ElizabethTX

Isn't the Holy Spirit's guidance marvelous! I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to experience the Word with the fellow Overcomers! Our Lord and Savior brings such wonderful blessings and revelation. We will never be the same. Glory to God! May His Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven! Amen!

Q3. (Ephesians 5:17-18) What is the primary temptation involved with drugs and alcohol? How can drug or alcohol use substitute for the "high" of the Spirit? How can being filled with the Spirit help us fend off the temptations of drugs and alcohol? Satan is here to lie, steal and kill. Satan's purposes for drugs and alcohol are meant more for the destruction of the unseen even though we are more aware of the seen. He knows that we know we are dead without the Holy Spirit, so he uses drugs and alcohol to deceive us into believing we are in some blissful place with him. We see the effects of drugs and alcohol use on our bodies and minds; can you imagine the effects on our spirits? Satan tempts us with lies about what benefits we are receiving from drugs and alcohol. We use an artifical means to achieve false happiness and greatness if only for a moment, one tragic moment, one fake moment to imagine that we are somebody else other than who we really are without God and without hope. Satan tempts our children into believing that this is the way to have fun and excitement in their lives. Satan tempts adults into believing that drugs and alcohol help them become more of what they want to be or not to be in this life. I know it is insane to watch this happen and you think how on earth does satan trap us into such a bazaar lie, but he does because we are weak in the Spirit. People that want to be controlled by their emotions and minds will use drugs and alcohol. People that want to be controlled by the Spirit will call on the Blood of the Lamb to open up the Heavens to pour out the blessings of the Holy Spirit. Praise Jesus and His New Covenant with us. The Old Law was very clear about the clean and the unclean. If the clean came in contact with the unclean then the clean would become unclean and would be taken from the presence of God. But now, Praise Jesus! Precious Jesus! The clean can cleanse the unclean! "Jesus reversed this! When Jesus touched a dead body (like the girl on the bier) Jesus did not become unclean

Forgiveness takes courage and practice. I have learned to give forgiveness without attachments and conditions. People do not have to earn or beg for forgiveness. You must give it freely and automatically. It is the only way to free yourself of the bondage that destroys your peace and joy with God. The emotions of unforgiveness are so posionous to our minds and emotions that if we are unable to reach the level of forgiveness that God requires, it will affect every aspect of our lives and cause our spirits to be consumed with hatred and regret. You will block the flow of the Holy Spirit in you and you will not be able to go about the business of doing God's Work. The fruits of the Holy Spirit will cease until you are able to overcome your unforgiveness. God is our example. Forgiveness is a gift and it is difinitely "more blessed to give than to receive." Remember that our forgiveness from God is tied to our forgivenss of others. God does not remember transgressions when we have asked for His forgiveness and neither should we. Not only forgive someone, but ask God to bless them. It releases people from the mistakes of the past, so if they choose to do so, they can put on "clean clothes." I must admit that it is difficult to follow God's example when you are dealing with a repeat offendor. You must set your boundaries with these people who know you have a forgiving spirit or they will take advantage of your "easy going ways." Sometimes you must withdraw from a person, but do it with love and forgiveness in your heart. Shake the sand off your sandals when you leave them and go on about the business of doing God's Work. We must be strong and take responsibility for our own actions. In most cases when there are petty problems, it is rare that it is entirely one person's fault. But in cases where something terrible has happened like murder, God please grant us the strength to forgive and put it Your Hands. Bless our enemies. Peace and love, God bless and protect. Amen!

The Blood of the Lamb awakens our spiritual senses to the "darkened culture" that exists all around us. Therefore, we cannot help but standout in a "darkened culture" when we stand for God and His Glory Power. God requires that we draw a Bloodline between us and the evil forces of the "darkened culture." Pray without ceasing and do God's Will; keep peace and love in your heart pouring out the Blood of the Lamb to sanctify and protect you from all evil, sicknesses and curses. Christ conquered satan at the cross with His Blood sacrifice. As an anointed saint, you must dedicate and purify your heart, mind, soul, spirit and body to become a prayer warrior of the Truth and the Way that occupies this Christ-conquered earth rescued and delivered from satan by the Power of God Almighty. We must battle with the enemy in His Name to keep what He has taken back for us. We are called by God to stand out and separate ourselves from the "darkened culture." A righteous path is a straight one, filled with God's blessings and love. The more we separate ourselves, the more we understand the "darkened culture's" influence on our oneness with God. We know as believers that nothing in this world is more important than our relationship with God Almighty. Peace and love, God bless and protect...Amen!

Those that have eyes...Those that have ears. God's Word is revealed to the living stones of His Living Temple: past, present, and future. To have the spiritual maturity to turn on our spiritual eyes and ears to the revealing nature of God puts our focus on Jesus Christ, the Living Word. It is not through human deduction or comprehension that God's Word is revealed. God reveals His true nature and authority through His Son and His Spirit. The revelation of our connection to God is brought about by Him. I truly believe that I must keep my eyes fixed on Him and my heart open always to His revelation through the Holy Scriptures of the Bible. Meditating on God reveals the Word in the Holy Scriptures. Praise God that He that dwells in me is able to reveal the Word through what in written in the Holy Scriptures. Our main goal is to worship and love God in Spirit. If we deny that God reveals Himself to us, His Holy Living Temple in Christ our Lord, then we deny our existence in Him and His existence in us.

I feel like such a child when I study these lessons. My understanding of God's plan for believers has grown so much, and so has the way that I am able to relate to Him. We are the living stones of the temple and Jesus Christ is our cornerstone. He holds us together as the living temple for our God to be with us. We have all heard that it is not the building. God wants and needs His living temple so He can be among us. This gives such a strong meaning to assembling with the saints. Our first and foremost reason for coming together is to worship and praise God in His presence. I have focused on the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. The Holy Spirit is my Provider and Comforter. Now I understand the incredible importance of coming together as the Body of Christ, worshipping God in His presence. God Almighty completes His plan through Jesus Christ in us. We must manifest the living temple on earth to truly be blessed by God.

I am so thrilled to receive this lesson. The eyes of my heart are beginning to focus on the truth about faith. I feel more at peace than any time in my life. It is an amazing thing to have knowledge about how God works in our lives. I feel so much more confident in my relationship with Him and I pray that His will continues to produce the works of faith in me. Their manifestation seems small right now, but believing that God is working in me to produce more faith based works is encouraging. I truly trust God to take care of me and guide me. I know God wants to bless me and guide me. The Comforter is amazing and the gifts that God has given me bring out such feelings of love for God. I feel my spirit being repaired and nourished by His Word, our Lord Jesus Christ. The child in me delights with 'peek-a-boo.' I know you are here, God, and I am so happy and excited when I experience your presence.

Hollowing God and His mighty works in and around us is essential to properly communicating with Him. Hallowing God establishes the connection of calling on Him, dailing the right number...so to speak. As a child of the Most High God, nothing but love, respect and honor can establish this connection. The Holy Spirit is able to activate our spirits to respond and receive our Almighty God's blessings and power while we are able to express our gratitude and love in prayer. It is so important to have a personal relationship with God, knowing that He is with us at all times. He loves to communicate with us and we should love to communicate with Him as well. Profane use of our Holy Father's names is not only insulting to God; it places a wedge between God and us. If you mistreat someone and speak in a rude manner about or to them, then they will withdraw themselves from you until you apologize and change. Our Father deserves to be honored at all times.

Without the living Christ we are nothing. At the time of Christ's baptism, those present at the event saw and heard the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all at the same time, separate but functioning together as a complete deity ruling heaven and earth. Christ prayed for and brought about Their plan to reclaim man. Their purpose is One in the same and Their plan works on earth as it does in heaven. Christ is the First Born of God here on this earth. We are His brothers and sisters when we believe and confess Jesus Christ is our Savior and the Way. Believers are born of God through Jesus Christ our Lord by dying in the flesh and giving our lives over to Him and obeying the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ has completed God's plan for our salvation, has made us One with the Trinity and we complete God to worship in Spirit. King of Kings. Christ is King of heaven and earth and we are His Kings. This is our purpose and this is the life we are meant to live here on earth by believing and confessing Jesus is our living Lord and Savior. When I was a child and Catholic, I was a ritual oriented, not understanding the meaning, but never the less feeling God's holy presence. The sign of the cross always perplexed me. Why did the Holy Ghost have two locations on the cross? Maybe someone can enlighten me. As a child, I always thought there should only be one, just like God and Son. Then, in later years, I thought that perhaps it is only one and the other location was meant for us to complete the cross...Father, Son, Holy Ghost and Man. Hope I did not offend anyone. God bless and protect.--Newbie in Christ

Peter is truly connecting us to what is holy and pure by drawing our attention to the Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord's Body is risen and He has conquered sin and death. His Flesh and Blood have been transformed and made eternal. Our sins past, present, and future are taken away by Jesus Christ's pure life-giving Fesh and Blood because we believe and obey. God is truly the Almighty and He sent His only Son to destroy satan and deliver us from sin. We are His mighty army on this earth sent here for a purpose and we will prevail. Praise God for the power that He imparts to us as we purify our bodies, minds and spirits with the Flesh and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are made in His own image. He has given us the freedom to choose what fruit we will eat of this world. We choose life everlasting when we partake of our Lord's Supper. We gain His strength to overcome sin and to be delivered from evil because Jesus has made a Way to our God. Jesus Christ opened the Door to God by showing us how to perfectly obey God the Almighty. God asks us to be obedient and trust Him just like His Son Jesus Christ because he has great things in store for us if we will do His Will and lay down our lifes for Him just as Christ did at Calvary. Somehow it sounds corny, but you are what you eat. I am going to partake of the divine Flesh and Blood of our Lord until I am transformed into the creature that God has intended me to be. My hope is no less for you. God bless and protect, Newbie in Christ

How could something so essential to our survival as Christians become mudane? I really feel that the significance of this can never be lost if you understand that Christ wants to nourish you through His love and protection. As you write in the lesson, the Last Supper occurred once, but the Lord's Supper is continual and meant to nourish us spiritually and physically for eternity. It is one of the ways that we stay connected to God through Jesus Christ. God has given His people eternal life and continual physical

Jesus loves us so much. The Lord's Supper is our Promise