Uncle Dave

Q3. (Philippians 3:7-8) How do legalism and the resulting spiritual pride prevent us from trusting in Christ by faith, and knowing him? How has your pride in yourself kept you from drawing closer to Jesus? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1832-q3-legalism-and-pride/ We end up believing in ourselves as we see ourselves doing what is right instead of trusting the fact that Jesus already took care of the penalty for any wrong we might partake of. That is not to say we shouldn’t do what is right, but the fact remains that we need trust Jesus and not our good behavior. Pride has so many times kept me from drawing close to Jesus. When I first came to know Jesus, I would be quick to point out to others all their wrong doings and the biggest problem was that I was expecting perfection from other Christians and could not accept that they screwed up, and of course I was quick to blame their influence on me for not trying to stay on the narrow path. It took some really hard-hitting falls before I came to terms with the fact that nobody was perfect and that I was accountable for no one but myself for my actions. Fact is, you can’t say you love your neighbor when you’re always criticizing them and putting them down (even if you’re just doing it non-vocally) and when you’re not displaying love, you’re doing the opposite and that means if you really want to get close to Christ, the only way one is really going to learn is to go down hard. How many times I went down hard. I am still a long way from where I would like to be, but I have found it is much better to communicate with Christ (and that means listening to what He has to say) than to kick against the goads.

Q2. (Acts 9:10-18) Why do you think God sends Ananias to Paul rather than revealing directly? Why does Ananias argue with God? Why does it take courage to obey? What does Ananias do and say? Have you ever had God guide you to talk with someone and minister to him or her? Have you followed through? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1831-q2-ananias/ I find this first question most interesting, possibly because it is about something I never gave second thought to and just figured that’s the way it happened. There are various possibilities for answers here such as God testing Ananias’ faith, maybe because he had the gift of healing, or both, and even other reasons I’m unable to think of at this time. He argued with God over the issue because he was afraid of Saul knowing the depths to which he was persecuting the church, jailing followers of Christ, having them beat and even put to death. For this reason, it would take courage to obey. Perhaps during this conversation with God, he was reassured of his safety other than God just telling him “go thy way” and explaining to him how much Saul must suffer for Christ's name sake. Ananias obeyed and met with Saul and healed him of his blindness by a laying on of hands. There have been times God has led me to talk to someone, in fact it seems like the situations are looked upon by others as sticky at best. One example was at my youngest brother’s funeral service and the pastor who was present only talked about things my brother did and accomplished in the community and I was kind of upset that he didn’t take advantage of that time to remind all there that they too would end up in a coffin one day and that a judgement awaited most, to say the least. In one sense I had that feeling like ‘just me, can’t keep my mouth shut when I should’ but I believe to this day that was Satan trying to talk me out of it. Afterwards, I was amazed at the fact that I was approached by some people who already knew I was there but seemed to keep some kind of a certain distance, perhaps from remembering what I was like before I met Jesus. I was given an opportunity to talk to some people about Jesus and though it seemed nobody was responsive (at least not at that time), I could see a difference of a sort in people’s attitudes. I only pray I made a difference. I’ve also been in some situations which were “stickier” than I could imagine but God has always protected me. If something did happen to me during one of these events I only pray now I would have the strength to thank God for the opportunity to suffer a little for Him.

Q1. (Acts 9:4-5; 26:14) Why does persecuting Christ's people constitute persecuting Christ himself? What kinds of goads or prods have you seen God use on you to move you along Christ's path? When you "kick against the goads" is it harder on you or on God? http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1830-q1-resisting-goads/ Because Jesus is one with His followers. If you do harm to one of Jesus’s people, it is the same as if you had done it to Jesus himself. This is, to me, the truest sense of one in spirit. It’s a connection that is ironclad if you are a true follower. Perhaps another way of thinking might be, say, for example, a close loved one is seriously hurt in an accident, or hurt in any way that you actually, in your spirit sink a bit. Please excuse the morbid example I’m about to use but imagine that someone you are very close to is being executed for no reason at all and you are being forced to watch, unable to do anything, you would feel the pain in your spirit the same as the person being harmed. Jesus feels our pain in the same way. The same as He is one with our Father, He is one with His church. The goads and prods…in order to get my attention, God prodded me in many ways, some of them prods seemed like they were really sharp. I am not going to mention any specifics here, but before I finally decided to live for Christ, I felt the prod in many forms and fashions. Even when I thought I was following Him, (the early days), I often felt the prods to get me on the right path. Yes, Jesus knows when you are just trying to win His favor and when you approach Him in truth and spirit. All I will say is it took a major prodding to get my attention. When you kick against the goads, I think it is hard on both self and God. It is hard on self because it seems like all you do is try to escape the presence of God, but denying God the glory He deserves puts one on a path leading to destruction and it is written that it is His will that all would be saved. He made everybody with love and any attempt to not accept what He has to offer could be compared to the feeling you get when you give something to someone as a gift and they come back at you complaining that it isn’t exactly what they had in mind.

Hi, My name, also is Dave. I'm originally from Pa and currently living in the Bay Area (San Jose), Ca. Regardless of where you live, and I lived in S.E. Asia for a little over three years once, the God we follow is the same everywhere. Like what is written in Psalms, where can I go to escape your presence? I love learning about and discussing the things about my God who lives in Heaven. I only wish I had better retention of what I learn. He made me perfect though, according to His purpose so what I am able to retain is mine. Maybe if I live to be 150 I might know just a fraction of what I would like to know about my God. I hope to learn a bit more over the course of this study. Not my first study at this site and they are well thought out by Pastor Ralph. My user name has somewhat of a history behind it relating to a small ministry in the Philippines. With that, let's do it. Dave

1 Q4. (Ephesians 6:18a; Jude 20; Romans 8:26-27) 1) In the list of elements of the Full Armor of God, where does the Spirit show himself? 2) Why is Spirit-directed prayer so important for the believer? 3) How have you experienced this is your life? The Full Armor of God is a rhetorically speaking body armor compared to what a Roman soldier might have worn. The “uniform” we are supplied with is worn within, where the Spirit abides. The idea of wearing man-made garments as a means of protection against powers from Satan’s evil spirit empire would repel nothing, much like the idea of owning an M16 does not make a person a soldier. · The Belt of Truth Does this not go hand in hand with the Spirit of Truth? The father of all lies (who never speaks the truth and has lied from the beginning) cringes when a person, believers in particular speaks the truth. · The Breastplate of Righteousness You must protect yourself at all times. The very split second you so much as look at something of an evil nature, the enemy smiles. Walking the narrow road, looking neither to the left or right, as tempting as the sights are never gets easier. This road passes through a carnival of evil and Satan (thinks he does) has a pretty good idea of how to get the Saints of God to just take the tiniest peek-a-boo. Once again it is the Spirit of Christ within you who keeps your focus on the finish line only · The Shoes of Piece There are shoes that literally run to the closest lottery ticket merchant with the hope of having a better life through the riches of the world. Especially when the prize gets really big. I, myself have fallen victim to this snare a couple of times and even though I only spent one or two dollars, the fact is I fell victim. The last time the prize was huge, and the thoughts were going through my head about how I was going to not be known as the won who won, the Holy Spirit intervened and reminded me that the gold in heaven lasts forever and that I would never have peace were I suddenly to wake up in a ton of money. The shoes of peace, which is, put in another way, the Spirit saying not to run after evil. The shoes of peace only know to seek out the things of God and is it not the Holy Spirit who looks into the mind of Christ? · The Shield of Faith In a sense, you can figure on the enemy shooting his fiery darts at you, in much the same way flaming arrows were once used or even in modern times, high speed projectiles which can kill the body. Beware of the one who can kill both the body and spirit. We are saved by our faith. One of the jobs of the enemy is to attempt to instill doubt in us. If you are not abiding in Christ, your faith is vulnerable. One must remember that the enemy is looking for holes anywhere he can in our armor and if he can get you to doubt the deity of Christ for the shortest time, he is on his way to succeeding. Without the Holy Spirit in in acting as a barrier against the world, the end holds a sad result. · The Helmet of Salvation The words of Paul “the wretched man I am” quickly come to mind when I think of this one. If anywhere, we need a strong defense in the mind. How often, does a person look at something and before you know it the desires of the world and lusts of the flesh come to life from within. The Holy Spirit is the only truly effective defense we have here. Most sin starts in the mind. It is so easy to be doing something as common as watching the news on television and next thing you know, thoughts of an unrighteous nature are at play. The entertainment industry has been a real source of poison with what might be expected to come across the screen. Back in the early ‘60s, growing up and watching television shows like I Love Lucy or Dick Van Dyke, men and women did not sleep in the same beds and they were always pajama clad. Sex scenes on television were forbidden and even language was closely monitored. Over the years that changed and now sex scenes, language that should never be heard, half nude (or should I say, practically nude) actors are no more than part of what kids watch. I was shocked about two years ago when a young boy, say about 12 or so was watching some kind of movie on Netflix that showed nude actors shooting heroin and smoking dope. We got into an argument over it and when I approached the kid’s dad I was surprised at the “could care less” attitude. Kids need to be taught to guard their minds at a young age. Without the Holy Spirit present to help in this, it will only get worse. · Sword of the Spirit This is where it all begins. The only way a person is going to learn about the Holy Spirit is by drowning under the sword of the Spirit. This sword is none other than the Word of God. There is much to be learned about the Holy Spirit in the Word, and, of course, a good teacher who is good about putting the pieces together. The Word of God is a two-edged sword which cuts with the power of the truth in the life of a believer. The Spirit of God is here to lead us, educate us, correct us, and so much more. The question of Spirit directed prayer in the life of a believer goes beyond what a person can comprehend concerning prayer. Although we pray for things for others, ourselves, etc., we really don’t know just what we should pray for. The Spirit prays on our behalf to cover us on this one. This could be about the way the Spirit looks into the things of God, something we can’t do, but we don’t know enough about what is really going on for the best of prayer because we only see the earthly side of things, whereas the Spirit sees both the earthly things and that which exists in the spirit world. Have I experienced this in my life? Many times. One example might be a few years back when we decided to move to where we are now located. It wasn’t far, but it was far enough to protect us from a flood which left water that would have been a few feet over our heads for a few days and many homes were ruined with much property having to be destroyed (which the flood itself didn’t already destroy). Although I’m positive things like this happen every day, there are many things we will never even know about but at the same time, if it hadn’t been for the Holy Spirit, we could have been wiped out or seriously injured. Knowing this is the last of an 11-week series, I would like to thank Pastor Wilson for providing this most informative study. As always, I look forward to the next one.

Q3. (Ephesians 5:18-20) How is singing worship linked to being filled with the Spirit? How is singing worship linked to joy? I think back to when I was younger, like early elementary school years of a small church that was across from a back alley behind my grandmother’s place. It was a small place and even though I have never been in it, I think of it almost in a cartoon-like sense. Not that I saw it as a place of entertainment or look upon it in a humorous way but looking back at the place (which has been gone for years), I see in my mind a small, dark red shingled building just a swaying back and forth as the people sang every Sunday morning. I would come to know the pastor a few years later when I started delivering newspapers in the neighborhood and once again, looking back I see in my mind two very Spirit filled people. I wish there was a better answer I could give for the question, but I sat here and looked at it for a long time and this was the only thing that would come to mind that seemed to fit. Singing liked to joy is talked about in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, and even more so in the life of King David. David quite often sang, and even danced in the Spirit. It is not uncommon for a person to sing when joy overtakes the mind on the worldly side of the fence. I really wish Christians would come to life with singing in the same way that people do at a rock concert. Of course, it would probably be deemed as “politically incorrect” or a song leader to rally a congregation to life with holy hands lifted to God, carrying on and really living it up in the same way I have seen many rock singers do. To act like that in the meeting place of the church would no doubt draw heavy fire in the same way did from his wife Michal in 2nd Samuel 6:16. Maybe that was why it seemed so hard to answer these questions at first. I’m not saying its like that everywhere, only in about 99.99% of worship settings today. Actually, maybe not that high. I have seen, though I never attended concerts with Christian Rock bands performing, and I could see things as they were meant to be, at-least in my eyes. I have heard countless pastors complain about how Christian rock just isn’t what God intended. In their eyes it should be the same songs that have been played for the past 100 years with guitars and Marshall amps having no place in the church. I’m sure that before electricity became available the world over, a Hammond organ would have been viewed as evil and having no place in the church. Not sure how I got so far off subject and I apologize for the rant. I was going to start over again but the song would have remained the same. Thank you so much Pastor Ralph for this course. Thank you also for the forum. I learn so much from reading other people’s posts.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 3:18) Why is character change directly related to time deliberately spent in God's presence? Have you noticed a change in the "degree of glory" you're experiencing now compared to a few years ago? Why or why not? Character change comes as a result of who you spend your time with. If a child grows up on a farm learning about things like hard work, odds are he/she will be a hard worker in life. Not just a farm, but anywhere, or any type of work. The examples could go on forever, but I think what I’m saying is clear. Kids today can sue their parents over things we accepted as part of life, such as punishment proportionate to the offense. The paddle was a common sound in the halls of the school I attended but not surprisingly, the amount of people who went on to have brushes with the law were few. At any rate, a person becomes what their environment dictates, especially at a young age. A person who spends much time in God’s presence will be much easier to get along with than a person whose life is based in crime. Have I noticed a change in the degree of glory I’m experiencing now compared to a few years ago? Before I saw this question, I saw something similar in the week 11 growth assignment and decided to ask my wife. Was that being bold? I knew she would be 100% honest with me. I was like the kid back in school hoping I would get an “A” on the test as the answer came out. Okay, I didn’t get an “A”, but I didn’t totally flunk either. If the highest passing grade was due, it was probably for either because of being brave (or crazy) enough to ask for the answer. Anyway, looking back I can see where I might have made some improvement, but I also know now of the many improvements I could work on. Perhaps over the last 15 years it would be easier to see the progress made. I know for a fact though that nobody but myself is to blame for time not spent with God, either in His Word, one-on-one sessions, doing His work, etc.

Q1. (John 15:1-8) Why do we need to abide in Jesus? The fruit from branches connected to a vine is the grape. What is the nature of the fruit that comes from being connected to Jesus? Is it accurate to define fruit as "souls saved"? What is the danger in this definition? Using the fruit of the vine analogy, if the grape becomes separated from the vine it’s source of life and nourishment is cut, and the grape dries up like a prune. Although a prune is a good food source, its next task is being consumed. In other words, it is done. Jesus also had a few talks about being consumed but the point is that while we’re connected to the vine (Jesus), we are alive, the reason Jesus came. John 10:10 gives some insight as to what happens if we become separated (the result of being removed from the vine, or, not abiding in Jesus) from Jesus: John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Abiding in Jesus is where this more abundant life comes from. If Satan plucks you from the vine (steal, kill, and destroy), the results are describe in Matthew 25:46, but if we abide in Jesus, the reward for doing so is in that same verse: And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Satan can’t pluck you away so long as you abide in Christ (John 10:39). The Bible says no one can pluck you from His hand, but when you add all these words up, especially the abide lines, I would tend to think we better stay on guard and not jump out of His hand to investigate that which we are to stay away from. The nature of the fruit from being connected to Christ is life eternal. Stay connected with Christ and He will remain connected with you. Souls saved is important, but Jesus knew that all would not come to Him, and even in the book of Revelation, as bad as things get toward the end (Revelations 16:9, 16:9, 11). One needs to be conscience of the fact that you also have a responsibility to yourself. There is nothing anybody else can do to get you in the door. You must bring your own oil for your lamp (Matthew 25:1-5). I’m not saying that you should not be concerned for others, but I think that needs to be kept in mind. You can walk around searching out the lost, and healing the sick, etc., but you also need to not develop the attitude that this person or that person needs Jesus, while not remaining connected to Him yourself. If, in the process of doing the work of the Kingdom you become disconnected yourself, you are in a dangerous place. It would be like working hard all your life and not maintaining a plan in place for when you can no longer work had, except this is something with eternal consequences. We all have our individual callings to God’s work. I would think that we are bearing fruit if we are doing that work, regardless of what it is. Why would the Spirit instruct a person to do something if it was meant for someone else to do? Just as it takes many parts to make a car run, likewise with the church. We all have our part to keep the church strong.

Q4. (1 Samuel 3:1-10) Why is Samuel's servant attitude such an important preparation for hearing God's voice? Why is surrender to Jesus such an important element of discipleship? To put it in simple terms, because God (Yahweh, Jehovah) is the one in control, command, the teacher, and so forth. Is a servant greater than the master? Our Father does not, a-least that I know of just appear on the street to talk to anyone willing to act like they are paying attention. When the Lord speaks, it is for a reason, whether it is something we are to announce to somebody, or a group of people, something that needs done, etc., because He is looking for someone willing to accomplish His will and not their own. Speaking of the servant attitude, if we are to be like God, or His Son, it would be impossible to do so without the servant attitude. Jesus said He came to serve. And that is what He did. Think about it, who is serving who here? Who gives us food, shelter from the weather, paychecks, etc.? God literally owns everything. Everything you see was crafted out of what He has put before us. And, He gives to the wicked as well as the poor. The rain falls on all of us. Of course, it will be the true believers who inherit the Kingdom in the end. Once again, who are we inheriting from? It is all from God. I often think about this and how we are supposed to act in the same manner. Matthew 25:45-46 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Verse 46 is some strong language. If we carry the servant attitude set by God’s example, the reward is greater than I can imagine. To the one who doesn’t, well let’s just say the future looks awful dim. I think surrender to Jesus as so important to discipleship because there is only one way (ultimately) to do God’s will, and that is “to do it”. You can’t pick up a guitar and play for the world, in a way the world wants to hear it and expect God to appreciate it. On the other hand, you can’t play for God and expect the world to appreciate it. I would be lying if I were to say I strictly adhere to such an attitude, and believe me, I often ask God to simply make a “programmed human robot”, because I would rather be as a mechanical man and doing His will instead of not doing all I could be doing. I believe there is much work that does not get done by God’s people but in the end I believe He will have accomplished His will and I look forward to being eternally in the Kingdom with the rest of the saints who have been resurrected into righteousness, our past, imperfect life behind us, to be forgotten forever.

Q3. How would you differentiate between (1) the Spirit's voice and (2) the Spirit nudge or prompting? What can you do to sensitize yourself to His voice and promptings? I would look at a nudge or prompt when I get an impulse to do something, even if it would be in reply to a question. There was a time when I asked God to guide my footsteps (in a physical sense), and as I was walking down a road I suddenly felt an urge to make a deviation from the course I would normally have taken, and as things would go I came upon a yard sale and there was a small glass top dining room table with 4 chairs, which was something I needed at the moment and as things would go the person was having a hard time selling it and all but gave it to me. That, I would classify as a nudge. I find it kind of hard to describe what just what a “nudge” is coming from the Holy Spirit because just like the example I just gave, they are things which just happen, whether or not it requires action on my part. Hearing the Spirit’s voice, on the other hand is something I experience often, and I think the reason is that I don’t readily understand things as quick as most people and I often find myself asking questions which I believe only God can give me the answer I will understand and am looking for. On the other hand, however I have heard the Spirit’s voice at times telling me in a very direct, matter of fact way with an exclamation mark about something I need to get straightened out before it escalates into a situation which will cause problems with unpleasant results. I won’t go into details on this one too much, but the first time this ever happened to me, I was out in the woods on a cold winter morning hunting and there was a certain something causing me torment and all of a sudden it was like I could hear a voice booming across the mountains telling me to forgive the person involved. To sensitize one’s self to His voice and promptings, I would suggest claiming a space as a prayer closet. It doesn’t necessarily have an actual closet or private room or secluded place out in the middle of the woods, but anywhere you can meet with God one-on-one privately. It could mean getting up early in the morning while everyone else is sleeping or the exact opposite. Whatever works for you is perfect. The main thing is that you can ask God questions, tell Him what’s going on in your life, pretty much a time and place where you can discuss anything. God is your father, and like the caring father he is, He is interested in what is going on with you and wants to hear it from you. I remember a pastor once telling how he would sit down and even ask God to have a seat on the couch with him (a courtesy I would be willing to bet not many people offer), and just have a conversation. Of course, it must be remembered that if you’re going to have a conversation with anyone you need to listen as well as talk. Imagine going to school and presenting the answers to your teacher ahead of any questions you might have for them.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 2:9-11, 16) What connects us to the mind of Christ? Do you have a regular Quiet Time? What could you do to make it more meaningful? It is the Holy Spirit who connects us to the mind of Christ. I have a regular quiet time and it is the best part of my day. It is when I miss this part of the day, I begin to lose focus on what God has done for me and what He has for me to do. My reserved quiet time is early morning before the sun comes up or during times of going for long walks. Making it more meaningful means early to bed so that when the time comes to rise.

Q1. (Mark 1:33-39) What pattern do you see emerging in Jesus' prayer life? Why do you think he spends Quiet Time with the Father before the day begins? How does this prepare him for his ministry? Why does Jesus minster through the power of the Spirit instead of in his own power? Jesus like to get away to spend time with in prayer. It also seems like as though He preferred the mornings. Probably because at the beginning of the day, after some sleep the clutter which gathers in the mind has largely dissipated. Not only that, but it seems as though people chased after Him relentlessly once they started waking and that would have left no time to communicate with His (Our) Father during any other part of the day. The quiet of the morning, in my opinion is the best time of the day anyway. Your senses are as sharp as they are going to get and your ability to hear is at its best. I learned when I was still in school that you could curl up under a tree in the woods just before the sun come up and in time my ears began to be able to distinguish the difference between a chipmunk, squirrel, deer, and by far the easiest, a human walking through fallen leaves in the fall of the year. It was much later in life that I would hear the voice of God on one of them mornings, and it was an unforgettable experience. Even these days, I love the morning and listening to God speak is the most wonderful experience a person could ask for. Especially when you let Him do all the talking. Sometimes it is over a question on something that might be bugging me, and the answer is seldom what I expect to hear. Not that the subject isn’t addressed but the words are often 180 degrees out from what I am expecting but He never puts me to sleep out of boredom, that is for sure. This would have helped prepare Jesus for the often-long day ahead, which probably more times than not would have carried well into the evening. He had to find out though what to expect, where to go, what to avoid, etc. as He carried out His ministry. The fact that Jesus received His power from God via the Holy Spirit is proof that He came to us the way He did in order to live the life of 100% man, totally removed from the Heavenly glory He left behind to bring the salvation He brought. He could not have set the example He did otherwise because if He had come under the power He had before He came, He would not have depended on our Father and the Holy Spirit the way He did. The life He led clearly showed how we can be successful in life if we live the way He lived. It is possible, even 2000 years later to follow His example despite the obstacles and road blocks which often stop us from doing so. What I just said truly tells me that I have a long way to go. I love the encouragement I get taking these online studies, especially now that I have got over the fact that what I read is meant for me all of the time and not for people who come to mind like in the early days of me knowing Jesus. I may have come a long way, but I have a long way to go.

Not one to re-invent the wheel, I found a script of the Spiritual Gifts Inventory and it can be found at http://buildingchurch.net/g2s-i.htm

Q4. (1 Peter 4:10-11) If people are always promoting themselves and pointing to how God is using them, what does that say about them? About their sense of self-worth? About their maturity? Their realism? Their humility? What spiritual gifts has God given you, and how are you using them to his glory? I tend to view a person who is into self-promotion as an insecure person. The light we should seek after in this life is not the “lime” light. There are people in the spotlight whose mission is genuine but at the same time there are those whose mission is simply self-glorification rather than glorifying God, which is of Satan. Self-glorification is pride and denies humility in one’s life. Gifts of the Spirit are not for self-edification. They are for building a bigger church (by bigger church, I’m talking about membership of God’s kingdom—not a building with expensive stained glass, etc.) and the church glorifying God. I would think that faith, generosity, and mercy might be high on the list concerning spiritual gifts in my life. I say that because of my concern, especially for homeless people with an ever-increasing population living in the streets. A couple dollars here and there to people begging between the lanes, or clothing, food, whatever will not break anybody. Too often I hear how God blesses a cheerful giver but how can He bless one who withholds? One must trust the Word of God before it comes alive. I believe gifts can be abused, as I think I might have done with music. I couldn’t grasp the gravity of a pastor years back who talked to me about “playing for the Lord”. I was too interested in performing for “me”, and when I hit a point in life that as a result, I lost everything I realized how clever Satan was. I have since moved on and recovered from that down time and sponsor a youth Bible teaching ministry with my wife. The ministry is located in the Philippines. I know I can do much more for the Kingdom and slowly getting my “chops” back together for future use. I downloaded the survey in a .pdf format and even though I have not "taken the test", as one might say, I have looked at it and have given thought to putting it into a program where one can click in the answers and get instant results after I complete the one I'm writing now. Answers would not be recorded anywhere but could be used as a progress meter.

Q3. (1 Corinthians 12:11) What are lessons do you learn from verse 11? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual gifts? Verse 11, like most verses in the Bible teach us a wealth of information. The verse in question tells us that it is the Holy Spirit who empowers these gifts. The empowering of any of the gifts must be “activated” by the Holy Spirit, there being no strength of energy of a human user involved. Although every true believer receives a gift from the Holy Spirit, it is not up to the believer to choose which gift he/she will get. This is all decided by the Holy Spirit. This is because He knows better than us what best, in what way, etc., we could put to good use in the fulfilling of God’s purpose. What we need to remember is that all gifts come from one Spirit and all work for the same body. That is, each and every gift given out by the Spirit serves a purpose for the betterment of the body (the church), as a whole.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 12:9) In the twentieth century we saw the evangelistic power of preaching combined with healing the sick. Where in Jesus' ministry do you see this combination? Where in Paul's ministry? In Peter's ministry? In Philip's ministry? The Bible contains more examples and it is hard to imagine how many examples were never even published. Matthew 4:23 Jesus was going all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every[a] disease and sickness among the people. Acts 14:8-10 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. Acts 3:1-9 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, Acts 8:5-7 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

Q1. Is it legitimate to use Jesus as our example in the use of spiritual gifts? Or was he so different than we are that we can't pattern our ministry after his example? Where do you see the gift of knowledge in the Old Testament? In the New Testament? Yes, it is very much legit to use Jesus as our example. True, He was different than us, just the same as we are all different from each other. Jesus came in the flesh (as well as in Spirit), but He did not come as ‘a’ spirit. Although many situations have their similarities, which is where we can pattern our ministry after the example set by Jesus, I think it needs to be remembered that it is the situations which differ, but the example Jesus set can be tailored to any situation that presents itself. Looking into the OT for examples of the gift of knowledge one needs look no farther than the prophecies from prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Daniel, or some of the other prophets and the same goes for the NT looking at the book of Revelation, written by John.

Q4. (Ephesians 4:11) How could a person have the spiritual gift of pastor or teacher without having an official position in a church? What must a church do if its "senior pastor" doesn't have the spiritual gift of pastor? Who gives these gifts? A person could have the spiritual gift of pastor or teacher and be preaching & teaching in the streets as many have always done. A gift from God is something He issues forth for His own purpose. It could also be that the person with no position within the church is simply not producing fruit with what God has given him. If one has a position he is not qualified to hold, I would think the church should look to replace him as soon as possible to ensure things run as smooth as possible with one who is blessed with the gift of holding such a position. There is more to a position than just the title. It is the anointing & gifting & calling of God to be a pastor. These gifts come from God, of course.

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 1 Corinthians 14) How would you define the gift of prophecy? Why do churches sometimes despise or prohibit prophecy? What guidelines does Paul give here and in 1 Corinthians 14 to keep prophecy in a congregation healthy? To define the gift of prophecy, I would say something to the tune of a revealing of God’s will via the Holy Spirit for the purpose of building up, encouraging, etc., the church. It could be a revealing, or warning of something which will happen sometime in the future. As to why prophecy is despised or prohibited in some congregations, I would first level the blame at Satan for causing the abuse of such a holy gift. The prophets from old who told the truth were despised for not saying things pleasing to the ears. There are people who will claim they have a word from God when in fact they don’t and are only trying to impress people for their own benefit at the listener’s expense. Prophecy should be spoken when there is someone to interpret messages and also the act of discernment should be practiced.

Q2. (Ephesians 4:11a) Do you think there are modern-day apostles? If so, who might they be? If you don't believe there are modern-day apostles, identify some people who are doing some of the same things that the early apostles did. Yes, I believe there are modern-day apostles. I believe that many people in the missionary type of work fit this title quite readily. I knew a person who used to travel many miles a day on a small motorcycle between towns in Guatemala. He then went on to working with the Chinese people and part of his work involved the smuggling of Bibles into the country and then to the people in mountainous areas. In many parts of the world where Christianity is still being found out about it is the healings and other miracles which convince people of the power of God.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:11) What is the purpose of spiritual gifts according to 1 Corinthians 12:7? According to Ephesians 4:11? What happens when people don't employ spiritual gifts for their intended purpose? 1Corinthians 12:7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (ESV) The reason for spiritual gifts is for the advancement of the church and also those who are already members of the church. Anything which comes from God can be put to use to serve His purpose, but to those who don’t, well, what you have will be taken away from you.

Q4. (Galatians 5:22-23) How does the Holy Spirit produce this fruit in our lives? What theological term would you use to identify this process? How can it be that a person who has been a "Christian" for years displays few or none of these fruits? Are they saved, but just immature? What does James 2:17-19 say about this? Is that too harsh? For this fruit to show in our lives, we need to constantly stay in submission to the Spirit. Although this might seem easier said than done, I think that spending significant amounts of time one on one, mostly listening to what God has to say is something that helps. Confessing our wrongs is also important. To come into any kind of submission with the Spirit we need to also spend ample time in the Word. It is a process and not an instant makeover. If there was a word which best describes this process it is sanctification. God “sets us aside” and marks us as His. For a Christian to be years showing little, if any fruit, what is the problem? I would have to say the person simply isn’t submitting himself to the Spirit like he should but to always remember that God is very patient and does not give up on those He has set aside as His. Yes, they are as saved as anyone who claims Jesus is the Christ, Son of God who died for our sins but to keep in mind that he falls under the category of a work in progress, a progress that continues till our last day. Concerning the verse in James I would not call it harsh because it is true. Even a diamond in its roughest stages before becoming a sparkling gem is a work in progress. Many are those who have faith in the saving power of Jesus, yet don’t share this with anyone. The body becomes alive when works take place.

Q3. (Galatians 5:16-18) How does the Spirit enable us to resist the temptations of the flesh? How does He restrain us? How does he enable us to break the hold the flesh has had over us? if= =~ || !~; There is no middle ground. Only the word “or”. The Holy Spirit, at-least in my case talks to me all the time, perhaps because I’m always asking for help with certain things in my life and when things are on the verge of getting hot, He reminds me of the help I asked for and basically tells me “don’t do it”, or “this needs to be changed”, etc., He reminds me of the strength we have received from Christ over the power of the devil and how, with that strength we are capable of all things. Sometimes it seems like I’ll trip over the same obstacles time and time again and it is like I’ll never get it right, but the fact that Jesus has kept us in the fight this long and knowing He’ll never give up on me gives me the comfort of knowing that victory is ultimately mine to the glory of God. I learned much in this lesson so far, and maybe it is because I’m a slow learner but I’m finally getting a firm grip on what it means about living in the Spirit and not being chained down by the law. I was always more than confused because Jesus made the statement in Matthew 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” It might be well to think that even though we are no longer under the law, it is a bad idea to break it.

Q2. (Romans 8:1-9; Isaiah 26:3) What does it mean to "set the mind on the things of the flesh"? What is involved in "setting the mind on the things of the Spirit"? What does it mean to have your mind "stayed" on Jesus? How much of this requires will-power? How much does the Spirit assist us? Can this become a habit as we practice it? There are only 2 ways our mind can lean—to the right or the left (I don’t mean as in American politics). There is no in-between ground here. A person’s mind is either focused (leaning) on the things of the world (flesh), or the things of God (the Spirit). James 4:4 states …know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. That tells me, in answering the first question that having your mind set on the things of the world makes one an enemy of God. Having your mind set on the things of the Spirit is a very different life indeed. There are an endless number of ways which would indicate your mind is set on the things of the Spirit. It could be walking alone in the woods and instead of thinking about ways to make ends meet, discussing things of a totally different subject with God, all along trusting Him to take care of things and believing that He is in control of everything. Having your mind “stayed” on Jesus would fall under the same guidelines, knowing all the time that the beating He took was for our healing all the way to His death being paying the price we owe for our sinful lives. It could be a completely different setting like walking down a city sidewalk and instead of wasting that extra couple dollars on lottery tickets in the hopes of getting rich quick (another recipe for disaster) and giving it to a homeless person, no questions asked. Not only “extra” dollars but those ones you might be saving for a “worldly future” (which one day will come to an end regardless), and helping someone in need, never telling them who you are or expecting it to be paid back. To a worldly person it (living in the Spirit) might look boring, but even if you lived the bulk of your life in a worldly way and find yourself living that “boring” life, it would be hard to convince them that it was anything less than the top of top-shelf excitement. In the beginning it takes some will-power to get going and it takes cooperation with the Spirit because you need to constantly ask Him to remove evil thoughts from your mind, put an end to the worldly music that pummels one’s mind, among other things. The best part is that the Spirit will do these things for you and eventually it just becomes a way of life.

Q1. (Romans 7:7-25) What does Paul mean by "the sinful nature" (NIV) or "the flesh" (ESV, KJV)? Is this ever eradicated? Can there ever be victory over temptation? The sinful nature is the part of us that wars against the spirit. It is something we were born with, due to the fall of Adam. In each of us, weak spots exist, all of which Satan seeks out to exploit and destroy the good we seek to be. In this life it is not eradicated though we would like it to be however I think God uses it to both test and strengthen us. If it were to be eradicated, it would remove the freedom God gives us over choices we make, and we would be more like robots than a being made in the likeness of God. Victory over temptation can be a reality when we put on God’s armor and recognize the prelude to sin it is, but it is we who make the choice, ultimately to not give into that which is wrong