warrior

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? The gifts are given to those that make themselves available not just those that qualify through training or schooling and no office can dicate who has the gifts or not. Any pastor who is over the flock should have the spiritual gift of pastor and teacher if not I would say he needs to check up and see if he is God called or by his own desires or another's. God is always the giver of gifts and they are always His gifts to use how he wants them used not ours for our use.

Ephesians 4:7-10) Who gives spiritual gifts? Can our "natural" talents be related to our "spiritual" gifts? How? What is the difference between a natural God-given talent and a spiritual gift? Christ gives spiritual gifts, they are His gifts not ours and He gives them not based on how we qualify as He qualifies all whom he gives to but on availability. Are we available to Him to be empowered with gifts that will be used for His kingdom, His glory and not try to exalt ourselves. There is no difference in the giver whether it be "natural" talents or "spiritual gifts" Christ gives them all. Our so called natural gifts are given for pleasure of worshipping God in different ways. The spiritual gifts are for drawing people into the kindgom and making them stronger.

How much energy must we expend on Christian unity? What is "the bond of peace"? How do we strike at peace when we are intent on argument and dissension? It is not a suggestion but a commandment so we should put as much energy into unity as we do obeying all His commandments. Our love for people and unity could never be as much as Jesus paid by laying down His life so who are we to worry when I feelings get hurt and want to hold a grudge. Bond of Peace will cement us together in spite of any personal differences. We may feel we have to do this or not do that, wear this or not wear that but the basic Bible principles we should all accept without strife those things that are written is instruction for us all. By keeping our mind and heart to doing those things that are set in writing for us all and looking through love as Jesus, trying all the harder to look in love when there is intent to argue.

(Ephesians 4:2) Why are patience and humility so important to preserving unity? What happens to the reputation of Jesus Christ when we have right doctrine along with a sense of arrogance towards those who disagree with us? How are we to be both "gentle" and to "fight the good fight of faith"? Without humbleness we are full of pride and arrogance which is a sin and cause us to fall. Jesus was humble all the way to the cross laying down his life in love, since we are made and are called to live in his image and character then we to must be willing to laying ourside ourselves. Humble in love to the will of the Father that His kingdom will be preserved in unity. How we react and do when we claim to be a christian brings either glory or dishonor to Christ. Other blood will be required at our hands if we offend to the point they are turned away from Christ due to what we show others in our lives. Gentle in spirit and our actions holding fast to what we have learnt to be the true.

The Lird call each of us once our lives are converted through salvation to be witness for him he gives us his spirit to direct us and give us the boldness to do so. He also gives special gifts of callings to individuals willing to accept and do what he has called them to do. No matter what we choose to do for the Lord the real anointing is in the calling he has prepared us to do. It may be singing, preaching, teaching, withnessing or a might prayer warrior but he eqiups us for what he has called us to do. We can do nothing in or on our own to make us worthy of the calling it is through the blood of Jesus that makes us more like him as we die daily to our will to take on His will. As the dying process of self happens as we communicate with Him then he is exalted and the calling takes on the power of God.

What does Ephesians 3:12 teach us about the manner of approaching God? What happens if we try to pray without these qualities? We should have boldness to approach God with openess, frankness and able to speak whatever we feel knowing if we have His righteouness within us we will find favor with Him. We need to come with the confidence that we can rely and trust Him. We will lack the faith to believe that whatsoever we ask will be given. We will let Satan make us feel unworthy but the the blood has made us worthy the flesh can never be worthy and without the character of God we cannot understand the things of God

Why is Paul so careful to be humble about his call and apostleship? How can his example help us remain as humble servants? He remember who he had been and the things he had done against God and His people. He knew he was a servant of God dedicated to doing only what God commanded. What had been given him in service to the Lord was a gift he (nor us) deserve, but unmerited favor. Not matter what status we obtain in life we are all on equal ground at foot of the cross, no little "I's" or big "U's". But for the blood that covers our sinful nature we would be as the worst of sinners that we meet everyday. We have nothing in ourselves to glory over, it is a gift that was bought with a great price, the blood of my Lord.

Why is God's revelation to "his holy apostles and prophets" our authority for faith and practice? What is the danger of minimizing or straying from that revelation? What is the danger of superceding that revelation? What is the danger of denying that God reveals himself to us and to his church today? For God moved on the prophets and apostles with revelation of His Words that they may serve as a written record in the Bible and be taught us through the prophets, ministers, teachers of our day. His Word has been proven and withstood the trials and fire that it is the truth, the living Word to accept any other puts us in danger of loosing our souls and leading others astray. We are not to add to not take from the Word, it is complete and does not need man to add his personal opinion about the Word. God reveals His truth as we seek Him and He is the ultimate authority. We still only understand that which God has revealed. The danger in denying is that we raise up a generation that will not know God and His truth. We also condemn ourselves and can be a stumbling block to those that are seeking to hear God for themselves.

Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? It is the revelation of God and his plan of Salvation that can only be understood by the spirit which draws us, that which was and is revealed through God's prophets and ministers. It is important to the Gentile because it makes us all equals heirs to the Kingdom of God where under the law the Jews and Gentiles had a wall between them created by the law they were under. We are now under Grace and not under the legal system which man could not obey in full and need a sacrifice yearly by the priest to atone for the laws (sins) he broke.

What is the significance that your congregation was made to be "a dwelling place for God in the Spirit"? What hinders that from being fully experienced? What can you do to help that become more fully experienced and appreciated? Gods dwells in His house (His church as a whole) made up of true believers in every denomination, every nation. A house require many different parts to be a whole just like a body does and it takes everyone in their own place to make the dwelling place complete. It is hindered when we fail to be a part of the building, when we think of ourselves above others and forget except by grace we would all be lost. We must daily sacrifice ourselves (our wills) that His will is the center of our lives. We must as indiviuals keep in close fellowsip with other beleivers encouraging them, lifting each other up in prayer that we can come together in one mind and that is to worship the one who saved us and keeps us daily.

In what sense did Jesus as Messiah "fulfill" the Mosaic Law? What is the significance of that for Jewish people? For us Gentiles No longer was a Priest required to atone for our sins which could on be by sacrifice of a perfect unblembished animal once a year. No longer did Jews and Gentiles have a wall between them due to the law the Jews tried to force the Gentiles to live under. No longer could only the Priest have access to the Holy of Holies but the veil was rent that through the blood of Jesus we now have access. It has the same significance to Jews and Gentiles in that by Grace through the blood of Jesus is the only way for either one to be reconiled to God. No flesh could fulfill all the laws but Christ fulfilled them making a perfect convenant through His blood that can not be abolished.

What does it mean to have "access to the Father"? In what way does the Holy Spirit facilitate this access? In what way does Jesus enable this access? Before Christ only Priest could go into the tabernacle, common men had to stay in the outer court. Jews and Gentiles had a wall between them because of the laws but Jesus tore down the walls, rent the curtain and gave us all access to the Father that we may come bolding to the throne room. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we are even unable to prayer. sometimes only tearing or groanings will come but the Spirit understands even when we don't know how to pray. He is the teacher of how and what to say and the power to give us the boldness and staying power to remain in Christ.\ Jesus died as the ultimate sacrifice that all the laws was fulfilled in him and through Him and the work at Calvary we now have access to His Father and Our Father.

Why does being out of touch with what it means to be "lost" impede our willingness to witness? In your own words, what is the spiritual condition of a friend or co-worker who doesn't know Christ? If we can't remember when we were lost and without God and accept we were unlovable and just as bound by sin as those that don't know he today then we will not be able to witness with an heart full of grace. Our attitude will be self righteouness and our words will sound like we are looking down on them because we are judging them for being bound forgetting the grace of God which set us free. A friend or co-worker that is lost is as bound as I was and may not see their need they are dead to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and needs to see their condition as sinful and shamful to Christ before they will be willing to change. Our job is to live, talk and act like Christ so they will be brought under conviction and get saved.

Ephesians 2:14-15) In what sense did Jesus as Messiah "fulfill" the Mosaic Law? What is the significance of that for Jewish people? For us Gentiles? He gave grace in place of the law which man could not keep and had to have the priest make atonement for them each year. He replaced the animal sacrifice for those who broke the law and sacrificed himself that all who sin might live and not die. He broke down the veil for us to come bolding to the throne of God to make our needs known and to ask forgiveness without having to have a priest or anyone else do it for us. For the Jews it was the fulfillment of what the prophets told them and they looked forward to the cross in the days before Jesus knowing the law was not complete and that Jesus was coming to fulfill the law. The old covenant kept the Jews and Gentiles seperated Jesus brought them together and reconciled them both to God. The Gentiles were included under the convenant of Grace brought by the blood of Jesus, reconciled through him to God. It broke down the wall that seperated the Jews and Gentiles that peace might be brought through Christ all men could be brought under one union. He was not just a peacemaker to bring all men together but He is OUR peace. In the world there is always worry, problems, trials and persecutions but Jesus is our peace. Our minds in the flesh may be in turmoi but our spirit man inside knows the peacemaker will bring us out on top everytime.

What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand. Faith is totally relying on Jesus instead of our own selves. It is believing when you are in the midst of trials that say it can't be done. We can have determination but faith is a gift from God, we receive a measure with salvation but it grows as our relationship with Christ grows. To explain it to a child it's like believing when you get hurt that a kiss from mommy will make it well.