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Q3. (Psalm 40:5b) When you realize that God's thoughts and plans are focused on you in particular, how does that make you respond? It makes me feel over whelmed. How could a Great God who creates all things care for something as trivial as me. I feel bless becaused I know that He does care scripture says He has my picture in his hand how humbling that is. I feel I need to praise a loveing God and to seek His will for my life know that He cares so much.

Q2. (Psalm 69:30-32) Why does this lament (and nearly all laments in the Psalms) end with an upswing of hope and praise? What does this teach us about our own laments and prayers? Why is praise, the language of faith, so important in our prayers, especially prayers of desperate pleas for help? David know who his God is and that He wants our praise and worship as well as the things that trouble us. He knows that no matter what he brings before God that he must also bring praise because God prefers our praise to sacrifice. This teachs us that we can bring any thing before God even our pains and hurt feelings, our anger at others and our fears,but once we have brought those we must also bring praise and thanksgiving because we know that all thing come from the Father of lights and that He will bring us our needs as we seek to please Him in our worship and praise. praise is important because it allows us togive back something to God and to let us remember that He is our creator and must always come first. He is our provider and our praise is for uplifting our prayers before God. God wants us to put Him first and will keep His promises to us as we bring our praise and worship before Him.

Q1. (Psalm 69:12-18) How could David dare to ask anything from God after the shameful things he had done with Bathsheba and Uriah? How does God's grace and mercy function in the face of our sins? David a man after God's own heart knew that he had a relationship with God that would last even when he sinned. He knew that all he had to do was call apon the Lord confess his sin then the mercy of God would pour out on him and cleanse him of all his unrighteousness. He prayed for that cleansing in Psalms 51:10-12. David had called out to God before and knew that He ould answer his prayer if they were from a sincere heart. God's mercy and grace reach out to us as they did David when we sin as all humans do we need to fall down on our knees and ask our Father God to for give that weakness then with a true knowledge of his love for us we can recieve that forgiveness and know He has move it as for as the east is from the west. He remembers it no more all due to His grace and mercy. Praise and Glory to God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son, He is our salvation and there is no other.

Q3. (Psalm 98) What are the reasons given for praise in Psalm 98? Why do you think praise is so exuberant in this psalm? How exuberant is praise in your congregation, in your life? Why or why not is it exuberant? 1. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. 2.The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. 3.He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 9b.with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. I think that the first three verses and the last verse tell us why to praise God, He has done marvellour things, His holy are has gotten Him victory. He has given us salvation and given righteoudness to those whom He will. He has remembered His mercy and truth upon the house of Isreal ans lastly He will judge the earth with rightousness and ewuity. I think it is because that we are to realize that God has already blessed us in that He has provided us with salvation and therefore we are in debt to repay that in praise and glory that we sent up to Him. It varies from Sunday to Sunday as we seek new ways to praise God and to worship in spirit and truth we sometimes lose some of the fire that would be in our worship, we may have problems that we haven't taken before God and that worry keeps us from being exuberant in our praise.

Q2. (Psalm 95) In Psalm 95 we are commanded to worship the Lord. What are the reasons why we should worship contained in this psalm? Why do you think the warning in verses 8-11 is included in this psalm? How does this fit with the earlier elements of the psalm? 3For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 4In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. 5The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. 6O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. 7For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, I think that the reasons are contained ina verses 3 thru 7, God is great, He alone created everything so everything belongs to Him even me. He hold everything in His hands, He provides us with foood and water. He is our shepard our care taker in Him we have no fear or worry but only thanksgiving and praise.

Q1. (Psalm 150) What does this psalm teach us about praise? Where should praise occur? With what should praise be conducted? Who should praise? What does this psalm make you feel like after reading it out loud? That we are to give all our praise to God. It is to occur every where that we are in the sanctuary, in the heavens, in the firmament or the lands. We should give God praise in all that we do with the instruments and with our voices lifted high. Everything that has breath is to praise the Lord for He is worthy of all our praise. It lifts our spirits and makes use want to continue to give God praise and the glory and honor that He alone deserves.

Q3. (Psalm 133) What about this short psalm seems to attract you? Why is "dwelling together in unity" so difficult? What kinds of commitments does unity require of us? How do the principles of unity and purity seem to conflict with each other? Why are reconciliation and unity such high values in Jesus' teaching, do you think? That God wants us to live togeather in unity and that is the last thing it seems some of us wanted to do, we go to great lenghts to get away from everyone to live a seperateist live not having to develope a relationship with any one is our desire. It is difficult because it takes work. To be able to have unity there must be a dependance on each other and a forgiveness for failure. We find this hard to do It requires us to put others before us allowing their need and feeling to have first place wiht us is quite hard. It requires determination to keep striving when every thing s seems to say yu don't want to do this. It is hard to have unity and purity at the same time as we all know we are all sinners so we want our way first and foremost so their goes the unity and as we fail in being a unified people we also fail a purity because it is what Jesus wants for us. They conflict again in as we strive for purity is seems that we can't have unity because there are some who would try and keep us from reaching that goal and we can not have unity with themif we want to suceed. We must forgive or the Father will not for give us. Reconciliation starts with true forgiveness. Jesue last words Father forgive them. We need to follow in the steps of our Lord and Saviour.

Q2. (Psalm 15) The Wisdom Psalms are meant to instruct us. How would you use this psalm in your family to instruct your children? What topics of right living does it cover? I think that it is a guide to how everyone should live. First desiring to live a life that will allow us to be in the presence of God. Second living a righteous life being kind to our neighbor not taking advantage of the poor. Third not being one to gossip about others but being tolerant to those who are not living as we think they should, but seeking to bring them to a realization of Christ. It covers all the main topics righteousness, deceit, honesty, faith , and love of God and neighbor.

Q3. (Psalm 63) Why is recognition that God loves you the basis of all faith? What does this realization bring about in your life? Because it allows for you to have faith,for without faith it is impossible to please Him. We must have faith in order to do our part in our own salvatiion. It is a small part considering what Jesus did for eachof us dieing for our sin once and for all, leaving nothing for us to do but believe that He is who He said and that He did it out of unselfish love for us. It bring about a thanksgiving to God to do His will, to be the best I can be at bring others to see that He loves them and died for them as well as me. Jesus is our Lord and must be given that praise due Him for without His shed blood all hopewould be lost and with out hope we have no faith and again can not please Him.

Q2. (Psalms 42-43). What is the psalmist feeling during this spiritual struggle? How does he combat his spiritual depression? Have you ever felt this way? How did you reach out to God at this time? I believe that he is feeling a seperation of himself and his God. He knows the joy of praising Him but the feeling is now gone and he is alone in his greif and it is ovewhelming him. He calls out to God anyway know that his God will not leave him no matter where he is driven. He combats his depression by singing praise to God and asking him to allow him to be with Him and to see Him. He praises God for allowing him to be with those who have taught him to praise God and seek after Him. YES! I have had times when I feel that God is not near to me and that my prayers are going unanswered. I feel the depression of not being in a praising time to my God, but we are never alone even Jesus cried out on the cross, MY GOD< MY GOD , why has thou foresaken me. We are never alon God is still there we just have to reach out and continue in prayer and thanksgiving to Him and He will answer us. I reach out to God in prayer and ing getting with fellow believers and praising God and giving Him thanks for all the things He has done for me in the past and it suffices me and allowes me to over come the depression and get on with seeking God and His will for me.

Q1. (Psalm 24) What does it mean that David desires to "dwell in the house of the Lord"? What does it mean to "seek his face"? How does David provide hope at the end of this Psalm? He desires to be where his God is, to be in His presence and to be able to know Him as his God and be able to communicate with Him face to face. To seek His face is the same to me it is just another way of wanting to be in the presence of God and enjoy the communing with God and the worshipping of the Lord. by the verses;13I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (27:13-14) He is sure that in time he will be able to be with his God and also to be in the land of the living, he is sure that he will go to a place where he will be with those who have gone on before him. He is sure that all he is require to do is wait for the Lords timimg and he will take him to be there where He wants to be with his fathers.

Exercise. For one of the psalms in this lesson -- or another psalm with a similar theme -- do one of the suggested exercises to help you experience the Psalms (www.jesuswalk.com/psalms/psalms-exercises.htm). These include such things as praying a psalm, meditating, reading to a shut-in, paraphrasing, writing your own psalm, singing, preparing a liturgy, and memorizing. Then report to the forum what the exercise meant to you personally or share what you've written with others. Psalms 1 1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. a good man only associates with people like himself so that he will not pick up bad habits and can live a life that is pleasing to his God and bring joy to those around him. He enjoys doing good for others and making them feel better and good about themselves He is strong in helping those around him and he is always trying to find ways to help others.

Q3. (Psalm 139). In what way does the wonder of creation in the psalm seem to affect the psalmist? In his concluding prayer in verses 23-24, what does he ask God to do? It makes him aware that God alone knew him before he was even born, God knew him in the enter most parts God seen him and knew the beginning of his days as well as the end of his life. "23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (139:23-24) He ask God to be his guide to keep from sinning against Him and to give pure thoughts and remove any that would keep him from losing his desire to love and live for God and do His will.

Q2. (Psalm 19) Verses 1 to 6 seem very different from verses 7 to 13, but there is a common thread that relates the first part to the second part. What is it? In what way does the psalmist seem to bask in God's Word? Have you ever felt that way? How does the psalmist's wonder in creation seem to affect him in this psalm? In the classic prayer of verse 14, what is David asking God to do? I believe that it would be that not only did God create all things including the universe. He also made the law by which each must associate with the other. He descided where the sun was to be where it would come up and go down. His laws are perfect. He know that without Gods help he is nothing. He is dependant on God to help him keephis laws and not sin against Him. He knows that he is madeby God and that in that he owes God the respect and love to not break his laws,he also know that he is weak and must lean on God for the strength to keep His laws. It makes him be in awe of his God and want to live pleasing to his. He wants God to protect him so that he will not lose sight of what his creator has done for him and made him to be. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." (19:14) I pray this prayer every day myself, to me it means that with out God help I have no chance to live a life pleasimg to Him. The world we live in is to full of distractions and temptations for us to be able to defeat on our own. I need God to watch over me and help me keep my thought life and the words of my mouth ones that will bring Him glory. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Help me Lord God to have a pure heart and only speak things that will lift up those I speak to.

Q1. (Psalm 8). What does this psalm teach about God? What does it teach about human beings? What does it teach us about Christ? What does it teach about our responsibilities? That He is the creator of all things and the Lord of Lords. That He is Majestic in all He does, He loves us and placed all He made in our care. He loved man so much that He gave His Son for our sins. That God created us also and He gave us dominion over the animals and land. That He loves us in spite of ourselves and the sins we commit. It teaches us that Jesus came and died for us while we were yet sinners and that He came and fulfilled the Fathers will in dieing for us. It teaches us that we are to live in awe of our God who created all things including the heavens and that we are to live for Him because of the love He has for us.

Q5. (Hebrews 13:16, 20-21) What are the actual requests being made of God in this great benediction? What "pleases" God according to verses 16 and 20? Why should we "make it our aim to please him" (2 Corinthians 5:9, NRSV)? heb.13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I see a request that God, through Jesus make us perfect in our works for Him that His will and His will only be done in our lives. Pleasing to God is our doing good and sacrificing our lives to Him for His Glory. The blood of the everlasting covenant, which would be that of Jesus makes Him pleased. 2Cor.5: 9Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. Paul is saying it is our duty to labor so that we can be accepted of Him. I believe that He is saying that we should work that we please God in all we do so that He will accept our sacrifice as good and Holy to Him and that wheather He leaves us here or takes us to be with Him He will be pleased with us and all we have done.

Q4. (Hebrews 13:15-16) Though the sacrifice for atonement have been completed in Christ, what kinds of sacrifices or offerings are Christians called upon to make? What effect do these offerings have on God? We are first to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, to me that means that we are to give up worldly desires,sacrifice them to God and to taken on the task of living and loving ans giving life to others as He has commanded. We are to sacrifice our lives in helping others come to a knowledge of Christ and the love He has for them. I believe as we sacrifice to God our lives, then we are as a child pleases his parents also pleasing to God. As we seek to do His will and give Him praise and thanksgiving then we are that pleasing sacrifice He wants us to be.

Q3. (Hebrews 13:8) What is the significance of this verse for the original readers? For you? For understanding just who Jesus is? For believing in the power of God for today? heb. 13: 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. I believe that it is the same for them and for us today it states that the promises Jesus made them are true for us as well. Jesus is the same God today as He was then. He has the power to change lives today just as He could change their lives if they placed their faith in Him then. Our faith calls for us to first believe that Jesus is who He says He is and that in its self is the main part of our salvation if we do not believe that He is the Christ the Son of the Living God then our faith is in vain. If Jesus is the same today and forevver then He has to be who He claimed to be the Son of the Most High.

Q2. (Hebrews 13:5-6) How can we recognize greed in ourselves? What will be the signs? What is the antidote for greed in our lives? What would be the earmarks of a greed-free life? If not money, what should be the basis of our security for the future? What promises do you find in verses 5 and 6? We can recognize greed in ourselves if we are constantly trying to keep up with the jones's or always trying to have more and more things. I believe the signs are constant working to have more, working two jobs just to pay the bills. The antidote would be putting our total trust in God for what we need and being willing to be satisfied with what we have. A greed free life would be as I stated above dependant on God and being satisified with what we have and not in the race for more and for things we don't really need. The basis for our security should be our faith and trust in God to provide for us as He has promised. heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. God's promise to never leave me nor forsake me means to me that I should not have to worry about tomorrow but be content with what I have today. The promise that He alone can protect and provide for me so that there is nothing man can do to change His promise for my future.

Q1. (Hebrews 13:1-3) How do hospitality to strangers and visiting prisoners relate to brotherly love (philadelphia)? Where are you strong in brotherly love? Where are you weak? It is the main form of love showing compassion was what Jesus did for all who were hurting and needed His help and He wants us to do the same show compassion to all who need us. I am not good at showing brotherly love to those I don't know. I know that Jesus show love to everyone but it's still hard for me. I need to reach out to those in need better than I do. Those I know in church or at work it is easier for me to show compassion to since I already know them and its easier to associate my need and wants towhat they might be in need of.

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18? Yes, Jesus said fear not those who can kill the body then after that nothing, but rather fear Him hope can kill the body then cast the soul into hell. We need a judgemental fear of God, only in the sense that if we rufuse to believe in His Son and in His grace and mercy then our souls will live in ever lasting torment. We should be in awe of a Holy God who loves us so much that He would let His only Son suffer death for our sins. A God who made all things including us and only wants us to love Him and show that love to others. Fear of God becomes unhealthy when it keeps us from worshiping Him and refusing to love those around us as He has commanded us to do. When that fear controls your decisions and desire to obey the true and living God then it's un healthy. 1 John:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. This is the Awe that I spoke of where there is a love for God there can be no fear because we know that we are love and have no reason to fear God because of the promises that He has made to us.

Q4. (Hebrews 12:14-17) Is the writer of Hebrews teaching salvation by being holy? Why or why not? 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and Galatians 5:19-21. Can habitual sin deprive us of heaven? If so, how? heb:14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. 1 Cor 5: 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Gal. 6: 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. I believe that these verses tell us what not to live by, we are all sinners at heart and with out the love of Christ we would all be lost. We are made to be holy but are born into sin there fore we can't be without help and that help is the death of Christ on the cross for all our sins not just the one we done before we accepted Him as Lord over our lives but also the daily failures that we are prone to do as we struggle to live our daily lives. We are ato live at peace with all men but at times this is impossible that is why we have wars and prisons. We struggle to live holy live but till Christ come and takes sin out of the world then we live as best we can in the holiness that the Spirit of Christ put in us. We need to grow in faith and there fore become holy thru the Spitit of Christ.

Q3. (Hebrews 12:5-7) I've sometimes heard, "God never punishes anyone." Is that true according to these verses? If so, how does punishment fit into the larger overall concept of discipline and child-rearing? What is the purpose of God's discipline? 5And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? I believe that according to verse 7 that God does punish, but like pastor says I think it is to teach us and help us to grow in the Spirit of Christ not to inflict pain or suffering. I believe that most pain and suffering on the earth today is from the sin in the beginning and from our own unwillingness to learn. As we sin we bring troubles apon ourselves and it is our own doing not from the Father. If we learn from our mistakes we and not likely to repeat them and thus save some suffering later. Punishment in child rearing should be first out of love then out of a means of teaching so that something worse will be prevented. I believe that God uses this sort of punishment and tries to teach us to use it also so that we will not face that final punishmnet at the end of time with the devil and his angles.

Q2. (Hebrews 12:5-11) How does it help when you to look at your struggles and hardships as the Father's discipline and training? What are the benefits of such discipline to the Christian? It let you know that you are loved by the Father,for with out His love He would leave you and not care what you do. If He disciplines us then He is showing that He care enough about us to want to teach us how to live right and for Him. The benefits are that we learn where we make mistakes and correct them, like teaching a child what you want him to do and how to do it you learn through mistakes and correction.

Q1. (Hebrews 12:3-4) Spiritual warfare can be lost by weariness. Why is spiritual warfare so wearying? Why must we continue to resist, on and on? Have you ever been overcome by Satan because of weariness? It is because it is a continuing battle with the powers of darkness, where all sin is developed. Paul says we war against principalities and powers. It can only be wearing when wemust fight such battles. We must continue to resist because it is what Jesus did> After the temptation in the desert was over he left Him alone for a season scripture says so if he the devil could return and tempt Christ the true Son of God what can we expect but the same kind of temptations. Every temptation is a battle and to win we must over comeby relying on the Holy Spirit to provide the strength.Scripture says Submit to God and the devil will flee from you so we must first do God's will then we can over come. We are over come by weariness when we fail to give God praise when the world tests and tempts us when we are drawn away by a friend or family member who is suffering and we blame God. I often fail when I pray and see nothing happen I lose the battle and have to pray for forgiveness. When I am tempted by lusts of this life,keeping upwith the Jones's, the world calls it but is not being a good stuart of God's blessings.