7-17
The Work of the Holy Spirit in Christian Living

As a loving and wise mother tenderly watches over her child, so the Holy Spirit cares for the children of God.

1. The Holy Spirit Lives in Christians
The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit lives in all believers (1 Cor 6:19). The purpose of this indwelling ministry of the Spirit is to control the newly created nature given at conversion (2 Cor 5:17; Eph 3:16).

2. The Holy Spirit Fills Believers
We are admonished to "let the Holy Spirit fill and control you" (Eph 5:18. The filling does not mean that the Christian gets more of the Holy Spirit, but rather, he gets more of us!

3. The Holy Spirit Sanctifies the Believer
(Rom 15:16; 2 Thes 2:13).

4. The Holy Spirit Produces Fruit in the Life of the Believer
This fruit is described by Paul: "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Gal 5:22-23).

5. The Holy Spirit Imparts Gifts to Christians
(Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:1-11; Eph 4:7-12).
A spiritual gift is an ability imparted to every Christian (1 Cor 7:7; 1 Pet 4:10.)
The purpose of these gifts is twofold, namely, to glorify God (Rev 4:11) and to edify the body of Christ (Eph 4:12-13).

6. The Holy Spiret Teaches Believers
He will instruct us in all spiritual things as we read the Word of God (John 14:26) and abide in the Son of God (1 Jn 2:24-27)/

6/24
* God has no need of a person who is hot today and cold tomorrow; He needs people who are hot today and hotter tomorrow and still hotter the next day, for they are the ones who are going to touch the glory.

* I have a new hobby. It's planting seeds!


* When a person is born again, he receives knowledge with respect to how to sow the Word of God so that it will bring another into the same knowledge. Everyone who is born again can sow.


* Remember this, we all have more than we are using.


* It is a disgrace to God for a person just to keep pace. We must press on. If you are making no headway, you must be a backslider. Those who run in a race, all run, but one receives the prize. Run in such a way that you may obtain it. Press on toward the goal.


* There is not room for two lives in one body. Death to self is the way for the life of the Christ of God to be manifested through you. Your human desires--human supremacy, wanting to be someone, wanting to do something special--are a tremendous hindrance and curse to your life. Not until you cease can God increase.


* Man does not live by bread alone. Are you hungry? Are you sipping on milk like a baby or eating baby food? I am eating a smorgasboard every day! So can you.


6/22

The hagiographa or holy writings, found in the St. Sophia Mosque at Constantinople, made by Gamaliel, in the Talmuds of the Jews, 27 B. It seems Gamaliel was sent by the Sanhedrim to interrogate Joseph and Mary in regard to this child Jesus. He says: "I found Joseph and Mary in the city of Mecca, in the land of Ammon or Moab. But I did not find Jesus. When I went to the place where I was told he was, he was somewhere else; and thus I followed him from place to place, until I despaired of finding him at all. Whether he knew that I was in search of him and did it to elude me, I cannot tell, though I think it most likely the former was the reason, for his mother says he is bashful and shuns company. Joseph is a wood-workman. He is very tall and ugly. His hair looks as though it might have been dark auburn when young. His eyes are gray and vicious. He is anything but prepossessing in his appearance, and he is as gross and glum as he looks. He is but a poor talker, and it seems that yes and no are the depth of his mind. I am satisfied he is very disagreeable to his family. His children look very much like him, and upon the whole I should call them a third-rate family. I asked him who were his parents. He said his father's name was Jacob, and his grandfather was Matthew. He did not like to talk on the subject. He is very jealous. I told him that we had heard that he had had a vision, and I was sent to ascertain the facts in the case. He said he did not call it a vision; he called it a dream. He said after he and Mary had agreed to marry, it seemed that something told him that Mary was with child; that he did not know whether he was asleep or awake, but it made such an impression on his mind that he concluded to have nothing more to do with her; and while he was working one day under a shed, all at once a man in a snowy white stood by his side, and told him not to doubt the virtue of Mary, for she was holy before the Lord; that the child conceived in her was not by man, but by the Holy Ghost, and that the child would be free from human passions. In order to do this he must-that is, his humanity must-be of the extract of almah (that is the Hebrew word for virgin), that he might endure all things, and not resist, and fill the demands of prophecy. He said the angel told him that this child should be great and should rule all the kingdoms of this world. He said that this child should set up a new kingdom, wherein should dwell righteousness and peace, and that the kingdoms of this world which should oppose him God would utterly destroy. I asked him, How could a virgin conceive of herself without the germination of the male? He said: "This is the work of God. He has brought to life the womb of Elizabeth, so she had conceived and will bear a son in her old age who will go before and tell the people of the coming of this King." After telling me all these things, he disappeared like the melting down of a light. I then went and told Mary what had occurred, and she told me that the same angel, or one like him, had appeared to her and told the same things. So I married Mary, thinking that if what the angel had told us was true, it would be greatly to our advantage; but I am fearful we are mistaken. Jesus seems to take no interest in us, nor anything else much. I call him lazy and careless. I do not think he will amount to much, much less be a king. If he does, he must do a great deal better than he has been doing." I asked him how long after that interview with the angel before the child was born. He said he did not know, but he thought it was seven or eight months. I asked him where they were at the time. He said in Bethlehem. The Roman commander had given orders for all the Jews to go on a certain day to be enrolled as taxpayers, and he and Mary went to Bethlehem as the nearest place of enrollment; and while there this babe was born. I asked if anything strange occurred there that night. He said that the people were much excited, but he was so tired that he had gone to sleep, and saw nothing. He said toward day there were several priests came in to see them and the babe, and gave them many presents. And the news got circulated that this child was to be King of the Jews, and it created such an excitement that he took the child and his mother and came to Moab for protection, for fear the Romans would kill the child to keep it from being a rival to the Romans.

I discovered that all Joseph's ideas were of a selfish kind. All he thought of was himself. Mary is altogether a different character, and she is too noble to be the wife of such a man. She seems to be about forty or forty-five years of age, abounds with a cheerful and happy spirit and is full of happy fancies. She is fair to see, rather fleshy, has soft and innocent-looking eyes, and seems to be naturally a good women. I asked her who her parents were, and she said her father's name was Eli, and her mother's name was Anna; her grandmother's name was Pennel, a widow of the tribe of Asher, of great renown. I asked her if Jesus was the son of Joseph. She said he was not. I asked her to relate the circumstances of the child's history. She said that one day while she was grinding some meal there appeared at the door a stranger in shining raiment, which showed as bright as the light. She was very much alarmed at his presence, and trembled like a leaf; but all her fears were calmed when he spoke to her; for he said: "Mary, thou art loved by the Lord and He has sent me to tell thee that thou shalt have a child; that this child shall be great and rule all nations of the earth." She continued: "I immediately thought of my engagement to Joseph, and supposed that was the way the child was to come; but he astonished me the more when he told me that cousin Elisabeth had conceived and would bear a son, whose name was to be John; and my son should be called Jesus. This caused me to remember that Zacharias had seen a vision and disputed with the angel, and for that he was struck with dumbness, so that he could no longer hold the priest's office. I asked the messenger if Joseph knew of the matter. He said he told Joseph that I was to have a child by command of the Holy Ghost, and that he was to redeem his people from their sins, and was to reign over the whole world; that every man should confess to him and he should rule over all the kings of the earth." I asked her how she knew that he was an angel, and she said he told her so, and then she knew he was an angel from the way he came and went. I asked her to describe how he went away from her, and she said that he seemed to melt away like the extinguishing of a light. I asked her if she knew anything of John the Baptist. She said he lived in the mountains of Judea the last she knew of him. I asked her if he and Jesus were acquainted, or did they visit. She said she did not think they knew each other. I asked her if at the time this angel, as she called him, visited her, she was almah (that is, virgin). She said she was; that she had never showed to man, nor was known by any man. I asked her if she at that time maintained her fourchette; and after making her and Joseph understand what I ment, they both said she had, and Joseph said this was the way he had of testing her virtue. I asked her if she knew when conception took place. She said she did not. I asked her if she was in any pain in bearing, or in delivering this child. She said, "None of any consequence." I asked her if he was healthy; to give me a description of his life. She said he was perfectly healthy; that she never heard him complain of any pain or dissatisfaction; his food always agreed with him; that he would eat anything set before him, and if anyone else complained he would often say he thought it good enough, much better than we deserved. She said that Joseph was a little hard to please, but this boy had answered him so often, and his answers were so mild and yet so suitable, that he had almost broken him of finding fault. She said he settled all the disputes of the family; that no odds what was the subject or who it was, one word from him closed all mouths, and what gave him such power was his words were always unpretending and spoken as though they were not intended as a rebuke, but merely as a decision. I asked her if she had ever seen him angry or out of humor. She said she had seen him apparently vexed and grieved at the disputes and follies of others, but had never seen him angry. I asked her if he had any wordly aspirations after money or wealth, or a great name, or did he delight in fine dress, like the most of youth. She said that was the thing that vexed her, he seemed to take no care of his person; he did not care whether he was dressed or not, or whether the family got along well or ill; it was all alike to him. She said she talked to him about it, and he would look at her a little grieved and say, "Women (for such he always called me), you do not know who I am." Indeed, she said he takes so little interest in the things of the world and the great questions of the day, they were beginning to despair of his ever amounting to much-much less be a king, as the angel said he would be; if so, he would have to act very differently from what he was acting at that time. I told her that the Jewish doctors contended that the amorous disposition is peculiar to the male. I asked her if she had ever seen in the private life of Jesus any signs of such disposition. She said she had not. I asked her if she saw in him any particular fondness for female society. She said she had not; if anything, rather the contrary; that the young bethaul (the word in Hebrew for young women) were all very fond of him, and were always seeking his society, and yet he seemed to care nothing for them; and if they appeared too fond of him, he treated them almost with scorn. He will often get up and leave them, and wonder away and spend his time in meditation and prayer. He is a perfect ascetic in his life. When I see how the people like to be with him, and ask him questions, and seem to take such delight with his answers-both men and women-it almost vexes me. They say there is a young women in Bethany whom he intends to marry; but unless he changes his course very much he will never be qualified to have a family. But I do not believe the report. He never seems to me to care anything about women when he is in my presence.
Thus it seems that Joseph and Mary have both lost all confidence in his becoming anything.
They seem to think that the Sanhedrim should do something for him to get him out and let him show himself to the people.


I tried to console them by telling them that my understanding of the prophecy was that he had to come to the high priesthood first, and there work in the spiritual dominion of the heart; and when he had brought about a unity of heart and oneness of aim, it would be easy enough to establish his political claim; and all who would not willingly submit to him, it would be an easy matter with the sword of Joshua or Gideon to bring under his control. It seemed to me that his parents ideas are of a selfish character; that they care nothing about the Jewish government nor the Roman oppression. All they think of is self-exaltation, and to be personally benefited by their son's greatness. But I told them they were mistaken; that the building up of the kingdom of heaven was not to be done by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord, and it would not do for us to use carnal weapons, nor to expect carnal pleasures to be derived there-from; that it was not my understanding of the prophecy that this king was to use such weapons either for himself or for the benefit of a party, but for the good of all men; that his dominion was to be universal, and it was to be of a spiritual character; that he was sent to the lost and not to the found.
His parents told me of an old man who lived on the road to Bethany who had once been a priest, a man of great learning, and well skilled in the laws and prophets, and that Jesus was often there with him reading the law and prophets together; that his name was Massalian, and that I might find Jesus there. But he was not there. Massalian said he was often at Bethany with a young family, and he thought there was some love affair between him and one of the girls. I asked him if he had seen anything like a courtship between them. He said he had not, but inferred from their intimacy and from the fondness on the women's part, as well as from the laws of nature, that such would be the case. I asked him to give me an outline of the character of Jesus. He said that he was a young man of the finest thought and feeling he ever saw in his life; that he was the most apt in his answers and solutions of difficult problems of any man of his age he had ever seen; that his answers seem to give more universal satisfaction-so much so that the oldest philosopher would not dispute with him, or in any manner join issue with him, or ask the second time. I asked Massalian who taught him to read and interpret the law and the prophets. He said that his mother said that he had always known how to read the law; that his mind seemed to master it from the beginning; and into the laws of nature and the relation of man to his fellow in his teachings or talks, he gives a deeper insight, inspiring mutual love and strengthening the common trust of society.
Another plan he has of setting men right with the laws of nature; he turns nature into a great law book of illustrations, showing that every bush is a flame, every rock a fountain of water, every star a piller of fire, and every cloud the one that leads to God.
He makes all nature preach the doctrine of trust in the divine Fatherhood. He speaks of the lilies as pledges of God's care, and points to the fowls as evidence of his watchfulness over human affairs. Who can measure the distance between God and the flower of the field? What connection is there between man and the lily? By such illustrations he creates a solicitude in man that seems to awe him into reverence, and he becomes attracted toward heavenly thought, and feels that he is in the presence of one that is superior. In this talk he brings one to feel he is very near the presence of God. He says how much more your Father. The plane is one, though the intermediate points are immeasurable distant. Thus by beginning with a flower he reasons upward to the absolute, and then descends and teaches lessons of trust in a loving Father.
The lessons of trust in God reassure the anxious listener and create an appetite that makes him long for more; and it often seems, when he has brought his hearers to the highest point of anxiety, he suddenly breaks off and leaves his company as though he cared nothing for them.
Jesus in his talk brings all these illustrations to make man feel his nearness to his kindred, man, teaching also their relation to and dependence upon God; and although his method is happy, it does not seem to me that it is the most successful. He teaches that man and the flowers and birds drink from the same fountain and are fed from the same table, yet at the same time he seems to do everything to excite suspicion and prejudice. We that are watching him to see his devine mission commence, he is continually tantalizing our expectations, as well as mocking our natural reason and desires. When a man separates himself from all other men. both in point of doctrine as well as discipline, he takes a very great risk on his part-especially when he confines God to one channel, and that one of his own dictation. A man that assumes these responsible positions must have vast resources from which to draw, or he will sink in the whirlpool which his own impertinence has created.
Through Jesus, in his teachings or talks (his words sound so much like the teachings of Hillel or Shammai that I must call it teaching, though he has no special scholars), we learn that God is Spirit, and God is Father; and he says these are the only two things that are essential for man to know. Then he illustrates this to the parents, and asks them what would they do for their children. He was telling some mothers a circumstance of a mother starving herself to feed her child, and then applied it to God as our Father; and they commenced shouting, they were so happy; and Jesus got up and left the house in seeming disgust.

Massalian says he is tempted at times to become impatient with Jesus, as he devotes so much time to details. It seems almost a waste of time for a man who came to save the world to be lingering over a special case of disease. He thinks he could hasten Jesus's physical deportment. Why not speak one word and remove every sick patient from his sick-bed at the same hour? What a triumph this would be. I asked him if Jesus had healed anyone. He said not as yet; but if he is to be King of the Jews, he was to heal all nations, and why not do it at once? If he would, there would be nothing more required to establish his kingship. But I said to him, Is it not equally so with God's creative power? See what time and labor it takes to bring forth a grain of corn. Why not have caused the earth to bring forth every month instead of every year? Christ was talking in defence of his Father. The people must learn to live and obey the Father before they would reverence the Son. Yes, he said the God that Jesus represented was one that the people might love and venerate; that he was a God of love, and had no bloody designs to execute on even a bad man, provided he ceased his evil ways. It is to be noted that in all Jesus's talk there are manifest references to the future. Many of his statements were like a sealed letter-not to be opened but by time. A grain of mustard was to result in a large tree. All his ideas refer to the future; like the parent helping the child with his burden of to-day, by telling of the blessings of tomorrow; and by making to-day the seed-corn of tomorrow; keeping the action of to-day under moral control by making the morrow the day of judgement. He stated further that Jesus was a young man who was the best judge of human nature he had ever seen; that he thought at times he could tell men their thoughts and expose their bad principles; and while he had all these advantages of life, he seemed not to care for them nor to use them abusively. He seems to like all men-one as well as another-so much so that his own parents have become disgusted with him, and have almost cast him off. But Jesus has such a peculiar temperament that he seems not to care, and is as well satisfied with one as another. He said that Jesus seemed fond of Mary and Martha, who lived at Bethany, and probably I might find him there. Massalian is a man of very deep thought and most profound judgment. All his life he has made the Scriptures his study. He. too, is a good judge of human nature, and he is satisfied that Jesus is the Christ. He said that Jesus seemed to understand the prophecy by intuition. I asked him where Jesus was taught to read the prophecy. He said that his mother told him that Jesus could read from the beginning; that no one had ever taught him to read. He said that he, in making quotations from the prophets, was sometimes mistaken or his memory failed him; but Jesus could correct him every time without the scroll; and that sometimes he thought Jesus was certainly mistaken, but never in a single instance was he wrong.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It should be noted that Jesus was age 26 when this interview was going on.
Also, Gamaliel was with the 10th Tribe and was the leader.

1. Leader of MANASSEH Num 2:21
2. Famous Jewish teacher Acts 22:3
Respected by people Acts 5:34-39

Paul was educated in Jerusalem under Gamaliel.

Peter and John were in jail. An angel let them out. They were caught again and the council was going to have them killed. Gamaliel talked them into flogging them instead. See Acts 5:19
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I asked him to describe his person to me, so that I might know him if I should meet him. He said: If you ever meet him you will know him.
While he is nothing but a man, there is something about him that distinguishes him from every other man. He is the picture of his mother, only he has not her smooth, round face. His hair is a little more golden than hers, though it is as much from sunburn as anything else. He is tall, and his shoulders are a little drooped; his visage is thin and of a swarthy complexion, though this is from exposure. His eyes are large and a soft blue, and rather dull and heavy. The lashes are long, and his eyebrows very large. His nose is that of a Jew.
In fact, he reminds me of an old-fashioned Jew in every sense of the word. He is not a great talker, unless there is something brought up about heaven and divine things, when his tongue moves glibly and his eyes light up with a peculiar brilliancy; though there is this peculiarity about Jesus, he never argues a question; he never disputes. He will commence and state facts, and they are on such a solid basis that nobody will have the boldness to dispute with him. Though he has such mastership of judgement, he takes no pride in confuting his opponents, but always seems to be sorry for them. I have seen him attacked by the scribes and doctors of the law, and they seemed like little children learning their lessons under a master. His strongest points are in the spiritual power of the law and the intentions of the prophets. The young people tried to get him to take a class of them and teach them; but he utterly refused."
This Jew is convinced that he is the Messiah of the world.

I went from there to Bethany, but Jesus was not there. They said he and Lazarus were away, they could not tell where. I went and saw Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and had a long talk with them. They are very pleasant and nice young maids, and Mary is quite handsome. I teased her about Jesus, but they both denied that Jesus was anything like a lover; he was only a friend; though this is so common for young maids I did not know whether to believe them or not until I told them my real business. And when I told them that this was the same person that was born of the virgin in Bethleham some twenty-six years before, and that his mother had told me all the facts in the case, they seemed deeply interested. They then told me upon their honor that Jesus never talked or even hinted to either one of them on the subject of marriage. Martha blushed, and said she wished he had. If he was to be a king, she would like to be queen. I asked them if they had ever seen him in the company of young virgins. They said they had not. I asked them if they had heard him talk about young girls, or if he sought their society more than that of men; and they both declared they had not; and they were very much surprised that he did not. I asked them what he talked of when in their company; and they said he was not much in their company; that he and their brother would go upon the house-top and stay there half the night, and sometimes all night, talking and arguing points of interest to them both. Mary said she had often gone near, so she could listen to them, for she loved to hear him talk, he was so mild and unpretending, and then was so intelligent that he was different from any and all other young men she had ever seen. I asked them what was their brother's opinion of him. They said he thought there never was such a man on earth. He thought him to be one of God's prophets. He said when they are out in the mountains, as they are most all the time, Jesus can tell him all about the flowers, trees, and rocks, can tell him everything in the world, and that none of the wild animals are afraid of him. He says often the stag and the wolf will come and stand for Jesus to stroke their mane; and seem almost loath to go away from him. He says that no poisonous serpent will offer to hiss at him. Their brother thinks he is perfectly safe if Jesus is with him. I asked them if he had ever told their brother anything about himself. They said that if he had spoken to their brother he had not told them.

"Now, Masters of Israel, after having investigated this matter; after tracing Jesus from his conception to the present time; after obtaining all the information that is to be had on this important subject, getting it from those who are more likely to tell the truth from the fact they are disinterested persons; and then taking a prophetical as well as a historical view of the subject, I have come to the conclusion that this is the Christ that we are looking for. And as a reason for my conclusion, I will call your attention to the following facts: First to the prophecy of Isaiah, section 7: "And he said, Hear now, saith the Lord. Oh, house of David, is it a small thing for you? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name God with men. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good; for before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good the land that God abhorrest shall be forsaken of her king." Section 8: "Bind the testimony; seal the law among his disciples; the Lord will hide his face from the house of Jacob, and he will look for him." Here is a literal fulfillment of this word of the Most High God, so clear and plain that none may mistake. Jeremiah, 31st section: "Turn, oh virgin, to thy people, for the hand of the Lord is upon thee; for the Lord shall create a new thing in the earth; a women shall compass a man." Here again are set forth the same things that Isaiah speaks of, and the same things that I have learned from Mary. Micah, section 5: "Thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, thou art little amoung the thousands of Judah; out of thee shall come forth unto me him that shall rule my people. He is from everlasting; and I will give them up until the time she travaileth to bring forth my first born, that he may rule all people." Here we have the city, the virgin, the office, his manner of life, the seeking him by the Sanhedrim. All these things are under our eyes as full and complete as I now write them, who have all this testimony given in this letter. How can we as a people dispute these things? In the 49th section of Genesis, making reference to the history, that is now upon us, the writer says: "A captive shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawmaker from him, until Shiloh come, and gather his people between his feet, and keep them forever."

6/21
THE PROCESS of REFINING SILVER THE PROCESS of Refining SILVER

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of
silver.

*This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they
wondered what this statement meant about the character and
nature of God.** ** *

*One of the women offered to find out the process of refining
silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an
appointment to watch him at work.

*As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over
the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining
silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire
where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the
impurities.

*The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then
she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a
refiner and purifier of silver.'_

*She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit
there in front of the fire the whole time.

*The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding
the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire
time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too
long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see
my image in it.'

*If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that
God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees
His image in you. Pass this on right now. This very moment,
someone needs to know that God is watching over them.

*And, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person
in the end.


6/20
God's Foreknowledge of Your Salvation

The Elect are people who God chose even before they were born.

1 Pet. 1:2 God the Father chose you long ago, and the Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyrd Jesus Christ and are cleansed by His blood.
May you have more and more of God's special favor and wonderful peace.

John 6:37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.

**************************************************************************

6/18

What is Your Christian GPA? (God's Prerequisite Acceptance)

1. One soul saved is worth what?
2. List 10 Hymns that you are familiar with and write some of the words for each Hymn.
3. What does it mean that man cannot live by bread alone? Explain.
4. Explain the only way to get to Heaven.
5.What does it mean to "renew your mind"?
6. In your words, explain being "born again".
7. Does Jesus grade on the curve?
8. Do you believe you are a sinner?
9. Will your "works" get you to Heaven? Explain.
10. Name the religions where their God is still alive.
11. How many books of the Bible can you name? List them.
12. What is the difference between being in the light or being in darkness?
13. Is your "light" hid under a bushel? What does this mean? Explain.
14. Has your "salt" lost it's flavor? Explain.
15. In your words, explain a "biblical world view."
16. Do you have joy and contentment? Explain.
17. Do you have faith, hope and love? Explain.
18. Of faith, hope and love, which is the most important?
19. Do you have a testimonial? What is it? Do you have others? What are they?
20. What has God done for you since then?
21. Are you growing in Grace? Explain.
22. How often do you read the Bible?
23. Do you thank Him, worship Him, Praise Him?
24. Do you abide in Him?
25. Do you share the "good news" with other's.
26. Explain what the "good news" is.
27. As a Christian, are you cold, luke warm or hot?
28. What did Jesus say about this?
29. Do you need a pin on your lapel or a cross around your neck for people to think you are a Christian?
30. Can people tell you are a Christian by your walk, talk and actions or do you fit right in with the worldly crowd?
31. Since the harvest is great but the workers are few, are you one of the workers?
32. Do you steal from God?
33. Are you on the broad road or on the narrow road?
34. Is your faith growing?
35. Do you think that Christianity is a hope so, think so, maybe so religion? Or, a know so religion?
36. Write a list of the following names and write a few words about your opinion of each one:

Adrian Rogers George Barna
Charles Stanley Rick Warren
John Hagee Max Lucado
Billy Graham James Dobson
Joel Olsteen James Kennedy

6/18
Are Circumstances Out of Control? Are Circumstances Out of Control ?

ROMANS 8:26-30

There are numerous situations where we are overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness and despair. We find ourselves beset by unmanageable circumstances that are totally beyond our control. In our weakness and dismay, we become so fretful and fearful that we even lose sight of the promises of God. We cry to Him for help and cling to the hope He will change our outward circumstances.
Even in our groaning and supplications, we hardly know what to request because our vision is so limited.
In times like this, it is a great comfort to remember that we have a Guide, a Governor, a Caretaker who sees what we really need His timely interventions are usually inward instead of outward. That is, while we want to see circumstances change, He wants us to change. In our weakness, we cry out for relief, while the Holy Spirit is sifting our groanings through the will of God.
As our advocate, He is committed to interceding with the Father on our behalf. And His petitions are always heard because they perfectly fit with God's great purposes for our lives.
That is why the apostle Paul was so certain about all things working together for good to those who love God. He said "we know," not "we hope." He spoke with the assurance, not in terms like "maybe," "if," or "but." Moreover, this certainty takes in "all things," not just some things.
What confidence we should all have! Our heavenly Father, the sovereign God of this universe, is exercising supervisory control over every single affair in our life.
******************************************************************************

EXERCISE GIFTS WITH LOVE

1 Cor 13:1-13

If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything but didn't love others, what good would I be?

And, if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody.

If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Loves never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will all disappear.
Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little!
But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear.

It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.
Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.

There are three things that will endure- faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.
*****************************************************************************

*CHANGED LIFE
CHANGED LIFE 6-14-09



The first stanza of a famous Christian hymn begins:

"What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart."


Without doubt the greatest proof of the new birth is changed life. Children of God now suddenly love the following:


a. They love Jesus. Before conversion sinners might hold Christ in high esteem, but after conversion they love the Savior (1 Jn 5:1-2)

b. They love the Bible. We should love God's Word as the psalmist did in Ps 119. He expresses his great love for God's Word in several versis of this psalm.

c. They love other Christians. If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life (1 Jn 3:14).
*********************************************************************************************
THE CHURCH Part 1


Believers in Jesus Christ who join together in fulfilling their mission to make disciples.


Matthew 16:18

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

I can only imagine what Peter must have thought when Jesus made this sweeping statement as the disciples met and talked that evening. Peter’s quick and confident response to Jesus’ question concerning who the disciples believed He was prompted Jesus to designate Peter, as it were, to be the starting point from which Christ would build His church. Reference to the church is made throughout the New Testament as "the bride of Christ" and "the body of Christ," but I doubt that Peter understood it was his legacy to be known as the one Christ pointed to that day as the "charter member" of the church.

What did Jesus mean when He said that Peter was the rock upon which He would build His church? There were no architects with their sketches drawn of a new building on a new parcel of land. Jesus was not making reference to a building or a denomination. Peter had just confessed his belief in Jesus as the Son of the living God, and on that basis, Jesus established, or defined, the church. However, as the body of believers grew, the local church (i.e., First Church of Galatia or Ephesus Community Church) was a natural outflow. Thus, from the early days of the church down through today, we have come to associate the church with our particular fellowship of believers. Whatever name we apply to a particular fellowship, there is only one church, and it belongs to no particular denomination.


THE CHURCH (Page 2) 6-16-09

The church is made up of those who have placed their belief-their faith-in the person of Jesus Christ. Having established who the church is, Jesus commissioned those who believed in Him to "make disciples" (Matt.28:19-20). It has always been the work of the church to bring others to belief in Christ and to experience a personal relationship with Him. Jesus came to save the lost. Those who believed in Him became His church and took on the responsibility that comes with belief-the commitment to continue the work Christ began.

Jesus’ reference to the church had a very different meaning from what we commonly think of today. Jesus was not referring to the First Baptist Church of Galatia when He spoke of the church. He was speaking of the body of believers who had placed their faith in Him as the Son of the living God.

When you and I speak of the church, we are apt to refer to a particular church or denomination that we are familiar with. To be clear, we must learn to understand the difference between who we are and the name we apply to our identity. WE ARE THE CHURCH.

The place we worship and carry out our work is just that-a place.


THE CHURCH (Page3) 6-16-09

Biblically speaking, the church is not a denomination or a building. The church is you and me. The church is not a place. It is a people, the body of belivers who share their faith in the person of Jesus Christ. When we fall into the trap of looking at the church as a place, we easily separate ourselves from its mission because we think of the church as a physical place to worship together instead of understanding the church as our identity with a specific purpose. The church leaves in the cars that exit the parking lot after Sunday worship and carries on its work throughout the week.

The mission of the church is to make disciples-to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. It was true during the days of the disciples of the New Testament and it is true today.

Nothing is more relevant to our day than the message of salvation through Christ Jesus.

"Effective churches recognize a number of things concerning reaching unsaved people. Among these are three that stand out: (1) know that people who aren’t disciples are lost, (2) know that lost people matter to God, and (3) see the church as primarily a mission to lost people rather than a gathered colony of the faithful."

That’s a pretty good beginning for a church that wants to be effective in its mission.

*******************************************************************