Pastor Ralph

Hi, I'm Ralph Wilson, director of Joyful Heart Renewal Ministries and the JesusWalk Bible Study Series. I live in Central California where the Sierra Nevada foothills begin to rise. I'm glad you've signed up for this study. It's exciting to meet other people who are involved in this Bible study. Why don't you share a bit about yourself, and what state and country you are from. Please do NOT include your e-mail address. Be discrete about sharing private things about yourself.

Q4. (Ephesians 6:18a; Jude 20; Romans 8:26-27) In the list of elements of the Full Armor of God, where does the Spirit show himself? Why is Spirit-directed prayer so important for the believer? How have you experienced this is your life?

Q3. (Ephesians 5:18-20) How is singing worship linked to being filled with the Spirit? How is singing worship linked to joy?

Q2. (2 Corinthians 3:18) Why is character change directly related to time deliberately spent in God’s presence? Have you noticed a change in the “degree of glory” you’re experiencing now compared to a few years ago? Why or why not?

Q1. (John 15:1-8) Why do we need to abide in Jesus? The fruit from branches connected to a vine is the grape. What is the nature of the fruit that comes from being connected to Jesus? Is it accurate to define fruit as “souls saved”? What is the danger in this definition?

Q4. (1 Samuel 3:1-10) Why is Samuel’s servant attitude such an important preparation for hearing God’s voice? Why is surrender to Jesus such an important element of discipleship?

Q3. How would you differentiate between (1) the Spirit's voice and (2) the Spirit nudge or prompting? What can you do to sensitize yourself to His voice and promptings?

Q2. (1 Corinthians 2:9-11, 16) What connects us to the mind of Christ? Do you have a regular Quiet Time? What could you do to make it more meaningful?

Q1. (Mark 1:33-39) What pattern do you see emerging in Jesus’ prayer life? Why do you think he spends Quiet Time with the Father before the day begins? How does this prepare him for his ministry? Why does Jesus minster through the power of the Spirit instead of in his own power?

Q4. (1 Peter 4:10-11) If people are always promoting themselves and pointing to how God is using them, what does that say about them? About their sense of self-worth? About their maturity? Their realism? Their humility? What spiritual gifts has God given you, and how are you using them to his glory?

Q3. (1 Corinthians 12:11) What are lessons do you learn from verse 11? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual gifts?

Q2. (1 Corinthians 12:9) In the twentieth century we saw the evangelistic power of preaching combined with healing the sick. Where in Jesus’ ministry do you see this combination? Where in Paul’s ministry? In Peter’s ministry? In Philip’s ministry?

Q1. Is it legitimate to use Jesus as our example in the use of spiritual gifts? Or was he so different than we are that we can’t pattern our ministry after his example? Where do you see the gift of knowledge in the Old Testament? In the New Testament?

Q4. (Ephesians 4:11) How could a person have the spiritual gift of pastor or teacher without having an official position in a church? What must a church do if its “senior pastor” doesn’t have the spiritual gift of pastor? Who gives these gifts?

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 1 Corinthians 14) How would you define the gift of prophecy? Why do churches sometimes despise or prohibit prophecy? What guidelines does Paul give here and in 1 Corinthians 14 to keep prophecy in a congregation healthy?

Q2. (Ephesians 4:11a) Do you think there are modern-day apostles? If so, who might they be? If you don’t believe there are modern-day apostles, identify some people who are doing some of the same things that the early apostles did.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:11) What is the purpose of spiritual gifts according to 1 Corinthians 12:7? According to Ephesians 4:11? What happens when people don’t employ spiritual gifts for their intended purpose?

Q4. (Galatians 5:22-23) How does the Holy Spirit produce this fruit in our lives? What theological term would you use to identify this process? How can it be that a person who has been a “Christian” for years displays few or none of these fruits? Are they saved, but just immature? What does James 2:17-19 say about this? Is that too harsh?

Q3. (Galatians 5:16-18) How does the Spirit enable us to resist the temptations of the flesh? How does He restrain us? How does he enable us to break the hold the flesh has had over us?

Q2. (Romans 8:1-9; Isaiah 26:3) What does it mean to “set the mind on the things of the flesh”? What is involved in “setting the mind on the things of the Spirit”? What does it mean to have your mind “stayed” on Jesus? How much of this requires will-power? How much does the Spirit assist us? Can this become a habit as we practice it?

Q1. (Romans 7:7-25) What does Paul mean by “the sinful nature” (NIV) or “the flesh” (ESV, KJV)? Is this ever eradicated? Can there ever be victory over temptation?

Devout Christians differ on their understanding of these things. So please be gentle in your interchanges with each other on the Forum. You can disagree, but it must be expressed in love! Q3. (Acts 10-11; Acts 19:1-7) The Holy Spirit comes upon new believers in both Caesarea and Ephesus accompanied by speaking in tongues (and prophecy and praise) like on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Does He always come like this initially? What about the times when people are saved in the New Testament but tongues aren’t mentioned? Are they filled with the Spirit also?

Q2. (Acts 4:8, 31) What does it mean that Peter and the believers are “filled with the Holy Spirit” in these passages? Are they “re-filled”? Is it possible for a believer to have many “fillings” of the Holy Spirit? Why or why not?

Q1. (Acts 2) What happened at Pentecost that was different than anything that had happened in previous history? What word analogies are used to describe this phenomenon? Are these word analogies essentially used synonymously with others in Acts 2? What did the Jews from foreign lands hear and see? How did Peter interpret what they heard and saw? (Acts 2:14-21)

Q4. (1 John 4:4) Why does John need to remind us that we have “overcome” the world? Is the potential power of the Holy Spirit within you less than the power in the Apostle Paul. What might be the factors that seem to limit our sense of power?