Taz

Q3. (John 1:18) How does the title "Only Begotten God" signify Jesus' divinity? How does the Only Begotten Son differ from you and me as sons and daughters of God? What does "only-begotten" say about Jesus' status with the Father? About the costliness of the cross? In my bible (NKJV) John 1:18 reads, "The only begotten Son" and vs 14 reads,"And the Word (the Logos) became flesh (was made - ginomai)," and we see in John 1:1-2, He didn't cease to be the Logos, He didn't cease being GOD (vs 1), He retained His glory, His character and His Divinity. To be "in the bosom of the Father" indicates an intimate relationship, not like an earthly father to a child, but like Supreme GOD, the mighty King of all, and Jesus, the Word. The Word, the Logos of GOD, the 'sayings' of GOD to humanity, were in the beginning with GOD (John 1:1-2) and that same Word became flesh, became the exact expression of GOD. It wasn't created, or birthed in the sense that it was conceived as a human, but the Word, GOD's Logos was placed in Mary by the power (dynamis) of the Highest (most high GOD) as the Holy spirit overshadowed her. (Luke 1:35 & see 'overshadow' in Acts 5:15) Luke understood the divinity of this "Holy One" Who was born. His reference to Him being the "Holy One" was in contrast to what David said in Psalm 51:5, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." We are all born as sinners as a result of the sin we have inherited from Adam and Eve. At the moment of our birth, while there is no "personal" sin, we have the sin that has been imputed to us because of our relationship to Adam and Eve through all of our ancestors. But Jesus was born the "Holy One", without sin so that He would become sin for us! 2 Corinthians 5:21 While all of the world does not receive Him, many do, and to those who receive Him and come to know Him, to them is given the power, the exousia (the authority), to become (to begin to be) the children of GOD. John 1:12-13 Not dynamis (dynamite or dynamic) power, but according to His grace, a gift, unearned, undeserved! "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed (as a gift - didomi) on us, that we should be called children of GOD! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him." 1 John 3 Our new birth (being born again) is not a birth of blood, the will of the flesh or of man, but it is "of GOD." John 1:10-13 We are His children by "adoption" and we should consider it the greatest honor to have been chosen to be adopted! (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5) That Christ Himself, wanted us to become His "brethren" not being ashamed to call us "brethren," the "children whom GOD has given" to Him. Hebrews 2:11-13 And as His brethren, as children of GOD, we can boldly enter into the "holiest" place, the Holy of Holies, by the blood of Jesus, "by a new and living way which He consecrated for us through the veil" Hebrews 10:19-20

Q2. (Mark 1:10-11; Ephesians 1:6) If Jesus is the Father's Beloved, how can the Father send him to die? How does that make sense, given what we know of parental love? What does that say about God's love for us? To ask "how can the Father send Him to die?" is the same as asking why did He have to die? In the NT, the word 'wonder" is used only 5 times (KJV) using only 3 Greek words. There is: thambos - to be amazed; thaumazo - to admire, to marvel; semeion - a wonder, sign, toke or miracle. But in our modern English, to wonder is to speculate, to question and try to re-think a specific issue. If our "wondering" is to be amazed, made immovable in admiration of GOD's plan for our salvation, then that wondering is O.K. But if our wondering is actually speculating and questioning whether GOD might have used a different way other than sending Christ Jesus to die for us, to pay the penalty for our sin, then we are on the verge of thinking GOD made a mistake, did a terrible thing. Killed His own Son! Jesus didn't have to die, maybe there was another way! And the first verse that comes to my mind is: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (I love how JB Phillips reads) "The very weapons we use are not those of human warfare but powerful in GOD’s warfare for the destruction of the enemy’s strongholds. Our battle is to bring down every deceptive fantasy and every imposing defense that men erect against the true knowledge of GOD. We even fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ." If our thoughts are questioning GOD's wisdom and His plan for us, then those thoughts must be captured and brought into submission to the obedience of Christ and His Word. For He and the Word are one. (John 1:1-4) Trouble is, if we think there might have been another way, a better way, a way not taking the road to Golgatha, then we are venturing into thinking beyond our understanding of GOD Himself. Isaiah 55:8, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways" says the LORD." 1 Corinthians 10:4 tells us that Christ is the Rock, He is the Rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1) And Deuteronomy 32:4 tells us, "He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, a GOD of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He." Romans 3:23, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory (that's His dignity & honor) of GOD" Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of GOD is eternal life in Christ Jesus our LORD." And the most important fact that we must agree on is found in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of GOD IN Him." How can that make sense? What does it say about GOD's love for us? It makes perfect sense, but not to the carnal mind, a mind that is either still in the world and is lingering on the cusp of the world. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, "Now all things are of GOD, Who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that GOD was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to hem, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." The "all things" that the Apostle Paul is referring to are the "new" things from the previous verse (vs 17), "Therefore, if anyone is IN Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold (see), all things have become new." GOD's love for us is expressed in many ways, but of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is the sweetest! In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul tells us that Christ died for our sins "according to the Scriptures", was buried and rose again on third day "according to the Scriptures." That's the gospel and we are saved by faith in the gospel. So without His crucifixion, burial and resurrection, there would be no salvation, or as Paul says, "if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!!" (vs 17) "Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain".... Revelation 5:12 "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the LORD (our Messiah) our GOD!"... Revelation 19:1

Q1. In what way does the title Son of God make Jesus equal with the Father? When you deal with the Son, is that the same as dealing with the Father? Do you know Jesus the Son of God? Do you love him? Many seem to think what is recorded in John 14, as Jesus spoke to His disciples at the last supper, was confusing. But in truth it was amazing. He was telling them Who He was without the words, I Am Who I Am. After He had told them that He was going away and they could not come too, but would eventually (hysteros), He then speaks of mansions (mone - dwelling place), He tells them that He was "the way, the truth and the life", that no one "comes to the Father except through Me." (vs 6) That was a lot to take in. But He wasn't through! In His discourse, after telling them if they had known Him, they would have known the Father, and that from then on they would know (ginosko) Him, having "seen" Him, (horao - seen with their eyes), meaning that they would know the Father, that is, they would come to know, recognize and understand Him. And if any of them wondered how this would be possible, He told them that He would pray and the Father would send a "helper", the Comforter (parakletos - called to one's side), in other words, Another would come to take Christ's place at their sides, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, the same Truth that He Himself had told them, He was! The Truth (aletheia) that would indwell them forever. The same Spirit of Truth that indwells every believer. The Holy Spirit Who fills believers with the truth, a knowledge not learned intellectually, but by His Spirit in us. And the world can't receive that truth, that knowledge, because it doesn't see Him or know Him. The Holy Spirit introduces Him to us, not only as our Savior and LORD, but as GOD Himself and the Holy Spirit Who lives and abides in us. "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who had My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:19-21) We all can say that our earthly father is "in" us, that is, genetically. Our physical make-up is a combination of the genetic code of our parents. But we are not "In" them. But when we are born again, by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, He Himself Who is IN the Father and the Father is IN Him (vs 10) dwells in us. To seal that, some of the last things Jesus says is, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." In that statement is the truth of Who He is. In 1 John 5:20 the Scripture says, "And we know that the Son of GOD has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true GOD and eternal life." Interestingly, John's statement that the Son of GOD has come; has given us understanding so that we may know Him Who is true (He said He was the Truth - John 14:6); that we as believers are IN Him Who is True (Acts 17:28), in His Son Jesus Christ, is a powerful description of GOD the Father and GOD the Son, the true GOD and eternal life. My determination to walk with Him, according to His Word and His will is IN Him. It is by His presence in me, in my life, by His indwelling in me by His Holy Spirit that I serve GOD and obey Christ by His power through His Holy Spirit. To consider Jesus Christ apart from GOD Himself and the Holy Spirit is impossible. They are One. "His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty GOD, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 "To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen" 1 Peter 5:11

Q6. (Luke 9:35) Since Jesus is God's Chosen One, what does it mean to "listen to him"? In what ways does your life reflect listening to him? In what ways do you need to heed him more explicitly? "In John 15 Jesus speaks of being "the vine" and GOD the Father, the vinedresser. (the One who cares for the vine and it's branches) He tells us that we are now the branches and if we are to bear fruit, we must abide in the Vine. Vs 5-8: "I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." Our lives will only reflect that part of Him that we allow to rule and reign in us. If we abide IN Him allowing Him to abide in us. The word 'abide' is to continue, to be constantly present, as the Holy spirit (John 14:16), and for us to continue in His Word, abiding in Him as we allow Him to abide in us. We can't hear Him if we do not continue IN Him. The disciples were given the privilege of actually hearing those words, "This is My beloved Son" but we have His Word. We have, as Peter says (1 Peter 1:19-21) the "prophetic word confirmed" that is, we have His Word and it is by and through His Word that we can hear Him, but listening requires diligence. "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of GOD spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." We must not seek an audible voice, words spoken into the human ear. We are to rely on His Word making it the absolute template for all that we submit to and believe. I give Him the first fruits of each day, trying diligently to obey 2 Timothy 2:15 which I believe to be more a command than a suggestion.

Q5. Where did the title "Branch" come from? How does the imagery differ from the title "Root"? Prophetically, the Messianic title "Branch" is used first in Isaiah 4:2, "In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious" (that day is explained in Isaiah 3 as the prophet foretells the desolation that is to come upon Judah & Jerusalem) In Isaiah 9:6-7, the prophet gives this wonderful prophecy: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty GOD, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgement and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." In Isaiah 11, the prophet continues with his Messianic prophecy, saying: "There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD." Again in Jeremiah 23:5, we can read another prophetic word about the coming Messiah, "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgement and righteousness in the earth." Repeated in Jeremiah 33:14-15, the LORD says, "Behold the days are coming that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David a Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgement and righteousness in the earth." In Zechariah 3:8, the Angel of the LORD speaks to Joshua the high priest saying, "you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH." Again in Zechariah 6, the "BRANCH" is mentioned. As a "Man" whose name is the BRANCH! Zechariah has been told to make "an elaborate crown" to place on Joshua's head. He was then to say to him, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." As a "type" of Christ, Joshua shows us not only the "Captain" of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10) by the fact that he too was a triumphant captain of Israel's armies, but he demonstrates to us Christ the High Priest as he was crowned by Zechariah.

Q4. (Matthew 21:9, 15) Why were the chief priests and scribes so angry when little children referred to Jesus as "Son of David"? What does the title "Son of David" signify? There were some who called Him "Son of David" like the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15), a mother whose daughter was oppressed by a demon. She cried out to Him, "Have mercy on me, O LORD, Son of David!" And He did. And in Matthew 20:30-34 we can read of the two blind men who, when they heard Jesus passing by, called out to Him, "Have mercy on us, O LORD, Son of David!" They asked only that He open their eyes. The Scripture tells us that He had compassion and when He touched their eyes, they immediately received their sight. And they followed Him. In Matthew 21 we read of His ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. As He entered the city, "the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD' Hosanna in the highest!" (Psalm 118:26) The chief priests and scribes watched as He healed those who came to Him, and hearing the children in the temple calling to Him, "Hosanna to the Son of David" they were "indignant" (from the Greek 'aganakteo' - sorely displeased) Looking at how 'aganakteo' is translated in the 7 other verses where it is used, tells us that it wasn't just a mild bit of displeasure, it was anger. The hierarchy of the synagogue was angered because they were not receiving the same accolades as this "prophet from Nazareth of Galilee." (vs 11 & 15) And all the while their indignation grew, the children were calling to the Messiah, "Hosanna" (prosper, they were calling to Him to prosper, to be 'propitious') In 2 Samuel 7:8-16 is a beautiful prophecy that is quite specific to David through His prophet Nathan. The LORD begins by saying, "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name" and finally, the LORD said to David, "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My Name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever."" This prophecy is important because Jesus is the fulfillment of that prophecy. "Son of David" is Christ's Messianic title. And even though there is no blood connection through Joseph, Jesus' earthly father, as His legal father, He was by adoption, a descendant of David. The genealogies of both Matthew 1 and Luke 3 show the connection of Jesus to David and especially by blood through Mary.

Q3. (Matthew 16:13-16) Whom did Peter believe Jesus to be? How did Peter come to believe this? (Matthew 16:20). When Peter answered the Q, "But who do you say that I am?", his answer was limited by the short time he had seen and heard all that Jesus and done and said. Yet, during those 3 years, Jesus had said so many things that indicated Who He was. Peter, as well as the other disciples had heard Him say: "I am the bread that came down from heaven" John 6:41-42 " before Abraham was, I Am!" John 8:58 "Father, glorify Me together with Yourself,with the glory which I had with You before the world was." John 17:4-5 "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" John 14:9-10 And many had heard the demons call Him by Name, "Jesus, Son of the Most High GOD" Luke 8:28-29 Yes, Peter answered the LORD's Q saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living GOD." Sadly, some preach that Peter did not believe Jesus was GOD incarnate. That He was the Christ, the Anointed Messiah, even Savior and LORD (Lord being just a title) but not GOD! But unless He was GOD in the flesh, He could not be for us Savior. Because only His blood as GOD incarnate was holy enough to be accepted as payment for our sin. So why did Peter "rebuke" the LORD when He told of His suffering and death? Why did Peter deny Him a little later? I have tried to put myself into Peter's sandals, and walk as he walked. I can't imagine not being so frightened and in that fear would be human weakness which is only natural. Peter had likely seen men tortured and crucified before. I can't imagine anything more brutal. Peter loved Jesus but he, like all other people would have feared torture and death. And Jesus had told His disciples that the world hated them because of Him. Matthew 24:9 And that is still true today. When the disciples argued with each other which of them would be greater in GOD's kingdom, Jesus said to Peter, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." (Luke 22) Doubt and unbelief can be a momentary thing with any believer, even one as Peter was, an eye witness to Jesus Christ. But as it was with Peter, confirmed by Jesus Himself, the revelation of Who Jesus is comes from our Father GOD in heaven. Matthew 16:17 We all know there are two kinds of wisdom. There is wisdom that comes from above and there is earthly wisdom. (James 3:13-17) GOD in Christ does not reveal Himself to us through earthly or carnal wisdom. When some of John the Baptist's disciples asked him about the One he had testified of as the Lamb of GOD, John said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven." John 3:27 John had recognized Jesus as the Christ, the Lamb of GOD, yet when he had been thrown into prison, he sent two of his own disciples to ask Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" Luke 7:20-23 For a guy who called Him the Lamb of GOD and saw the Holy Spirit descend onto Jesus, that sure doesn't sound very positive!! John 1:29 -32 Why does Jesus command his disciples not to tell others that he is the Messiah? The reason that impresses me the most is the Scripture in 1 Corinthians 2. The Apostle Paul speaks to us of wisdom, and of not having faith in the wisdom of men, but in the power of GOD. He tells us of the wisdom of GOD in a "mystery." Wisdom that he speaks of is our salvation, something that was once hidden but is now revealed to all who will believe. And to some, even of those "rulers", if this mystery had somehow been revealed, as it is says in vs 8, had any of them known Who He was, they would not have crucified Him. And it was imperative, it was GOD's will that it be done according to Scriptures. Isaiah 53:1-12; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Q2. Which are your favorite messianic prophecies? Which titles from those are dearest to you? Why? The Prophecy: Messiah would be seated at God's right hand Psalm 68:18, "You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD GOD might dwell there." Psalm 110:1, "The LORD said to my LORD, "Sit at My right hand. Till I make your enemies Your footstool." The Fulfillment: Matthew 22:44, "The LORD said to my LORD, 'Sit at My right hand, Til I make Your enemies Your footstool." Mark 16:19, "So then, after the LORD had spoken to them,, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of GOD." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Prophecy: Messiah's throne will be anointed and eternal Psalm 45:6-7, "Your throne, O GOD, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore GOD, Your GOD has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions." Daniel 2:44, "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. The Fulfillment: Luke 1:33, "And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Hebrews 1:8-12, "But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O GOD, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;therefore GOD, Your GOD, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” And: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail.” To meditate on His place at the right hand of GOD the Father is a most delightful thing to do. Knowing that His anointing is forever, we will never need another mediator, another savior, another redeemer. As my Deliverer, He freed me from the prison of sin. As my Mediator, He stands with me before the most Holy GOD. As my King, I can bow before Him and worship Him. I am His and He is mine forever.

Q1. What is the meaning of the words "Christ" and "Messiah? How does the Davidic Covenant influence messianic expectation in Jesus' day? Though the root words for "Christ" and "Messiah" are from different languages, Greek and Hebrew, their meaning is the same. To say "Jesus is the Christ" is the same as saying "Jesus is the Messiah", both statements refer to the "Anointed One". As the One anointed by GOD (Isaiah 61:1-3) Jesus came to fulfill the prophecy of the coming Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel. Even the words of Isaiah speak of a mighty Redeemer. One Who will open prisons, liberating the captives raining vengeance on those who had brought desolation on Zion (Jerusalem). Having gained the attention of every man in the synagogue (Luke 4:18-19) that day, Jesus had read from Isaiah, "The spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD", and when He had finished, He said, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." And all who had witnessed this (vs 22)"marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth" and then asked, "is this not Joseph's son?" But to see Him as only the son of Joseph and not the "Anointed One", the "Messiah" was evidence of the hardness of their hearts. After He had told them (vs 24) that no prophet was accepted in His own country, He told them how two prophets had left their own country and found faith. Though there were many widows in Israel (vs 25-26), when the famine was across the land, Elijah was sent to only one widow in Zaraphath. And while there were many lepers in Israel, (vs 27) Elisha cleansed only one, Naaman the Syrian. So it was that only in those foreign to them did the prophets find faith. The first reaction to Jesus' reading of Isaiah was one of favor and affection, their ears were tickled but how quickly that changed, their admiration changed to "wrath" (vs 28-39) as they drove Him out of the city with violence having decided to throw Him off a cliff, a most murderous premeditation! Yet Scripture tells us that He walked (passing) through the midst of them, (vs 30). How He did that is anyone's guess...did He bind them, confuse them or blind them? I hope one day He will explain. Sadly, the reason for all the anger and "wrath" was that they were expecting an entirely different sort of Messiah. They wanted a new king of Israel, one who would eliminate all of their enemies. The "gospel" they wanted to hear was one of physical strength and power, one of vengeance and this Man Jesus didn't preach that kind of gospel! He was preaching repentance, salvation, love, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. He was calling sinners to the banquet, and this was not what the powerful leaders and the Pharisees wanted to hear. Their understanding of the prophecies of the coming Messiah were clouded. They read the promises given by the prophet Nathan of David as a prelude to what they wanted, the annihilation of Rome. Like many people today, they read into Scripture what they wanted to hear. (subjective bible reading!!) If they had studied the prophecies as much as they did the Law of Moses, they would have realized a flesh and blood man (2 Samuel 7:12) raised up as the deliverer of Israel, was not what GOD had in mind. To speak of the throne of His kingdom lasting forever (vs 13) should have tweaked their curiosity! GOD's covenant with David was unconditional. It didn't depend on anything that David could do, or what he would or wouldn't do. There were no conditions that had to be met. But Jesus the Christ, the Messiah was the fulfillment of that prophecy. We as believers, have a covenant with GOD now. It is not written on tablets of stone, no, it is written on our hearts. Because we have faith in Christ as our Messiah, and because He shed His own blood to pay the penalty of our sins, He is the Mediator of this "new" covenant, and His blood is the surety, the guarantee of that covenant! Hebrews 7:20-22

Q4. (1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 2:1) In what sense is Jesus our "one Mediator between God and man"? Because of the sin we inherited through Adam and the sin we commit every day on our own, without a "mediator" we would face the penalty for that sin. Romans 6:23 If we are born-again, and have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, He will stand for us as "Mediator" as we as sinners can't do. For GOD is Holy. Joshua 24:19; Psalm 99:5 & 9 ; Isaiah 5:16; Revelation 4:8 We cannot stand before Him in our own created righteousness, for our righteousness, that which we would brag about, is as filthy rags in His presence. Isaiah 64:6 Jesus Himself is the only One Who can stand as Mediator for us. He is the only One Who is Holy as GOD is Holy. 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Luke 1:35 & 49; Romans 3:10 What happens to this personal relationship with Jesus when we ask a minister or a saint to intercede for us? To ask another whether minister or lay person to "intercede" for us in the sense that we are expecting that person to be a "mediator" would be wrong, very wrong. And yet there are several types of prayer, including "intercession", and praying for another or asking others to pray for you and with you is in keeping with 1 Timothy 2:1-4 In truth we are all to be intercessors, just as those of the church prayed for Peter in prison. Acts 12:5 To carry to the throne of grace in Jesus Name, the needs of those around us, even those far away we don't even know, is an honor given only to a Christian. "The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit [crushed very small to dust and cast down - Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon]." Psalm 34:17-18 We must be aware that any teaching that suggests praying to a saint or in the name of a saint, whether living or dead, is idolatry. Nothing in Scripture supports the idea of asking someone in heaven to "intercede" in prayer. No one in heaven has any more right to His throne of grace than we do from our knees here on earth! Jesus Himself gave us the pattern for our prayers. Matthew 6:9-13 And nowhere in Scripture did He suggest that we consult someone in heaven to intercede for us. On the contrary, Jesus Christ is designated as our "Mediator" because no one, living or dead can stand before our Holy GOD. How is Jesus our Advocate before the Father? Interestingly, the word "advocate" is used only once in the NT. In 1 John 2:1, John speaking to those who believe Jesus is the Christ (John called them 'little children') tells us that though we should not sin, but if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. That word "advocate" is 'parakletos' and is the same word that is translated "Comforter" in John 14:16 & 26; John 15:26 & John 16:7, and it means "one who pleads another's cause; an intercessor; counsel for the defense as in Christ in His exaltation at GOD's right hand, pleading with GOD the Father for the pardon of our sins." And in Thayer's Gr. Lexicon we can read that a parakletos is the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles after His ascension to the Father, to lead them into deeper knowledge of gospel truth and give them the divine strength needed in the future. Isn't that amazing!! Then in the epistle to the Hebrews we read that Jesus is a high priest "forever" in the order of Melchizedek. In Hebrews 7 we can read that Melchizedek was without father or mother, without genealogy, with no beginning of days or end of life, "but made like the Son of GOD, remains a priest continually." Often, Melchizedek is referred to as a "type" of Christ. The priesthood until Christ was only temporary. The priests lived out their lives but when they died, had to be replaced. And these priests who carried the sacrifices into the temple, even the once a year sprinkling of blood in the Holy of Holies, had to first make sin offerings for themselves before they could officiate for the people. But Christ Jesus is, as it says in vs 21, "The LORD has sworn and will not relent, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" And in vs.26 - 28 Scriptures tell us, "For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever." To even consider a human "priest" as one who can mediate between us and GOD, to be the advocate is unthinkable. In what ways are you an advocate for the powerless in your community? This community is very sparse as the population of this little town is less than 100 souls. Some are church goers but most are not. They are, for the most part, quite poor. There are a few widows who are older than I am, and when one particular charity comes in once a month, I try to make sure they get a portion of the food that is offered. I do pray for them and others, but I know I am not persistent enough. The Apostle Paul was able to say, "First, I thank my GOD through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For GOD is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers." What an amazing statement! And to the church in Ephesus the apostle wrote, "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints — and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Ephesians 6:14-20 To be able to say without hesitation that he prayed with perseverance and supplication "for all the saints" is another amazing statement. Oh that I should be able to say that too! How do you function as a reconciler, a mediator, a peacemaker as you serve Christ. I attempt to be ready "in season and out of season" to share His gospel. 2 Timothy 4:2 I carry with me at all times a small evangelism NT and a brand new bible that is marked in such a way as to lead a person through His Word, from Romans 3:23 to finally reach Revelation 3:20 I don't like calling it a "method" but in a way it is as it puts the burden of the witness onto the Holy Spirit and we know that His Word is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:12-13 And in Isaiah 55:11, the LORD said, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." To be obedient in the calling to share His gospel is my part, bringing that one into the family of GOD is His part. A way to be reconciled to GOD the Father, through His work as Mediator and Peacemaker is all I can offer.

Q3. (Isaiah 53:3) How can Jesus be the Man of Sorrows as well as the one who finds joy in his Father? How can we experience sorrow without it coming to dominate our lives? Yes, Isaiah 53 describes our Jesus as a Man of Sorrows. From His birth to His crucifixion, He faced rejection. As a baby, His life was in danger when Herod ordered all boy babies to be murdered. And even those who knew Him from a child mocked Him. I suspect even the "hardness" of the hearts of His own disciples caused Him great sorrow. Mark 16:14 And certainly, Matthew 26:38 and 27:46 speak of a sorrow far greater and intense than any we might ever experience. To be so full of sorrow "even to death" and in the last moments of His life on earth, He feels the separation from His Father in heaven as He took onto Himself the sin of the world. Thought He was sinless and totally innocent, He took the punishment and the sorrow of being abandoned by GOD. Just as He does from all sin, GOD had to turn away from His own Son as He became sin for us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 Jesus knew that the feelings of abandonment were only for a short time, for as it is written in Psalm 89:33, "Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail." He knew too that His joy would be made full by the obedience of those who believed in Him, abiding in His love, keeping His Father's commandments as He had done. "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:9-11 Job had an experience with great sorrow. His wife and children, everything he owned was taken from him. His friends accused him of sinning against GOD but in truth, it was the work of Satan. And in our lives, it will happen, that we experience great sorrow that sometimes comes because we live in a fallen world. Accidents and disease often take the lives of those we love, and just as He spoke to Job, He speaks to us now through His Word as we call to Him for solace in a time of grief. Psalm 4:1; Psalm 50:15; Psalm 118:5 Loosing possessions is one thing, but there is no greater sorrow than losing someone you love. When GOD spoke to Job out of the whirlwind Job 38, the first thing He said was (paraphrased my words!!) 'why in heavens name were you listening to those clowns? They all wanted the last word and spoke empty words without any knowledge of Me. So stand up and be the man as I speak with you.' GOD went on to ask Job if he had been there when He formed the earth, hung the stars, made the seas and set their limits. Was he there when He made the clouds or had he ever commanded the morning? Job was asked if he had ever made the grass to grow or caused a drop of dew. The questions continue through Job 39; do hawks fly by your wisdom or do eagles fly by your command? And on into Job 40, with this Q asked of Job, "shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes GOD, let him answer it." As a woman who has been widowed twice I can relate to Job. Both of my husbands were solid Christian men. Devoted to Christ and to me. Their deaths came as a consequence of the fallen nature of this world. First was death at the hands of a drunken driver, a minor driving illegally after late night binging and the second following a 7 year battle with cancer. Each time, in the weeks that followed, I am sure I sounded like Job!! I asked "why" so many times and I was so nearly overwhelmed by sorrow that I forgot what GOD had said to Job, who are you to question Me? And as I moved forward, I turned the weight of my sorrow onto Him, trusting His Word, trusting that just as His Word says, His way is perfect, His word is proven, and He is a shield to those who trust in Him. Psalm 18:30 And as hard as it may be to understand or commit to, if His way is perfect, then I have no reason to question! Now, just having faced the one year mark of the passing into glory of my beloved, I am moving on into the final chapters of my life. I won't guarantee that I will never question GOD's wisdom or circumstances again. But I do know that His response will be just as it was to Job! "who are you to question Me?" Though I may not see Him behind me, in front of me, to my left or to my right, I do know that He knows the way that I take. And I do know that when the testing is complete, I will come forth as gold. Job 23:8-10 My faith stands on His Word as it is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true, righteous and enduring forever. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:7-9; 19:14

Q1. (Daniel 7:13-14) What attributes does the "one like a son of man" have in Daniel's prophecy? In what ways does this personage possess divine elements? What authority does he have? How do we know that Jesus identified himself with this Son of Man in Daniel? The Prophet Daniel was chosen by GOD and during his lifetime gave many prophecies. Some have already been fulfilled, others are still in the future. As a prophet, Daniel did exactly what had been spoken to Moses, he received prophecy through dreams and visions and he was 100% accurate. Numbers 12:1-8; Deuteronomy 18:17-22 Daniel, as one of the prophets considered to be a "lesser" prophet, sees, in his night vision, One "like" the Son of Man, One in the likeness of a man yet given the privilege of being brought near to the "Ancient of Days", GOD the Father, by the angels who are around GOD's throne, serving Him day and night. Then He is given dominion, that is, sovereignty. He is given glory, which by what is clearly stated in Isaiah 42:8, "I Am the LORD, that is My Name; And My glory I will not give to another;" But as GOD the Son, the glory is His. The Son of Man is also given a kingdom where all the peoples and nations of all languages would serve Him, forever, from everlasting, a dominion that will never end. And Who would be given such authority and power, other than GOD the Son? The Book of Daniel is thought to have been written during the persecutions of Israel. And the chapters detailing the prophecies would have been read in the synagogues, so clearly they would have been familiar to the Jews at the time of Jesus. And of all Jews, Jesus Himself would have known all the Scriptures of all the Law and the Prophets, just as those who would have heard them read in the synagogue as was the custom of the Jews. Acts 13:15 & 27; Acts 24:14; Acts 28:23; Romans 3:21 Also, from the records of Moses in Genesis 3:15, to the Scriptures that speak of the Messiah as being the One who will come to disarm the principalities and powers, triumphing over them in Colossians 2:15; through all the OT, through David in 1 Chronicles 17:12-13; and Psalm 16:8-11; through messianic prophecies in Isaiah: Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 53:10-12; even through prophecies given by the other "lesser" prophets like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah 5:2, Zechariah 9:9-10 and even Haggai 2:6-9, though not mentioned exactly, the phrase "Son of Man" would have been identified with messianic prophecies and would have been familiar to the Jews of Jesus' day. However, they might not have connected the phrase to Jesus because the Messiah they were all expecting would be a powerful worldly king, one who would come and destroy all of Israel's enemies. As Jesus spoke of loving enemies and of meekness, He did not fit into their idea of Messiah. Scripture tells us that the "world" did not know Him, even His own did not receive Him (John 1:10-11; even the rulers, the priests, the scribes, governors, none of those in power "knew" him. His identity was revealed only to those He chose. Even to His own disciples. 1 Corinthians 2: 8 & 14 There are many thoughts on why Jesus seemed to want secrecy regarding Who He was, and while they seem quite sensible, I offer this reason as well: In Matthew 12:15-21, Jesus having just healed a "great multitude" warns them not to make Him known "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, (Isaiah 42:1-4) saying: "Behold! My servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoking flax He will not quench, til He sends forth justice to victory; And In His Name Gentiles will trust." That gives me a mental picture of someone tiptoeing along trying not to bring attention to Himself, as He is walking in humility, not as one who is trying to keep a secret. But Jesus certainly knew Who He was! And when He referred to Himself as the Son of Man, He was indeed stating for all to hear, that He was indeed the Messiah. I suspect however, He knew few would recognize His words! In John 5:25-27, Jesus said, "Most assuredly I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of GOD; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgement also, because He is the Son of Man." This verse certainly makes the connection between the Son of GOD and the Son of Man undeniable. Since the first use of the phrase "Son of Man" as a Messianic title was Daniel 7:13. It is obvious that in Matthew 8:20 when Jesus referred to Himself as the "Son of Man" He was using the phrase in the same manner as had Daniel, speaking of the Messiah.

Q4. (John 4:16; 1 Corinthians 1:24) How does Jesus’ truth contrast with your culture’s dearly held “truths”? How does Jesus’ wisdom differ from the worldly wisdom that your culture teaches you? What would help you hold on to Jesus’ truth and wisdom more effectively? Jesus said, "I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life" John 14:6 And it is that "truth" that the culture in which I live, challenges every day, in every way. The world believes that there are many truths, even in science that GOD Himself "invented" down to the smallest particle, even the very DNA of all living things, the single truth is that Jesus Christ is THE TRUTH, the only truth. And one day the entire world will see. In John 17, Jesus also said, "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." It would be easy to let it go at that, but He went on to say, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." Those others are us!! Down through the centuries His Word has been established as Truth in the hearts and minds of those who believe. And always, regardless of "culture" in which those believers lived, they had to have faith that just as He said, "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand." John 10:28-29 I have heard, as many likely have as well, that there are many paths to heaven, to godliness and that by being "good" people can achieve it. But that is not what He said. And long ago I decided that I would believe the bible, cover to cover, word for word, no if, ands or buts..... I believe that all Scripture was given by GOD's inspiration, that is, it was breathed out to those He entrusted to write it down. 2 Timothy 3:16 And I believe that His Word is more powerful than can be understood by the limits of the human mind. That it is alive and powerful enough to separate the soul from the spirit. I believe what His Word says, that His Word can discern the thoughts and intentions of my heart, that there is nothing hidden from Him. Hebrews 4:12 Our faith comes by hearing the Word of GOD (Romans 10:17) and it should be our determination to increase our faith by and through His Word each day. Not at the end of the day as our weak flesh would have us do, but early, while we are fresh, before the cares of the day invest heavily into our minds. Two of my favorite George Mac Donald quotes: "To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it." "It is our best work that God wants, not the dregs of our exhaustion. I think He must prefer quality to quantity."

From Moses through all of the prophets that preceded the birth of Jesus Christ, none of them knew GOD as Jesus did. As the "firstborn" Son, the only begotten of GOD, His testimony of His Father is as a Witness to His glory. As the only begotten of GOD, He was and is IN the bosom of the Father and Who could be a better witness of GOD's grace and mercy than Jesus Christ. Who could show us GOD as Creator, Sustainer and Perfector as Jesus can and does. His witness of the Father comes from His own intimate knowledge of Him as "He is the image of GOD." Psalm 2:7; John 1:14; John 1:18; John 3:16; Colossians 1:15 Who could reveal to us GOD the Father better than GOD the Son Who has been with Him from the beginning! John 1:2 And as GOD the Father is being revealed to us by His Only Begotten Son, we will walk in a growing knowledge of Him Who "begot" and be able to share with those we meet that knowledge of His saving grace. In 1 John 5 we can read, "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of GOD, and everyone who loved Him Who begot also loves Him Who is begotten of Him." His faithfulness as the witness of GOD's glory is to bring all who believe that Jesus is the Christ ("the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Son of GOD), into the family of GOD, as those who have been begotten through the gospel. 1 Corinthians 5:15 When Pilate asked if He was "a" king, Jesus replied, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." John 18:37 As a royal witness, Jesus Christ revealed His Father's glory and was a Witness to the Truth, to Himself. John 8:18 I pray each morning that the testimony I will give that day of GOD will be received and believed. I pray too, that I will not grow so "familiar" with Scripture that I lose my curiosity or that my heart becomes hard and unteachable as one who believes that because I have read all of the bible and are "familiar" with much of His Word, that I don't need to be persistent, diligent to rightly divide His Word and study to see the depth of His Word. The more of His light He gives us, the more is required of us to share with others. Luke 12:48 And finally, I am reminded how GOD can use anyone to be a witness of His grace and mercy. If He can open the mouth of a donkey (Numbers 22:28) He can open the mouth of one who loves Him and desires above all things to serve Him.

Q2. (John 1:1-3, 14) In what sense is Jesus the Word of God? Why do you think he is called this? Why does John call him the Word of Life (1 John 1:1)? What does this say to us about the importance of hearing, meditating on, and internalizing Jesus' words? GOD has been speaking of and to His creation since before He first formed Adam. The first thing that He said that is recorded is, "Let there be light." Before the incarnation of Jesus, GOD was speaking by the prophets. In fact, Hebrews 1 tells us that "at various times and in various ways" GOD spoke to man. But until He returns to remove His church (that's us!) from the earth, GOD is speaking to us by and through His Word, His "logos." Depending on where one's faith lies, the Gospel of John was either penned by the Apostle John or it wasn't. Personally, my faith lies firmly on that "disciple that Jesus loved." And in his beautiful gospel, John used "logos" which was an ancient Greek word that was used by the philosopher Heraclitus in about 400 BC as a word that indicated 'order and knowledge'. That John would choose that word might well have been because many Jewish philosophers used the word to represent divine things in the universe. So naturally, John would want not only the Greeks but the Jews to identify and understand what he meant when he said that Jesus Christ was the incarnate Logos, the incarnate mind of GOD. Since the modern concept of a logo is that of an insignia, something all well known companies have, and since GOD was sending His Word, His living voice, through His servant John, the choice of the word "logos" translated Word, was not a random choice. Perhaps it was because John saw Jesus Christ as the insignia of GOD the Father. Jesus Himself said, "he who has seen Me has seen the Father." John 14:9 The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews said that in the last days GOD is speaking to us by His Son, "whom He has appointed heir of all things, through Whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" An "heir apparent" is an heir who is first in line and can't be displaced by the birth of another. As the Second Person of the Godhead, Jesus is not only "Heir Apparent", He is the King to Whom He is also heir. In John 1 we learn that Jesus is eternal, that He was not only with GOD but He is GOD. That He created all things, in Him is light and life. And somehow, beyond our imagination, the very glory of GOD Himself, became flesh and walked among men. Though Jesus Christ as GOD the Son, is omnipresent just as GOD the Father and the GOD the Holy Spirit are, the closest proximity that we can come to Christ now, in a physical sense is by and through His Word, as He is the Word, the Logos of GOD. So it is a matter of life and death for us to know Him through His Word. The Word of GOD is what sustains us, strengthens us against the enemy and it is by His Word we live and "grow up" as Christians. Matthew 4:4 ; Acts 17:28 & 1 Peter 2:2

Q1. What is your relationship to Jesus as your Rabbi? How often do you come to him to teach you? How do you receive his teaching? How teachable do you think you are? Our walk with Christ is all about "relationship." As I am not Jewish nor have I ever been, I don't think of my relationship with Christ as being one of a student to a rabbi. I had a wonderful relationship with my dad. He knew all sorts of things and he shared that knowledge with me as I grew up. He didn't teach all the neighbor's kids, he taught me because I was his daughter. So I think that I have always felt that my relationship with my Savior was one of a daughter to her Father. We all have relationships, from the very obscure and distant, to those that we hold close to our hearts, intimate and personal. But no relationship should be stronger, closer and more intimate than our relationship with our Savior and LORD Jesus Christ. For it is IN HIM, we live, and we move, and we have our being. Acts 17:28 Christ came into my life when I was a little girl. No one told me what it would take to follow Him. In Matthew 9 we read that when Jesus saw Matthew, He spoke to him saying, "Follow Me." We know from the first verse of Matthew, Jesus had just returned to His "own city" which was Capernaum, but we don't know if that was the first time Matthew had ever seen Jesus. It's more likely that Matthew had seen Him before, perhaps even heard Him speak in the synagogue as Matthew, whose given name was "Levi" Luke 5:27, was Jewish. Matthew was a very rich man, disliked because he was a tax collector. So consider how compelling Jesus must have been when He said, "Follow Me." When we begin to follow Him, we are "compelled" to do so. Not strong armed as some say, forced by circumstance or actions (or lack of them) of others, for we all still must make the choice, just as Matthew did, but we are drawn to Him just as Matthew was. Think about getting up from your expensive desk or walking out of your beautiful home to follow an itinerant preacher, leaving all the comforts behind. That is exactly what Matthew did. That word "compel" can mean to force, in fact, there are numerous verses when it means exactly that. Acts 26:11; Acts 28:19; 2 Corinthians 12:11; Galatians 2:3; Galatians 6:12 But when Jesus "compels" us to follow Him, it is by example. Consider how He led His disciples to follow Him into the boat in Matthew 14:22 & Mark 6:45. Our LORD did not grab His disciples by the arm and drag them into the boat. They followed Him by faith without question. And the word compel as used in Luke 14, when Jesus told of a man who gave a "great supper" and many chose not to attend, does not mean the use of force. The man sent his servant into the streets, the lanes, into the highways and the hedges, to compel people to come.That use of "compel" is just as it is in Matthew 14 & Mark 6. The servant led people back to the supper by "example." Everyday I make a decision, of my free will to follow Him. We all do! We are not forced by an angry Pharisee with murder in his heart, we aren't coerced as many are in other "religions", nor by the threats or actions of others that brings pressure on us. We have a free will but He is so compelling, and we want to taste His supper. "Oh taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in HIM!" Psalm 34:8 I have thought so many times how wonderful it would have been to have been there that morning to eat some of the fish Jesus had prepared! John 21:9 So I am compelled, and being compelled, I have determined in my heart to be as Mary was, sitting at His feet. I seek Him, not signs and wonders, not an audible voice, I seek Him through His Word that He so graciously quickens to me as I read and study. And I pray that as He leads me by His Spirit into His truth, I will continue as Mary did! There have been many times when I have resisted His truth. My flesh is like all flesh, it is weak and it wants what it wants. When I begin my day in His presence, in His Word, I find great peace and greater ease in crucifying my flesh. In Galatians 5, the Apostle Paul said that those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions (affections) and desires. Paul used that word "crucified" as a metaphor. He knew as well as anyone how difficult it is to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh. Romans 8:1 According to Strong's concordance, to crucify imply's a total destruction of power. So when I commit to His Word in my life, I set my focus on fellowship with Him not my flesh, for it has been crucified. And I have found that it is not done only once and at times it has been quite painful as I had to deal with things that had taken root in my flesh. But I will never give up or give in!!

Q4. How did Jesus' disciples use his name when they healed and cast out demons? In Matthew 10 (also Mark 3 & Luke 9) we can read of Christ's appointment of the 12 disciples. Scripture tells us that He gave them "power" and "authority" (dunames & exousia) over unclean spirits, demons, sickness and disease, and He sent the disciples out. But I have not found in all the Scripture any verse that mentions "how" the disciples cast out demons. That they were directed to do so is evident, and one instance that stands out is their failure to be able to do so. (Matthew 17:14-20 & Mark 9:28-29) Was it because the demons did not recognize that the disciples had the same power and authority that Christ Jesus Himself had as the "Son of GOD", the "Holy One of GOD?" (Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:34; Luke 4:34) It is suggested by Mark 9:38 & Luke 9:49 that His Name was indeed used because when the disciples told Jesus they had forbidden one they had seen casting out demons "in His Name", Jesus told them not to forbid anyone from using His Name as He said that anyone who is not against us, is on our side. So even though Scripture does not explicitly say that the disciples used His Name to cast out demons, it is most probable, elsewise they would not have reacted as they did to what they had witnessed. Do we have this kind of authority, or was it only for the apostles themselves? Whether or not that power and authority was to be part of every believer's life has always been the cause for major debate. The gospels and the Book of Acts all have accounts of unclean spirits and demons being cast out. But whether casting them out was anything more than a display of the power and authority that Christ had over all things, as His ministry was worked through the hands of His disciples, can be argued for a life time and still not have a solid answer. With no particular Scripture to support any opinion more than another, we all must wait until His return and ask Him!! It is clear however, that if we read beyond the gospels & Acts, we will find that nothing is written about unclean spirits and demons except that we are NOT to give the devil an opportunity (Ephesians 4:27, we are to put on the "full armor of GOD" (Ephesians 6:10-12), we are to submit ourselves to GOD and resist the devil (James 4:7), because His Word is clear and in 1 Peter 5:8 we are warned so we will be "vigilant", watching out for our "adversary the devil who is going about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." After the final chapter of Acts the word "demon" is only found in seven verses, from Romans to Revelation. And "unclean/foul spirit" if found only twice in Revelation. And none of these verses suggests or mentions believers casting out demons. One thing is sure, the devil and his minions recognized Jesus as the Christ, as the Son of GOD and they "trembled" (James 2:19)!! Notice that the demons never addressed Jesus as the son of Joseph or Mary!! (Mark 6:3) In what way does speaking or acting in Jesus' name demonstrate the concept of power of attorney? Speaking to an attorney shows that most POA's are limited, if not by the individual giving the POA (the grantor) but by laws and statutes of the jurisdiction. That's the legal concept. There is one camp that believes there are apostles today and all believers have all the powers that are mentioned in the gospels. The other camp believes there are no modern day apostles and some of the powers that were given by Jesus to His apostles, were limited to the early church. In order for a POA to be in force today, it would need to be an "enduring" or unlimited POA. However, because there is NO POA that continues after the grantor (the one authorizing the POA) has died, the idea to me is this: while the apostles lived, they continued walking in a far greater realm of power and authority than is in the world today. During the days of the early church, it was necessary for the disciples, those men chosen to be apostles, to be "endued", that is clothed with His power and authority to display it for the purpose of expanding the faith. Those men were chosen specifically for that time. Today we have the bible, GOD's Word, Genesis to Revelation, complete, inerrant and as it says in Hebrews 4:12, the Word of GOD is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (look in Revelation 1 & 2 to see Who holds the two-edged sword!!) I say without hesitation that His Word can deliver anyone from demonic oppression, even demonic possession. But they must submit themselves to GOD. I am not saying that there isn't demonic activity today. A glance at the news is all it takes to make one aware of the evil in the world. But I myself have never met anyone who was possessed by a demon. I have encountered people who were being harassed, troubled and oppressed by unclean spirits and demons, but for me to say that they were possessed, well, I just wouldn't go there. A quick bible search of the words demon and unclean spirits gives us vital information about the nature of those evil beings. They believe in GOD, that GOD is One (James 2); they know that Jesus is not just a man (Mark 1 & Mark 3); they recognize His authority (Luke 8); they know their time is limited and they know their future is certain (Matthew 8); and they tremble in His presence (James 2). Considering all that is shown to be true about demons, I would say the majority of people, including myself do not have sufficient faith or bible knowledge to come against a demon. And too, we must remember though the devil can't read our mind he can use whatever acquired knowledge of us that he has to hurt us. Remember, he or one of his demons has seen us in our darkest moments of sin!! Jesus faced the devil with His Word and His totally sinless life. We may have some of His Word hidden in our hearts (Psalm 119:11) but we are still sinners and you can be sure, like the itinerant Jews and the sons of Sceva (Acts 19:13-16) we might find ourselves naked and wounded! Why are we sometimes afraid to speak or act in Jesus' name? Perhaps we fear to speak or act in Jesus Name because we fear of acting in error. GOD knows every thought, searches even the secrets of our hearts and minds (Psalm 44:21 & Revelation 2:23) but we don't know every thought that He has, for His thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9) I feel certain that I am not the only one who has held back at a moment when an inner urge was strong, to do something that was totally out of character. And I believe it was the fear of being presumptuous. We all, as faithful followers of Christ was to do His will, but none us want to do something that turns out to be wrong. So, consequently, we have a tendency to hold back. Even well seasoned Christians can't operate at 100% all the time. No matter how strong our faith, how deep our understanding is of His Word, we are still just human, just flesh, and subject to the frailties of that flesh. That is why good bible study habits are essential. We need to be diligent. (2 Timothy 2:15) How might hearing his voice about a particular matter alleviate that fear? I have never heard GOD's audible voice, though I have felt urgings that could only be explained in the spirit. Many times they were like whispers way down deep in my inner most being. In reality, that description fails to truly describe what I perceived as a whisper. But I learned long ago the HARD WAY to measure everything that I believe I hear regardless of how audible, against His Word. His Word is the final authority. (2 Timothy 3:16) This of course includes anything I might read that is not Scripture. His Word goes beyond anything that enters my heart or mind. That is why it is so important, more than important, absolutely vital to our life in Christ, that we feed our spirits generously on His Word every day. We feed our bodies, we need to feed our spirits! If my spirit is denied His Word, if I haven't hidden His Word in my heart (Psalm 119:11), if I have failed to study and show myself to be approved and acceptable (2 Timothy 2:15), then my spirit will not be paying attention when His Spirit raises a tiny red flag that warns me to stop, to back up. I am ashamed to say, I have ignored, even totally missed many red flags in my life time. But each day I purpose myself to do more spiritual eating from His Word and less of the other kind. I love His Word. I love each and every word. I love the way it sounds in my ear when I read it aloud, when I listen to the audible bible as I read along, that's like spiritual stereo. I love the way His Word makes me feel, how it revives me, brings peace deep into my being, makes me feel clean and new. And I trust His Word far more than I trust anything that I might "hear" in my head. I always think of a line from "The Christmas Carol." When confronted by Marley's ghost, Scrooge said any little thing might effect the "senses." The apparition could be "a slight disorder of the stomach", a bit of "undigested beef" or a "fragment of underdone potato." And I know that sounds silly, but the human senses are easily led astray. His Word tells us to "test every spirit." (1 John 4) When it comes to "hearing" what we think is His voice, it is a wise thing to do. And any book that isn't entitled "The Bible" cannot be held as inerrant. Only His Word is perfect, all other written material is subject to human flesh, to error, both accidental and intentional. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of GOD." Romans 12:2

Q3. What does it mean when you pray "in Jesus' name"? Do you use the phrase "in Jesus' name" as you pray? Why or why not? Unfortunately, some misguided people have fallen into the spiritual trap, more commonly known as "the word of faith movement", and believe the erroneous teaching that whatsoever they "say with their mouth" if it is prefaced with or followed by the words, "in Jesus Name", it will come to pass. This concept is not an actual organization, but the teachings originate in the man Phineas Quimby by way of E.W. Kenyon who studied the teachings of Quimby, a spiritualist, a teacher of metaphysics. They are false teachings and can be proven false by simply reading the bible. Yes, our words have power, but we can't manipulate GOD to perform for us as that "New Thought" teaching suggests. When we pray in Jesus Name, we are not using a formula or a tactic to gain the answer to our prayer. What we are doing when we pray in Jesus Name is identifying ourselves with Him. And just as His sheep know and hear His voice (John 10), He knows them, that's us, His sheep, the beloved of GOD, those who have bowed on bended knee in His presence. He doesn't need our identification to know us, for He knows us, has known us since the beginning. But when we identify ourselves as "His" by using His NAME, the NAME that is above every name (Ephesians 1), we are confessing publicly that we are HIS to the glory of GOD the Father. In 1 John 5 we read these words: "NOW this is the confidence that we have IN Him, that if we ask anything according to His will (therein is the foundation, IN Him & His will!!), He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." When I first started driving a car, often my dad would ask me to run errands for him. This generally meant going to the paint supply or the tin shop. And I learned quickly that all I had to do when I walked in the door of the shop was identify my self as "Mr. Johnston's daughter." With those words, I was received not only as a valued customer who came in the name of Mr. Johnston, but I was received as a guest. This, I believe, is the nature of our prayers in Jesus Name. Our prayers are received in His throne room because we wear the Name tag, we carry the Scepter of His sovereignty. You can use any analogy that you choose, but the bottom line is, we have been given the authority to enter "boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need." (Hebrews 4) It would have been foolish for me to have gone into the paint shop and stand at the counter without identifying myself, I might have stood there all day! And it is just as foolish for a Christian, a true bible believing Christian, to enter into His throne without the identification that He Himself has given us and the authority to use it! "The promises of GOD in Him are yes, and in Him Amen (so be it!), to the glory of GOD through us." (2 Corinthians 1) And there are numerous promises that tell us that when a sincere heart, even an unsaved heart, seeks GOD, He will be found, Jeremiah 29 and Acts 10. However, we as born-again believers in Christ Jesus not only have His grace to enter into His throne "boldly" but as 1 John says, what we ask of Him, IF it is according to GOD's will He hears and He provides. No such promise is made to unbelieving hearts. John 14 is a perfect example of how Christ represented the authority of GOD on earth, as He clearly said, "The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father Who dwells in Me does the works." And according to His words that followed, we as "born-again" believers, represent Him on earth, just as Christ did then. He said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My NAME, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My NAME, I will do it." And here is the perfect place to insert the last part of Q3.... How does praying "in Jesus' name" limit what we will pray for? The caveat is this: His will, HIS WILL, not ours, not mine, not yours, but HIS WILL, to His glory, "that the Father may be glorified in the Son" Plain and simple, can't get around it. I have asked at one time or another, as everyone has, how do I know what GOD's will is concerning things my life? And the only way to truly know is to know Him, to love Him. And the only way to do that is to read and meditate on His Word, the beautiful love letter that He wrote to each of us. His Word, that Word that is living (Hebrews 4:12), He is the Word and has been since the beginning (John 1:1), His Word is right (Psalm 33:4), and while His understanding and His judgements are unsearchable (Isaiah 40:28 & Romans 11:33), His Word promises that He will give us wisdom if we ask. (James 1:5). We all know that Scripture gives us a list of things and people we should pray for; those in government, family and friends, for faith, for strength, always remembering to be steadfast and to pray with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2). And the most glorious truth is, when we are at an absolute loss for words, perhaps having nothing but tears, we can depend on His Holy Spirit as He will intercede for us. He knows what is in our hearts, He knows the pain, the suffering, the grief. And He know our needs, even more precisely than we do ourselves. I think to end this with Romans 8:26-28 would be perfect! "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He Who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of GOD. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love GOD, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Amen and Amen

In what ways does taking Jesus' name on ourselves, or identifying ourselves with him, open us to shame and persecution? Have you seen examples of this in your own experience? To me, the most difficult "persecution" to deal with is the kind that comes from people you have known all your life. People who knew you before you were born-again. Even family members, siblings. In Matthew 13, Jesus was teaching in His own country, in the synagogue where most everyone knew Him from His childhood, and they were all "offended" by Him, by His teaching. And He said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." And because of that offense, because of their unbelief, the last verse tells us that He did not do many "might works" ....very sad. Some blind eyes were not opened, few hearts changed! Having a brother who refers to himself as an "agnostic" has proved to be most difficult and painful. As an agnostic, he used his seat on the fence (pardon the pun) to allow him to curse GOD even while he said he felt no assurance that GOD even existed. A quote from C. S. Lewis fits in right here... "A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word “darkness” on the walls of his cell." C.S. Lewis Eight years my senior, when I was a young teenager my brother would try to shame me in the presence of my parents and my teen friends. If I was attempting to share the gospel, and he was near, he would openly expose my "evil deeds", those things that for me had been washed away when I was born-again. But try explaining that to someone who has no faith or understanding in Christ's finished work on the cross. Fortunately, my parents were led to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus before they escaped this earth. I am most thankful for that. As for my brother, I haven't seen him in nearly 20 years. People who know him have recounted to me that they believe him to be mentally ill, even to be a sociopath. Some even say that he has become aggressively violent. I do pray for him, but I confess that I am not persistent enough, not as persistent as I should be. And I have no desire to see him as I do have, though faded from years, the memory of one attempt he made to kill me. Not sure if that was a result of my being "born-again", reading my bible and talking to friends and my parents about Christ or not, but his anger toward me seemed to come at about the same time. If any of us lives long enough, I feel certain that we will, if we stand out front as Christians, will be faced with terrible persecution, far greater than having someone sneer or criticize. One glance at the events in other countries (outside the USA) show that Christians are being hunted, tortured and murdered, just as the early Christians were, even as Paul was still known as Saul. I collect quotes from Christians past & present, and this is my most recent addition. "I know of nothing which I would choose to have as the subject of my ambition for life than to be kept faithful to my God till death." Charles H. Spurgeon What actions might show that a Christian is ashamed of Jesus? What actions might show that a Christian is unashamed of Jesus? Because of a video I recently received that troubled me, especially the prayer at the end of the video, my first thought is prayer, that is, the public prayers of those who call themselves Christians. Now this includes current and past political leaders at all levels, plus those in other "arenas" and I use that word with purpose. Read between the lines!! When people pray openly, they will either lift up the Name of Jesus or not. And when I hear someone pray one of what I call a "vacant" prayer, that is, one that does not speak the Name of Jesus, does not exalt Him as King of Kings, LORD of Lords, does not honor Him as Creator, Mighty GOD or even Savior, it seems to me to be a sort of lame way of getting past those who do worship Him who might be listening, without offending those who do not believe!! A quick word search of the NT shows that the words "offend" in it's tenses, and "offense" in it's tenses are used many times. Christianity is an offense to the world! So I conclude that the way people pray out loud in public speaks volumes about their willingness to take a stand for Christ.

According to Shakespeare, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." But with our Savior, His Name is EVERYTHING. In Ephesians 1:15-22, Paul tells us that it is by & through the "exceeding greatness of His power" that "the GOD of our LORD Jesus Christ" will enlighten the eyes of our understanding & give us the spirit of wisdom & revelation in the knowledge of Him. He finishes those wonderful verses by saying of Christ, that when GOD raised from Him from the dead, He was seated at GOD's right hand in heaven, "far above all principality & power & might & dominion, AND EVERY NAME THAT IS NAMED, NOT ONLY IN THIS AGE BUT ALSO IN THAT WHICH IS TO COME." Again in Philippians 2, Paul tells us that though He took the form of a man, even humbling Himself to a death on the cross, "GOD also has highly exalted Him & given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, & those on earth, & those under the earth, & that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of GOD the Father." So to me, His Name is truly everything. By faith in His Name my eternity is secure. I must add a comment about the suggested exercises. Imagery is part of the human imagination, deeply rooted in our psyche, to form a mental image of GOD or Christ is treading on dangerous ground. The second Commandment is quite specific about making "graven" images. Doing that is an abomination to GOD. Of course, a graven image, that is, one that is sculpted or even painted with a fixed face, expression & physical attributes, is a lot different than a brief mental image. But the truth is, our minds are quick to lock on to what is pleasing to our mental "eye." Our GOD Who sits on the throne is "Spirit" (John 4:24), & our Savior Christ Jesus Who stands ever before Him, interceding on our behalf does not have a physical countenance as we do. In Revelation 1, John is given the revelation of Jesus Christ. In that marvelous book, John describes what he is shown in the spirit. When he heard Jesus identify Himself as the "Alpha & the Omega, the First & the Last", he turned to see "the voice that spoke" to him. What he saw is beyond our limited minds to visualize & well should be. John said, "I saw seven golden lampstands & in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet & girded about the chest with a golden band. His head & hair were like white wool, as white as snow & His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as refined in a furnace & His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword & His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First & the Last. I am He Who lives, & was dead, & behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades & of Death." (Rev. 1:12-18) It is my most humble opinion it is beyond our ability to understand or describe what GOD or Jesus Christ looks like. And any attempt to form a mental image of them is wrong. I believe that it is tempting the flesh into occultism. When we were children, the Bible stories often portrayed Jesus as a mild looking man, slender, with kind eyes. But in truth, John's description is far more realistic. Some may say it is healthy to visualize GOD or Jesus Christ in prayer, but personally I believe it is a very slippery slope. In 1 Corinthians 13:11-12, the Apostle Paul wrote: "when I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." Matthew Henry: "Such is the difference between earth & heaven. What narrow views, what confused & indistinct notions of things, have children, in comparison of grown men!" When I was a little girl my favorite aunt gave me a very small framed "portrait" of Jesus. In that frame was the face of a human man that was in no way what He looks like. For quite a few years, though the framed picture was long gone, that image stuck in my mind. It wasn't until I was truly born-again & I read John's words in Revelation that I was freed from that childish notion of what my Savior looked like. To use an imagined image of Jesus Christ or of GOD to communicate in prayer is not taught in Scripture. Jesus Himself taught us to pray in Matt. 6:9-15. And if we look at Philippians 2, verse 5, Paul said, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." I can't imagine that Jesus Christ had to visualize His Father as He prayed, and if He did, He did not give us instructions to do the same! Our prayers are to be in faith, not fiction, not an imagined image. Faith comes by hearing the Word of GOD (Romans 10:17) And in Paul's 2nd letter to Timothy (2 Tim. 3:16-17) he tells us that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of GOD may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." My final thought on visualization is this: to visualize Jesus as a baby in His mother's arms, as a carpenter, or even as one sitting on a hillside preaching to a throng of people, is not what we should be doing. We are to believe IN Him, in His Word by faith, that is, not by "seeing" or making a mental image of Him, for as Peter said in 1 Peter 1:8-9, "Whom having NOT seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls." Visualization brings with it the danger of entertaining what must be called "extra-scriptural", that is beyond the accepted Canon of Scripture. And we are warned in 1 Timothy 4 of the danger of "giving heed to deceiving spirits" & having contact or dialog with an visualized image could well be an open door! If our salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, then the answers to our prayers, if they are prayed in faith & according to His will, will be answered & our fellowship with Him is assured. We don't need a mental image for that assurance.

In Matthew 27: 57-60 we are told, "When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away." Joseph was not only rich, he was a disciple. If his gift to our Lord was notable enough for Matthew to record it and speak of Joseph by name, Jesus must have held this man in high regard. Hyperbole is exaggeration and speaking figuratively, is often using imagery. To say that one cannot serve two masters is a simple statement. Much the same as saying that two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. That is neither hyperbole or figurative speech, but a statement of fact. It will be either Christ first or something else. Whether it is a craving for money, or other things, job, fame, sex, to have other things in our viewfinder in the place of our Lord means that we are not following Him. Joseph of Arimathea held his riches loosely in his hands. He knew that all of his wealth was God's. In giving the gift of that new tomb he was only returning to Jesus what already belonged to Him. The Lord owns the cattle on all the hills, He owns the hills. We all need to open our hands and release the grip we many times seem to have on all that God has given to us. In that way, whether we are wealthy or poor, the hunger for wealth will not keep us from serving the Lord.

Riches, worries or pleasures? Since with riches come worries and the greater availability of pleasures, it seems to me that riches are the most dangerous. Riches bring on worries that are not shared by those of more modest means. Riches and the pursuit of, the maintenance of and the storing up of, are not generally troubles of those who are not so financially blessed. There are many who are rich who realize the weight and responsibility of their wealth and use it to improve the circumstances of those around them, but that is the exception not the rule. And riches seems to attract the ideas of pleasures that those of modest means can't indulge in. And pleasures seem to evolve from one level to another until they become the main meal instead of a dessert. Modest folks don't expect dessert after every meal, but the rich do. This is not to say that the poor cannot be caught up in the same carnal traps. Many who are poor are striving for wealth and their pleasures, while not as high dollar as those of the rich can be equally as dangerous. Galatians 5:23 tells us that one of the fruits of the Spirit is "temperance"-(KJV) or in my ESV, the word temperance is replaced with "self-control". Those traits are not of the flesh, they are of the Spirit. In verses 17 through 21, the Scriptures tell us that the "desires of the flesh are against the Spirit", they are diametrically opposed to the Spirit, so if we walk in the Spirit, feeding ourselves things of the Spirit, denying ourselves, we will not walk in the flesh. Verse 24 says that if we belong to Christ we will need to crucify the flesh. And that is not a heady thing to contemplate but it is a daily work of the Spirit if we want to be led by the Spirit. I guess the bottom line is the old adage, moderation in all things. And the Apostle Paul said it best in Philippians 4:12-13 (ESV) when he said, "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." That is a lesson for all.

Q1. What happens when people adopt the Christian faith without repent of their known sins? "Adopting the Christian faith" isn't the same thing as becoming a Christian. The initial repentance that precedes receiving Christ is only the beginning of a life of repentance. Repentance doesn't just happen once in a Christian's life but is an integral part of the walk of faith with Christ. I have to say that for myself, I have repented every day since I believed in Jesus Christ. Having the Holy Spirit makes repentance a necessity. I am overwhelmed with remorse even for the smallest of things. I pray daily that the Lord put a watch on my lips and I hide His Word in my heart so that I will not fall into sin. Why do people avoid repentance? I can only speak for myself. In my life there were things that I thought I could keep if I just rearranged them and made them look good. But in reality, there was little of the old me that was worth keeping. I avoided ridding myself of some things because I thought of them as parts of me that I could not live without. I did not consider those things sins. And perhaps it isn't so much an avoidance of repentance as much as it is ignorance of what sin really is. Until the Light of the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we don't really have any sense of our own sin. It is by His illumination that we become aware and able to be convicted. What percentage of Christians today do you think are unrepentant, unprepared in heart? It's hard to say. But I suspect that there are more than just a few.

Q1.Why does the New Testament condemn Esau for selling his birthright? (Hebrews 12:16-17) I believe it is because of the relationship that Esau forfeited when he traded his birthright for a bowl of soup. He was well aware of the relationship that his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac had enjoyed with God, he knew of the blessings that God had bestowed on them, yet he gave it up for a bowl of soup walking away, not even looking back. The KJV says he "despised" it, he believed it to be worthless, vile, even contemptible. When those whom God has blessed turn from Him, He is angry and it grieves Him. In Hebrews 3:10/10 we can read that "a wicked, unbelieving heart - that refuses to cleave to, trust in and rely on Him" will end up standing alone apart from God. What did selling the birthright represent? Abraham had walked in the presence of the Lord as did Isaac. Isaac was blessed by God, living near "Beer-lahai-roi", which means "a well to the Living One Who sees me". Even though Abraham had given all that he owned to Isaac, the birthright that would have passed to Esau was more than tents, servants, animals, etc., it was a relationship with God. As the eldest son, Esau, upon the death of Isaac, he would have become the chief priest, a prophet and the king of his family. And even though later he realized his error, crying and trying hard to regain it, God was faithful and just and held it fast not causing Isaac to cancel the agreement. [What does this transaction say about Esau's character and values? He lied to Jacob when he said that he was at "the point of death". Certainly, in the household there was food that he could have eaten to satisfy his hunger. But he saw the color of the soup, it was red, just like him. And he was willing to trade the blessing of God for soup that would only satisfy the hunger of his flesh. What does it reveal about Jacob's character and values? Jacob & Esau were twins. The Lord had told Rebekah that within her were the founders of two nations, the very division of two peoples in her womb. The Lord told her that one would be stronger than the other and the older one would serve the younger. So it was to be. Esau was born first but Jacob was literally on his heel, as he had taken hold of Esau's heel so that only mere seconds separated them in age. Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter", or more precisely, "taking hold of the heel, supplanter, layer of snares" (from Gesenius's Lexicon). The word "supplanter" is from supplant: to displace and take the place of; to supersede; as, a rival supplants another. So a "supplanter" is "someone who wrongfully or illegally seizes and holds the place of another" (http://www.onelook.com). If Esau was a liar, Jacob was a thief for he took that which was not rightfully his.