warrior

Q1. (Ephesians 1:18b) What do we Christians have to look forward to? How should this hope be a major motivation in our present-day lives? How should this hope effect our decisions and our lifestyle? How does our great hope differ from the hope of the average non-believer? We have eternity with Christ in a world that knows no sorrow, no sickness, no pain, no growing old no being restrained in a human body and having full revelation of God, seeing things through his eyes. Hope, one of Strong's definition is confidence and this is great because it is our confidence our Lords ability to keep us from day to day. Confidence is hope in not only the future but staying power to walk his commandments here and be tranported from Glory to Glory as we testify of Him. The un-believer hopes only in what he can do, what he can accomplish. For him the future is what he works and obtains and leaves for an inheritance to his children. Life for them ends with the grave and it is sad after a life wasted on gaining worldly possessions they can't take with them they question at the end what if there is a life after death. For a believer this is not a question but a certainity.

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? We are sealed by his Holy spirit and He is our downpayment for a future with Christ through eternity but He is also our inheritance even now as Christ is our inheritance. The "end of the term" will be when Jesus returns to claim those that have endured to the end. The Holy Spirit within us assures us we abide in Jesus and he abides in us, it is the daily power to keep us sealed and teach us how we ought to live to stay sealed until the rapture

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? He predestined all men that none should perish but all who will should be saved through Jesus Christ? We have to accept that Jesus is the Son of God was born of a virgin, died for our sins and rose again that we might be reconciled to God through him. Our only purpose is to worship Him and testift if Him. If we refuse to be cleansed and filled with God and stay prayed up and read up in his Word that we might be filled with His spirit then we will be filled with more evil than we were before we were saved

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? Just as Jesus could do nothing except that which the Father sent and told him to do when we come under one head we to will only do that that Jesus and the Father has set before us in one voice and one accord and that being to worship and please our Lord. Even when we thing we have the flesh under the Lords control we are all subject to being unfair in our opinons about others. We know we're not to judge and most of the time don't mean it as judging but think we have the right to voice our opinion. If that opinion is at the expense of anothers character we need to take it to Jesus who sees things as they really are. We will be in unity as the only thoughts we will have is about the Lord and what we can do to worship and please him. How can we say to the Creator that he created this one or that one or this thing or that thing wrong he is the creator and created everything perfect, Man in his lack of wisdom created the problems. God gave us this world but we used our free will to think we know how it should be run and never ask the creator what our responsibility was in the world he created. 1 Corinthians reminds us that as Jesus laid down his will to do the Fathers and through his obedience overcame to world and death so in the end will those that endure to the end to be gathered with Him in glory. All enemies, sickness, presecution, troubles and death will be under his control we will see through godly eyes how great, how just God is and always has been.

Q1. (Ephesians 1:7) In what sense have you been "redeemed" from slavery? What do you think your life up to now would have been like, if you hadn't been redeemed? What would your future be like without redemption, do you think? Without being redeemed I had no power in myself to change myself, the things I wanted to do I could not and the things that I did not want to do the flesh was to weak to stop on my own. I was a slave to the sinful flesh and the lies that Satan fed me daily. I would have gone on being misery, I remember how hopless I felt that things would ever be any better or any different. The fear as I laid down to sleep no knowing what tomorrow would bring if I never woke up. I had been brought up in church but backslid and knew I would have to face Jesus if I died whether I was ready or not. There would be no future without redemption. No hope for peace, looking from person to person for love but never finding true love for God is love. Fear at having to face every trial, every death of loved ones and feel no hope of an end of our troubles. Even if you say you don't believe in hell or Heaven one question really lingers what if you're wrong? I have lost nothing by giving my all to God and accepting redeemption but if you don't believe and there is a Heaven and hell then I will gain everything and you will lose by not believing and that will be for eternity.

Q4. (Ephesians 1:5-6) Why is adoption a particularly apt illustration of God's relationship with us? Why is the concept of adoption encouraging to us? Because we who are considered Gentiles were grafted in and adopted by the blood of Jesus and salvation to be the sons of God through adoption. We are made heirs and co-heirs with Him and he is our Father offering to us the same blessing offered to Israel as His chosen people. This is encouraging to us as now we can inherit the Kingdom as an heir with HIM.

Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? What is comforting? Why does Paul bring up predestination? Why do you think he praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? Predestination is being foreordained and is not scary if you think about it correctly, it was not decided who would or would not be saved it was foreordained that everyone should be saved and have eternal life but God gave us a choice and even though He choose us we have the option of refusing Him. It is comforting to know that there was a plan put in place from the beginning to offer me life that I could never have earned or been worthy of through Jesus Christ. I think Paul brought it up due to like today the church has started getting converts that came from all other religions and wanted them to know we were all predestined to be a child of God through Jesus Christ and that no matter what gods or relgion they had been it was our choice to believe and only through Jesus was our election made sure for all of us. All blessing come from God and Paul wanted them to know that God the Father desired to give blessing and good gifts to his children. What God gives is a gift and can't be earned by works or our righteousness for we are only righteous through Jesus Christ who bought us with a price making us heirs to the gifts of God.

Q3. (Ephesians 1:4) What does it mean to be "holy"? In what sense can you stand "blameless" before God? Jesus is our example and even as He was Holy so must we be, He was perfect and had no sin and only through him can we stand blameless before God because he paid the price as our sacrifice and His blood covers our sins and when God looks upon one that has truely set his life apart for Christ all He sees is the blood not our sins.

Q1. (Ephesians 1:3) What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" -- incorporated into Christ? What are the implications of this for your life? To be in Christ means you put on the character of Christ, you are one in union with him and when the world looks at you they should see Jesus not you. If they see you there is still flesh that needs to die out so that all of you will be in Christ. In Christ you have constant communion with him through His Word and prayer, without a prayer life you will not remain in Christ for their will be no communication. By being in Christ I am assured of salvation, abundant grace, righteousness and eternal life but the blessing include so much more as his child prayers answered for healing, things that are needed, being a witness no one can ever give more than Christ gives to them.

I learned through faith all things are possible if we open our hearts to accept the answer God sends, it doesn't waver just because it doesn't come in our time. The studies are very complete and historical as well as biblical I like that. There is nothing new the bible repeats itself from historical stand point. We just need to discern the old when put beside the now. I'm not sure how or if it could be improved since you have people at different levels of understanding God's Word. I myself like to cross reference the scriptures I'm studying as far as they can be searched, the studies offer the chance to go deeper or just do the studies and questions. Great studies.

Which of Abraham's achievements inspires you the most? As you reflect on his life, what stands out for you? I think his humbleness, he could have got prideful over his being close enough to God to hear him and talk with him. So many today begin to worship the gift instead of the giver of the gifts and forget we are nothing unless God is in us doing it through us. I love the way he sought peace with all men but had the faith and strength to war when needed. From the very beginning he had faith that leaving his homeland and family would only reap riches with God and it did.

What do you think of the servant's prayer and test of God? Did the servant find the right girl on the basis of his hasty prayer? If not, then how? It doesn't take long elegant prayers to get God's attention just a prayer from an earnest heart seeking an answer within God's will and not our own **** desires. (**** being anything that boost us up material or otherwise that doesn't glorify God.) He made his request known ands it was for his master needs not his own and he was asking for God's will not his own to point out the right person. Yes God answered his prayer, it was made with a truthful heart and desire that flesh not pick the woman so God sent the one he needed. There are times God doesn't want us to fleece him but to just step out on faith and believe but there are times when we feel the flesh may be to much involved I believe to fleece the Lord is a good thing.

What is the significance of Abraham's faith in God's promises at the same time as he pays dearly for this small property? What does this tell us about faith? Abraham still had faith in God's promise but at this time needs being immediate he followed the laws of the land at that time it was proper since God still calls for us to follow the laws of our day. Abrahams faith was such that God would restore whatever price he paid for the land in future blessing and wealth as he had in times past, Abraham never doubted that.

Take some time to review Sarah's life and legacy. What were her strengths? Her weaknesses? Where did she show faith? Where did she lack faith? One of her strengths was in her submission for the most part to her husband, even her faith in God appeared to be more due to her husbands faith than one of personal experience. Her love and devotion to Abrahams in wanting to give him a child and to have one herself led to error but it was a strength that her desire to carry on her husbands legacy. She was weak in faith and doubted God when he promised a child, she sometimes took things in her own hand instead of waiting on God like with her maid Hagar.

How does Abraham's near sacrifice of his beloved, only son Isaac help you understand better Jesus' crucifixion? The unconditional love Abraham had for God that caused him trust God so completely is only a small portion of the love God has for manking. God, The Word (who became Jesus in the flesh) and the spirit always were no beginning no end. It is impossible with our human minds to understand the love that God had when he sent the Word as His only begotton son to dies for our sins. We get upset when we give our kids everything and they don't seem to respect us or appreciate what we have done. How much more should God be upset with us and our lack of respect for His rules, lack of appreciation for what he has given us. We raise our kids and hopefully at 18 or soon thereafter we hope our teaching has helped them face the world. God is our heavenly father do we not think he feels the same way about us HIS CHILDREN.

How have you learned to trust God to provide for you? With each trial I go through it helps to have the milestones to look back to when I think I can't make it through this one. I didn't think I could make it through some that have come and gone but I look back at how God worked it out and it amazes me that my flesh never thought of solving it the way Jesus worked it out. How has he provided for you in the past? What are you facing right now that will require God to be your Provider, your Jehovah-Jireh? I have had to trust him to send food my way when the pay check just wasn't there. Right now I'm facing having to set in a church where the people are in comfort zones and just don't want to move any closer while I have a hunger that is causing grief in my spirit and sleepless nights due to the burden I have for God has revealed some things to me that will happen unless the people get hungry. I see these things coming to pass and I can only pray since they are not listening to the Word, the light of truth that is being sent to us.

Can we really know God until we can trust him with our whole lives? No we must first trust him, we can have head knowledge but nothing but the experience of daily walking by faith to learn how we can believe Him for all our needs is what we lead to really knowing him for ourselves. Have you surrendered your life to Jesus Christ? If not, why not now? If you have, what has that surrender entailed for you? How has God blessed you in return? I have surrendered my life but more important my self will to Christ. Early on in my christian walk I was forced to hear from my alcoholic husband that I couldn't have God and him, I sold out to God and it was not an easy trial and took many years but God kept telling me to stay and now my ahusband is no longer an alcoholic, where he used to try and order me not to go to church he sends me to conferences and mission trips.

What effect does Satan want trials to have in our life? Satan wants to shake our faith in God by convincing us that God doesn't care what happens to us and that he doesn't love us or he would not be letting us go through the trial. What effect does God want them to have? God wants the trial to drive us closer to Him, to run to His presence in faith knowing that where God is there is victory. He wants us to have our faith strengthened so that we can learn to completely lean on Him and not our own understanding. The effect really depends upon how we respond to the trial. Have you ever been through a trial that strengthens and invigorates you at the end? Yes I have had quite a few the most recent a surgery that sent me to ICU with internal bleeding and in shock from loss of blood so that in my semi conscious state my faith that had been build up trough other trials left me able to trust that He would see me through and within 48 hours after that I came home healed. Have any of your trials inspired others or have you been inspired by another's trial? Yes since I know what it's like to be totally dependent on God at times for food, a home after mine burned to the ground, and many others things I have been able to encourage others who didn't think they could make it through the trial.

It makes one realize while we don't know what the future holds we know the one who holds the future. Everything will one day pass away but God is eternal and will always be. I live my life working and witnessing for the Lord as if we have eternity to will the loast but I live my spiritual walk in righteouness as if he will return the next moment for this is possible we are that close to the end and no more prophecy has to be met before he returns. I want to be a part of the bride not just get in by a narrow margin for it might not be enough. I want to have a intimate relationship one on one with my Lord, nothing coming between.

In what ways has God blessed Abraham in this difficult chapter 21? Abraham was blessed by a deeper faith that God had fulfilled his promise of a son and that God would also through that son make him the father of a great nation. God gave him another blessing by his son Ishmael who would become a nation. Given what we know about Ishmael's character (16:12; 25:18), how has Abraham been blessed that he sent him away? Ishmael was to grow as a man of conflict and would enjoy creating such conflict this dominating character is not what God had in mind for Issac. There would have been conflict not only between the sons but also between the mothers putting Abraham forever in the middle of conflict. How has Isaac been blessed? Through him a great nation and eventually Christ who would offer salvation to all people. Yes I have suffered rejection, the greatest at the hands of what I thought was my christian family for 20 years to only find you could see things there way or find yourself being pushed out of the church. God was in it completely though I could not see that at the time, by removing myself from the constant strife of wondering what I would do or say next that would start more strife I was able to find a church with a pastor who preaches and lives by the Word of God and through the preaching and teaching of the Word as God tells us has brought me closer in a relationship with God that is not dependent on man, what he thinks or does can't change what I have and what I am through Christ

What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself? Sarah motive seems to be one of jealousy and desire for her son, the son of promise to be total heir, but God was even in this decision for his promise would be fulfilled through Isaac and since Ishmael was to be a man of conflict this would have presented problems that may have hindered Abrahams full obedience in hearing and obeying Godl. We all have tried at times to get our spouse to do something he/she did not want to do but to go against ones principles is to try and alter the character of that person and that we should not be doing unless it's to try and lead them to the image of Christ.

The name Isaac means "he laughs." What is Sarah's laughter like now compared to her laughter in 18:12-15 and Abraham's laughter in 17:17? What does this tell you about God's sense of humor? I sense Sarah may have laughed hoping to make a joke out of a painful part of her life in not being able to bear a child. We sometimes when we doubt God but want it so badly hinder our receiving the answer in a timely matter by making excuses why it has not happened. Sarah now laughs with joy and maybe a little repentence at her doubt. Abraham laughed due to the time in life that God choose to do this, he had seen God do all he had promised and beleived he could do this but maybe laughed at why now in their old age. God's humor isn't a sense of humor like things are funny but humor that man that he created in his image is so far from the image he was created in and needs so much humoring on Gods part to get him to the point of the image of God.

19:30-38) Why did Lot's daughters turn to incest? What does this tell us about their values? About their faith? Why does Lot turn to intoxication? What does this incident tell us about his faith? His hope? His influence? His choice of residence? What lessons should we learn from this story? Having been brought up in the standards of perversion in Sodom and seeing their Father not take a stand against it I'm sure they thought it normal. Lot knew the right way from living with Abraham but forsook it for the pleasures and riches of Sodom. He traded righteouness for low moral values for himself and his family. Lot was urged by his daughters to drink the wine so they could commit the incest, I'm sure he was more than willing out fear and having lost everything that he had compromised to get. Lot had little faith or he would not have been in Sodom. He seemed to have enough faith not to become like them but not enough to beleive God would provide if he took a stand against them or left to live somewhere else. He does not appear to have had no hope past the material things he had gained. He had no influence over his family for not matter what he might have said his act of turning his head at their sins proof stronger evidence of that lifestyle being alright for his descendants. We need to learn no matter how close to God we are there are consequences for every decision we make and sometimes they effect our family, people watching our lives that might have wanted to get saved but are influenced by our choices. God may forgive our sins but he does not always protect us from the natural judgements that are a result of that sin. If we sin a law of the land and get saved he will see us through but we will still have to pay a penalty from the courts, if we abuse our body with drugs, drink or perversion he will forgive and sometimes does heal but sometimes leave us with scars to remind us where he brought us from.

19:26) After being nearly delivered, why did Lot's wife stop and gaze rather than escaping? What was in her heart? Have you ever struggled with this in your heart? What lesson does Jesus draw from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33? We are really not unlike Lot's wife, to many times we sit on church pews thinks and looking back i our mind to people or times in our past and we rob God of His time to bless her through worship and His Word. This is **** of the eye for things of the world that God has set us apart from so that we can grow spiritually. Many try to serve God out of fear of hell than out of love and He will not accept it. He will not be second place. Lot's wife never left Sodom in her heart and what is in the heart will come forth in actions and words hers was to look back. Yes we all struggle with this especially when Satan is really trying us he like to make us think we didn't have these troubles before serving the Lord. God can only bless us if we are where we're suppose to be, if he is pouring out His blessing I don't want to be in my past but where the blessings are pouring. When I do think of who I used to be I feel shame and am awed that God could love me so much.

(19:15-16) Why did Lot and his family hesitate? Have you ever hesitated when you should have been fleeing a danger? What is the lesson for us? Family ties are very strong but so are friendships and the ties to material things we collect here on earth. That is why we should lay up treasure in heaven all of us will face this decision at one time or another, maybe not on the level Lot did but there will come a time of decision if we put anything or anyone ahead of God. Abraham gave Lot his choice of which land to take but Lot became big and important in his own eyes forgetting all his blessing was of God for Abrahams sake. We should remember God has set a path before us and it goes forward no where to turn around to look back from where we came. That old person is dead why dig them up. We all have started and then questioned if it was really Gods will, but if His Word backs up what you feel you need to do God will bless. If it glorifies God, the Lord or His kingdom then it is God for that is what we are here for. Satan is not going to help you do anything for God's kingdom.