Paulhoward

Q3. (Hebrews 2:1) In what ways are we not immune to drifting away from the gospel? According to the author, how can we successfully resist the tendency to drift? How did Jesus describe this phenomenon of "drift" in the Parable of the Sower? While we are in the body we will always be vulnerable because the ‘flesh’ is weak. If we put confidence in ourself our confidence is misplaced as it is rooted in pride. The key to resisting temptation is to be “strong in the Lord and the power of His might”, otherwise we are fooling ourselves! Putting on the full armour of God each day plus regular examination and confession is wise.

Q1. (Hebrews 1:2) In what way do you think the author of Hebrews is using the word "Son"? As a metaphor? As a biological relationship? How would a Son's words have more weight than a prophet's? My understanding is that they share the divine nature, therefore Not created. Jesus is in more of what we would see as a biological relationship, not a creature. Therefore the Son always knows the Father’s heart unlike an angel which doesn’t have an intimate relationship that the son has.

Through persevering in prayer & not giving up over a strained family relationship, I am now seeing change.

Only as we exercise faith can we connect with God’s power.

Forgiveness is part of discipleship. I need to practice obedience to further my discipleship. Yet by myself I need grace to energise my faith to make this possible.

Q2. (Acts 1:8) What kinds of power does Jesus offer us in the Holy Spirit? In what ways does Acts 1:8 function as an outline or blueprint of the Book of Acts? Where do you and I fit in to fulfilling Acts 1:8 The power to be confident in our message because its rooted in a powerful relationship with Jesus. We know He is real & the message is true because it has become real in me!!! We know it is through the message I have this relationship with Christ. Acts 1:8 is an "outline" of Acts because we see that it is the power of the Spirit that gives the early Church to move from their base in Jerusalem to the furthermore part of the known world in just a few years. How was that possible? Through the same power of signs and wonders that Jesus performed. And He only performed them because He was anointed by the power of the Spirit. We fit into this because the job isn't finished & Jesus hasn't returned. We live on a part of planet earth where the majority of the people have never heard or understood the Gospel. If we have been filled with the Holy Spirit we have the power & responsibility to witness to who Christ is & what He has done!!!!

Q1. (Acts 1:4-8) Why aren’t Jesus’ disciples to leave Jerusalem and return to their homes? In what ways does the Spirit’s coming represent a filling? A coming upon? A baptism? Because the process of starting the first church is not completed. They all need to be together and have the same experience and encounter. This will give great unity and the the prerequisite to their part to begin to fulfill the great commission. They need to get into gear for a new purpose for their lives. It's a filling in that it overflowed out of their mouths ? , which Jesus referred to as the overflow from our lives. (Matthew 12:34) Its a coming upon in that it's like it's happening "in time" , one minutes it not on them and the next minute it is!!!!! Its a baptism because it's an initiation & it's an immersion in the Spirit.

Faith enables me to trust that something I am hoping for from God will actually happen. It is an inner assurance that I already have something that at the moment is invisible but in due time will be made visible. It's an ongoing trust over a period of time & doesn't give up or waiver in the face of adverse circumstances , but continues to trust that it will be made visible because it is based on the rhema word of God , that has come alive to me , because the Holy Spirit has breathed upon it.

Q1. (Hebrews 3:6b) Why is the writer exhorting his readers to "hold on" to Christ? Why must we continue in our faith? According the writer of Hebrews, what happens if we don't? Suffering & difficulties make us look for an EASIer pathway. An “everything will be alright in the end” mentallity! To guard against this its important to HOLD on like a climber remaining attached to their climbing rope! Unclipping can be disasterous!!! Christ is our Promised land & without Him we will never enter into all the Father has prepared for us. Suffering is a “TEST”! Without Christ there is no promised land. Only wrath & loss of every kind. Suffering is short term. Turning back is Long term!!

Q1. (Hebrews 3:6b) Why is the writer exhorting his readers to "hold on" to Christ? Why must we continue in our faith? According the writer of Hebrews, what happens if we don't? Suffering & difficulties make us look for an EASIer pathway. An “everything will be alright in the end” mentallity! To guard against this its important to HOLD on like a climber remaining attached to their climbing rope! Unclipping can be disasterous!!! Christ is our Promised land & without Him we will never enter into all the Father has prepared for us. Suffering is a “TEST”! Without Christ there is no promised land. Only wrath & loss of every kind. Suffering is short term. Turning back is Long term!!!

Q4. (Hebrews 2:3b-4) In what way has the truth of salvation been confirmed to you? Would signs and wonders help or hinder establishing the truth of Christ's ministry today? From which portion of the Bible have you formed your opinion of the value of signs and wonders today? I was fortunate to have had a powerful conversion experience, Christ extemely real in that experience. Exposed to the gifts of Holy Spirit through a study of Acts in small group,& beginning with tongues & prophecy to experience the "gifts" later began to,see healing & after Wimber conferences also Deliverance et & manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Todays world need a supernatural Gospel to deal with other religions & scientific worldview. We see this through things like the ALPHA course & Healing Rooms & Healing on the streets. Also increased accuracy of prophetic ministry. Gospels & Acts are key books of the Bible for this.

We are no different than the people of the first century, in some ways we are more vulnerable as therefore are a lot more distractions!!!! It's easy with so many voices crying for our attention to listen to all the other voices. It's also easy to forget what we have heard and not embed it in our hearts. This is where the sower comes in as it is all about not letting the word remain in our hearts till it bears fruit. Q3. (Hebrews 2:1) In what ways are we not immune to drifting away from the gospel? According to the author, how can we successfully resist the tendency to drift? How did Jesus describe this phenomenon of "drift" in the Parable of the Sower?

Q2. (Hebrews 1:2-3) What about the author's description of the Son makes you think that the Son described is himself divine? What role does the Son have in doing the Father's will according to these verses? To rule with God suggests they are sharing the same role. To sustain the universe is clearly no task for an angel!!!!!! To act by speaking the word that sustains everything you must know what's is in the heart of the Father.

The Passion translation has a note to verse 2, "c1: 2 Or “he has spoken through a Son.” We speak in English; God speaks in “Son,” for Jesus is the language of God. The Sonship of Jesus is the language he now uses to speak to us." The way God speaks to,us now is very intimate, it's the Son all the time. Someone who shares identity, some creeds would say, "substance" with the Father. Because He shares this He thinks & feels like the Father, He has the same nature, theynspeak the same "language", its Son language!!!!!!!

We look at what is in our best interested and not the Kingdom. You need discernment to seize out all the good and see the gold in the pan which is God's best.

Q3. (1:6) What does Paul expect God to do for the Philippian believers? Why does he expect God to do this? What is the basis of Paul's confidence? On what basis can we expect God to do this for us? the good work He began is our trusting in Christ. This He will keep on doing until we are competed at the end of our life. We have to keep looking to God to complete it and NOT to ourselves.

The idea behind being a slave of Christ is that the Greek word 'doulas" carries the idea of being a male slave. Someone who isn't a servant but someone who is owned by a master and has been purchased to domhis masters will. while a "saint" , the Greek hagiography, means someone who has been purchased and set aside for a special purpose. The idea of being dedicated for God's purposes and not for common use. Therefore we need to honour God with our body. It doesn't depend on how holy a life I have lived today but that I am dedicated to God for His purposes. It's important to understand this.

Q4. (Acts 10:19-20) Why was it important for Simon to get a very clear command from the Spirit to go with his visitors? What would he have done if the word weren't so clear? What does he do when criticized for taking this action (Acts 11:2, 12)? What kind of faith does it take to obey the Spirit and take an action you know you'll be criticized for later? Do you disobey when you know you might face criticism for obedience? He needed this because he was going against the Jewish laws as they understood them. He needed to know it was God not just for His own conscience but because he would have to explain his actions to a lot of others!!!!! If it hadn't been clear he would have had too many doubts . He is able to refer back to this miraculous guidance which is so strong that it convinces his sceptics that God really is in this?? A strong faith is needed , one that has "counted the cost" but is determined to obey when the guidance is very clear. Certainly there have been times when I have taken the easy way out? However I have grown spiritually when I have stuck to my guns!!!!

Q3. (Acts 19:21; 20:22-24; 21:12-14) What would have happened if Paul hadn't been sure of his instructions from the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem? Would you have tried to dissuade him? It's comforting to receive encouraging words. What level of maturity does it take to receive a direction that might lead us into hardship and danger? What happens when we choose the easy way, when God leads us on a difficult path? He could have given up and not gone, the Agabus word put him off. He could easily have given way to doubt and unbelief and fear. I think most of us would have questioned his guidance!!!!! A great deal of maturity!!!!!! If we choose the easy way we may miss out on God's best of not fulfilling our destiny whose value we may not fully appreciate until after this life.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 12:9a; Acts 18:9-10; 23:11; 27:24) How do you think it feels to Paul for God to personally encourage him when he is afraid and hurting? What do we learn about God that he speaks to Paul in this way? That God hasn't forgotten him, that God can help him in each situation. God is going to give him strategy to go through this trial which is what God speaking gives him. It also shows God is committed to doing his mission with him, it is not Paul's mission , it is Christ's mission that Paul gets to partner with him. that God is faithful and doesn't forsake you when you are in difficulty. God feels Paul's pain and fear with him, He understands, He goes through it with him.

Q1. (1 Kings 17-19) Why do you think the author contrasts the "still small voice" to the wind, earthquake, and fire? How does God's voice comfort and renew Elijah? Why is it easy to miss God when his voice is gentle and quiet? We would expect Elijah to have very dramatic experiences of hearing God, ones you couldn't miss!!!! Yet in this passage we see that scripture gives us a lot of insight into how a top prophet listened to God. The idea of a whisper gives us the picture that you've got to be listening intently, you have tuned out the distracting noise (static) ? He is told to take up a position where God will speak to him which brings an expectation that we will hear. First God sent an angel to give him food and rest, he wasn't in a state to hear anything till he rested, sometimes you get ill through exhaustion and God really has allowed it to make you stop!!!! Giving us this picture is probably showing us that this is the more normal way God will speak to it and we have to get used to it. God's voice renews Elijah by addressing the need s in his life: that he has become lonely, hence a companion is a great idea, that he has lost his focus by being knocked off course by Jezebell's threat. So God gives him a new task. His word,of rebuke addresses the lies he is believing about the spiritual state of the nation and how it makes him feel very alone. Its easy to miss Gid's voice when it's gentle and quiet as that's not how we expect it!!!!!! We have to start to train to hear whispers bit like if you are losing your hearing have to listen because sound seems so low. Another big problem today is all the static, mobiles phones etc.

Q4. (1 Corinthians 2:9-16) How does the Holy Spirit make "the mind of Christ" available to us? How does this make you dependent upon the Holy Spirit? How does this relate to listening for God's voice? He can give us the mind of Christ by helping us to hear and feel and imagine how Christ would experience any event or person we are likely to meet be involved in. This might come even from entering into a Biblical story. It's an angle on listening and experiencing that we often don't think about.

Q3. (John 14-16) What promises concerning the Paraclete -- Comforter -- Counselor -- Helper -- Holy Spirit does Jesus give in John chapters 14-16? How do these relate to guidance? To "hearing" God? This is like having Jesus not just alongside us but inside us. He can manifest Himself at any time and of course can can whisper from within us. It means we can have a conversation as we go about our daily life. In a quiet time we can sing, worship, pray in tongues as we let the Holy Spirit be in ascendancy in our lives from early each day.

Q2. (John 5:19, 30) Why do you think Jesus said, "By myself I can do nothing"? (vs. 30). How do you justify this statement with Jesus' divine nature as the Son of God? In what ways can we use Jesus' example as a pattern for our own life and ministry? How do you think Jesus would "see" and "hear" the Father? Jesus is acknowledging His humanity. He has to listen and depend on the Father just as we do??? He has laid aside all that went with His divinity , to model for us what should have happened through Adam. Here is someone without sin but human fulfilling the divine purpose for man made in God’s image. It shows us what is possible for us!!!! We need to see that we can and need to live a “face to face” experience with the Father. This will mean starting each day in the Father’s Presence. Jesus saw and heard the Father through His spirit, through the scriptures which He was immersed in and through prophetic revelations. He meditated on Biblical stories like the Israelites in the Wilderness am the book of Deuteronomy. He also used all of the different prophetic ways of hearing & seeing.