warrior

(19:4-11) How can Christians keep balance on the issue of homosexuality in our day? Is it really possible to be loving and compassionate toward practicing homosexuals at the same time as you condemn the sin? Should the church be silent about homosexuality? If not, what should we be saying? Where should we be saying it? If we avoid being judgemental and remember all sin including ours is hated by God while he still loves us. It is not about what we personally think but about what God says. Tell people only what God's Word has to say and let him judge. The church should not be quite but neither should it go on a bandwagon and make it a issue about other sins all sin is as filthy rags before God. Most people living in sin know they are sinning they don't need us to tell them that they need to know our Lord and his love and power to deliver all from the bondage of sin and this is what we should be saying and saying it everywhere.

Abraham had confidence in God as judge of the earth and his righteous judgement toward all people. He knew the mind of God from the unconditional wald with him and he felt the had the freedom to be bold in talking to God. After all God had let him know ahead of time what was to happen and he knew being God that Abraham would intercede in prayer. God send Jesus to pay a huge price that we man come boldly to the throne so yes he expects us to be bold, he wants us to learn to have the mind of Christ so we will know how to be bold through interceding. Abraham's first thought and desire was to the saving of his own kin as Lot was living in Sodom and unless God heard his pleading he would perish with the town when judgment came. We need to pray as Jesus himself would have prayed with our thoughts and desires to please him which would be anything that brings praise and glory for the kingdom of God.

The same as it always whas been God never changes people do. By walking the path, following his commandments, that is what raises our moral standards and puts on us the nature and character of God. It seems more difficult because the increase in the growth of people, many which have turned from the Lord and went their own way and are trying to influence the Godly Christians to compromise. God has always had only right and wrong nothing in between and there can not be righteouness if we are breaking even one of his commandments. As the end of time grows near Satan has found more vessels to do his work by letting the demons of greed, envy, ****, perversion and all forms of evil to go even into the churches to try and seduce the very elect if possible. We can never give up our guard but it is and will be until the return of Christ a battle, right against wrong, spiritual against flesh.

Q2. (18:16-19) How can fathers and husbands strike the right balance -- of being godly, caring leaders without being dictators? How can mothers and wives strike the right balance -- of being submissive and at the same time being open about their needs and desires? By seeking time with God and learning not only about him but who He is and what He expects out of us. Until we are who we should be in Christ we can not be what we should be in any relationship. No matter how much in love two people are the must be Christ first and time must be set aside to hear His voice. Women are to follow and be submissive as the man leads under the leadership of Christ, if he is leading with the mind and character of God there will be no problem in being submissive or in the ability to discuss any needs either has.

Q1. (18:14) How can we tell if we really believe in God's present willingness to do miracles in our day? Is there any indication in Scripture that God will stop doing miracles? Is there any indication that God continues to do miracles? How can we regain an active faith in the God of miracles? The promise of the scriptures that he is still has the power in heaven and in earth to do anything and through the testimonies of those who have received we know it is still being done. I know I just witnessed one where my sister underwent a heart scan at one hospital that showed heart blockage in an artery we prayed the next day when they sent her to a hospital that specializes in the heart and ran the heart cath there was no blockage praise God, we knew it was a miracle from God. There is nothing in the scriptures to show the miracle have stopped Jesus said the things that I do you shall do in my name so if the miracles are not being done it is not Jesus but us who have failed to reconize the power he has given to us if he abides in us and we in him. We can regain once again the power of the name of Jesus when we get into his presence and stay there until we take on His nature and character. Only then will we have the mind of Christ and know how to use the power to do the works that Christ did.

Q4. In your own words, how would you explain why circumcision is now obsolete for Christians and that baptism is now sign of the covenant? With Jesus fulfilling the law of the Old Testament we came under a new and better covenant of grace. The ritual of circumcision was a outward sign of a covenant between man and God, since Jesus had not fulfilled the law it was a part of God's law at the time to show the death of the flesh and putting aside of sin to dedicate ones life to God. Now after the new covenant we are baptized to bury the old man, our flesh in Jesus death and arise a new man resurrected with Him in righteouness. The circumcision did nothing to change the heart just an obedience to the law, if one really burys the old man to rise in righteouness with Jesus Christ his heart and life are changed forever.

Q3. What does it mean to have your heart circumcised? Why is this a necessity for all true believers, both Jew and Christian? How can we keep our faith active as an inward _expression of love rather than become only an external religion? Have you ever struggled with this? To be circumcised of heart is be seperated on a daily basis from the flesh and set apart for Christ. Be set free through pray and study everyday that the sin that our flesh might would cause would be put under the blood and even our thoughts made pure. By a active prayer life and active study of His Word and by offering praise and worship daily for the overcoming power we have through the blood of Jesus Christ we will have a communication with Him that will be inward and not just outward religious ritual of reading and a quick prayer saying in our hearts we have done our duty. Living for Christ is not a duty but a fulfillment of life itself. We all struggle with the flesh and alll have come short of the Glory of God but daily taking it back to the cross gives us daily overcoming power to keep attaining spiritual perfection.

Q2. (17:11) What does circumcision signify for Abraham, his household, and his descendents? Why is some kind of definite act on Abraham's part important to confirming the covenant? What does Abraham's obedience the very same day signify? It was an outward sign of a covenant between God and Abraham and Abraham's decendants. By a definite act Abraham was acknowledging to all by his example His covenant relationship between him and the one true God. Today our circumcision is the outward sign of water baptism after we are saved we are saying we washing away all that we were as our old man and putting on the new man of Christ. By doing so without delay what God ordered Abraham showed forth his complete trust, faith and obedience to the God he served. This total obedience is what brought so many blessing to Abrahham, his decendants and on down to us.

Q1. (17:1-2) When God tells Abraham, "Walk before me and be blameless," is he requiring moral perfection? What kind of blamelessness does he require of Abraham? Does he expect more (or less) of Christians under the new covenant? Perfection as long as we live in a human body with human emotions will always fall short of the glory of God but spiritual we can attain perfection as an obedient servant of God. It requires more than what most of us are willing to pay because our self will has to die that Christs' will may arise and become the ruler. We are to take on His mind and character so that our responses and prayers are as Christ would have done. God never changes, people change and circumstances changes but what God required when he gave His commandments he still expects today. Jesus came to fulfill the law that we might be under grace instead of the law but God still expects spiritual perfection. We will never be perfect as the world describes perfect but God judges by His own standards and not man's. Thank God for His mercy without it we would all deserve death.

Q4. What lesson is God teaching you out of Hagar's experience? Which situation that God is calling you to is most difficult for you to submit to? Even if people misunderstand you, are abusive, and mistreat you God still cares about you, He care what you feel, how you are treated, what you thinks and where you are going or where you been. The greatest of love in that He loved us while we were angry at Him, denying Him, refusing to obey, rebellious and wanting our own way. I think for most christians the hardest thing to submit to is showing love and forgiveness to those in the house of God who have hurt you, talked about you and sometimes even refuse you efforts to show love and forgiveness.

Q3. (16:13-14) What is the significance of Hagar's name for God -- El Roi, the God Who Sees? What does it mean to a person who is discouraged and losing hope? What does it mean to you personally? Hagar realized that God say her as a person, a daughter He loved. she was not just a servant less important in God's eyes. He saw what she had gone through, where she was and why, He saw her hurt and disappointment. He loved her yet he gently let her know she was out of His will and must return. God see our discouragment and disappointments but God never changes and that should give us great comfort and hope and faith to believe when all seems lost.

Q2. (16:7-9) Why does the angel ask Hagar something that the angel already knows? ("Where have you come from, and where are you going?") Why does she send her back to Sarah? Have you ever reacted and got yourself out of the place God wanted you? The question brought Hagar out of her self pity mode and let her know she was not just a servant but a person that God knew personally and loved. God let her know he knew who she was, why she was there and that he would bless her and the child as he had promised Abram. He told Abram he would bless his seed and even though this was not the child of promise it was his seed. Hagar learned more about true love, faith and being totally obedient to God. God sent her back to teach her more about His kind of love, about living by faith, and serving those over you even in difficult times

Q1. (16:1-6) Why does Sarah take her anger out on Abraham? Why does she take her anger out on Hagar? Is she trying to get rid of Hagar or the baby? In what sense is Hagar's pride Abraham's fault? In what sense is Hagar's affliction Abraham's fault? What situation in your family does this reminds you of? She is angry to hid her ow guilt at giveing the maid to Abraham, she may not have doublted God's promise but she was self centered enough to want a child in the time she thought it should happen. She is angrey at Hagar because in Hagars pride she elevated herself above Sarai. Abrahm should have taken the responsibility to let Hagar know she was the concubine that Sarai was the wife to avoid so much pride in Hagar. I'm sure Abrahm must have also had a problem with pride to know he was fathering a child but where pride is there is sure going to be a fall.

Q4 (15:17-18a) Why did God go through the covenant ritual with Abraham, with the divided carcasses? Why does God bind himself to a solemn promise? How does Abraham respond to God's promises (15:6)? What promises has God made to us that affect our futures? What significance does blood sacrifice have in those promises? Before man was God had in heaven a plan already set up for the sacrifices that would be needed but when man sinned in the garden the plan had to be executed and even at that time required a blood sacrifice for fallen man to be clothed. He had lost the covering of God's glory when he sinned and had to have the skins to cover them. It was for the building of Abrahams faith and to raise up a pure line for the one day final sacrifice of His Son that God used a convenant ritual. God cannot lie and is bound by any promise he makes, His covenant was a promise but to bind a covenant the shedding of a blood sacrifice was the only way for the remission of sins which was latter taken away through the shedding of Jesus blood. God has never changed and His promises are as much for us today and in the day of Abraham, to those who have repented and became sons of God

Q3. (15:16) Have you ever been frustrated with God for not fulfilling his promise to you immediately? Why does God sometimes delay the fulfillment of his promises to a future time? No! I have been frustrated with myself but not with God. God has a perfect plan for each of us and is perfect in His timeing. Everything that happens to us is to bring us to Him in intimate communication not just coming with a wish list for Him to answer. When we love someone we expect at least sometimes to be told "I love you", so does God, He does everything for us, we think we earn our living but truth is He provides us with jobs so we might have things we need and want, He makes the supply of food available to man so we might eat how often do we really praise Him for being our heavenly Father? There is no such thing as unaswered prayer, it is either yes, no or not yet but it is and always will receive an answer. Sometimes if it is for someone else we are praying then it is conditionial on whether or not that person is living to where he or she can receive God's blessings. I wonder how many of us give us thinking God is no going to answer when the next time we ask could have been the miracle we needed. Keep pressing, God presses us to bring us closer to Him.

Q2. (15:6) What is so amazing about this verse? On what basis does God declare Abraham a righteous person? What significance does this have to our New Testament understanding of justification by faith? His faith in steadfastly doing what is righteous and being obedient to God even when circumstances would say it was impossible. He believed God and was certain what he believed would come to pass. He did not know when or How only that it would happen because God promised it. God accounts faith on our part to righteouness just as He did for Abraham. When we stand frim in faith it is like putting money in the bank that is earning us interest in the future. Best of all it is God's gift for we could never on our own merit earn this. God is awesome.

Q1. (15:1) What does it mean to you personally to call God your "Shield"? What does it mean to you that he promises to you (as heir of the promises to Abraham) "an exceedingly great reward"? What does it mean to you to call God your Suzerain or Sovereign? He is my protector who goes before me and when trails, persecutions and danger comes he raised up to shield me that my faith remains strong. As my Sovereign God I know there is no other, no one else above Him, no one with more power. He controls the very elements of nature how could I not let Him control me?

Q4. (14:21-24) Why does Abraham refuse to take the spoils of war that the King of Sodom offers him? What does this tell us about Abraham's character? What is the lesson here for us to learn? Abram had always trusted God to supply all his needs and God had made him wealthy, he did not need what this King ordered but more important he did not want any pagan thing from an evil king but preferred to keep himself seperate from such worldly things and faithful to his God. His high moral character refused to compromise to become rich or important in the worlds eyes. If we will keep ourselves a seperate people and trust God our riches will be far greater that the material wealth the world calls riches.

Q3. (14:20) What is the significance of Abraham giving one tenth of the spoils of war to Melchizedek? Does tithing today represent the same kind of worship? Why should we tithe to God first (like Abraham did) before dividing up our paychecks to pay our bills? It acknowledged Abrams belief they worshipped the same God creator of all and was his way of worshipped and honoring God by paying tithes to Melchizedek as God's priest. This was a symbol of our now worhsipping and honoring God by our love and loyalty and paying of tithes to the Lord as our high priest. God has abounded in blessing in our lives and owns everything so the 10% tithes is not something he needs or wants if we do it for the wrong reasons, it should be our love to please him that leads us to obey his commandments. We tend to forget 10% doesn't say of our wages are we giving him 10% of our time, prayer life, worship, doing good deeds or do we pay 10% of our wages and expect the pastor or elders to do our worhip and works for us?

Q2. (14:13-16) What does Abraham's military expedition to rescue Lot from the Mesopotamian kings tell us about his character? About his abilities? About the way he deals with neighbors? What is here for us to emulate? Abraham always sought God's will in everything and knew that if God be for him would could be against him so he knew that he would win before the battle started. His character and blessing from God was noticed by his neighbors and they wanted to be a blessing which is one of God's promises to Abraham. Abraham had the mind of God and treated his neighbors with the compassion and fairness of God but without any compromise or letting down of his standards and faith. We can be assured if God calls us to do anything he will equip us with the tools, faith and strength to do it if we step out in faith.

Q1. (13:2) Does Abraham's material wealth reflect God's blessing on him? Does material wealth always reflect God's blessing? Does physical poverty always reflect God's curse? It was a blessing but only because of his obedience in following God's commmandments. We are all blessed with things we did not ask for due to our love and worship of God as the head of our lives. Poverty doesn't reflect God's curses anymore than wealth is an indicaton of being within God's will. Many people who claim not to believe in God appear blessed with material wealth and by the worlds standard that is a blessing but God has said that man is cursed and for a season all may seem well but there are paydays for everthing we do or don't do in obedience to God. Sometimes we don't have as much as the next person due to God's love he knows if material wealth would cause us to love the gifts more than the giver and he will not give us anything that draws us away from him. Some christians have much but not all of it is from God, God will not force his will and sometimes we get things, go into debt expecting God to supple all we need to meet that debt when if we had listened his answer was no or wait awhile. Sometimes we have to work harder more overtime effecting our time with God to meet things we got on our own and still remain blinded to the fact that it is not what God intended.

Q3. (12:1 with Hebrews 11:8-10) Why does it take special faith to begin to do something in obedience to God before we see how it will turn out? Have you had any of these "opportunities"? Are you in the midst of this adventure now? Having being out of town about the Lord's work I am running a little behind on the questions. If we know what the outcome would be it would not be faith and it would also cause our flesh to recoil and not be obedient to God's will if the outcome was one that would bring trails and hardships no one in their flesh desires to hurt and be tried on every hand. I am in the midst of an adventure that is taking a lot of faith I reaching a senior age and have just decided to start my Bible College credits but it is what I feel led to do. I also am traveling with an evanglist to revivials right now just testifying but am open to what God wants me to do. Little is much when God is in it and if he has a work and I don't have but a few years I'm willing to give him all I have.

Q4. What do you think about Abraham's and Sarah's ethics and faith? Are they ethically and morally wrong? Does the Scripture intend to show that their actions as a lack of faith? What lessons should we disciples learn from these stories? I some how overlooked answering this question but as I understand it ethically they were doing what seemed right from the human side, Abraham did not want to die and there was a real danger in that happening so the king could have Sarah. I feel knowing Abraham's faith that he sought God for an answer on what to do and perhaps he lacked wisdom is waiting for an answer from God. Since we are are responsible for doing what we know is right and good we know they lying is not good and nothing right will be gained from it so yes I think maybe ethically they were wrong. Morally I don't and my reason goes with my answer as to their lack of faith. I don't believe they lacked faith, I feel it took more faith on Abrahams part than we would have been willing to exercise because even making a human decision if that was the case he knew since the promise seed would come through Sarah and himself he knew God had a plan to remove Sarah from any danger and she was returned untouched to Abraham. I am sure he and Sarah talked about the dangers of lying and what could happened if they took her but their trust was in God to deliver and he did. We can learn and be sure that God is true to His promises and if it is not a conditional promise he will deliver sometimes in spite of our wisdom and our trying to work it out by our own understanding.

What relationship does God's promise to Abraham in 12:2-3 have to do with the incident of Sarah's abduction in 20:10-20? God promised Abraham that he would be blessed and be a blessing and all families of the earth would be blessed through Him. This promise was possible only through Abraham's seed which would be the line that would bring forth Jesus. Much is said about Abraham's lack of faith but after reading this over many times and thinking about it I feel it would faith beyond measure, he did what he felt he had to do to stay alive until the promise was fulfilled with Isaac's birth but he knew that Sarah would be protected by God and no one could touch her for God would not allow it. It was common in those days for Kings to claim any woman they wanted even if it meant death for the husband. Abraham knew to go where God was telling him to go there would be this danger and He arranged with Sarah to say she was his sister. I believe Sarah knew, that they had discussed at length how God would deliver her love for Abraham led her to agree to the lie.

Q3. (20:3-6) What does this story teach us about God's view of adultery? Can God forgive a person who has committed adultery? Adultery in God's view was serious enough for Him to command death for both person's involved. This is not only in the natural but spiritual adultery, in Matt. 12:39 Jesus calls the people a evil and adulterous generation looking for a sign here He was talking about a nation who had turned away from the Lord. Many think God changes just because society changes but not so He is the same yesterday, today and always. Those that think it ended with the old testament needs to read the many passages in the New Testament in 1 Cor. 6:9 it includes adulterers as part of the ones that will not inherit te kingdom of God. Yes God can and does forgive adultery, but it has to be true repentence. It will deliver them from their sins not in their sins so it will require a turning away from the sin by God's mercy and salvation.