hope when there is no hope. Gives us purpose for our lives. Because most people think that money will make them happy and that is a fleeting truth. Only Jesus can lead us to true Joy Peace and Happiness. Along with purpose. Amen

Q4. (1:6-7) Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith? What did God accomplish in your life? How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus? I have many memories of my faith walk being stretched and having to lean on God because I had no answer, no resolution or no way out of a situation. And with every situation God has been faithful. The situations haven't always been the answers that I wanted, but I choose to believe that God's plan is better than any plan I could try to accomplish when the trials and temptations hit. Right now I am facing a tribulation. I don't know how I would make it through this without God. I anguished over it so much, I have had to let God and trust God that He has a good plan for my life, and that I will be alright regardless of the twists and turns of life. I was so angry and hurt in the beginning. However because I don't want that anger to become a root of bitterness, I had to choose to walk with God. Every day is a new day in Christ. And He is proving to be my provider, and the source of my strength. I believe God is glorified by the joy that He gives me. Those that know my personal trial, are going to witness the restoration and victory God is going to bring in my life, and witness the greater path that He will put me on. We must live for God to be glorified through our pain. Its not easy in the natural, but we can do ALL things through Christ whom strengthens us! Amen

We must have faith in the plan of salvation (accepting Jesus Christ into our lives) and with faith, even a small bit the size of a mustard seed (which is tiny tiny tiny) we are secure in Christ. God cannot lie and He says that He protects us through our faith, and I for one believe Him.

(1:2) Why do forgiveness (sprinkling) and obedience come together as a package? Why is it deceptive to think you can have one without the other? Extra credit: If true faith requires obedience, how can we say that we are saved by grace rather than works? (Ephesians 2:8-10) Forgiveness, by the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus refers to sacrifice. We are forgiven of our sins and have a direct relationshipw with God the Father because of the sacrifice of Christ. Jesus was obedient in His plan and purpose here on earth. We, if we desire to truly walk with God must surrender our lives to be more Christlike. Which of course exemplifies the obedience of loving and serving the One Ture God. True faith that requires obedience is associated with our spiritual state moreso than our physical state. Obedience starts in the heart and then flows to the mind and the manifestation in our physical body. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. If man were able to change his own state of disarray spiritually then perhaps we wouldn't have the cares and issues that we as humans have had for thousands of years. We are totally dependant on our faith in Jesus, the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Grace and Mercy of God to effectively live a Christian life and walk the walk needed to be examples of God to a lost and dying world. We cannot save ourselves. If that were the case there would have neer been a NT or prophecies pointing to the coming of the Lord in the OT. Amen

Q1. (1:1) How would you describe the behavior of a Christian who identifies more with his present homeland than his heavenly one? Have you ever caught yourself doing this? What has to happen to get our spiritual priorities straight I interpret this as being a Carnal Christian. A man or woman of God who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, but have not submitted to Jesus being Lord of their life. Its so easy to slide into this state, when not growing in the Word of God and submitting ourselves to Him on a daily basis. The cares of the world. The sins that so easily beset us. How the little things can take our focus off of our heavenly homeland when we take our eyes off of Christ. I think, and this is just my opinion, that we are all guilty of going off track here and there. Its part of our human nature to want to fix our own problems. I can certainly attest to that when I reflect on my life over the past few years. And how painful life becomes.We already, as Christians are subject to persecution simply for the confession of our faith in some circles. In today's world, to profess a faith that is not inclusive of other faiths (universal religion) targets us as intolerant. To adhere to the truth of the Word and to renounce the social norms that are attempting to expand the definition of marriage, family structure, modify our Christian walk with more lukewarm beliefs, apostacy, and the list goes on, is a no-no in the 21st century. Anyone who openly opposes what the world deems as correct is subject to public scrutiny and persecution from friends, family, associates and those who despise God, His Word and the absolutes that are embedded in the essence of Him. But stand we must, and to get our priorities right and keep them right we must submit our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, study the Word of god to show ourselves approved so we may grow in faith and hope in our earthly existance and be obedient to the Holy Spirit as He leads and guide us throughout the day. Heaven bound.May the God of creation keep us in these last days.

Q4. (1 Timothy 1:18-19) Why does Paul need to remind Timothy about the prophecies spoken over him? In practical terms, what does "fight the good fight" really mean? Why does Paul tell Timothy to "hold on to faith and a good conscience"? What temptation is Paul trying to counter in his protégé? Paul reminds Timothy of the prophecies spoken over him for encouragement and reinforcement of his faith, his calling and his purpose with the church of Ephesus. He is contending against false doctrines being perpetrated by Elders and Leaders who have strayed away. He is advised, by Paul to fight the good fight, by standing and proclaiming what is right and true regarding the Word of God. When Paul tells Timothy to "hold on to faith and a good conscience, he is admonishing him to stay focused and on the right path. Stay pure before God so that he won't fall as the other leaders did. A form of Gnosticism. Which I think is foundational to the sin of pride. (Just my assumption) The temptation I think that Paul is trying to counter is to allow the burden of his responsibility to become overwhelming and to give in or give up on his mission. He is encourageing him to hang in there, despite the adversity. Hold on to the faith. God is faithful. He will never give us more than what He knows we are capable of bearing. AMEN!!!

Q3. (1 Timothy 1:17) What do we learn about God from this doxology? What do we learn about praise? Have you ever tried speaking out a doxology in your personal prayer or praise time? What effect does a doxology have on the speaker? Paul gives honor to the unique attributes of God, that makes Him distinctive and the One True God from all others gods. HE IS eternal, immortal, invisable and the Only God. There is no other gods that can stand before Him. I get excited just typing it, because when you develop a personal relationship with Him and walk in that relationship, all of the attributes that make God distinctly unique are revealed to you in your walk with Him. He has a way of showing YOU who HE IS - Hallalujah!! I can't speak for others, but for me personally, anytime I talk about God in any way, I just can't help but begin praising Him. He is so worthy of praise and the wonderful thing about reading the Word of God, listening to the Word of God and being taught the Word of God is that the praises in the Bible will stick in your memory. And whether you quote the exact doxology or a varient of it, it just spills out with joy, because He is so good! And it encourages, edifies, blesses, lift up and HONORS Him. Which is fundamentally what most christians desire to do. Praise is good! Worship is good! And I learned the meaning of AMEN which really blessed me. I now know when I say Amen, I am acknowledging the truth of the Word of God!! This is great!

Q2. (1 Timothy 1:12-14) Why does Paul comment on his own life after a paragraph on the law (1:8-11)? Why does he share this with Timothy and the church that will read the letter? How might sharing this help get the church back on center? What a powerful testimony he gives! He acknowledges his former self - wicked but also lost - and then glorifies God for who he became. He clearly states that he was the worst of the worst- and when reading about the Paul before his encounter with Christ, he pretty much told the truth. He enjoyed hunting, persecuting and killing Christians. He revelled in his religious position and he just wasn't a nice person. But after the road to Damascus...and Jesus....he had a major conversion, with such a wonderful revelation of the grace of God, the mercy of God and the love of God which is found in Christ Jesus...that he held no condemnation of his former self. His former self became the testimony to God that lead to the salvation of many souls. God is a forgiving God of love grace and mercy. No respector of persons. He forgave and used Paul in a mighty way. He will forgive and use any of us who are willing to submit our lives wholly and completely to Him and follow His leading. Live in peace and walk in love. "To much whom is given is much required." (Luke 12:48) Praise God Paul had such a real understanding of the meaning and purpose of this scripture. And he lived it. Amen. Nothing is impossible WITH God.

Q1. (1 Timothy 1:3-7) What were some of the results of false doctrine in the church at Ephesus? How does doctrinal controversy hurt the spirit of a church? How does it prevent growth? How does it keep the church from its mission? False doctrines lead to division and chaos in the church instead of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The world does not see the glory of God, the love of God and the compassion of God in a church infected with false doctrine. It prevents church growth in 2 ways. Those who are not strong in the Word of God and walk with God, seeking His guidance in the middle of the conflict will either go with the flow and follow the dissention or with some, leave suddenly without seeking God for further direction. This can cause christians to become like the children of Isreal who,for 40 years were lost in the wilderness, until they allow God to restore them and then lead and guide them to a sound church home. False doctrine prevents the growth of a church as well as the growth of individuals because it is out of order, and our God is a God of order. For some people leaving is a desperate act to get away from the drama that is destroying the church, out of a sincere love for the things of God. For some, false doctrine leads to the downfall of an idol that was created in that person's mind: putting leadership on a pedestal and the costs that goes with that. For some false doctrine ts religion and not a personal relationship with God. And then there are those who do not personally study the Word, for themselves, but rely solely on man's teaching of the Word and, therefore do not have the discernment or knowledge to recognize a false teaching as its introduced in a church. False doctrines are the works of bad intentions: pride, destruction and downfall. There are some who are planted in a church to destroy it by evil followers. There are also people who are led astray in leadership by enforcing legalsim over grace and love. Or, as I mentioned by seeing themselves more highly than they ought to (pride). The church is about spreading the love of Christ and exemplifying that love to the world. When the church is divided, when the church is the talk of the community as a result of its inner turmoil, when the church does function in unity, the church abandons its mission: to save a dying world. Who wants to go to a church that promotes problems over peace? That's an everyday life problem. We go to the church for answers. Not more drama. I have lived this experience. And I never want to again.