IvoryEagle

What qualities about Timothy encouraged Paul to send him on a sensitive mission to the Corinthians -- that might have involved some disrespect and abuse? TIMOTHY HAD BEEN TESTED: "For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church." (4:17) If God were to call you to fulfill a sensitive mission -- to a neighbor or across the world -- would you accept? I HAVE AND WOULD Why or why not? WHEN HE GIVES US A MISSION; IT USUALLY FEELS LIKE IT IS OUR IDEA THOUGH PERILOUS. SATAN WILL ATTEMPT TO REMIND YOU OF THE PERILS; GOD REMINDS YOU THROUGH THE PEACE OF IT OF THE PLEASURES.

Why do you think Paul lists the abuse he has to take? TO REMIND THEM THAT HE IS NOT ASKING MORE OF THEM BUT LESS. What effect did he want it to have on his readers? TO CONSIDER THEIR WAYS. What effect does it have on you? CONSIDERATION WHEN PUT IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS. Do you avoid ministry that comes with abuse? MANY TIMES, THE APPLICATION OF MINISTRY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER. I WILL DO WHAT I FEEL IS BEST; IF IT COMES WITH ABUSE; THEN SO BE IT.

Why doesn't Paul care how others judge him? MAN JUDGMENT DOES NOT COUNT. Why doesn't Paul judge himself? MAN JUDGMENT DOES NOT COUNT. Why are our motives so important in God's judgment process? HE LOOKS AT THE HEART. Do you see God as a harsh judge? NO An easy judge? NO Why? HE JUST LOOKS AT WHAT HE TELLS US AND OUR RESPONSE TO IT; WE CHOOSE IF THE RESPONSE IS HARSH OR EASY...WE ARE HIS DOGS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST SATAN; WE CAN ONLY WHEN IF WE RESPOND TO TRAINING FOR THE FIGHT. AN UNTRAINED DOG IS A THREAT TO ITS OWNER & HIMSELF!! ONLY THROUGH OBEDIENCE IS BOTH THE DOG AND THE OWNER HAPPY. HARSH OR EASY; GOD IS GOD!

In what sense is a Christian worker a "steward"? IN POSSESSION AND POSITION OF THE WORD; PEOPLE EXPECT INTERPRETATION AND GUIDANCE. Have you ever met a Christian worker who wasn't faithful? YES. What effect did this have on the church? LOSS OF CONFIDENCE AND DEFECTING. On this person's witness. What are the reasons we are sometimes unfaithful in our area of ministry? IGNORANCE TO THE POWER OF THE WORD AND THE POWER OF GOD TO WORK THROUGH YOU. What can we do to remedy that? PRAY; THEY ALREADY HAVE THE INFORMATION, INVOKE ROMANS 8:26 AND LET GOD HANDLE IT.

Division and church splits injure people, especially tender new believers. Why do you think there is such a harsh punishment for those involved in hurting Christ's church? BECAUSE THERE IS NO MEASUREMENT AS TO THE ULTIMATE IMPACT. WHILE ONE PERSON MAY BE INJURED, THEY BECOME A INSTRUMENT OF HURT BY SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCE AND COULD UNWITTINGLY DESTROY OTHERS INTENTION TO JOIN THE INNOCENT CONGREGATION. A WOUNDED SOUL IS A POWERFUL SATANIC TOOL! What are better ways to deal with differences in the church? OPEN DIALOGUE AND ACCESSIBLE LEADERS.

In terms of building congregations in our day, how would you assess quality vs. slip-shod building materials and methods? WE START OFF OK; THEN THE NUMBERS INCREASE, THE FAME EXPANDS, AND THE FOCUS BECOME NUMBERS, REPUTATION, AND THE EMOTIONS WE ARE NOW DISCUSSING....jealousy and quarreling. How important is improving your ministry skills through training? IT IS IMPERATIVE. Prayer? NON-NEGOTIABLE Practice? NON-NEGOTIABLE Diligence? NON-NEGOTIABLE Faithfulness? NON-NEGOTIABLE Doctrinal accuracy? NON-NEGOTIABLE Devotional life? NON-NEGOTIABLE Openness to spiritual gifts? Etc.THIS ONE IS FRAGILE. SOMETIMES GIFTS ARE MEASURABLE AND SOMETIMES NOT. THE GIFT OF "PRESENCE" IS OFTEN IGNORED; IT BRINGS MUCH ENCOURAGEMENT...

In what ways do denominations encourage Christian unity? FOR THOSE WHO NEED OPTIONS INSTEAD OF OBSTACLES; DENOMINATIONS PROVIDE THAT. In what ways do they foster disunity? FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR AN AVENUE OF JUDGMENT; THEY HAVE THAT. Does belonging a "non-denominational" church make any difference regarding unity throughout the body? ONE BODY, ONE BIBLE, AND ONE GOD, REGARDLESS OF DENOMINATIONS. How can we tear down the barriers that divide us? FOCUS: ONE BODY, ONE BODY, ONE GOD.

In behavioral terms according to these verses, how would you classify yourself in terms of hunger for the Word? VERY HUNGRY AS EVIDENCE OF PARTAKING OF THIS BIBLE STUDY AND OTHER SELF GROWTH ACTIVITY. In terms of jealousy and quarreling? -- infant, child, teenager, adult? NO JEALOUSY/QUARRELING What will it take for you to grow to the next stage? TOLERANCE FOR THOSE WHO DO

(1 Corinthians 1:21-25) In what areas do non-Christians in our culture stumble over the basic gospel of Christ? IGNORANCE, PREJUDICE, & VANITY To what degree can we help bridge this gap through careful and creative presentation? SPEAK TO THEM IN A LANGUAGE THEY UNDERSTAND WHEN SCRIPTURE APPLIES. To what degree might that be "watering down" the gospel? NOT QUOTING SCRIPTURE DIRECTLY BUT PUTTING THINGS IN SCRIPTURAL CONTEXT. Why can't we escape the tension between culturally-relevant communication and changing the essence of the message? TRUTH WILL STING REGARDLESS OF THE PACKAGE IT COMES IN.

Name four value differences between Christian teaching and the values you see pushed to us on television. Example: Sex between consenting adults is okay, vs. sex belongs in marriage. Now name four more. Marriage between same sex Drunkeness in consumption of alcohol Promiscuity Lying

What kind of divisions do you see in your congregation or in the Christian community in your area? What is the cause of the divisions in Corinth? What is the case of divisions today? How do we obey the command to "agree with one another" IN ALL QUESTIONS ABOVE; DIFFERENT DAY---SOS (Same Old Stuff)

What gifts does God give us to ensure that we'll continue in faith until the end? STRENGTH, FORGIVENESS, FELLOWSHIP, & FAITHFULNESS Why does each require our active participation to receive its full benefits? IT ALL COMES DOWN TO A DECISION; FOLLOW CHRIST AND DENY SELF, ONLY WE CAN DO THAT--HE WON'T FORCE IT. Which do you need to enter into more? STRENGTH AND THE IGNORANCE OF PERSONAL WILL!!

How often do you thank God for the blessings of those who don't like you, or of your actual enemies? NEVER What does it say about Paul that he thanks God for the gifts of those who are at odds with him? HE IS WHERE I AM ASPIRING TO BE. What specifically does he thank God for about the Corinthian believers? Paul thanks God for all their "speaking," logos, "word, utterance." Here it probably refers to every kind of "spiritual utterance" that are mentioned among the gifts of the Spirit in chapters 12 to 14 -- tongues, prophecy, a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, etc.9 The church had been abusing speaking in tongues (chapter 14). Here is where I invoke Romans 8:26--In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through.

"What does "called to be holy" or "called to be saints" mean? What is a saint according to the Bible? Why is it so comfortable for us to say, "I'm no saint"? What is expected of a person who has been set apart as the personal property of the living God? What kind of behavior does the world expect of those who claim to be followers of Christ? IT CAN'T GET ANY CLEARER THAN THIS: You might ask: How can I be a saint? I sin. I mess up. I'm no saint. Paul begs to differ. You are a saint, not because of your own personal perfection, but because God himself has set you apart to belong to him. "Saint" isn't a reflection on your state of perfection, but your state of ownership. You belong to God and he declares you "set apart" and "holy." He has called you to this role. The only question now is whether your calling will motivate you to actualize this title in your personal obedience and love for him. Like it or not, you're a saint! What the world expects in the area of behaviour is perfection and in some cases judgment; we know better,

Q3. (2 Peter 2:19) In what way can flagrant, defiant sin enslave a person? PLEASURE IS A POWERFUL FORCE..Obesity, sex, and other pleasure giving actions demands that the flesh respond. Without a reason to resist; the flesh will prevail. Is there any way out of these sins? Yes, if we are reasonable and rational. Override the desire with the Word which is laden with consequences. If so, what is the path? THE WORD, trust, belief, and performance thereof. Be a doer of the Word. Talk, in these areas of life is not cheap; it is deadly!! How can we truly love the sinner and hate the sin? It all comes down to the Word. The sinner is of the Spirit and the sin is of the flesh; we must get them confused. How can we steer clear of a quick judgmental attitude toward those who sin? Remember our own transgressions and remember that Jesus paid the cost for us all. Mostly, remember the Word: judge not, less ye be judged. 2 Peter 2:19New International Version (NIV) 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”

(Jude 4) In what way does sexual sin deny Christ? If Paul is right in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, that persistent sexual sin is incompatible with salvation, why have we Christians become so complacent about it in our culture? HE IS CLEAR; WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?! Many people have become complacent because immediate gratification is more accessible than delayed gratification....I call it "eating your seed." The Bible is the seed of truth that will only germinate on God's time; wait!! "..Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed,you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 New International Version (NIV)

Q1. (Jude 3) Why must we "contend for the faith"? We don’t need rocks to cry out; we must speak up. Silence is not always golden…silence should not be interpreted as concent…Like a garden, if we don’t put in the right fruit; the weeds will take over. What is the danger in not challenging the doctrines of false teachers? If we don’t contend for the faith; Satan will definitely fill in the blanks. We must not be the silent minority with a MAJORITY MESSAGE. What is the danger inherent in challenging them? The danger is that we will antagonize them. We run the risk of being misunderstood. We could inadvertently offend others who don’t have a clue of what is going on. How can we keep the correct balance? Walk our talk. Respond offensively and not defensively when inquiries are made. Be ready to preach in and out of season but studying to show ourselves approved and any given moment.

(2 Peter 1:19). In what ways do the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments act for you as "a light shining in a dark place"? I recognize it as authentic wisdom in very pure times. I would not trade it for today’s monkey see/monkey do wisdom. What does the darkness represent? To me, it represents ignorance and unbelief, What does the light represent? Wisdom and belief

. (2 Timothy 3:16) If Scripture is "breathed" by God, how can it help us draw close to God? The more we read and internalize, the more breath we get to inhale and to exhale. Why do you think God's Spirit (pneuma, "breath, wind") is so important in helping us understand Scripture? When the student is ready the teacher will appear. God is the author of Scripture; when we demonstrate that we are ready to receive, He deposits.

Q3. (2 Peter 1:20-21) How can a person be speaking and God be speaking, too? Humans are simply vessels of God; he speaks through us when we receive the gift of His Spirit. How does the image of a ship being moved by the wind help you understand this? (Greek pneuma means "spirit" and "wind.") The ship is designed to be carried by water, not pushed or pulled. Only with the water does it function as it was designed; just as humans.

Q1. (2 Peter 1:13-15) Why does our culture avoid talking about death? People often ignore what they fear. How is describing your earthly body as a "tent" freeing and motivating? When we recognize out body is a temporary dwelling, we will live each day more fully. What is the significance of Peter referring to his death as a "departure" or "exodus"? No one will get out of this world alive. It is appointed until every man once to die.

Why is Christian character an essential indicator of being saved or rescued by Christ? THE GOAL IS TO TAKE ON THE MIND OF CHRIST; WE NEED CHRISTIAN CHARACTER. What Biblical assurance of salvation can you offer the fruitless, barren "believer"? NO ONE IS QUALIFIED TO EARN IT; IT IS A GIFT.

Why do we imagine that "agape love" is easier than loving church members? IT IS AMBIGUOUS AND WITHOUT AN ADDRESS. IT IS TEMPORARY. CHURCH MEMBERS SHOW UP AT THE CHURCH EVERY TIME YOU SHOW UP; SOME ARE JUST PLAIN HARD TO LOVE. SO HARD, THAT THEY DRIVE MEMBERS AWAY. If we avoid church because of our hurts at the hands of church members, can we mature fully in Christ? NO! Why or why not? HIS COMMAND IS CLEAR; THE PRIMARY COMMANDMENT IS LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THY SELF. IN ADDITION, EACH MEMBER HAS A GIFT OF THE PUZZLE OF PRODUCTIVITY WHEN WE FORSAKE THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BRETHERN, WE RISK MINIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY.

Why is a disciplined devotional life important to you? IT IS MY FOUNDATION TO THE DAY. What happens when you forget or don't have time? ... I FIND MYSELF ATTEMPTING TO PATCH IT IN THROUGHOUT THE DAY. What Christian disciplines do you employ to help you open your spirit to God's Spirit? MY RESPONSE ARE GIVEN IN A BIBLICAL DEFAULT FOUNDATION. While I don't necessarily invoke the Bible itself, the Words are generally derived from the bible.

Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. KNOWLEDGE Which has been the hardest for you? TEMPERANCE Why? I love to learn; I especially love to learn about God. I can do it alone with no interruptions. Temperance, however, always show up with an opponent; usually one I do not respect. It is here, I need to remember to restrain, grow, and rise on up the latter..