JanMary

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? When I was a child, my Dad told me "You'd BETTER be afraid of God"....It terrified me and kept me from coming to salvation until I was 30 years old. Now as a believer, I respect, honor, love and reverence Him as my Holy, all powerful, loving and just God, but I'm not afraid of Him hurting me. Even His discipline is done in complete love and patience. If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? Unhealthy fear, is terror of what He will do to you...it excludes His love and care for His children and His wonderful fellowship, provision and awesomeness and Holiness. I used to think He had a long, bony finger pointed at me, waiting to squash me like a bug, or to strike me with lightening if I looked crosswise! That's unhealthy fear! How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18? (We love Him because He first loved us....and gave His life for us.) There is no fear in love...dread does not exist, but full grown complete, perfect love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and so he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love, is not yet grown into love's complete perfection. (amplified version)

Q4. (Hebrews 12:14-17) Is the writer of Hebrews teaching salvation by being holy? No, he's exhorting holy living after salvation. Why or why not? 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and Galatians 5:19-21. Salvation is by grace alone...through the shed blood of Jesus and His finished work on our behalf on the cross of Calvary. Can habitual sin deprive us of heaven? If so, how? I'm one who doesn't believe this...I believe the writer is exhorting the wavering Jews to not go back to their roots of Judaism to avoid persecution. I believe according to John 10 we won't abandon our faith because of His grip on us, and if any do walk away, they were not truly believers in the first place. Paul spoke in Corinthians of the Lord taking some home to Heaven (or who "sleep")who were not living holy lives and were detrimental to the cause of Christ....I don't believe Annanias and Sapphira lost their salvation...they lost their earthly lives, as examples to the body of Christ that it's not ok to lie to the Holy Spirit.

Q3. (Hebrews 12:5-7) I've sometimes heard, "God never punishes anyone." Is that true according to these verses? Sometimes God does punish us with consequences in order to teach and train us, but these verses seem to be talking mainly about enduring persecution and hardship...spiritual warfare. If so, how does punishment fit into the larger overall concept of discipline and child-rearing? It's a great "course correction"....gets the attention, brings the will into submission to authority, helps to crucify the flesh and waywardness....rebellion. Discipline is a sign of parental love and care. What is the purpose of God's discipline? He disciplines us to purify and to produce a harvest of righteousness. He is "completing" us so that "at that day" we will be like His Son. His discipline demonstrates that we are His beloved sons and daughters.

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? It reminds me that I am His beloved child, whom He loves enough to correct, train, discipline, and develop His character in me. In that light, it removes the victim mentality, and helps me to run to Him instead of sulking or pouting in self pity. What are the benefits of such discipline to the Christian? Stability, strength of character, patience, self control...(all the fruit of the Spirit) moral fiber, more godliness and desire to resist sin and temptation, closer walk with the Lord, endurance, reassurance of daughter/sonship and His love, fresh awareness of His interest in the details of my life.

Q1. (Hebrews 12:3-4) Spiritual warfare can be lost by weariness. Why is spiritual warfare so wearying? It wears you down with it's constancy...the mind is attacked causing discouragement and even despair, fatigue and a turning inward. If the body is attacked too, with pain, etc. it's even more tiring. One never knows when or where the next attack will hit and that can cause worry or fear. It keeps one off balance where it's easier to take ones eyes off of the Lord. Why must we continue to resist, on and on? If we don't resist, we lose ground taken in previous battles....God has promised us ultimate victory and we have to keep going to the end. It helps me to remember He's building stamina and endurance in this very passive, weak vessel. He promises in Isaiah to turn us into sharp threshing instruments, stable in all our ways. Have you ever been overcome by Satan because of weariness? Yes, I have. This is a silly example, but just this morning I was tired from poor sleep, from a sore neck from stress (another attack), and decided I wouldn't go to the gym...read Q 1, and realized I was being overcome today, from my desire to be more physically fit....so I went and worked out. That was a victory for me. There have been times of despair and wanting to die from such long, ongoing, severe attacks, but God has sent help and deliverance.

Q5. (Hebrews 12:1-2) Who are the "great cloud of witnesses" mentioned in 12:1? The faithful believers who have preceded us in death. What analogy to the life of faith is offered in 12:1? That of running a race.....a long grueling marathon! In what way is Jesus the "author" or "pioneer" of our faith? It was Jesus' Divine plan to die for our sins/salvation, therefore is the "Author", and as the pioneer, he prepared the Way for us by being the forerunner, the source of our faith, going before as the first fruits of the resurrection.(the amplified version says: Jesus, who is the Leader and and the Source of our faith, (giving the first incentive for our belief). How did he live by faith? Jesus, for the joy of obtaining the prize that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. In other words, He lived and fulfilled His destiny, decided in eternity, by faith in the awaited outcome. In what way is he the "finisher" or "perfecter" of our faith? He is the Finisher, by bringing our faith to maturity and perfection..."at that day", spoken of in Phil. 1:6.

Q4. (Hebrews 11:8-31) What was the powerful motivating factor behind the actions taken by the people mentioned in these verses? It was their faith. What was this faith based on? Their belief and trust in God. At the Red Sea, how did the Israelites' faith differ from that of the Egyptian army? The Israelites moved into the water believing they would be saved by the God who had led them out of Egypt through Moses. The Egyptians who had no faith in God, followed them in order to kill them, but were enemies of God's people and drowned. Did Rahab have real faith or was she a shrewd opportunist -- or is there a difference? The Bible says "by faith Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed along with those who refused to believe.... In her story in Joshua 2, her faith is based on some fear regarding what she'd heard about how God dealt with His people's enemies, but she BELIEVED, and I think that is the point. She hid the spies believing they would be merciful to her and her family....which shows her faith in God, both to reward her for sparing the spies from capture and death, and in what she'd heard He would do to Jericho.

Q3. (Hebrews 11:23-28) How did Moses' faith affect his willingness to suffer? He preferred to share the oppression and suffer the hardships and bear the shame of the people of God rather than to have the fleeting enjoyment of a sinful life lived as the son of royalty. What kind of vision did faith create for Moses? The vision of looking forward to the reward or recompense and away from bearing the shame borne for Christ, the Messiah Who was to come, as greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt. By faith he left Egypt behind, undismayed by the wrath of the king, as he held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible. He carried out the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood on the doorposts, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch those of the children of Israel, then led the people out of bondage,across the Red Sea to freedom, pursued by the angry Egyptians. What kind of vision does faith create for us? My vision is the same...I look forward to the recompense of my Lord, and toward the promises He's given me, which enables me to bear the shame and persecution of those who don't know Him, nor understand one who does and loves Him inspite of the injustices done. It enables me to obey Him and to keep trusting and following Him as He moves me toward my destiny. It has led me to seek deliverance from the bondages which held me captive, and to pray and stand in the gap for my loved ones and others who are still held captive, until they are set free.

Q2. (Hebrews 11:13b) In practical terms, what would be the characteristics of a believer who lived his life as an "alien" and "stranger" here on earth? One who lived in faith, obeying what the Lord showed "him" to do here on earth, and that which is necessary to care for family and for living here, but with "emotional, spriritual bags" packed knowing that life here is a short sojourn, and that our treasure is in Heaven. Our life here is preparation for the eternal life in our new Heavenly home. What is the balance between "in" the world but not "of" it? (John 15:19; 17:13-16; 1 John 4:4-6). Living "in" the world, we all have to do...that's the daily life of loving, living, child rearing, working, eating, sleeping, caring for others, etc. But the "NOT OF IT", is living with our eyes fixed on the new life we have to look forward to in Heaven: We do not belong to this world and its' system, for we have God living in us and as God's children, we recognize that our true citizenship is in Heaven. Typically, we do not "fit in" here, as we live by a different system...that of Truth and righteousness in a state of forgiveness...toward others and forgiven by God.

Q1. (Hebrews 11:8-19) Abraham was on a faith-quest, looking for a city (verse 10) and a country (verses 14-16). How does his faith-journey encourage yours? I too have a promise of a home in this land, before I go to the new land in Heaven. My journey has been like Abraham's...the promise given, then the leaving the home we had and all that was familiar, to sojourn in the wilderness of homelessness and apartments for 17 years, where we've been tested, tried, sick, husband blind, unemployed with loss of business, employers going out of business, falsely accused, etc. I prayed as a new Christian who admired Abraham's faith, for the Lord to work in my life as He did in Abraham's....and He has, to my regret at times! Abraham is where I look when I get discouraged and weary...his faith reminds me to trust, no matter how long the trial drags on. God is faithful and as He was to Abraham, so He will be to me. I love Abraham and can't wait to meet him in Heaven, but first I'm looking forward to the promised land here and the home God promised in 1988, which others have inhabited for 17 years. In Scriptural typology, what is the final "city" which we shall see? The New Heavenly Jerusalem. (12:22) What is the final country of which we are citizens? (12:28) Heaven, the Heavenly Country.

Q4. (Hebrews 11:11). Which part of faith is related to (1) the depth of Abraham's confidence in God? Abraham's faith in God's reliability and trustworthiness to fulfill His promisesl Which part of faith is related to (2) the real existence and power of such a God? Abraham's experiential faith based on His relationship with God from the day He spoke to him to go to the land that He would show him and God's faithfulness to lead him there. How would you describe a faith that lacks either element? I would describe it as believing IN God, but not BELIEVING God....not trusting Him. Like I believe in the President's existence, but don't know him personally, therefore don't expect personal interaction with him. Based on verse 11 (not on verses 1-2), formulate in your own words a definition of faith. Faith is the ability to step into the "air", if need be, based on the belief in His promise and the reliability of God's Words to me that when I step in faith, He will provide "solid ground" for me to stand on. It's believing His Word even though circumstances may be directly opposite of what He's promised me.

Q4. (Hebrews 11:11). Which part of faith is related to (1) the depth of Abraham's confidence in God? Abraham's faith in God's reliability and trustworthiness to fulfill His promisesl Which part of faith is related to (2) the real existence and power of such a God? Abraham's experiential faith based on His relationship with God from the day He spoke to him to go to the land that He would show him and God's faithfulness to lead him there. How would you describe a faith that lacks either element? I would describe it as believing IN God, but not BELIEVING God....not trusting Him. Like I believe in the President's existence, but don't know him personally, therefore don't expect personal interaction with him. Based on verse 11 (not on verses 1-2), formulate in your own words a definition of faith. Faith is the ability to step into the "air", if need be, based on the belief in His promise and the reliability of God's Words to me that when I step in faith, He will provide "solid ground" for me to stand on. It's believing His Word even though circumstances may be directly opposite of what He's promised me.

Q3. Every religion has its own kind of faith. What is the content of the Judeo-Christian type of faith that sets it apart from any other? The Judeo-Christian faith is the only faith that relies on dependence upon God. All others depend upon the flesh/works in order to please God. I heard a story once that said: A man fell into an abondoned pit and was unable to climb up the slippery sides to get out. A Hindu stopped by and told him to give offerings to the many hundreds of Hindu gods, but he had nothing to offer. A Buddhist stopped and told him to think and meditate until nirvana is reached through the 8 fold path of right belief, right resolve, right word, right act, right life, right effort, right thinking, right meditation. But he found himself unable to climb out. A Mormon stopped and said "seek to become a god of your own planet through the temple endowments of temple marriage and multiple wives to help populate your planet and you'll have a better life there". But this was no help to him. A Muslim looked down on him and said "Seek Allah and his prophet Mohammed, learn the Koran so your good and bad will be weighed in the "scales of balance" in the afterlife. But this did not help him. On and on it went. Jesus hearing his cries for help stopped by, saw the man helpless and hopelessly lost and came down into the pit and lifted him out, cleaned him up and they walked away together in relationship. This is the only Way to eternal life...through Jesus coming down into our pit and saving us. What is the basis of Noah's faith (11:7)? Noah believed God's Word to him and acted upon what God told him to do. What is the basis of our faith? Belief in God and believing His Word. For us, it's the further revelation of Who God is, as the Mystery was revealed in His Son Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary. How does faith grow (see Romans 10:17) By hearing the Word of God preached, hearing oneself reading the Word of God. (renewing the mind to think as God thinks)

Q2. (Hebrews 11:6) The first element of faith is belief in God's existence. Why is the second element just as essential to true faith? Even Satan believes in God! The second element is seeking to know God...to not only believe IN Him, but to BELIEVE Him. To be personally intimate with our God and Father. What does it mean to "seek" God? The opposite of passivity...It's an active searching, continuously looking and reaching for Him through prayer, listening, spending time with Him and in His Word....wanting to please Him through active faith in Him. What difference does it make whether or not you believe God will reward seekers? It's a pleasurable promise....it's motivating, to keep on keeping on during dry spells or times when one might otherwise slack off or tune out in the relationship. We're wired up to want positive reinforcement...so reward for seekers shows how well our Creator knows and loves us. It also tells me how much it means to Him to have children who will seek Him...that He wants it to be a positive endeavor for the rest of our lives.

Q1. Using Hebrews 11:1-3 as your source, how would you put in your own words what faith is and does? Faith is the gift from God which gives us the ability to see into the unseen spiritual realm where He exists and to lay hold of the things He promises,and to believe that they are ours, before we actually see them with our physical eyes. Faith lifts us above the natural into the supernatural....where His Word is our reality, rather than our circumstances.

Q4. (Hebrews 10:35-36) Why is perseverance in faith hard sometimes? Because of persecution and attacks from the enemy. I'm struggling today after a number of calls from friends who are in crisis. There is a spirit of heaviness. It's hard in the long, dreary places where there seems to be no change in painful circumstances. Why is perseverance so important? We need endurance to perform and fully accomplish the will of God and to receive the reward of what is promised. How is Christian fellowship important in perseverance? (3:12-14) We are to encourage one another and to pray for one another. What can we do to encourage other Christians in this sometimes difficult journey? Share how the Lord has sustained and brought us through hard places. Pray with them, love on them.

Q4. (Hebrews 10:35-36) Why is perseverance in faith hard sometimes? Because of persecution and attacks from the enemy. I'm struggling today after a number of calls from friends who are in crisis. There is a spirit of heaviness. It's hard in the long, dreary places where there seems to be no change in painful circumstances. Why is perseverance so important? We need endurance to perform and fully accomplish the will of God and to receive the reward of what is promised. How is Christian fellowship important in perseverance? (3:12-14) We are to encourage one another and to pray for one another. What can we do to encourage other Christians in this sometimes difficult journey? Share how the Lord has sustained and brought us through hard places. Pray with them, love on them.

Q3. (Hebrews 10:26-31). (In your discussion, please resist the temptation to slam another Christian who might understand the security of the believer differently from you!) What kind of sin is expressed by the phrase, "deliberately keep on sinning" (10:26)? Deliberately, willfully, defiantly, in God's face, long term...Not a bad day kind of sin, nor the weakness of the fallen flesh kind of sin. This is those who put themselves in oppositon to God. v. 27 Is this talking about sins related to the weakness of our flesh or apostasy? It's talking about apostasy, turning the back on God....going back to the old life, as the Jews were wanting to do after knowing Jesus. This is rejecting Jesus completely. v. 28 What elements in 10:29 contribute to your understanding that this is indeed flagrant apostasy, not garden-variety sin? This is the spurning and trampling under foot the Son of God, considering the covenant blood, common and unhallowed, thus profaning it and insulting and profaning and outraging the Holy Spirit who imparts grace and favor and blessing of God. There is forgiveness for our sins, so this is talking about going out of the reach of forgiveness....I'm assuming the unpardonable sin of rejecting Jesus and His blood.

Q2. According to Hebrews 3:13 and 10:24-25, what should be a prime motive for meeting together with other Christians? To draw near to God, to spur one another to love and good deeds and to encourage one another, all the more as we see the day drawing near to His coming. What is our usual motivation? To draw near to God for corporate worship, for fellowship, for service. Why do Christians so often get out of the habit of attending church or a small group? Laziness, disappointment, wounding circumstances at church, guilty conscience, different priorities, probably dozens of reasons. How can we help these individuals? Reach out to them, pray for them, listen to them, love them, invite them, go with them.

Q1. (Hebrews 10:19-21) How did the veil of the Tabernacle function in Old Testament worship? The veil was a visible reminder that the access between God and man was blocked by sin, and we were separated from Him. He is Holy, and fallen man is not....at that time there was only a temporary system for being in relationship with Him...through animal sacrifices brought to and offered by the high priest. What is the significance of the veil being ripped in two at Jesus' crucifixion? When the veil was ripped in two from top to bottom, it signified that the Lamb of God, who was sacrified for fallen man's sins, had removed the veil or separation and the way is now open between God and man, if we come to Him through the blood of Jesus Christ. Why is our access to God called a "new and living way"? Jesus is the New and Living Way...the only Way to the Father. In what sense is it new? In what sense is it living? It is new in that all of the years of animal sacrifice have been done away with, and each time an individual comes to the God, the new way is available through the living Jesus. It will never be obsolete and a newer plan for cleansing and forgiveness instituted. It is living because Jesus lives eternally and makes intercession for us.

Q4. (Hebrews 10:4) Why can't the blood of bulls and goats actually take away sin? The blood of bulls and goats did nothing to change the inner man, the heart. Animal blood was the type and shadow, the forerunner, the lesser, waiting until God's timing for the Greater, the Perfect, sinless blood of His only begotten Son, to be shed to atone for sin, once for all. What happened then to the sins the Old Testament saints thought were atoned for under the Old Covenant? They were covered as they looked forward to the cross, which the bronze serpent on the pole represented. The blood of Jesus reached back through time and washed them away, as it does ours today if we are "IN" Christ, and will continue into the future until the last sin is cleansed.

Q3. (Hebrews 9:28) How did the purpose of Christ's First Coming differ from his Second Coming? His first coming was to bear/take away sin, as the sacrifice, once for all. His second coming will be as Savior to bring salvation, to those waiting for Him, and complete deliverance from the fallen sin nature. Which did the Jews expect? The Jews rejected Him as sacrifice, (suffering servant), because they were wanting/expecting the victorious Messiah to deliver them from Roman oppression. (They were content with the animal sacrifices for sin and weren't looking for anything greater) How does the mission of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 fit here? "He was despised, rejected by those He came to deliver from sin, a Man of sorrows and pain and sickness, acquainted with grief. Men hid their faces from Him. He has borne our griefs, sicknesses, weaknesses, carrying away our sorrows & pains of punishment, yet He was considered sticken, smitten, afflicted by God as with leprosy. He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement needful to obtain peace and well being for us was upon Him and with the stripes that wounded Him we are healed and made whole. He was like a lamb led to the slaughter", as the sacrifice for sin.

Q2. (Hebrews 9:15). Read also 1 Timothy 2:5. In what sense does Jesus serve as a mediator? Jesus is the "Bridge" who stretched Himself across the chasm of sin separating fallen man and a Holy God, removing the separation and reopening the access Adam and Eve had before they fell. In what sense is Jesus a ransom from sin? Jesus precious, sinless, shed blood, death, resurrection was the price or ransom God required, that bought fallen man back from Satan, so we once again belong to God...those who choose to be chosen and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.