rosegarden

a. Worship before the throne is such a theme in Revelation because the God of Creation who loved us in the beginning and longed for fellowship with us, and even when that fellowship was broken with the sin of Adam, he continually loved us and made a way for us to come back to Him. He sent His Son, born of a woman overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, a God-Man, Holy, who came and suffer rejection, stripes on His back for our healing, shedding of His Blood for our Redemption, the perfect sacrifice, to save us from an eternal hell. He died, was buried, rose again and ascended to His Father and sends us a Helper the Holy Spirit to live inside of us. Who could not but worship this God and Savior! b. Because God made everyone and he made us all equal. When you become a Christian you don't see color. What we are afraid of is sinners who do evil, and it doesn't matter what color they are, they just need Jesus. We are saints in white robes of every race and color and are brothers and sisters in Christ and truly love one another. And we should be rehearsing that love here, now, on earth. A personal story: One day I looked out onto my garden and saw my beautiful, large cactus zinnias and God reminded me that we are like flowers, each flower was beautiful, all different colors, all had the same stem, and grew in the same dirt, received the same sun and same rain, all provided by God. We like flowers are all different colors, all beautiful, all different in personality, all special and all loved by God because He created all of us. c. But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. John 13:34 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another. Romans 12:10

a. It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. (Heb.9:27) If we do not accept Christ and what He did at Calvary in paying for our sin while we are alive, eternal judgment and punishment awaits us. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 6:23) If we receive His sacrifice for our sin we receive His wonderful grace and gift of eternal life. b. Retribution - punishment; It will be too late for Rehabilitation; Deterrence - Justice must prevail. c. Because God provided a Lamb and if He was rejected, there is no more sacrifice for sin, only final judgment. d. The Father sent His Son into the world as a propitiation for the sin of the whole world. Jesus came first as the Lamb of God, gentle, loving, compassionate, merciful, gracious and gave His life as ransom for whoever would receive Him and gives them the gift of eternal life. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18) When Jesus comes again he will come as Judge. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2Cor. 5:10)

a. God was not a reality to me. I kept praying, there has got to be more to life than this. I married out of fear. God rescued me from an abusive marriage. Someone told me about the Lord and I just knelt and prayed and said to God: Lord, my life is a mess, I give you my life, my husband, my children, do with it what you will. God honored that prayer and showed up and my life has never been the same. Fear was gone, I had peace and I knew that He was with me. b. Yes, my heart rejoices in His presence. Just knowing He lives in me and I can know Him, read and study His Word and be strong in Him. Listening to worship songs and getting them in my spirit to burst out at anytime. Upon arising the enemy wants to fill me with lies and untruths. I immediately start shouting the opposite saying what God says about me: I am the healed of the Lord, The Lord is my helper, I am the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, Greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world, I am more than an conqueror, In Him I live and move and have my being, my body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost. I should start making songs of these scriptures. c. Because He loves me, redeemed me and wants me to rule and reign with Him.

a. It says that Jesus loved me enough to die for me wanting to free me from slavery and sin and back into fellowship with Him. b. We may not think ourselves worthy but Jesus says: As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. John 15:9 You can't love anymore than that. c. We are to give Honor and respect to the Lord for all He is and all He has done in thanking, praising and worshiping Him. d. He is our Lord, Savior, King and because He has given us His Holy Spirit, His Spirit lives inside of us and we can commune with Him and have fellowship with Him. How great is that, communing with the Living God who created us and knows all about us. e. Jesus humbled Himself by becoming the Son of man and paying the price for my sin by being obedient unto death on the cross. He revealed this wonderful salvation to me when I asked Him to come into my life. My body is now His Temple. Showing respect to the LORD will make you wise, and being humble will bring honor to you.

a. The Lamb who had been slain, standing in the victory of the Resurrection having 7 horns (representing full, unrivaled power) and 7 eyes (all seeing and all knowing) representing the 7 spirits of God sent out into all the earth. b. He has already conquered sin and has sent His Holy Spirit to live in me to be my helper, comforter, teacher and that I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. In Him I live and move and have my being. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10 He has already won the victory and I can walk in His Victory. c. Knowing He has already won the victory gives me hope. And that no matter what, He is always there to help and encourage me. My wounds encourage me to press into Him more and to learn of Him through the Word and Bible study. Knowing the Word gives me strength and power to destroy my adversary.

a. Humility wins the victory. b. Jesus became a Lamb (the spotless Lamb of God) who opened not His mouth.. A lion is powerful; a lamb is weak. But the Lamb, who humbles himself to Yahweh's will and becomes the ultimate sacrifice for sin, conquers. c. Jesus humbled himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Available in PDF, and Kindle form d. There is victory in obedience. When we submit ourselves to God we conquer. When we humble ourselves before him we find his power.

a. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World, Creator, Savior, King who is holy, worthy to be praised and honored. b. Because they are elated in worship in His obedience unto death and in doing the Father's will and cannot stop praising and worshipping Him for the victory, they have burst out in singing and in praising and thanking Him. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and evermore shall be. c. People get bored with worship after a few minutes because their mind is not on God and their heart is not in it, because if it was they would be totally surrendered to God and His presence would envelope them and there would be no reason for boredom. d. Our hearts are far from Him. e. Don't neglect the Word, or fellowship with God, repent, and get back to your first love. Cry out to God for more of Him, passion for Him and for the Word. He loves you and is not mad at you, He hears your prayer. Like the people of Israel who kept turning away from their God and worshipped other gods, when they cried out to the Lord and repented, He heard their cry and was there with open arms.

a. When a person loses his first love, they have become cold, with no joy, peace, or witness. b. Yes, when life goes on and you tend to get cold and neglect the Word. Wanting to get back I started to search for this and that, buy this book and that and the Lord impressed on me that His Holy Spirit lives inside me and He is all Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Power and Might and has all my answers and that I just need to spend time with Him and get to know Him. c. Repent, not spend time on things that are useless, but spending time with the Lord and feeding on Him, the Well of Living Water.

a. Because pride blocks the flow of God in our lives. We cannot know Christ when we are walking in the flesh. Righteousness cannot come by keeping the law and doing good works, but by faith in what Christ has done for us. Our faith has to be in Him, not in ourselves. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Phil. 3:8 b. Yes, that comes by depending on yourself, instead of trusting in the Lord. When I was first saved, I was quickened to believe God for everything, everything was a "God"incidence, not a coincidence. Then later on, you might get cold and fall into religion and your relationship is not there, you then depend on yourself and nothing happens. Its like falling from Grace, when you trust yourself. As we believe God, trust Him and spend time with Him, He reveals Himself and we can know Him more and more.

a. I am in union with Christ. I am born again by the Spirit of God, I am created in Christ Jesus, I am adopted into the family of God, I am redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (Acts 17:28) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor. 5:17) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:28) b. This union is important because we can know who we are in Christ and whose we are, by His Holy Spirit living in us. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Cor. 3:16) I am in Christ. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col.3:2)

a. Jesus humbled himself and made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross forgoing his rights in order to do God's will, for the salvation of mankind. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) b. When we exalt ourselves we will be humbled. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:11) c. This tendency of exalting ourselves is called Pride.

a. Because he would be immediately present with the Lord. b. It would be far better for him to be with the Lord c. . Life - He would be able to bear more fruit for the Lord, benefiting the Philippians and other churches helping them to more joy and faith in Christ. Death - He would be with Christ, gain, far better. d. I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed. Phil. 1:23

a. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10) Never lose sight of the fact that we are accountable to God. b. No, Because we are born again by the Spirit of God and our names have been written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 13:8). We are saved from condemnation (Romans 8:1). We have already "passed from death to life" (John 5:24; 1 John 3:14). c. Faith in what Christ has done for us by shedding His blood and sending His Holy Spirit to live inside of us. d. Our works will be revealed as by fire and the fire will test what sort of work each has done.

a. Heaven is like a home where God's presence is continually. It is a place of total peace, extreme joy, love and happiness. No sin, no fear, no doubt, no tears, no lies, no regrets, no stress, no unbelief, etc. I don't think we will have to ask any questions because God will automatically give us input and we will be content beyond contentment. We will be continually praising God and thanking Him for Jesus and His Holy Spirit and the work of Redemption. We are complete in Him and for eternity. b. Heaven c. Earth d. The faith of God and the Word of God. As our Father Abraham, we look for a city whose builder and maker is God. Heb. 11:16; Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Col. 3:2 ; Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matt. 6:19-21 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. I John 2:15

a. Fear of man, afraid of offending family (although they know God, they are afraid of missing out on life), He is the Life. Rejection, persecution. b. Suffering rejection and persecution but knowing whose I am and that His Spirit lives in me and that I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. c. Fighting the good fight is keeping on with the Lord and being totally committed to Him to do His work. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil and as His disciple I am called to do that too, in the power of the Spirit, by preaching the Word. Putting on the Whole Armor of God and having done all to stand. Know who I am in Christ and who He is in me. Spending time with the Lord and hearing a Word from Him.

a. An Ambassador is an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country. Paul was an ambassador in that sense that he was sent by Christ on behalf of the Kingdom of God to testify of the Gospel of God's Grace. b. I have been sent by God as Jesus Ambassador to be His witness to my friends, neighbors, workplace, relatives, church and community. Telling them of God's love, mercy and grace. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Cor. 5:20) NLT c. Sharing my testimony is important in that it is a reality in what Christ has done for me and He is no respecter of persons. He is a personal God who knows all about you and will meet you at your need and make himself real to you in a way that you will know that you know it is God who has really done it. Making you open to the Gospel.

a. If we value our life for our own sake we will not be effective servants for the Lord. We will be caught up with the world and all its distractions. Pleasing ourselves and doing our own will, not God's will for us and more easily falling into sin. We will be living in the flesh and not in the Spirit. b. We are to surrender our lives totally to Christ, dying to self and letting Christ rule and reign in our lives. c. Our self will keeps us form total surrender. We need to deny our self and crucify our flesh. Our old nature is selfish, always wanting to please self, in comforts, pleasure, etc. d. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatian 2:20 When Christ was crucified, I was in Him and I died to self and sin. (Just like before when I was in Adam, when he sinned, I took on that sin nature) (when I accepted Christ as Lord of my life, I took on Christ's nature) I still live, but not the old me but the new me. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5:17 I live by faith in what the Son of God has done for me. e. No, cannot follow Christ when hanging onto our own life and walking by the desires of the flesh.

a. No, they just tell what will happen to him when he goes to Jerusalem. b. The believers feared for his life and did not want him to go, but Paul was determined to do the will of God, stating that - "I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." c. Paul says, earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. We should seek after this gift of prophecy to edify our churches. d. I don't know about other churches, but people do prophesy in our church. It is usually a word of encouragement to uplift the body of Christ. When a person has a word during a service, they usually talk to the Pastor or the Pastor in charge of the service to get the go ahead. They are usually people that are strong in the Word and encouraged by the Holy Spirit to get up and give a Word to the people. Maybe the people that despise prophecy have got a word from a false prophet, not led by the Spirit of the Lord and it was a condemning Word to them.

a. Christians worship on the first day of the week in commemoration of Jesus Resurrection from the dead. b. It is called the Lord's Day, the first day of the week, as it is set apart for Him. Reminding me that putting Christ first, he takes care of the rest. Also, a day of rest where we rest in Him and what He has done for us. He is our Sabbath rest. No more trying to earn salvation. He did it all when he took our sin, died for us, was buried, and rose again. We just surrender and receive His wonderful gift of salvation. c. We break bread remembering that day, His broken body and His shed blood, communion with Him and having fellowship one with another "the body of Christ". d. It is important to believers, as it is a day when the body gets together in praise and worship and preaching of the Word and in fellowship and the breaking of bread in remembrance of what Jesus has done for us.

a. Praise is faith shouting. Praise is the language of faith. Praise is acknowledging that God is and has been there for you working on your behalf. You are believing God and thanking Him for who He is and what He has done and what He will do. b. Praise and thankfulness are powerful weapons in our warfare because they pave the way for God's working and deliverance on your behalf. In blessing the Lord, you are blessed. Praise tramples the enemy and makes him powerless!

a. When you hold anger and unforgiveness in your heart you give Satan a foothold in your life and you continue to get more angry and stubborn. b. I once was angry at my niece (who lived with my parents for a time in her youth) and it was at a time of my Mothers death and it had to do with an inheritance. I felt I had more rights than she did and everyone else thought so too and told me so. I felt entitled but I was miserable.? At the time a song on Christian radio was popular. You may have heard of it called "70 times 7". You know what that was about! Almost every time I turned on that station that song played. I finally gave in and called my niece to come over, I apologized and we both hugged each others neck and cried. ?‍❤️‍? What a burden lifted! Thank God there is Forgiveness! After that I never heard that song again! ? God is Soooo Good! c. Unforgiveness is more damaging to you because the longer you hold on to it the more angry you become. You think by holding out in unforgiveness you are hurting the other person but you are actually harming yourself as you are affecting your soul and leaning more to your flesh than the Spirit of God within you.

a. Satans tools are Lies, and deception and tempting people with lusts to keep them in bondage to sin and keeping them in fear that there is no way out. b. Because preaching the Gospel dispels darkness and the good news of Jesus sets people free from his control. Satan hates the gospel. He tries anything he can to prevent the spread of the gospel. c. Fear of rejection, bad experiences, or not stepping out in faith, depending on yourself, not wanting to engage in spiritual warfare or suffer persecution.

a. Adam and Eve had legitimate authority given to them by God but when they sinned and disobeyed God, Satan usurped that authority from Adam and Eve. We now being reconciled to God through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and being His sons and daughters have had that authority restored to us. b. Satan has usurped authority. c. Because at the cross Jesus spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over them by His precious blood, died, buried, resurrected and ascended to Heaven. d. We need to stay in the Word, put on the whole armor of God, and know who we are In Christ, because the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, but we are to submit ourselves to God and by using our authority in Christ, resist the devil and he will flee.

a. I think a great portion of Paul's overwhelming pressure was due to spiritual warfare, as satan will do anything in his power to keep the Gospel from spreading. b. Some, the normal struggles of life but Jesus says, I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) When we are exposed to struggle, stress, and pain, our inner self is exposed. People can see us for what we are. If we exhibit God's grace under pressure, people will see that as well. When we suffer, people can see Jesus' work within us and will be attracted to the authenticity they see. That's why Paul talks about his weaknesses and sufferings so much. c. Intercessory prayer is so important because the Word commands us to pray. It delivers from the attacks of the enemy. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20) Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Eph. 6:18)