JustJeff

A boss gives orders and dictates policy. There is no room in a Christian marriage for a boss as that also indicates sole authority which should not be the case. Man and wife are equal in God's eyes and a man needs to work with his wife as a partner. The wife should be treated as part of a man's self, not as an employee or an outside consultant. The head of the family should be humble, loving, compassionate and considerate. The well being and care of his family should be of the utmost importance, led by the Word and under the guidance of the true head of the family, Jesus Christ, by His Holy Spirit. His family needs to be brought up and nurtured in the Lord as it is He who will be the common ground to which the whole family can always agree with and receive direction from. With out a doubt, Christ is the only example that the husband should follow.

If, as a Christian, a woman agrees to marry a man under the tenets of our faith, then she is bound to submit to the authority that God has given him as a husband. This authority is not of that as a dictator, but as an equal and the one in the family who has a final say on common matters. For a woman who has chosen a non Christian as a husband she is unequally yoked and must come to terms with that. She is obedient to her husband to the degree that she does not compromise her integrity before God and put her salvation at risk. As equals, both parties have the right to disagree but, a decision needs to be made and ultimately the husband should take responsibilty for the final choice, right or wrong. For consciences sake, prayer is always the answer. It is always the solution.

My answer to question 4 is the answer to your first part. I always enjoy your studies and finish with greater knowledge and understanding than I began with. I pray the Lord give me the wisdom to use what I have received. On to the next one.

Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son, his legacy, to me, is his most inspirational accomplishment. This total and complete faith and obedience to God is incredible and certainly puts my walk, and how far I need to go, in perspective.

There should be a hunger for the body of Christ to sing together, as one. This builds us up as a unit and together we reach the throne room of God as we worship Him with song. The Holy Ghost moves throughout and we are bathed in His sweet annointing, becoming mesmerized by the Spirit and growing together in harmony. Being created for His praise, we are a sweet smelling savor to our God, bringing Him joy and gladness as we lift up His holy name, as only He is worthy. There is freedom in song and in so doing we release stress, pressure, anxiety and welcome joy and gladness and the power of the Holy Ghost.

I feel the servants prayer was more of one seeking confirmation so as to satistfy Abraham's very specific requirements. Much like Gideon and the fleece. I do think that the Lord enjoys it when we seek to prove Him. It is active communion with Him and gives Him a chance to be intimate with us. In this case the Lord provided exactly what the faithful Abraham needed and took the heat off of the uncertain servant.

Drugs and alcohol are sought after to satisfy emotional and physical desires that cannot be fulfilled by fleshly means. Use of these stimulants causes a false and temporary sense of euphoria always requiring greater need to satisfy unsatiatable desire. The Holy Spirit occupies the void inside of each of us, a place reserved for God by God to fill us with the love and hunger that our human spirit longs for. The filling of His Spirit fills that place that we try to occupy with artificial means, namely drugs and alcohol. His high is a free high with an everlasting effect causing us to never want to use again.

Through Issac, Abraham sees God afar and knows that He is faithful. Money and riches are nothing compared to the promises of the Father. Abraham is faithful. Abraham demonstrates that faith grows by experience, living by the word of God. If we don't grow in the word, we won't grow in faith. Abraham lived by the word, through his direct communion with Yahweh, and grew in faith proportionately.

As our world grows darker each day our chance to win souls to the Lord diminishes. A secular society has little need for a loving God. So too, our lives are fleeting and we can ill afford to let an opportunity to be a witness, to someone who the Lord has sent our way, pass us by. Carpi diem as the saying goes. We must seize the moment. Sadly though, our flesh always seems to hinder us, taking our boldness away. Political correctness is the catchall to justify our fears and another soul sails by. We need to stand firm in the faith, not fearing what man can do to us but God. We cannot be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but must go forth each day boldly with the knowledge that a person's life may depend upon a meeting with us that day.

Sarah was a woman who was a product of her time. It seems that she was obedient to her husband while suffering great humiliation for being barren. I see that as normal, given the importance of having an heir. After Hagar bare Ishmael Sarah displays jealousy and anger, which too would seem normal under the circumstances even though she is fickle in having offered Hagar to Abraham in the first place. Sarah's faith in God is lacking but, it is the faith of her husband which has been written about. Sarah's place in history is as a faithful wife.

Sex can be addictive and in turn, become an idol. Since your own body is the instrument, that too is the idol. Paul understood this, based upon the paganism of his time and the idols that were worshipped and issued his warning to the church. Sexuality is a gift from God and when used as an expression of love for your spouse is a deeply spiritual experience. When procreation is an objective it is even more so.

Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son illustrates a total commitment to God and complete faith in Him to do what he promises. God gave us His Son as a total commitment to mankind, to be our God and give us the chance to have a relationship with the Holy One. This could never happen without Jesus' selfless sacrifice.

Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son illustrates a total commitment to God and complete faith in Him to do what he promises. God gave us His Son as a total commitment to mankind, to be our God and give us the chance to have a relationship with the Holy One. This could never happen without Jesus' selfless sacrifice.

When we are in the flesh, our carnal self, we have a tendency to be hard hearted, not able to forgive. The Lord God is our example by His Son's atoning sacrifice. He is faithful to forgive us if we petition the Son. By verse 32 we should have kindness, tender heartedness and forgiveness as part of our character. That is a refection of our attitude.

From what I see, and have been guilty of myself, slander is at the top of the list for unwholesome talk amongst us. Rather than trusting in the Lord to deal with those whom we might not agree with, or like for that matter, we seem to think that talking about the person behind their back will make things better. That just causes more problems. Paul tells us in verse 29 to mark our words, speak words to encourage and build the body up which means that we should talk directly to the person whom we might disagree with in a loving way rather than behind their back. The result should be positive for both parties. That will stop slander dead in it's divisive tracks.

Once, a lifetime ago, I was homeless. When I finally started to listen I heard God's voice and He directed my path to His house. It was there that I found shelter, food, clothing. Most important, I found and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and I began a new life with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He provided for me then, 15 years ago, and He provides for me now. I have served Him these 15 years as a missionary in the very place He brought me to. This is a faith based place, accepting no money from the government and with no congregation other than the homeless, the poor and needy . Each day is given to us by Yahweh Jireh and no other. It is truly amazing as to how He provides our every need.

Until you accept the Lord a your Savior you cannot have a relationship with God. If you do not have a relationship with God then you cannot know Him. If you do not know Him you cannot trust Him. By accepting the Son you surrender your life to the Father. I did 15 years ago and I am free. One really doesn't know freedom until the Lord gives it to you. Try it. It is the best high you will ever have.

Sometimes we just need to deal with a bad situation and meekness doesn't cut it. So the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, provided us with a catalyst, anger. When used rationally and by His Holy Spirit, anger allows you to deal with wrongs that hurt you or others that you might otherwise try to bury in your heart. When used in a vicious or malevolent way anger will cause much hurt, often physically and mentally as well as spiritually. For me the best way to control my anger to to think before I speak, inquiring of the Lord as to how and when to respond. T'ain't easy but it is worth the effort to prevent harm to a relationship, especially the one with Adonai, by sinning. Anger is not sin but can become sin when it is out of control or fleshly.

We live in terrible times, growing worse each day as living becomes more difficult and the news more burdensome with war, famine, global warming, abuse of the poor. People seem to seek escape by pleasures of the flesh and the church compromises in order to keep the pews full. We have what is called "Christianity Lite" simply because of this. As a result, mainstream Christianity is in confusion which draws people to the enemy. For those who are not well versed in the Word, for those who cannot fight the good fight, fort those with the Holy Spirit dwelling in them or who have grieved Him into submission it is not difficult to fall into the many temptations available, finally into sin.

Satan uses our trials to lead us to sin, rebellion against God. Yahweh, on the other hand, wants us to be strengthened, to call upon Him, increase our faith. A Christian goes through trials every day. This is why we live victoriously. As I come a fork in the road ( a trial) it is for me to choose which way to go. With the loving guidance of the Holy Spirit I will continue along the right path. If I deviate and come to tribulation I need to call upon the Lord to help me through. As long as I depend upon Him, I am assured a victory. I am an overcomer. In my life I have had much tribulation, the result of much failure because I didn't recognize God. When I finally came to Him He set me free. I have many testimonies of how He brought me through which I give as often as I can. I believe that many others have benefitted from mine as well as your testimony.

With the pastor as the main worker in a congregation it simply is not possible for that one individual to handle all of the ministries functions, no matter ther size of the church. By taking on most roles the pastor restricts the abilities of individuals within the congregation to find their calling and grow into their ministry. This limits the outreach of the church as untrained Christians cannot be effective witnesses for the Lord nor are they able to work with people who would normally call upon the Lord in their time of need. They don't know how. Pastors and teachers should work to empower the congregation to grow into mature Christians, fulfilling the calling that the Lord has upon each of our lives.

I would imagine that a person who is spiritually gifted as a pastor could quite easily minister to the flock without becoming the pastor of the church. Since the pastor is a shepherd and a servant it should be quite ordinary that one with such a gift could minister as the Lord chooses, whether it be from the pulpit or the pew, so to speak. The pastor of a church is chosen by God. In looking at the needs of a given congregation the Lord will put a person suited to that paricular church. The individual may not be gifted as a pastor but as a teacher, as come churches do instead of preaching. As stated in a previous question, all good gifts come from God.

In order to stir up the gift of evangelism it would have to be aroused by the laying on of hands. It would have to be taught and preached about with fire. The whole congregation should be in one mind and one accord in support of evangelizing. The individual who has this gift displays an inclination to talk to anyone about the Lord and His gospel. It should also be taught that we are to sow seeds, plant and water. It is God who will grant the increase. We cannot induce anyone to come to the Lord lest it be of their own free will. We seem to expect persons who hear our message to drop to their knees on the spot and accept Jesus as their Savior. More often than not it is a process that requires time and effort. Anyone interested in evangelizing should be aware of this from the start. It saves a person from becoming quickly discouraged.

Apostles today would have the same function as yesteryear perhaps more so. They would have to break down religious partitions, bring true doctrine back into our churches, battle against sin. On a local or even on a worldwide bases apostles could return the church to it's first love, Jesus Christ. One should be able to go to any Christian church in any place in the world and have the same experience with the Lord. Alas, that will not happen until His return. While I realize that it has become an exceptable posture to accept the varying denominations as the true church one has to wonder if that is indeed what the people to whom the teachings are attributed to the foundation of that church would agree. It was because of false doctrine that people were inspired by God to reform the church and start anew. We should have grown as one from that point and not splinter. I would hazard to say that at some point, false teaching infected the new movement, as it did in the beginning. Any one who takes away or adds to the Word is a false apostle and anyone who takes any glory from the Lord is a false god.

When ever I try to understand the concept of a God who has always been there and will always be here I seem to overload. This is to wonderful for me to comprehend. As a result I am changed, knowing that El Olam has His eye on me and loves me as His own, just as you. I can no longer live for myself. I am His.