Robomom3

Q60. (Matthew 13:51-52) What is the “old” that the householder brings out of his treasure box? The correct teaching of all the OT Scriptures, but mainly the Torah which had been grossly misinterpreted in Jesus' day. What is the “new.”? The new is the Gospel of Jesus Christ! In what way must we disciples be “cross-trained” as scribes of the Kingdom? For many years I did not see the significance of the OT. I studied the NT intently and passionately but avoided the OT as just history that no longer applied to my life. But in 2017 God called me into an indepth study of the OT that lasted 6 years. What I learned through my chronological walk through the OT is that every single book takes you deeper in your understanding of Jesus. I have come to call the Bible the "Biography of Jesus Christ". He truly is the Word of God and the entire Bible is the story of His mission to redeem a broken creation back to Himself. I feel I am now a much better teacher and witness for God's Kingdom because there is so much treasure I had missed out on by skipping the OT and only focusing on the beautiful new Covenant we have in Christ. I also have found that much of the NT has been made clearer because of my knowledge of OT laws and customs and history. We cannot skip the old and just accept the new. The treasure is in the entire story... the perseverance and patience of our God... His boundless Mercy and Grace... His Love for His creation is fully understood when we understand the entire story from beginning to end.

Q59. (Matthew 5:13-14) Why is a sharp and tasty witness so important? Our witness is our story and when we tell our personal story, it resonates with others in a way that is interesting, intimate and real to them. When we tell our own story, what Jesus has done for us, the Spirit uses that testimony to penetrate the hearts of those who are hearing. An important note, our story should include our flaws... our weaknesses and all short comings. What better way to show the Power of God than to clearly testify of who we were and who we are now! God's Glory is seen through our weaknesses! What is a bland witness to Jesus? How do we stay “salty”? A bland witness is one who says they are a child of God but fit perfectly into the world. If you have to tell someone you are a child of God for them to know you are a child of God, then you have probably lost your saltiness and are leading a life that would be labeled as bland in God's Kingdom. Why are people tempted to hide their “light” or witness? For fear of rejection. When we build our identity on self instead of Christ, we are more worried about what people think of us than what God thinks of us. One of the surest tests of the heart is fear. Fear of what others think of us shows who sits on the throne of our heart. Fear of man = Self-worship. Fear of God = Christ-worship What does Jesus say about that? We are clearly told to let our light shine for all to see... this does not mean we are looking for others to lift us up because of our good deeds... no... this means everything we do is done to bring Glory to God and God alone. If we are living our lives in submission to Him, people will never be confused as to where our light comes from. A child of God does not steal His Glory. Our light is there to point people to the saving Grace of Jesus.

Q58. (Matthew 9:37-38; John 4:35-38) Where in your region does the harvest seem most ripe, that is, where people are most receptive to the gospel? I am thinking that any answer I give would prove my misunderstanding of God's Word. "Look around, the Harvest is ripe"... that means everywhere I look the harvest is ripe! If I pick and choose where I witness based on my perception of their receptiveness, then I am deeming some unworthy of God's great Gift. We have to step out of our misconceptions and preconceived ideas of who people are and what their hearts are like. When Jesus sent the disciples out, He sent them into "every" town. If the town did not accept them then, and only then, were they to shake the dirt off their sandals and move on. But... EVERYONE should be given the same chance to hear the gospel. EVERY GROUP... EVERY CREED... EVERY SINGLE PERSON... Do you see yourself mainly as a sower or a reaper? God has called me primarily to sow... I have been called to teach, encourage and mentor... I have been used to escort several souls into the Kingdom of Heaven and that has to be the most awesome privilege given to us on the face of this earth. But, my main "job" seems to be as sower. Why is there such a shortage of reapers? I think the church fails to train it's congregation in this field. My class has asked me to train them and I am so excited to see what God does as a result. People are so afraid of "doing it wrong". It is so sad that we have complicated the simplicity of the Gospel to the point that people feel that only pastors can escort someone into God's Kingdom. It is much like we have gone back to OT culture where only the priests could do certain jobs. We all have the EXACT SAME SPIRIT OF GOD LIVING WITHIN EACH OF US if we are, in fact, His children. My husband was saved right here in our living room... just the two of us and the Spirit of God... and if we had a swimming pool or a pond out back... I would have baptized him also... this too has been distorted as only something a pastor can do... we are clearly told to baptize each other in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit... we are, each one of us, priests in God's Kingdom... Would you be willing to be a reaper, if Jesus helps you? Yes Yes and YES!!! And it is only with God's help that we can reap His harvest...

Q57. (Matthew 9:36) Why is Jesus' heartbroken over lost sheep? Because they are helpless to the attacks of the enemy. Just as we are heartbroken every time we see an innocent victim, either human or animal, being harassed and abused... this is how Jesus views the lost of this world. This is how we, also, should view the lost of this world. With the same compassion we would give a stranded animal that needs help... how much more should we have compassion on a human soul who is being tortured currently and whose final destination is eternal torture... Who are the lost sheep: of your community? All who are out there on their own without Jesus as their Shepherd. Of the mission fields that you know about? All who are still blind to the gospel of Christ. What is your attitude toward them? My passion lies within the walls of the church. This is where God has called me to do His Work at this time. There are so many who believe they are saved but are just wearing a Christian mask while killing themselves trying, through self-effort, to produce imitation fruit for all to see. The church has bought into so many false teachings or teachings that take verses out of context (which are still false teachings) that we have caused many to stumble and miss finding Christ at all. I know there is a lost and dying world outside of our congregation, but I also know we will not have an impact on that world until we are all united in Christ moving in the same mind and Spirit. And that will not happen until the "church" meets and falls in love with Jesus and submits their will to His. Until they realize... He desires Mercy.... not outward sacrifice... until they realize knowing about Him is not the same as knowing Him... until they realize it's not head knowledge that makes us great in God's Kingdom, it is servanthood and mercy and compassion and obedience and submission. God's Kingdom is the upside right Kingdom... it is the original plan... this world is Satan's upside-down version of the perfection God created. It is his mission to destroy and distort everything God has made. We must hold fast to His Word and be sensitive to His Voice and move when He says move... speak when He says speak... and remain still when He says be still... Jesus did NOTHING without His Father's direction... that's a high bar to live up too... I may never reach it but I will live out the rest of my days striving to be a good obedient servant of the Most High God.

Q56. (Matthew 9:13; Hosea 6:6) What does Jesus mean when he tells his disciples, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”? Jesus is not looking at what we do outwardly... He is looking for the motives that drive us inwardly. He came to transform our hearts, not change our appearance. What attitude did the Pharisees have towards sinners? Judgment... they saw sinners as "others" and all sinners as beneath them. What attitude did Jesus have toward sinners? Mercy and Love... Compassion and a true desire to help them. What attitude do you have toward sinners? What is the role of a spiritual doctor? Honestly... it depends on the sin... I have much more compassion for some than others. Those who are stuck in addictions or struggling with self-control I find much easier to feel compassion for than those who are filled with hate and are doing things that destroy the lives of others. I know I am not to feel this way, but it is something God is still working on within me. What is the role of a spiritual doctor? To recognize that sin is a sickness and the only hope for healing is the Blood of Jesus.

Q55. (Luke 10:30-37) Why does Jesus contrast a Jewish priest and Levite with a hated Samaritan? Because the former would be easily accepted as a neighbor and easy to love in the eyes of the listeners and they, of course, thought of themselves as fulfilling this command of being a good neighbor. Whereas the latter would have never been considered as a neighbor or one they needed to love and certainly would not have been seen as one that would fulfill the requirements of being a good neighbor himself. Jesus was essentially saying, your rank and position nor your heritage matter in the Kingdom of God, it is your heart and your willingness to do what God calls you to do. He constantly reprimanded the Pharisees of His day for their lack of mercy and compassion. We are called to be compassionate and kind. We are called to give of ourselves openly to help others. I like how He turned this parable around. He was asked, "who's my neighbor" and instead of telling him who his neighbor was, He showed what a true neighbor does. He wasn't telling him the Samaritan was his neighbor (although this is certainly implied) but instead was showing him what a neighbor looks like and used the least likely subject to accomplish this. According to the parable, how do you think Jesus would define “neighbor,” that is, someone we have a responsibility toward? I think a neighbor is anyone who is in need that we are able to help. How much does compassion move you to go out of your way and comfort zone to care for those in need? I find I am more compassionate in some situations than others. I do not know why this is. I don't know if God calls each of us to help certain people or if we are to get involved with everything we see. I feel the latter would be overwhelming. When I feel the Spirit move me, I follow His lead. There are times my heart says move, but the Spirit tells me to not move. I trust Him and obey in those circumstances as well knowing there is a reason to not get involved. I have worked in food banks and have seen those who take advantage of the generosity of others at the expense of those who really need the help. I believe we are to use discernment as the Spirit guides us because we can easily fall into a situation where we are enabling others or a situation where our generosity is abused. Having said all that... this parable includes someone who is clearly in need of help and in that context... if someone is truly in need of help and I'm able to help them... I do what I can with what God has given me.

Q54. (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27) Why did Jesus give his disciples the Parables of the Talents and Minas? They, and we, need to understand that we have a responsibility to be good stewards of what God gives us and we will be held accountable to what we do with the gifts He has given us. How are you using the “talents” Jesus has given you? I teach God's Word and I absolutely get such a joy out of using this gift from my Father. God has also called me give honest Godly counsel and I see Him working that through me as I allow myself to be open to those who are struggling in different areas of their lives. I have found that as I have used my gifts He has given me more... I have recently received the gift of hospitality (which I never thought I would have) and praying over others. I have been given the gift of music and I used to use this greatly for His Kingdom, but for the last decade I have hidden this talent. I have been asked to use it once again in our Christmas play this year and the thought of it gives me a great deal of fear and anxiety. I am extremely out of practice but, this lesson today has greatly convicted me. I do think I will accept this opportunity and allow God to show me that's it's Him, not me, that will give me the talent I need to succeed and bring Him Glory. What causes people to “bury” the talents they once used for the Lord? I can only speak for myself... I buried my talent because I left the narrow road for a time and joined the world. God found me and brought me back to His path several years ago but, I just didn't want to take the time to hone my gift and put in the practice necessary to be useful to Him again. I have selfishly kept one of my talents buried because I have a fear of playing my instrument in front of others. This is leftover residue of the perfectionism God has removed from my heart and spirit. It's time to step over the line of fear and watch what God and God alone can do with my obedience once again. If it is not salvation itself, what is the reward for faithfulness? For me, I just want to please my Father... if I can hear, "well done", oh what a wonderful day that will be!!! Why does God expect more of greatly gifted people? Because it is God who gives out the gifts. He knows exactly what our DNA + our environmental upbringing + His Spirit can produce. He knit us together for a specific purpose and for specific gifts... He placed us in the family and culture we grew up in to hone the characteristics needed to fulfill our purpose. We have no excuse to not fulfill our intended purpose except laziness and rebellion.

Q53. (John 13:4-17) In what way is Jesus washing the disciples’ feet a parable? It is a demonstration of how we are to treat others and a demonstration of the need to wash off daily sins. Why did this act of washing their feet feel so shocking to the disciples? Because Jesus, as the Son of God, should not take on the role of the most menial servant of their day. There was a culture in place and in their culture the students served the teacher... not the other way around. Today, this might be equivalent to your Pastor coming to your house and cleaning your toilets. I would not only be shocked but greatly humbled and uncomfortable. In what sense is this a parable of cleansing? Many believe that repentance is a one-time event and once saved there is no need to repent any longer because Jesus paid it all already for us. But, the Bible is clear that we are to walk with a repentant spirit daily... the meek, the poor in spirit... these are those who will receive the blessings in the end. We must realize who we are without Jesus working through us and how often we squelch His Work in our lives to do what we want to do instead. This is sin and we are to be aware of it and repent of it each day. This keeps the line of communion open with our Heavenly Father. Often we are unaware of the foot washing we are in need of. But, as we immerse ourselves in God's Word... the Holy Spirit reveals our hidden unknown sin to us so that we may continually be made clean. In what way is it a rebuke of pride and competition? We are not to strive to be the best and stand out amongst our Christian brothers and sisters. That is what the enemy would like for us to focus on but we are told we are to serve our family... nothing about competition fits into a servant's role. This is the number one thing God has broken in me... my competitive spirit... I always had to be the best at everything I did... how exhausting that life was... and how prideful it is to think there can never be anyone who can do anything better than you can... I no longer have this drive in me... I still put forth my best effort at everything I do but I no longer feel defeated if someone else gets the prize. This is nothing more than the Holy Spirit cleaning house within me. In what way is it a parable of humble service? If we are constantly focused on others and what we can do to serve and help... we do not have time to think about our position or rank. Jesus is clearly showing it isn't about us and what we can get for ourselves... even putting that in writing sounds just awful "what we can get for ourselves/what's in it for me"... sadly, this is often what our actions reveal about us... But we are to be about our Father's business and our Father's business never calls us to worry about ourselves. In what areas of your life do you need to implement its teaching? There was a time, not long ago, that serving sounded like a dirty word to me... I hated the thought of it and used the excuse, "that's just not my gift". As I learned more and more about my identity in Christ and how we are to live in Him and in so doing, allow Him to live through us, service became something that feels very natural to me. I enjoy doing things to help others and I enjoy the mundane tasks that I avoided like the plague when I was trying to do this Christian life under my own strength. We cannot be this kind of servant on our own... it is not possible... it is Jesus, living through us, that renews our heart and mind to Kingdom character... It is Him and Him alone who serves through my broken vessel. My only role is to continuously seek Him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength and EVERYTHING else that comes from that immersing is Him taking control and doing His Will through me.

Q52. (Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8) What is the similarity between Jesus' Parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Unjust Judge? Both were moved into action by the persistence of the requester. What does this persistence look like in your life? I have been praying for my adult children to return to God and make Jesus Lord of their lives for years. I will not give up. I know God will reach them and break down the walls they have built around the kingdom of this world. They once loved Him in their youth and I know those seeds are still there waiting to sprout back into life. I will pray for them until the day I go home to meet Jesus. What will persistence in prayer do to develop you as a disciple? It increases my faith. Especially when I journal my prayers... sometimes we forget what we prayed fervently for years ago until we go back and read our requests to God and then recognize the answers we see in the lives of those we prayed for. If I built alters to remind me of answered prayers as they did in the Old Testament, I would have an entire yard filled with rocks!

Q51. (Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13) Why did Jesus give his disciples the Parable of Asking a Father for Bread? He wanted them to trust Him to always do what is best for them. We have a good Father who Loves us and wants to bestow His blessings upon our lives. What misconception was he seeking to correct? We are not to be afraid to ask God for anything. He desires to give us good things. Keep in mind though that He is a Perfect Father and will not bless a rebellious disobedient child.

Q50. (Matthew 6:25-34) How does the Parable of the Birds and the Lilies teach us not to worry? We are part of God's Creation... all other created things were created with us in mind. They were all seen as "good"... but when He created us, we were seen as "very good". So... if God takes care of that which is lesser in value than us, why on earth wouldn't He take care of us? We must first understand God's Love for us to even begin to understand why we should never worry. I thank God for the time in my life that I struggled to even feed my family. We lived basically on a 50lb bag of rice and beans for a year. My kids never knew we were poor... and their favorite meal is still rice and beans to this day... but during that time, God showed me His Faithfulness in a way that I would have never experienced it had I had the means to fully support myself and my family. My faith is strong because my personal testimony tells of God's provision in my life. Trials are meant to strengthen our faith and bring Glory to God. What does Jesus teach about worrying about the future? We are not to spend our time worrying about something we have no control over. We are to trust the One Who holds us in His Hands and walk in the day He has given us. We are to take joy in each moment and not allow what "might or might not" happen in the future steal the Joy He has for us today. Rather than worrying, what does Jesus instruct his disciples to do? Our only purpose is to seek God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. If we do this each day... everything else falls into place. We cannot do anything on our own... we cannot force ourselves to be humble... we cannot force ourselves to give joyfully... we cannot produce the Fruit of God's Spirit on our own... but... if we devote ourselves to seeking Him and knowing Him more... We are transformed into a vessel that does all these things naturally... nothing is forced... we become new beings... but we must commit ourselves to seeking Him above everything else in this life. What does obeying verse 33 look like in your life? This verse has been my life verse for several years now. When I finally understood that none of it is about me or what I am able to do... but instead about Him and what He wanted to do through me... I was truly set free! To seek Jesus with everything I have is to die to myself daily. To walk in obedience to Him and to allow HIS POWER to work through my broken abused vessel, this is my purpose... Seeking Him daily allows my spirit to be fully seated in His and as the old hymn says, "the things of this world become strangely dim... in the Light of His Glory and Grace."

Q49. (Luke 16:13) What are the very subtle ways that we can begin to serve Money rather than God? Worrying about our financial future to the point that it causes anxiety instead of knowing it is God who takes care of us, not our portfolio. Becoming a workaholic to the point of neglecting God, your family and your friends because you feel the need to acquire more and more wealth. Taking a job that compromises your beliefs because the pay is better. Taking a job that requires you to work on days you had set apart for God because it pays more. Taking on extra jobs so you can buy more and better stuff but, by so doing, your family is left alone most of the time. Getting depressed because you cannot afford some material thing that you desire. Going into debt to get instant material gratification. Meditating on what you don't have instead of meditating on God's Word. How can we detect these temptations in our hearts? At the end of the day, take a self-assessment... what did you spend most of your time doing? What thoughts captivated your mind throughout the day? What does your credit card show you did with your time that day? How many people did you reach out to? How did God measure up to the world based on your assessment? Why did Jesus tell his disciples the Parable of the Two Masters? Because money is a real threat to our relationship with God. Money can quickly and quietly corrupt our hearts and destroy our testimony. We have to be fully devoted to God... we have to give Him more of our time than we give this world. That is very hard to do when you are raising a family and working a full-time job... but... it is still possible to put Him first in everything you do. Pray together with your family before you go off to work and they go off to school. Have a family devotion time set every evening before the TV is turned on... give God credit for your accomplishments at work so that your bosses and coworkers know where your wisdom comes from... visit a nursing home with your family on the weekend instead of attending the ballgame... We are Jesus' current disciples... we must heed His warning and adjust our lives accordingly.

Q48. (Luke 12:16-21) Is being wealthy a sin for a Christian? No being wealthy is not a sin for many patriarchs in the Old Testament were wealthy. Even David, when rebuked, God basically told him, I have given you everything you could ever want and would've given you more if you had only asked, but you chose to take what belonged to another and which was all he had... what was not yours. Money is not evil... it is the love and dependence on money that turns our focus from eternal to temporal, that removes Christ from the throne and places worthless paper in his place. What was the rich man's actual sin or sinful attitude? He was selfish, thinking only of himself. He saw his abundance as a blessing all for him. He did not understand that every good thing comes from God and He gives freely so that we, also, can learn to give freely. How do you sometimes see greed in the people in your neighborhood or social circle? I think America has become a country of self-indulgent greedy people. Bigger is better... more is never enough... new phones that cost thousands of dollars seen as a necessity yearly... multiple cars that cost more than houses parked in every driveway... We see someone as poor if their car is more than 10 years old... we have lost the understanding of true need... we are a nation of bigger barns... just look at the self-storage industry! They are on just about every corner and every unit is full of "stuff"! We only see greed as those who are millionaires buying yachts. We fail to look at our own homes where we have more TVs and cars than occupants living there. We fail to look at our own closets that are overflowing with clothes as we say, "I have nothing to wear". Looking for greed in my neighborhood and social circles is like trying to remove a speck from my neighbor's eye when I have a timber in my own. Christians aren't immune. In what ways might greed influence a Christian's behaviors and values? Spiritually: Greed causes us to hold on tightly to what is temporal. Greed causes us to serve money and possessions instead of the Most High God. Greed causes us to make idols out of things created by men. Greed steals our purpose as a child of God. Secularly: Greed causes us to give away that which is worn out and no longer of use and call it charity. Greed causes us to give without sacrificing a thing but feel, in our hearts, as if we sacrificed greatly. Greed causes us to judge the poor and needy before, after and while we are helping them.

Q47. (Luke 16:1-13) In what way is the dishonest steward supposed to be a positive example to disciples? The steward recognized his future and prepared for it accordingly. Look around you. The people who are living secular lives, depending on their wealth to get them through their future, are constantly in the books and stock market. Constantly watching and preparing. They are focused on their goal. Christians? Not so much. We, as disciples, need to think about our future and prepare for it accordingly as well. What are we doing with our time now? Are we assuring we will be welcomed into eternal dwellings? Are we preparing for eternity or living for today? We need to be about the business of our Father in Heaven... some think, "as long as I'm saved I don't have to worry about anything or do anything... I've got my ticket, that's all that matters." If this is your attitude towards the sacrifice Jesus made for your soul, I'd have to argue that you have never met Your Savior. For, if you had, you would be so filled with gratitude and thankfulness that you would never ever think to refer to your salvation as your "ticket" into Heaven. My goal is to hear, "well done, my good and faithful servant". Not because I want or need a pat on the back for my efforts but because I love my Savior and want nothing more than for Him to be pleased with my life. How does one “lay up treasures in heaven”? We lay up treasures in heaven by earning jewels for our crowns. These jewels are earned when we step aside and allow Jesus to continue His ministry through our lives doing good in the world around us. Ironically, it's not our work, but His that earns these treasures. For nothing good comes from us. If any good is coming from me, it is only because I have allowed my own will to die that His Will may live through me. As I have mentioned before, this is why we will lay these jeweled filled crowns at the feet of Jesus... because, it was His Work, not ours, that earned those jewels. My biggest fear is to come face to face with my Savior with an empty crown in my hands showing I chose to live my life for me instead of for Him. Why is the quality of our work of very small things so important to God? Because we show our faithfulness and our love through obedience and works. They do not earn our salvation, but they prove our love for Him. We would never entrust our future estate to someone who couldn't handle their own bills... why would God entrust the future of His Kingdom to one that cannot control their own tongue, or their own impulses? He tests our faithfulness continually. With each test we pass, we are given more. What is he waiting to see in us? Obedience, loyalty, and an understanding that it's not about this life that we are currently living in. We have been given a higher purpose. We should live with our eternal dwelling as our constant goal and reminder of what we are living for. He is waiting to see His Fruit in our lives... He is waiting for us to lay down our wills so that His Will can be Lord over our lives... He is waiting to see us put Him and others first and ourselves last. What happens to people in the church who are promoted beyond their spiritual growth? For one, they are overwhelmed and frustrated. They are unable to keep up with the ministry they are given. Others are disillusioned and turned off by the chaos of the ministry. We need to be careful to never volunteer just to "fill a spot" in ministry. As Christians, we are specifically gifted and called into certain facets of ministry. When we step into a ministry that we are not called to serve in, at the very least we steal that position from the one who God is calling, and in the worst case, we cause that ministry to struggle or even fail because we have stepped into disobedience to do something we thought was good but was against His Will.

Q46. (Matthew 7:15-20; Luke 6:43-45) From Jesus' images of wolves in sheep's clothing, good and bad fruit, and the treasure chest of the heart, how does he teach us to discern false leaders? The Holy Spirit grows His Fruit through our branches. We are clearly told in Scripture what this Fruit looks like, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. False prophets will not produce these fruits in their lives. They may produce a cheap imitation of this fruit for a short time, but they will be easily angered by those who disagree with them, they will be harsh towards those who do produce the Spirit's Fruit, they will be self-serving and will not have the churches best interest at heart. They often will not be open to any other view accept theirs, unwilling to compromise. And their words divide, divide, divide. Their objective is to cause strife within a congregation. Why is this so important in our churches? We must be able to recognize those who are placed by the enemy in our churches so that the church will not be destroyed from the inside out and the weaker sheep are not led astray. We are given a spirit of discernment through the Holy Spirit within us. He lets us know when we are in the presence of a wolf. We feel it in our spirit... never dismiss this uneasiness regardless of how harmless, attractive or forth coming the person may seem to us. Trust the Holy Spirit's discernment within you and be cautious when He warns you of someone's true character. Why must we distinguish flawed Christian leaders from dangerous false prophets? Flawed Christian leaders will be open to Truth spoke to them in love. False prophets will not be open to Truth at all. We cannot automatically assume someone who has misinterpreted God's Word is a false prophet. This would mean we are not producing the Spirit's Fruit in our own lives. We need to first, recognize false doctrine when we hear it, and then counsel with the one who is teaching false doctrine to determine if they have misinterpreted the Scripture or if they are purposely distorting the Scripture to cause tensions and disillusions within the church. We are all flawed Christians... we all get it wrong at times... even passionately wrong... I think of myself when I was a new believer and how passionate I was for every new revelation God brought to me. Some of those revelations were received out of context and thank God He had surrounded me with wise Christians who patiently and lovingly encouraged my passion while at the same time steering me towards complete Truth and understanding. We must be patient with each other, slow to judge and quick to encourage and strengthen. We are called to mentor, encourage and discipline each other... not judge, breakdown and punish.