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Unselfish service to others without thought of recompense but to be obedient to the Lord and with mercy and compassion to others pleases to Lord and brings glory to Him. There is a double celebration in heaven when we look for and find and mend and care for the broken hearted and the lost.

The world is not our real home we are here for a very short time and we must remmember who we are and our real citizenship. While here we are engaed in daily spiritual combat. We must know the enemy and his devices. Constant vigilence and perserverance is essential. We represent the Lord and should be mindful that our actions reflect upon Him. Additionally our hope is to be with Him, Now and forever. To quench the spirit is tp bring pain and isolation upon ourselves. To be obedient is to live a joyful life here and now!

Gratitude and a desire to serve God by among other things serving others with an attitude of love and a desire to be helpful.

Through service to others.

Q1. (2.5) Christians often look at their relation to God as consumers, delighting in what God does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? What actions does this mindset inspire in you? My relationship to God is that of a loving and adoring son to a Father - I am inspired to serve him and to please him and to praise him. This inspires me to seek his will and listen to and learn his thoughts through many means including fellowship, prayer and the study of scripture. Most importantly a desire to serve Him by helping the lost sheep and carrying his message to those in bondage.

Q3. (1:17) Why are people in our culture so upset when they sense they are being judged by someone else? How do you reconcile final judgment with God's love for the world? Why must final judgment be at the core of the Good News of Jesus Christ? What happens to the Gospel when final judgment is left out or ignored? ________________________________________________________________________________ ___ When you do not believe in God or although you believe in God you do not place Him above everything in your life you will focus on something other than God. You become self-centered driven by a desire to be loved and accepted by the world or to dominate people. Idols intrude into your life and you worship at the thrown of prestige. In fact without abiding faith in God and his pre-eminence in your life there is no self-esteem only low self-esteem and false pride. In this state man will crave the applause and acceptance of others rather than the approval of a righteous God whom he does not see or really believe in. Man searches for and needs God this search results in a craving to understand the meaning and justification for his existence (which cannot be satisfied outside the cross). When not properly directed we look for justification in the world and not in God and are engrossed in the world and it

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? What is your biggest struggle with holiness? To have the quality of being separated for God. I am born again and therefore have been separted for God yet I know that sin lives in me-in my flesh. I do the things I don

Q1. (1:13) What about Christ's coming should get our undivided attention? Why should it inspire hope? Why should it inspire self-control and soberness? What happens in our lives when we don't really expect Christ to come soon? To live a born again life, a renewed life means to live a life of expectation, hope and faith. Satan moves on us on all sides looking for weakness and complacency, But to live a life focused on the Lord results in joyful expectancy and gratitude. Such an attitude is healthy and insures fruitfulness and growth. The Holy Spirit which lives within impels us to grow in his likeness

Gods Part--The finished work of Christ on the cross! My part: Faith (of course God has a hand in that too, he is into everything---thats why he is God) and keep the right attitude eg. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phil: 13-14 Perserverance counts......................continuity of effort in the face of adversity is honored by God.

Some thoughts on being refined-something I am quite familiar with: 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 2Cor.7:10-11 I know about worldly sorrow-once being addicted to self in all it's manifestations ie. self-pity etc. Yet only because of the Spirit that lives in me I now know about Godly sorrow which leads to freedom. The Gospel is about freedom- freedom from self. Freedom from fear.....Freedom from bondage! I have been tested and sifted and will continue to be. I rejoice in that! (although sometimes it don't feel to good!!! Psalm 139 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. Be careful what you pray for and expect miracles...........When I am week he is truly strong!! The thorn is sometimes there to help you!!

Sorry - I actually belong in 1 Peter--------------God Bless all.....Russell

My name is Russell and I am 54 years old, married with 4 children and 1 grandchild (with another coming any day now). I was born a Jew and accepted the Lord into my life at 3 AM in December of 1980 while watching a tele-evangelist on TV. The Lord has worked many miracles in my life and the life of those about me. I am active in my church and work with a recovery ministry I helped start called Alive Again ( Luke 15). I enjoy studying the Bible and fellowship, although I enjoy verbal interaction more than written interaction.................yet the more I get involved in sharing through email..the more I see certain advantages to it. I look forward to the study and I have already posted two answers. I like to arise early...sometimes 3:30-4 AM. I get on the computer and read the Bible and other stuff and check email.

My name is Russell and I am 54 years old, married with 4 children and 1 grandchild (with another coming any day now). I was born a Jew and accepted the Lord into my life at 3 AM in December of 1980 while watching a tele-evangelist on TV. The Lord has worked many miracles in my life and the life of those about me. I am active in my church and work with a recovery ministry I helped start called Alive Again ( Luke 15). I enjoy studying the Bible and fellowship, although I enjoy verbal interaction more than written interaction.................yet the more I get involved in sharing through email..the more I see certain advantages to it. I look forward to the study and I have already posted two answers. I like to arise early...sometimes 3:30-4 AM. I get on the computer and read the Bible and other stuff and check email.

Why do forgiveness (sprinkling) and obedience come together as a package? Why is it deceptive to think you can have one without the other? Extra credit: If true faith requires obedience, how can we say that we are saved by grace rather than works? (Ephesians 2:8-10) It just works that way.....Acceptance of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (being born again of the Spirit) will invariable play out in our human walk as a desire and striving to grow inthe likeness of HIM (all things become new) and you are a different person...although in practice because of the flesh we may still seemingly fail and fall, the believer will ultimately grieve that failure and strive for obedience. Forgetting what is behind..... You wouldn't want to have it any other way ... to be born again evokes a desire in us through the working of the Spirit (conciously but in many ways subconciously) to grow in the likeness of Jesus. Jesus was obedient to the Father in all things. He was perfect in his obedience. If you wish to be like Jesus you wish to be obedient. (although I certainly do not claim to be obedient) but I am better than I was before I became alive again. No man is obedient.... We all have gone astray............the best we can do is .just not good enough and pales before the righteousness of a perfect God. Only by the grace of God and through the finished works of Christ on the cross and our faith in him are we born again into the new life..........Thats the deal..according to scripture......I don't make the rules..............but I personally like the way it is because I am a sinner and a screw-up so it works great for a lost sheep like me!

They live a life consumed by fear which may manifest itself in many ways. All bad. I have found myself (as all do) in this situation from time to time but, praise God, - not often lately. My self sufficiency must be crushed so I am driven back to the Lord and surrender once again to Him and his will. Although not always, a new perspective is gained through pain. I have come to understand that there can be great value in suffering though I still don't like it. Paul wrote some of his best stuff from a Roman Dungeon.