Pastor Ralph

Q5. (Haggai 2:20-23) In what way is Haggai’s image of Zerubbabel being God’s signet intended to encourage Zerubbabel? What is the power of a leader’s signet? How does listening to God’s Spirit make you effective as his agent? In what ways are you authorized to speak and act for Jesus?

Q4. (Haggai 2:10-14) What kinds of things defile a disciple today? What is the danger of acting as if doing church work somehow makes us holy by association? How does a believer deal with spiritual defilement and sin?

Q3. (Haggai 2:1-5) Discouragement is a common experience. What command does God give Joshua the high priest? What assurance does he give? To deal with your own times of discouragement, what would God’s command and assurance be for you? How would you implement them?

Q2. (Haggai 1:6, 9-11) God sometimes disciplines us through hardships and circumstances (Hebrews 12:7-11). Sometimes through us not having all that we need. What is such discipline intended to do in our lives? Are you experiencing hardship? What is God trying to say to you in the midst of it?

Q1. (Haggai 1:8) God wishes to “take pleasure” in the temple, but the people have stopped working on the project. When is God displeased with you? When does he “take pleasure” in you? What is keeping you from serving him deliberately and joyfully?

Q5. (Ezra 6:20-21) What do repentance and separation from the sins of our culture look like for a disciple today? How should we prepare ourselves to worship Jesus in the Lord’s Supper? How should we prepare to serve him with purity day by day?

Q4. (Ezra 6:1-12) When faced with “insurmountable odds,” why do we give up so easily? What are the characteristics of a disciple who retains a robust faith in the God of amazing breakthroughs and impossible solutions?

Q3. (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church’s image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God’s heart?

Q2. (Ezra 3) Rebuilding the temple in order to restore worship is the point of all this work. Is your personal worship what it should be? What foundations do you need to lay again in your personal restoration and revival of faith?

Q1. (Ezra 1:5-6) Why did only some return to Jerusalem when given the opportunity? What are the likely characteristics of those who return vs. those who stay behind in Babylon? Why do only some answer Jesus’ call to follow him on his journey to a radically different kind of lifestyle and mission? What are the characteristics of true disciples?

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. (Psalm 27:8) What does it mean “to seek his face”? What is necessary in us to have a desire for that? How did talking to God “face to face” change Moses? How will it change us? What does it cost us to actively seek him? Is it worth it? How does seeking his face relate to our theme of the Glorious Kingdom?

Q3. Based on John’s vision of the Bride, the Holy City, in Revelation 21, how would you describe in your own words the glory we will experience?

Q2. (2 Timothy 2:12a) What does it mean to “rule and reign” with Christ now, in this life? What do you think it will mean after Christ returns? How does this relate to our theme of the Glorious Kingdom?

Q1. What does Matthew 24:30-31 tell us will happen when Christ returns? How does this relate to Daniel’s prophecy of the Son of Man?

Q4. (Matthew 6:10) In what sense are we to rule and reign in Christ’s Kingdom administration now, in this life? What would your world be like if a majority of believers took this seriously? What do you think ruling and reigning with Christ will consist of after he returns?

Q3. (Ephesians 1:20-22; 2:6) Jesus’ apostles were given spiritual authority from Jesus to carry out their ministries. What is the basis of your spiritual authority? Why do you think we believers neglect to exercise our God-given Kingdom authority?

Q2. (2 Corinthians 4:5-12) Why does a believer’s suffering make his or her witness more credible to the world? Why do you think Paul contrasts “jars of clay” with “all-surpassing power”? What is the “treasure” that is contained within us? How does this differ from the New Age truism of “believe in yourself”?

Q1. (Matthew 5:14-16) In what sense are we the “light of the world”? What does it mean to let your light shine? What kinds of character and actions in a believer’s life bring glory to the Father? Why were we created to do good works? (Ephesians 2:10)

Q4. (Psalm 63; Philippians 3:7-19) What increases one’s hunger for God? What tends to deplete this hunger? What would it take for your hunger for God to be renewed to great intensity? How might fasting help in this process?

Q3. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) In what way do our “light, momentary afflictions” achieve for us an “eternal weight of glory”? Suffering can make a person bitter or better. How can suffering work God’s character in your life?

Q2. (2 Corinthians 3:18) What is the effect on a believer from continued exposure to God’s presence? Why do many believers remain spiritual infants? Why does deep exposure to God transform a person?

Q1. (2 Corinthians 3:18) In your own words, how do you describe what it means to “behold his glory”? Have you ever experienced this? What do you think would be necessary for you to experience this on a regular basis? What keeps you from experiencing this?

Q4. According to Daniel 7:14, what is the extent of the Son of Man’s authority? Of his glory? How is the use of Jesus’ name in prayer and command a form of delegating his power? How much power do we have in Jesus’ name? What limits the exercise of this power?

Q3. How is Jesus’ glory displayed in his trial and crucifixion? In his resurrection? How do you think the thief on the cross and the centurion supervising the crucifixion could see his glory? Why is God’s glory often seen in the midst of suffering?