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1. What does Jesus' ministry of laying on of hands for healing teach us about him? He had a sense of personal touch, intimacy with people. 2. How did Jesus treat the sick people he encountered that afternoon and evening in Capernaum? He attended to all of them, healing them and meeting their needs. What kind of example does that set for us to follow? We should reach out to the needy to hear them and attend to their needs 3. Which was the more important motivator for Jesus: compassion or duty? Compassion.Did they ever conflict? No 4. Why is it so hard to maintain a Quiet Time? We are always to occupied with the worldly things that we want to do for our selves rather than give God the first priority. What have you found that enables you to set aside this time? Over time I have created time for quiet time but it has been more for reading devotionals and less prayers. I need to use most the time to talk to and listen to my Father from now on. So help me Lord. Any tips to share with the rest of us? Every one to create time preferably in the early hours of the day where distractions are few and meet with the Lord. As I am reminding myself, everyone should use such a time for a two way communication with Lord and Saviour God Almighty.

1. What is the relationship between Jesus' commission in Luke 4:18-19 and his ministry acts in Capernaum? He was commissioned among other things to preach the Good News and set the captives free. This was what was happening in Capernaum, setting the demon possessed person free as He preached the Word to the people. 2. Jesus' words were spoken with conviction and authority, compared to the scribes who often spoke in the synagogue. What was the source of Jesus' conviction and authority? The power of God in Him through the Holy Spirit. His divinity? Or something else? Should we expect conviction and authority to attend our own teaching? Yes. Why or why not? We have the God given power in us through the Holy Spirit 3. Why do you think the demon oppressed man interrupted Jesus? To distract people from hearing the Word of Truth among others 4. After you've read Dr. Wilson's essay on "Demonization and Deliverance in Jesus' Ministry" (in Appendix 2, do you think he proves his assertion that demonization describes a range of demon influence, rather than complete possession? Why or why not? I have not yet read but will try to so. 5. Why isn't recovery from demonic deception always instantaneous? I think the evil spirit will naturally try to resist by his own power until a more superior power is applied such as the power of the Holy Trinity. What is the process of deliverance that a person must go through to come to full freedom? He must first be born again then submit to the authority of the God Head and the evil spirit will not resist as the new Owner of the formally possessed person has superior power. 6. Give examples from your own life or experience on how deceptive and innocent involvement in sin can appear, and how terrible the consequences. Sin usually appear innocent and very deceptive. But there are grave consequences as the devil will normally get a foot hold to posses the victim that has fallen into sin. 7. What will happen in your life if you toy with or nurture the temptations you have to sin? What happens when sin and Satan get a foothold in your life? One will certainly fall if he or she toys with temptation to commit sin. As sin is committed, satan gets a foot hold and can enter the sinner and manipulate him the way he wants

1. 1. Is it reasonable to expect that the power of the Spirit will be as great in a Christian today as it was in Jesus? Yes. Jesus was able to execute His commission by power of the Holy Spirit. This power is available to us because after His assension to heaven, the Holy Spirit and power was released to us. His commission is our commission to be successfully executed through the power of the Holy Spirit. 2. Here is a premise: "If we are followers of Jesus, then Jesus' commission is our commission, too. We must both embrace his mission and adopt it for ourselves." It could be argued that one person's mission need not be another's. Do you think this is a valid premise? NO Why or why not? We have been given the Great Commission by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in Matthew 28:19 and have been empowered by the coming of the Holy Spirit to achieve this goal and more. 3. Why can being around the very poor make us feel uncomfortable? It probably makes us feel guilty if we are not reaching out to help such poor around us. Can we with integrity declare good news to the poor without seeking to alleviate their poverty? Can the two be separated? Should they be? Did Jesus give alms to the poor, do you think? 4. Who around you is a prisoner? How can you declare freedom to them with sensitivity? 5. 5. How should you heal the brokenhearted in your world? 6. 6. Who are the oppressed in your particular community? How can you assist them and help them find justice?

1. How can it be that Jesus can go from declaring his commission from God on high one moment, to being subjected to an attempted assassination the next? It is given that as we decide to answer to a spiritual cal, the devil will mobilise opposition and it is usually through our own relatives. This is what happened to the Lord Jesus at His home town. Have you ever experienced highs and lows this extreme? Not really. 2. Why do you think Jesus "rubbed it in" with two stories of God blessing Gentiles while Jews were still in need? To remind then that the attitude of their fore fathers that deprived them of receiving blessings could be repeated in their own case too if they did not change. Is he egging on the residents of Nazareth? 3. Why couldn't they kill Jesus at Nazareth? His time had not come. Why did Jesus willingly allow himself to be captured in the Garden of Gethsemane? His time had come to conclude the purpose for which He came namely to die as living sacrifice for mankind's salvation. 4. How did Jesus show courage in the face of rejection? He was calm and still told His listeners the bitter and hard truth despite the risk of of doing that. What lessIons can you learn from his example? Be courageous and speak the truth.

1. Is temptation only merely inevitable, or is it necessary to our growth as disciples? It is necessary for disciple's growth 2. What is the essence of the first temptation, to turn stones into bread? It attempts to exploits the vulnerability and desires of the flesh such to satisfy hunger in the case of Jesus Which temptations we face are similar? Temptation to break our fast, or yield to a temptation to commit sin-sexual or any that our fleshy nature desires. 3. What is the essence of the second temptation, to attain power and splendor? The urge to attain power and splendor can easily make people to go to any length so as to get them hence, satan offered Jesus power over kingdoms of the world to tempt Him to obey him. What similar temptations do we face today? In my country Nigeria, politicians go any length to bribe, or even kill to win elections in order to be in power etc 4. What is the essence of the third temptation, to throw oneself down from the temple? Fame: the desire to achieve it leads to sin How do we face this temptation today? Everyone tend to desire fame and this cause us want to do things that are opposed to the will of GOD 5. Did Jesus have any special powers at his disposal to resist temptation that Christians today don't have? Jesus although was man with flesh like ours, depended in the power of the Holy Spirit, His knowledge of the Word and His determination to obey only His Father enabled Him to overcome every temptation. We too have all these resources, the Holy Sppirit, the Word of God and mind of Christ to think and decide to obey only god and not satan. 6. What lessons about how to resist temptation does Jesus teach us disciples in this passage? Know and use the Word od to puncture the Devils lies and choose to obey God rather than satan

1. Is temptation only merely inevitable, or is it necessary to our growth as disciples? It is necessary for our growth as disciples 2. What is the essence of the first temptation, to turn stones into bread? To tempt Jesus to break His fast and thus abort His mission of adequately equipping and fortifying Himself through fasting and prayers for the mission ahead of him. Which temptations we face are similar? When we are are tempted to break our fast due to hunger. 3. What is the essence of the second temptation, to attain power and splendor? To trap and lure Jesus to submit into the quest for power What similar temptations do we face today? To acquire power , wealth and and name and end up outside the will and way of the Lord 4. What is the essence of the third temptation, to throw oneself down from the temple? To lure Jesus to the feeling of being famous that results into the pride of being a star. How do we face this temptation today? Pride and quest for fame can lead us to take action that are not pleasing to God. 5. Did Jesus have any special powers at his disposal to resist temptation that Christians today don't have? No. He had the enabling power of God through the Holy spirit and the Word of God that helped Him to overcome. These are also available to us too. 6. What lessons about how to resist temptation does Jesus teach us disciples in this passage? That the devil will certainly temp us. But standing firm in the power of God through our Helper the Holy spirit, our knowledge/ application of His Word and our resolute determination to obey only God will lead us to overcome every temptation.

1. What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as he was praying after his baptism? (verse 21) Probably asking God to let His will be done in His mission to the world. 2. Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day? To show us what humility requires and teach his disciples and his followers an example to follow. Wasn't he in danger of mis-communicating to them who he was? I don't think so. 3. Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way? (verse 22) To show the whole viewers that He is the One that commissioned Jesus for the mission He was about to embark upon 4. What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in his life?. To show that the Holy Spirit is part of the Mission Jesus came for to gives Jesus power the required. 5. How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from heaven? As the confirmation that the Holy Trinity is together for His assignment here on earth. 6. Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point? No. He came to the world as the sent Messiah right from Heaven. Or become divine? Or how do you understand this decisive event? No. Jesus was Divine from the the beginning to the end. But He also was human to live with humanity to feel our pain and challenges and finally to die on the cross for our sin as He could not have died if He was fully dine. He therefore needed the fortification of the Holy Spirit.

1. Why do you think John the Baptist calls people a brood of vipers, a den of snakes? Because of their self righteousness and unbelief that makes them dangerous 2. How did the Jews' religious pride in Abraham keep them from taking John's call for repentance seriously? How could religious pride have that same effect on us? They believed that they needed no baptism as children of Abraham. We can fall into the same trap of pride and go about in sin by failing to repent 3. In what way does sharing clothing and food with the poor constitute meaningful repentance? What ways do you find to do this in your everyday life? It shows obedience to God's command to share with the needy as it is only the repentant and obedient heart can do so. By giving money to the needy from time to time. I need to do better 4. Tax collectors were tempted to collect more than was due them. How does this same temptation show up in your line of work or education or home? In this regard I give God the praise as I tend to round up my tithes instead of underpaying. I also round up bills to my workers instead of underpaying them 5. How will we know when we have repented? What are the fruits of genuine repentance? When we notice we act as the Word requires us to do in our relationships as regards helping the poor and needyI 6. How does discontent with our lot in life cause us to sin? What would constitute repentance in this circumstances. Discontentment makes us to cut corners, extortion and other vices. Confession and stopping these acts

Why do you think God chose someone like John to be Jesus' forerunner? God chose John because he was a man that would declare God's message plain ans straight forward. How can we be sure that all our personal differences are part of God's plan and purpose? By asking God to use us the way we are for His service alone. Can't some be patterns of sinful reactions to past events? (Let's resist the temptation to get too deep into the mystery of predestination. Grin.) John was raised in the desert. What kinds of circumstances has God used as a training ground for your preparation? He was isolated and did not get too intimate with people. This enabled him to be blunt in proclaiming Gods word with fear of offending those he would have developed some familiarity with. How dependent are you upon what others think and say about you? To a certain extend I sometimes consider how some may view my action to determine what I do/ say to avoid offending them. How can you change this without becoming callous? By prayers that Lord will guide me aright. What would you say to a person suffering from chronic guilt over past sins? To confess and forget it by the leadership of the Holy Spirit because when God forgives, He forgets it and we too should forget. How can guilt be healthy? When it leads us to repentance. How can guilt be unhealthy? when it makes us withdrawn from God. Why is humbling (such as repentance and baptism in John's day) necessary to form disciples of Jesus? What kind of cutting, filling, straightening, and smoothing work has God been doing in your life? God has transformed me to like His word, to submit to His will and spend time in His service. What does he still need to do? Work on my temper and anxiety Why is this necessary preparation for disciples? This will make me more like Jesus that I am learning

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). Q. What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? A. Is to acknowledge Him as Lord and God, Maker, redeemer, Savior, Provider, Protector and much more and then worship, adore, glorify, praise, thank Him in love with all our strength etc Q. Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? A. Some times. Lord help me to always create time to worship You with all my heart, strength and whole being in Jesus Mighty Name. Q. What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth? A. A. privilege, grace, favour

Day 14 Meditation (Psalm 133). Q. Which word pictures in Psalm 133 do you find most compelling? A. Unity of brethren living together like dew falling on mount Hermon. The effect of the unity is so congealing by the power of lover!!! Q. Why do you think lasting unity is so hard to achieve in our world, in our countries, in our churches, in our families? A. The unity is devoid of agape love that will bring about genuine and lasting unity. Q. What do you think is the chief obstacle to love in your life? A. Selfishness and lack of love

Day 13 Meditation (Psalm 132). Q. State the Davidic Covenant or Promise in your own words. A. His offspring will ever reign on the throne for ever Q. How was this promise fulfilled in Solomon's time? A. Solomon, David's son succeeded him and was the one that built the temple. Q. How was it fulfilled in Jesus? A. Jesus Christ, a descendant from David is the Messiah enthroned in Heaven to reign for ever Q. .How will it be fulfilled when Jesus returns? A. He will reign for ever.

Day 12 Meditation (Psalm 131). Q. Why does demanding answers from God lead to stress? A. It leads to stress because the answers may not be forth coming from the Lord Who can chose to remain silent. Q. How have unexplained events in your life made you angry? A. I cannot recall such. Q. How do you actually go about calming and quieting your soul? A. By praying and asking the Lord God Almighty to give me the grace to wait patienlty for the answers to come. So help me Lord God Almighty to trust you enough to wait for your response to my isuues. Q. What does it mean to "hope in the Lord"? A. To put one's trust on Him and to wait for Him to act at His own time. Give the patience to wait upon you Lord

Day 11 Meditation (Psalm 130). Q. How does knowing that God forgives us affect our lives? Our faith? A. We can go to Him in confidence assurance to plead with Him to forgive us and He does. Thank you Lord God Almighty for your grace and mercy and loving compassion. Q. How does knowing God forgives us affect our willingness to forgive others? A. This should motivate us to forgive others too but I believe we rarely are willing to forgive others despite knowing that God does forgives us. We need repentance and change Q. How is your "expectancy level"? How is your hope? How is your faith? A. Great!!! To You Lord God Almighty be the praise, thanksgiving, adoration and the worship.

Meditation Day 10 Meditation (Psalm 129). Q. Can you think of times in your life when God has delivered you from affliction? Or perhaps from "the cords of the wicked"? A. As I look back, I see nothing but God's extra grace upon my life from child hood to this moment that I am almost 70 years old. I cannot recall being in the type of affliction David described. What amazing grace from the Lord God for me. I thank you my Lord and Protector of my life and soul. Q. How have you dealt with the bitterness that comes from oppression? Have you been able to forgive? If not, what would it take to enable you to forgive your enemies and offer them a blessing? A. As I said earlier, I have not experienced much bitterness or wickedness in my life and this is just by the extra abundant grace of God for me. Thank You my Lord God Almighty.

Day 9 Meditation (Psalm 128). Q. What does it mean to "fear the Lord"? A. Reverence respect that moves one to honour God Q. What kinds of blessings has God showered over your life? A. Several and uncountable including children, grand children property, relationships, good health etc To Him alone be the glory, thanksgiving and adoration. Q. Why does he allow remaining struggles? A. In spite of God's blessings, there are times we will experience some hardship and challenges sandwiched within the blessings He gives us. Q. Does faith always result in prosperity? A. Not always really. Q. How do you define prosperity? A. God's blessing that may not be material but could be peace, good health and of course some financial and or material blessings as well.

Day 8 Meditation (Psalm 127). Q. Why is work without trust inadequate? A. We need to have a balance where we trust God to help us with the resources and energy to work and trusting Him to bless the work of our hands to be fruitful Q. Why is trust without work an illusion? A. It is not what the Lord God made us to be, but to work and trust Him to bless us. Q. How can we achieve the kind of balance that affords us good rest? A. prayerfully ask god to guide in all we do so that we will have a balance in all we do including rest Q. Why do you think the psalmist stresses that children are both a "heritage" and a "reward"? A. Children are of course a heritage, gift, a blessing from God. Of course that is what they are. But He also in His goodness give us children as a reward. Of our faith? Now I am confused now!!

Day 7 Meditation (Psalm 126). Q. Why doesn't God always do the stupendous miracles of which he is capable? A. He is a sovereign God that choses to do what He wants to do at the time he wants to do. Q. Why is patient obedience over the long haul necessary to both the success of our labors and our own spiritual maturity? A. Patience though essential in our spiritual growth and development is very difficult to cultivate. We need the grace of God to learn to celebrate His future answers to our prayers while we wait patiently for God's time to receive the expected answer. Q. Can we shout for joy now, even before we receive the answers to our prayers? A. Tough humanly speaking to do the shouting for joy now before the answer comes because our faith is weak. We will rather wait to celebrate the answer when the answer comes handy. So help me Lord to believe in You that I can celebrate the victory before it comes. Q. What might prompt that in us A. Extra grace of God only

Day 6 Meditation (Psalm 125). Q. What does this psalm teach us about the security that the Lord gives us? A. The Lord God Almighty is all around us o shield us just the as the mountains surround Jerusalem. This is comforting Q. What examples do you see of unrighteous rulers? What kind of government happens when rulers are unrighteous? A. In my country Nigeria I see acts of unrighteousness where elections are manipulated, where appointments / admission are not on merit and where there is high level of unrighteousness and corruption every where. It is terrible. Q. What happens in the government of our hearts when we allow unrighteousness in us to continue to guide our actions and thoughts? A. We take actions that are unpleasing to God and to the people we oppress and misrule. May the Lord God help us to

Day 5 Meditation (Psalm 124). Q. Think back on your own life. In what circumstances have you seen God deliver you from danger from others? Even from danger from yourself? How do you explain God's undeserved love toward you? A. Several circumstances where the Lod God was there to deliver me from a) Armed robbers, b) from street rioters etc I can clearly look back and see how God was there to deliver me in these circumstances and many more. Lord I thank you and appreciate You for your faithfulness. Q. What undeserving person comes to mind who can be the object of your love and mercy? A. My sister in law and her children who show open acts of hostility against me for unjustified reasons

Day 4 Meditation (Psalm 123). Q. What does this psalm teach us about trust that our Master will right our wrongs? A. Our Lord God Almighty is faithful, compassionate and ever ready to right our wrongs when we call/ or cry unto Him for hep Q. What does it teach us about contempt for others? A. We should show no contempt for any one Q. What group of people in your particular community most bear the brunt of prejudice? A. My people call the southern Kaduna are socially discriminated, segregated and not given any justice in employment, admission, promotion and much more by the ruling Muslim class. Q. What can you do to go out of your way to show active love toward them? A. To go out there and the an example of love showed by the Lord Jesus Christ

Day 3 Meditation (Psalm 122). Q. Why do people desert the house of God in our day? A. Carelessness on our part and satanic negative influence on our corporate worship life style. Q. Why do so many Christians believe they can mature in Christ without the help of Christ's people? A. Just ignorance Q. How can you pray for the peace of God's house? A. I now do pray oh Lord God Almighty, let there be peace and unity in your house in Jesus Mighty Name Q. What can you do to "seek the good" of God's house? A. Pray and encourage the unity and fellowship of the body of Christ

Day 2 Meditation (Psalm 121). Q. In what ways is God your Help? How does he help you? A. The Lord God Almighty is my Hep in times of need Q. In what ways is he your Keeper? A. He keeps watch over me in my going out and coming in delivering me from seen and unseen enemies Q. How do you perceive that he guards and protects you? How is he your Shade? How do you see that he shields you? A. There are times I cannot perceives every act of God protection but He does so all the same

We can allow stress to pull us away from God or in our stress situation look unto Him for a solution to the cause of our stress. Lord God Almighty I surrender all my stress situations to you for a permanent solution

Day 24 Meditation (Revelation 22:3-5). Q. With the picture of God and the Lamb high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filling the temple (Isaiah 6:1), what significance does it have for us to "see his face"? A. It is very significant that there is a time we will by grace have the previlage to see the Lord face to face. We recall that after the fall, man could not see His face and live. But Jesus has broken the barrier and the veil torn away giving us unlimited access we get there. Q. What kind of intimacy and access does that imply? A. Very intimate and unlimited free access as we will live together and reign with the Lord eternally. Remarkable! Q. How can you begin to "sit at his feet" and "behold the glory of the Lord" now? (Luke 10:39; 2 Corinthians 3:18). A. Through Bible study and quiet time as we meditate in His Word and the Holy Spirit illuminates the eyes of our hearts with His glory and message. Q. To what degree are you currently doing this? A. As for me, not so much but these studies are inspiring and reviving me to do so. So help Lord God Almighty to learn more come before lol at your face through the pages of your word.