Commissioned

With agape love there is no baggage to deal with, whereas the hurt is remembered when the church member is present. If we avoid church because of our hurts at the hands of church members, we remove ourselves from the opportunity to grow spiritually. In Christ we love as Christ loves and obeys His word not forsaking the assembly and gathering of the body of Christ.

A disciplined devotional life is important because it brings maturity. When I forget or don't have time I sense that something is missing. To open my spirit to God's Spirit I shut in to worship and praise of the Trinue God.

Of the four virtues stated the easiest for me to move into is goodness and the hardest is self-control. I battle with procrastination. Lord help!

Strong desires erode our faith and corrupt our lives causing us to sin and become enemies of the cross. Strong desires that can build our faith are similar to the Apostle Paul's, 'I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death'. Such desires build our faith and strengthen our relationship with God. A strong desire for God brings us to studying the word of God so that we have "knowledge" of God, and "knowing" God we know how to please Him. God's promises and evil desires at odds with each other because they take you into different directions. Evil desires take you away from God and erode our faith while a desire for the knowledge of God draws us into seeking Him more.

To be personally called "by his own glory and goodness"means that God has specifically structured a unique path for me that will bring Him glory and will usher in the completion of His grand plan for the church. God's glory and awesome Presence brings me into the place where I am reminded of His promise to never leave me nor forsake me and I can trust Him in all His ways. God's goodness and moral excellence gives me the confidence that God is omnipotent, omnipresence, omniscient, and faithful. I can trust my God.

This verse says that everything that we need for this life and the life to come has been provided fr us through our knowledge of Him. God has tied our seeking Him, getting to know Him to the gift or present and future promise of an abundant life.

The tabernacle in the wilderness was the place where the presence of God dwelled in the midst of His people. The reign of God, as King of Israel, the tabernacle is the throne-room and the courtyard the boundaries of the King's dwelling. Here, God's people enters to seek His forgiveness and worship Him. God’s Kingdom and glory come together in the wilderness tabernacle through His presence and is seen as a cloud.

Moses hunger to see God’s glory because He wanted concrete confirmation of His presence. He hungered for a deeper relationship with God. Paul pressed on to gain the reward of the faithful. In myself the spiritual hunger that I see is wanting to experience more of God's divine supernatural power in my life, the lives of my family members, friends and acquaintances. This hunger is increased the more I seek God for favor and grace. I can satisfy this hunger as I rest in God's amazing love.

Q2. Why do you think God’s glory is associated with judgment and consuming fire? What happens when people willfully disobey God and his laws? Why can’t God’s holiness coexist with sin? God’s glory is associated with judgment and consuming fire because it comes to make holy the thing upon which it settles (consumes). When the presence of God is feld there is an immediate acknowledgement of judgement. Inherent in all human is the knowledge of right and wrong. If one is in a state of righteousness and the glory of God appears, they enter into a euphoric state and they enjoy His presence. On the other hand when a person is in a state of sin, darkness; the glory of God brings conviction to the heart of the individual and the sin is judged with the consuming fire of God. When people willfully disobey God and his laws they remove themselves from under the pure light of God's holiness and enters into the dark world of Satan's sinful nature. God’s holiness is pure light, sin is associated with darkness both cannot.

Q1. Describe the difference between (1) reputation glory, (2) derived glory, and (3) inherent glory. Which glory is involved when you praise God? Which glory is within you? (1) reputation glory - this is glory attributed to a person due to their reputation of great acheivements (2) derived glory - this is glory one possess by spending time in the presence of God (3) inherent glory - this is glory that is attributed to God for who He is. His characteristics is His inherent glory. When I praise God, all three glory is involved. Derived glory is within as I am in the presence of God perpetually.

Q1. (2Peter 1:1) What does "received a faith as precious as ours" mean in this verse? How does our faith compare to St. Peter's faith? Is our faith equal to his? Why or why not? How do you explain the discrepancy? There is no discrepancy. The faith that God gave to us is the same as He gave to the Apostle Peter. Peter compared our faith to be equivalent to his faith, if there is a difference it is in the exercising f the faith.

According to this verse we should cast our fears on our Savior. The Apostle told us that we should do this because our Savior cares for us and will bear our burdens. In humility and in an attitude of faith we present our anxiety to the Lord. This verse should be a reminder to us in our every day trials of life. When we are bombarded and feel all hope fading, then we should feel strong because our Savior will bear the burden that we cast upon him.

Acts of humility that are appropriate for church leaders presents them as the under-shepherd who do not lord their position over the flock. We can discern a person's humility before putting him or her in a place of leadership in the church by observing them over a period of time in different settings and under various circumstances. When we fail to discern a leader's humility we may find them failing in the position.

We can best keep elders and pastors from being power-mongers by Paying the enough to live on as they serve the congregation. The pastor will serve well if their need for taking care of him/herself and their family well. Adequate remuneration takes away the problem of having to find coverage for financial obligations, A pastor who administers the affairs of the church with a serving board of elders/deacons will share in he responsibility of the church. The authority for making decisions is not rested 100% with one person, Candidates for positions in the church should be interviewed thoroughly, asking those questions that will determine best quality.

When a person does not feel that the will of God is for them to take a position they should not be forced to do so. Forcing a person to hold a position causes them to possible, miss the plan of God for their life. They continue to work in the position giving mediocre service.

The responsibilities of an elder from the definitions of "elder," "pastor," and "overseer" are to be a spiritual support for members of his/her congregation. Support may come in he form of a counselor, a teacher, friend, they are there when the Pastor is not available to be with a parishioner in times of birth and death. As I consider the definitions given I am amazed that I don't see this in Elders.

A willingness to die, if need be, is essential to healthy Christianity during persecution because it is a witness to Christ and we are divorced from the world. When we aren't willing to die, when we are afraid to "take up our cross daily" (Luke 9:23) and follow Jesus, we are not in the will of God, we have not fully put our trust in God. To face persecution on this level means that we have fully committed ourselves to Him, to a faithful Creator"?

If we are never persecuted, it says that that they do not see Christ in us. They see us as one of them. We are blessed, happy when we are persecuted as the prophets of old were, and they see Christ is you.

I understand that if they did it to Our Savior they will do the same to me. "Then he said to the disciples, "Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me." (Luke 10:16)

The danger of trying to avoid persecution and suffering for Christ is that we deny Him. We no longer identify with the Lamb who gave His life for us. Distracted by persecution from what I should have been doing came in the form of denial of presenting truth to families (mothers, fathers and children) on Christian living. Other Christians have been denied the opportunity of teaching the good news to the lost.

People who are always promoting themselves and pointing to how God is using them are pointing people to themselves and not to the God who gives the gifts, They are self-serving, immature in their faith and spiritual journey, filled with pride and they see themselves are possessing power that truly comes from God. God has given to me the gift of teaching and I truly do so by His pow and with the grace He gives to glorify Him. "So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." (4:11b)

Non-Christians do not like the idea of giving an account of their actions because even though they may know that they are wrong, they want to feel that they are in charge of their actions without having to answer for it. We Christians don't like it because of he guilt it brings. The realization that we must give an account of our actions should inspire in us a desire to live holy lives. We should live with the attitude that we are not of this world, only passing through. "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom. 12:2

Non Christians try to get you to sin with them because they fail to want to know that you are in agreement with what they are doing, with their lifestyle. Sometimes Christians are tempted to do so when they want to be seen as one of the crowd, not wanting to appear different. We can resist this temptation by living in the Spirit. "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another." (Gal. 5:24-26)

Q1. (4:1-2) When the scripture says "arm yourselves with the same attitude" as Christ had, how should this attitude help keep you from sin? What attitude are we talking about? When the scripture says "arm yourselves with the same attitude" as Christ had it tells us that we are to live this life with the desires of the flesh but rather we should live fr the will of God. The attitude will keep us from sin when we are buried in Christ through His Holy Word. Our attitude should be holiness. "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God." (4:1-2)

Q4. (3:20-21) Various Christian traditions have different practices of baptism -- the mode (sprinkling, pouring, immersion) and the age (infant vs. an age when a person can profess his or her own faith). Let's not argue about that in this forum. Let me ask you the crucial question for you -- Have you pledged your faith in Jesus Christ and promised to serve him as his disciple? How does this pledge relate to your own baptism? (Remember, no criticism of another's understanding of baptism in the forum. No fighting. No setting people straight -- seriously!) I have pledged my faith in Jesus Christ and promised to serve Him as His disciple. As a public declaration of being buried with Christ I was baptized by immersion in water. Thank you Lord!