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To have a Divine person devoid of sin, die on the Cross bearing my sins is almost uncomprehensible to me. The Sacrifice that Jesus made for me by his suffering signifies that there is a greater power than me ~ one to which I should bow down to worship, love and obey. He took my place on the Cross and set me free ~ ME --- A sinful person, but still one who can chose to live a better life through his suffering. I too must suffer in my life, but I can endure much more knowing that God's grace will walk with me wherever Jesus leads me.

Satan is still present in our lives ~ we still have free will to chose our path through life. We must lean to Jesus to guide us, to help us overcome outr temptations. Christ must come foremost in our lives. 'Live for righteousness' means to me to cast off our old ways and ideas and prepare to follow jesus wherever HE may take me.

To understand my salvation, I have to recognize that Jesus was a person (like me), That he faced temptations (like me) but he resisted the temptations of this world (not like me - who gives in by not choosing always right from wrong, but will often take the easy path to get out of a situation). Jesus fully trusted God to judge righteously. Jesus did not rely on his own abilities to lash out, but instead leaned on God to assess the situation which would lead to a just and fair judgement. Oh what faith and trust Jesus displayed as he suffered for us on the Cross. Only by being able to commit himself fully to God could He stand this corruption of Sin. What a Sacrifice was made for all us 'aliens.'

Jesus suffered and died to show me his true obedience to, and love and trust in God, and that God is there to carry me through all things. He showed me that life is not always going to be easy by his suffering , but that if I am true and obedient to GOd to the best of my ability, I am receiving favour with God. In times of distress or unjust accusations against me is God Not always closer to me ~?? His strength and love is guiding and in many instances carrying me through the difficult times.

Christ's example shows me that by retaliations, angry words and wanting to get even that I am lowering myself to a level that God would not want me to travel. Silence can be a very quieting way of settling disputes. Jesus's character in this passage tells me to think before speaking and action -- showing love is more beneficial than those other emotional outbreaks. Most important I have to trust God to help me work out my problem or hurts. This 'silence instead of words' works so well in our household. After 23 years of marriage my spouce and I have had no real words of anger with each other. However, at times I get very stressed and overtired with work and responsibilities in the organizations that I am involved with in the community. My own peace is not there insted I am just thinking I have to get this done. When he (my Husband and friend) sees me becoming very tired and stressed he becomes very quiet. No words are spoken but his actions relay to me that it is time to look at my situation and become concerned about my health. In him I trust his judgment. His quietness is his way of showing his love and concern for me. In this same manner I must Trust God to lead me , In his (God's) leading me I find peace once again. As you can see I am a week behing in the Bible Study and the above situation is just what I find myself in. No time for me and what is much worse no time for God (or so I think). Today shall be a day of slowing down and reflecting. Peace to all as I sit and look out the window at the snow that has fallen overnight. Our world today from where I look out is like a clean white sheet. It is one of beauty and peace. One that makes me know there is someone much greater than you and I who reigns over us, loves us and keeps us completely under His wing. Thank you Lord for being there for me. Amen

By being conscious of God in my workplace, I think it makes it easier to act or react to injustice . I think because of my relationship to God the question often arises what would Jesus do if he were here. In my class room we always began the day with the Lord's Prayer (It was a public school that I taught in and the idea was never questioned.) If I felt someone was being treated unfairly I tried to see both sides of the problem before making a judgment. Complaining doesn't always bring results. I think you have to know your facts before trying to state a case. In my 35 years of being in the classroom I never really had to suffer or react to prolonged unfair treatment. Putting myself in someone else's shoes often helped me understand the problem better. Support and concern for the individual is important. Just knowing that we are there is a big lift for our neighbour. Remember Jesus had to stand up to riducile and harsh treatment, but never did he let His love for us waver. We have to try and pass that love on to those who receive injustice in our communities as well.

To all people be true. I must give my best in my effort to succeed. My success must reflect on all those who I am in contact with. My love for God I hope will reflect in my job and my character.. If I don't give my full effort than I am cheating on myself and my employer and my coworkers. If I neglect to show my concern and care for others than I am also letting God down as well. I will respect the wishes of my employers and I shall not be afraid to say 'No' if he expects me to do something that I am not totally comfortable with. Full effort has to be a two way street.

Part TWO: Having been given the choice of free will when we disobey God we are accepting our own independebnce as the as the correct way, and not the way God wishes us to be or do. When we err we are hurting God but God as a true parent continues to place His arms around us and tries to protect us and lead us back to his fold. How blessed we are to have such a wonderful parent, and yet how often we neglect to tell him how much we love him.

If we live submissive, obedient lives for Him, in fulfilling our duties in the manner God expects of us, shows other 'aliens' that we believe in what we are doing and that we have the freedom to chose between right and wrong, and that by leaning towards the love of God he will help us chose the right path, and by that choice we are helping to spread that valuable work and love of the Lord.

It is so easy to blend in, so people won't notice your love of God. I believe that by doing good deeds, quietly but in God's name spreads more goodness and faithfulness--than shouting and great works. In my community, by working ceaselessly and doing small tasks, God's work is seen more favourably. To try and push your beliefs on people makes resentment rise and people stand back. A quiet suggestion -- can eventually reach fruition-- a constant working to try and lead a life that God would want me to lead is living a life of hope anf faith guided by the knowledge that God knows my struggles. We cannot 'blend in completely' but taking some leadership in church and community helps to spread God's love and to show ny love for Him. Also, small acts that are known only to me, the receiver of my action and God are also valuable in the expression of my love for My Master.

Satan is at work everywhere in our world. By knowing of God's free love for us, we must continually struggle not to be overcome by the sins of this world. By prayer and our example of turning to God to travel through our life in these 'alien' surroundings, we can conform our life to a 'priestly' life as God wishes us to be the living stones in his foundation. I remember and rejoice that I can survive from the sins and lusts of this society. A society, I believe, that is sinking deeper and deeper into the mirky waters of sin and despair.

I refer to the saying 'No man is an island.' I cannot profess to be a person of God's and chose to ignore my neighbours and those around me. I need the love and caring of others in order to make my love of God grow in abundance. God's love inspires me to want to do more to make His love known to others. In the past several weeks God's love has shown me that His love is changing my thinking of several important facets in my life AND even though I know that some conflict is going to occur among friends -- in the end if I believe and continue with my faith in God, God will guide and protect all concerned.

I offer praise to God by the kind of life I live, by song and by prayer, by the love and kindness we show to our neighbours and families, by my relationship to nature and its beauty. Hopefully by the actions of my life (which I hope and pray are acceptable to God) in all ways let me show my love of God.

I believe that a priest felt that he was an important connection to God through which the common person had to go to get to God. Priests were set up on a pedestal. To me the priests or ministers are persons who you could lean to get support or advice from. However, I do not believe that they had special powers to be in contact with God. I believe that even though I am a lay person I have the support of the Lord and by the kind of person I am or the life I leave can be an inspiuration to others. I too have a holy and high calling to follow the teachings of the Master.

My true long term investment is to be able to put God first in my life and not put so much emphasis on worldly goods.

Yes many times i have felt of little worth or no value. If we dedicate ourselves to God, (even if we don't) his grace is with us, He will help guide usto work in his service no matter how lowly we may feel our worth. No matter how unworthy I may feel God is there to love me. My worldly wealth means nothing. What counts is how I can love and help my naeighbour, try to live a spiritual life, serve my Master is all that matters. My true long term investment is that we have been cleansed by the blood of Christ. I can talk freely and prayerfully to God. Being able to worship freely . Hopefully I can get away from some of my sins and that I can look at my neighgbour and see the face of God.

Holiness is to be above the normal. To try and lead the life God wants for you and to avoid the sins of this earth. Being human this is very difficult. But one can try to live a holy life. I try to do that which is right-- not exalt that I am better than others. I must work towards the expectations God has for me. You must continually struggle against sin in this world, strive for the best. If I am not obedient and instead lead a sinful, lusty life how can I achieve a holiness. Perhaps one of the biggest struggles in trying to live an honest and just life - working for the Lord- in this alien world - is being judged by others - who mock you or avoid you because you try to follow the teachings of the Lord. I often feel that if I try to do something that I think will help in the community or my church people look down at me with the expression 'who does she think she is.' Still I believe in my own heart that I am walking with the Lord and doing what he expects of me AND when things are really difficult 'He carries me in his arms like a shepherd carrying his lamd to safety.' I often find it difficult to talk about my faith as again what comes into my mind is 'what do people think of me, however, I believe in this area of my life I am slowly growing.

People in our culture often feel that they are being put down by those doing the judging. Human nature makes us put our backs up when someone else speaks against us. God's judgment will be just and the judgment will be based on how I followed his teachings on earth. The final judgment should be the ultimate goal of our lives and for what we should always be striving. We will still be aliens in our earthly world and that which was expected of us will have fallen on our deaf ears. Our ownership of holiness comes completely on us and what we do to attain it.

I am going to try and explain a joy that I have attained in November of last year and which I am still amazed with Several years ago I was approached by a member of the local Highland Village as to whethter or not our Pastoral Charge would consider giving one of our churches to the local Village. The church has not been active, other than an annual Anniversary service, for the last 20 years. When I felt the time was right, I approached the Church council with the proposal .Many of the people of the congregations were so pleased that the church would be looked after. However, many were not and several of us received a lot of not too nice remarks about our decision to move the church. However at a charge wide congregational meeting the vote was unanimous to move it. In November the church was moved by road, barge, and road to its new home on the Highland village site. The joy of seeing the church on the barge moving so silently into the mist is one of the sights I shall never forget. Joy was not emotional that day but the Lord was present and his Home will continue to do his work on the new site. This may not be a very good answer to the question but my "Christian ' Happiness has grown through this encounter with community and knowing that the decision we made had God's blessing.

Many times throughout my life I have been through difficult times that I know God was pushing me to achieve a closer relationship with him. From these experiences I have grown closer to him and have been able to look at the world with a new sense of vision and feeling. My husband was burned to death in our home and I was the one who found him. Many times in life I said that if I ever came upon someond dead that I would not be able to handle it. That night I had more strength than I ever knew it was possible to have and it had to be a God given strength. Over the coming days God walked with me a s I went through the motions of a Wake and a funeral. God's strengfth at that time often came through in a handshake from a friend or many kind words that I heard. They seem to say 'I am here for you. I will not let you go through this alone." My faith has been tested and tried several more times and from this I have grown in many ways. I think we have to be challenged to realize the power of the Lord.

God' s love or grace surrounds me and pushes me to move forward with my life. He has a course planned for me throughout my life and what he would wish me to follow. However, because of 'free will' I have to make my own choices and being human I sometimes take the right path and often I follow the wrong way the way I think I should go and not listen to my heart or conscious . In life I have a very poor sense of direction. nine times out of ten if I think I should be travelling east , the correct way to be going is west. It is uncanny how often I am wrong. Often I think ok I want to go right , but left is probably the rway I should be travelling. In my relationship with God perhaps I use the same analogy. I make mistakes, but from the mistakes I learn and I know that God is there with me , guiding, urging and prompting me -- I have to learn to listen to what my heart is saying.

Hi. I am Ann from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada where the weather has ben very cold for the past two weeks. I am a retired elementary school teacher. This is my first online Bible class and am looking forward to beoing challenged with the questuions and reading others thinking.