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Q2. (Zechariah 7:9-10; 8:16-17) What does it look like to operate from a policy of mercy and compassion? God commands justice for the poor and oppressed in our culture. How can we be sure that the poor are treated justly in our courts? How do you treat aliens in your country, sojourners from another land? Why is speaking truthfully with others so important to God? Mercy and compassion can be viewed from two points of view: 1) they can be viewed from a personal point of view and also 2) from a Community point of view. From a personal point of view it means that an individual must look at others with love, compassion and justice. These three are attributes of God's character. from a community point of view these three are even more important because when an evil exists in a person then it only effects the person and those with whom he comes in contact but in the community situation many can be hurt buy a lack of love, compassion and justice. Therefore we must be very careful and considerate when we have a say in our electing and selecting off those who are in A procession to exercise love, compassion and Justice in society. So often in democracies when these attributes are not considered in selecting Representatives then the result is oppression, injustice and mistreatment.

Q1. (Zechariah 7:4-6) In what ways have we Christians tended to make worship about us, rather than about God? How should we evaluate our churches and our worship patterns? What can we do to make our personal worship a matter of the heart, and not just rote readings and prayer? Many Christians feel like going to church is above them rather than about God. We recently had a middle-aged man, a well-to-do middle-aged man, say that he left the church because he wasn't being fed! This is not really what church is for, the church or the church worship is to worship God and not for us to be fed. Do we really need a good sermon and a wonderful service with great music in order to worship God? No! We come to God in church because God is there to be worshipped and that is why we come. Certainly it is more enjoyable to go to church see if there is a good sermon and wonderful music but that is not what it is all about! Our church services and our worship should be evaluated for the glorification of God not for the glorification of ourselves.

Q4. (Zechariah 4:1-10) Why do we so easily fall into the trap of trying to do God’s work with our own strength? What does it mean, “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit”? How might you apply this truth to your life? we try to use our own strength because we do not trust God enough to let him lead us and support us in our work in developing his kingdom. the God is Spirit and as such it is by his spirit that he enables us to do our work. The power of the spirit is different than the power of the world. Paul writes that the weakness of God is stronger than our strength. To us this is a paradox but it is the word of God. when we run into trouble and doing God's work we need to put our faith into the paradoxical Lord who is Spirit and truth.

Q3. (Zechariah 3:1-7) What do Joshua’s filthy clothes represent? How does God deal with this? What message is this prophecy intended to convey to Joshua the High Priest? How might this message apply to Christian leaders who have sinned? Joshua's filthy clothes represent his sin that has accumulated over the 19 years that he has been leader, high priest of the people. He has not been able to keep the people completely enthused with the building of the Temple and has allowed the project to fall behind schedule. God, in calling for a new clothes, clean clothes, calls for Joshua to become renewed in his commitment to God enter the project and will allow him to do the work. In the same way the message applies to leaders today to get on with the project, do not procrastinate, work for the Lord is coming!

Q2. (Zechariah 2:13) Why, in this passage, do you think the prophet calls all mankind to be still before him? In the context of God aroused to protect his people from attack, why is silence appropriate? For the enemy of God, what does silence represent? For the believer, what does silence before God represent? the psalmist wrote-Be still, and know that I am God: Psalm 46.10. it is in this silence that we know that God is God. For the enemy of God silence is ominous for it means our God is near.

Q1. (Zechariah 1:3) Why is a message of repentance from sin such an important part of the Gospel? What happens when we remove repentance from the core message of Jesus? Why do you think God wants you to repent of all known sin? the message of repentance is important because we must repent of our sins before God is able to forgive us and wipe away our sins and klokov with a cloak of righteousness of Christ. we cannot remove the message of repentance from Jesus message because repentance and salvation I'll go together. God wants us to repent because we are on able to stand before God when we are covered with sins.

Q1. (Ezra 1:5-6) Why did only some return to Jerusalem when given the opportunity? What are the likely characteristics of those who return vs. those who stay behind in Babylon? Why do only some answer Jesus’ call to follow him on his journey to a radically different kind of lifestyle and mission? What are the characteristics of true disciples? it would appear that some we're on interested in going to Jerusalem but what up to stay and to work in Babylon where they had put down roots and were an integral part of the community. the people that stayed behind we're probably more materialistic then those who venture out to Jerusalem. The ones that came to Jerusalem would be more a devoted to the Lord then the ones who stayed behind. In the same way some answer the call to follow Jesus to a different lifestyle and Mission because they are a devoted to the Lord whereas others do not follow Jesus because they are more materialistic and then spiritual.

Q3. (Haggai 2:1-5) Discouragement is a common experience. What command does God give Joshua the high priest? What assurance does he give? To deal with your own times of discouragement, what would God's command and assurance be for you? How would you implement them? God tells Joshua the high priest " This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.'" (Haggai 2:5) The same as he tells the people in Jerusalem in the time of Haggai. By working at God's project as did the people.

Q1. (Haggai 1:8) God wishes to “take pleasure” in the temple, but the people have stopped working on the project. When is God displeased with you? When does he “take pleasure” in you? What is keeping you from serving him deliberately and joyfully? God is displeased when people do not do as he wishes or as he dictates. And to the contrary God is pleased when we follow his directions. Often we do not please God deliberately and joyfully because we are slothful and lazy.

Q4. (5:5-6) What acts of humility are appropriate for church leaders? How can we discern a person's humility before putting him or her in a place of leadership in the church? What happens when we fail to do this? All acts of humility are appropriate for church leaders. Among these would be but not to be proud or overbearing off the members of the congregation. A leader should be, when teaching, humble about his knowledge and not put down those with lesser and knowledge. Church leaders should model the humility of Christ. it is very difficult to discern the humility off of future leader. The best way to discern this is in prayer and in this name carefully to the voice of the Holy Spirit. if we fail to pray and consult the Holy Spirit then the wrong person may be chosen as Elder.

Q4. (5:5-6) What acts of humility are appropriate for church leaders? How can we discern a person's humility before putting him or her in a place of leadership in the church? What happens when we fail to do this? Church leaders should practice humility! Leaders should be humble in all parts of their leadership. Just as Jesus stooped to wash the feet of the disciples then leaders also must stoop to in effect washed the feet off the people they serve. true humility in another person can only be seen Through The Eyes of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we must pray over and for our leaders. If we do not humble leaders then our churches will become hottie and unfriendly.

Q3. (5:3) How can we best keep elders and pastors from being power-mongers? From limiting a pastor's authority? What's the danger here? From testing a person before bestowing authority? How can this be difficult? How can we deal with this serious problem properly? keeping elders and pastors from seizing too much power has been a problem in the church for centuries. We must be very careful in choosing people for these positions. We need to look for people that are humble and do not live a life filled with luxury in their own life. However, the only real test is a test of the Holy Spirit. As we consider whom we should choose for an elder or a pastor we must do it in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. to limit the pastor's power is not a good way to go about this. For if we do the effectiveness of the pastor will be impacted. Instead a panel of people should be set up to work with the pastor so that they can be his overseers and his Associates in the work off the Lord. In fact the whole congregation should act as Associates with the pastor.

Q2. (5:2) What's wrong with the common practice in churches of "twisting a person's arm" to get him or her to serve as a church leader. What damage does this do to the church? What kind of leader does it produce? We should serve in the church because we want to serve God. We should serve because we love to tell the story. The damage to the Church of twisting a person's arm is that the service is done but the story has not been told with love. The type of leaders that we get are those who served because they feel they should and not because they love to tell the story.

Q1. (5:1-2) What do you learn about the responsibilities of an elder from the definitions of "elder," "pastor," and "overseer"? What stood out to you as you considered these words?

Q4. Why is a willingness to die, if need be, essential to healthy Christianity during persecution. What happens when we aren't willing to die, when we are afraid to "take up our cross daily" (Luke 9:23) and follow Jesus? What does this have to do with "commiting ourselves to a faithful Creator"? a willingness to die is important to a Christian during persecution because loving God and Jesus Christ in such a fashion that we are willing to die for their name indicates that we will be able to face death for Christ in a much more willing fashion then if we don't. when we are not willing to die for Jesus then it means that our lives are on this Earth are much more important to us then our relationship with God in eternity. During times of persecution we are able to face the penalty of death much easier if we love God and are anticipating and eternal relationship with him forever.

Q2. (4:13) When you meditate on the idea of partaking of or being a sharer in Christ's sufferings, what perspective does it give you on whatever persecution you may experience? it seems, according to Peter, that when we suffer for Christ then we experience the sharing of the experience of suffering with Christ as we fight against the devilp

Q1. (4:12) What's the danger of trying to avoid persecution and suffering for Christ? Have you ever been distracted by persecution from what you should have been doing? Have you ever observed this in other Christians? If we try to avoid persecution and suffering for Christ then we are not standing fast in our faith. God sometimes gives us suffering to purify ourselves. If we try to avoid the suffering then we are trying to avoid the purification by the Lord God.

Q1. (5:1-2) What do you learn about the responsibilities of an elder from the definitions of "elder," "pastor," and "overseer"? What stood out to you as you considered these words? as an elder, pastor or overseer one is responsible for a group of Christians just as a Shepherd is responsible for his sheep. This is an awesome task, in this task one should be humble and continually pray to God four guides and help to carry out the proper supervision off the flock.

Q1. (4:12) What's the danger of trying to avoid persecution and suffering for Christ? Have you ever been distracted by persecution from what you should have been doing? Have you ever observed this in other Christians? if we try to avoid persecution and suffering for Christ then we will very often be denying our faith and trust in the Lord. For often the two of these must go hand-in-hand. Here in North America persecution and suffering for Christ takes a very different Format then it did in the days of Peter. And nowadays Christians are more likely to be shunned and possibly laughed at as others go about serving Christ. This type of persecution puts a pressure upon the church and upon Church Life. Sporting events are scheduled at church and Sunday school times and parents as Christians must make a decision as to which they will give their time and their children too. It should be noted, however, that the single most important thing that a parent can do for a child is to give the child the opportunity to develop a spiritual life. Therefore we in the church have a responsibility to develop programs that will attract the students and enhance their spiritual life. Persecution in many parts of the world outside of North America has being strong in recent days. We hear of persecution off Egyptian Christians, Coptic Christians, and many others around the world. ISIL and other groups carry-on and intentional persecution and really a genocide of Christian population in territory which they control. Is the time for another Crusade, not with bombs and airplanes but with boots on the ground in the form of troops and also in the form of missionaries and support workers for the people in the persecuted areas. For we are all one as Paul has told us and when one part of the body suffers then all other parts will suffer as well. As the Coptic Christians and the other persecuted Christians are persecuted then we too are persecuted and should feel the suffering off our Christian friends around the world. yes, all Christians have been persecuted in this day and in this age and in North America. Has said above the persecution is subtle, It Is by invert pressure placed upon the individual by Society to conform to a wicked way of life.

Q4. (4:10-11) If people are always promoting themselves and pointing to how God is using them, what does that say about them? Their sense of self-worth? Their maturity? Their realism? Their humility? What spiritual gifts has God given you, and how are you using them to his glory? It seems to me that it is contradictory if one is promoting oneself how can God be a using them? What it seems to be saying is that these people are egotistic and have a misunderstanding how how God uses people. It seems that Christians should have a humility somewhat similar to that Christ had. one of the gifts which God has given me is the gift of prayer.

Q3. (4:5-7) Why don't non-Christians like the idea of giving an account of their actions? Why don't we Christians like it? What should the realization that we must give an account of our actions inspire in us? With what attitude should we live as a result? Non-Christians don't like the idea of judgement because of the consequences! Christians do not like the idea of judgement because they often do not quite understand that Christians are Judges only upon the depth of the rewards that they will receive. Christian judgement is only relevant to the rewards that are available in the kingdom of God. Because Christ has interceded for us and throwing his blanket of righteousness over us we should be inspired to participate fully in the kingdom of God and his righteousness as we live our lives in Christ. we should just live our lives in love of each other greatly because our love covers a multitude of sins.

Q2. (4:3-4) Why do non-Christians try to get you to sin with them. Why are we tempted to do so? How can we resist this temptation? non-Christians try to get you to sin with them because your righteous stand makes them feel uncomfortable and Evil. If they are able to draw you down to their level then they feel that you were just a goody-goody. everyone would likes and desires to be accepted so we try to conform by doing what everybody else is doing. we can resist doing what the crowd is doing by praying to God and asking for strength to live a righteous life.

Q1. (4:1-2) When the scripture says "arm yourselves with the same attitude" as Christ had, how should this attitude help keep you from sin? What attitude are we talking about? As Dr Ralph writes "The insight that Jesus died a horrible death because of our sin ought to be a sword in our hand to defend us from sin returning to harass and defeat us. Just as Jesus died for sins "once for all," so we are to be "done" with sin ourselves. " Jesus understood at God's desire for people to be free from sin and death was so strong that Jesus intentionally took upon himself the sins of the world so that the beating and that he received the nails drove into his hands and the six hours of pain and Agony on the cross were endured so that all humankind would be able to come righteously before God covered with a blanket of righteousness so that our sins could not be seen by God the Creator.

Q2. (3:3) Why should women try to look their best? How can trying to look their best divert women from what is more important? What is the balance? All people should try to look their best before God, both physically and spiritually; for God does not look at the outside or the physical appearance but at the spiritual appearance. God explained to Saul while he was viewing Jesse's Sons ,one of which was to be anointed as king that " the Lord sees not on his appearance or on the height of his stature- man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart". Both men and women can be influenced by caring too much about their physical appearance. If we care too much about our physical appearance we will forget to strengthen our inner relationship with God the Father God the son and God the Holy Spirit. However, it is necessary to strike a balance between the two.

Q4. (2:24b) If Jesus died to set us free from sin's power, why does sin have such power over us still? According to 2:24b, how must we deal with sin? In practical terms, how can we "die to sin"? In everyday language, what does "live for righteousness" mean? because we are such weak and frail people with no resistance sin still has a power over us because of this weakness. We must live by righteousness for By His wounds we are healed. we can only die to send by putting our faith and our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. In no other way can we be saved for he bore our sins in his body on the tree that we may die to sin. to live to righteousness is to live our lives in Christ. Responding to him in such a fashion