Stan

Q1. (Ephesians 4:11) If there were apostles today, why kind of function might they have? What needs do our congregations and regional groupings of churches have that an apostle might meet? How might we detect false apostles? (2 Corinthians 11:13; Revelation 2:2) They would serve the churches that they establish by continuing to teach and minister to the body of believers that he would have established in them. they need to be unified and brought togeather in the faith as Christ wants them to be. any who do not follow the teaching of Christ as told by the Bible are false teachers and could be false apostles if they are serving more than one church. We as the body of Christ must be able to discern the truth and not be lead astray.

Q4. (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? James says that all good gifts come down from the Father of Heavenly Lights, I believe that all my blessings come from the Father and all my Gifts, the things I do every day at work or around the house are God given abilities that I use to further my relationship with the Father. We are instructed by Paul to do all things as unto the Lord.When we work we are to work as though we are working for the Lord because that is what we are doing. I some time fall short here taking to many breaks and not working as hard as I should but I know that those are my sins and I must confess them. I pray for strength daily for this weakness and with the Lords help maybe some day I'll make it. I think that talents and Spiritual Gifts are pretty much the same we use them both to praise God and bring Him Glory which is our purpose. Being a church leader is a Spiritual Gift but only for those who are given the gift any who just try for the sake of trying are not doing their best to show God glory because they are failing to do what every God purposed for them to do. We should all try and find the place that God wants us to be and do our best to serve Him using that gift or spiritual blessing.

Q3. (Ephesians 4:3) 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? We must be totally devoted to getting alone with all the christian brothers and sisters as we strive to become more llike Christ. His embodiement of the Holy Spirit will give us the strength to prevale if we faint not. Paul said get along with all men but the church most of all. The b ond of peace I think is the endwelling of the Holy Spirit. Christ said He would send a comforter, who would teach us all things. I believe that the Spirit give us the power to get along with others, even when we don't get along with some one the Spirit is there to convict us of our short comings. We break down all we built up when we fail to get along with others especially those of like faith. We tear down and make void our ministry and show weakness of the flesh when we do thing unbecoming a true believer. We must strive to show love for others at all time putting to death the fleshly desires of the fleash and living for Christ in peace and love for all men.

Q2. (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"? They keep us at peace with those around us if we allow them to become fruit in our hearts. Without it we can't help but gripe and complain about the faults of those around us while over looking our own. The reputation of Jesus is of no effect when we cause others to see the short comings that we display when we can't show love through patience and humility. To be both gental and to fight the good fight of faith we need to first show our love for those around us by being gentle when bring any kind of correction to them. We need to first be willing to be corrected and show that we are trying to live the life that comes from being a chosen child of God. Jesus expect us to first be compassionate and forgiving before being critical of those brother and sisters that are also a part of His chosen family.

Q1. (Ephesians 4:1) According to verse 1, what is the standard of our behavior? What is the "calling" to which God has called us? "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." (4:1) We are to live our lives in christian peace and harmoney with all people . Allowing others to see Jesus at work in our lives bring the fruits of the Spirit to completion in our lives that other may learn of Him and that we may grow to be more like Him everyday. As we grow then we become more willing to be a tool for God to further spread His Word the Gospel, the Good News of His Son to other and how He has done a work in us.

Q4. (Ephesians 3:21) What might be different in your own congregation if bringing glory to God were considered the very most important function of the church? What would be different in your life if bringing God glory was your most important job, bar none? I believe that there would be a lot more involvement from members who are there but never get involved. There would be a lot more movement in the community to help those who are in need and suffering. I would be more prone to speak the gospel to strangers so that they could come to know Christ with out fearing what they would think of me. I would be more forgiving and compassionate to all those around me even those who cut me off in traffic. I would never forget to give thanks to God for all things not just the good things. I would be filled with the Love of God so deep that it would over flow into all my family and friends.

Q3. (Ephesians 3:16, 19) What does it mean to be "filled with the Spirit" (verse 16)? Is this a one-time experience or a continual reality? What can we do to be filled with the Spirit? Is it different or the same as being "filled with all the fullness of God" (verse 19)? It means opening your heart to The Spirit of God giving Him full rein through out you life letting Him make the changes that we as humans struggle with every day and never quit have the strength to change ourselves. I believe that it is an on going process as we learn through study to yeild to the Spirit He becomes more willing to make the changes that need to be made in us. As we struggle everyday with the sin in our life He is hindered in making those changes,but as we over come through prayer and study He can strengthen us to change in the areas that He knows we need to change. I believe it is differant in that the Spirit helps us in our relationship with God and as we become filled with the fullness of God then we become impowered to make changes ourselves,but till we surrender ourselves to God and the Spirit He can do no work in us. We all need the power of the Spirit to learn where the change need to come and have the strength to make that change.

Q2. (3:18-19) What kinds of things prevent us from comprehending the far reaches of Christ's love? What happens in the way we live when we do comprehend, know, and experience this love? What would be different about your life if you could grasp this? Our owna human frailty of sins, jealousy, greed, envy, unforgiveness. All keep us from the real deep love that God has planned for us to have for each other. We would become more the people that God deisres for us to be. We would become more like Christ loving our neighbor like the "good Samertain" with out any judgements giving with out question and forgiving like it was the only choice. I would be a totally differant person for making judgement of other even before I know them is one of my own worse faults. I would have to love all people the same and for me this is hard especialy for those who have harmed me in some way. I would be closer to bieng like Christ and that would make me truly happy for like Paul the things that I hate I do and the things that I should do I don't. I need the full measure of Gods love in me and the fulness of the Holy Spirit to show me the way.

Q1. (Ephesians 3:16-17) Do the concepts of (a) strengthened by the Spirit in the inner person, and ( Christ dwelling in our hearts say the same thing, or are they separate and distinct ideas? What do you think? I think that they are differant one says that the Lord's Spirit living in you give you the strength to deal with what ever comes against you. The other says that Christ lives in your heart meaning that you have made place for Christ accepting Him as Lord and giving Him control of you life. One is you doing something "Accepting" the other is God doing something "Strengthing" .

Q4. What does Ephesians 3:12 teach us about the manner of approaching God? What happens if we try to pray without these qualities? Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. It tells us that we can come to the Father with boldness knowing that He will answere our prayer if we pray in faith.1John: 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him but if we don't have faith then we are like James says Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. We only recieve what we ask for in faith believing that we have already recieved it. If we pray without believing then we will recieve nothing from God. He only give to those who believes. If we pray without confidence then it is the same as un belief and little faith.

Q3. (Ephesians 3:7-9) Why is Paul so careful to be humble about his call and apostleship? How can his example help us remain as humble servants? Everyone knew who Paul was and what He had been doing for Him to call them to Christ is a total turn around so He must humble him self before them to get them to hear him. He also had to be humble before God, he could not let pride enter into him or God would have stop leading him and his mission would fail. We must always be willing to be led in our aervice to Christ or He will not help us and our service will not go any where. We must be humble because God is our provider our service does not come from us but from the Lord, He places it in our hearts and He will remove it it we are found prideful.

Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? Its the fact that now the Gentile believer in Christ was a part of God's Family just like the Jews with the same promises of blessings and cursings that the patriarchs had recieved directly from God. Now they were also included as God's chosen people. It was important because till that time they were outsiders when it came to God's promise. They were second class citizens with no future life to look foward to. It made them a part of God's plan and brought to light that He had been there waiting for the proper time to bring them to His family.

Q1. (Ephesians 3:2-5) 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? Because it's Gods word given through them to us to use to come to know Him and what He would have us do in and for our lives. Straying from Gods word leadsto sin and as we know sin to death. To supersede that revelation is to add or take away from the word of God and Revelations tell us what will happen if we add or delete from God's word. To deny that God has given us His word is calling Him a lier and bring more sin on oourselves. We can't deny His word without denying Jesus and there by falling farther from Gods grace and love by rejecting what He has already done for us. In denying His word we are denying His Son and the price He payed for our sins. We cannot reject the word of God without rejecting our own salvattion.

Q4. (Ephesians 2:22) 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? The signifiance is that it was Gods plan coming togeather. He plan for my church to be where it is and for me to be a part of it. He chose me and my church to offer up praise to Him before the world began that to me says it all. Like David said who am I that God would chose me. What has my church done that He would place His love there. He send His Spirit to us that we can learn of Him and offer up true worship that is filled with Spirit and Truth. The only hinderance I see is when some one lets their pride come before true worship. When we try and say that we are the cause instead of being led by God. When we get to having struggles with pride it leads to confrontations that have no place in Gods House. We must continue to put God first and never let our on intrests take over. I can be willing to allow God to use me where I am now. Allow the leaders of the congregation to use me in the place where they need me instead of where I feel I want to be. Giving God the chance to do what He has planned for my life instead of struggling to do it all my self will allow it to grow and to service the community as God has planned. Leading others to Him as He chose them and the time that they are to be called.

Q3. (Ephesians 2:17) 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? It means that we have been given the power through the death of Christ for our sin, and Him rising again to call on the Father and He will hear us. We no longer need a man priest to talk to God for us we have a mediator in the presence of God talking for us. We can with the Holy Spirit that lives in us comunicate with the Spirit of God through moans and groans that man does not understand. The Holy Spirit sent to us from Christ at His ressurection is our teacher and guide to the FAther. He interseeds for us at time when we don't know what or how to pray. He brings our spirit into the presence of Almighty God with moans and groans and God hears and answers us. Jesus dieing on the cross brought us this great blessing no longer having to sacrifice animals for our forgiveness we have an eternal sacrifice that is Jesus who rose and became our Saviour and Mediator. He bring all our requests before the Father and His Spirit communicates with our to give us healing and comfort in our time of need.

Q2. (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 became the sacrifical lamb, He became their sacrifice for their forgiveness of sins and they nolonger had to offer lambs to deal with their sin but were eternally forgive if they only believed and accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. Jesus became our Saviour also in that He brought us close to God the Father and made us a part of His Faimly of Chose ones. He grafted us as a new branch onto the tree of life makeing us forever joined to that great promise given to Gods people through Abraham,Issac, and Jacob.

Q1. (Ephesians 2:11-12) 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? When we fail to consider just where we were before we came to Christ lost to eternal death and torment. We also fail to consider how important it is to share Christ with those around us who are in the same position. we fail to see that time is running out the day come when no one can work. Jesus will return like a thief in the night and then it will be to late for those who are waiting for that better time or more convientant place to tell some one they know about what Christ has done for them. The spiritual condition of anyone who doesn't know Jesus is they are dead to sin. Their spirit is harden and refuses to allow them to submit to Jesus. They are awaiting the touch of the Holy Spirit that must call them to a knowledge of Christ and His love for them and the forgiveness of their sins, when then they will be made alive to Christ. We need to do our part in getting them to recieve that touch of the Spirit that they need in their lives.

Q4. 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 believing in your heart that something exists that can not be seen,felt, touched or heard. Something that you know is there but you can't quite put your finger on it. Faith is given by the Holy Spirit in your relationship with God, but you faith in your self and what you can do I believe comes from yourself and how you relate to your enviorment. No I don't think we can be condemned for a like of faith unless we have none at all in Christ because that is where our faith must rest knowing that with the love of Christ all things are possible, Jesus said with the faiht the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains. He also said that whomsoever believes. so that requires a little bit of faith to believe that He is who He said He is. When Jesus was ask how can a rich man get into heaven He said with man it would be impossible but with God all things are possible so that is why I believe we will not be condemned,but like Paul said to each man is give a measure of faith. A place to start for the Holy Spirit of God to work and bring each one of us to Him if we repent and let Him have His way in our lives. Praise and Glory to a Merciful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Q3. According to Ephesians 2:10, what were we created to do? Why? (Matthew 5:16) What is the difference between these works and the works Paul discredits in verse 9? For we are God's workmanship (a gift), created in Christ Jesus to do good works (the result of our faith-response to God), which God prepared in advance for us to do." (2:10) We were prepare to do the good works that God preordained in His Wisdom, and Knowledge before we were even born. We are to continue to follow Christ and seek the lost, love our neighbor as our selves and to live out a life that will be a blessing to those around us and bring praise and honor to God our Creator. Some say that the only way to serve God is to go and minister to others, but I believe that we are doing that right where we are in our work places, we are to live as though we are the only Bible that some people will ever read. We need to be ever watchful of our action that they draw others around us to Christ not turn them away or reinforce their excuse for not believing in Christ.

Q2. "Saved" has become Christian jargon. How can you "translate" this word into modern speech so people can understand what it really means and why they need it? What does it mean to be Saved? Rescued is a good word because we must be removed from the threat we that is apon us and since we can't do it our selves we are dependent on some one to rescue us. There is not one but God that can rescue you from the eternal death and living torment that awaits us if we refuse to accept Jesus as Lord. We are living a lie if we believe otherwise. Our spirit comes from God and must return to Him and only He can give us newness of life or cast us into outer darkness and the chose is ours. Onlly we can descide to allow God to rescue us from ourselves we can't do it alone. Jesus is our redeemer, our saviour. We are given a choice death or life, We must choose who we will serve. As for me I chose to serve the Lord, Praise be to God.

Q1. Why is it so hard for us to understand grace? What commonly held life principle does it demolish? Translate the word "grace" into language a 10-year-old child would understand. We are a people who don't believe that sin should be forgiven that all should call for punishment. I believe that it is the principle of nothing is free everything cost you something. We can't understand the Loving God who has given us free His love and mercy with out us in any way being worthy of it. Grace is loving me no matter what. Nothing I can do can stop the love that God has for me from overcoming the evil in my life and bring me to Him. All that I say or do is taken up by His sending His Son,Jesus,to die in my place. Loving me just because He wants to that is amazing not because I deserve it He wants to. If only we could learn to love that way, no more war, no more poor or homeless, all the ill would be care for because we want to. Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, so undeserving but just because He wants to. Praise be to the God and Father of my life.

Q4. (Ephesians 2:6) What does it mean that we are seated with Christ in "the heavenly realms"? What does this say about God's grace? What does this say about our spiritual authority? How should this knowledge affect our prayers and our boldness? It means that spiritually we are seated with Him in the heavenlies. We are here pysically but have been granted through the Father the power as Sons of God there by having the same powers as the real Son. In the heavenly life we will worship God and give Him thanks for this place H e has prepared for us. It says that His grace is full of the love and mercy that only God can give. He has given us spiritual authority over the demons of the spiritual world, not necessarly those controlling the one here who don't have faith in Jesus or know Him as Lord. They are still under the power of satan and they can cause us problems in our physical bodies,but when Jesus comes to claim His own then we will be given power even over them. It should give us more reasons to pray and more reasons to give thanks to the Father for His mercy. It should make our prayers bolder in what we ask knowing that God wants us to have what ever we ask in the name of Christ.

Q3. (Ephesians 1:4-5) In verses 4 and 5, which words describe God's motivation and character? Which verbs describe what has happened to us in Christ? Eph 2:4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Eph 2:5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), I believe its, rich, merciful,great, loving, forgiver, maker and Saviour. He is rich He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He is merciful forgiving the sinful retch that I am. He loves me He sent His Son to die for me. He is Great against Him there is no other. He forgives man his sins to a thousand generations.He is maker of all life, the heavens, earth and everhting in them. He is my Lord and Saviour without His love I would be lost. We were made alive in Christ, after His conquering death He gave to us the power to live and reign with Him. We are made ambassador for Him to bring other to know of that mercy He showed to us. We are His temple the dewelling place of His Holy Spirit which is at work in us to delivers us to Him on that day when He come for His own.

Q2. (Ephesians 2:1-3) Few people would knowingly follow Satan. How can people unwittingly follow Satan? In what sense are we responsible for unwitting rebellion against God? How can God, in all fairness, blame us? By following after a sinful flesh which we all have we are allowing the devil to lead us down a path of destruction. We are responsible because God in His love a mercy gave us the Bible to tell us how to live for Him and what happens if we don't. It is upp to us to make the right choices. God is a just and Merciful God who must judge all those who sin against Him. He gave us a choice and we are required to pay for our actions. We choose to sin by our nature and only a loving God can save us from ourselves. Praise be to Jesus.

Q1. (Ephesians 2:1-3) In what sense are our non-believing friends, neighbors, and relatives "dead"? What's the difference between us and them? If we really believed that they were "dead" and subject to God's "wrath," what would we do? They are dead in their faith they have none or are in denial of it. I had a guy at work the other day tell me that He didn't believe in God. I still find that inconcievable. How can you look at the night sky and not believe or for that matter a blade of grass. How easy it is to say I don't believe but how hard to come face to face with you maker and then have to face His wrath. To be without faith in God is a place no one should want to be but with the sin of this world all around it is hard for those with little faith to deal with and resist. I struggle everyday and feel heart broken every time I stumble, those who don't believe lose that feeling of heart brokenness and have only hardness of heart so they don't deal with the though of hearting the one Who loves them enough to die for them. We need to continue to try to live a life that will some how show them there is another way and that the Lord of their lives does not have to be the lord of the air but the God of heaven and earth, out own Lord and Saviour.