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Q25. (Hebrews 2:1) Why is gradual drifting more dangerous than suddenly giving in to a temptation? ANSWER: It's that ever so slight shift away from faith and truth. This is a very real danger that you and I face every day. It comes in the form of being too busy for Bible study, prayer, or poor Church attendance. How can you protect yourself from drifting away from the Lord? ANSWER: In the Christian life we must go on listening to God’s word in Jesus. And we must do this with very close attention. We cannot treat this casually. We cannot act as if we already know all we need to know, or that we have nothing to gain from listening to Jesus.

Q24. Of the list of 7 of Solomon's weaknesses, which two or three do you think are most damaging? ANSWER: The roots of Solomon’s fatal flaw: the temptation to love power, privilege, and women more than he loves God. Why does persistent sin ruin such an accumulation of good works that Solomon did? ANSWER: The consequence of Solomon's sin was that God divided the kingdom. He was unwise with his own. His personal life was a train wreck of bad decisions and unbridled passions. His everyday life was a muddle of problems that grew along with his poor choices.

Q23. From the list above, which do you think are Solomon's five or six greatest strengths and accomplishments? ANSWER: Five interesting facts about King Solomon’s deeds and success: Role: As An Individual - Outcome: He was the wisest person to have lived in his lifetime (2 Chronicles 1). Role: Commander-in-chief - Outcome: Largest expansion of the Israelite Empire Role: Diplomat - Outcome: Further expansion of the empire Role: Builder - Outcome: Designed and built the Holy Temple of Solomon Role: Sage - Outcome: Bible story boasts of his wisdom with a tale of the two mothers and one child Why is Solomon so gifted? ANSWER: He chooses an understanding heart. Wisdom, so he can make good decisions for his people. And God is so pleased with Solomon's choice that He gives him every other good gift, too. The spiritual gift of Solomon was that he was rewarded for his meekness with a wise and understanding heart.

Q22. (1 Kings 11:3) Is it fair to conclude that Solomon is a womanizer who lusts after women? ANSWER: It becomes clear that Solomon's drug of choice was women. So one can conclude that Solomon is a womanizer who lusts after women. How does a womanizer treat a wife? ANSWER: A womanizer is a man who lies, charms, misleads, cheats, and disrespects his wife. He will never let his marriage get in the way of a good time. Also he has a fear of commitment. The thing with womanizers is that they don't really hate women, they love them. In fact, they love too many of them. A womanizer is someone who uses women and quickly moves on. Since they're charming and charismatic, they often have multiple “partners,” but they don't reveal their true relationship status. Therefore, they tend to mislead and manipulate women, preventing them from developing true intimate connections. How does having a womanizer for a father affect the children? ANSWER: We know that children who grow up a womanizer father can suffer lasting damage. If children watch fathers, brothers or uncles treat women as less than, then a percentage of those children absorb that as the norm of how to treat women. A womanizer can change. However, working on their behavior requires a lot of self-reflection, effort, and commitment. Is sexual excess compatible with Christian discipleship? ANSWER: The primary problem with this notion of sexual chemistry is that it focuses sex on pleasure and performance. Sex was created for man, but man was not created for sex. God gave sex as a gift to be exclusively enjoyed by a husband and wife as a means of loving, caring, serving, honoring, and enjoying each other in marriage. So sexual compatibility between a married couple comes neither from ecstasy (how good the sex is) nor frequency (how often you have it) but mainly from intimacy, which occurs as love, trust, security, and respect deepen through the longevity of a monogamous, self-giving, covenant relationship. Great sex (which is a good, God-honoring thing) isn’t the pinnacle of humanity’s existence. True sexual compatibility, if we must call it that, happens when two people commit themselves first to God, and then to each other. This covenant commitment affords an opportunity for a husband and wife to unconditionally serve and love the way Jesus loves his bride, the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). Marriage is a journey in which two incompatible, selfish sinners learn to become one. We must be willing to trust God and wait for sex, not because we want to have the most euphoric wedding night with someone we”re perfectly sexually compatible with, but because we want a healthy, God-honoring marriage after the wedding night with the person to whom we’ve just committed our life to.

Q9. (1 Kings 2:12; Matthew 25:14-30) What “natural” talent(s) do you have? ANSWER: God has given each one of us various gifts and abilities and if we put these gifts to good use then he will reward us. Natural talent is an innate or inborn gift for a specific activity, either allowing one to demonstrate some immediate skill without practice or to gain skill rapidly with minimal practice. Examples of innate talents: Being able to draw, music ability, creativity, quick language learning, analytical ability, coding, math, and perhaps more. Natural abilities are the traits hardwired within each person that make some tasks in life easier. ThreeTypes of Talent: … Natural: this is an ability that an individual is born with. ... Evident: refers to skills that employees already have. ... Potential: this refers to the talent that a person can develop if he or she is prepared for it. What are you good at in the natural world? ANSWER: In the natural world, these are the talents that comes naturally to me: Quickly thinking of creative ways to solve a problem. Being able to see "the big picture" and know how you can help make things better. Ability to relate to people from different backgrounds or cultures. How are you using these talents for God and His Kingdom? ANSWER: The way I use my talents for God and His kingdom in the various ways. I use my talents to help teach Sunday school class at my church. Prepare meals for different individuals in my neighborhood. Serve on the Evangelist and the Missionary Boards and I am an Associate Minister at the church. The Bible encourages Christians to be “faithful stewards” of our God-given gifts. James 1:17 tells us that every gift is from God. Have you identified any “spiritual” gifts? ANSWER: Some of my “spiritual“ gifts involve me promoting the inner growth of the church by being involved in teaching, encouraging, and/or rebuking others. I devote myself to preaching the gospel and spreading the Word of God. Use integrity and compassion when interacting with others. How are you using those? ANSWER: My job is to serve in whatever way I am able to strengthen faith, whether by making new disciples or building up existing ones, and trust that God will equip me with whatever I need in order to do that work. That service has the goal of glorifying God. I glorify Him by obeying Him in faith. I act in faith by trusting Him to use my service to bring people to faith and strengthen existing faith. When I do that, whether natural or supernatural, I am using my spiritual gifts for God’s glory. Have you found that your “natural” talents are related to your “spiritual” gifts? ANSWER: YES … I believe that my “natural” talents are related to your “spiritual” gifts? If so, describe how they relate to each other. ANSWER: The key difference between spiritual gifts and talents is that we each hold natural talents, but only followers of Christ hold spiritual gifts. To summarize the differences between spiritual gifts and talents: A talent is the result of genetics and/or training, while a spiritual gift is the result of the power of the Holy Spirit. A talent can be possessed by anyone, Christian or non-Christian, while spiritual gifts are only possessed by Christians. While both talents and spiritual gifts should be used for God’s glory and to minister to others, spiritual gifts are focused on these tasks, while talents can be used entirely for non-spiritual purposes. Very simple: Natural talents reveal your human ability whereas spiritual gifts reveal Christ's supernatural ability. Spiritual gifts are given only to those who are saved, while natural talents are received by those who are not saved as well. The difference between spiritual gifts and natural talents is very obvious. Spiritual gifts are received, are given only to those who are saved and are given in surprise and maturity, and is used solely for the command of the Church, while natural talents are inherited, can be received by those who are not saved as well, and can be used even for selfish and personal gains. Nonetheless, despite the major difference, there is one similarity between the two and that is the fact that both are blessings from God, the Creator of all things.

Q8. How have the writings attributed to Solomon affected your understanding, perspective, and way of life? ANSWER: The writings attributed to Solomon affected my understanding, perspective, and way of life in many ways. But mostly, Solomon's life shows me something very important. wisdom helps us only if we use it. It shows what it takes to have an understanding heart, to be graceful and loving and wise. All I need is a willingness to say, "God, I can't be anything on my own. Show me how You made me." Then I must realize that God is asking me what I want from Him and telling me that I already have it! In what ways? ANSWER: To accept that God has given me everything I need, each moment, to do whatever I need to do. Everything I need to live as His (Jesus’s) image. If I need to love, the love of God, would be there, helping me. If I need strength, the strength of God, Spirit, would be behind me, strengthening me. Which proverbs have you committed to memory? ANSWER: The proverbs that I have committed to memory is Proverbs 10:7 which states, “The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot.” Proverbs tells us that the memory of the righteous is blessed. God is not saying that the righteous will have a great memory - but rather when people remember the righteous they will do so with a smile on their face and good things in their heart. Godly people not only die well they also are remembered well. Which of these is most dear to you? ANSWER: The one that is most dear to me is true wisdom because true wisdom comes from God, as a believers I should never boast in my God-given wisdom or other gifts. God is the true source of my wisdom and my blessings.

Q7. (1 Kings 3:16-28) Why does the Scripture emphasize justice for the poor and disadvantaged, the alien and the orphan? ANSWER: The Bible expresses particular concern for widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. The Lord cares deeply about those living on the margins of society. As Zechariah 7:9-10 declares, true justice is showing mercy and compassion to the widow, the fatherless, the alien, and the poor. God takes a strong stance on behalf of the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the stranger not because He is partial. He takes a strong stance because He is always on the side of right. Therefore He is also on the side of those who have been wronged. The poor and disadvantaged, the alien and the orphan, are the ones who are on the ‘wronged’ side of a situation of chronic injustice – a situation that God abhors and wishes to have redressed. Once again, in his hatred of injustice, God promises there will be consequences for people’s actions. Even as He continues to invite His people into righteous relationship, He ensures justice on behalf of those they have wronged. Why are courts often inclined to favor the wealthy? ANSWER: The courts seem to favor the rich/wealthy, who appear less often and have better representation when they ARE criminal. Why do societies throughout the ages tend to perpetuate discrimination against outsider? ANSWER: Automatic associations and unconscious responses are often driven by society's stereotypes and can result in discrimination. People are often biased against others outside of their own social group (out-groups), showing prejudice (emotional bias), stereotypes (cognitive bias), and discrimination (behavioral bias). These three aspects of bias are related, but they each can occur separately from the others. In what ways should social justice be a value for followers of Yahweh and of Jesus in our day? ANSWER: Justice is important to Christians because they believe in “a Gof of Justice.” The two guiding principles are love and justice. A Biblical view of justice teaches us to look to God's standard of right and wrong. It's a lifestyle that adopts Christlikeness in the way we see the world and serve people. Social justice is an extension of God's love and work in protecting and defending those who can't defend themselves.

Q6. (1 Kings 3:5-15) What does Solomon’s answer to God’s question tell us about Solomon’s heart at this time? ANSWER: Solomon asked God to give him an understanding mind to govern his people, that he may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people (verse 9). It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God delights to give wisdom to those who truly seek it. Also because Solomon didn’t serve Jesus for what He can do. Do you serve Jesus for what he can do for you or for what you can do for him? ANSWER: I serve Jesus for what I can do for Him to glorify His name. Why is singleness of heart so important to true discipleship? ANSWER: Singleness of heart so important to true discipleship, because it's exclusive, it's special. Singleness of heart mean it is the ideal of having sole devotion to a task or endeavor.

Q5. (1 Kings 3:1-4) In what way does Solomon’s marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter enhance his status in the Ancient Near East? ANSWER: King Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter to cement a political alliance between the United Monarchy of Israel and Egypt. The result of Solomon's marrying outside of the covenant resulted his heart being turned away from the Lord. He began to participate in the worship of his wives' false gods. How does this marriage compromise him as a follower of Yahweh? ANSWER: It’s believed that Pharaoh's daughter and all of Solomon's wives as leading Solomon into the temptation of straying from the true worship of the God of Israel. Solomon violated his conscious to marry her. He knew it was not right to have a foreign woman in the city of David where the Ark of God’s presence rested. He made allowance for something that did not line up with his values and convictions. How does his worship on the high places – and failure to destroy them damage the purity of Yahweh worship for centuries to follow? ANSWER: Solomon and his people worshiped on high places used by the people of the land in an attempt to get close to their gods (vv.2-3). Such worship had been forbidden since the days of Moses. The 'high places' were places of pagan worship, most often built on high hills or mountains and under trees, and thought to bring people closer to their false gods. Solomon and his successors must faithfully keep God’s laws and ordinances. Failure to keep the laws outlined in the Ten Commandments and enumerated in the expanded law of the Torah, especially the command not to worship other gods, would result in: Israel being exiled from the land (1 King 9:7a). God disowning the Temple (1 King 9:7b). Israel being known among the other nations for having deserted Yahweh their God (1 King 9:9). But these failures would not terminate the Davidic covenant that is an eternal covenant. In what areas do our compromises as parents and pastors impact our own discipleship and the faith of our families and congregations? ANSWER: Discipleship is necessary for the life of a believer because it encourages growth and maturity in their walk with Christ. Also discipleship is important in everyday life because discipleship reminds a believer to continue seeking a deep relationship with Christ even while living in a world that is shallow and surfaced-level. Discipleship is a lifestyle commitment. To produce growth, you have to daily practice what you hope to gain a reward in at the end. disciple-making movements all over the world. There are four essentials when you are discipling a person – the Word of God, the people of God, the Spirit of God, and 4) the Mission of Jesus. You must rely on all four. When a church forsakes discipleship, its people will not grow and thus will not reach out. Many will give up on Christianity while others biecome confused, calloused, or complacent. Alternatively, they will be swept away by false doctrines and cults because they do not know the difference. It is very important for discipleship in the church today because discipleship is simply this: teaching, leading, and demonstrating to others what it means to think, act, and speak as a follower of Christ. The Church is full of people who came to know Jesus as Savior, yet were never taught what it means to actually follow Him.

Q4. (John 3:8) What does Jesus' reference to "the wind" teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit? ANSWER: "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." This illustration that Jesus referenced teaches us that we should judge what has happened in the born-again person's life by what it produces. In summation. Jesus is comparing the work of the Spirit of God in the new birth to the way the wind moves, and the way the wind causes effects in the world without being seen and without being controlled by us.

Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"? ANSWER: To be “born again” is the same thing as being “born of water and the Spirit.” The parallelism is deliberate, and the phrase “born of water and the Spirit” is simply Jesus' explanation of the second birth. What do you think "water" refers to? ANSWER: Some suggest that “water” is a reference to the amniotic fluid that signals the onset of physical birth, and they therefore believe Jesus was describing two distinct births in verse 5 — physical birth (“water”), and spiritual birth (“the Spirit”). Possibly “water” could refer to: God's grace being born again (by the word of God) being born of the Spirit the act of cleansing baptism or refers to more than baptism a physical birth In conclusion, “water” definitely refers to being born again or born of the Spirit; it refers to being cleansed before God; it points forward to the baptism of the convert and even to more than baptism but refers to the entire pericope itself. Why have you come to this conclusion? ANSWER: Jesus was not teaching that one must be baptized in water in order to be saved. Baptism is nowhere mentioned in the context, nor did Jesus ever imply that we must do anything to inherit eternal life but trust in Him in faith (John 3:16). The emphasis of Jesus' words is on repentance and spiritual renewal—we need the “living water” Jesus later promised the woman at the well (John 4:10). Water baptism is an outward sign that we have given our lives to Jesus, but not a requirement for salvation (Luke 23:40–43). Both 'water' and 'Spirit' mean 'life' in John's gospel, indicating the commencing of a new life 'from above', that is the eternal life. Flesh begets flesh. Living beings all reproduce “after their kind” (Genesis 1:24). By the very nature of things, therefore, spiritual life cannot be the fruit of human achievement, a fact that contradicts every form of works-religion. How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning? ANSWER: One birth natural (the flush of amniotic fluid ), and the other birth spiritual: Born of water means the natural birth every person goes through to come into life in this world (i.e., the woman’s water broke and she gives birth to a child shortly thereafter). Spiritual birth is the moment you trust and believe in Jesus Christ alone (imputed righteousness by "make one with" "identifying" with Jesus Christ). Therefore, you cannot be born-again as a child of God without first being actually having a natural birth through (water).

Q2. (John 3:1-8) When Nicodemus came to Jesus, do you think he was already born of the Spirit? ANSWER: NO … Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus was saying and thought he had to re-enter his mother’s womb to be born a second time (John 3:4). Jesus was saying to Nicodemus that every person without the outpoured Spirit from above is spiritually dead like the dry bones and cannot even see the Kingdom of God. A person without God’s Holy Spirit is purely “flesh” and has no spiritual eyes, ears or heart to see, hear and comprehend the message that Jesus came to bring. The Lord told Nicodemus unequivocally, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). Only the Spirit of the living God can take dry bones, dead in trespasses and rebellion against God, and make them spiritually alive (Ephesians 2:1-5). The Spirit is like the wind that blows wherever he wishes (John 3:8), so we are absolutely dependent on the Holy Spirit to blow upon dead people to make them alive. What is the difference between people who have experienced the second birth, and those who have only experienced the first birth? ANSWER: So the first birth necessary to be able to see the kingdom is to be born physically, to be born of water. The second birth that's necessary is to be born of the Spirit. Both are necessary in order to enter in to the kingdom of God. As Jesus says, the only people who will enter God's kingdom are those who are born again, those who have experienced this profound inward change ... Born again according to John 3:1-8 is: The Holy Spirit gives us faith in Christ and works through the faith we have to give us a new spiritual birth—to change our lives. The Greek word for “again” in “born again” (v3) can also mean “born from above.” You need the Holy Spirit to come down from heaven and turn you into a heaven-bound creature. Jesus explained that this new birth is not physical, but spiritual. The new birth that we must experience in order to “see the kingdom of God”.

Q1. (John 7:37-39) In Jesus' teaching on streams of living water from within, whom does he invite to drink? ANSWER: He invites anyone who is thirsty. Only those who recognize their thirst can come to the Lord Jesus for living water. The invitation is to anyone who is thirsty for God What does He promise to believers? ANSWER: He promise to believers that “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” To what degree has a spring of living water been fulfilled in your life? ANSWER: By drinking the Word of Life into my innermost being. Through the Word of Christ, His living water flows into my heart in order to satisfy and renew me. In turn this Living Water wells up inside my heart, soul, and mind and flows from me to touch those around me. By letting Jesus create in my soul a river of living water. By letting Jesus give me the sweet presence of His Holy Spirit. By letting Jesus pour out His water on me so I will never thirst again.

Q5. (Matthew 5:27-30) The spirit of our age is very accepting and approving of ****. According to Jesus' words, how seriously are we to take ****? ANSWER: According to Jesus' words, **** is particularly dangerous, and we to take it seriously. Jesus says, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). So if your eye, even your good eye, causes you to ****, gouge it out and throw it away. **** can be powerful due to immediate gratification and intense physical attraction between individuals. How does agape love help us combat ****? ANSWER: The purpose of agape love shows empathy; extends the desire for good of the beloved; wants the best; extends help or demonstrates good intentions; and is intended for everyone. Furthermore, agape is an even stronger basis than love. Agape doesn't just mean love, it means Christian love, more specifically it means selfless love. It means the kind of love that Jesus recommended when He said we should love our neighbour as ourselves. In summation, “Agape” is a Greek word that means the highest kind of love. Agape love is sacrificial, selfless, and unconditional. It gives one the capacity for empathy and a desire for the good of everyone. Therefore, if we allow God to release Agape love in our lives, it will destroy the pride, ****, and other self-centered attitudes lurking in the dark recesses of our hearts. Agape love helps us combat **** because as it purges, it fills. We can love as God loves, giving ourselves for the benefit of others.

Q4. (Matthew 5:28) Sex is very closely tied to our core sense of person. This means that as we are healed in our view towards sex, it goes a long way toward making us whole inside. How would you counsel a brother who shared with you that he had trouble with ***********? ANSWER: Talk to the person privately about their *********** problem. Choose a private area where the two of you can talk without distractions. Let them know that you aren't criticizing or judging them and listen actively if they're willing to open up to you about it. How can you protect yourself against temptation over the Internet? ANSWER: To resist temptation and protect yourself against temptation over the Internet I must use apps like Freedom and In Moment to temporarily block social media accounts if I spend too much time online. Avoid being alone with someone if I am concerned about unwanted sexual temptation. Temptations are everywhere. While we’d like to rely on willpower to help us overcome these temptations, the amount of willpower you have each day is limited. Here are some ways to protect yourself from temptation online: Forget the word “can’t.” Instead replace with choice words like don’t or won’t to be positive. Get others involved. Keep food temptations out of sight. Consider your schedule. Plan ahead. Remove the temptation. Stay resilient in resisting your inward demons.. Find distractions. Make the most of your morning. Come up with alternatives. How can you protect yourself At the beach or poolside against temptation? ANSWER: Do not give yourself a choice: If you're tempted by something, don't let yourself believe that you have the choice to give in or avoid it. We have to run from sin and run to Christ. Flee the things that stimulate temptation. Run far away from them. Take refuge in Christ and pursue him so intensely that he is all you see. Don’t fight temptation. Flee it. How can you protect yourself against temptation with your TV? ANSWER: Every single thing we traditionally associate with 'willpower,' you can change so it requires less of your willpower an example like a need to watch less TV. Temptation is when you have the desire to do something that is bad for you in some way. To avoid temptation in the long-term, strengthen your willpower and get rid of your temptations. Distract yourself with a healthier activity. Distraction is a great way to avoid temptation because it shifts your thoughts to something else. Tell yourself you'll indulge your craving in 15 mins, then delay it longer. It's easier to wait 15 minutes than it is to think you can never have what you want, so you can use this technique to trick your brain. Eventually, your craving should fade away. List the consequences of giving into your temptation. Imagine what will happen if you give into temptation. But mostly, what will your life look like in the long run if you don’t look at TV. Visualize yourself resisting the temptation to increase your resolve. Picture yourself saying “no” to whatever is tempting you. Label your temptation so you can confront it. Denying you need to watch TV less will only make it worse because you won’t be able to stop thinking about watching it, acknowledge how you feel. Get strength from your higher purpose if you have one.