Helenmm

Q1. (Ephesians 4:1) According to verse 1, what is the standard of our behavior? What is the "calling" to which God has called us? The standard of our behaviour must be worthy of the Lord. Therefore it is what the Lord would be doing, in Kindness, gentleness, humility, patience, longsuffering and fierce justice. The calling is always to preach the gospel, make the good news known, either by loving, gentle action - not necessarily formally in a church, but taking every opportunity to teach somebody how they may receive Jesus and begin the path of great joy as one with Jesus and His church all the while maintaining the unity of love (preferring one another) and keeping separate from the world while walking in it!.

Q4. (Ephesians 3:21) What might be different in your own congregation if bringing glory to God were considered the very most important function of the church? What would be different in your life if bringing God glory was your most important job, bar none? If the church focussed on bringing glory to God, then it would go into deep intercession on a much wider basis, so that we might know from God how to do this. every direction would be obeyed immediately. God's presence would be felt immediately upon entering the church, and the fear of the Lord would become apparent as well as the love. Miracles would be standard and people would flock to the church where God's glory was served. This second question is a most important and difficult question. I too must spend more time in intercession, learning to relate much more to the Holy Spirit, to understand and obey. This I find much easier said than done, not because I am unwilling, but because old mindsets get in the way. God's glory is the ultimate treasure of the earth for which a man sells everything, the beauty of the pearl of great price. God's glory is the untouchable (which man tried to touch in the Garden of Eden, should have been nailed to the tree, but only got thrown out!) Breaking through the old mindsets to attach everything to the Holy Spirit is the important thing for me. I look back in frustration often enough, realising where I have missed the boat. Yes, Father forgives, but I really want to catch the boat! Determination helps. Constant review (not going down in a great guilt heap) helps. Time out with God without a personal agenda is a "taken for granted".

Q3. (Ephesians 3:16, 19) What does it mean to be "filled with the Spirit" (verse 16)? Is this a one-time experience or a continual reality? What can we do to be filled with the Spirit? Is it different or the same as being "filled with all the fullness of God" (verse 19)? To be filled with the Spirit means that all rooms are open, nothing hidden, the front door is wide open to Him and the house is waiting for its tennant! All rooms and accommodations (gifts, talents, loves etc) are available to Him and everything is clean and ready for His occupancy. Previous tennants have been vanquished and their mess obliterated. Redecoration has taken place in keeping with His preferences exactly as requested. Facilities have been updated (by constant prayer and study of scripture) and watch is being kept to see that they remain in top condition. The landlord (me), who loves and serves the tennant (The Holy Spirit) knows who He really is and stands in total awe of Him, knowing that He is the real Landlord of all things, and that s/he is actually answerable to Him. Besides which, they are passionately in love! This is a constant, long-term relationship in which the landlord cleans and refurbishes as the Tennant directs, while watching his house grow and his tentpegs expand, and other houses begin to be built for the Tennant. To be filled with the Spirit we have to enter into such a contract for preparation of the house and its maintenance and expansion. If the maintenance isn't done, the Tennant might leave the house and all will be lost. If we do our part of the contract, the tennant will certainly achieve the results He has planned and our eyes will boggle as we see the Kingdom growing, and find our job description changing and expanding along with His Kingdom. The adventure will astound us daily! If we are faithful we will be put in charge of more and more of His assets, and enjoy increasingly intimate relationship with our "Tennant". The Spirit and God are One indivisible, so this is the same thing!

Q3. (Ephesians 3:7-9) Why is Paul so careful to be humble about his call and apostleship? How can his example help us remain as humble servants? It is essential to remain in truth about one's personal relationship with God. Paul was rescued from his position of persecutor of the church, and was very aware of what he was saved from. He vividly remembers his call, and the awe and fear he experienced at that time. No doubt he dreaded the thought of who he had been. He also knew what was in him and what he could become if he was not right with his Saviour - the pride of his family background that had nearly destroyed him. Pride is a scary, blinding thing. He never wanted to go there again. Having met with Jesus, his whole life focus was upon the annointed Son of God, not on Paul. The truth had set him free, and free he wanted to remain! It is very good to remember what Jesus saved us from. If we came to Jesus early in life, it is good to look around at unsaved friends and think "There but for the grace of God go I". We are a blessed people, and it is good to know exactly what that means and be constantly thankful lest we lose our our salvation, which is not impossible. We do have to finish the race, to keep ourselves on target. It's a narrow path. "Pride goes before a fall" and we want no part of that. Therefore we follow our servant-King.

The Holy Apostles and Prophets were in personal touch with Jesus - even Paul. They were taught by Jesus Himself and are our closest reference point. There can be none who are closer. If we stray from that revelation thenwe are believing lies, subtle though they might be,they are not the truth. If we supercede that revelation the same thing applies. We have no way of testing its truth and will begin to believe lies. He has given us all we need. It is now all written in black and white (and red!) and the bases of the faith are very clear and consistent.. We cannot depart from them. God does reveal Himself to us and to the church today. We can always confirm it is God because He will bring His word to us in complementary ways,so that we are in no doubt. It will be consistent with scripture and present to us in different ways that confirm each other. If we deny this we relegate God to history and put ourselves on His throne. Very very dangerous! He is God NOW, all the time!

Q4. (Ephesians 2:22) What is the significance that your congregation was made to be "a dwelling place for God in the Spirit"? What hinders that from being fully experienced? What can you do to help that become more fully experienced and appreciated? As the old temple was the place where people met Jehovah, so the new temple - the congregation of the righteous - is the meeting place. In theold days, abuse of the temple, eg by King Uzziah, had terrible consequences, so now we should also stand in fear of the Lord in His new temple which is us! If we truly are living stones in the temple of the Lord, then watch out world! The power of the Lord rests here. You live in timber houses, but where is my temple, asked the Lord. Where, nowadays is His temple of living stones, where His power resides? Each brick must be carved away from the living temple, individually perfected to be a living stone created for just one purpose. Each perfected brick can then be built into that holy place where God's glory resides, devoted to Him alone through prayer, study and the practice of love. When those especially carved bricks are built into the holy temple of praise (which is the power of Heaven), then see what God will do! I am blessed in my church leaders who are trying to lead us in this fashion. By determined obedience, encouragement and speaking truth in love prayerfully, I can encourage them and the congregation in obedience and anticipation of God's presence.

Father has adopted us into His Family. We are able to come boldly to His throne of grace and ask what we will and it shall be done. We are most blessed! Only those adopted into the family have these amazing privileges. While we are abing in Him (by the Family rules) we have all the privileges. If we leave the family as did the prodigal sone, then we cut ourselvesoff from privilege, but can still repent and return, although we have damaged our inheritance (potential in Christ). Jesus had to leave His disciples on earth and return to Heaven so that they might receive His Spirit, thus becoming His hands and feet, His voice and love on the earth. That way they would be spread all over the earth with the message of the Gospel, and all men would have opportunity to participate in the Truth. The Gospel would not be limited to Jewish people but be available to everyone who repents and has "a broken and contrite spirit." Even persecution would be a means of spreading the faith. We who love Jesus have the annointing of His Holy Spirit, to do the works that He has prepared for us to walk in, which are the same miraculous works that He did when He was here. It's like we have the "family DNA"! Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. We have the DNA (Holy Spirit) implanted in us to be like Him as happened to the disciples at the first pentecost. Jesus enables this to happen by 1. His perfect sacrifice through which we can come into the Holy place and be saved, be a family member. 2. Sending us His Spirit, that we might be, as He was, miraculously powerful and Truthful people, directly connected with, and representing, the eternal Jehovah.

Q2. (Ephesians 2:14-15) In what sense did Jesus as Messiah "fulfill" the Mosaic Law? What is the significance of that for Jewish people? For us Gentiles? If you look at the law in three parts: 1. Jesus, by operating completely in the law of love, completed to perfection the moral law of the ten commandments. He showed us many times how the laws meant much more than just "Do not murder" etc but went as far as negative thoughts about fellow men, or *******, blessing them that curse you, entertaining those who could not pay back the favour etc. Thus He fulfilled not only the technical law but the spirit of the law as well. 2. He completed every part of the ceremonial law, eg was circumcised on the eighth day, came annually tothe temple withhis parents etc. He also fulfilled over 100 prophecies that identified Him as the awaited Messiah. 3. Circumvented the civil law by proclaiming that his Kingdom was not of this world. Thus He made it clear He was no threat to Caesar, because He happily paid taxes and required others to do the same, and also announced that the social structures of law were put in place by God, and authority was given byGod. Jewish people who study the scriptures carefully will recognise that He is indeed their Messiah, because He completely fulfilled all the law and all the prophets statements describing the coming messiah It is impossible to deny that He is theChrist if these things are closely studied. He is the unblemished sacrifice which is acceptable toJehovah. Moreover there has been no sacrifice of animals since the destruction of the temple in 70 AD because it is no longer necessary, and the"temple" of God is now the body of Christ made of living bricks - us! For us gentiles He has brought salvation full circle to include every man, woman and child who accepts Jesus. It all began with one man, Abraham who uniquely worshipped the one creator, and begat the Jewish nation who begat Jesus, who begat the bride of Christ (from all nations). We too are grafted into the vine, or the olive tree, (tree of the annointing and spiritual fruit). We too can claim Abraham our forefather in matters of faith, and Jesus our Lord in the matter of Life! How blessed we are!

Q1. (Ephesians 2:11-12) Why does being out of touch with what it means to be "lost" impede our willingness to witness? In your own words, what is the spiritual condition of a friend or co-worker who doesn't know Christ? People tend to congregate with like=minded others because it's so much easier to converse. It's fun to meet with those who think like oneself. The more one does this, the more difficult it becomes to join in with newcomers who don't have the same talking points as you . Of course we have the best talking point possible. His Name is Jesus, and it is essential that all men have the opportunity to become on intimate terms with Him. If men are not on close terms with Jesus (and on God's terms) then they are for the pits of fire. Tha is why it is so important to tell them. In OT days any man could join the Jews if he wanted. Nowadays you NEED to join the team, but the free gift of God

Faith, I think, is the belief system which motivates everything we do. If we believe we can get to the Olympics, we work for that. If we believe our child has a great talent we find teachers to bring it out. If we believe a film will be good we go see it. If we believe we are not important to anyone, then we'll project that in all our behaviours. It is belief in God (truth) which Adam abandoned when he believed satan and it is belief in truth that Jesus re-instituted through the cross. He brought us back to belief in God as the only arbiter and judge of al things. To put one's belief (faith) firmly back in God opens the door for the breath of Life (HolySpirit) to again take root in us, Hallelujah! Everyone has a belief system, even if they firmly believe in nothing! However, only belief in Jesus is acceptable to God, and only belief in Jesus satisfies, because He is the Truth. With that belief comes love, life, light, grace, healing, strength, knowledge, wisdom and all the spiritual blessing of the heavenly places, because God our Father pours his grace into us abundantly to overflowing. We can hardly take credit for having faith (belief) when God planted it in us in the first place. All we can take the credit for is the mis-application of that faith or belief, diversion from truth. Every man and woman has a faith built in, and even believing in nothing (like evolutionists and atheists!) can't negate the faith that is implanted in us. "We have no excuse" (Romans 1:20). We aren't condemned for lacking faith, only for misplacing it (ie believing a lie or having faith in a lie). Pharisees put faith in their obedience to man-made law and were condemned for it. The centurion understood the authority of Jesus and was joyfully acknowledged by Jesus for perceiving what faith was all about. Jesus hadn't found such faith in all Israel. The centurion recognised who Jesus was and acted accordingly. Faith correctly focussed was powerful for the healing of his servant. Master 10-year-old: Faith is what you believe. If you believe in lies you'll give access to demons who'll plague you for the rest of your life. For example, if you believe that getting drunk or doing drugs will make you feel better, then you'll do that, and eventually be stuck with being drunk or drugged (and the psychosis that goes with it) most of the time. If you believe it when someone tells you that you're not worth talking to, then that lie will affect everything you do. You are worth the very blood of Jesus Himself, the living Son of God, the creator. You are worth everything that God is and has. Don't believe less than that! Don't believe negative things that are said. They are lies. You can walk in the Truth and remain free of all those lies! Believe everything that God says in His Word. Know it and believe it, because it is the truth. Not knowing it will cost you. You must know what and whom you believe. You must actively learn God's word by heart, or suffer the consequences of ignorance of the truth. That is what it is given to us for. It is our protection! Protection against what? Protection against lies, and fear, and their debilitating effects.

Q3. According to Ephesians 2:10, what were we created to do? Why? (Matthew 5:16) What is the difference between these works and the works Paul discredits in verse 9? God had a vision for us when He created us, that we would reflect the glory of His person on the earth, much as a son who learns and eventually presides over his father's business, and in developing it continues to reflect his dad's foresight, vision and value. In the same way we are intended to continue Jesus' work, reflecting His foresight, vision and value. This would provide an expanding holiness over the face of the earth, and expanding reflection of our Father. Since we are adopted and sons and daughters we make up the expanding empire of Christ, doing (together) even "greater works than" (John 14:12) Jesus Himself did, and offering every person the opportunity to join the "Family Business". These "works that God has prepared for us to walk in" cannot be envisaged before one is saved and knows Father intimately. These are the miraculous works of healing and salvation, of speaking in tongues, of prophecy and in the other gifts of the Holy Spirit ("spiritual blessings in the heavenly places", Eph 1 3). They cannot be done before one is saved - they are a product of salvation, of the Holy Spirit's leading in one's life. In Eph 2:9 Paul speaks of the things one might do in order to assess oneself as a good person, but they do not issue from the Holy Spirit of Truth.

I like these question about taking the jargon out ofChristian-speak. They are a great and worthwhile challenge. When I think of saved I think of the pack of lies that satan has us believing, because that was Adam's problem - he believed satan. Unbelief is the one sin God can't get around because there's no way He can get the co-operation of someone who simply doesn't believe He is! Saved has so much to do with truth that it has become a real thing with me to proclaim the truth. To be saved is to know the truth, for the truth will set you free. To be saved is to be in touch with reality - the reality of absolute truth as compared with the lies that community and family would have us believe. A birthright was lost when Adam gave in to satan. To be saved is to have that birthright returned, that heritage with the Kingdom of Heaven (as against hell, fire and brimstone). To be saved is to be truly human in the original sense of the word. To be saved is to be taken out of ignorance and its consequent stupidity, and learn truth and wisdom. To be saved is to revert to friendship with God, to know whom you can trust, and trusting God's word, His ways, His instructions, to love and be loved in the spirit. In short, to be saved to receive again the spirit of the living God and to be absolutely in love with Him, and to have all the advantages of that, such as every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. To be saved is to see like the eagle sees, from the largesse of the skies, rather than from the ground like the hens and chickens, and to have a much greater understanding and vision of the world, to have the mind of Christ and see things from God's point of view. It's like looking at the company form the owner's viewpoint rather than from the client's. Or it's like being adopted from the orphanage into a wonderful, wise and loving family whose love for you seems to increase by the minute.

Q1. Why is it so hard for us to understand grace? What commonly held life principle does it demolish? Translate the word "grace" into language a 10-year-old child would understand. Our sin colours our understanding of grace. We think at heart that we are deserving of something, or even that we're doing God a favour by attending church or praying at home. We have no idea what sin has made us into - to what a low state we have arrived. When God begins to reveal to us how filthy we are with sin we can maybe get some idea of the grace and favour of salvation. We actually need this knowledge. Paul had it and considered himself the worst of sinners. Once we begin to understand this we start looking to Jesus becausethe stench of sin is unbearable. We realise how dependent we are on God and how gracious He is in receiving us into His courts, covered by the blood of Jesus and clothed in His righteousness. While we don't understand sin, we will not understand grace. Grace demolishes the idea that wecan ever make it to Heaven in our own right. Heaven is God's territory and we need his grace and favour to get there! Ten year old children are pretty intelligent and sharp these days! "Cool" seems to be the very much in word. A "free ticket" might be something they'd bookmark! The free ticket would be cool!

Q4. (Ephesians 2:6) What does it mean that we are seated with Christ in "the heavenly realms"? What does this say about God's grace? What does this say about our spiritual authority? How should this knowledge affect our prayers and our boldness? We have feet on this earth (Which could be why Jesus washed the disciples feet, and told them the rest was clean, only the feet needed washing) but the rest of us lives in the realm of Jesus Christ, in the new life that He gave us through His death and resurrection, in unity with Him and the Father and with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our feet wear the shoes of the gospel of Peace, walking the earth and getting dusty. Hearts and heads are in Christ Jesus, with the mind of Christ, worshipping Him with heart, mind, soul and strength. We live in His very presence, and He is seated on the throne by His Father. Already, in every way, by accepting Him as Lord and Saviour, we have taken our stand with Him, and by the power of His Name we have all authority over every demon on this earth. We have only to ask Him how we are to proceed with anything, just as Jesus did when He was here. He did only what He saw His Father doing. This is amazing grace towards sinners! This grace is incalculable, immeasurable. uncontainable. abundant, free, and indispensible to us for we would be dead without it! Yet it is there for the asking! Surely we must tell the world! Our spiritual authority is complete for we have been given the Name of Jesus to use, and our Father places all things in subjection under His feet. In Him we have full dominion again, the same dominion that Adam gave away has been won back for us. It has become our birthright from the moment we were born again. We will become watchful, because these gifts were not given us to neglect, but to use. Therefore we will seek opportunity to operate in the Spirit of Jesus, bold in our responsibility to serve those around us with our gifts, eager to demonstrate God's glory as we walk this dusty earth. Seeing that we must do as Jesus did, we will be in constant prayer that the Father show us exactly what He wants us to do. Like Him, we will retire to privacy with God to make a sure contact, and like Him we will look upon our fellow man with the greatest of love, and seek to speak truth and minister faith.

God is rich in mercy. He is willing to forgive sin and to start again with us. He made us alive (we have been saved). We are now capable again of sensitivity to our Creator and of communication with Him, as Adam originally was in Eden.

Q2. (Ephesians 2:1-3) Few people would knowingly follow Satan. How can people unwittingly follow Satan? In what sense are we responsible for unwitting rebellion against God? How can God, in all fairness, blame us? Satan is like our default. Unless we choose otherwise we fall into default mode because that is what Adam structured into us. We now have to choose to believe in Jesus and to follow Him. God wants us to do it by choice. Maybe that's why He permitted satan on this earth. After all He created the despoiler (Isaiah 4:16). He knew everything from the beginning and wants us to choose Him as He chooses us. he has chosen all of us and given everyone the opportunity to choose Him, because He would not have anyone perish. Everyone has a destiny in Him if they so choose. He has not eliminated anyone. Default mode is the mode of ignorance which involves rebellion against God. Jesus on the cross said, "Father forgive them. They don't know what they are doing". The mode of ignorance is undone by hearing the gospel, and this hearing is produced by the preaching of the gospel and the word of testimony. Because the default mode is ignorance, people will not know or realise they are rebelling unless someone tells or teaches them otherwise. - brings their alternative choice to them. They then have the coice of repenting and turning to Jesus. Their choice is then their responsibility. Our responsibility is to make sure that people are presented with that choice. God is Just. He knows the heart of every man, and He also knows what the end product of Creation is to be. That which is of the flesh will die. Creation is only a temporary thing. That which is of the Spirit will live with Him. If everyone has opportunity to know Him He is not to blame if they don't take that up. You can take a horse to water but you can't make him drink! All creation is evidence of the Creator, so there is a sense in which the evidence is clear to everyone, whether or not he has heard the gospel. Abram is the example of a man who responded to this evidence and was able to become a friend of God, but it is there for all of us. God's intention was always to create a family of sons and daughters like Him, who, through their own choice want to be His. Unless they do it by their own choice they would be robots and this would not provide God with the quality of relationship He desired with His family, so He had to provide a means of giving us choice. In a sense, satan is that means. God is Just. He knows the heart of every man, and He also knows what the end product of Creation is to be. That which is of the flesh will die. Creation is only a temporary thing. That which is of the Spirit will live with Him. If everyone has opportunity to know Him He is not to blame if they don't take that up. You can take a horse to water but you can't make him drink! All creation is evidence of the Creator, so there is a sense in which the evidence is clear to everyone, whether or not he has heard the gospel. "They are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). Abram is the example of a man who responded to this evidence and was able to become a friend of God, but it is there for all of us. Our perfectly just God has given us more that every opportunity to know HIm through Jesus, so the consequences of the wrong choice are not His fault, but ours.

Q1. (Ephesians 2:1-3) In what sense are our non-believing friends, neighbors, and relatives "dead"? What's the difference between us and them? If we really believed that they were "dead" and subject to God's "wrath," what would we do? "Dead" means having no response, unable to respond or react to something. God made man of clay, the same as He did the animals and fish (Gen 1:24, "Let the earth bring forth ....") But he did something with man that He had not done with the animals - He breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and man became a living being. Unlike the animals, man was able to interact with God, to know his Creator in a way no animal could. Only one thing put a stop to that. Probably without realising it, Adam put his faith in the serpent's words, that they would be like God, knowing good and evil, and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For the sake of immediate gratification he took the fruit, cancelling God's cautionary word. If a doctor transgresses the code of the medical fraternity and, for example, interferes with a child patient, thinking he could get away with it and it would make no difference to the state of things, he has actually cancelled his membership of the medical fraternity, because when it comes to light, as it almost certainly will, he will no longer be able to practice as a doctor. As far as they are concerned he doesn't exist any more. He is unable to be trusted, and dead as a doctor. He can't go back to medical school and become a doctor again. He is dead. Trust has gone and there is no way it can be resurrected. Likewise, God is holy and Adam transgressed that holy condition. He was to have been the inheritor of earth and have dominion of it all, but he gave it away by putting his faith in a snake. Trust went to the snake. Our unbelieving brethren don't have that trust relationship with God. It just isn't there. It has to be birthed in them again under the right conditions of repentance. The difference between us and them is that we have repented and God has again breathed into us Life through His Son Jesus, who took our place and punishment, that we might be restored. Wouldn't it be amazing if another doctor took the punishment for the transgressing doctor and gave him his own name to work under? That is what Jesus did for us. He took our death, and gave us his own Name to work under! If we really believed they were dead we'd stop at nothing to try and convince them to live. We might even die for them, knowing that we are in the resurrection power of the name of Jesus!

We would miss being part of His body, the unity with Him and other Christians, the wonderful blessings of the other members of the body, their giftings, their love, their passion, His teaching, leadership, co-ordination, testimonies, prayer fellowship, victories in Jesus, confirmation in the Spirit,help when needed, opportunities to serve, contributing to the growth of others, to children, the welcoming of new Christians, so many things that are part of church, and not least of all, miracles which occur in His presence and are Christ's glory. By being absent we are in disobedience which brings minimimalisation of the church effort, loss of victory (as in the story of Achan), leading others astray, feeding our carnal nature, effect a complaint which brings down the church effort, (like the complaints in the wilderness), more going around of mountains, loss of encouragement, stress to the pastors,, no participation in the winning of thelost,. Effectively some organ of the Body is missing and therefore the whole body is disfunctional.

Q4. (Ephesians 1:20-22) Why do we so often take a "pass" when it comes to spiritual warfare? Why is Christ's exaltation, demonstration of complete victory, and superior rank over all spiritual powers important enough for Paul to mention it to his readers? Why do we tend to feel powerless in the face of spiritual enemies? What was Paul assuring the Ephesians of? What does this encourage us to do? Westerners have some problem with releasing their emotion into things. There is some stranglehold on getting involved. My brother grew up as a highland dancer, yet now he will not dance with his wife. It's not lack of ability. It's some sort of cultural prohibition. I believe the same prohibition strangles our prayer life, our passionate giving of ourselves to each other, to warfare, to loving. How often do we see people prostrate themselves in repentance or worship. It "isn't done!". Our pastors (very young church) have had an international miracle ministry, yet in our church the pace is so slow. They have been trying desperately to invoke our passion in services and after three years it's is just beginning to show. "Worship the Lord with ALL YOUR HEART, MIND, SOUL AND STRENGTH says our God. We can barrack at the football like maniacs, but in church we think we have to be restrained and conservative! Forget it. Forget what other people think. Go into services and get excited, responsive, jump up and down, yell agreement with the pastor, clap, kneel, dance, praise furiously, passionately. Talk Jesus all week and hug everybody. Find out how you can serve your brother/sister in Christ. Jealously guard daily praise, worship, prayer and study. Encourage one another in this. Be a leader in applying great passion to the Lord. He did it for us! He says we are not to be ashamed before men, and He will then acknowledge us before His Father in Heaven. We have a wonderful prayer meeting in which we are free to worship, speak the words,visions that theSpirit is giving us, get confirmation fromeach othere of the way theSpirit is leading, bring in Scripture, sing, dance, clap, shout, prophesy, whatever. Few are there. We are just beginning to break ice! I am so thankful to be there. We are taught to come with great excitement and expectation about what the Spirit will do, to come prepared with our own prayer life in order, bring the annointing in with us from our own prayer closet. We are learning. Our worship leader won't stop worshipping until he feels breakthrough in the Heavenlies. I thank God for pastors that haven't completely given up on us, seeing that they see so much on their overseas missions. How they have struggled with us. What incredible examples they have set! Oh, brothers and sisters, let us take up the banners, let us forge a new way within our culture. God has invested so much in us that we are not using! Our talents are buried in the ground and we are culpable, answerable. "All our heart, mind, soul and strength" means swing from the chandeliers if that's what it takes! Christ's exaltation, demonstration of complete victory, and superior rank over all spiritual powers is important because the same power works in us, His people. We have the use of His Name, the seal of the HolySpirit, and to be ineffective in using it is a blasphemy of His Name. Not to walk in the works that He has prepared for us to walk in is an abuse of the HolySpirit. It is to misrepresent Christ to the world. At all costs we have to break through! Our inertia is deadly! Let us bury it! Let us seek the Spirit diligently as did the disciples praying for the imprisoned Peter. They gathered together and simply didn't stop praying, worshipping, until he knocked on the door. Where is our love today? Buried in a mountainof worldly expectation. Why are we not praying in the early hours of the morning? Jesus always was! Why is our heart not throbbing with first love every moment of the day? Solomon's beloved's was. Why is our ear not tuned to the Spirit as it is to our ipod's and cell phones? What a waste! Why powerless in the face of the spiritual enemies? Ignorance and lack of due diligence. It's all in the Bible. There is nothing hidden any more. There is so much good teaching available to us today. There is no excuse. What is Paul assuring the Ephesians of? He is telling them that everything is there. All it requires is our implementation. Hopefully it encourages us to repent of inertia and change our habits! The table has been abundantly laid but the wedding guests are too busy or don't dress correctly.

Q4. (Ephesians 1:20-22) Why do we so often take a "pass" when it comes to spiritual warfare? Why is Christ's exaltation, demonstration of complete victory, and superior rank over all spiritual powers important enough for Paul to mention it to his readers? Why do we tend to feel powerless in the face of spiritual enemies? What was Paul assuring the Ephesians of? What does this encourage us to do? The first question is horrible but essential. I think a lot of it is ignorance. We need a lot more teaching on this in our churches, and a lot more practice in our prayer meetings. Then people can take it home and practice it therein daily life as well. But the other side of the question is about personal inertia, the I'm alright Jack syndrome. We believers don't have the right to such inertia because it does not glorify Father and is totally absent in Him. There is tremendous need out there in our communities and powerful prayer is definitely our responsibility. Where there is no love then nothing else has value (1 Cor 13:1). The whole point about being born again into the spirit is that we become alive to what the Spirit is doing and participate in it in Spirit and in Truth with the whole of our heart (emotion power, love, compassion), mind (mental brilliance submitted to Christ - the mind of Christ in us), soul (will, determination, persistance, vision, community membership, dreams,)and strength (money, education, muscle, affiliations, giftings, wisdom and understanding, forgiveness, teaching the next generation all we know, vigour, passion, values and faith). Christ's [/b]VICTORY is the whole good news, because we are supposed to walk in the very same victory that he already walked in. We have the power of His Name in order to win every battle. If we haven't got that we have nothing! Victory and overcoming is what will be celebrated in Heaven (Rev. 2,3) Victory is the outcome of faith, and Jesus' concern was whether He would find faith on the earth when He returned. faith is manifested in victory! This is the Message we preach and believe. This is the essence! Feeling powerless is a consequence of ignorance (overcome by teaching and study of the Word of God) and inertia (lack of application or due diligence if you like!) We would not apply it to our businesses. We need to apply wisdom and due diligence to our faith. Paul was assuring the Ephesians of Christ's power, authority, positioning above all other forces or entities which are described as "under his feet". He assured them of their participation in all this as the body of which Christ is the head, undivided, unassailable, and in total authority on earth. We just need to send our messages to the brain (Jesus) which will respond appropriately! But we need to do that constantly as it happens in our own bodies! This encourages us to be in constant contact with the head about every situation. We need to pray without ceasing, giving the brain (Jesus) constant feedback about the situation in every part of the body (us), so that the brain can keep things in right order and appropriate responses. If the situations are painful, our messages to the brain will double, triple in intensity (using the powers that have been made available to us) until the needed response comes back. The body won't let up on its needs being met (prayers for those in the community of faith and those who need to be).

I think we misdirect energies sometimes. We do, do, do like Martha, but Jesus wants us to be, be, be in His presence like Mary. It's not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord. Instead of running around after people we need to invite them where the power is, in the ministry of the word. If they don't want to come there, then what can we do. We need to teach people to take hold of theWord for themselves, lay it intheir hearts. Jesus didn't chase people. They chased and adored Him once they recognised Him. That's what we need to teach, recognition and adoration with heart mind soul and strength. Jesus said of Mary that "It shall not be taken from her". We need to take the Bible totally word for word, and act on it. Lack of knowledge is the problem said Jesus, even from the cross. We need to soak ourselves daily in scripture and act upon it.

Q2. (Ephesians 1:18c) If you knew that in a few years you would inherit $10 million, would it affect your life now? How should our expectation of an inheritance in God's presence temper our present-day concerns? Since this inheritance will be shared with "the saints" -- our Christian family -- how should that affect our fellowship with them? What a question! It requires deep honesty. I'm not sure I know the answer right now. I think I would want to work fairly hard so that I was up to handling the money when it came. It's a gift that someone else workded hard for, so it has to be treated with honour and respect. They say those who win lotteries usually end up spending it quickly and back where they started from. I'd need to be much wiser than that, I think it would give me confidence to work hard now at learning how to handle money, how to invest etc so that I'd have a long term benefit. I also think it would add value to my self-esteem, that someone thought so much of me that they had set this up. I'd walk taller and think better of myself, that someone valued me. Also I'd have some plans in mind about how it would be disposed of and used. There'd be gifts from me in certain areas, of a certain percentage, and I'd plan that well and look forward to that aspect immensely. How would it temper present day concerns? I just think I'd have greater confidence because of the value placed in me, and would therefore handle my affairs better. As for the Christian family, I think it draws us closer together, because we are all highly valued and all recipients of our Father's benefits, one no less than the others I walk tall in the family because God loves me every bit as much as he loves them. I honour them because God loves every one of them every bit as much as he loves me. I think it creates a mutual honouring (unity?)

Q4. (1:13-14) These verses contain two analogies: (1) seal and (2) downpayment, with the balance to be paid in a lump sum at the end of the term. When does the "end of the term" occur? How do these analogies help explain how the Holy Spirit functions in our lives? I think possibly the end of the term is finalised and celebrated at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. There will be stages before that, like the rapture, but the feast is the finality and the beginning of "The Family" When we receive Jesus we are marked out by His Spirit. We can never be the same again because we have known Him, connected with Heaven, been touched by His grace, are known to Him. In response to being known by Jesus, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit whom He sent at Pentecost. Perhaps this is the reason why both God and Jesus can be mistreated by us and we can be forgiven, but we cannot abuse the Holy Spirit, our "guarantee", lest we lose Him, and with Him our salvation. Luke 12:10 declares "Anyone who speaks blasphemies against the HolySpirit will never be forgiven." To blaspheme the Spirit of Truth, whom God has breathed into us a second time (Adam, by believing a lie, choked Him - the breath of the Creator - out and lost his "Life") at Pentecost, is to finalise our chances with God. To turn again and believe a lie, having had the mark of the HolySpirit, is to become too hardened. The blasphemy of the Spirit of Truth, who lives in us and is our breath of Life, will choke Him out again. We are to honour the Spirit of Truth within us (who has the mind of Christ,) as teacher, counsellor and friend, and finally we will join the ranks of the children of God at the wedding feast.

Q3. (Ephesians 1:11-12) According to verses 11 and 12, what is God's purpose for our lives? What do we need to do to fulfill this purpose? How does this purpose relate to Matthew 5:13-16? A prince has an inheritance from his father who is a king. This is recognised even though he is very young. As he grows he is taught how to take care of his inheritance and eventually he matures and manages it himself to a major degree, even though his father is still alive. Society recognises who he is and the power that he has in consequence of who he is. He is constant news to the paparazzi because his high rank in the land sells papers. He is considered the most eligible bachelor in the land, but to join his family you have to be selected. To be selected is the highest prize in the land. He is constantly watched until the selection is made, and then the limelight falls on the selected one who is invested with a whole new status in the land. Her other destinies are forgotten as she adopts the purposes of her prince. He surrounds her with his opulence and suddenly her clothing is brighter and better than before, as is her power in the land. Her person takes on a new radiance in her marriage and she is offered many tributes. In some respects she is separated from her former friends who now treat her as a princess, and her circle of people and influence changes in a big way. She has more power to become an effective influence in the land and uses what ever wisdom she has in this regard. We are like this princess, invested with the power of the Name of Jesus and the status of sons and daughters. Our position and relationships consequently undergo major change and we look at life from the new perspective of royalty. However, our king is a servant king and so we are not grandiose, but answerable and humbled imitators of his sacrificial love. The glory of His kingdom is reflected in our servanthood as we walk in the works that he has prepared for us to walk in - miracles and love. We are not here to be ineffective in our community, but to stand clear for truth and justice, the call to righteousness and the care of each other and the weak. We are to be seen attending to these things systematically and reliably, so that there is no excuse for those who know us concerning their relationship with Jesus.

Q2. (Ephesians 1:9-10) What is the significance that all things will be brought under one head -- Christ himself? How does this relate to the Creator? What does it say about unity? Extra Credit: How does this verse relate to 1 Corinthians 15:24-28? Jesus is the centre of all things. Being the centre of history (from the birth of whom history is dated, both BC and AD) and the heart of all creation, He will rise up and assume command of all that is His. He will rule with an iron rod. He has trod the winepress of the wrath of God. That which does not conform to His plan will be wiped out under wrath. Unity will prevail in HiIs Kingdom, as in Heaven, so it will be on the earth. The Creator gave dominion to Adam, who gave it to satan by believing him and eating the forbidden fruit. Jesus came as a man and won it back from satan through his death and resurrection, defeating him in anyman's terms! He (calling Himself the Son of Man) took back authority over the earth and returned it to those who love him by giving them authority in the Name of Jesus. There will be no dissentient in this new creation, for Jesus will rule with His iron rod. He will bring unity to all people, and we shall all live as one under him, having love toward one another and preferring one another above ourselves. This will bring peace and joy !Cor 15:24-28 talks of the end when Jesus takes over until He has put all His enemies under His feet, finally including death! Having completed all the victories, Jesus will present the finished product to God His Father, Himself being subject to the Father. There will remain only unity between them on the question of dominion over earth.