Sarah43

Abraham called on the Lord for help and guidance, to do the next right thing. He trusted in God to direct his path. Calling on God for me means the same thing as it did for Abraham. I pray that I will do so in all things. I am still self driven in many ways (old habits are hard to break?). I am reminded here of the Master's words, Matthew 18:3 "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." Little children look for guidance from their Father. Abraham did just that when he called upon the Lord.

We must have special faith to answer God's call even if we do not know the outcome to his call. We do not know any answers; there is always some variable that we do not think of or have no knowledge of because our minds are finite and we cannot fathom God's will for us. We must trust and listen and obey. At the moment I am in the middle of such an opportunity. I am tempted daily (daily dose of pride and arrogance) to call it a mistake on my part, but I do "know" better. I almost want to use the word faith as a verb, as in "I faith better," because I don't really know anything, except that He knows. And it is an adventure, an adventure in trust. Recently I was at a concert at our local church, and as a prelude to one of the songs performed, the performer began talking about Jesus and salvation. He made the analogy to a big mean drowning man and a lifeguard. He said that the lifeguard waits until the drowning man stops struggling to try to save himself so he can be saved by the lifeguard (surrender?). In the same way, Jesus waits until the sinner, the ignorant and arrogant sheep, stops struggling to try to save herself and enforce a human driven salvation/solution. Then Jesus steps in with help and Salvation. Surrender and Obedience require stillness, as in God's order, Be still and know that I am. Stillness, the surrender of effort, requires more of an effort for some of us than effort itself. Thank you, Lord, for Pastor Ralph's questions. Thank you, Lord, for being a lamp at my feet.

Q2. (12:2-3) In what ways was Abraham blessed. How have all the peoples of the earth been blessed? In what way does Abraham continue bless people through your life? Abraham was blessed by God because God chose Abraham to be a patriarch, father of a chosen people and ancestor of Christ. He blessed Abraham with sons, Isaac and Ishmael. He also blessed Abraham through his devotion to Abraham. In a way, a big way, Abraham was earmarked by God. Abraham is a blessing in my life because of his ancestry to Christ, who is my Saviour. I also am deepened spiritually buy learning about Abraham and his obedience to God. He is, to say the least, a great example.

Q1. (11:32) Have you ever begun something in response to God's urging and then stopped? Did God want you to stop? Is it time now to renew your obedience and begin again? I am what is known as a late bloomer. It seems to me that I have begun many things at God's urging and then stopped, largely due to my own spiritual immaturity. Two such things are career (I am a teacher) and marriage. I do not pretend to know the mind of God,but I will hazard that He must have wanted me to stop to grow in Spirit so I could continue the journey prepared and with a full and Godly purpose. I will pray every day, as often as I can to renew my obedience and begin again. I am encouraged by Abraham's story, and his obedience to God. Thank you Pastor Ralph, and you, Lord, for this study and these questions.

People are attracted to the performance of legalistic requirements because the performance requires minimal engagement. It is like following a how to instruction for tying one's shoes. I think it produces little fruit in one's life. The true gospel is transformative and requires total engagement to know God through the Spirit.

Paul is reminding Timothy as a kind of reassurance to his (Timothy's)strong faith. It is as if he is saying to Timothy,"We knew this was coming. Remember how we talked about this? You know what you have to do." The knowledge should strengthen Timothy's ministry, and give understanding to the church's perception of the situation.

Elders were able to teach, while deacons were not expected to do so. Otherwise, the qualifications are interchangeable. A good Christian is a good Christian.

A pastoral leader who is given to these character vices will not be able to lead effectively, and will effect obedience, if at all, through fear and bullying and ego driven motivations rather than through disciplined love, respect, and a true knowledge of the Word. Too much self and not enough Spirit. Such a person needs more learning and transformation before he will ever be able to teach.

Leaders provide guidance to their flock and a moral example. They must be able to teach by instruction and by example. No one can teach what they do not know and practice. During the testing period, before the leader is placed into a leadership position, people should be observing and searching the candidate for constancy, sobriety, an even temper, not greedy, experienced in teaching, a good family man, to name a few.

The way a spiritual leader treats his family and conducts himself personally is an indicator of how he might treat his flock, which is also his family. Constancy and fidelity are important qualities in a leader. Anything else might indicate a tendency to stray.

I have wondered and struggled with this question. Bottom line is, Paul said what he said, and if we are to follow scripture, then we follow it. I believe that both men and women can know God, the Father and the Son, through the Spirit and the Word. I don't think it matters much if women do not have titles in the church, that we can teach and lead in many ways, even if those ways are not publically recognised as teacher or leader. The recognition comes from our Savior, and those who receive the message we are gifted to bring.

Womens attire in the churches in Ephesus was distracting from worship, most likely because of the motivation for excess adornment, to attract men or to show off status in society, both of which are out of place in church to say the least, as both detract from the purpose of church, to learn about and worship God. It is possible to look clean, well groomed and dressed without being ostentatious or whorish. Doing so shows respect for self and for church. However, if a sufferer showed up at church ragged, unkempt, even dirty, but humbly desiring to be close to God, such closeness would occur as God is concerned with the inward person above all.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. No unity is accomplished when people harbor anger and resentment toward each other. Their minds are clouded with an " I am right you are wrong" mentality and they can see nothing but their own pride and wilfullness. Their hearts and minds and souls will be shut down from receiving the Spirit. They will be unable to hear God. The Christ is about, among other things, forgiveness and love. He urges us over and over to temper wrath against each other and forgive. This is not only so that we will do the righteous thing, but so that we will become more godly and know Him better by modeling our spirits to be like His. The consequences of harboring wrath and creating strife by a pigheaded ego, are dire but strangely logical. See Mark 11:25-26 25And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Paul emphasizes Christ's role as mediator, in that He came to us because His Father sent Him to us so that we may know the Father through Him. Christ was sacrificed by the sins of humans, in their evildoing, to redeem us from our sins. Praise Him always for these mercies He has shown us, by His love for us.

Paul emphasizes salvation of all mankind because everyone who believes in and accepts and professes Christ as Savior can be saved. His emphasis suggests that the Ephesus church was exhorting salvation exclusively among Jews.

From Paul's doxology, we learn that God is eternal, everliving, glorious, honorable, invisible, and the true God among idols. We learn that it is wonderful to pray. I try to praise God aloud every day, at least once a day. I feel closer to God for recognising Him, and feel it important to do so.

Paul is using himself as an example of God's grace, to help Timothy and the church understand how grace works. This is clear in verses 15-17, where he states that Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom he, Paul was the worst. Sharing this might help the church get back on track of focussing on salvation rather than geneologies and legal hairsplitting, and other relatively beside the point pastimes.

The main result of the false doctrine of the church at Ephesus seems to have been division among elders or teachers. Doctrinal controversy hurts the spirit of the church by preventing unity, which is seminal to growth. The church's mission, to save souls and simultaneously effect godliness in the human walk of life on earth, cannot be accomplished if church members are led astray and in hostile direction by internecine strife over the meaning of scripture

In all of the passages directed, many are called, few are chosen, to quote the Christ. Those who are chosen recognise the Christ for what He is, our Divine Savior, and act accordingly. The wisemen adored the Christchild and worshipped him, brought him riches. We should do the same. We should also spread the gospel each to our own ability.

It was appropriate for the Magi to bring gifts to the CHrist child because gifting shows love and appreciation. Their extravagant gifts show how valuable the humble babe is to them. We can bring to Christ everything we have. We can hold nothing back.

We learn from the Magi's prostration that He is truly King. For the magi, His birth was an historical momentous event, the most important in their lives. We can emulate the magi's worship by following the star wherever it leads us, and offering to Christ the riches of our selves.

The star is referred to as Christ's star, and signifies the birth of Christ. The Magi came to find the Christ-Child when they saw the star because the knew by prophecy, and because they were wise, that He was born and they wanted to worship Him.

All are present in my life to varying degrees, but not enough. My ego or self still gets in the way of letting Spirit shine through. I think I need to thoughtfully meditate, praise more. I am thankful that I have the Spirit, though, the greatest source of joy.

The Angel tells the shepherds that Jesus is Christ, anointed by the Lord, Our Savior, and the Lord Himself. He is glory come to us in a child.