hanks

Q1. (John 15:2) How does judicious pruning benefit a grapevine? What happens to productivity and health when a vine is left unpruned? What does God use to prune our lives? What does God use to prune our congregations? Why do we resist pruning? What can we do so that the eventual pruning isn't as severe? The judicious pruning of the branches that are truly rooted in Christ, stimulates growth and keeps the vine in top form, resulting in maximum fruitfulness. It remains healthy and produces sufficient fruit year after year - the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. If left unpruned we have a decrease in productivity, with wild growth and the resulting difficulty in harvesting. God reminds us to discard all that does not bring honour to Him, or anything that distracts us to such an extent that it becomes the main centre of interest in our lives, such as money or work, amongst others. Just as the vine must be cleansed from mildew and fungus, so must we as believers be cleansed from worldly things that cling to us over time. Sometimes congregations mainly concern themselves with church finances and/or the number of members they have, instead of staying focused on teaching the Word, and saving souls. Some sort of shock treatment is needed to get them back on track. Often we are in our comfort zones and pruning is needed to make us more faithful servants. As believers we were cleansed by the Word at the time of conversion but we need to continue being cleansed; and to avoid severe pruning we need to carry on living a life honouring our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Those who bear good fruit are continually growing and being cleansed until they ultimately become more and more like our Lord Jesus.

Q5. (John 14:30-31a) How does Satan take advantage of our previous sins to control us or make us fearful? In verse 31, how does Jesus stay free from bondage to Satan? How can we free ourselves from bondage to Satan and fear of exposure? Although, as believers, we are all sinners saved by grace. It was when we repented and put our trust in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, that all our past, present, and future sins were forgiven. Satan, therefore, has no power over us and there is no fear of any exposure. The Cross marked Satan’s ultimate defeat. Jesus is not of this world and has never sinned, therefore Satan has no hold at all over Jesus. It is Jesus who will be victorious as His victory over death will result in the ultimate demise of Satan.

Q4. (John 14:27) If it doesn't mean cessation of conflict in our everyday lives, what then is the peace that Jesus offers us now? The peace that Jesus offers is one which can result in great inner happiness. The Bible uses peace in two ways; there is the “peace with God” which comes when a person accepts Jesus Christ as Saviour, and then there is the “peace of God” which is available on a daily basis as the believer participates in the Christian way of Life according to the plan of God. Peace with God is one of the blessings that comes from a right relationship with God and it is never available apart from Grace. Since the Cross of Christ is the focal point of Grace it is the source of peace. Therefore, Jesus Christ is our eternal peace. It is a peace that does not depend on the circumstances of life. When we as believers respond by faith to Grace, we obtain this blessing of peace with God. Now, as believers we know that the penalty for our sins has been paid, and that all our sins have been forgiven. We will never be condemned, and since we have been justified through faith, we have this peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). What a blessing!

Q3. (John 14:25-26). What do we learn about the Paraclete in verses 25 and 26? Who is He? Why is His teaching/reminding role important to the apostles? The Holy Spirit came in Christ's name, to represent Jesus here on earth. He did not come to glorify Himself but to draw people to the Saviour. Our Lord said that ‘He will teach you all things’. This I think is one of the Holy Sprit’s main tasks, to occur, after our Lord is glorified. Firstly, the apostles had to be taught to understand Jesus’ teachings and this applies ultimately to us as well. This He did initially through the spoken ministry of the apostle, and then for us through the written Word of God which we have today. He is our Helper in all things, providing us with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Strengthening us when we are weak. However, while Jesus was with His disciples He managed to teach them up to a certain point. He knew that He had to leave any further teaching to the Holy Spirit as they could not have understood any further truths. So it was left to the Holy Spirit to reveal more. This He does today as we are sanctified to become more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ. We read in Ephesians 1:13-14: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory.” The presence of the Holy Spirit marks us as being children of God belonging to Him forever.

Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving Him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey Him? If so, how? Truly loving Jesus requires that we do as He has taught us. We do this not because they are His commandments but because of our love for Him and for our neighbours as well. Once we have accepted Him as our Lord and Saviour there is real desire to please Him. This we can only do by being obedient to His teachings. This is not only about reading the Bible, going to church, or doing good deeds; it is about our love for Him and so we willingly do these things and more. In actual fact we often find we cannot do enough for Him. This has nothing to do with a new, or any other type of legalism. Jesus links obedience with genuine love for Him, even going on to say not only will He love those who love Him, but that the Father Himself will also love them. So it is impossible to love Jesus and at the same not obey Him. We must remember whose words are to be obeyed – the words of Jesus are also the words of the Father who sent Him.

Q1. (John 14:15-17) What do you think is the best way to describe the Paraklētos that Jesus sends? In what sense is the Holy Spirit "another" Paraclete? Who was the initial Paraclete? In what way can the Holy Spirit replace Him? The literal meaning is best translated as “called beside or alongside to help”; I therefore find the best description to be as my ‘Helper”. On its own the word might not be strong enough to represent all that the Holy Spirit means to me. But I do find that He encompasses all of helper, comforter, counsellor, encourager, Spirit of truth, and advocate, amongst others. The Holy Spirit is another Paraclete in that Jesus was the first one who was with us. Now we have the Holy Spirit replacing Jesus in us.

Q6. (John 14:13-14) What does it mean to pray "in Jesus' name"? What happens to prayers that are out of His will and purposes? Are there any practical limits to this promise of answered prayer. To ask in Jesus’ name is to ask in accordance with His mind and will. Sometimes there is a misunderstanding of what Jesus is saying in these verses. He is definitely not saying that prayer is a magic formula to grant a person’s every desire. Jesus means, asking for the things that are in His will and will bring glory to God. It does not mean to simply to insert His Name at the end of the prayer. It is when we pray in the Spirit, in line with, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done”, that we seek the will of God in all our prayers. Some might feel that this will result in fewer blessings for us, but this will result in more blessings, as our desires will be the same as His. When we live in close fellowship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our prayers will be answered. When we pray in the will of God with clean hearts we have every right to expect God to answer us. However, prayers that are out of His will and purposes are not likely to be answered in the way we prayed for. If it is in His will, I don’t think there are any limits – with Him all things are possible.

Q5. (John 14:8) What happens after Jesus' "glorification" that enables believers to do greater things than Jesus? Is this promise limited to the apostles? Why are Christians today uncomfortable with this promise? When the Lord returned to heaven, He was glorified, and the Holy Spirit was sent to earth. Jesus had told the apostles that those who believed on Him would perform miracles like He did, and even greater works. It was through the Spirit's power that the apostles performed these greater miracles. However, this promise is not limited to the apostles, it is available to all believers today! Just as Jesus said it would be – “anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these.” Later in the book of Acts we read of many miracles of healing performed by the apostles. An example of an even greater miracle was the conversion of three thousand on the day of Pentecost. As a Christian I am uncomfortable with people who say they perform miracles in Jesus’ name. Maybe because there are so many false, so called healings, being ‘performed’ that there is a stigma attached to this type of healing. No one takes it seriously and realise it is a money making scheme. A scam. Also, not one of the so called miracle healings has ever been filmed. When I think about it, it is a greater miracle to save souls for eternity than to heal their physical bodies. J.C. Ryle said: “There is no greater work possible than the conversion of a soul.”

Q4. (John 14:1b, 6-11) In what sense is trusting Jesus the same as trusting God? How accurately does Jesus portray God's actions and words? What does it mean that Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30)? Jesus and The Father are one, therefore, we can trust Him fully, the same way we trust God the Father. Jesus reflects and obeys The Father’s actions and words. His actions and words are the actions and words of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is God in the fullest sense and is equal with the Father in every way.

Q3. (John 14:6d) Is it intolerant to believe that no one comes to God except through Jesus? How does Jesus' death and resurrection atone for the sins of the Old Testament saints? Why are some Christians uncomfortable with the statement that "No one comes to the Father but by me"? No, it can never be intolerant for the simple reason that it is the truth! There is no other Saviour, or mediator between God and man, is taught throughout the New Testament. Therefore, no one can come to God in any other way, except through Christ. All the saints and prophets of the OT had taught, whoever believes in the name of the Messiah will receive forgiveness of sins. Therefore, Jesus’s death and resurrection has atoned for their sins. To be a true Christian one has to have a personal relationship with their Saviour Jesus Christ. They must know Him and not only know about Him. He has many times stated He is the only Way. If they do not believe the Word as stated that “no one comes to the Father but by me”, then I feel sorry for them in that they have been misled or they have a different Bible. I know some liberal theologians do lead people astray. This just goes to show that we have to be very careful of not being misled by some false doctrine. It means we have to study and meditate on the Scripture ourselves, and of course these Bible study courses that Dr Ralph so generously offers help tremendously to keep us on the right track.

Q2. (John 14:6) In what sense is Jesus the Way to God? What does it mean to "follow Jesus"? In what sense is Jesus in Himself God's Truth? What are the implications of this for us and our world? In what sense is Jesus God's Life? How does this affect us and those we speak to about Him? Jesus Himself is the way to heaven. It is our faith in Him that breaks the barrier of sin and death, and opens the way (the road) for us to spend eternity in the kingdom of God. Jesus Himself mentions “the road that leads to life” in Matthew 7:14: “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it”. He does not merely show us the way - He is the way. Our Lord Jesus is not just one of many ways as the world will have us believe, stating that all religions have some good in them and they are the way to heaven. He is the only Way - no one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. To serve and follow Jesus means making a drastic change in our life of sin and being completely obedient to His commandments. For Jesus said: "If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). We try to live a life that brings glory to Him. It helps also if we acknowledge Him in everything we do, remembering that it is not about us, but all about Him. God’s Words are the ultimate standard of truth (John 17:17) – here Jesus told us that God’s Word is not simply “true”, but it is truth itself. We also know that the Father and Jesus are one (17:22). We read in John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This confirms that our Lord Jesus in Himself is God’s Truth. He is not just One who teaches the truth - He is THE TRUTH. Those who have Christ have the Truth. We are exposed to so many lies in this world. Lies that Satan wants us to believe. So, if we are not careful we will be led astray. Jesus told us that every true believer will know the truth and it is this truth that shall set us free. Unlike the world we have been delivered from sin, and being led by the Holy Spirit, we walk in the light. Christ Jesus is the life. He is the source of life, both spiritual and eternal. Those who receive Him have eternal life because He is the Life.

Q1. (John 14:2) What is the "Father's House"? What does verse 2 tell us about what Jesus will do, and what is provided for us? How does that comfort us? The “Father’s House” refers to an eternal home in heaven (2 Cor 5:1); an eternal home for all of God’s children. It is a place to be with our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I visualize our Father's house as being great and spacious, an eternal place of dwelling so vast that it covers multiple universes. Our Lord is so great that we cannot limit Him to one universe, therefore, there must be an infinite number of universes making up a "multiverse." He is infinite and not subject to any of the limitations of creation. Jesus’ going back to the Father, is good news for us, as Jesus states later in 16:7: “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you”. His going away will secure our future destiny - it is through His atoning death, resurrection, and ascension that we as believers are assured of a place there. We find comfort in the fact that He will come again and collect His own to be with Him for all eternity, but in the meantime He has sent us the Holy Spirit to help us through this earthly life.

Q6. (John 13:35) In what sense is love for one another an indicator to all of our status (or lack of status) as Jesus' disciples? Why do we sometimes avoid living in an intimate Christian community in favour of only a large-meeting expression of our faith? Why is it so difficult to love people in an intimate Christian community? How does your church or group measure up by the indicator of love for one another? How do you measure up? John clearly states that if we do not love, we do not know God: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8). If we don’t know God we cannot possibly be a disciple of Jesus, since everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. On our own it is most difficult to love others, but those that belong to Jesus have the Holy Spirit to help and enable us to accomplish this. In an intimate relationship our hypocrisies are often exposed for all to see. It is easier to hide in a large group where there is not so much individual attention focused on a person. How do I measure up? I think there is room for a lot of improvement.

Q5. (John 13:34) Why is love exalted to the level of a command? How does love characterize Jesus' life? In what way does love fulfil the law and the prophets? Jesus has set a new standard of love, one based on His sacrificial love for us. It is a new commandment in the sense that it is a much higher standard of love – one based on the example of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. His example of constant, self-sacrificing love must be the pattern for our attitude toward each other. This love and support enables us to survive in a hostile world. Jesus said (v35): "By this all men will know that you are My disciples" reveals the effect of believers' having love for one another, and it is a distinguishing feature of Christians. That is, we are to be known by our love towards each other and not for our wealth or learning or fame or any other criteria. The church is to be a loving church in a dying culture, but it does not stop there, our love is to extend beyond the church to embrace all people. God’s unfailing love for us is often declared by the prophets. Some examples are listed here. Isaiah says: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you” (Isaiah 54:10). Jeremiah says: “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness” ( Jeremiah 31:3). Hosea says: “I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion” (Hosea 2:19). Lastly, Joel says: “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13).

Q4. (John 13:27-30) Judas gave into his temptation to greed by stealing from the mission's money bag. How does habitual sin tend to open us to greater influence from Satan in our lives? How did Judas eating Jesus' bread illustrate the magnitude of his betrayal? I would say that much of why we sin is habitual, and it is a cycle that is not easily broken. And the fact that we live in a fallen, sinful world makes it even harder to shake off Satan’s influence in our lives. All around us we see people actually enjoying sin, making it look like healthy fun - even becoming a norm in certain societies. It could have been an Eastern custom for the host to give the honoured guest a dipped piece of bread at a meal. I think therefore that Jesus, by offering Judas the bread, made Judas an honoured guest, and he did this to try and win him to repentance by His grace and love. We read that the moment Judas took the bread, Satan entered him (v. 27b), confirming that he rejected Jesus’ offer of salvation. The devil had previously already put it into Judas’ heart to betray the Lord, but now the devil took control of him and he was fully determined to carry on with his evil deed.

Q3. (Luke 22:25-27) In the world, Great Men have others serve them and exalt them with great titles. How is the Kingdom of God to be different than that? How has Roman Catholic Pope Francis I set an example of humility before his flock? In the Kingdom of God all will be expected to serve humbly in imitation of our Lord Jesus. He is the perfect example of lowly service. It always amazes me to think of what Jesus did for us on the cross – to give His life for us! This love, grace, and mercy shown is beyond the comprehension of our finite minds. As I read somewhere - “His greatness was manifest in the depth of His humiliation”. For me, an example of humility shown by a leader in this world, is that of the past president of Uruguay, President Jose Mujica. Among his many examples of humility was his an austere lifestyle, and the giving of about 90% of his salary to charities that benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs. I read this news item today which again shows Pope Francis’ humility in serving others. 2015-03-11. Pope to wash feet of prisoners at Rome prison Vatican City - Pope Francis will perform the pre-Easter foot-washing ritual at Rome's main prison this year. The Vatican said on Wednesday that inmates from the Rebibbia prison and a nearby women's facility will participate in the Holy Thursday service, which is meant to show Francis' willingness to serve others as Jesus did. Francis' decision in 2013 to wash the feet of women and Muslim inmates at a juvenile detention centre helped define his rule-breaking papacy just two weeks after his election. It riled traditionalist Catholics, who pointed to the Vatican's own regulations that the ritual be performed only on men since Jesus' 12 apostles were men. Last year, Francis travelled to a centre for the elderly and disabled for the service.

Q2. (John 13:14-15) Why do you think Jesus went to such an extent to break all social norms in washing His disciples’ feet? What value did He establish in His Kingdom by this dramatic act? How are we to live this out in the Christian community? By His example, Jesus showed us that in His Kingdom the highest rank is that of servant. We are to serve others. If the Lord and Teacher had washed the disciples' feet, what excuse could we have for not washing one another's feet? This virtue of humility is to be expressed through our sincere service to others in Jesus’ name. We are to live this out not only in our churches and in fellowships with believers, but in the community as a whole. We are to be Jesus’ shining light in this dark world. As Jesus says later in this chapter (vv. 34-35): “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Q1. (John 13:10) Jesus seems to speak to Peter in symbolic language here. In what sense does a "full bath" represent baptism? If this is so, then what kind of needed cleansing does "foot-washing" symbolize? Once we have repented of our sins, and put our full trust in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we are born again and spiritually washed clean (full bath) by His blood. All our sins are washed away and we are justified – declared righteous by our Heavenly Father. A definite moral change occurs in our lives and there is a clear break from the ruling power of sin, so that we are no longer ruled or dominated by sin. However, being in the world we are constantly exposed and in contact with all the evil that surrounds us. So there is a need for cleansing. This cleansing takes place by the water of the Word. Here symbolised by foot-washing. As we read and study the Bible, as we listen to the preaching of the Word, and as we discuss it with one another, we find that it cleanses us from the evil influences around us.

Q6. (John 12:47-49) In what way can judging people get in the way of saving them? How did Jesus deal with this in his own ministry? What will it take for us to lose our stiffness and judgmental demeanour so that we might be able to be Jesus' agents of salvation? We have to be sensitive to the needs of unbelievers and approach them in humility in the power of the Holy Spirit. Before passing judgment we only have to look at ourselves before we were saved, and remember how we grew during our Christian journey. Think of all the mistakes we made and the misconceptions we had, coupled with our own ignorance and stubbornness. As believers we are all on this journey only at different stages in our lives. Jesus’ First Coming was not to judge the world but to save. We will however be responsible for our actions with His Second Coming. It is only when others see the Fruit of the Spirit in us that we can become productive agents of salvation. This only occurs when we know Him, love Him, and imitate Him.

Q5. (John 12:42-43) When we are quiet about our relationship to God out of fear that people will criticize us, what does this say about our priorities? About whether we are true disciples? When Peter denied knowing Jesus in the High Priest's courtyard, what was the effect in his life? One becoming a true believer it is very difficult to keep quiet about it. We are so fired up and full of enthusiasm for the Lord that we want to tell everybody about our acceptance of Christ as our Lord and Saviour, regardless of the consequences. We saw what the effect of denying Christ had on Peter – he weeps bitterly, profusely, sorrowfully, his heart being filled with genuine regret for what he has done. In the same way it is difficult for us to deny Christ once we fully realize what He has done for us!

Q4. (John 12:37-41) In what way does declaring truth to resistant people harden them further? How can a person (or a Pharisee) see a miracle and become even more determined to resist Jesus? How do you understand this paradox? We learned earlier (vv. 6:37; 6:44) that unbelievers cannot come to Jesus on their own initiative, they need God to begin to work in their life and heart. Also in 1 Corinthians 2:14 we read, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned”. So, without help the unbeliever cannot possibly understand the truth – it remains foolishness to them. Even after our Lord had done so many miracles the people did not believe in Him, proving that this unbelief cannot be because of any lack of evidence. From Isaiah 6:9-10 we learn that God blinded the eyes of the people of Israel and hardened their hearts after their stubborn and wilful rejection of the Messiah. The more people reject the gospel, the harder it becomes for them to receive it. Vance Havner (1901-1986) said it well: “The wise Christian wastes no time trying to explain God's program to unregenerate men; it would be casting pearls before swine. He might as well try to describe a sunset to a blind man or discuss nuclear physics with a monument in the city park. The natural man cannot receive such things. One might as well try to catch sunbeams with a fishhook as to lay hold of God's revelation unassisted by the Holy Spirit. Unless one is born of the Spirit and taught by Him, all this is utterly foreign to him. Being a Ph. D. does not help, for in this realm it could mean ‘Phenomenal Dud!’” We often hear of so called brilliant scientist who are supposed to be so clever yet they are the strongest atheists. But we know that, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

Q3. (John 12:32-33) What does Jesus mean when He talks about being "lifted up." Do you think Jesus means being "lifted up" literally or figuratively or both? "Extra credit": How does this phrase relate to Isaiah 52:13? How does it relate to Philippians 2:8-9? Jesus is speaking about His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. It is to be taken both literally and figuratively. It ties in with Isaiah 52:13 where Jehovah’s Servant was exalted in resurrection, lifted up in ascension and made very high in glory at God’s right hand. Confirmed in Philippians 2:8-9 where Jesus in humble obedience to the Father, died on the cross and was given the highest place and His name honoured above all names.

Q2. (John 12:25-26) In what way is verse 25 the essence of what it means to be a disciple? In this verse, what does it mean to "love" your life? What does it mean to "hate" your life? How did Jesus live this out in the Garden of Gethsemane? To be a disciple means to follow Jesus whatever the dangers or consequences - in total obedience to Him. It reminds me of Psalm 25:4-5: Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long”. And then some of my favourite verses come to mind: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). Acknowledging Him in everything we do. When we love our lives we live for material things – food, clothing and pleasures are the most important things in our lives. We live for these things. By loving our lives, we fail to realize that the soul is more important than the body. We end up neglecting our soul's welfare, and thereby we lose our lives. On the other hand, to hate one's life means to love Christ more than we love our own interests. We hate worldly things and we are more focused on things eternal. To serve Christ, one must follow Him. Not my will, but yours be done!

Q1. (John 12:23-24) How can God's glory be revealed even in death? How does the seed illustrate this? How does Jesus' death illustrate this? How does ‘us dying to our old life’ illustrate this? Our Heavenly Father, in giving up His Son to die on the Cross, exhibits the divine attributes of love, justice, omnipotence, and faithfulness, thereby displaying His glory for all to see. The seed illustrates this when it is planted, it ‘dies’ and then only becomes fruitful. This is the image Jesus used to demonstrate that there can be no glory without death. He was, of course, referring to the conquest of death on the Cross. His victory over death! Jesus’ death was His means of entry into glory. It is only by dying to our old life that we can live unto God. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). We are like the seeds Jesus was speaking about. Our life can never be fulfilled unless we yield ourselves to God and permit Him to ‘plant us’. Jesus willingly died for our sins in obedience to the Father, and this means the end of me as a sinner in God's sight. At the same time I no longer need to earn my salvation by my own efforts. In other words, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The Saviour did not die for me in order that I might go on living my life as I choose. I now live in continual obedience and dependence on Christ, by yielding to Him, by allowing Christ to live His life in me.

Q4. If Jesus is your King, what kind of worship is appropriate? What kind of service? What kind of priorities? What kind of obedience? Are you giving Jesus His due as King? We are to glorify our Lord and Saviour and we do this by worshipping Him. All aspects of our lives are to glorify Him, and we do this with our voices and hearts. He is the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings, and should get our all in everything we do. We read in Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” We need to focus on Jesus Christ in our services – the preaching, prayer, special music, celebration of the Lord’s Supper, and offerings, all should all bring glory to our Saviour, and not on ourselves. The next verse Colossians 3:17 reads: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” He demands absolute obedience. We must continually ask ourselves if this would be to His glory. Would Jesus approve? And then we are to give thanks to God the Father through our Lord Jesus. I know that I need to give thanks much more often than I do. There is an added bonus in that the more we draw closer to Jesus the deeper our fellowship with Him becomes. James tells us, "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8). We are to Give Jesus His due as King. One way is to use our spiritual gifts to His glory. Peter says that our spiritual gifts are to be used in such a way that "in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 4:11).