Patricia A. Conti

Our hope lies in Jesus' return to gather us into one and to join him in heaven with his Father in everlasting happiness. While we wait we know that Jesus' Spirit is with us working through our prayers and our hands. He is there for us at all times and intervenes in our lives leaning on him knowing all things are possible in Jesus. An average non-believer has nothing to hope for - no understanding of a future life. I believe they despair in life and don't have reason to hope for anything else. There is no one to turn to when they find themselves in a pit, ot lost, or afraid. I can't imagine my life without Jesus in control.

The Holy Spirit works in us and through us that we might truly be people of God. He is the voice inside our hearts, the peace that exists when we are doing right and the unsettled feeling when we are not. The Spirit will guide us until Jesus comes back to claim us and take us home. Then the seal is broken and the balance paid when we join with Jesus and see Him face to face.

God's purpose for our lives is to have a people to praise him and live our lives the wat Jesus lived. Then when people see me or see you, they see Jesus in us. In Matthew we are told to be a light for all to see - our actions are always out there and need to reflect Jesus no matter what the circumstance - home, work, play, etc.

God's church is to be under one head. However, we are split into denominations, each one exclaiming their way is the best way, often causing quarrels among christians. But we will be brought under one head - Christ himself - who claims or recognizes no denominations or practices. Instead, ALL people are ONE family in Christ Jesus, who sacrificed himself for all of us. In Corinthians we are told Jesus will destroy every sovereignity, authority and power. So all authority (including the heads of all denominations) will no longer exist but become subject to Jesus. One church. One way. One Head. Jesus

Without the knowledge of God's forgiveness and redemption, I would be stuck in my sinful life with no hope for change. But God forgives me and redeems me so I put my hope in him. When I fall prey to sin as it crosses my path, I acknowledge and repent of that sin, and God forgives me. Knowing I'm redeemed gives my life meaning and hope. I know that whatever happens in this world, I have a home in heaven prepared for me when my body dies and my spirit is set free.

It is really significant to me. I have six adopted daughters. I could not love them anymore even if they were born to me. I chose them and they have become my children. They share in all that is mine and I love them no matter what. Knowing that I am an adopted daughter of God tells me God truly is my Father and Jesus my brother. I want to celebrate the love that God has for me. I know that when my body dies, God will welcome me into his presence and I will make a home with him. How AWESOME!

To be holy is to acceptChrist Jesus's sacrifice for me and to dedicate my life to imitate Christ in all things. I fall short many times, But I ask for and accept forgiveness and guidance from God - thus I am blameless in his sight,

We talk about predestination yet God has given us free will.God predestined and created this world so we all could be chosen to belong to God through Christ. That we would be one. I believe God calls and chooses ech one of us. The free will comes into play in our response. We can choose to answer God's call or choose not to answer. Praise God! All of us have accepted our choosing and strive to be one in and with hrist.

When I accept Jesus as my Savior, I turn my life over to his direction. Likewise, he is alive in me through his Holy Spirit. So the plan I see for my life is that I become one with Christ and he become one with me.

Hi. My name is Pat. I live in Waterloo. Iowa. I have six children and three grandchildren. I really enjoy being part of these bible studies. I look forward to a wonderful study and a lot of growth.

It is quite a sacrifice Jesus has made for us. He gave his life, his body and blood, to save not only his friends, but all of us - those who have sinned, those who are sinners, and those who are still to come. He gave us his body and blood so that we should always remember his sacrifice and overwhelming love for us. He did this for you and me.

To have merely a symbolic understanding takes away the reverence for the bread and wine making them common and does not set them apart. Whether you believe in the physical presence or the spiritual presence, we need to reverence the bread and wine as sacred and holy. It has a transforming presence within our being which we need to recognize and rest in while giving thanks for the gift of Jesus (or Jesus' spirit) residing within us.

It is quite a sacrifice, what Jesus has done for us. He gave his life, his body and blood, to save, not only his friends, but to save all who ever was and will be, even before we are. He gave us his body and blood so that we should always remember his sacrifice and overwhelming love for us. Not just those who were with him, But all who live. He gave his life for you and me so that we might live with him forever. Broken and poured out. Jesus body is broken for us. He was whole and alive but he gave up that life for us. Poured ou. Jesus blood is poured out, given, his very life-giving essence for us that we might live and follow his ways and so join him in paradise.

I believe that Jesus is actually present in the bread and the wine. Whether you believe in a spiritual presence or a physical presence, the fact is we all believe in the presence of Jesus in a special way when we partake of the bread and the wine. I reverence the bread and the wine as I receive it because I know I am closer to Jesus at this time than I am at other times. To receive Jesus in the bread and the wine is a privilege and a gift. I respond with a prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus for this gift.

Hello. My name is Pat. I am the single parent of four adopted daughters. We have a very hectic household. I really enjoy the online bible study. It gives me good focus for the day. I am Catholic but respect all christian denominations. I always find that, though we are different denominations, we are more alike than we are different. And our basic salvation history is the same. It is truly how we celebrate where we find the most differences. I am glad to be a part of this christian copmmujnity.

Father God has created us. He in fact gives us life. He is our Father "Dad" as it were. He created us in love. He deserves all our love, We shold act in ways that show that God is our Father. God is also our comforter and protector. We can trust God for all our needs. When we call to Him, He will answer us. He will guide us in the way that is best for us. We must all on God in our prayer and in our everyday lives so that we can follow Him and be one with Him.

Luke 22:37 "It is written; 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me.Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment. In this passage, Jesus qoutes Isaiah 53:12 and announces that this passage is written about him. He leads them to Isaiah 53 with that quote, and identifies himself as the suffering servant.

Because I bear sins against God and the community, atonement for those sins is required. I need to make atonement but it is impossible for me. I am a sinner, a blemished being. God requires a spotless sacrifice. God was crucified in my place. Jesus paid for my sins. I am awed by his love for me.

The Servant is a spotless sacrifice - that is, he bears no sin within his person. We, on the other hand, everyone of us has sin. As in the days of sacrifice of animals God required a spotless lamb (or other animal), in order to redeem those who have sinned, God again requires a spotless sacrifice. Jesus is that spotless sacrifice. he has never known sin nor would he ever. So as he willingly took on the role as sacrifice, he offered up himself in atonement for the sins of us all. It was a perfect sacrifice.

Matthew 20:28 Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many... This clearly shows that Jesus knew the direction his life was to take and that he would be the sacrifice for man.

Jesus sacrifice was to free all from sin so as to bring all God's children into full communion with him. However, in order to benefit from this sacrifice, we must believe in the miracle that Jesus is. We must believe that we are saved through Jesus life and death and resurrection. We must ask for God's forgiveness and accept his grace. Many people still deny Jesus and all that God gives us. For them it is a great loss. Jesus' sacrifice and God's grace is not available to them because they do not believe and therefore cannot accept. Praise God for all he has done for us. I believe and accept Jesus as my savior and God's free gift of grace. We can only pray that those who don't might have their eyes opened and see the truth.

Animal sacrifice was a costly thing. God needed us to know that sin is costly and must be paid for. God is holy and he cannot accept into his arms any kind of sin because it is a blemish. God loves us and knowing that we are sinners, God accepted the perfect, unblemished sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus, to atone for the sin of mankind. Therefore, mankind does not need to be blemished but only confess and ask forgiveness to have any blemish removed. God gave us a way, through His Son, for us to join Him forever.

Man needed a way to atone for his sin. Just as in the ten commandments man was given a way to consciously follow God and thus know he was doing what pleases God, so man needed a way to ask for and receive forgiveness when he didn't follow God. God allowed man offer an animal sacrifice as atonement for sin. It was a sacrifice for man to give up his best animal. It cost money, and it shed innocent blood. However, when offered the way prescribed, atonement was made. Real atonement for sin, that would bring us into the family of God, could not be gained by animal sacrifice. Man sinned. Therefore, to receive forgiveness of sin, someone greater than man must sacrifice. Jesus became the perfect Lamb of God and he atoned for all man's sin. All we have to do is confess and ask and we are forgiven.

What is necessary for a sin sacrifice in the Old Testament Is: Confession of sin, A non-blemished animal, Laying on of hands by the person making the sacrifice, WSlaying the animal by cutting its throat, collection of blood by the priest tp be places on horns and altar,burning of fat portions on altar, and the eating of meat by the priests. Today we still need a confession of the sin and asking for forgiveness. We do not need a lamb for sacrifice because Jesus is the Lamb of God who made the perfect sacrifice for us, which allowed us to be forgiven for all sin if we confess and ask.

Today, when we want meat, or chicken, or fish, we just go to the supermarket, or some other store, and buy it. It usually comes already cut and wrapped up in a container ready to be cooked. Unless we live on a farm, thinking about where the meat comes from doesn't enter our minds. If you were to tell someone that they were eating a cow or a pig or a lamb, etc. they would consider that comment gross and distasteful. A farmer is very aware of where the meat comes from. An animal is "sacrificed" that we might eat. In the city, we wouldn't really think about the animal that was sacrificed to gives us our food. We just think of the meal and not where it comes from. Most people would be horrified if they went to a store to order a ham and were then told they needed to slaughter the pig. The thought that we would need to sacrifice the animal is repulsive. I have to admit, if I had to kill my own meat I would be a vegetarian. So being a farmer and not being a farmer makes a big difference.