Sadie Stromberg

Q4. What kind of shalom will the Prince of Peace bring about in the New Heavens and the New Earth? What do we have to look forward to? Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, there has been sin in the world to mar the perfect peace that God intended. Since then, there have been numerous sins such as: murder, envy, lying, cheating, sexual sins, etc. The Prince of Peace will bring about an end to these types of sin when He brings peace. There will no longer be fear from animal or man as they will no longer do harm. There will be an end to handicapped bodies, illness, accidents, wars, disagreements, guilt, hatred and greed. Love will prevail. With the world situations as they are, we can only long for the coming of the Prince of Peace to establish His perfect kingdom!

Q1. What does the concept of "father" teach us about God, especially the formal way which the word is used in the Old Testament? According to the quote from Otfried Hofius above, which two aspects of a father underlie our understanding of Father in the Old Testament? How should they affect our behavior? The Old Testament concept of "father" was one of total authority due great respect and honor. His word was final, and there was to be no questioning of it. He was also responsible for protection and provision for his followers. Knowing the traits of our Heavenly Father, we should respect and honor him completely. We should depend on Him totally to meet our needs just as a dependent child relies on a parent to supply all of his/her needs. We should also strive to be totally obedient to our Heavenly Father so that our relationship can be all that He intends for it to be.

Jesus is the Living Water, and He will always quench our thirst when we come to Him. His source of living water will never run dry. In Texas, we're experiencing a severe drought, and we're wondering if there will be enough water for people and livestock this summer if we don't get substantial rains. We don't have to worry about the Living Water that Jesus supplies, as it will never run dry. Water is more essential to the human body than food. Living Water is very essential to our spiritual health. We need to realize what our spirits are thirsty for and turn to Jesus to supply our need. We do not need to fear for our future spiritually as He will always supply this need.

Q3. Why do we sometimes resist calling on God to be our Helper? Why do we try to do it ourself first? What is required of us if God is to be a Helper and Shepherd to us? I'm a very independent person. I think that can be a fault when I don't call on God to be my Helper. He wants to help us with all our problems, and He wants us to be dependent on Him. We do usually make a mess of things when we try to act on our own and don't ask God's help and advice. God does help us many times even when we don't ask for His help. However, we should call upon Him in humility and obedience.

Q1. (Psalm 91) What is the protected one required to do in times of danger (verses 1-2, 9). What metaphors are used of God's protection in this psalm?[ The protected one should do the following in times of danger: Dwell in the shelter of the Most High, Rest in the shadow of the Almighty, Trust in Him, and Make the Most High your dwelling (abide in Him). The metaphors of God's protection are: Most High, Almighty, a large bird protecting her young and My Refuge. I was studying all of the scriptures Pastor Ralph quoted in this first section, and I wrote down the following verbs that tell what we can depend on from God when we trust in Him in times of trouble. I found these promises to be very comforting. He will: give rest, hide me, keep me, shade me, shelter me, save me, cover me, shield me, rescue me, protect me, answer me, deliver me, honor me and satisfy me. Praise His holy name. I must trust Him to do all of these things.

Q3. What are the implications for governments that Yahweh is the King of kings and Lord of lords? What are the implications of removing God" from a nation's currency and pledges, and ardently secularizing national life? Where does that put a nation with regard to God the King? A government that recognizes that Yahweh is King of Kings and Lord of Lords will be blessed. A government that excludes God from all of it's rulings risks condemnation and withdrawal of God's blessings. We are seeing day-by-day attempts being made to remove God's name from our currency and our Pledge of Allegiance in America. This is very troubling to me. We still have a chance to turn around our country back to an allegiance to Yahweh and to His will for our country. The remedy is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." I pray that we as a nation will wake up before God's righteous wrath descends upon us!

Q2. What are the personal implications of Yahweh being your King and of Jesus being the Messiah sent from God? What are the advantages of being the subject of Yahweh as King? What does it mean for you to submit to the King on an everyday basis? How does a person reject Yahweh from being King over him or her? Yahweh being my King and Jesus being my Messiah sent from God means everything to me. I am willing to submit to them in a way that I wouldn't want to submit to an earthly King. I know that they always have my benefit and best interest in mind in whatever they ask me to do. What they have is mine because I'm a child of the King. I have never received unconditional love from a human being. I know that whatever I do or fail to do will be forgiven when I humbly ask for forgiveness. My day will go much better when I submit to Jesus Christ and ask for His strength, guidance and protection. A person rejects Yahweh from being King over him or her when that person chooses to do as he/she pleases even knowing it is against the will of God.

Q3, What is the result in prayer and faith if believers think that God is poverity-stricken? How does knowledge of a "glorious inheritance" motivate our lives? Our prayers? How can you pray for others to glimpse this inheritance? If believers thinks that God is poverty-stricken, their view of God's power would be greatly diminished. All that is in the universe really belongs to him. He is able to do more than our minds can comprehend with whatever resources he desires. Knowledge of a "glorious inheritance" should motivate us to pray boldly with complete faith that God is able to do all that He says He is able to do. We should pray scriptures back to God that illustrate the promises that He has made to us. We can pray that all Christians will realize the wealth that is the Father's and that we are heirs to this wealth. Praise the Lord, I'm a child of the King!

I don't believe that Jesus received anymore special treatment than that is available to us because we're Christians. I definitely believe that angels protected me and a teacher friend coming home from school on a rainy day. I was driving, and my car hydroplaned. The centrifugal force when my car began spinning pulled my head back to the headrest. I could do nothing to help the situation. I was getting dizzy, so I closed my eyes. I don't know if other cars were behind me or not. When the car came to rest, it was on the other side of the highway facing the other direction. Somebody had to have been in control of the situation, I wasn't. I said that there were angel tracks all over the top of my car. I'm sure there have been other situations in which angels may have come to my rescue.

Daniel approached God in complete humility when he asked for mercy for tthe nation of Israel. He knew that he himself nor the nation were deserving of God's mercy. He fasted and put on sackcloth and covered himself in ashes to demonstrate his complete humility and earnestness before God. We should always confess our sins before we plead for mercy for ourselves or for others. God alone is Holy and Worthy of our adoration and praise.

Daniel was encouraged to pray to God for Israel because of his relationship with God in the past. God had been faithful to him by sparing his liife more than once. Daniel was true to God even though it could have meant that he would have lost his life for disobeying orders from the rulers. We, like Daniel, should pray for God to deliver our nation from the hands of our enemies even though we have gotten far away from God as a nation.We should pray that our country as a whole will turn back to God and to the principles established by our forefathers when our nation was founded.

It is truly miraculous to think that God created each one of us and has a plan for every life. We may not understand why some people are formed with imperfections, but that is something only God can know. He can use every person if that person will allow Him to use them. Both the mother and the father of an expectant child should be thrilled to know that God has allowed that child to be born and that He is forming that child according to His own special plan. It is overwhelming to think that God has created every person who has ever lived and who will ever live. What an awesome God we serve!

I have especially felt the hand of God on my life loving me, guiding me, caring for me and comforting me since I graduated from high school. I went to a small high school and then to a college of 18,000 students. God gave a little small-town girl courage and wisdom enough to graduate from college. He provided me with a job when I graduated. He saw me through my mother's death from brain cancer when she was only 51. He brought me together with my wonderful husband. He saw me through my father's suicide and the serious illness of my husband. He has always given me the strength to get through hard times. I've felt His nearness at those times, and I feel that I have grown into a stronger Christian from these difficult experiences. Praise the Lord for his wonderful love for all of His children!

Hezekiah lays the enemy's report before the Lord because he has made all of the military preparations that he can, but he knows that this is the Lord's battle. We need to realize this in our own lives. When we have problems that are beyond us to solve, we need to bring them before the Lord, turn them over to Him and leave them there. When we don't leave the battle to the Lord and try to win the battle without His help, we often make a royal mess of the whole situation. Greater is He that is within us than he that is within the world. Praise the Lord for His greatness!

I think I might mention some of the names in the Bible which are given to God and Jesus in my prayers. There are many names given to Jesus: The Good Shepherd, The Lily of the Valley, The Bright and Morning Star, The Great Physician, etc. These names would be reminders to me of the greatness of God and Jesus. Some of my favorite songs that remind me of the greatness of God and Jesus are: Holy, Holy, Holy How Great Thou Art More than Wonderful Without Him Majesty