Bobi

As we join our spirits together corporately, we provide an environment in which the presence and Spirit of God can minister. However, in our humanity, many times we allow petty differences to build stumbling blocks between us. This hampers the work of the kingdom. As we always walk in love and forgiveness (being as ready to forgive and love others in their weaknesses as we want them to love and forgive us) we thwart the interference of the enemy, Satan and maintain an atmosphere that is pleasing to God. In this atmosphere the ministry of the kingdom can flourish and we can accomplish all for which the Father has created us.

Having access to the Father means we now have the right and priviledge to come into His presence - into the Holy of Holies. Jesus was the door, the passageway. The Holy Spirit is the vehicle. It is only through the blood of Jesus that we can enter and it is only by the Spirit that we can actually commune and interact with a Holy, awesome God.

As the sinless, perfect Lamb, Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice, and therefore not only fulfilled, but completed the Mosaic Law. For the Jews it meant redemption from performing the rituals that had been established by man. Rituals that could never bring them into the presence of an awesome God. But they missed it. All the signposts were there, all the pictures and hints to show them the way to the Messiah, but they missed it. Praise God, they did! Because they rejected Christ, adoption was extended to me - a Gentile! The sinless nature of Christ was also extended to me. He took my sin, that through His blood, I could be sinless before God. Its unimaginable to me - I who deserve nothing but God's wrath and punishment - have been given peace and blessing because of the blood sacrifice of the perfect Mosaic Lamb. Thank you Jesus!!

We forget the hopelessness of life without Christ. We also forget that we have an answer to the needs of our "lost" friends and family. If we don't share or witness we deprive them the opportunity to become part of "the family"!

Faith is a total reliance on something. Our spiritual faith is a gift from God - each of us has been given a measure of faith (see Romans 12:3); but the Word says we can increase our faith (Luke 17, 2 Cor. 10). I once heard a teacher give an example of faith as stepping onto a floor. We don't stop and ask ourselves if the floor is going to hold us - we don't even give it a second thought. We have complete trust in the floor that when we step onto it - it will still be there, holding strong. The promises and Word of God is just as reliable and strong. We just have to learn to step out into the things of God with that same kind of trust and reliance.

We were created to give God glory in everything we do, think, and say. If our works (actions;deeds) are impacted by faith, then they can become beacons that point attention to God. The works are a love response to God - born out of our faith and demonstrate our desire to please Hime. The type of works Paul is discussing reflect an attempt to earn salvation - to purchase a ticket to Heaven, so to speak.

I really like using the term "rescued" in place of saved. But, I was also impacted in my early Christian walk when I was informed that I was "Accepted"! That carried a great deal of significance for me. I never, as a younster, was one that felt accepted - not by my peers nor by my family. I always felt like I didn't quite measure up. And it didn't seem to matter what I did or didn't do - it never was right. When I realized that my Heavenly Father not only loved me, but He "accepted" me JUST AS I AM, it was a point of transformation in my life. Then I realized for the first time that it wasn't really that I was not accepted by others that was the problem - I didn't accept myself. When I began to "like me" because of the work of Christ in my life, ironically, others began to like me also!

Grace is a difficult concept for us because of our attitudes toward others. We expect everyone to earn our respect, love, attention, etc. We live by the concept "you can't get something for nothing" (grammar not mine!!). If we understood grace as a 10 year old it would be like getting the best video game ever after being the naughtiest we have ever been.

Because of His mercy, God has raised us above everything and seated us with Christ. This places us in a position of authority! Again, we must be reminded this position is "in Christ". But this give us power to overcome the work of the enemy. We just have to learn how to operate in this position and authority!

God's motivation is His love for us - His great love for us!! God's character is justice - He cannot accept our sin - but in His mercy and grace He made a way to satisfy His own wrath - the BLOOD OF HIS SON! By His grace we are saved!

We are like "sheep led astray". We don't really stop and take time to line everything we see and hear up with God's Word. We accept things so quickly and easily without really giving them a thought. We are to blame - we were created with His perfect "blueprint" in our spirits. The truth is in us!!

Ultimate death is separation from God - eternal separation from God. As a believer, the only difference between me is that I'm forgiven. We must stay ready to share the testimony of Christ at every opportunity. We must be in tune with the Holy Spirit though, so that our timing and words are correct and inspired by the Father.

As Christians, we have a future of hope and victory. Again, Jesus's death and resurrection is a sign postt for us. Knowing Jesus has conquered sin gives us theability and power to stand firm in the face of adversity. This knowledge motivates us to be instruments for the kingdom. We can face daily issues without fear or trepidation, knowing that our Father has all things worked out according to His plan. The hop for the believer is eternal - an "everlasting hope"! The unbeliever's hope is only temporal and materially focused. They only have any reward in material, earthly benefits - what you see is ALL you get!! I am so thankful that as a believer my hope is not based in anyway on my performance, but is a spiritual promise of blessings eternal!

"THE END OF THE TERM" When Christ has put everything in creation "under His feet" - I believe that is what is meant by the "end of the term". Being "sealed" by the Holy Spirit means that we are placed in escrow! We can not be touched or removed from God's "safety deposit box". However, we don't just lie idle - we are to continue gathering "interest" for the kingdom. The down payment of the Holy Spirit is a constant reminder - a promise - that there is more waiting for us. Not only that we will receive an inheritance, but that we are also part of an inheritance - we belong to God. The deposit of the Holy Spirit also equips us - providing us with the tools, gifts, talents and direction we need to complete what we have been created to do - give God praise, honor, and glory! I struggle with only one point. I have known people (my sister is one), who were sold out for God, who walked in fellowship with Him, who had tremendous ministries for Him; and then, walked away from that by their own choice. What happens to that "seal, that "mark"? Is it erased? Is it removed? I really do struggle with this, because I want her redeemed, I want her walking in truth, with a promise of a Heavenly eternity!

Our purpose is to praise God and bring Him glory. Sometimes we are in places in our lives where it seems impossible to do that! Like there is no way that we can be a productive part of the kingdom. We may not understand where God has us, or why, but our only responsibility is to be willing to be willing to respond to His Holy Spirit at any time, and to be a reflection of His love and mercy. Matthew 5:13-16: Because of sin and Satan, only those who worship the Father in Spirit and in truth can be the lighthouses directing the way to Christ - who is the only way to the Father. We must be the reflection of Christ on Earth, so that those in darkness can find the path to Christ, receive redemption through His blood, and then walk in fellowship with their Heavenly Father! Again, (lest we boast!) it is nothing we do!! We are only the instrument in God's hands. The mirror that He uses to catch the light of the "Son" and reflect it into the eyes of those walking in darkness, that their eyes might be opened and that they might see!

When everything is united together "in Christ", then purpose, direction, and focus bEcome united! Everything must recognize and bow to the soveriegnty of God the Father - even Christ the Son. It is only under His (Christ's) direction and "headship" that we learn how and are truly able to do this. With Christ as the Head of everything, He becomes the leader - following the "Director" (God the Father). As we then follow Christ's example, God's plan is completed perfectly, and we become perfectly complete. I Cor. 15:24 - 28: At the end of time, Christ (because of His blood sacrifice) will have been given everything by the Father. He will have put an end to Satan's rule because His (Christ's) rightful authority will have been restored. When all evil, sin and death has been destroyed, Christ will be able to return all creation to God the Father - the rightful owner! And then, everything, including the Son, will bow in submission to the Lordship and Kingship of God the Father. Then there will be perfect peace and complete restoration in all creation! Praise God! And he has "LAVISHED" this on us because of HIS MERCY, GRACE, AND ABUNDANT LOVE - how awesome!!

My slavery is to sin. Without the blood of Christ redeeming me, I would have spent this time of my life trying to "do good"; trying to EARN my entrance into Heaven by my earthly good works - and unfortunately always falling short. What a tragedy! My future would have held only hopelessness and destruction. I have a sister living with that future (and she grew up knowing God's Word!) But, because of her own choices, she is one of the most miserable, unhappy people I know. (And she thinks I have bought into a "great lie"! How sad!!)

The act of adoption removes us from our biological family - the family of sin (which we were born into because of the work of the first Adam). And then, because of the work of the 2nd Adam - Christ, we are chosen and placed into the family of God. In our first family the devil is our "father", but in our new adoptive family God is our Father. When we are placed in this new family, our past is erased and we are endowed with all the benefits and blessing that go with our position (again, IN CHRIST). We are totally undeserving in the adoption. Adoption is another part of the mystery of the kingdom that we cannot fully understand with our minds. We must simply accept this as a free gift and receive it by faitThis has to bring us to our knees in an attitude of Praise and Worship. Just to know that there is nothing I can or cannot do that affects the act of adoption is awe inspiring to me. Again, the love of the Father toward me is incomprehendable!!

Being Holy is not initiated by any action on my part. I cannot even count the number of times I have heard someone say "I'll get saved WHEN I get my act cleaned up"! (lol) Like there is any chance of that happening. Being Holy is our position "In Christ" This sweeps us back to the cross where we find ourselves becoming blameless before God because of the work of Christ on the cross. To think of the Father turning His back on His Only Son becasue of my sin; that I might be Holy and blameless in His eyes is the eptemy of love

I think our (or maybe just my) concept of predestination carries with it a stigma of coercion. That as my Father, He has made choices and directions and plans for me and for my life that I have no say in. But as I have "grown" in the Lord, I have this picture of a gift - chosen for me. It is mine, it belongs to me, because He chose it for me before the beginning of time. But I don't really own it until I choose to accept it. Even more than that, I have to choose to allow that gift to become a part of my life, and allow myself to become a part of it. My choosing or not choosing the "gift" doesn't cause it to cease to exist or to stop being. It doesn't change the "gift" - for it will accomplish what God has set it forth to do (whether I participate or not). But I will be changed - good or bad - depentding on how I choose to participate (or not) in the activities of the kngdom. God has predestined the right path for me - becuse he knows me from the foundations of the world. But do I choose to walk in the path? That's when predestination is comforting. When I choose to follow what my Father has chosen for me, because then I find perfect peace, becuase He knows my deepest needs.

In Christ is the most important description of my life as a Christian. It represents the way I speak, act, and think. As I keep my spirit focused on being "in Christ", then my choices become a reflection of Him more and more each day and less and less of me. It also means that I no longer have to function on my own. Because I am "in Christ" I am an important part of His body - the corporate Church. That is so comforting as I endeavor to "walk-the-walk" each day. It also means that I am here as a point of love, support, and encouragment for each of you - but I am comforted to know that each of you are the same for me.

I have been married to a great, godly man named Jim for 38 years now. I am originally from Nebraska - a "transplanted Cornhusker"! I have lived in Charleston, West Virginia for about 32 years now. My husband was born and raised here. I am a mom of 2 and a grandmother of 7 - I have been an administrator and teacher in a christian school for 28 years. I am now retired to care for aging parents and in-laws. I am unable to get out to interact with other Christians like I used to, and I miss it so much. I am really excited to find this study to be able to share with others here at home. A blessed day to you all