wilma m
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Posts posted by wilma m
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In My culture there is no absolute truths, everybody decides for himself what is truth and lives according to that as long as he does not hurt anybody else. The Bible is jus stories taken from other cultures to try and explain things that people could not understand and today science is the new religion.
I think only the Holy Spirit can convince a person of the truth. Jesus is the rtuth the way and the life, but its only the Spirit that can convince people of sin and righteousness and until one is born again he will believe what the world is telling him. For me the Bible is the absolute truth even if it goes against what people want to believe is right. The Bible does not need to be politically correct, it is correct in every way and we have to bend our knees before it and not before the world.
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Everything that was made was made through Him and for Him. Jesus is not just a great teacher He is the best. He is my Lord and teacher and I can listen to Him because what He said is absolutely true. The Bible is our manual to live by, written by the Creator and sealed by the blood of Jesus to show us His great love that He has for us. Jesus teaches us through every page of His Word. Sin often prevents me to be more teachable, but then God's grace forgives me and his patience overwhelmed me. He is Rabboni, my Lord and my God.
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In Luke 9 we read that the disciples were unable to heal a child who was demon possessed. It does not say that they did it in the name of Jesus, but it came to mind that they did not have enough faith. Although there is power in the name of Jesus, its not some kind of magic word that we can use. The power is from the Holy spirit and when we pray in the name of Jesus we must believe that He is able to do what we ask or proclaim. After Jesus was resurrected and went to heaven the apostles prayed in the name of Jesus and many people were healed. We have the same power that raises Jesus from the dead living in us but we do not walk in that truth and that is why we do not have the same power. It was not lost when the disciples died, we just dont walk with Jesus in the faith that they did.
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When I pray in the Name of Jesus I acknowledge Him as my Lord and that He is listening and will answer my prayers. I also acknowledge that I am submitting to His will in the given situation because He knows the best. There is power in the Name of Jesus, its the Name above all names but its not like magic or 'n genie in the bottle that if you pray in His name you will get what you ask for. He is still Lord and King above all.
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in this post modern world people often thinks they are enlightened and that one who believes in Jesus belongs to the middle ages. I have been mocked and ridiculed because I believe by family and friends. People accuse me of hate speech when I believe what the Bible says instead of trying to be political correct. I think when people are ashamed of Jesus they will just go with the flow and try not to offend anybody. The biggest problem I have is when people tell me that the Bible is corrupt, written by people and if I believe it as the truth its ok for me, but they dont have to believe it. What they believe is true for them and that is all that counts. Everybody decides for themselves what to believe.
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Jesus's name means Yahweh saves. The only way Jesus could save us from our sin was to become human himself. He came into this world as a baby and experience the same temptation that we all face every day, yet, he never sinned. He came to show us the way and showed us the great love that the Father have for us. Then he paid for our sins on the cross so that we can be children of the living God, we can stand before God as free man, washed in His blood. He became my Savior when I surrender my life to Him and accept the price that He paid for me.
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Q3. Why is it so hard to take the gospel to different peoples without wrapping it in our own cultural practices? Can you think of examples of this in Church history? What is the danger? How can we avoid such cultural faux pas in our church’s missionary enterprises?
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When we grow up, we learn from our culture what is considered right or wrong and we take that with us for the rest of our lives. Every culture is judged by our set of rules. When the western christians tried to evangelize the non western world, they first wanted to westernise it, but in the process they forget that the middle eastern culture is different from the west anyway. We see that in the way we interpret the Bible too, instead of trying to see the context in which the Bible is written, we often makes the verses "work" for us- reading it the way we want it to be.
Hudson Taylor went to China and after a while, he realised that the only way he could reach the people, was to look like them and eat like them and to clothe like them. When they see that he wants to be like them and not take away their culture, they began to listen to him and accepted his message. I believe that people will be more open to the gospel when it comes from their own people and instead of sending missionaries into other cultures, we must rather use the money to support their missionaries or to equip their people to become missionaries . But I also believe that we must not compromise the truth of the message by adding some cultural things to it just to make it more appealing for the locals. We can embrace their cultures but not their gods.
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Q2. (Galatians 2:14) Why do you think Paul confronted Peter publicly rather than privately? Do you expect Paul had talked with Peter about this previously? How did a public discussion of this benefit the Jewish Christians? How did it benefit the Gentile Christians? What kind of pressure do you think this put on Paul?
We do not know from the text if Paul confronted Peter in private or not. He probably did- in Matt 18 it said if a person sin, you must talk to him in private and if he does not listen, then take one or two brethren with you and if he still continue in sin, make it public. Maybe that is what Paul was doing. I don't think for one moment that he wanted to embarrassed Peter or expose him in anyway, but he wanted Peter and especially the gentiles and the jewish believers to know that there is no favouritism with God, that Jesus died for all people and everybody who believes in Jesus are children of God. The Jews did not have a better standing before God because Jesus was born from them and because they have the law. I think his main reason was also that people should love each other as equals - that is what he wrote in 1 Kor 13 too, that peopls should love one another. In the new Way they should accept each other. If the Jews thought they were superior, they would not help the gentile christians in need and that way the gentiles might leave the faith. I think Paul did it in love for the church and most of all for his Love for Christ, yes, he did it boldly, he was not a coward but it was important for him that the truth be preach and that the leaders should be an example. He often said in his letters that they should follow his example so I think he was confident too.
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Q1. (Galatians 2:11-14) Why do you think Peter first embraced the Gentile believers in Antioch and later withdrew from them to eat only with Jews? What does this tell us about his character? Why should he have known better? What does this tell us about Barnabas? What does it tell us about the political clout of the visitors from Jerusalem? Have you ever acted like a hypocrite to impress others? What should you do when you recover your senses?
God showed Peter in a vision that the gentiles should be reached with the gospel as well en I think Peter was delighted that they also believed in Jesus. I think when the Jews came to Antioch, he remembered his roots and maybe he began to think like them, that people will still have to observe the law. He also did not want to offend his fellow Jews and decided to be on their side rather than on the gentiles' It showed that he did what he felt was right at the moment, rather than embracing the whole truth - that we are saved by grace and not by up holding the law. I think Barnabas did the same, they both wanted to please both sides, but felt more comfortable with their own people, the Jews.
I think its easy for us to criticise the Jews as well as Peter and Barnabas, but they operate through their belief in their customs and traditions. We all do that - our way of thinking are miles apart from the eastern and middle eastern way of thought. I also believe that the Holy Spirit gave Paul the wisdom to tell Peter that he should not behave the way he did and that God did not require from people to follow the law any more as a way to be saved. Paul said we must become all things to all people- the only way we can reach people is by understanding their customs. Today we have the Bible and we can read what God spoke through the apostles, but back then, they encountered many problems that they had to sort out by conferring with the leaders and by praying about it.
We all operate in a way we believe is correct - or the way we understand the Bible, but I believe we must be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and change our ways if its wrong. We must also pray for the boldness to stand up for what we believe is right like Paul did and not be hypocrites that just want to go with the flow and not offend anybody like Peter and Barnabas
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Q4. (Galatians 2:1-10) Why do you think Paul seems to distance himself from the leaders of the Jerusalem church (2:2, 6, 9)? Why does he at the same time write of their approval of his ministry? How does this further his argument to the Galatians in this letter?
I think that the people in Galatia might have thought that the leaders in Jerusalem had a higher status than Paul because they were living with Jesus. Paul was making a statement that they might look like the leaders, but that he (Paul) too got his appointment from Jesus himself and is just as much an apostle as Peter and James and the others. He then told them that the leaders recognise him that he was chosen by God to preach the good news to the gentiles while Peter was chosen to preach it to the Jews.
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Q3. (Galatians 2:1-3) Paul is arguing that the Jerusalem leaders support his position on circumcision, rather than that of the Judaizers. What is the significance of Paul’s mention that Titus was not required to be circumcised?
According to the Judaizers people who come to belief in Christ have to upheld the law too. Paul did not support this view, according to him Christ came to fulfil the law and people are now saved by grace alone. When he told the leaders in Jerusalem his view, they approved of it and did not required Titus to be circumcised.
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Q2. (Galatians 1:13-16) What factors in Paul's background made him an ideal apostle to the Gentiles? How did God use his being different from others? To ponder: How has your unique background fitted you for ministry? What uniqueness has God given you? What will it take to see that uniqueness as a God-given strength rather than as an embarrassment?
Before Paul was even born, God had a calling on his life. Paul was born as a Roman citizen, making it easy for him to travel within the Roman Empire. He was also a Pharisee, who knew the scriptures and who was passionate for the cause that he believed it. He was also a very good orator who could converse with jews as well as gentiles. Maybe he knew a lot about the different cultures of the gentiles and maybe he felt drawn to them - the jews were scared of him because he persecuted and killed them. God used these circumstances to lead Paul to the gentiles.
God has a calling on every believer's life- there are things that only we can do and people that only we can reach- all we have to do is to obey God and let the Holy Spirit lead us to do what God wants to do in and through our lives
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Q1. (Galatians 1:11-12) What is the source of Paul’s gospel? How do we know that it is a true revelation? How does it conform to our other foundational sources of Christian teaching? What is the danger of taking the teaching of contemporary leaders as our doctrinal basis without checking it with the Scripture?
The source of Paul's gospel was the revelation from Jesus Christ himself as well as the revelation from the Old Testament. He was crucial in the writings of the New Testament and as such we can trust the Bible as the truth coming directly from God. The Bible is the inspired word of God and is complete for us to learn from- we do not need new revelations and we must be careful of believing the "revelations" of the so called contemporary prophets who claim that God is doing a new thing. We must be like the bereans and check every thing against the Word, if it is contrary to the Bible, its not from God because He cannot go against himself, saying one thing today and another thing tomorrow. We must know the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to lead us in the truth and give us the necessary discernment
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Q1. (Galatians 1:11-12) What is the source of Paul’s gospel? How do we know that it is a true revelation? How does it conform to our other foundational sources of Christian teaching? What is the danger of taking the teaching of contemporary leaders as our doctrinal basis without checking it with the Scripture?
The source of Paul's gospel is Jesus himself who appeared to Paul and made him an apostle for the gentiles Also the revelation of the Old Testament - Paul was a rabbi and had a good knowledge of the Scripture. The Bible must be our foundation as well - if we do not know the Word, it is easy to be led astray by people who claim that they have fresh or new revelations. We must test all things to the Bible - checking that what people preach is in accordance to Scripture and pray that the Holy Spirit will give us discernment to know the truth.
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Q2. Paul called the Judaizers’ message as a “different gospel,” a perversion of the true gospel. How is this dangerous to the Galatian believers? How do twisted gospels (or an unbalanced interpretation of the gospel) affect Christians in our day?
The Judaizers' told the Galatians that they can become righteous by keeping the law - thus nullify Jesus death on the cross. It was a false gospel and led to confusion and could lead them astray and they could lose their salvation. The same can happen today when people believe in works rather than the full payment of Jesus on the cross.Jesus has paid for our sins once and for all- all we have to do is to believe it and to accept it.
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Q1. (Galatians 1:4) According to verse 4, for what purpose did Jesus give himself? How does Jesus rescue people today? How does he keep people from falling back into their old ways?
Jesus died on the cross for my sins because I am guilty of breaking God's law. Jesus not only died for my sins, but also rescued me from this evil world.He not only died for my sins but for the sins of the whole world - his death is the free gift of God for all who believes in Jesus.
God gave us his word (the Bible) to teach us His will and the Holy Spirit to lead us every day
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Q2. (Ephesians 4:2) What characteristics or attitudes are necessary for maintaining unity with other Christians according to verse 2? Which of these do you think is most important? Which is most difficult? Exposition
Humility, gentleness and patience. They are all important but I think the most difficult is humility. We are so quick to think that we are correct in our love and interpretation, but to be truly humble is to think nothing of oneself, but everything of Jesus and to - to have a high esteem of Jesus. Its the opposite of pride. Unity will come when Jesus is the focus and when our collective goal is to forget about ourselves and our goals and to lift Jesus up for the world to see.
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Q1. (Ephesians 4:1) What does "living a life worthy of your calling" in 4:1 have to do with maintaining unity in the Church in verses 2-6? What is "worthy" about unity? What is "worthy" about separation from fellow Christians? What is our "calling"? Exposition
Our calling is to be united in one body of Christ in the world.There are different parts in one body, all with different functions, but when one part is dismembered it cannot function anymore and the body is not whole anymore. Even though we may have differences in our interpretations of the Bible and differences in culture, we serve and love the same Jesus who died on the cross.Jesus should be glorified in our lives. As christians we should only be separated from fellow christians if they live in sin and do not repent and bring shame on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Q3. (Ephesians 2:19b) What does the phrase "members of God's household" tell us about the nature of the Church and about the nature of God? What does it tell us about the kind of fellowship that is appropriate in the local congregation? What are the implications for those Christians who aren't faithful to gather with the local congregation? Exposition
When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we become members of God's household or family. We are also part of the community called the church. The church is not a building made of brick and stone, but consist of real people. Jesus is the cornerstone. We have to work together and come together so that God's glory can be displayed in the congregation. We have to love and serve each other. The people who do not want to be part of the local congregation, miss the fellowship of believers and the blessing of God.
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Q2. (Ephesians 2:19a) If we are fellow-citizens with the Jewish believers, what are we citizens of? In what sense are we "holy" or "saints"? Exposition
We are fellow citizens of God's kingdom. We are holy because we are consecrated for His work and God is holy, in that sense we are holy too through the blood of Jesus and the working of the HS
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q1. (Ephesians 2:16-18) Why is "access to the Father" important? In what way is access to the Father similar having diplomatic relations? How did we obtain this access? Extra credit: How does this access fulfill the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:36-40) and God's purpose for us? Exposition
God is the Creator, the Holy One, inaccessible, incomprehensible. He does not need us to complete Him or to add anything to Him, yet he wants to be OUR FATHER. Because we have sinned, we are unholy, defiled and we cannot stand before God. Jesus ,through His death on the cross reconciled us with God and we can now be called children of the Living God. We can go to His throne with boldness and assurance that He loves us, much more than any earthly father. We can go to our Father to talk with Him, get comfort and be loved by Him.
A diplomat needs to be invited to the country and then he needs an audience with the rule, he cannot just go when he pleases. God invite us through Jesus, but we are not any diplomat, we are now His family. Just as a child has no need to ask permission to go to his father, even if his father is an earthly king, we don;t have to ask permission to go to God the Father.
The great commandments are Love the God with all your heart and all your soul and love your neigbour as yourself. If we love God, we will enjoy going into His presence, and when His love fills us, we will love our neighbor. God's purpose for us is to show the world His love and to care for one another
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(Ephesians 3:20-21) Where does God's power work according to verse 20? How much power is at work there quantitatively? Why isn't it more evident? How does exercising Christ's power on earth bring glory to God? Exposition
God's power works in us, His church, through the working of the Holy Spirit. It there in super abundance, but because of our unbelief, we do not use it. We will bring Glory to God when people realise that He is a loving God, when they see prayers answered and turn to Jesus as their Savior also.
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(Ephesians 1:23) What does it mean for us Christians that Christ is "head over everything for the church"? What does this say about the Church's power? Exposition
Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father in the heavenlies- He is the ruler over the whole of creation, everything is under His feet and He wants to rule through the church. He supplies us with His power to rule. As His body on earth, He delegates his work to and through us. Its a wonderful assurance that we do not have to do anything in our own strength, but that God will supply us with power and strength.We just have to be available and obedient
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(Ephesians 2:6) From the standpoint of power, what is the significance of Paul's statement that "God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus...."? Exposition
We have the same power in us that raised Christ from the dead and because we are seated in the heavenly places with Christ, we also have all the principalities and powers under our feet. That does not mean that we are like little gods or equal with Christ. Christ is the head and we are His body and it is His power that work through us and in us- we have to do what He wants us to do. Just as the brain controls the body,so Christ must control us. He gives us His power to do His work and we do not have to live in fear of the enemy
Q1. Jesus' Prayer Pattern
in 1. Listening for God as a Bible Pattern
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Jesus went out early in the morning to spend time with his Father and to get guidance for the day. He did not try to operate in his own strength- how much more do I need to listen to God to know how to go about my day. His disciples probably did not know what His mission was and was caught up in the excitement of the miracles and wanted to see more or maybe they saw the need of the people and knew that Jesus could help them. They could not understand why he was spending so much time in prayer and I think that is one of the reasons why He took them with him at times when He prayed. They saw the effect of Jesus' prayers and asked Jesus to teach them to pray also.