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Can someone help me?

Please tell me where I read that after Jesus told the thief on the cross: "today you will join me in Paradise" He added, "thy faith has saved thee." Could I have dreamed this? Thank you for your time.

Q2. (John 1:7-8) 1) What did it mean that John was sent to "testify" to the light? 2) In what sense are you put here with the purpose of "testifying" to the light? 3) How are you doing in this regard? 4) What happened to John the Baptist? 5) What might happen to you if you testify clearly? 6) What might happen to the people to whom you testify? -- 1) Testifying to the light is speaking about Jesus; this happened, in John's case, before Jesus began His ministry. Light seems to have two meanings. First, it's the message itself, that to which you testify. Second, it's the understanding you have of the message as it is clarified in your mind. Perhaps this is correct (not sure): Seeing = understanding, comprehending the message Light = 1) the message itself; 2) understanding/seeing the message (need light to see) Hearing = understanding the message with the idea of putting that knowledge to work 2) It is impossible to testify or evangelize if the message itself is garbled in your mind. Thus, you first must “see” or understand the message before you can make disciples. The beginning of the Christian life is spent simply figuring out what the message means and only then, once a basic understanding is yours, telling others that message -- evangelizing. 3) I'm overly nerdy so my tendency is to hover endlessly over comprehension without moving to actually evangelize. I feel the Lord pressuring me to talk more ... think less. 4) Poor John. He obeyed and was murdered. This is one of the many stories in the bible that give me pause as well as cause me to wonder what God's love and care really means. The message itself was so offensive to unbelievers that they persecuted and eventually murdered John. 5) Ultimately, God speaks through me, thankfully, so I don’t have to worry too much about perfectly articulating and understanding the message. If I pray as I evangelize and then stumble over words, He speaks both through me and into the heart of the listener. As I have matured, my message has been clarified both in my mind and in my speech, still I am not responsible for how others interpret my words. The message is His and listeners must choose to accept this message … or not. Yes, I could be persecuted and killed for evangelizing as happened to John -- murder/martyrdom is a non-trivial possibility. 6) Listeners to the message either agree with or reject it. It's a binary choice. There is no grey zone though it seems that some people come to understanding slowly and incrementally (I did). People who are not familiar with the message, even in a culturally diluted form, take a bit longer to digest it than people who have had it rattling about the back of their mind for many years. As the West further secularizes, an increasing number of people will not be able to make instant decisions to accept Christ, but will muse and ponder the message, slowly inching their way toward the light. Light has to shine through the darkness before it is perceived as light. This is why "the darkness has not understood it."

It's one thing to know the answers, to be able to repeat theology I've read or heard, but it's another thing altogether to really understand what John is saying ... which I don't. Yes, Jesus is God. Somehow, He was God and man simultaneously when on earth. He is God because He was there, in the beginning, prior to creation. We know this from other verses, not so much in the prologue of John, but somehow the logos and Christ are thought to be the same. Years ago I used to read Hegel (masochistic, I know ...) who described creation as "God othering Himself." We often think of God speaking the world into existence as if His words and creation were identical acts (which they may be). But Hegel focused on God and creation before speech, as if creation was contained in God, waiting to be released ... no, that's not right. Creation was God's "othering" -- He insided-it-out of Himself. Creation shows God today. Perhaps this general revelation is the best re-presentation we had of Him ... until Christ. Because Jesus was spoken into an earthly existence, like creation, He is the word. He is God's word. He is utterance or inside-thought of God becoming manifest. One of the things about the Bible that amazes me is how centred it is on speech and speaking. Logos is both a noun and verb ... de facto. God speaks. God speaks actual words. Creation starts with words. Creation is those words. Christ was His second creation, even though He already existed because He had to exist here, not just "there", in an inaccessible place. So God re-created Himself, or, He created Himself, or, He othered Himself as Christ. This re-creation includes the idea of Christ's purpose. God didn't do this on a whim. It was a purpose-driven action. Thus, Christ's creation had meaning -- logos -- and that meaning included purpose. I'm very sorry, but I can't understand more.

Q5. (Revelation 11:15; Psalm 24:7) When people think of spending an eternity in heaven, who do they most look forward to being with? Relatives? Jesus? People I do not know. For me I expect to be rightly fitted into the body of Christ and learning advance refinement to take my place in the Kingdom. Surely we will see relatives and brethren and sisters. After all we were forming into functional teams in this life. What does it mean that he will reign forever and ever? He has been given dominion. Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. In what way is he the King of Glory in your life? He is seated at the Fathers right hand, ever making intercession for the saints. Itvis to him I pray and in his name I have authority, not my own. My military understanding He is as an excellent administrative Executive Officer. Ensuring all things proceeding before the Father are correct and in proper order. The traditional posting and position prior to one’s own command.

Q4. (Malachi 3:2-3; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15). How does Jesus purify and refine his church? The revelation of the word comes upon the shepherds Ezekiel 34 then onward through to Ezekiel 37 where the chuck begins to deal with the harvest with power and commitment. Having experienced correction and renewal at all levels the body of Christ can deal with the lost world with compasion and Godly truth in loving concern. How does he purify and refine us? With the fire of the word. Revelation of deeper more personal application and inner direction by the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit still contests with mankind in our day .. Gen. 6:3. On the Day that fire will test your deeds, will you have anything that remains, besides your salvation? I fully beleive the only thing that will stand is what we have done as his commissioned parts of His body. And that doing exactly the Fathers will as we walk through life here, as did the Lord in his earthly ministry. Jhn 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Jesus teaches that the heart of man is deceitful and sick, and that God searches the heart and tests the mind. The Bible views the heart as the center of emotions and thoughts, revealing our true selves. It urges us to keep our hearts pure and loving. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart of man is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. It emphasizes that our hearts cannot be made right apart from the saving grace of Jesus in our lives Jesus teaches that while people may appear good on the outside, they are often hypocritical and self-indulgent on the inside. Repentance is necessary for an outwardly "moral" person to be saved. Jesus emphasizes the importance of heart change over outward appearance. Repentance is necessary for an outwardly "moral" person to be saved because it goes beyond outward behavior and addresses the heart. Jesus teaches that all evil proceeds from the heart, including thoughts, deeds, and motives. Repentance is a gift from God and not a work, and it leads to changes in behavior and salvation

Joshua gave the Israelites an all-or-nothing proposition – either do X or do Y because there’s no choice in-between. He eliminated the choices of those who were hiding gods as well as sacrificing to God; he also eliminated the choice of those who were currying favor with the locals and their gods at the same time they were currying favor with the God of Israel. There was no neutral position, Joshua was saying … no “Switzerland” for believers. They had to choose one side or the other and couldn’t pretend to plant their faith-flag in neutral or unaffiliated ground. God would not tolerate the presence of competition, said Joshua, and the unwillingness to make an definitive and defining choice has had the unintended effect of abandoning the God of their fathers. Choosing to not make a choice was making a choice before and against Him. Every day we make similar binary choices to follow or not follow His leading. Most of the choices we make are not between sin and not-sin, though they can be, but between obedience and hesitation, between taking an uncomfortable path or walking a narrower one. As the Christian life proceeds (and sanctification takes its toll) our choices become more subtle. Here Joshua reminds us that our lives are full of binary choices which add, slowly, into a life well-lived before Him … if we make mostly correct choices. There are times, however, when our choices are fuzzy, when it’s not clear how God is leading or why. That’s where I am now. What I’m doing is the same thing I was doing – I’m not moving until I’m certain of where He’s leading. It’s not a question of lacking faith. I do not feel He wants me to jump forward. Something is in the offing. But when doors are shut, His message is clear – WAIT. He must be planning changes in my near future about which I know nothing. There are also times when He lets us make our own choices, when God hands us the reins and lets us trail-blaze. But, if our tendency is to trail-blaze God will probably bridle us with binary choices and not set us free to choose in smorgasbord-like circumstances. -- Thank you, Pastor Ralph, for another fantastic study. Please keep them coming!

Q3. (Hebrews 1:2; Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 3:22) In what sense is Jesus "Heir of All Things"? Jesus brought forth everything that we can perceive as a thing. “In the beginning was the word… and by him we’re all things made,” The one who requested the very existence of each and every thing. The Father and the Holy Spirit saw to the completion of the words for they were seeds of what became. And as the son and the word of request all things by the Fathers and Holy Spirit’s action brought it forth. Christ desired it, expressed it, and it came forth for him. And God gave His son’s request to him. He is heir to what Father saw to the bringing into being. What does it imply that we are co-heirs with him? I am redeemed justified and made one of the brethren by his reighteousness upon confession of accepting the washing of the blood shed for me. As a brother I shall receive my share as did the returning younger (prodigal) son. I am returned to my heirship. In what sense do we possess all things? As a family member, and faithful to care for the families holdings, seek our lost sheep. Care for the sick, infirm and troubled we secure our hearts conversion from worldly to being heavenly minded. As one with ownership authority we have rightful authority to seek ‘ours’ and have power over the thief to wrest the lost and condemned from his clutches. We may have the posession of a love for the kingdoms creation and its care as Adam was given. We possess by the same love as we take ownership in our parents and their house. I remember a walk with my kindergarten age son. As we passed each house he would say, That is Bobby’s house. That is Karl’s dad. I find few Christian’s have fully approached God as our possession in the same way a child possess our parents and home both bases of our belonging and safe haven.

Elijah's primary mission was to turn people's hearts back to God and away from the path of idolatry they had chosen. That is God's desire. Elijah was "successful" simply because he accomplished what he was called to do (partly through Elisha). He was obedient. I think it's dangerous to measure success by the "results," counting converts, church attendance, etc. If we do, it's too easy to turn to one's own devices to try to cause those numbers to grow, and if it's not truly God directing us, then the message may become something that is not what God intended. Plus, we may try to manipulate things, and that is dangerous as well. It becomes us trying to make things happen rather than leaving those results to God. Whatever God has called us to do, it may only genuinely reach or touch one person or two or a handful, but if that's what God wanted, then it's a successful ministry. And the simple fact is that we don't really know God's intention in using us. We just have to trust Him and obey His leading. That's something I needed to be reminded of. It's so easy to be drawn and mesmerized by that worldly definition of success, but God constantly reminds me that He has a purpose in mind, something HE means to do, and that is the only important purpose, the one with eternal ramifications, the one that matters and lasts beyond this world. If I obey Him, stay close to Him, and walk daily with Him, HE will accomplish that purpose or "mission" in and through me. And you know, personally, it's not the mission or ministry or hope of great accomplishment that is so ... exciting. It's walking hand-in-hand with Him, being used by Him, sensing His intimate presence and leading moment-by-moment. There is NOTHING more exhilarating than His Presence in and with me, in my life. Once you get a taste of His closeness and love, then you want nothing else. I think He wants people to know and experience that, and if one person comes to truly KNOW Him, then that is success.

Many years ago I visited a Christian nursing home somewhere in New Jersey -- across the entrance portico was written in huge letters, “BE YE SEPARATE.” This organization hired only Christians as well as took, as patients, only Christians. This stuck in my mind because it seemed the most extreme example of separation I had known. From a distance, I had watched the Amish in Pennsylvania and Orthodox Jews in Crown Park, Brooklyn, but for some reason, the nursing home seemed more self-consciously exclusionary than that of other “cultural religionists.” I have thought much about this since. I'm not sure I can well describe what follows because my thoughts are muddled and confused. To sum: I have found being a Christian extremely isolating. Fellowship has been an abstract idea not a lived reality. In spite of shared faith, I find little to talk about with other Christians. What separates us is our pasts, class, what we read, the sorts of interests we have and places/people we’ve seen or known, etc. Our frame of reference is simply different -- we refer to different things as analogies or examples. Even my speech, I’ve learned, sets me apart. So, I've pulled away, not only from secular society, but from Christian fellowship. If one’s secular past overlaps with one’s new faith identity, then becoming a Christian means switching to a new clique much like the old one except it is “religious." For all of us, a sense of belonging is cultural, not faith-driven. We can worship with people around the world without binding to them in any substantial manner. We share faith, but nothing else. We love them, but that love doesn't touch the ground because our life circles don't overlap. My relationship as a Christian with both Christians and seculars is siloed. I love talking to the guy that works in the garden center, but we talk only about plants. I talk to the librarian about books. To the washing machine repair guy about young babies and fixing things. I love talking to Christians, too, but our conversations are limited to abstract issues of faith. Perhaps, to a degree, this is how all of us associate with others. We silo our affections. We have many tiny, sometimes momentary, Christian relationships than never deepen. What's different for some of us, however, is that becoming a Christian has meant that the tiny relationships which never deepen are all we'll ever have. Deep relationships with secular people outside the faith are verboten to the Christian; unfortunately, these are the only people with whom I could potentially share thoughts and ideas. My faith is a huge barrier to THEM -- they hate(!) my faith: similarly, their secularism is a huge barrier to me -- I have separated. This includes my entire family and all past friends. The questions posed by Pastor Ralph invert reality as I've lived it. There is no "strategic effect of having no friendship with non-Christians," but rather the opposite, the sad probability that I will never have deep relationships with Christians! I'm far less worried about becoming "like" my secular friends than I am that this season of extreme isolation will never end, that I'll never meet a subset of Christians with whom I have enough in common to share a cup of tea and converse easily. True: Jesus associated with secular people, but his association was limited to people within a very cohesive culture to which he belonged. He was comfortable at the wine-less wedding, for example. That was "his crowd." Today's Christians who are in the middle of the crowd cannot see how they fit within a cohesive culture that overlaps substantially with secular culture. In other words, they feel comfortable among Christians because their secular life, if they had converted, wasn't very different. They watch the same sports on the tele as do their secular friends. They read the same books. Vote for the same candidates, or at least understand those who vote differently. Their kids go to the same schools. They shop in the same places. Etc. Etc. They fit, that is, in the secular milieu in which their Christian culture is a subset much as Jesus fit in his secular milieu. The gap between and from secular society is thus bridgeable and understandable. Separation isn't a big deal because the church is more or less contiguous with secular, middle-middle class society. The church mimes secular society more than it sets itself apart. To me, the church looks just like any middle-middle class group except with Christian leanings, lingo and a few distinctly Christian behaviors. If the church was MORE set apart or separated from secular society, it would be a more congenial/understandable place for those of us who were not raised within the Western middle class -- we’d all be strangers in a strange land. Because the church is more or less culturally contiguous with secular, middle class society, it’s very difficult for some of us to find points of commonality. I feel I've separated ... to be alone. I've read that God puts some people He's going to use through the crucible of stillness and isolation, both from others and from Himself. Perhaps that's all this is. In my dreams, I meet people from my background who are now Christian. We enjoy each other's company, marry each other, send our little ones to the same schools, quote from the same sources, hum the same musical phrases, interject familiar references ... with ease and a lack of self-consciousness. But this is just a dream. Not reality. It's a Christian dream. -- I came back to erase this, but decided to let it stand. If it comes off as a primal whine, so be it. It's also an honest statement from someone who is committed but separated. I'm grateful for anonymity.

I do believe God can use me in extraordinary ways. I'm writing a fantasy novel steeped in Christian themes, about a young girl's journey to know God. I wouldn't be writing it unless I believed God could use it and me. However, I've come to the point in my walk with the Lord in which what I do must be what I feel He is directing me to do. It's taken me over 60 years of my life (40 as a Christian) to finally sit down and seriously write even though I have had that desire to write since I was a child. I've done different things for work, been involved in different ministries, but it hasn't been until now that I'm doing something because I felt God leading me to, not because someone else asked or expected me to. (In fact, as soon as I sat down to write this novel, the words just flowed. When I'm writing, I know this is what I'm supposed to be doing. I am energized, excited, encouraged.) I've been a people pleaser all my life, and though I believe God has used me in different ways, I have recently searched my heart as to whether I was in ministry to serve Him or to receive the approval of people - probably both. It's funny, but writing this book has been a difficult journey because, except for my family, my church friends have not taken my commitment to writing seriously. I feel like they think I should be involved in other things, but through prayer, God got me past that. I realized He wanted me to trust Him, to believe He will lead me, to believe He will use me and not depend on affirmation from others. That makes me smile. The only affirmation the prophets of God sought was from the Lord Himself. I do believe that if we follow His leading, do what HE is directing us to do, to please HIM, and trust Him, whatever He calls us to do will definitely be extraordinary! Praise the Lord, God!!!

Most Western Christians are unaware of their own religious idols and therefore have no idea how they function in the mind of a believer. For example, Christians have idols that they’ve renamed icons, art, jewelry, the sacred, or religious representation. Religious jewelry can function as a talisman if merely touching the jewelry, like a rabbit’s foot, is thought to confer strength. I knew someone who fingered her cross during exams, as if this would help her memory. The need to substantiate or make into physical form the object of faith or belief is very deeply rooted in the human psyche. It’s ancient. Constitutive. It takes effort to be aware of our icons and then overcome them. We’re more subtle, today, but still we have idols. An idol isn’t just something we value more than God, as if it were a misplaced priority. It’s not something we put before God in our affection – something that wrongly takes “first place” in our heart. An idol doesn’t have to substitute for God but it must contain God in ways that other objects do not. For example, holy ground, the sanctuary of the church, secretly worn religious jewelry, even the prayers of a religious hero or pastor! We are like the woman who crawled toward Jesus to touch his garment who treated Him as an idol whose clothing was “charmed.” It’s the idea that there are special places where God resides … His “divine ground.” There’s a lot of this in church today and among more educated people. Conferring divine power into things or places is a temptation. Perhaps we do this because it's easier/safer to go to God obliquely rather than directly confront Him, to see his backside rather than His face. Because I felt His presence strongly in a place, I had to fight the emotional (irrational) association of God with that place. I don’t think it is wrong to have a place that helps me clear my mind and focus on Him as long as it doesn’t function as an idol. Several years ago when I bottomed out in life, I would hike to the top of a mountain that looked out over a “fourteener” – a mountain more than 14,000 feet in elevation – because being up there comforted me: birds fighting the upsweeping wind were inspiring, strangely, and I felt as if I had left below me, literally, a horrible life. I would escape up, up and up to “my spot” every day. There, I prayed. At one point, however, I stopped going. The need remained but it was met internally. This took years. It’s important that I can feel God’s presence at all times, places and situations. In the near future during which I am certain I’ll need to feel His quiet presence, the cultivation of reaching toward Him in crowds, secular places, among evil people, etc., will be greatly needed. I don’t expect to have the luxury of a quiet time in a safe, sacred place. Right now, I’m studying Orthodoxy, the Eastern branch of Christianity. They have icons galore, imagery within the church and outside of it, and home shrines. This is part of the legitimate way they express their faith. It’s limiting, however, which is why there is such a strong and corrective tradition of mysticism in that branch of Christian faith. They escape the concrete/idols with mystical, intense experiences of God that transcend not only place and object, but space and time. The Christians in that branch don’t need to “throw out” their icons and images but rather outgrow them.

Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? Excuse the techno guy terminology. Jesus was the perfect prototype of a new production run of humanity. A return of people with God’s heart to forgive, be merciful, pay the price in prayer and love by carrying the weight of grace for and to the very lost. He isThe one and only master reference for our being and our purpose. How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? The A-12 aircraft were still exploring the unknown flight realm beyond Mach 3 for NASA as the SR-71 reached the end of its operational life. It was both first and last. Jesus likewise broke the ground, expired the path and proved what could actually be done administering God’s love and grace instead of concentration of judgement. I know I can trust God’s guidance in all things. Father guides us as he did our first born brother. If we will give him do respect and respect.

Q1. (Hebrews 1:3; Matthew 17:1-2) In what ways did Jesus show the Father's glory in his ministry? He came to reset the course of God’s kingdom on earth. Abandoning worldly rule and it’s politics and corrupting influences for the purity of the righteous spiritual path. Trust in God’s grace and mercy to all who chose to obey God’s desires not man’s. He always did as Father wanted done in each and every situation he was guided into, Why do you think Jesus allowed Peter, James, and John to see his Transfiguration? Jesus walk included training up his apostles to continue his work on earth of redemption for mankind. As Jesus’s earthly ministry came to a close the leadership of his apostolic core needed the assurance of the true godly coupling between the ministry, it’s purpose, direction and hands on the continuing guidance from heaven. How do you think Jesus will appear in heaven? As normal as any man as we are made in the devine likeness. His robe will be devinely perfect, white, shimmering softly with the light of glory as he walks the streets and paths of the heavenly city. It will the same in the throne room of the Father. The sleeves and bottom hems will move about as he moves revealing the places where the nails pierced him so there is no doubt of who you are looking upon.

John the Baptist's ministry is similar to Elijah because both lived simply, even in the way they dressed, they were both rather radical in their commitment to God as seen in their lifestyles and ministry, they both spoke boldly and obediently God's message of repentance from sin and turning to back to God, and both spoke to those not receptive to their message (John to Herod). However, I don't believe in reincarnation. Each of us is created by God as an individual. Also, the angel said to Zechariah that "he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah." He was like Elijah in spirit and power. He was not Elijah himself.

Elisha asks for a double portion of power because as Elijah's "first-born," as his true successor, Elisha will be doing great things for God as His prophet, messenger, and spokesman. Anyone who wants to serve God should desire the power needed to do so because we certainly can't do God's will in our own "power." God is working through us, so power through us, His servants, is expected. And we do want His power through us to be seen. (And when I really think about that, it is humbling because it is His power, not mine. He is just using a weak and at times fragile vessel - me.) Anyway, even Jesus said we would be doing what He did and even greater things. I think before seeking power for power's sake though, we should seek His will. In this day and age when so much fantasy glorifies power, I think we need to know why we want it. Is it to accomplish God's will and purposes? Is it to see Him glorified? And do we understand that we are mere instruments? The one with power is Jesus and Him alone. We want everyone's eyes to be directed to Him and for Him to become greater in people's eyes and for us to become lesser.

Q4. (2 Corinthians 11:2) What does it take for us to be presented to Christ as a pure virgin bride? Saved, washed clean by his blood grace and mercy. Not by works of our own. But by choice to take upon ourselves familial duties after his design and plan. Jer 1:3. We should be intent on being the best of wat we were designed, formed, and gifted to be. The holly spirit our guide and companion along this path of learn and perform in preparation. How faithful are we to Christ? As very best as we can do. To what degree do we partake with the adulterous and sinful generation that Jesus decried? The degree necessary to minister to them as Christ did to with Matthew the tax collector. We are to harvest of the field. There is no salvation of the already saved. What does the marriage relationship say about love, communication, and intimacy with Christ? It is to be mutually open, trusting, and committed. We must behave in a manner worthy of his trust and affection.

Q3. (Colossians 3:2-4) To what degree is Christ the center, the focus of your life? Christ is the goal for my full efforts and time. I am three years into removing the trophy’s to me I have collected through the years. If you had to prove to another person that Christ is the center of your life, what evidence would you muster? I would hope to touch their life in a Christ like way. With mercy, grace, and healing words and prayer. What evidence would contradict this? There still are things and situation that cause my old self to want expression. When they escape on my tongue it is obvious. What kind of repentance is necessary to reprioritize your life? Sincere. Immediate. And definite committed effort find and correct the cause of the reaction and lose of Christ like perspective.

Holiness means to be cut away from the main thing – kadosh. I don’t read Hebrew but I believe that holy derives its meaning in juxtaposition to profane (sacred v. profane). Since most things are profane, holiness must be rare. Somehow, we’re to understand holiness as perfection cut away from imperfection. In our lived lives, we become holier incrementally and only partially. The Wesleyan doctrine of achievable perfection is just too big of a stretch -- it's an impossibility. I've never met a Christian who has lived a holy life for even a millisecond. Who is without sin? Sin is a fact of life, even after salvation. Thus, sanctification is sin's gradual removal. To the degree we improve ourselves, it's the work of the Holy Spirit in us, but as I write this, I know that we, too, have a role in our own sanctification -- willingness, submission, determination, self-exposure and a desire to be more pure. Yes, holiness should be an aim, but this is a distant aim on a bullseye on a target almost out of sight. Frankly, it's such an inconceivable goal that perhaps we should focus on achieving, with the assistance and power of the Holy Spirit, a goal more proximate, such as not wanting vengeance in a very particular situation or with a named person.

Q2. (John 6:51; 15:1-5) What do Jesus' teachings on the Living Bread and the True Vine teach us about drawing from his life? He gave his life for others. Seeds give their life for the next crop. Once we see his light we can begin to carry his light to others. Seeing to their gaining new, renewed life. What happens to our vital Life when we rely on ourselves, and stop relying on him? We lose touch with the power to go true good for things which only gratify self. Why is it so hard for us humans to learn the lesson of dependence and trust? The enemy does a fine job of creating confusion and distraction. Once revelation comes of beginning anew on the path of delivering righteousness grace and mercy to people, rather than judgement and condemnation. Then we can begin. We miss the principles of evening and morning were the first day. There is a time and a season. Nothing worth while is instant. It is grown with care. The world and its evil one wants haste and mistakes. God, patience, long suffering, forgive 70 x 7 if necessary. We need to drop fast and hurry from our lives.

Q1. (John 1:9; 8:12) In what sense is Jesus the True Light? He is the word. The creative declaration of God the Fathers intent. That word is the very seed of every aspect of life. And light is the empowering ingredient of the growing season. Jwesus is The Oight because he is the giver of life itself. In what sense is he the Light of the World? He came to earth to redeem God’s creation. To return life for death spread abroad by evil. In what sense are you the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)? If I carry the words that are fit for the occasion and person, those words are seeds to an eternal a crop. Healing, Deliverence, soul repair, mental health restoration. And as thectestimony of God’s love proves out in the lists lives they seek the healer if their souls. The ones forgiven most love him more. Why do you think people resist Jesus' light, his truth, his view of the Father, our world, and eternal life? They do not want to admit they are incapable and in need. They fail to comprehend the scale of their loss. How does the world's so-called "light" differ from Jesus' light? Worldly light has no staying power. It is a crop of the season not of eternity. What can obstruct Jesus' light in this world? Sin, corruption, lies, deception. What can obstruct our light? Lack of humility. Failing to understand we need to walk the “I only do what I see Father doing, I only say what I hear him saying” life in one with God’s purpose. We prefer to gather glory to ourselves, not give all glory to God.

Q4. (Luke 4:23) How does Jesus as the Great Physician resonate with our broken world? Only when peoples desire to succeed on their merits and talent is shattered, broken, or failing them in their own understanding. “Broken”. Then do we seek a physician. What does it mean to you that Jesus is your Great Physician and Healer? I cried out from life support in ICU for God to give me the patience to put up with the pain, as they worked to save my life. He carried me through 7 code blues. Turned an expected many months of hospitalization into home on the 42nd day. I do truly owe him every one of the 13,992 days since the LifeLine helecopter run. With out Jesus answer to my cry I would have died that day 30 Sept. 1986.

Q3. (John 14:6; 10:7, 9) In light of all the world's religions, how can Jesus be the Way to God, the exclusive door or gateway? Religion is follow our rules (our choice of doctrine) and your works will get you to heaven. Why does this offend the world? Because we were made for God’s purpose and pleasure. In Him we live, move, and have our being. Nothing else is truely life but self will and self importance, known as vanity. Hot Air when placed on God’s scale. Since it is true, how can we most winsomely declare this truth to our generation? Seek the troubled, damaged, distressed who know they have no solution but need deliverance and salvation. A better life in truth.

Q2. (1 Peter 2:4-8) In what way are these rock images of Christ attractive to our world? People seek tools, powers, and influence to secure and control their life, success, and destiny. Rich denotes that. In what way do they repel people? One human does not have much effect on the strength of rock. Why? People want to be of effect not the effected. In what ways do you see Jesus as a Rock, Stone, and Foundation in your own life? I have had to understand as best I can humility. Living for Christ what the Navy taught me was standard operating procedures. “The wishes of a superior are be interpreted as an order.” Or in this our case the God who knew us as he did Jerimiah Jer 1:3 has a purpose for us to accomplish for him. We best be about it willingly and with great pleasure to be his workmanship, and not our own.