Sassyblue8

Yes, the Word was God. How straight forward could this be. Being the "Word" of God Jesus speaks for God literally. What God wants to say to mankind He says through His Word who is Jesus. Since Jesus is God's Word then we should listen to him. Seems like Jesus' ministry would be one of speaking the very words of God. This is my beloved Son hear ye him. One has to speak in order for others to hear. Jesus is the verbalization of God, so to speak. I have always loved the gospel of John and especially this very chapter. I remember sitting in church on Christmas day and listening to this Gospel being preached as a child but not understanding at the time but when the time came for my revelation at the age of 29 years old how extremely enlightening this chapter became to me. I believe it is one of the most profound chapters in the whole of the bible and the gospel of John is so very awe inspiring as everytime I read it I cry tears of understanding, thankfulness and love for my oh so Great Savior Jesus Christ God's very Word.

Q4. (1 Thessalonians 1:10) What does verse 10 teach us about the Christian faith? Which of these elements are most important? Which are less important? Which are underemphasized by the church in our day? Wait for Jesus, who God raised from the dead (the Resurrection)Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come (salvation). Honestly, they are all important. I think the church doesn't emphasize how we are to wait? The church I attend is very good in preaching the gospel and stresses the Resurrection and fortunately they do teach the soon coming of our Lord. I am blessed with a truly gifted, anointed minister. I would say the fellowship that I attend is like unto the church in Philadelphia from Revelation and it just so happens to be in the city of Philadelphia.

Well, the scripture itself says they were envious (jealous). I think that they were afraid that they'd lose their power over the people but also because they were in the flesh and they may have thought that this was just another false religion or cult which would steal people away from Judaism. Paul keeps on preaching the gospel of God because he knows that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes and he knows that he has been called by God to preach the gospel no matter what the situation as Paul is so grateful to God for his own salvation. He knows that this gospel is the truth. The gospel is to be preached to all men everywhere so that they may believe and sometimes the gospel is not welcome because people are not willing to repent or hear or accept the gospel and they sometimes act violently to it. But the gospel must be preached because it is ordained by God and it's the Good News and teaches of Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. So therefore, we should never stop preaching the gospel but if a group of people don't want to hear it then we leave them and go somewhere else to preach the gospel, we can pray for them and come back another time if the Spirit leads.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7) What kind of comfort do you receive from your faith in God? From your personal daily relationship with God? How might you share the blessing of this kind of comfort with a friend or relative who is currently suffering? What words of comfort can you bring to others? The kind of comfort my faith in God brings me is that I know where I will go when this life here on earth is over for me. It brings me no more fear of death. Yes, He comforts me with this truth. He has also comforted me so much and in such a tremendous way when my daughter of 22 years was murdered by her boyfriend. I could not have gotten through such shock, pain and exceedingly terrible sorrow without Jesus' comfort amd consolation. As I would never wish this on any parent ever, I do know somewhat of how they do feel and because of this have become more enabled to comfort someone in this same kind of sorrow. I think that God's comfort in this tragedy for me has made me more compassionate because I have truly known His compassion, comfort and consolation. I have not suffered for Christ's sake except maybe a little when I first came to Him and tried to get others to come to Him and was made fun of but I have never suffered for Christ as Paul or the Christians in China or Somalia or other places where they suffer just because they belong to Christ. I would hope that I would be triumphant knowing that no matter what happens to me. He is with me and will comfort me no matter what. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding; acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will direct your paths."Proverbs 3:5 This is one of my favorite scriptures and has helped me very much in my walk with the Lord. Love, Joy and Peace Brothers and Sisters In Christ Jesus our Lord! Dotty B.

Hi Dotty here: I love to study with Dr. Wilson. I have learned a lot through these studies. Guess you're maybe wondering what my screen name means LOL Sassy was my cat; blue is my favorite color and eight is the number for New Beginnings in the bible and I had a New Beginning 35 years ago when I was born from above by the power of the Holy Spirit. I have had my ups and downs all these years but have grown in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is my Rock and my salvation and His banner over me is love that's for sure. I love God's Word and love to read it and study it! I love my brothers and sisters in Christ and I am looking forward to all your comments and insights. Praise the Lord and God bless you all.

I think that we, as Christians, should start seeing our fellow Christians as our true family. We should treat our Christian bretheren as family not just as aquaintances but close relatives whom we love. I think this is hard to do as we don't spend the time with them that we do with our own earthly relatives. We don't have the history with them. But in the Lord's Kingdom, we do have a history together, we belong to Christ Jesus and each one of us are His children so therefore, we are very much related in the Spirit which makes us all in the family of God which will last forever. We may have our earthly family and friends but not all of them are in God's Kingdom and unfortunately some may never be born again into His Kingdom. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to stir in our hearts the agape love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to get to the point where our Christian friends should be treated more like family and most of us would do anything for our family members if we can. We need to act on our beliefs. Love is an action as well as a heart feeling. Just my thoughts, sassyblue8 PS Hi family! Have a good Sunday and a very nice week.

Q1. How does your particular understanding of the bread and the wine (literal or figurative) help you grow closer to Christ when partaking of the Lord's Supper? (Note: This question is not your excuse to argue, but to learn from one another's personal experience of partaking.) I think all of the answers so far were quite beautiful and seem to be from the heart. I wanted to read the answer to this question by my brothers and sisters in Christ before I answered it myself. My understanding of the bread and the wine is figurative today but in the past I was taught it as literal. I think that no matter how one understands the elements to be, whether figuratively or literal, it's more important how the sacrament (sign) touch ones life and ones actions. I most heartily believe that the Lord is present with us during the celebration of His sacrament (ordinance). It is a very spiritual action. The Lord is with us as we partake of His body and His blood as we remember His oh so great sacrifice of love for our salvation. He is with us because He is in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. I truly feel the presence of the Lord during this special time. I commune with Him and I always ask for forgiveness of my sins before I receive the Lord's body (bread) and the Lord's blood (wine). The tradition I am in now only has communion about maybe six times a year but my other fellowship had it once a month. I do believe it should be done at least once a week at the very least. The Lord's supper has never become mudane to me. It has always been a special time of God touching me and I He. Just my thoughts, Dotty from PA

Q2. What was the purpose of the Passover meal for future generations? Why was it to be repeated? What was to be remembered? What would have happened if the Jews had stopped remembering the Exodus? The purpose of the Passover meal for future generations was two fold: 1. to look back and see what the Lord had done for the children of Israel by setting them free from their slave masters in Egypt and also that their lives were spared from the death angel because they had the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. 2. to look forward to the time of the Messiah whom would be their Lamb of God who would take away their slavery to sin forever. The Passover meal was to be repeated so that they would never forget their deliverance and also to set them apart from the Idolatrous nations around them. If the Jews had stopped remembering the Exodus, then they would have perhaps stopped remembering their God and gone into idoltry with the nations around them and also they would not have stuck together as a separate people waiting for the Messiah. The Passover meal was the shadow and the Lord's supper is the substance in salvation's history. The Israelites were set apart by thier observance of Passover as the church (the called out ones) are separated from the worldly ones by their observance of the Lord's supper. Just my thoughts, Dotty from PA

Q1. (139:7) Why do people sometimes want to flee from God? Why do people imagine that God doesn't know what they do? Have you ever felt this way? While there is no way one can flee from God's presence as He is omnipresent and all knowing (his divine attributes) but in one's heart they may want to flee especially if they have commited a grievous offense against the Lord. One can be so ashamed of one's actions or thoughts that one may want to hide from God. I would say that the reason some people don't know that God knows what they do is because they don't believe or they don't care or they are ambivelent. They do not have the conviction of the Holy Spirit because they do not know Him. There are also people who don't really care about God's knowing what they do because they don't believe in an omnipotent, ominpresent, all knowing God. People are in darkness and have not the light yet. I have never felt that God didn't know what I was doing but I have felt ashamed many times because I am a sinner. I was taught about God's attributes even as a child and had a very sensitive conscience as I was taught the commandments of God and knew about God. Now, as a believer I get the conviction of the Holy Spirit when I transgress in not loving Him or my neighbor with my whole heart, my lack of agape love.

Q1. In what way does a prayer for pardon require faith? What is that faith based on? How does a person gain the faith to pray this prayer in confidence? First of all, I just want to say I thank God for David. He is a great example of how one can love God but still sin. Although, we are admonished to be perfect like our heavenly Father is perfect, Matthew 5:48, (perfect in love) and by looking at the life of David we see that this perfection is a goal and is only truly realized in and because of our identification with Jesus Christ now and by our glorification in eternity. I am not what I used to be because of Christ and I will be what God wants me to be because of Christ. Looking unto to Jesus the author and finisher of faith. Hebrews 12:2. 1. A prayer of pardon requires faith in that the person being asked for this pardon has the authority and willingness to pardon. David knew God's character and he had faith to believe God would and could pardon him. God had shown Himself in the past to be merciful and willing to pardon His peoples transgressions. examples: all the great heroes of the Israelites received pardons for something such as Abraham, Moses, Jacob so David had prior knowledge of God's willingness to pardon sin. 2. This faith is based on God's revealed character and actions in history. 3. One gains the faith to pray this prayer in confidence in knowing the love and mercy of God which is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord and we find this revelation in God's Word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Just my thoughts! Dotty

Good Afternoon brothers and sisters in Christ! May you all be blessed with peace, love and joy in the great name of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ! My name is Dotty and I am so looking forward to studying with you all. I live in Langhorne, PA and go to Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia. I am 58 years old in the Lord and I was born again in September of 1978. I have three adult children one in heaven Amy Joy and a daugther Wendy and a son Shawn who live near me. I have two granddaugters Laura almost 18 years old and little Darby Lee two years and five months old. I work full time and live in a small mobile home in a mobile home park. The Lord is the only other person who lives with me. I love to study God's word and God's way. You can email me at drbforJesus2@aol.com In Him, Dotty

Well, slave is more like servant and Christians are God's servants to do the will of the Father and the Son. We no longer have ownership over ourselves. We are now God's property. God is the Master but He is the Father also and He loves us so therefore being His servant (slave) is no hardship or misery. A slave is in bondage and we are no longer in bondage when we come to Jesus Chirst. We are now alive to God, we are His children and heirs of salvation! But also we are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to righteousness! Romans 6:18 As far as saint goes, saint means believer in Hebrew. One preacher I heard one time said you're either a saint or you ain't one. Saint does not mean someone who is granted sainthood from someone else. Believers in Christ Jesus are saints when they believe.

Q4. (2:20-26) How does James' point about the necessity of works jive with Paul's emphasis on salvation by grace without works (Ephesians 2:8-10)? Both teachers taught works! James used grace and works as a teem. They go together. If you have faith, you will have works. The key to Paul's works is God. Ephesians 2: 10. If we are saved by grace then we will have good works because God created us for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Good works should be natural to a believer.

Q3. (2:18-19) What is the difference between the "belief" of a demon and the "belief" of a practicing Christian? The "belief" of a non-practicing Christian? The "belief" of a demon is intellectual belief but it does not save them. It's like "I know there is a God but so what?" The "belief" of a practicing Christian is a knowing in the heart that there is a God and that He sent His Son to die for me and in so knowing this one can live a life of love and grace. It's an every day trusting in God. It's a relationship. I honestly don't know how a non-practicing Christian believes as I have never been non-practicing? I know people who believe in Jesus as their Savior but don't seem to do the so called "Christain" things but I cannot see in their hearts as God can do but I would say that they have a fire insurance but do not have a good relationship?

Q1. (3:1-2) Why does James discourage people from aspiring to be teachers of the Word? Why is greater strictness appropriate? Should you set higher standards for your pastor than you do for yourself? The standards should be the same for the pupil and the teacher here because this is God's Word and we are all his representatives. I have a very hard time with this as I used to belong to a tradition that separated the people very strickly along so called ecclesiastical lines and the so called ordinary layman actually put the so called clergy on a pedestal and came to almost worship them and put them on the same level as Jesus Christ! Then when one of them fell it was like people almost and sometimes did lose their faith but their faith was not in Christ like is should have been but their faith was put in man. All Christains should attain to high standards in all they do and say with the help of the Holy Spriit. Also, we should afford one another grace and mercy too. Do I expect my pastor to live a moral life, sure I do, but I expect this of myself also. Do I expect my pastor to live a giving life, sure I do, but I expect this of myself also. Do I expect my pastor to be holy as He is Holy, yes I do but I expect this of myself also. Somtimes I think that some Christians think that as long as they are not teachers that they aren't required to have high standards but this is the lie of the evil one. I guess that the teacher needs to have higher standards when it comes to the world as they would more than likely be put in positions in the world more than the so called layman.

Q2. (3:7-8) Read Matthew 12:34 and 15:18. In light of these verses, why is the tongue untamable? What has to happen before it can be tamed The tongue is untamable only if it has not been brought under the control of the Holy Spirit. The togue is only the instrument of speaking it cannot speak but what is in the heart of a man. If the heart is good than the tongue will bring forth good Words but if the heart is evil it will bring forth evil expressions. First of all, a man/woman must be born again for anything good to come from the heart to the tongue.

Hello, fellow students of God's Word. Q1. (3:1-2) Why does James discourage people from aspiring to be teachers of the Word? Because he knows that people will tend to measure the life of the teacher with a more stringent measuring standard. The teacher is supposed to know not only what to do but to be blameless in all he/she says and does. Because the teacher represents the One in whom he teaches. While this may not be fair as we are all sinners saved by God's grace, it is human nature to expect those who are in a superior position to act accordingly. I honestly don't think that there should be a double standard as all God's children are to be His abassador's and we all should be striving for maturity.

GOOD SUNDAY MORNING ALL OF MY FELLOW BIBLE STUDENTS AND BROTHERS/SISTERS IN CHRIST! Q1. (2:1-3) What kind of person or what kind of sinner do you tend to discriminate against? What kind of people are you (or your church) trying to make a good impression on? Honestly and truly I try not to discriminate against anyone as I know my Lord loves all sinners and I am one! I may be a forgiven sinner, thank you Lord Jesus, but I know from where I have come. He who is forgiven much - loves much and that is what I am called to do, love! Sure it is sometimes hard to differenciate between the sinner and their sin but I try with the help of the Holy Spirit to do just that. There is a saying hate sin but love the sinner and we must strive to do this as it is easier to have nothing at all to do with the sinner than to love and pray for him/her. We, as Christ's ambassadors, do not indulge in a sinner's sin but we can be a witness to them and pray for them and do good things with them and for them. Also, we are to have a special kind of acceptance and love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous, not retuning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that your were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing for "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers, But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil." Psalm 34:12-16 (1 Peter 3:8-12. I am not nor is my church trying to make an impression on anyone. I am fortuante to go to a church who accepts eveyone who names the Name of Christ and it is an evangelical church which brings sinners to Christ all the time! The only person I want to make an impression on is the LORD. I want Him to see that I have learned His lessons on love. I want to be a good witness for Him by my life! Christians are called to lay up their treasures in heaven not here on earth so it's not about what I have or others have but who I am in my spriit and whom I love.

accidentally posted before I was finished? what I was starting to say is: This word, agape, describes a love that is based on the deliberate CHOICE of the one who loves rather than the worthiness of the one who is loved. This kind of love goes against the natural human inclination. It is a giving, selfless, expect-nothing-in-return kind of love. from my NKJV of the Nelson Study Bible This does surpass any kind of so called worldly knowledge or even biblical knowledge. God wants us, Christians, to love like this because He is love and He first loved us. We CANNOT love like this unless we are born again and unless we walk in the Spirit and this is one of the fruit of the Spirit and it needs to grow in us by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. Just my thoughts, SB8 for Jesus

Good Saturday morning to all my fellow students of the Word! Well, I answered questions 4 and 3 first and now I am at question number two. I work all week and at night I am too tired to even think so this is why I am answering these questions this morning! The mind has been rested! Q2. (1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception? I think that we may think that the more we know and the more we learn the better person we will be but if we do not apply what we learn then our learning has no benefit to anyone, ourselves or others. It's like having a whole refrigerator full of food and going into the refrigerator and looking at it and saying how good the food looks and going to the store and stocking up but if we don't eat the food then we will lose weight and eventually we will die. Knowledge is good but if we don't use it then sometimes it just puffs us up because it is a head trip not a heart beat. 1 Corin. 8:1 Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. We use our knowledge to help others! There is nothing virtuous in gaining knowledge unless it is used to better the lives of others and also to better ourselves. God is a God of action. God so loved the world HE GAVE! So, we too, are supposed to put our faith into action. The nature of the self-deception is the old man the self. It is sin. I show that I know and love God by doing the things that he tells me to do. Knowledge is a tool that can be used for the good of my neighbor but knowledge in and of itself is not knowing God. Eph. 3:19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge. The word, agape, describes a love that is based on the deliberate CHOICE

Good Saturday morning to all my fellow students of the Word! Q3. What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The perfect law is "love" is agape of course. It is the law of the Spirit of love. Unselfish love. God's kind of love. 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love. I believe they are the same. The perfect law of liberty is the law of love. Loving God and loving one's neighbor sums up the Law (Matt. 26:36-40). It is Christ's love (Eph 3:17-19) that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be albe to comprehend with all the saitnts what is the width and and length and depthand height -- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. We are to be rooted and grounded in this "royal law of love." ************************************************ It brings liberty by getting us out of the rut of don't do this and don't do that and how much can I do or not do before I sin kind of religion but ----- if the Son sets you free you are free indeed meaning I am free to love because God first loved me and sent His Son to die for me. My future is taken care of so that I can live day by day in loving God and loving others by the power of the Holy Spirit. Just my thoughts! SB8 for Jesus

Q4. (1:26-27) Why does James make taming the tongue and caring for the poor the prime tests of pure religion? Why not the quality of our quiet time or worship? The tongue can be a powerful instrument for either love or evil (sin). We can either bless others with our words or curse others with our words. Words do have meaning and consequences. Taming of the tonque is an exercise of faith and growth for a person who is trying to work out his/her faith in the area of human relationships where God in Christ has told us to love our neighbor as ourselves and do no harm to our neighbor. The tonque can be used for making a person feel valued or not valued. People have feelings and we can either build them up by our words or break them down by our words. Many of us would never think of murdering our neighbor, friend, coworker, husband, wife etc. but we can, so to speak, murder them with words of distain, meaness, disrespect or even curse words. The tongue CAN KILL and all of us have a tongue. When one is not walking in the Spirit, we can easily let our guard down and allow our selfish old man take over with our tongue and cause us to be unkind with our words and in effect murder someone with our words. As Christians we are called to bless others, in the sense of seeking the best for them, no matter how we may be treated. Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 1 Corinthians 4: 12b Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. So, therefore, even if people use their tongue against us, we are still told to bless and this does take Christian maturity. We must constantly seek the Lord's face about this and seek His grace to be able to tame our tongue and I believe this is a life long challenge. We must walk in the Spirit so that we do not do the deeds of the flesh! As for caring for the poor, this is a normal progression for one who is born of the Spirit as God loves the poor because they need His care and we who name the Name of Christ and who have been blessed by the Lord should share our time and wealth with those who are in need. I really think that this is common sense as well as a command! Our quiet time and worship is not unimportant as it can help us very much so to be able to tame the tonque and reach out to the poor. But James seems to be saying that these two things, taming the tongue and giving to the poor, are out growths of our relationship to God and they are a good witness to our growth and maturity in the Lord and shows that we are doers of the Word and not just hearers. Just my thoughts, SB8 for Jesus!

Q1. (1:18) In what sense are we given spiritual birth by the "word of truth"? What does spiritual life have to do with the Word? Well, this is my thoughts on this. The bible is the written word of God and Jesus is the living Word of God (And the Word became flesh) and the written word of God is the truth and Jesus is (the way, THE TRUTH, and the life). God uses both His written word and His living Word in behalf and leading to our rebirth. We are born from above by the Spirit of God through His word and in His Word. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of faith! "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever (1 Peter 1:23)." The Word of God is "living and powerful" (Heb. 4:12), therefore, it can generate life in the heart of a sinner who trusts Christ; and that life is God's life. YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN! We need a second birth. The first birth (physical) is corrupt. We need a new birth a spiritual birth which comes from God through His word in His living Word, even Jesus Christ!

Hi all, it's so funny somehow I posted my greeting in the Gideon study on January 13 so I copied it and brought it over to the James study: Good Morning to my fellow sojourners and aliens in our quest for knowledge, that leads to unselfish love (agape), of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: I am from the Keystone state of Pennsylvania in the US of America and have lived on this planet for 57 plus years. I came to the Lord at the age of 29 years. I was brought up as a Roman Catholic but joined the Evangelical church in 1981. I have three grown children two on earth and one in heaven! I have two grandchildren both girls Laura and Darby Lee ages 17 and 19 months respectivley. I work full time in the manufacturing industry as part of the office staff. I've been at my place of employment for almost 20 years. The Lord got me my job and has kept me there. Praise His holy Name! I love the Lord Jesus and I love His Word! I am so looking forward to studying the book of James with Pastor Ralph and all of you!

Q2. (1:13-15) Why do people blame God for evil? Does God tempt us with evil? Does he tempt sinful people with evil? Why does he allow people to sin? Why does he allow evil to exist at all? Well, most people blame God because they need to blame someone and because God is supposed to be all powerful and almighty and when He doesn't prevent evil then they blame Him. People blame God for evil because they are ignorant of His character and of His Word. Unbelievers blame God because they are ignorant of His goodness and His love and do not know Him. God does not tempt us with evil but allows it for our growth and dependence on him. God tempts no one with evil. We are sinful because we are evil and have this sin nature within. God allows people to sin because He allows us "choice." It has to do with being free persons and not robots. Someday evil will not exist but until that time God can even use evil for our good! When studying this, the word "trust" comes to mind for me. I will trust in the Lord at all times!