Highohfaith

I think the reason is two fold. The Lord wants Saul to reflect about what has happened to him on the road to Demascus. His transformation took place in the matter of a few minutes. His whole life took an "about turn". So, Saul needs time on reflecting and only for reflecting. I think that is why he is blinded for three days. So he can take in what has happened to him. Without having any distractions. The second reason is Ananasis is both a Jew and a Christian. Therefore they are not only brother Jews they are also brothers in Christ now. Ananasis doesn't exactly ague with God. He simply resist a little probably because he has heard of Saul reputation. But he is willing and ready and trusting of His Lord. And does as the Lord directs him to do. Anytime God's plan is not the same as our own it takes courage because we must submit to a plan that we do not know. We must rely on deep faith in order to carry out God's plan for us. To surrender ones will takes emmence trust. Yes, And I am still following God's prompt.

Christ is fully man and fully God. So whatever any one does to Him they are also doing to His own. He is God's child and we are His brothers and sisters. He loves us. He values us more than His own life. He shows us what Love is when He dies on the cross for us. I think the biggest goad has been my infirmities. Since I've became ill in 2009 and suffer from a lot of pain, become partially disabled. I have grown a lot in my personal relationship with Jesus. I think it hurts Jesus more. He gave His life for us. By " bucking " against Him we are saying His sacrifice was in vain. It also hursts us because we don't enjoy the love, friendship, fellowship,comfort, assurance of eternal life the wonderful provincial care we know, when we are in fellowship with Christ.

Q2. (John 1:7-8) What did it mean that John was sent to “testify” to the light? In what sense are you put here with the purpose of “testifying” to the light? How are you doing in this regard? What happened to John the Baptist? What might happen to you if you testify clearly? What might happen to the people to whom you testify? John was the messenger..the one sent before to testify to the truth about Jesus Christ. John's mission was to "prepare" the Jewish people to receive Jesus Christ, who already walked among them unrecognized, as their savior, righteous, and holy, totally without blemish, a light in the world of darkness!John was trusted among the people, he was at the time baptizing the Jews through water baptism. The people would listen to John's testimony because he was established, and respected among them. John's message would be heard, not all who heard believed. As ministers of God's word, we also testify. And may well be admonished for doing so.We must not be deterred. John died as a result of preaching the righteousness brought to us through Jesus Christ. He was killed ( beheaded )for speaking out about acts of evil such as adultery and incest. We as Christians must be prepared to stand up, be strong and preach the Word of Jesus Christ. Many Christians throughout history, and even in some countries today are persecuted, and yes even tortured and killed for preaching the word to this very day. We must stand firm and strong! Fight the darkness of the world with the LIGHT of the World, Christ Jesus! fight the GOOD fight and don't give up.

Q1. (John 1:1-3) According to the Apostle John, is Jesus fully God? What does it mean that Jesus is the “Word”? What does this say about him and his ministry? 1.) Yes,Jesus IS God come to life. 2.) It means that Jesus is fulfilling prophecy, that He has always been with us, but at this time He is being revealed in the flesh. 3.) Jesus is sent to purify and save us from sin. The main purpose of Jesus' ministry is to be our Savior and extend to us eternal live as the children of God. We are made righteous, and sanctified only through His blood. One sovereign brotherhood, saved from sins, and the sins of the world,by the grace of Our Lord, Jesus.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 5:2b-5) What are levels of correction and discipline short of excommunication? Who should exercise that kind of correction? What do we do when a sinning member repents? Why is excommunication sometimes necessary? Why are we so unwilling to exercise it in our day? The person committing the sin should be brought before the church leader, and laypersons. Hopefully this is done discretely and is kept between the leaders. They should at first be rebuked gently, and counseled. Prayed for, that they will repent of their sins. Repentance means confess, turn away from ones sin. Repentance requires action on the part of the sinner. The sinner must turn away from, and also mourn his sin. When the sinner repents and recognizes his sin, mourns his sin, refrains from his sin, and ask God for forgiveness, he is to be welcomed back into the church with open hands and hearts! Excommunication is necessary when one refuses to confront,repent and ask for forgiveness of his sin. The sinner is proud and boastful of his/her sin. The sinner risk 'contaminating' the rest of the congregation by his sin. Churches today are more interested in quantity than quality. Despite knowing that excommunicating a blatant sinner is best for the congregation, they don't want to send a message which would deter people from coming to their church, thus losing money.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 5:1-2a) Why do you think the Corinthians were so proud of their tolerance of immorality? What does this say about their value system? Man is a prideful being. The Corinthians were full of pride,unwilling to admit they were doing anything immoral, they were in denial of their sin. Excusing it. The humility they were taught by Paul's first visit soon wore off when they did not have him around to nurture their faith. They were babies in Christ and needed a mentor until their faith matured.They did not continue to grow in Christ, their sins continued and even worsened, stunned their growth and their path to perfection, righteousness and sanctification. Their value system was based on earthly values and not Heavenly, Godly values.

Q4. (1 Corinthians 4:17) What qualities about Timothy encouraged Paul to send him on a sensitive mission to the Corinthians – that might have involved some disrespect and abuse? We have all heard the old adage " Actions speak louder than words". Timothy's action have proven him to be a good and faithful servant. Paul trust, and loves Timothy. Trust is something which is earned, it is not given freely. If God were to call you to fulfill a sensitive mission – to a neighbor or across the world – would you accept? Why or why not? YES, I'd like to think that I would. However, If He called me right now, today, for a great mission, I think I would be a bit like Moses, " The Reluctant Leader". I'd have to muster up all the strengths provided by the Holy Spirit, and trust that God will provide what I need to accomplish His mission. As Moses did before he led God's people out of captivity, I might need a little 'convincing' that I can do it, and that God will provide all I need to accomplish His will! I believe God has a plan for me and in the 'right'; time, His time it will be revealed. And,I will be ready, because the Holy Spirit is preparing me for any mission God will give me.!!!

Q3. (1 Corinthians 4:9-13) Why do you think Paul lists the abuse he has to take? Paul wants the Corinthians to realize it is not all 'cookies and cream' when it comes to proclaiming the gospel. Some people will adamantly reject the gospel, some will ague and try to change the gospel. Paul himself has gone to prison, suffered abuse, and he wants them to know that proclaiming the truth of the gospel is a very hard task but they must remain diligent and not sway like a reed in the wind. He tells them of all his struggles in hopes that his struggles will be an inspiration and an example of what it means to be a true disciple. As disciples we must stick steadfastly to our love and commitment to bring the gospel to others no matter what the cost to us! What effect did he want it to have on his readers? He wanted to be an example. What effect does it have on you? It gives me hope that I can be an effective disciple. Do you avoid ministry that comes with abuse? I have in the past. I had a circumstance where someone undermined everything and every augment I gave him about God. This person had once been a Christian, then became agnostic, and now is an atheist. It had a profound effect on me for a long while I struggled with my inability to change his mind and heart. I could not be an effective minister. I could not proclaim the truth in a way that would sway his already made up heart. I prayed a long time about this and God led me to this passage in the bible one day and a revelation came with it.. Matthew 10:14(NLT) If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. In this passage I realized that I had given my best to bring this person to salvation. If I wallowed around in the pain I felt at not being effective, then I would be undermining my own faith. I realized that no matter what the cost ( being rejected) that I must continue ( and not doubt myself, but remain strong in the word)on to the next 'town' shake the dust ( the disappointment) off, and proclaim the good news! Do not let rejection, nor failure, nor even worst things as Paul suffered, torture, or prison, deter your good work in the Lord.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 4:3-5) Why doesn’t Paul care how others judge him? Because Paul knows that God is his sovereign judge and ultimately it will be God whose proclaims FINAL Judgement. He knows God's judgement will be fair and just! Why doesn’t Paul judge himself? Paul knows he is a man, and men are not perfected. Only God is perfect and without blemish.Paul has trusted his heart to the Holy Spirit. Paul does not feel quilt or condemn himself because he know at all times the Holy Spirit is working in him to perfect in him a clean, and pure heart. He has totally given himself to God and TRUST with all his heart in the working of The Holy Spirit! Because of his great faith, love and trust in God he must love himself as God loves him, if he hates himself or condemns himself he goes completely against the will of God. We love because God first showed us what love is (and that means we love ourselves-and do not judge ourselves) as well. How can we hate of judge something which God created?? He created us with Love and we must love ourselves, as He love us! Why are our motives so important in God’s judgment process? God looks at our hearts. Sometimes our actions do not clearly reflect what is in our hearts, because we are mere men. We are not yet perfected. We make mistakes. When we do it is important to know God allows us to make mistakes as a way for us to learn from those mistakes. We must therefore ask for His forgiveness and KNOW we have been forgiven. He has not given us a Spirit of guilt and fear! Sometimes the lessons we learn are very difficult and may take years to learn. Perfection is never finished until the day of completion when we stand before God! God know our hearts. I know you have read the verse in which he counted every hair on your head. Think about it, if He knows how many hairs we have on our head, how much more does he know our hearts? Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. Matthew 10:30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do you see God as a harsh judge? No, I do not see Him as harsh at all. I see Him as a loving Father who sometimes feels the need to exact punishment so that His child may learn from His/her mistakes, An easy judge? Why? I do not see God as a "pushover' either. He is like any strict parent who wants the very best for His child. He loves us and always knows what is best for us! I ask God often to pull me back, and show me, teach me,even if it means punishment how to be good person! I often ask him to show me my mistakes and to lead me to righteousness. I expect to get it 'wrong' in the Fathers eyes,at times, this a part of the maturation of any child, especially God's children. However,I know his punishment will be fair and just, He will deal with me in a way that will show me the right path in a loving manner. My Father will always be my teacher, He will always love me know matter what, He will create in me a clean heart. Whatever the punishment I trust His motives are always in my best interest because I KNOW I AM LOVED!

Q1. (1 Corinthians 4:1-2) In what sense is a Christian worker a “steward”? As Christian disciples it is our responsibility to spread the word with the authority given to Jesus by the Father. According to Jesus' Great Commission, we must move forward with faithful conviction, and be dutiful servants always. This is our life's mission. Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) The Great Commission 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Have you ever met a Christian worker who wasn’t faithful? Yes. What effect did this have on the church? I don't know what effect it had on the church, however it was a pastor, and it was my pastor whom I felt was not a faithful servant . It had such a profound affect on me that I subsequently left the church. On this person’s witness. What are the reasons we are sometimes unfaithful in our area of ministry? pride,money, peer pressure, gossip, What can we do to remedy that? Prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit, trusting that He is guiding us always, give ourselves freely to The Holy Spirit. Be a good example to others, by offering understanding, and wisdom as Paul did for the Corinthians. Be faithful at all times to the Word of God and do not be swayed in any other direction by false doctrine.

Q3. (1 Corinthians 3:9-13) In terms of building congregations in our day, how would you assess quality vs. slip-shod building materials and methods? How important is improving your ministry skills through training? Prayer? Practice? Diligence? Faithfulness? Doctrinal accuracy? Devotional life? Openness to spiritual gifts? Etc. I feel many of the "mega" churches of today have lost the foundational truth found only through Jesus Christ.They are more concerned about how many people they get in the door in an effort to make more money so they can grow larger and larger congregations. And that's great if in the process they don't lose their main objective which is to teach and BE the body of Christ. The church is the body of Christ. Christ is a humble man, many church leaders today are not humbled but puffed up on power.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 3:4-9) In what ways do denominations encourage Christian unity? In what ways do they foster disunity? Does belonging a “non-denominational” church make any difference regarding unity throughout the body? How can we tear down the barriers that divide us? Churches encourage unity through Christ by teaching, preaching and service. It is important for us to examine each church's doctrine before attending a particular church. We, as Christians have a responsibility to have a Christlike mind and heart, and be able to discern if the teachings of a church are in line with our true Christian beliefs. We must always examine what we are being taught to us in church, and search out the bible to be sure we are not being taught false doctrine. Our mind and heart must ultimately belong to GOD,not the leaders of our church. I believe the simple fact of splitting up into denominations fosters disunity. Yes, I believe belonging to a non denominational church does make a difference in tearing down barriers. My church is a non-deniminational church and it is not unusual to see people of many faiths attending.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) In behavioral terms according to these verses, how would you classify yourself in terms of hunger for the Word? I have become a bit remiss, in the last couple years in terms of reading and studying the word. I do read my Bible( but no where often as I should) which in my IMO, should, should be everyday. Actually, for a long while I followed Pastor Ralph's Bible reading plan: One chapter from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament and one from either Psalms of Proverbs daily,. plus did additional reading of the Bible outside the plan.However, I have not been reading lately. I DO pray throughout the day. I DO have a personal relationship with God,in which I talk and listen( the promptings of the Holy Spirit) to Him throughout my day.. I do hunger for righteousness. But, my problem is: I have become remiss in studying and reading the word!!! It is very important to eat the 'solid food' all the time, we cannot grow on 'milk' alone In order to grow we must read,hunger, discern and study the Word of God. supporting verse or theme : Luke 14:34 "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? We must keep our saltiness!!! In terms of jealousy and quarreling? – infant, child, teenager, adult? I have had a problem with envy my whole life. I have definitely gotten better since I became as Christian 9 years ago, but I can still fall back into the envy 'stage' at times. That's when the Spirit draws me back, and makes me aware of what I am doing!. I would say I am in the 'child' ( not quite yet a teenager, but not a baby either)i have experienced growth but it is slow. With quarreling I believe I have reached the teenager stage. I used to ague over every little thing, in essence I was an angry, bitter person. God has changed me the most in this area,but I can still have my "buttons pushed" on occasion. And, lose my temper, however, it is rare compared to when I was younger, and before I rededicated myself to the Lord! What will it take for you to grow to the next stage? Continued trust in the workings of the Holy Spirit, and KNOW that at all times He is working in me to lead me to perfection. Be a willing and open participant. Listening and discerning His prompting. Lots of PRAYER for help in your troubled areas!! Don't give up, run a good race and have patience and the Lord will change us! Trust in the Sovereign Master, God the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, not in the human/worldly messenger. have a personal relationship with Jesus, so at all times you will be able to communicate with Him and He can show you HIS way! supporting verse: ( this pretty much says it ALL)! John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Q5. (1 Corinthians 2:9-16). Explain how we can “have the mind of Christ.” How does this work, according to these verses? How does having the Holy Spirit “circulating” through our minds explain spiritual gifts working through us? We as Christians have been saved by grace, it is by grace we have been given the gift of The Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is oftentimes called the breath of God. We are given, as a gift, the mind of Christ. The Holy Spirit teaches, perfects us, it is an ongoing process, so that we may stand righteous before the Father on the day of redemption. supporting verse: Romans 12-2 NIV Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Notice how this verse say but "be" transformed. It doesn't say transform ourselves, it says "be transformed" The "be" is the workings of the Holy Spirit. Then and only then will we be able to KNOW Gods, prefect, pleasing and perfect will. We must know and be transformed by the Holy Spirit to know God's will in our lives! How POWERFUL is that????? To powerful for words,supernatural!

Q4. (1 Corinthians 2:1-6) Why didn’t Paul conform to the rhetorical standards of his day in order to communicate more clearly? What is the danger of “repackaging” the message? What does it mean that Paul relied on a demonstration of the Spirit’s power? Paul wasn't interested in impressing the Corinthians with eloquent, rhetorical, speech. He wanted to bring a clear, unadulterated, testimony to the people concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. He spoke truth through faith and power of the Holy Spirit, not through a 'refined oratorical" style. The danger of repackaging comes when a congregation 'waters down' the message in an attempt to be current. Perhaps, relying not of the Bible as a teaching tool. But other material mixing in with teaching directly from the Bible.Using verses and chapters out of context to make a point that we can apply to our live, standards for today. Instead of relying on the truth as we know it through the Holy Spirit, some congregations want to interject their own "worldly" take on the Gospels of Jesus Christ. For me the power, of the Spirit's power came when I was baptized as an adult in 2005. I literally felt the Spirits presence in my body and soul, as soon as I came up from the water! It was a BIRTH, my BIRTH, the most amazing event in my life! I was BORN that day!!Paul want to use examples of this kind ( baptism,salvation,birth,forgiveness,miracles)of power in his letter.

Q3. (1 Corinthians 1:30-31) In what way does Christ represent God’s wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption? How far do these go to lay the basis of a truly Christian philosophical system? Christ is everything. He is God brought to life as Gods Son, He is the Holy Spirit, the great "I AM". He is the breath of God. He is Perfect, in contrast to an imperfect world. He is not of this world, but resides in this world for a while to show us, by example, how we can emulate God. Through Him and only through His sovereignty can we be made righteous. Sanctified. Made pure. As white as snow. Only through Him can we be gain wisdom and understanding.Nothing from this world is true wisdom. Wisdom comes only through God. Jesus is the only way to redemption, the only way to be reunited with the Supreme Father in perfected righteousness!. I am awed and amazed at a question which has been circulating recently around 'social networks'. People are being ask if they are Christian? Many who reply with "yes" are then ask if they are saved? It amazes me that many of those Christians reply with "I don't know", or "I can't say for sure,only God knows". To me forgiveness, salvation, is the cornerstone of Christian faith. God taught us about his saving grace through Jesus Christ,He paid the random for our sins, through the blood of His only Son!! He taught us about forgiveness when His Son forgave His captors,SO, that we may understand forgiveness and what a treasured gift of grace it is to be forgiven. SO,that we may enter into his Kingdom as His very own children!! SO,..that we may stand before God in all His glory, knowing we have been perfected, made righteous. SO, that through our righteousness.Sanctification. By the blood of OUR Lord as Christian we must KNOW we are saved!!! Those Christians who are answering they "don know" are missing the whole concept of what it means to be Christian. I KNOW I AM SAVED, I thank God for saving me, for His precious gift of the blood of His son who washed me clean! Hallelujah!! Thank you,Lord!! Colossians 3:11 (New International Version) 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Exodus 3:12 (NIV) God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" *( to me these are two of the most profound verses in the Bible)

Q2. (1 Corinthians 1:21-25) In what areas do non-Christians in our culture stumble over the basic gospel of Christ? pride vs. humility Higher Power immaculate conception Creation Forgiveness Salvation, gift of grace, given freely to those who believe Sovereignty ( Jesus Christ is the ONLY way ot the Father) eternal life, death and resurrection deity miracles To what degree can we help bridge this gap through careful and creative presentation? I don't know to what degree we can bridge the gap. That being said I think it is very important to teach the gospel through the Bible, the written word in context. I have attended a life teaching church which simply 'referred' ( mostly out of context) to the Bible and how we can apply the teaching to our own lives. I didn't realize until three years later that they were getting away from the basic truths of the gospel in an attempt to bring our church into current times. I realized it when I attended a strictly Bible based teaching church. Which taught strictly from the "word" ( in context). it was then that I realized, my 'super hip ' church was deviating from basic gospel truths in their attempt to be current. While I do think it is important to remain relevant, current, I believe a church can do that through youth programs, music,etc. without deviating from the basic Bible truths. So, in conclusion, I would say it is important to find ways to become relevant without deviating from the basic gospel truths as found in the Bible. Whether your church teaches life lessons from the perspective of the bible, or is strictly a Bible teaching church. King James Version (KJV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. To what degree might that be “watering down” the gospel? By not sticking to basic Bible truths in an attempt to be 'current' Why can’t we escape the tension between culturally-relevant communication and changing the essence of the message? Because everyone wants to hear something new. "Hip". Current vs. ageless message. People want to be relevant. Up to date. What many don't realize is the message of the gospel is ageless, timeless. Hebrews 13:8 New International Version (NIV) 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Q1. Name four value differences between Christian teaching and the values you see pushed to us on television. Example: Sex between consenting adults is okay, vs. sex belongs in marriage. Now name four more. 1.) Value of human life - to much violence. To me this is one of the most unaddressed issue of our time! It is the most important to me. I believe there is to much violence in movies and TV. Media violence promotes a culture ( as seen in many school shootings, and recent events) of violence. I believe in every way that media plays a huge part in the violence occurring in our society. Especially on young,impressionable minds ( again, seen in many of our school shooting of the recent decade)! 2.) To much emphasis on external beauty ( age, weight, hair, etc) vs. values of the heart. Pride vs. Humility. 3.) Materialism-every commercial is about us purchasing something, and usually something expensive!! Promotes a mindset of "Keeping up with the Jones" ,relying on things of this world to make us happy instead of relying on our faith in our Lord Jesus for all our need.A "quick fix" mentality, that material good will make us feel more happy. Every once in a while I will see a Public Service commercial, I recently saw one about bullying. But, certainly not often enough! 4.) Conformation and competition as opposed to camaraderie. Hate vs. love TV shows like "REVENGE", simply denote in it's name that it is about revenge ( not a Christian value in any way), not forgiveness and love.

Q4. (1 Corinthians 1:10-12)What kind of divisions do you see in your congregation or in the Christian community in your area? What is the cause of the divisions in Corinth? What is the case of divisions today? How do we obey the command to "agree with one another" (1:10)? What I have seen in many of today's congregations is a lack of priority. They seem to be lost and caught up in the MAGNITUDE of the church, more then the MESSAGE of the church. Quantity verses quality. Many churches in my area ( and I'm guessing it is the same all over) are aspiring to be 'mega churches' or 'people seeking' churches. During the process of drawing more and more people through the door, many of these churches are losing perspective. From 'hip music' ( which I do like) to concession stands ( which I don't like) that sell videos, books, coffee, food, etc. to hiring quest speakers ( some of which I do like) it seems these aspiring 'mega churches' will stop at nothing to get the people in the door. And, that's great, if it is for the right reason-to lead people to Christ. To teach Bible based lessons, and to be a caring, responsible team of Pastors and Elders who really care about their parishioners , and seek to emulate Christ in all their endeavors!. Not about the amount of money they are bringing in each week. While I am realistic and realize it is important to have the money to run a church. I don't think being the largest, most elaborate church should be the focus. The focus should be on UNITY in Christ. Not on how much money or people your church bring in, or how large your church is. Jesus expresses this better then I ever could according to Matthew 21:12-13 (New International Version) 12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[a] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers. Sometimes,I feel like I'm entering a "den of thieves" instead of a house of prayers. I have also attended others who have deviated away from teaching directly from the Bible. I believe this is a form of dissension as well. The last church I attended quoted scripture out of context and then proceeded to give a life's lesson on what it means. I would prefer to go directly to the sovereign, supreme counselor, Jesus and rely on His word, His teachings about life!!! I would prefer my lesson ( my church experience be based on Bible teaching) to be just that, a lesson on the word of God, not a lesson on life as perceived by a mega pastor from a mega church! I couldn't agree with Pastor Ralph any more than I do that today churches have much of the same dissensions as the churches of 2000 years ago! Greed, different 'forms and manners' of teaching, different perspectives and priorities, envy, pride, EGO etc.all stand in the way of the main priority of the Church, to be the teaching Body of Christ, Unified by the love Of Jesus Christ! The body of Christ.

Q3. (1 Corinthians 1:8-9) What gifts does God give us to ensure that we’ll continue in faith until the end? Why does each require our active participation to receive its full benefits? Which do you need to enter into more? God gives us many gifts through the Holy Spirit. We are given strength so we can continue our journey with Him until the day of His coming, or until our earthly death. I think here, there is a reason why Paul mentions God's gift of strength 'first' in his letter to the Corinthians. Since the Corinthians seem to be going off in all sort of direction and perhaps confused bout what gifts God has given to them, Paul's intention is to remind them that they have been given strength to carry on the good fight till the day of redemption!l If we do not take advantage of the gift of strength God has given us, we will not experience spiritual growth. As with all the gift that God has given us we must USE them to grow. Some of the ways God strengthens us Spiritually is through prayer, His word, guidance, discernment, forgiveness of sins. We must surrender ourselves to God. I surrendered a long time ago. At first, pride got in the way ( still does sometimes-these are the times that I remind myself "that "God is God and I AM NOT"), and it was hard to surrender. However, God has His own ways of humbling us, if we trust in Him and Him alone. Surrendering is a process which continues throughout our life. It requires lifelong strength and commitment. I belong to Jesus, and I trust at all times I'm living IN the Spirit. this the the spiritual strength I continuously pray for, and God has gifted to me. Each one of the gifts Paul mentions in his letter to the Corinthians must be utilized for us to experience spiritual growth. Forgiveness, unless we learn to forgive we cannot possibly grow in faith. As a Christian, forgiveness is not an option. We must forgive others, as God has forgiven us.It is a requirement. Just as we love because God showed us what LOVE is by first loving us, we must also forgive, as Christ Jesus showed us on the cross when he forgave his murderers. Most importantly forgiveness, love, is the cornerstone of our faith.God gave His beloved Son ,as a GIFT, so that we would experience forgiveness and be made righteous through grace.Now that is a sovereign, unsurpassed EXAMPLE of forgiveness. Unless we learn to forgive through the blood of Christ our spiritual growth will be stunted. We will surely face spiritual death. God teaches us Faithfulness in the same way, by example. He is a Faithful God. He will never forsake us or leave us. Our salvation is not earned,it is a gift to us from our sovereign King. As you read and study the word you will become more familiar with the ways in which God is a faithful and loving Father. supporting verses: read Hebrews 1 1-40 for examples of God's faithfulness. Fellowship. Fellowship means entering into a personal relationship with Christ Jesus and supporting and relating to, learning from, others as they do the same thing. However without a doubt the hardest thing for me to accomplish is fellowship with others. And the one I need to enter into more. Throughout the years,I have had trouble relating to other Christians and have been judgmental and felt that they have been hypocritical in many ways. I have left a few churches after going to them for a while because of my emptiness I felt while in fellowship with others. I know fellowship is an essential part of being a Christian and essential in growing my faith.There are several ways to fellowship with others.I have found online, especially with Dr. Ralph, a good way for me to accomplish a measure of fellowship.However I do think God requires us to let down our internal walls and get out there among other Christian brothers and sisters.This is as area in which I continuously pray for help. I'm basically a shy person, a loner, I love spending my days in fellowship with Christ through prayer, and just plain talking with Him throughout my day!That being said, I need help in fellowship with other Christians.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 1:4-7) How often do you thank God for the blessings of those who don’t like you, or of your actual enemies? I have often ask God to help me forgive my enemies, not to have, or to dwell on any animosity towards them. But, to show them forgivness, to feel and know forgivness in your heart for your enimies is a wonderful, godsent gift. I know I have felt it. However, I have not 'thanked' God for them, and never thought of it in such a way. This study is certainly giving me a different perspective. I do often Thank God for my infirmities and my struggles,but never thought of thanking Him for my enimies. What does it say about Paul that he thanks God for the gifts of those who are at odds with him? He is faithful, loving, and understanding, forgiving and teaching, in all things he emulates the character of Christ, even to those to whom he is at odds with. The Corinthians are his brothers and sisters IN Christ. He is compelled by the Spirit to love them and to show the same grace God showed to him through Jesus Christ. He is setting a good example of a 'mature' Christian brother. The Corinthians have been saved by grace, just as Paul was saved by grace, with grace he must love them back, no matter how 'off course' they seem to be. He must gently draw them back and guide them with the understanding given to him ( and to them) through the grace of Christ Jesus. He must guide them into being perfected by the Holy Spirit, to yield completely to the Spirit, not give into pride. Not to be "puffed up" in their knowledge of the word, but in all things show complete humility.. What specifically does he thank God for about the Corinthian believers? He thanks Him first for their kinship.They are brother's and sisters in Christ. He thanks God for their salvation.They have been saved by the sheer grace, the gift of salvation, just as Paul himself has been saved. Christ lives through, and IN him, and them

Q1. (1 Corinthians 1:2) “What does “called to be holy” or “called to be saints” mean? It means as believers we are set apart to be sactified by God. 1.) What is a saint according to the Bible? All whom are believers in Jesus Christ are made perfect by the blood of Christ not by our deeds but by Christ' sacrifice on the cross, we are children of God..set apart, adopteded by God to be his very own children. We belong to God. 2.)Why is it so comfortable for us to say, “I’m no saint”? Because we do not feel like a saints. "Saint" conjurs up an image of a 'pefect' person..not a person in the process of being perfected..surely NOT A SINNER! 3.)What is expected of a person who has been set apart as the personal property of the living God? Obey God, seek His direction in all that we do,as we are being perfected. What kind of behavior does the world expect of those who claim to be followers of Christ? To emualte Christ, to obey God in all that we do.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 1:2) “What does “called to be holy” or “called to be saints” mean? It means as believers we are set apart to be sactified by God. 1.) What is a saint according to the Bible? All whom are believers in Jesus Christ are made perfect by the blood of Christ not by our deeds but by Christ' sacrifice on the cross, we are children of God..set apart, adopteded by God to be his very own children. We belong to God. 2.)Why is it so comfortable for us to say, “I’m no saint”? Because we do not feel like a saints. "Saint" conjurs up an image of a 'pefect' person..not a person in the process of being perfected..surely NOT A SINNER! 3.)What is expected of a person who has been set apart as the personal property of the living God? Obey God, seek His direction in all that we do,as we are being perfected. What kind of behavior does the world expect of those who claim to be followers of Christ? To emualte Christ, to obey God in all that we do.

Q5. (Luke 1:42-43) In what sense are the titles "Blessed Virgin Mary" and "Mother of God" appropriate for Mary? Blessed Virgin Mary is appropriate because she is indeed the one chosen by God to carry his only son, making her very BLESSED!! Jesus is God incarnate, which make her Mother of God. Why are we sometimes hesitant to exalt her as "blessed among women"? I have never had any problem exalting her as "blessed among woman". She is certainly a saint called upon by God to carry his only child. I suppose some may think that the title blessed among woman, or Mother of God, may suggest that she preceded God, making her more superior. God is SOVEREIGN creator. No one or nothing proceeded God and His creation. Jesus is God incarnate, making Mary the Mother of God ( I'd say that's pretty SPECIAL). They are separate, yet one, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, this is the essence of the trinity.

Q4. (Luke 1:38) What is the essence of Mary's positive response to the angel? Pure and simple: FAITH! What can we learn from her response for our own lives? To do God's will, even if what He is asking is not 'convenient, or you don't understand it, trust God to lead you. In what sense was Mary's response an "informed consent"? I am the Lord's servant. Says it all. She has complete confidence in God. She is his servant. She SERVES HIM. When we respond to God, what do we consent to? I wish I could say, I always did what God willed. For me, fear gets in the way. I'm afraid to take a huge leap of faith when He ask me to do something in which I don't know the outcome. Even though I know everything works together for the good. I feel like I trust God,but, at time if the task is so huge, I get immobilized with fear. The devil gets his hooks in me in the way of fear. I'm working hard to get to know God's word and to listen and have the kind of faith Mary had. I know there are things right now in my life which He is asking me to address. I am praying to the Holy Spirit to give me the strength to take a giant leap of faith.