Elema

Q3. (1 Samuel 17:47) Why do we so often forget that “the battle is the Lord’s”? What does that phrase actually mean? How can we avoid the arrogance of pulling God into our battles (“God is on my side”), rather than engaging in His battles (“I am on God’s side”)? We forget the battle is the Lord's because we are used to fighting for ourselves. We lack practical faith that leaves our circumstances in God's hands because we believe in our our abilities. The battle is the Lord's means that in conflict, God is for us and is there to help you overcome. We need not go through our conflicts with human solutions which never result in positive results but use God's methods like faith, fasting, prayer etc whch seem 'weak' in our minds but actually are stronger as weapons than any thing human we would resort to. To avoid pulling God into our battles but engaging in his instead we need to ask for wisdom from God to know the difference. Fighting battles is not about us and our honour but God and his honour. When we realise this, we will fight his battles and use his weapons.

Q2. (1 Samuel 17:34-37) What does David’s explanation to Saul of his combat experience say about David’s faith? How lethal is David as a warrior? Why do you think Saul allows him to go out to battle Goliath? Does Saul have faith? If so, what is the source of it? David believed that if God gave him victory in one situation, he would give me victory in any other. He believed in God's ability and faithfulness to come through for his people when they believed on Him.His faith was so strong and big and he always focused on God instead of his challenges. David was a strong warrior not because of his size but because of his faith. His faith gave him mental and physical strength. Saul allows him to battle Goliath because he is moved and convinced by David's boldness. He also has no one else to fight the giant.Saul has faith in God but it is weak because instead of fight Goliath himself, he lets someone else do the job. His faith is partly is in his armor that is his human resources and not fully in God's power to deliver. Faith is a real thing we need to exercise in our lives as we face daily giants of work, illness, fatigue,confusion,gossip,discouragement etc. Faith in God will embolden us to face these giants head-on and give us victory.We are more than victors in Christ. Life is about conquering mountans and obstacles but we can not do so in our own strenght but in the name of the Lord. To exercise faith is not just an emotional thing, we have to follow the emotion with action. we also have to speak out as David did. To remind ourselves and the devil how God has delivered us in the past. We also have to share what God has does for us with others to encourage them and also give glory to God for what he has done. The faith of others can be strenghthened when they hear of our experiences.

Q1. (1 Samuel 17:26-30) Why is David so upset about Goliath’s taunt? Why is Eliab, David’s brother, so upset with David? What does this teach us about David’s faith? What does it teach us about Eliab’s character? David is upset because Goliath is speaking against the army of God. He is not God-fearing and has not respect for God's people.Eliab is upset because David's courage reminds him of his own lack of courage. David's faith is based on God and not on himself. It is now swayed by the size of the problem-whatever the problem,he's trust in God is the steadfast. Eliab on the other hand has faith that is intimidated by large problems.He does not remember his God in time of trouble and he is upset about those who do. I think as believers many a times we forget to pick up our shield of faith when faced with daily challenges. Its easier to pull strength from ourselves than from God. When we do exercise our faith many around us even fellow christians sometimes do not understand it. It might make us appear overconfident and arrogant but we need to remind them that our confidence is stemming from the knowledge that with God all things are possible.

Rebellion is refusing to do what God says to do. I find the comparison of rebellion with witchcraft a little shocking. We sometimes think witchcraft and the occult are things others do not ourselves. Witchcraft is the use of spells and invocation of spirits.When we rebellion it is akin to sending out curses and purposely engaging with bad spirits! Lord help me to understand this revelation deep in my spirit! When I rebel am saying I know better than God on how to run my life and daily dealings with people and situations!When I rebel, I'm the Lord of my life and have taken God's place. If i do nothing about my arrogance, I lose God's favour and blessing. He will find someone else to do the work he had set me to do-someone else who is humble and listens. It is my daily duty to find out what pleases the Lord and do it! When I sense rebellion in my heart I should repent and obey immediately.

Q1. (Romans 6:3-5) In what sense does baptism bring about our union with Christ? In what sense does baptism symbolize our union with Christ? Through baptism,we died and were buried with Christ. Baptism also symbolizes that we are alive and have a new life in him just as he arose from the dead.

4. (Romans 6:2-5) According to this passage, at what point do we move from being under the headship of Adam to the headship of Christ? Is there anything we must do to bring about this change in headship? What are the implications of us having died with Christ of . We move to being under the headship of Christ at baptism. Having died with Christ means that we are dead to sin i.e sin no longer has power in our lives

Q2. (Romans 5:13, 20) What is Paul saying in these verses? Can there be sin without law? In what sense does the "trespass increase" (5:20) when the law is present? There can be sin without law thats why before the law was given to Moses, people still died. Trespasses increase because the law is like a mirror. It should one how he really is. It brought out the sin in clear focus by being a benchmark for holy living. <p class="ipsLikeBar right clearfix" id="rep_post_37947" style="margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; float: right; font-size: 11px; "> Like This Quote MultiQuote

Q4. (Romans 5:9-10) What does "reconciliation" mean? Why is reconciliation with God necessary? We understand our having been saved by Jesus' death (5:10a, past tense). In what sense are we being saved (5:10b, present tense) by his life? What is Jesus doing for us in the present? Reconciliation means to make peace with an enemy or someone one has wronged. We were made enemies of God through the fall of Adam and Eve in their disobedience. In order to the live the life God intended for us in the beginning of time, we need to renew that relationship with Him hence the need to reconcile with him. Despite being saved from the wrath of God at the moment of accepting Christ, we need to be saved daily from our flesh which is still in rebellion with God and has not been renewed as our spirit has. Christ daily saves us from "… sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19-21). Through his word and the guidance of the holy spirit, Jesus daily shows us a better way of living- spirit living vs carnal living saving us from destroying ourselves.

The act of dying in the place of someone is surely the ultimate act of love. Such a one cannot hold anything from me if he gave his most valuable possession-his life. This is assuring in that whatever I ask of him, he will not hold back;He is for me not against me. He loved me to the highest degree even before I knew and acknowledged him. How much more now that I'm his follower and acknowledge him everyday? With this revelation,the devil argument that am too bad to forgive, has no weight at all.

Rejoicing when suffering is the last thing I do when in such a situation. I'm currently struggling to balance work and a personal life and it's getting overwhelmingly crushing at the moment. This verses remind me not to be happy about my problems, but despite of them. Rejoice in the midst of problems is directly linked the the faith we have in God. Our faith helps us to have a different mindset in the midst of unpleasant circumstances. Rejoicing builds endurance-and who doesn't want endurance in this marathon called life? Life never lets up, it keeps coming out us. When the worldly response is to try and relax more by going on vacation, drinking, drugs, sex and other distractions, our weapon of choice is odd- REJOICING! The Kingdom of God is truly and upside-down kingdom! Toughness is not all we get when we rejoice in the midst of our troubles, our character is strengthened as well, we become more confident in the hope of our salvation that will keep us rejoicing. With this cycle, life's disappointments and struggles cannot overwhelm us. In fact, problems push up into God's arms, where we should be anyway. Easier said than done. This is one of those verses that are best memorized so that we constantly remind ourselves to rejoice in the midst of our daily grind.

To be justified is to have no walls between God and I. To have a right and open relationship with him. This comes about not by me doing right- things that please him (because I can't in my own strenght), but by faith which is believing in who Christ is and what he says. For me there is a simplicity in this that is difficult to fathom-don't we humans love to complicate things! I need to meditate on the fact that my connectedness to God is simply in just believing in Christ and his word. The difficulty in this however will be in renewing my mindsets some of which I don't even know I have! For Abraham and us, justification is the same- we come and have a relationship with God because we simply believe.

Hi my name is Elema, living in China. I have a very busy lifestyle. I have done online studies before and I hope this online bible study will help give me the discipline of immersing myself in God's word purposely each week. Looking forward to new revelations and becoming more and more like Christ each week!