LisaZ

Q9. (3:21) How can God receive more glory in your local congregation? How can you help this happen? Testimonies are often a powerful and encouraging way to glorify God. We could use more testimony sharing in my church and I could suggest this to the leadership. We could also be more loving and hospitable, as our pastor is encouraging us to be and to invite other members of the congregation to our homes to get to know one another better since we are a large church. As we love one another there will be more unity and deeper fellowship and when believers walk in love and unity it glorifies God.

Q8. (3:20) How should verse 3:20 of the doxology energize your prayers? It should encourage us and strengthen our faith and allow us to be able to pray "bigger" prayers with expectation, knowing we serve a big and mighty God. It has certainly encouraged me today and made me realize my prayers have been getting a lot smaller lately so I better meditate on this verse and get into the Bible! What happens when we limit God by our own ability to comprehend? We end up praying only for what we are able to see or imagine instead of using God's vision to pray for the things that are in His heart to fulfill. How can we get past this failing? We can pray for God to help us see things with His eyes and His heart, and ask for revelation. We can also read the Bible and remember all the mighty things God has done, things beyond our comprehension.

Q7. (3:19) Have you ever prayed for a fellow believer that he or she might be "filled with all the fullness of God"? I have prayed that before, but I did not have a full understanding of what I was really praying. This Bible study has really helped me gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for what you are asking in this prayer. What would you be praying for with that kind of prayer? You would be praying that God's presence would be visible in that person, that they would be so full of God that others could not help but see God in them. They would be full of God's power, love, wisdom, courage and strength and would be powerful and effective for God. How does this prayer relate to Ephesians 5:27 and Colossians 1:28? Eph. 5:27 "and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." Col. 1:28 "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ." These verses also are in line with what you are asking for the person when you pray for them to be filled with the fullness of God. If the church was filled with the fullness of God, we truly would be a glorious church, something beautiful and awesome to behold, and we would astound the world.

Q6. (3:17-19) Why does Paul pray that the believers grasp the fullest extent of Christ's love for them? If believers are deeply rooted in Christ's love for them and have a true understanding of that love, they can change the world around them through the powerful love and compassion they themselves will now transmit. How does comprehending this love change a person's spiritual life? A believer cannot TRULY comprehend Christ's love for them and remain unchanged. To truly comprehend is to be filled with God's love and to be filled means to be changed and continue growing and to share that love with others. There is a reason that Jesus said believers would be known by their love. If we truly were living in God's love, all believers around the world, we could change the world. Is there any end to Christ's love for a person? God's love is unending, immeasurable and impossible to fully comprehend. But even a partial understanding will change a person.

Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? Paul prays for strengthening of the inner man because he wants believers to grow in the Holy Spirit and for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully through believers but they have to be willing and to be strong in the Holy Spirit and knowing God. How would we pray this prayer today? By praying for people to know God in a deeper way and to understand the immense power available to us through the Holy Spirit living in us. Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact? This is already an established fact, but he prays so that Christ's presence and power will be more evident as believers grow in Jesus.

Q4. (1:18) Why is a revelation of "his incomparably great power for us who believe" essential to a vital faith? We have to know that God is all-powerful to have a vital and life-changing faith. We have to know that God is able to change circumstances and that He loves us unconditionally and is well able to protect, provide for, teach and change us and others. How do you develop this faith in yourself? In Romans 10:16-18 it states that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. I develop my faith through reading the Bible and meditating on what passages mean and how to apply them. I also develop my faith through prayer and communion with God. How do you pray for it for others? By praying for revelation for others, a deeper walk with God and praying for them to desire and find the time to spend more time with God and in His Word.

Q3. (1:18) What is the result in prayer and faith if believers think that God is poverty-stricken? There would be no point in asking God for help in financial areas and it would be very difficult to believe Phil. 4:19 which states that all our needs will be met according to the riches of God's glory. If God was not able to meet His own needs, how could he possibly meet ours? How does knowledge of a "glorious inheritance" motivate our lives? Our prayers? It is encouraging to know that we have a glorious inheritance and I believe that inheritance is available to us now since an inheritance comes to someone while they are still living. Through the Holy Spirit and through Jesus' death and sacrifice on the cross we are able to do amazing things and to have all our needs met abundantly above all we ask or think or even dream of but the difficulty for me personally is really knowing that as truth in my heart all the time. It does motivate me to reach for more of God and to pray that I will truly know all that is available to me in God and how to reach others. How can you pray for others to glimpse this inheritance? Again, praying Paul's prayer for others, that they would know their glorious inheritance and that the eyes of their hearts would be opened.

Q2. (1:18) How has your Christian "hope" changed your way of living? It has given me purpose and a sense of belonging. I know I can turn to God at anytime and He is there for me. What is the result of Christians with only a meager or minute hope? They do not live in the full victory available to them through Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross. They do not live in freedom, they often live in fear and discouragement. How would you pray for hope to be borne in others? Paul's prayer is inspired by the Holy Spirit and praying that prayer for others, for them to be enlightened and to know the fulness of their inheritance would result in hope being borne in others.

Q1. (1:17-18). What do you learn from Paul's manner of prayer for the Ephesian believers? It is important to keep praying for other believers to continue to grow and receive more revelation of God and to give thanks for other believers. If Christians stopped praying for people to receive a revelation of God, would people come to know God on their own? I think some people would but the number of people who did would be greatly diminished. Would God work in them at all? How important is this kind of prayer?I think this kind of prayer is very important. God has chosen to work in partnership with him and prayer is one of our very important responsibilities. I have prayed this prayer in Ephesians fo a few other believers and have noticed changes in their relationship with God after praying but I have definitely not been consistent and persistent in prayer like Paul was. What a wonderful and amazing walk with God he had!

Q4. (22:43) Did Jesus get "special treatment" because he was the Son of God to have angels help and strengthen him in his spiritual struggle? Do we get that help, too? I don't believe Jesus got "special treatment", I believe ministering angels are available for all believers in Jesus and that whether we realize it or not, at different times they have assisted us. It is encouraging to me to think that we have angels assigned to help us. It sounds like the ministering angel that ministered to Jesus helped him greatly.

Q3. (22:42) When Jesus prayed "not my will, but yours be done," was the Father pleased? The Father was pleased with Jesus because his surrender showed his unfailing trust in the Father and his great love for the Father. Why is the Father not pleased when we are passive and uncaring and dispassionate in our prayers that his will be done? It shows that we are not passionate about the Father's will and are not in tune with God's heart. If we truly love Him, we are passionate about what He is passionate about and dedicated to serving God and working with Him to accomplish His purposes in all areas. What is required for us to pray the prayer of submission with authenticity? Humility, love and trusting God wholeheartedly are key to surrendering to God.

Q2. (22:42) Why did Jesus pray that the Father take the cup from him?According to Mark and Matthew, Jesus repeated this prayer three times. Why was he so intense about it? What did this mean?Jesus was asking if there was another way for man's redemption to be attained without the cross. Jesus knew what a terrible cup he was faced with, taking on the sins of the whole world and being separated from his loving Father and the Holy Spirit. His asking 3 times shows the severity and seriousness of the task ahead of him and the intensity of his feelings about it. Why was Jesus resisting the Father's will? Or was he? I don't believe he was resisting the Father's will, he was just asking if there was any other way for the Father's will to be accomplished. Ultimately though he prayed for the Father's willto be done,whatever it would take.

Q1. (22:40-41, 45-46) Why did he ask his disciples to pray? What temptation did Jesus know they would be facing? What was the content of their prayer to be? Jesus asked his disciples to pray so that they would not enter into temptation. He knew they would be facing circumstances that would cause fear and doubt and he wanted them to pray so that they would be courageous and faithful to Him and the truth of who Jesus is. Did they actually pray this prayer diligently? They did not pray this prayer diligently at all, they kept falling asleep. How does the Lord's Prayer word this kind of prayer? "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" Why do you think Jesus wanted to be alone during his own prayer? I think because Jesus was so anguished he wanted a bit of privacy with his Father, so that he could fully express his heartwrenching emotions, but he was not far from the disciples because he wanted the human contact as well.

Q4. (2:4) What danger is Nehemiah in? Nehemiah is in danger of losing his job, being imprisoned or even being killed if the king is offended by his sombre mood and by what he says. Why does he pray quickly and silently before he answers the king? Nehemiah knows how critical this interaction is and prays for help. How does this quick "arrow prayer" relate to the four months of prayer he has just finished? Nehemiah has already laid the groundwork for this interaction through his prayers of the last 4 months, this "arrow prayer" is just a continuation of his fervent prayers.

Q3. (1:11) In what way does Daniel's situation compared to Esther's. Both Esther, Daniel and also Nehemiah were in places and positions at critical times for helping the Israelites strategically. All three faced possible death for standing up for God and for their people. Why does God place his people in strategic positions today in the community, in business, in the military, in government? God's plans and purposes are carried out in all different areas and He needs people in strategic places who are obedient to Him, who can pray and who can influence others. What responsibilities do we have to God that can cause danger to our positions and our lives? We need to stand up for God and for what is right regardless of rejection or persecution. Has this ever happened to you? How do you pray in situations like this? I have not been in a situation where I face life-threatening persecution or anything as serious as that and I admire those that have stood up for Christ where their life was endangered For me it has been more saying things to stand up for unpopular moral issues with coworkers or not agreeing with what they are saying or doing when it is not in agreement with God's principles. I pray for God's wisdom in these situations and that I can speak in love but with boldness too.

Q2. (1:7-11) What is the basis of Nehemiah's appeal? He reminds God of His promise to scatter the people if they do not follow God, but to bring them back if they return to Him. He asks God to fulfill what He has promised in His Word. How does he argue his case before God? He argues his case by first acknowledging God's greatness and identifying with his people. He also reminds God of his promises to restore his people. He also tells God that when Jerusalem lies in ruins and its people are oppressed, this reflects badly on God. He reminds God that He redeemed His people at great cost and that his people delight in serving God. What do we learn from this about intercession? I have learned it is important to know what God has promised about situations and to pray confidently, knowing God will honour His Word. It is also a reminder to pray in a dedicated, serious way about issues. It is okay to remind God of His promises and indeed He seems to encourage us to do so.

Q1. (1:1-6) Why does Nehemiah pray day and night for four months? Why does he fast and weep? Nehemiah is heavily burdened by the sorrow he feels about the state Jerusalem is in. Jerusalem is the jewel in Israel's crown and for it to be run down is a terrrible shame. Jerusalem is also extremely important to God and to His plans so that adds to the grief Nehemiah feels. Isn't that excessive? I think we need to learn from Nehemiah's example. Sometimes people expect quick answers to their prayers and are not dedicated to praying through on an issue until a release is felt or the answer is seen. My husband and I prayed for his father's salvation for about 5 years and praise God he did become a believer in Jesus last year! Many people have had to pray a lot longer before they have seen things come to pass. We need to be dedicated to prayer and I believe God was greatly pleased with Nehemiah's devotion and strong dedication to Jerusalem and to God and His plans.

Q4. (9:15-19) What was Daniel's essential prayer? Daniel's essential prayer was for mercy and deliverance despite the wickedness of the Israelites. What are the various grounds of Daniel's appeal? God's Precedent - delivering Israel from Egypt in the past God's Glory - delivering the Israelites would glorify God God's Righteousness - as an act of mercy God's Personal Identification with Jerusalem - throughout the Bible the importance of Jerusalem and God's love for Jerusalem and the Israelites is evident How did God answer the prayer (see Daniel 9:20-23)? The angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel and told him his prayers had been heard.

Q3. (9:5) Since Daniel is such a righteous man in his generation, why does he identify himself with the sins of his people? He didn't commitment them. Daniel identified himself with the nation of Israel and therefore he recognised that he was, as Pastor Ralph points out, "part of a sinful nation in the same way that a member of the human race bears guilt because of Adam's sin (Romans 5:12-21)." Therefore he took on their sin as his own and sincerely repented in a gut-wrenching manner. How does this compare to how Jesus sought forgiveness for his people? Jesus who was pure and without any sin took our sins on Himself on the cross and died so that the price for our sin would be paid in the only way it was possible and just to do so. He was blameless, yet in His great love for us He went through something so horrible we cannot really imagine, so that we could be free if we choose to be through a relationship with Him. Amazing love!

Q2. (9:3-4a) What is Daniel's demeanor as he prays? How does he prepare? Daniel approaches God in total humility, appealing to God for mercy for his people through prayer and petition. He prepared by fasting, with sackcloth & ashes. Why is this so important in this case? The Israelites did not deserve mercy because they had broken covenant with God and were not keeping his commandments. It was only through His grace and His mercy that He gave despite their unworthiness that they were delivered. Daniel was very aware of this and he appealed to God on that basis. In what ways might you and I prepare for intercession? By being completely humble and honest before God. In praying for my nation of Canada, I will be more aware of the principle of how Daniel took the nation's sins on himself as his own and implement that in prayer.

Q1. (9:1-3) What encourages Daniel to seek God for the forgiveness and restoration of Israel to its homeland? Daniel was familiar with the Scriptures and with the promise spoken by Jeremiah the prophet. He knew the time was very near to when this was to take place. What trait on Daniel's part brings this encouragement to pass? Daniel was filled with humility and with love for his people. He knew God is faithful to His promises and Daniel took action through prayer.

Q4. (139:23-24) Why is this prayer of surrender to God so difficult to pray? This prayer of surrender is hard to pray because we are selfish and like to be in control of what happens to us (or at least THINK we are in control!) When was the first time you prayed this kind of prayer to God? What was the result? I prayed this prayer a number of years ago and the result was a number of challenges that helped develop my character and which in retrospect I can appreciate but at the time after a while I almost regretted my prayer! And the process still continues to this day! Can a person be a genuine disciple without praying this kind of prayer? I don't believe you can be a genuine disciple without praying this type of prayer. I believe you have to genuinely surrender yourself.

Q3. (139:13-16) How does an awareness of God's involvement in your prenatal development meant to encourage you? I have always found it very precious and amazing to know that God knew me from the very beginning, before I was ever born and before anyone else knew me. He was involved in every aspect of my formation and he knows me far more intimately than anyone else. What might this mean to a young woman carrying a child? A young father-to-be? Having just had my first child in August, I can say from my personal experience that it was so reassuring to know that God was forming my baby and that He knew all about Samuel, who he is and who he is to become. These were some of the Scriptures we spoke over our baby before he was born. Why is such knowledge overwhelming to us? It is overwhelming to us because we cannot really understand it because it is beyond us. But even the measure we do understand is so precious and priceless.

Q2. (139:5, 10). In verses 5 and 10, how does God's hand touch the psalmist? God's hand is always on David, protecting and guiding him whether he appreciates it at the time or not. But ultimately he realizes how precious that is. Have you ever felt God's hand on you in a special way? Was it for your good? What was it like? I have felt God's hand on me in a special way a number of times but one of the most critical was when my brother had a serious accident and I was away at university. God helped pull everything together for me to be able to get to the hospital where he was that very night in spite of the challenges of getting there, and I could feel God's presence comforting and surrounding me despite my being extremely upset. It was wonderful to know that God was with me and was helping me and helping my brother. God is always doing things for our good.

Q1. (139:7) Why do people sometimes want to flee from God? People sometimes want to flee from God when they want to do things that are wrong or when they have done wrong things. God's presence exposes situations or choices for what they really are. Why do people imagine that God doesn't know what they do? Sometimes people prefer to be in denial about what God knows because they would feel a ;ot of guilt about the wrong things they do. Have you ever felt this way? I have felt this way when I was living contrary to God's will and knew it. Thank you God that you never leave us or forsake us even when we do wrong and your grace sees us through and brought me back to you.