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I think finally we have to acknowledge the difference in times between the old and the new covenant. We have gone from being a people God has chosen to a person God died for, saved washed in his blood, redeemed, filled with the Holy Spirit, we are a new creation. We can apply the psalms personally in all Jesus' sacrifice and redemption and the Holy Spirit's work implies. So the fruit of God's Spirit is joy, a shout of joy. We can remember his sober exhortation to not complain within our hearts but to always remember God's work in our lives.

I did this lesson Sunday morning before church, I had just prayed, Jesus may you be pleased and blessed by our worship this morning. May we find ourselves in you. Thank you for this psalm. This is the attitude of offering praise to God, even with a special word, Hallelujah. My heart sings praise to the Lord God Almighty. God bless.

To speak truthfully, this Psalm seems more works than grace. I would teach my children with the example of my life, surrendered to Jesus. The many times Jesus has been my saviour. The Spirit transforms my mind, conforming me to Christ Likeness, so much more than not charging interest. Do we really think we can make ourselves perfect before Holy God, he sees his son in me.

Ps 1. I used to be the wicked, my heart goes out to the lost. This psalm makes me sad. I don't care so much about revenge, or them getting their "just deserves". I do like the tree planted my the water metaphor. I also don't understand Verse 5. I guess those are my thoughts on Ps. 1.

Psalm 42 and 43. This is the critical care moment of the soul. David is in despair. I have been here, we have been here. First decide to come before God. Be honest before God, arrive at truth. Why is my soul in despair? As you seek the truth before God, you and he will find it. Then remember, just as David does, all that God has done for you. If nothing else remember He saved you, gave you new life. Then your soul remembers, "Deep call to deep, your waters break over me". You remember his loving kindness. Still David questions. The process continues. We need to know the battle, who it is we fight. We can know God is our strength, our hope-light and truth. Find yourself in him, a resurrected soul.

Oh holy God who loves even me! Wow it is the basis of rock faith, not bring it on faith. I can believe because I know he waits with open arms. Not as the world, as God. Oh Lord I love you too. It gives me less ownership in this world, more light to pass on, a job to tell those around me. It is apostleship.

To dwell in the house of the Lord, Jesus continually asks me to find myself in him. I think that is what it means to dwell in the house of the Lord. When I ask how to do this he says, to be joined to him. I am learning what this means. To seek his face is just that to see and seek his presence. I usually seek him in the morning, we have a time together. That time is life changing, day changing, ..... David provides hope by saying I would despair unless i believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I would too! I have seen the goodness of the Lord, thank God and i would despair if I did not believe I would continue to see it.

This psalm speaks about God's great power, the power that created the heavens and the earth. The psalm speaks about his commitment to us his created beings whom he loves. His speaking to us, his joining to us. We are joined by our reverence to him, our worship and praise for his creation and our carrying out of his word in our hearts and lives. Daily we seek him and he joins us and we are renewed. Our prayer is the same may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my Holy God, my loving Redeemer.

Our responsibility before God is to live in harmony with his expectation of praise for his creation and our part in it. We as created beings have the holy one within joined to us, our relation. How majestic is his name even. The glory that shines through us. We are crowned with glory. The light of God to this lost lonely world. Can we make a difference? No matter, we are his. We exist to proclaim O Lord, Our God. Can we find that place of communion? We pray give us our daily bread, the blessed word to our souls. The peaceful communion of saints. The religion of daily life. Our souls (hearts) rejoice and find a new beginning daily. A fresh start each morning.

Q2. (3:18-19) What kinds of things prevent us from comprehending the far reaches of Christ's love? What happens in the way we live when we do comprehend, know, and experience this love? What would be different about your life if you could grasp this? Paul talks about the "things" that prevent us from comprehending Christ's love in Eph 6: 12, those would be our struggle against the rulers, the authortities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritiual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. These are the struggles that attack our faith. It is the power given us that gives us victory over the spiritual attacks that keep us from comprehending Christ's love. Faith is love in action. the power to have faith comes from the knowledge of Christ's love. Christ's love is totally "other". I once asked my Bible Study class, Do you know God's love for you? The answer was overwhelmingly "no". They were saved, spirit filled Christians. Knowing his love, for me, has taken time alone with him in prayer, meditating on his word, asking questions and receiving answers. The way we live becomes "other", when we realize the extent to which God went to have us also be his, holy and dearly loved. The sacrifice made for me, while I was yet a sinner, before I made a choice. He died, shed his life and paid for mine. I have become non judgemental, non accusing allowing God access to my whole life. Praying his love would reach through me. I open my heart to the world and ask to used. I accept the sufferings of Christ, so I can be like him. I ask to be a servant only. I would be "more". More like him, less tempted, more victorious, more able to see with his eyes. Essentially better able to love.

In Ephesians 3:14, Paul talks about the Father from whom we derive our name. The Father is the creator the originator, the Spirit is the power and Jesus is the Word manifest in the world, the truth or the gospel. The way to the Father. In another prayer Paul talks about us knowing our hope, our inheritance and the power available to us who believe. The vehicle is faith. God calls us to him and we make a free will decision to believe the truth of Jesus, then the Spirit is the power of our new life, to change ourselves and the world. God loves us, Jesus saves us and the Spirit changes us and everything through our faith in action. It is not that simple, but it is so beautiful.

Q2. (Ephesians 2:14-15) In what sense did Jesus as Messiah "fulfill" the Mosaic Law? What is the significance of that for Jewish people? For us Gentiles? I don't know if God's plan for the world can be understood fully. Jesus was the perfect fulfillment of the law. Ending the division between God and man. Jesus was the plan, not the better plan after the first didn't work. Jesus was the plan from the beginning. Because of God's love for us. The garden, God's covenant with Abraham, the exodus from EGypt, the law all are messages of spiritual importance to us now. But Jesus is the plan and God's love is the reason. For the Jewish people....why don't they see and respond. I know, but I don't know. Their history is our clue to God's working and loving. Look at Isreal in the light of God's love and forebearance. I don't believe God will ever forsake Isreal. For us.......we have been given the grace to believe. The opportunity for faith, thank God. We are not better or worse. Thank the Lord for his word and our response.

Q1. (Ephesians 2:11-12) Why does being out of touch with what it means to be "lost" impede our willingness to witness? In your own words, what is the spiritual condition of a friend or co-worker who doesn't know Christ? I understand what it is to be lost. I have to wait for God's opportunities in other's lives, for the soil to be ready. So I try to thoughtfully witness, love and pray. They are blinded. We live in two different paradigms. They live in the "matrix" of the world.

Q4. (Ephesians 2:6) What does it mean that we are seated with Christ in "the heavenly realms"? What does this say about God's grace? What does this say about our spiritual authority? How should this knowledge affect our prayers and our boldness? "in the heavenly realms" the place of administration, the place of God's plan. God's plan will be accomplished. I am reminded that "all things work together for good." What an awesome responsibility! Little insignificant me, part of God's ultimate plan. Jesus was appointed "head over all things in heaven and on earth, and all things were placed under his feet", and we are grafted into that truth. We have the same authority, God's plan will be accomplished. My mind then remembers Job, and then God's soveriegnity. I cannot fully grasp this whole concept. I trust that the Holy Spirit will counsel me. I trust God. I trust God's tender mercy and pray he knows I am not that strong. Yet even so I pray to be that living sacrifice. Boldness I have none before God, and yet no confidence in this world which causes me to only want God's approval, not man's. Most of the time, well hopefully most of the time.

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved." (2:4-5) Q3. (Ephesians 1:4-5) In verses 4 and 5, which words describe God's motivation and character? Which verbs describe what has happened to us in Christ? love made us alive you have been saved raised us up with Christ show the riches of his grace expressed in his kindness We believe and the limitless realm of God is available. An answer to this world, a hope, a life.

Q2. (Ephesians 2:1-3) Few people would knowingly follow Satan. How can people unwittingly follow Satan? In what sense are we responsible for unwitting rebellion against God? How can God, in all fairness, blame us? It is easy to unwittingly follow Satan. We live in the world and follow the desires of our sinful nature eventually Satan may have a foothold to step into your life. But, praise God, that may be where our awakening begins. God is always waiting with outstretched arms, even before we get to this point, but we may be too blind until we come to the end of ourselves. God bless those who see before they are ravaged by the world. We are responsible to repent and turn away, to confess and bask in God's lavish forgiveness. In answer to the last question, my area is not judgement, that is solely God's area. My thought is not how can God blame us, but an overflowing love toward God for providing a way.

Q1. (Ephesians 2:1-3) In what sense are our non-believing friends, neighbors, and relatives "dead"? What's the difference between us and them? If we really believed that they were "dead" and subject to God's "wrath," what would we do? We know the difference, the difference makes all the difference. Way back there, we ate of the tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Before that we only knew God, I imagine. Now we live with the battle. The battle of good and evil, we have an answer because of our choice to put our faith in God's remedy. I believe God wanted that choice, our choice to love him. So we live in the dead world, renewing our minds daily with God's everything. We are alive by our decision to believe God's promise, to accept the Holy Spirit's work and to be transformed into his likeness; the difference is we know the difference. So what do I do. I pray. I wait for any opportunity. I try to love to the best of what God has given me. I try to know what God's will and work is for me.

We can rejoice exceedingly. Its a party in my heart. I was teaching 3 year olds yesterday. I said to them while they were eating their snack, "It makes my heart sing to see you eating so happily all together." One little boy said, "Your heart says, Happy, Happy Heart." That's right. Happy, happy heart to all of you. Cyndi

I can use an illustration. Recently in Lancaster, PA five Amish girls were killed in a schoolhouse by a gunman who then killed himself. The Amish here will only say they have no blame, they have forgiven the killer. They believe that God is in control of their lives. They know the girls are with Jesus and some day they will all be together in eternity. They have reached out to the killer's family, spending time with them and offering their forgiveness. They have also reached out to one another. To me this a testimony of living a life of hope.

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? 11In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession

Hello, My name is Cyndi. I live in Edinboro, PA. My employment enables me to be on-call some days from home. On those days I can read, pray and study for several hours in the morning. God's Word is an endless fountain of new revelation. The more I study, the more I know that I don't know. Thank you for your studies, I love them. Cyndi B. cbcrna1@yahoo.com