bertha

Q1. (Malachi 1:6-14) How were the people and priests disrespecting God with regard to offering sacrifices? In what ways do we today disrespect God in our attitudes toward worship, in giving to God, and in regard to holy things? What is God saying to you personally as you ponder this? God deserves the best. He expects the best from us, as well. Priests and the people were disrespecting God when they began to offer crippled, blind, and/or blemished animal sacrifices in the altar. They kept the best and gave God second best or even that which they didn't want at all. They had no regard for God. We, ourselves, are also guilty of doing the same when we come to His house of worship with other things occupying our minds rather than truly worshipping God in spirit and in truth. We remain sitting in the pews rather than participate in the praise/worship service. Some of us probably prefer being elsewhere and so we come to praise/worship with an attitude that truly says we are annoyed because we missed out on an event, birthday, or what have you. When Some simply prefer to stay home and sleep on a Sunday morning. So, our hearts are far from God. Offerings and tithes are another area where we disrespect God. Some might give God that which is left after paying all one's bills, and even after making sure one has their "lunch/dinner" money set aside for the week. When we are willing to spend more money going out or tipping a waitress than what we are placing in the offering plate at church. When we invest more on ourselves(car, house, clothes, jewelry, hair, nails, and so forth) than in giving God what is rightfully His, we are robbing God and dishonoring Him. God is holy. We dishonor Him when we take the Lord's Supper without considering our ways, whether we are right with God or not and leave church as if nothing really happened. Today's churches have children running all over the church. There's no discipline, no reverence in the house of God. People come in dressed as if going to a softball game, or going to a club or disco place. Forgotten are the days when we came in our Sunday best(clothes). God deserves our respect and our best. As I ponder this, I can say that I have room for improvement in my life. I struggle with giving of my time to the Lord. Also, I am guilty of not being on time to church services. This, too, is dishonoring God. I realize that I can be on time for work, but always rushing and late for church.

Q4. (Nehemiah 13:30-31) How should you respond when the people you are ministering to disappoint you? How must you treat them? What must you do to sustain your own faith and spiritual momentum in times of discouragement? I should respond with much patience, with love and understanding when people I minister to disappoint me. Though like Nehemiah and Paul, I have to be honest in letting them know what it is that they are doing that brings about disappointment. Never give up. I remind myself that the word of God does not return void. In due time, I shall reap what I sowed. Maybe, someone else will water the seed that was planted. In all, God's name shall be glorified. 1 Corinthians 3:6-8King James Version (KJV)6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor In times of discouragement, I remind myself that God has been faithful and merciful to me. He has brought me this far and promises to be with me until the end. The enemy wants to see us defeated. Without our faithful prayers, he gains territory. Especially when we have family members, friends, co-workers, etc. that have yet to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. This gets me back on track as I get on my knees and ask God to forgive me for my discouraging spirit and revive me again through His Holy Spirit. God is my refuge and shield, my fortress, my banner, The Good Shepherd. I've got much to lose if I turn my back on Jesus. I press forward knowing that my God will sustain me and I will be rewarded in due time.

Q3. (Nehemiah 13:1-5, 7-9) Does God set higher standards for leaders than for others? If so, why? What results in the people when leaders become corrupt? How can you keep this from happening to you? If God shows you corruption within, how can you recover from it? Yes, God sets higher standards for leaders because they will one day give account to God for those He has entrusted to them. They must lead by example. People are like sheep that depend on their shepherd for guidance, care, and spiritual food. If these leaders become corrupt, the people suffer, the trust is broken and they scatter. I will heed the word of God which advices us to keep our eyes on Jesus. Man will fail you but God will not. Hebrews 12: 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. God has shown me areas in my life that I needed to surrender to Him, or that needed a good cleansing by the Holy Spirit. This is revealed to me either as I read the Word of God at home, or through a sermon. I acknowledge my sin, ask God for forgiveness, and turn from it. God is always faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me.

(Nehemiah 8:1-12) Why does the reading of Scripture bring such sorrow to the people? Why is Scripture reading so important in personal spiritual revival? What place does the Spirit have in this? What is the relationship between joy and faith in God’s compassion and love? The Scripture opened their eyes to the truth. They realized that they were no different than their ancestors. Their forefathers had experienced the wrath of God because of their sinful ways. They, too, in their ignorance were going the same path. This is the work of the HOLY SPIRIT bringing conviction to the hearts of the people, to repent of their sins and turn back to God. This is why scripture reading is very important in personal spiritual revival. The same Spirit works in us through the word of God to convict us of our sins and correct our lives so we may please God. It is like looking in a mirror, and seeing an unfavorable sight. Makes us want to do something about our look. So, we proceed in fixing what was out of order. The HOlY SPIRIT helps us see within ourselves: our conduct, our attitudes, our thoughts, etc., in the light of The Word of God, and brings conviction, sadness, sorrow, and repentance. It is the Holy Spirit that helps right what was wrong. Through scripture we know God's heart, His desires, His purpose, His will for our lives and we allow Him to work His perfect will in us. It is through faith that we can experience the joy that comes in Knowing a loving and compassionate God. Who, being yet sinners, He was willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son that we may live. We, through faith, have the privilege to serve a God of mercy and compassion. It is God's love that has been poured on us that we may experience abundant , joyful, and fulfilling lives.

(Nehemiah 6:1-14) Why do Nehemiah’s enemies want him to travel away from Jerusalem? Why do his enemies bribe the prophets? How are they hoping to hurt Nehemiah’s integrity, will, and authority? How is your enemy trying to make you stumble? Nehemiah's enemies were plotting to get him killed, therefore they were trying to steer him from Jerusalem where they could easily attack him. They went as far as to bribe the prophets, who were corrupted by money, to try to manipulate Nehemiah through fear to induce him to commit sin by going into the temple building. They were certain Nehemiah would fall for this trap being that they were considered prophets of God, surely he would listen to the voice of God. This, also didn't work, as Nehemiah had discernment of spirits and learned this was a work of satan. Their plan was for Nehemiah to believe the prophet and obey his instructions in taking refuge in the temple, thereby committing a grave sin against God, for only priests and ministering levites were allowed in the temple. Also, if by chance Nehemiah was a eunich, he would have been excluded from temple worship according to Mosaic law. This would cause the people to question Nehemiah's integrity and loyalty to God. The people would question Nehemiah's authority and turn against him. This would put a halt to the work being done and the enemies to prevail. Satan uses these same tactics in our daily lives to stop us from fulfilling the will of God. He will use any means to stop the work of God from moving forward. An example would be to attack our marriages, to question our ability to do something(spirit of doubt), or through a sickness. It's very important to know who our enemy is and what his tactics are, so we won't be easy targets. Therefore, we must put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the enemy. It is by the power of His might that we are able to have the victory!

(Nehemiah 5) Why doesn’t Nehemiah wait until he isn’t so busy to deal with the complaints of the poor who are being oppressed? What is the chief motivation of their oppressors? How does Nehemiah deal with the issue? Why are church leaders sometimes quicker to deal with the complaints of the wealthy than those of the poor? What motivates these leaders? Nehemiah sees the dire need to take care of this situation that has gotten out of hand. He has compassion for the poor, the children, the widows. He is angered at the fact that the Jews are treating their fellow man as the Gentiles once treated them, as slaves. The chief oppressors were motivated by greed and power. Personal gain, trying to increase their own fortunes. Nehemiah dealt with this injustices publicly, to shame the nobles and officials, reminding them of the Mosaic law : ex. Exodus 22:25 - If thou lend money to [any of] my people [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. He had the nobles and officials make an oath before the priests to return confiscated lands, to lower the interests being charged and return overcharged interests and pronounces a curse to those who don't comply. The wealthy are sometimes given priority when issues arise over the poor for the same reason. Greed is what motivates these leaders. Personal gain can attribute to this behavior as well. They have more to lose financially from the wealthy than one who might not have the means to tithes or gives small offerings.

Q2. (Nehemiah 4) How does Nehemiah respond to his enemies’ ridicule? How does Nehemiah respond to military threats? What effect does this have on construction? How does Nehemiah respond to discouragement and fear in the people? How do you respond to discouragement and fear? What “walls” need to be rebuilt in your life to protect you from temptation and sin? Nehemiah turned to God for vindication. He ignored the taunts. He trusted that God would take care of the matter and instead concentrated on the task ahead of him. As far as the military threats, He prayed. He reminded himself that ultimately God was their Protector. He then moved into action. He set armed guards around each wall to make sure all areas were protected day and night. He armed the builders and the material handlers. Everyone pretty much looking after their brother. This slowed the construction some, but made everyone feel safe enough to continue the building of the walls. When I am faced with fear and discouragement, I immediately seek God in prayer. I reach for my bible for words of wisdom: for the promises and blessings that are rightfully mine as a child of God. I also seek my closest Christian friends for prayer support and godly advice.

Q1. (Nehemiah 3) Why does Nehemiah need to build the walls quickly? Why does he assign so many teams? What motivates these teams? What kinds of problems would Nehemiah need to solve with so many teams working simultaneously? The walls needed to be built quickly before any of the protesters, obstructionists, would have time to try to put a stop to it like they did previously. He assigns many teams because there were many walls to the city. This would allow for the walls to be built as quickly as possible. The sooner they rebuilt, the safer they would feel. Nehemiah reminds the people of the dangers of living without protection around their city and homes. How vulnerable they were for enemy attacks. He encourages them by reminding them of how they have been treated with disgrace and affront. This was their opportunity to live with honor, without fear of invasion, both protecting their homes and their land. Working with so many teams at a time involves hard work. He would have different personalities to deal with, different views of doing things, lots of challenges.

Q4. (Nehemiah 2:4) What danger is Nehemiah in? Why does he pray quickly and silently before he answers the king? How does this quick “arrow prayer” relate to the four months of prayer he has just finished? Kings were known to not retract from rulings they've made. Nehemiah knew this and this could bring a death sentence to him. As mentioned in the lesson, Nehemiah is asking God to give him so much favor that the king will be willing to reverse himself, yet again. That might be embarrassing for the king and make him look weak and inconsistent. Nehemiah prays quickly and silently, I believe, because he knows that if his own words come out of his mouth, he is but dead. The turnout will be bad. Therefore, he makes sure that what is about to transpire is the will of God. It's like commending himself to God every step of the way. Quick arrow prayer is a continuation of the four months of prayer Nehemiah had just finished. In other words, For four months, Nehemiah had presented the same request to God and this quick arrow prayer, is kind of saying, "Lord, This is it. I commend myself to you, let not my will but your will be done".

Q3. (Nehemiah 1:11) In what way does Nehemiah's situation compare to Esther's? Why does God place his people in strategic positions today in the community, in business, in the military, in government? What responsibilities do we have to God that can cause danger to our positions and our lives? Has this ever happened to you? How do you pray in situations like this? In the fact that both were chosen by God to intercede for His people by presenting their cause before the king. Both instances God's people were in a critical situation. Both risked their lives for their people. In both situations God came through. He inclined His ear to their servants prayers, supplications and moved the heart of the king in their favor. God places people in today in strategic positions for the same purpose, to accomplish His will. As children of God, we have the responsibility of representing God by being truthful, honest, doing what is right, obeying God vs. man. We have the responsibility to stand firm in the Word of God when faith and morals are compromised. This might affect our positions at work when we are asked to lie, to be dishonest by our bosses. We can lose our jobs and in doing so, our families are affected by the loss of income coming in. We can be overlooked when promotions become available. Some Christian brothers and sisters have lost businesses or have had their lives threatened, they have been called racists, or haters for not compromising their beliefs. Some have ended up in jail. When I hear of these dangerous situations our Christian brothers/sisters are going through, I would have to admit that I have never been in a similar or even close situation like these. I do admit that when faced in dangerous positions, turning to God in prayer and fast for strength, favor, victory is the only way out.

The basis of Nehemiah's appeal to God, I believe, was he knew that the only one that could change or move the king's heart in their favor was God, Almighty. He remembered words that were pronounced many years back to the days of Moses; when God established laws, statues, ordinances for the Israelites to follow. God pronounced both Blessings if they obeyed, and curses if they disobeyed. Therefore, Nehemiah appeals to God, humbly admitting they had sin against God but that the people had had a change of heart and had put away their idol worshipping and turned back to the True God. He reminds God of His covenant. He is aiming at God's heart, knowing God is merciful, He is faithful to finish what He has begun. He is tugging at God's heart, reminding Him that these are His people whom He saved from Pharaoh and promised to establish them in the place that God had chosen as His dwelling place. From this we can learn, that intercession is a practice that Christians should be including in their christian living. We want our families, our communities, our country, to be saved, if we want to see healings, families restored, church revivals, we need to stand in the gap, pay a price(on our knees) to move God's heart. God is merciful. God is Good!

Nehemiah prays day and night, the same prayer, because he knows that God is merciful and if he persists, God might just have mercy on His people and forgive them and hear his prayer. The predicament that Israel found itself in was a dangerous one. They were exposed to their enemies. The walls were a fortress around their cities to protect them from attacks or invasions from other armies(enemies). Nehemiah fasted, prayed, mourned, because he felt a burden for God's people and the situation they were in. God's name was being dishonored as Israel was suppose to be God's people, therefore maybe Israel's enemies made snide remarks about their God. Nehemiah knew that only God could interfere. Only God could move the heart of the King in their favor. Fasting is a sign of humbleness, surrender, total dependence in God and is never too excessive to be exercised.

I believe Shecaniah was moved in the Spirit when he proposed that God's people do away with the sin amidst them. God's solution to many of His people's afflictions was to rid themselves of the SIN within them. The people responded positively to Shecaniah's suggestion. They agreed. To this, Ezra immediately the put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested before they changed their minds. Oaths were meant to be taken very seriously in those times. You couldn't back out of it. God used many prophets to advise His people when in crisis.

Ezra was deeply grieved in his spirit to the point that he tore his clothes, pulled at his hair, and sat down in unbelief. Probably thinking he had failed God. Knowing how serious God was in instructing His people to not mingle/compromise with these people. Not show. Ezra loved God and feared God. Ezra was faithful to God. I believe Ezra wanted so desperately for the people to prosper once again. He longed to see them in their homeland, like before, when they were God's people, and had God's favor. We, too, should grieve for our people, relatives, sons, grandkids, for humanity. We should grieve for their rebelliousness, ignorance, for their sinful ways. God longs to have a relationship with his creation. If we love God, then we too, should feel God's hurt. We are one with God. His Spirit in us should move us to care for the lost, to pray for them, to intercede for them. Otherwise, there's something wrong with our relationship with God. Maybe, we are not fully committed to Him. Maybe we need God's Spirit in us to convict us of this spirit of callousness.

Ezra is making sure that they understood that they were holy men, chosen and entrusted with holy items that had been consecrated for God. This was God's gift from everyone to them for the temple. They were accountable to God and everyone else who witnessed it being weighed. This is a great responsibility given to them by God. As a priest, he is very well aware of the temptations that we experience in the flesh and the consequences for disobeying God. Therefore he instills the fear of the Lord. I don't think it is an act of distrust. Sometimes we have to be reminded who we are in Christ, that we be careful to keep our testimony pure. We represent God. People's eyes are on us. Christian organizations should take steps to prevent embezzlement by: providing an annual public record of expenses made by the church, making sure there's at least 2 people counting the monies, offerings, tithes. Making sure the treasurer is not allowed to help count the church's income. Maybe, rotating the persons who do the counting. Full disclosure of all church receipts and expenditures including love offerings should be reported to the congregation annually. The church should require two signatures on checks for all church expenses. We have to be realistic, unfortunately, that we all can fall into temptation at any given time. Contribution statements should be made available to everyone who has given to the church.

Ezra calls the people to fast that the Lord's favor may be upon them and He would protect them from any enemies they could encounter on the way to rebuild the temple. Fasting demonstrates a spirit of humbleness and dependency on the Almighty God, our Creator. God is moved when we let Him know that we are helpless without Him. That we depend on His providence. I believe this moves the heart of God and He shows mercy upon us. Yes, true humility can move God's heart to favor us, but we must not use it as a means to get God to do whatever we want. At the end of it all, God will do what He wills to do. Fasting allows us to say "NO" to the flesh, and feed of God's word. It allows us to take our minds off of the worldly things and the desires of the flesh and focus completely on God. God promises to help us as we overcome the flesh and put all carnal temptations into subjection. It takes us into another dimension. It awakens our spiritual senses. It might be what we need to experience our "breakthrough" in difficult areas we are struggling with.

Paul was broken-hearted for his countrymen the Jews, who had rejected the Messiah. We should be too. When do you think the prophecy will be fulfilled that says, “They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn…?” (Zechariah 12:10). Concerning the fountain that cleanses from sin and impurity (Zechariah 13:1), has that been fulfilled, or will it be future? Why will it please God so much when all the Jews finally believe in Jesus? Rev.1:7Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. I believe this prophecy will be fulfilled at Jesus' second return right after the Tribulation, no longer as the Lamb of God who was pierced for our iniquities offering salvation but as King of Kings to establish His kingdom on earth and then the Judgement Day! Jesus is the fountain that cleanses us from all sin and impurity. All who come and drink from Him will be cleansed. This was fulfilled on the cross after He was glorified. He took all our sins and our infirmities on Himself that we may be cleansed and made new. All who drank of the fountain (who received Him) would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. God longs for His chosen people to come back to Him. God made a covenant with Israel in which He would use them to accomplish His master plan in redeeming all humanity. He longs for Israel to be saved as well. I believe that God wants all to be saved but throughout history Jesus was hidden to the Jews. He has now been revealed as the Christ, the Son of God, and desires for all jews' eyes to be open to the Truth: That Jesus is the long awaited Messiah.

Why is God so condemnatory towards shepherds or leaders who take advantage of their office and exploit the people? What is Jesus' standard for leaders (Mark 10:42-45). What would it look like in government if we followed Jesus' standard? What would it look like in your workplace? In your church? In your home? Shepherds and leaders had been abusing their positions/roles for their own gain. God hates dishonest gain. Especially when His people are the ones being taken advantage of, mistreated, abused, killed. He hated it then and He hates it today. Jesus standard for leaders: to be humble and to serve. Jesus said whoever wants to be first will be last and whoever is last will be first. In other words, leaders are to look out for the best interests of the people before their own. Others should come first. Sacrificing oneself for others. Giving one's life for your friends. If we would abide by Jesus' standards, this world would be a better place. Everyone doing their part to contribute to our society. Work would be more productive, the churches would be full of grateful people, Households would live in peace. God would get the glory He so rightfully deserves from His creation.

What does it look like to operate from a policy of mercy and compassion? God commands justice for the poor and oppressed in our culture. How can we be sure that the poor are treated justly in our courts? How do you treat aliens in your country, sojourners from another land? Why is speaking truthfully with others so important to God? Just like God is merciful and compassionate with us, we, too, should show the same to others. This includes forgiving others, being understanding of their circumstances and lending a hand when we see it's needed. One way we can be sure the poor are treated justly is by participating in our voting system. We need to get involved so we can elect godly, pious, just, men and women to represent us. We can pray for our judges, lawyers, etc. I, myself, do not see a person's color, race, gender, nationality, whether legal or illegal. They are human beings just like us that need to be treated equally, with respect. We are all God's creation. We all have the same needs required to survive in this world. God is TRUTH. If we have Christ in us, as we say we do, then Truth should be in us, too. For God and the Son are one, and we are one with the Son and the Father. There should be found no lie in us. For the devil is the Father of Lies, for he lied since the beginning. I'm not saying I've never lied before, because I then I wouldn't be saying the truth. But, we are new creations in Christ and we represent God here on earth. We don't want to make a mock of God. We are to bring people to Jesus and alienate them, which we would be doing if we are known as liars, untruthful. We are to imitate Christ, Who's Character and Attribute is Truth.

Zechariah 7:4-6) In what ways have we Christians tended to make worship about us, rather than about God? How should we evaluate our churches and our worship patterns? What can we do to make our personal worship a matter of the heart, and not just rote readings and prayer? When we concentrate more on how we look to others and whether our singing is up to par rather than whether our hearts are right before God. Are we sincerely worshipping God with thanksgiving in our hearts, and because He is worthy of praise, or has it become a ritual or just something that satisfies your conscience, making you feel good because you went to church. I've learned that worship begins at home, way before we enter a place of worship. Once inside, we enter into the presence of the Lord with other believers to make our praise and worship more pleasant to God. Our worship continues from start to end of service. Prayer should come from our hearts, with thanksgiving. We worship in truth. Concentrating on who Jesus is and what He has done for us. He is our Redeemer, our Peace, our Shield, etc. Many churches today introduce loud, concert-like praise songs. It's very hard to concentrate in worshipping God with all the loud noise of the instruments. Sometimes we can't even understand the words to the songs. I don't see anything wrong with instrumental music, but I do believe it should be ministering to our souls and encouraging the body of Christ(Believers) to sing along harmoniously, together to the Lord! We shouldn't be just spectators, or just an approving audience. Psalm 33: 1“Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy

What do Joshua's filthy clothes represent? How does God deal with this? What message is this prophecy intended to convey to Joshua the High Priest? How might this message apply to Christian leaders who have sinned? Joshua's filthy clothes represent our sinful life. We are as dirty as filthy rags. Unworthy to be in God's presence. God commanded/ordered the angels to remove(God demonstrating His forgiveness as He removes our sin) Joshua's filthy clothes and replace with new garments(we are a new creation clothed in robes of righteousness in Christ Jesus). Joshua was a foreshadow of the coming Messiah. God is trying to convey to Joshua that though God has forgiven him and clothed him with righteousness, Joshua must obey God and follow His commandments in order to have the privilege to be a high priest in God's temple and be entrusted to govern His people. Joshua must put on righteousness every day(Jesus) in order to maintain a right position with God to fulfill His purpose. This message should encourage Christian leaders who have sinned and perhaps continue to feel guilty and unworthy to serve God. God is a God of mercy. He will forgive you. If we humble ourselves and repent, turn from our sinful ways and seek Him with a sincere heart. He will remove your filthy clothes(sins) and clothe you with Jesus' righteousness. He will restore you to your position as royal priests to govern/lead His people.

Why, in this passage, do you think the prophet calls all mankind to be still before him? In the context of God aroused to protect his people from attack, why is silence appropriate? For the enemy of God, what does silence represent? For the believer, what does silence before God represent? To be still before the Lord is to show reverence, to acknowledge that He is All Sovereign God, our Creator, the Only God, our Lord and Savior. God is about to do something with His people, in HIs people, and for His people. Silence is required in the midst of all the movement going on. People busy in different affairs of their lives. This was a call to a standstill. God wants our complete attention. He wants to reveal Himself to us. How can He do this when our minds are occupied in other things. For the enemy of God, silence represents defeat. God is about to fight for His people and therefore destruction awaits them. To the enemy, it's a reason to tremble, to run and hide. "Rumors" were that Israel's God fought for them and had defeated previous armies and their kings. No one can stand against Israel's God. God wants the people to let Him take care of their enemies. Do not worry. Do not fret. Do not be afraid. Take courage. God has your back. Trust God. Do not try to help God. Be still and watch what God is about to do. God will avenge their enemies. Being silent before God means to allow God to act. We do most of the talking when we come before God in prayer. We don't allow God to answer. Therefore, God says "be still". Stop interrupting me, I am about to give you your breakthrough, but you won't let me. Stop moving. Trust me. Listen to what I have to say. Is there anything impossible for the Lord? Just worship Me! Be obedient, and just do as I say. Be still.

(Zechariah 1:3) Why is a message of repentance from sin such an important part of the Gospel? What happens when we remove repentance from the core message of Jesus? Why do you think God wants you to repent of all known sin? Sin is what caused the fall of man. We have inherited sin from our fathers(Adam and Eve). Sin separates us from God. God is Holy and without holiness we cannot have a relationship with God. Therefore, repentance( the turning away from sin) is a vital part of the Gospel. When we remove repentance from the core message of Jesus, we are nullifying/invalidating the work of the Cross. Jesus died for our sins. He took our place on the cross and suffered the penalty for us. Not only did Jesus pay the debt of sin on our behalf, but he also shares with us his righteousness. We have been made "right" with God. God is Holy. He has provided the means in which we also can be holy. The Holy Spirit works in us to sanctify us. God desires for us to be One with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This can only be possible when we turn away from all sin and seek communion(daily walking) with the Father, guided by the Holy Spirit, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Q5. (Haggai 2:20-23) In what way is Haggai’s image of Zerubbabel being God’s signet intended to encourage Zerubbabel? What is the power of a leader’s signet? How does listening to God’s Spirit make you effective as his agent? In what ways are you authorized to speak and act for Jesus? To know that God has chosen you as His signet ring is a great honor, especially when you know you don't deserve it. I believe Zerubbabel was humbled by it, but greatly encouraged and empowered by God's Spirit to continue pressing forward in the rebuilding of the Temple. God was at his side and would not allow anyone to harm him or his people. God had his back. The Temple would be built, no doubts about it, because God had designated Zerubbabel and God does not go back on His word. God had transferred over His authority/power to Zerubbabel that he would be a strong and effective leader. We, too, are given the authority to represent God in this world in an effective way, through the power of the Holy Spirit in us. It is imperative that we be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and let ourselves be guided and used by Him. For this we must listen to God as we pray and read His word daily, communing with our Father, patiently waiting for directions/instructions. We are authorized to speak and act for Jesus in the Great Commission given to us. We are to go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them(speaking to them) all that Jesus has taught us. We are to act, in obedience to His word, by taking steps of faith and baptize them in the name of the Father , The Son, and the Holy Spirit. We are given all authority to cast out demons, lay hands on the sick and they will be healed. We are God's agents on earth. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, who will guide us in all truth, and empower us to fulfill God's purpose here on earth. We are told not to worry of what we are to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach us what to say. God is good!

Q4. (Haggai 2:10-14) What kinds of things defile a disciple today? What is the danger of acting as if doing church work somehow makes us holy by association? How does a believer deal with spiritual defilement and sin Though times have changed, God 's word continues to stand. What did not please God before, continues to displease Him, today. Rebelliousness, disobedience, ungodliness, self exaltation, inconsiderate of others, self gain, getting meshed with the world and it's worldly passions, etc. God sees our hearts and the intentions within. He cannot be mocked. We can continue to think that our works will count on our behalf and get us into heaven, but in the end, it's our relationship with JesusChrist through faith in the power of the blood that cleanses us of all sin, that will get us in. As believers, we are commanded to be holy, separate ourselves from the world, to flee all desires of immorality, resist the devil , by submitting to God. If one sins, we must immediately confess our sin, repent(turn from our sin) and ask God for forgiveness.