Linda Stanley

NIV) It was known in the Old Testament that the Gentiles would receive salvation(Isaiah 49:6),but it was never revealed in the Old Testament that all Gentile and Jewish believers would become equal in the body of Christ.It was very important to the Gentiles in that day because now the Gentiles can receive salvation,in knowing Jesus destroyed the "dividing wall" and created the "one new man.(Ephesians 2:14-15.Christ revealed the total sinfulness of both Jews and Gentile,and then he offered his salvation to both.Only Christ breaks down the walls of prejudice,reconciles all believers to God and unifies in one body.

Through Gods revelation we now know who we are in Jesus Christ.We have been assigned to preach the Good News by the grace of God.If we stray away from that revelation we will not be able to share the promise in Christ Jesus.If we deny that God reveals himself to us and to his church the danger is being seperated from God. God reveals himself to us through the Holy Bible.The bible in itself is prophecy.God will reveal all mysteries to us in His perfect timing

We are the Church body.Where the congregation meets is just a building.God lives in us and we are being built together to become a dwelling place in which God lives by his Spirit.As we come together we become a dwelling place for which God lives.His Spirit lives in us.What hinders that from being fully experienced is when Gods people don't show up.Some think they don't have to come to church to be a Christian.The people who do not come to church,really miss out on Gods blessings.As a group of people gathered together(Gathering)we live in harmony together,with each other accordance with what God says in His word. For myself I would love to know what to do to help my church.There are times I am disapointed when I go to church and there is only 15 to 20 people there.Sunday mornings,sometimes my church has a low attendance.We must build Gods Church not tear it down.When I was a little girl my grand-daddy taught me something with my hands.He had me put my fingers folding them inside my hand and pretending my hands put together were a building.Grand-daddy said,"Put your hands together Linda", "Here is the Church", then raising my two index fingers up,he said,"here is the temple",then I opened my hands,and he said, "and here are the people". Now I ask myself,where are the people?.Why some churches grow and some do not,I don't know the answer.Wha I do know is time is short,and I must help others come to Jesus.Amen

We have access to God through the cross.God come down to this earth,became man(Jesus)defeated sin and death by giving his life on the cross,shed His blood for our sins.We know longer have to sacrifice animals blood to be able to go to God.It is through the blood of Jesus(Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world).This is presented to us through the scriptures in the bible.The Holy Spirit was in Jesus,and Jesus spoke to the people through his Spirit. Jesus said,"He had to go back to His Father in order to leave the comforter(Holy Spirit)with us.God The Father,God The Son,and God The Holy Spirit are all One.In believing in the the Trinity,is having faith.Faith is Believing,that is our access to the Father.Having Faith,Hope and Believing in Jesus,we embrace Him with an open heart.Amen.

Before Jesus came in the Mosaic Law the Jews seperated themselves from the Gentiles, as the Jews considered the Gentiles beyond Gods saving power.Gentiles did not like what the Jewish thought of them and how they treated them. Then,Christ revealed all sin,both Jewish and Gentile,and then Christ offered his salvation to both.Through Jesus death on the cross there is salvation for "All".Only Christ Jesus breaks down the walls of prejudice,and brings us all together as believers to God and unifies us in one body.Its like the beauty of the Fall leaves falling.Each leaf has its own personal connection on the tree,seperated from each other hanging on the tree branch.What happens in the Fall?They fall to the ground all mingled together and become one(leaves).They are set free from the tree they were hanging on.Christ has set us free.Free from bondage of sin.We all are one body through Jesus Christ.Amen.

I myself was once lost,living in sin and headed for sure death with know hope.I thank my heavenly Father that I had a praying mother who never gave up on me.I thought it was fun living in sin.I caused a lot of hurt and suffering for my family,especially my mother.So I know what it is like living in the darkness.I use my life to witness to unsaved people.They will listen to my stories of my unsaved life which I am not proud of.I want to tell them my life's stories in hope that I can reach them,and let them know the condition in which they are living now is lost ,is without hope in this sinful world.They need to know who Jesus is and what He did for the whole world.Each friend or co-worker,or even someone you don't know whom you just came in contact with are all diffrent people.Salvation is for them as well as it was for me when I was lost and without hope.It is our duty to share the Good News with them.Where would I be if it had not been for another christian sharing their life with me?

~WHAT US FAITH~? Faith is believing in the impossible.Faith comes alive when you apply Scripture.Faith is an attitude of expectation.Faith is a being a constant process in our lives,but does not free us from being obedient to God.Faith is a confident hope.Faith is a gift God gives us because he is saving.Ephesians 2:8.Through the faith he gives us,he carries us from death into life.John 5:24. I don't believe we can take any credit for having faith.God has given it to us as a gift.I believe the stronger your faith becomes you can accomplish more things for God.To God "all" be the glory. Your faith is what helps you to lead others to salvation.Faith is believing Jesus died for our sins.Faith is believing in the impossible.Faith is hope.If you do not have faith,how can we believe God can do the impossible?. To a 10yr old child ,I would tell them about the story Jesus tells about the parable of the mustard seed.Also Jesus tells another story to his apostles in Luke 17:6.Children learn by stories.Also is like walking,you believe when you put your foot in front of you there is solid ground,and as you walk you know(Believe)you are going to get to where you want to go.If a child believes mama and daddy are going to take care of them,that is faith in their parents.You could say to a child,Faith Is Believing in something they want to accomplish.

Yes, we are Gods workmanship(work of art,masterpiece). It is Gods powerful,creative work in us that we go out into the world and do good works.Gods intentions is that our salvation will result in acts of service.To serve Christ and build up the church.(NIV). The diffrence in Matthew 5:16 and Ephesians 2:9. If we live for Christ,we will glow like lights,showing others what Christ is like.We work Gods plan out of love.We don't expect anything in return. Ephesians 2:9. I believe Paul is saying,we work to help and serve others with kindness,love,and gentleness,and not mearly to please ourselves,and boasting about what we do. Wanting people to recognize who we are.(God will lift us up if He wants the world to know who we are). Every good works we do is to glorify God,not ourselves.I do confess there are times when I would love to be recognized for what I do.It does make me feel good about myself.But I do know I must not be that kind of person.That is "not" the person God wants me to be. Amen

I myself have never heard being saved can be translated and called Christian jargon.What I did to get some kind of meaning for myself is I looked up the word jargon,and found it meant,confused,unintelligible talk,gibberish and other meanings..So I believe what christians have to do is somehow explain to a nonbeliever what salvation really is to where they can grasp onto the meaning"being saved".Rescue is a great meaning.If that unsaved person does not know who Jesus is then I believe they will not understand what saved is.The first thing I would do is get across to the unsaved person ,who Jesus really is,and that he did exist,being born of a virgin woman.and walk this earth,being human and had hardships in life just as we do.How Jesus came to this earth to rescue all of us from the sinful life that we live.How Jesus completely gave His life,shed his blood on the cross for our sins to be forgiven.His precious blood is our covering for our sins.Explain to them what danger they are in(death with know life,meaning hell),if they do not give their life to Christ.That through salvation,(being rescued)there is eternal,everlasting life without beginning or end with God The Father in heaven. Doing this does not mean we are perfect and can do as we please,but our life will be changed,and we learn to live a life pleasing to God,day by day,through grace by faith each day,through a merciful God who loves us.

GRACE COMES FROM AN ACT OF LOVE.I BELIEVE IT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND GRACE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE DUMB THINGS I DO,BUT YET,GOD TAKES CARE OF ME,AND I GET A GOOD DOCTORS REPORT,EVEN AFTER I HAVE WORRIED ABOUT THE RESULTS. GRACE DEMOLISHES SIN,BECAUSE IT IS THROUGH GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED,NOT BY NOTHING YOU DID.GRACE IS A GIFT OF GOD BECAUSE HE LOVES US. ~~EXPLAINING GRACE TO A 10YR.OLD CHILD IS LIKE WHEN THEY BRING HOME A BAD REPORT CARD FROM SCHOOL,AND THAT CHILD KNOWS"IM IN TROUBLE".MOM AND DAD SEE'S THE REPORT CARD,BUT INSTEAD OF A PUNISHMENT,THEY SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH THE CHILD TO SEE WHERE THEY CAN HELP THEM IMPROVE.THE CHILD TELLS THEM I WILL DO BETTER.OF COURSE,MOM AND DAD WILL KEEP THAT REPORT CARD IN MIND,FOLLOW UP WITH THERE CHILD TO SEE IF THEY ARE IMPROVING IN SCHOOL.THE PARENTS SHOW THE CHILD GRACE AT THAT TIME(GRACE PERIOD) BECAUSE THEY LOVE THERE CHILD AND WANT TO SEE IMPROVEMENT.IF THERE IS KNOW IMPROVEMENT,THATS ANOTHER STORY. (NIV) JUST AS CHILDREN IMITATE THEIR PARENTS,WE SHOULD IMITATE CHRIST.HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US LED HIM TO SACRIFICE HIMSELF SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE.OUR LOVE FOR OTHERS SHOULD BE OF THE SAME KIND- A LOVE THAT GOES BEYOND AFFECTION TO SELF-SACRIFICING SERVICE. THROUGH GODS LOVE HE GAVE HIS SON.WE ARE NOW SAVED BY GRACE.THE GRACE OF GOD.

Being seated with Christ in the "heavenly realms means that in Christ we have all the benefits of knowing God.We are blessed with every spiritual blessing..The heavenly realms means that these blessings are eternal not temporal.By the incomparable riches of the grace of God,we have been raised up to sit with Christ in glory.I would say through Jesus Christ we have spiritual authority against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.This is some deep stuff.With that kind of knowledge we should recognize the power of the Holy Spirit we have in us ,which God has invested in us,which enables us to have that spiritual authority.We speak out to the strong-holds and tear them down.Our prayers are powerful,and we are full of boldness to speak the word,here on earth and into the spiritual realms.I must be prayed up and know the word.Amen

To describe Gods motivation and charater would be his "love" for us,(for He chose us).Gods love is so great,beyond our comprehension.Gods love for us is is his motivation and character.We are Gods pleasure. The verb "love"describes what has happened to us in Christ.

People unwittingly can follow Satan and don't even realize the trap he has set before them.It is our disobedience,and rebellion against God that leads us to sin.1 Samuel 15:23,For rebellion is like the sin of divination,and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,he has rejected you as king.(Samuel speaking to Saul)Look what happen to Jonah as he didn't want to do what God had asked of him.Jonah 1:1-10,in verse 8,the saliors asked,who is responsible for making all this trouble for us?.We are responsible for our own actions.When I make a wrong choice that is not lined up with the truth(word),then I will suffer the outcome.Even others could suffer from my disobedience.Yes God in all fairness can blame me.It is sin in Gods eyes.Once I enter into the storm,I will know I have rebelled against God,and not obeyed him.We must repent of our sin,hopefully God will get me out of the mess I have created. (Don't listen to Satans lies.)He will make things look really good,but the outcome will be nothing but calamity.

Our non-believing friends,neighbors,and relatives are"dead" because they are dead in their trangressions and sin.Only through being united with Christ(through salvation)will they enter into a life of freedom from their sins.The truth is we all sin.We all have a sinful nature.The diffrence is they are lost in sin and can not free themselves.They are without Christ.Only through Christ we are saved;we can not save ourselves. We know that if they reject Christ ,our friends ,neighbors and family,loved ones will be subject to Gods wrath.We must pray for them.If we do not pray for them ,how will they be saved?Let them see Christ in us.A lot of people don't like to hear you preach to them,but there are other loving ways we can reach them for Jesus.Time is short.

When we neglect to be an active part of a local congregation we miss out being a part of the body,of the church.The church congregation has a big part in serving the rural area in which the church is located.As a church we all work together being the full expression of Christ,who himself fills everything. Each member is involved with all the others as they go about doing Christ work on earth.We are all one body in Christ Jesus,our hands,our feet,our voices,our mind, all work together for the glory of God. By our absence,how can the image of the body be in unity.We should not attempt to work,serve,or worship,merely on our own.We need the entire body.Then blessings will flow through the church as a whole,under Christ's headship.Amen

When it comes to spiritual warfare we really should not do it alone.In spiritual warfare we strugle not against flesh and blood ,(read Ephesians 6:12. When we read Ephesians we should understand that Paul is speaking to the whole church.As christians we can be confident that God has won the final victory and is in control of everything.Christ is the head of the church and is victorious over Satan and all his powers.I believe we tend to feel powerless in the face of spiritual enemies in my own experience was fear.I didn't really understand what I was dealing with.We all have that power to deal with such things.My Pastor has said"Know your enemy!!.We call out to Jesus."The battle belongs to the Lord.For myself it is very encouraging to know Jesus is with me all the way. You are never alone.Amen.

I believe we are powerless sometimes because it is the lack of faith,in believing what we really can do in the name of Jesus.We have the same powers Jesus had when he was here on earth.We need to get to that place of faith and believe we can function in the power of the Holy Spirit.I believe the more you get in the word will help us.Without faith we are wimpy.For our churches,we should be in a bible believing church.I also believe the Holy Spirit is our teacher.Jesus left the Comforter here on this earth to help us.Our help is there if we only believe and reach out to what God has for us. All God has for us is our inheritance.As we worship our Heavenly Father,love Him and adore Him.We know the Holy Spirit lives in us.Take hold of the power that is invested in us,and we will see changes.Amen

Yes,If I were to receive a great-inheritanceof 10 million dollars in a few years,I would be looking forward to that day with excitement.I am sure I would make plans and be ready for that day...... However I would not compare 10 million dollars to what Gods has in store for me.I know we are just trying to get across how to handle such wonderful blessings God has for us as believers.For myself I believe I should not concern myself with so many present-day concerns.As believers we should trust God to take care of us and direct us in his ways in our living,such as our jobs,monies,food,clothing,health,and not worry where these things come from.As believers we all will spend eternity with God,know matter what goes on in this world.Speaking for myself this is something I have to work on,really trusting God while I live here on this earth.Just yesterday,I was scared out of my witts just having to go to my dentist.After it was all over with I realized what a fool I was,and how foolish I was to let satan put such fear in me.It was a battle.I prayed but yet I still had to deal with that fear. I have seen God at work,out of a persons obedience.God showered that person with blessings just because they took back 20 dollars that did not belong to them.God will take care of our needs. Our fellowship with our brothers and sister as we live with each other,we should lift them up in our prayers.Pray for the whole body of Christ Jesus. knowing when prayer is needed.We worship our Heavenly Father together.We are all looking forward to the coming of Jesus Christ believing in unity together we all will share the same heaven.We all will be caught-up together to be with Jesus for- ever.The oneness of all believers.We all must have the same unity and agree(Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.We are all one Christian family in Jesus name.

What we Christians have to look forward to is the hope we have in knowing Jesus Christ,which is complete assurance of certain victory through God.Our Hope,effects our decisions and our lifestyle as it comes to us through the Holy Spirit who is working in us. Our hope differs from a non-believer because we look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ because of our believe in salvation and eternal life with God through his precious Son Jesus.

Through Jesus Christ the end of the term will accur,as his power(Holy Spirit)works in us to transform us "now",and what we experience "now" is a taste of the "total" change we will experience in eternity. ~The Holy Spirit,(in us),transforms us with His power,so we can function in the genuineness of our faith in God,which guarantees us that God will do what He has promised;as God calls us to be sons and daughters,(Jew or Gentile),working to bring in the harvest(lost souls).We go out into the shopping malls,grocery stores,doctors office ,hospitals,where-ever we go, we spread the word of Jesus Christ.

Gods purpose for our lives is to offer salvation to the world.God created us and we belong to Him.We need to go out into the world,with Gods Power(Holy Spirit in us)and reach lost souls.Share Gods word to the people who are lost.A lot of people are searching for peace and happiness in the wrong places.We must let our light shine.When people look at us they see a person who is full of life(Jesus).Let them see all the good in us. Love someone when they are hard to love.Pray for those that needs prayer.Lay hands on those who need healing. Matthew 5:13-14,As Christians if we make no effort to affect the world around us,then we are of little value to God.This does not mean God does not love us.We can not change the world by ourselves;we change it together,as one body made up of many diffrent gifts(preachers,teachers,disciples,and so on),what God calls us to do, we do it for God's kingdom.We should affect others positively,and bring out the best. Share Jesus Christ with others and let them know what God has done for you.

(NIV Study Bible)God was not keeping his plan a secret(the mistery of His will),but His plan for the world could not be fully understood until Christ rose from the dead.His puppose for sending Christ was to unite the Jews and Gentiles in one body with Christ as the head.When the time is right (when the times have reached their fullfillment),He will bring us together(unity),he will bring us together to be with him forever.This is the Creator's plan(Gods plan)Then everyone will understand.On that day everyone and everything will bow to Jesus as Lord. (EXTRA CREDIT) 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 Although God the Father and God the Son are equal,each has a special work to do and area of sovereign control.(15:28).Christ is "not lower in place"to the Father,but his work is to defeat all evil on earth.First Jesus defeated sin and death on the cross.In the final days,he will defeat Satan and all evil.World events will seem to be out of controll,and justice may seem scarce.But God is in controll,allowing evil to remain for a time untill He sends Jesus to earth again.Then Christ will present to God a perfect new world. Some people believe the world will be destroyed,some don't.Again this is part of Gods mistery,we will have to wait and see.But, Jesus will present a perfect "Church" to God.Amen

Redemption was the price paid to gain freedom for a slave.Through His death,Jesus paid the price to release us from slavery to sin.If I hadn't been redeemed,most likely I would not be here on this earth.I had a lot of sin in my life and I was heading for sure death.Because of what Jesus did for me I owe everything to Him. What my future would be like without redeemtion;I would loose everything God had stored up for me,my salvation,grace,and so much more freely given by God through his beloved Son Jesus. Some people think when the bible talks about riches,their mind gets focused on monies,material things,being physcially rich.""But"what the bible really is speaking about is all the riches God has stored up in heaven is what God wants to give you.If we just open the doors,it will come tumbling out.It is exciting to know that God wants us to have everything he has to offer us.All we have to do is just reach out. I went off of the subject a little ,but it all ties in to how much God loves us, and reedemed us,and forgiven us from our sins.

Adoption: Illustration of Gods relationship: I believe know mater who we are, or where we come from, we are all equal as Gods adopted children.As adopted children of God,we share with Jesus all rights to Gods resorces,which shows us how much God loves us. It is encouraging to know ,as Gods heirs,we can claim what he has provided for us,our full identity as his children. Through Jesus Christ,God graciously accepts us, (though we don't deserve it),now that we belong to his dearly loved Son. Paul uses this term"adoption"to show how strong our relationship to God is.He is telling us to enter into this loving relationship with God.Amen.

God is gracious and freely gives salvation.He saved us according to his plan.It is because of Christ we are holy and blameless in his sight.God chose us,and when we belong to him through Jesus Christ,God looks at us as if we had never sinned.We have to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior,asking forgiveness of all our sins.Ask I ask God to help me sin know more.I am weak but he is strong.Oh,yes,I've sinned even after I have been saved.Each day I have to ask God to search my heart,and forgive me.Cover my sins by the blood of Jesus.I am filled with the Holy Spirit,my helper.I know when I have done something wrong.My Father will correct me, sometimes right on the spot.The Holy Spirit is Gods seal that we belong to him.The presence of the Holy Spirit in us demonstrates the genuineness of our faith,proves that we are Gods children. We stand before God Holy and Blameless "only" because Of Jesus Christ.