Johnguitars

When we are born again some things may change instanly while others may take decades to change. The direction is however constantly towards the likeness of Christ.(Although women don't have to grow the beard.) God tends to deal with one issue at a time and seeks our co-operation as we progressively unlock different areas of our life to His will.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) Since Satan has blinded people’s eyes to the truth, is there any hope for them? What strategies must we use to overcome spiritual blindness? How many people are likely to find Christ without intercessory prayer? There must be hope because I was one of them. Prayer, honesty, clarity and charity. Very few although there will be the odd conscript.

How do questionable ethics and ministry practices hurt the work of Christ? If the messenger proves untrustworthy, why trust the message? What is Paul's alternative in verse 2b? Stick to the plain facts.

Q4. (2 Corinthians 3:6a) Why is a Christian’s spiritual health so closely related to his or her involvement in ministry? What are the consequences of dropping out of church – for the believer? For Christ’s Kingdom? Having a definite role in church (musician) has kept me attending even in the dry times of life and without that the good times may not have returned.

Gifting is esssential but training makes it better. For years I have composed music but the music I composed after my formal training was better than that which came before. Less ended up in the bin and more in the score. This will hold true in any walk of life. As for listening, oh yes but the secret is taking time out to listen. While a general approach to ministry may be quite effective, a tailored approach will be better. This can only be achieved by listening or discerning what God is doing in a particular area. In listening rather than takling, we give God His place.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 1:24) What does it mean to “lord it over” someone? This is to throw your weight around just because you can. What is the balance between (1) good, strong leadership, (2) micromanaging, and (3) a complete laissez-faire approach to leadership? What are the dangers of an authoritative leadership style? What are the dangers of a weak leadership style? Most Strong leadership oversees, delegates where appropriate, encourages and disciplines as necessary. Micromanaging prevents others from learning and results in burnout. Laizzes-faire leads to chaos. An over authoritative style can lead to the leader's errors going unchallenged and when that leader eventually goes, to a lack of direction and civil war. Weak leadership leads to everyone doing their own thing and a lack of unity.

While not exactly a seal of approval, this annointing of the HS is a sign that God is working on us and that he has chosen us. As a musician I have felt this annointing countless times when praising the Lord. It may be worth noting that I do not feel any such thing when playing Beatle's songs or Moon River so it is not just the music. At the start of this year I received an extra dose of the HS and His presence is now with me even when I simply think about God. I remember saying, 'Why do I need this?' and within a few weeks both my work and health took a real bashing. It has been a great lesson, God does not takes us around the storm, He holds us right through it.

Nico does not understand which is perfectly understandable because Jesus seems to have jumped to the conclusion without explaining the process. We know that the water he is talking about is the water of baptism / repentance and that the spirit is the Holy Spirit but he has not explained this to Nico. Perhaps Jesus felt that Nico had heard enough on previous ocaisions or that being so steepted in the bible that he should know but we cannot really say. There is a lesson for us in this that when we are talking about the Kingdom to others we should not assume that they have any prior knowledge. There are some for whom Jesus is only a mild swear word and who do not even realise that he was an historical figure. As to the nature of the Kingdom it is spiritually perceived and not visible to the naked eye.

The Kingdom is beyond price, it is worth absolutely everything that we have. It does seem a bit abstract. While we do have those precious mountain top moments we spend most of our days in the valley where it is easy to lose our focus. It helps to remember what it cost Jesus. Although I have witnessed often, I have never led anyone to Christ there and then. I have however met some of these folks years later and discovered that they have subsequently been born again.

Something of immense value that is worth all you have to attain. How should it affect us? We should put the Kingdom first at all times. e.g. I have heard friends say they cannot come to church because they go sailing every weekend so they are placing pleasure before service. When seeking a new house, you need to consider where you will worship and not just what school the kids will go to.

There will be a day when it is too late to pray, the die will have been cast and our fate sealed. As we have chosen to live so shall we continue. Those who chose God will live with God. Those who chose to ignore Him will rue the day. Urgency, tell them now, tomorrow may not come.

You know that parable where the king goes away and leaves his servants with 10, 5 and 1 gold coins? Well perhaps this 30/60/100 fold idea is linked to it. We are not all given the same abilities, some folks are dealt a better hand than others. The trick is to do the best with what you have been given.