Triciahh

I have been purchased with Jesus blood. The price has been paid in full and I am free. I am under no obligation of service to my old master (sin). If I had not been redeemed, I believe I would either be dead now, or on the streets living a life given over completely to sin and addictions (as TJHANKS said

We were born naturally to one set of parents into a hopeless situation. We were then chosen by God Himself to become His children, and part of His family. This can never be revoked. It is wonderful comfort and encouragement to me just to realize this. He gives me tangible evidence of being part of His family by giving me loving sisters and brothers in Christ here on earth.

To be holy means to be set apart for service to God. I really like what KBB said about the pants only worn to mow the lawn. Holiness means I am a tool to be used by God, and for God, and for Him alone. I can stand

This is one subject in the Bible that I just have to start by taking on faith that I just do not, and never will, understand. I simply choose to accept that God allows me to make choices, yet my choices are part of His plan. It is extremely frightening if I allow myself to contemplate

I am part of the body of Christ with gifts I must use for the body to function correctly. I am only able to be useful in Christ because I am holy and blameless in His sight-and he sees all. Thank God for His grace that covers me. Any action or thought I allow in my life becomes part of Christ, which tells me to be careful of what I let become part of my life. I am convicted of the need to closely examine my life and get rid of anything that does not bring glory to Him. It is wonderful to see all the old friends and faces familiar here from previous studies. I praise God that I am together in Christ with all these who so often write such that I wish I could have stated my thoughts so clearly as they do.

My name is Tricia and it is wonderful to be able to participate in these studies and meet Christians from all over the world. I have learned so much, both from the lessons and the perspective and insights of others. For a little about me, I live in Southaven, Mississippi, USA. Southaven is on the Tennessee state line and is mostly a suburb of Memphis. I am divorced and have one child, a son, who lives with his wife about 3 hours south of me. They have temporary custody of the world's greatest dog, my granddog Lucy. I not having much success in my attempts to talk them into giving her to me but they do bring her to visit fairly often. I am an RN and worked the last several years in home health care. I loved all my work, but the time I enjoyed most was when I was a visiting nurse. When I became physically unable to make home visits or provide hands-on patient care I worked in the office at the home health agency. It broke my heart when I had to retire on disability but God is working in my life and I am still learning to cope. I have become thankful for the free time I have now to teach second grade Sunday school. This is the greatest joy of my life now. I have also been richly blessed with an overabundance of wonderful Christian friends.

I believe the elements are figurative. However, to take seriously at least the possibility that the elements become literal, helps me to reinforce the reminder of Jesus

I am one of those people who has real difficulty relating to God as Father in a positive manner. That being said, the idea of having a loving

Thanks EdG for your perspective and insights that most of us will likely never get personally close to. Knowing how correct you are, that it does indeed rain on the just and the unjust, I can only believe that the promises of verse 10 are meant to be viewed from the perspective of eternity. We must understand that the things that seem so harmful and disastrous are not true harm or disasters, no matter how they seem to us as we experience them. Good Friday did not seem at all good until Easter Sunday. Dwell, rest, say (declare Him as Lord), make Him my refuge Shelter, shadow caster, fortress, feathered bird sheltering her chicks under her wing, shield and rampart

To acknowledge that Jesus is Lord means to acknowledge that He is in control, and that I am voluntarily surrendering to His control. What comes from our mouth is merely a reflection of what is embedded in our heart. To confess Jesus is Lord is to given Him control of my attitude, actions and utterances. When we accept the gift of grace and salvation, we subject ourselves to His Lordship.

My allegiance must be to Yahweh first and above all. He demands a life of holiness and service to him. Jesus served as our example of submission to the King, even with His very life. On a practical level, this means service to others, especially

In Old Testament times, tithing to God as King was no more optional than contributing to the IRS is today for American citizens. If you wished to live under the King

If we believe truth and morality are relative to anything other than God, then we simply have no understanding or knowledge of Him. As Christians, we have to proclaim and make known the truth, and the truth IS Christ Jesus. I believe the most effective way to this known is to live truth in our actions and not just our words. I live in one of the most racially polarized cities in the country, and this is nowhere more true than in our so called Christian churches. I

When Isaiah is confronted with the holiness of God, he reacts in fear for his life. He is aware of his own impurity and that this impurity cannot remain in the presence of God. When the fiery coals touch Isaiah

Hello everyone, My name is Tricia and it has been wonderful to be able to participate in this study and meet Christians from all over the world. I have learned so much, both from the lessons and the perspective and insights of so many of you. For a little about me, I live in Southaven, Mississippi, USA. Southaven is on the Tennessee state line and is mostly a suburb of Memphis. In fact, I moved here while I was still working in Memphis, and my commute from my current home was shorter than when I actually lived in the city limits of Memphis which struck me as funny. I have one child, a son, who lives with his wife about 3 hours south of me. They have temporary custody of the world's greatest dog, my granddog. I not having much success in my attempts to talk them into giving her to me but they do bring her to visit fairly often. I am an RN and worked in critical care for several years then switched to home health care. I loved all my work, but the time I enjoyed most was when I was a visiting nurse. When I became physically unable to make home visits or provide hands-on patient care I worked in the office at the home health agency. It broke my heart when I had to retire on disability but God is working in my life and I am learning to cope. The following is the text of the letter I wrote to pastor Ralph when he sent the email about our forums having been hacked I must confess, there is a temptation for me to allow this news to be emotionally devastating to me. I cannot begin to tell you the profound influence this study has had on my life. I am a Christian but had become very angry at God when going through a divorce. Despite my running hard from God, He continued to draw me to Him, until last year He finally laid me flat out with no where to look but up to Him. When I stumbled upon this study, God used it to open my mind, heart and life to Him again. Last week, I even started helping again in my church's Sunday School, something I wish I had never stopped doing. One of the ways this study has influenced me relates to that. In response to one of your questions about the battle during which Moses arms were being held up by others, one of the other forum users wrote that this spoke to her regarding the issue of service. Someone had to be called by God to hold Moses arms, and that Moses, to be used by God at that time, had to be willing to accept help and support from others. Pastor Ralph, I had been letting my pride (not being willing to tell others about some physical limitations) and stubborn refusal to acknowledge my need for help (much less accept help that is willingly offered)-I had let these things stop me from serving God in the ways I CAN still serve him. Even Moses allowed others to raise his arms. If he had not let them, neither he nor those called to support him would have been doing what God wanted them to do at that time. That was such a wake up call to me. I may not can stand or walk but short distances, hold a pen or cut with scissors, but I can tell a Bible story to second graders, talk to them, and listen to them. I almost feel as though this heinous attack on the study is a personal satanic attack on me. In a way, I suppose it is, as it is on all of us. I will be praying that the study will resume as soon as possible, and that whoever is behind this will repent and turn from attacking the the study of the Word of God. I will also be forwarding this to some great prayer warrior friends of mine.

This is the only one of my answers from previous weeks that I had saved. This passage is one of the most majestic and inspirational of the Bible. It is also one of the most misused and quoted out of context. Yes,