Joe Strait

My sister is currently dying with cancer. She is 58 years old. She is not expected to live much more than a couple of days. At the start of this study the doctor had pronounced her cancer free. Now the cancer is completely through her entire body. God has been good to me throughout this ordeal. I have seen the Church at her best. A couple of years ago I moved 140 miles away from where I was living in Michigan to another part of Michigan for a job. (I know now that it was God that moved me as I am now closer to my sister and the rest of my family). When my pastor from my old church heard about my sister he and his wife came to visit her in the hospital and to provide comfort and support for our family! He also checks on us periodically to make sure we are doing OK. Also another pastor from a completely different denomonation has been up to visit her just about every week she has been in the hospital. He has traveled from about 30 miles away. This is an important part of the church in action. Many family members that are not saved have expressed a renewed interest in spiritual matters as a result of what they have witnessed. No telling how much seed is being sown through these couple of acts of love for the brethren. Praise God for all His blessings!! And thank you pastor Ralph for providing this study. My only regret is that because of the circumstances I have not been able to keep up with my postings. Perhaps next time, Lord willing.

In what ways should your congregation be "a dwelling place for God in the Spirit"? As a place for God to reveal His glory, presence, and power. As a place for all to find God. According to verse 22, how do the members of the congregation help bring this about? By being in tune with God. By living lives that are pleasing to Him and by doing His will for thier lives and His church. What shape should this take in your own life? It should become a part of every aspect of your life. 1 Cor 10:31, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." In the life of your own congregation All should be done to the glory of God.

How do "the apostles and prophets" contribute to your life today? They have already laid the foundation for our beliefs and have pointed us towards the one pattern, Jesus Christ, upon which we can build. To the life of your congregation? Through their writings they provide the congregation with examples on how we are suppose to worship, witness, and spread the Gospel message. In what way should Jesus Christ serve as a cornerstone to your congregation? He is the one that the apostles and prophets built their foundations upon and is the one who we are to build our foundations upon. In what sense does a congregation "grow" (KJV, NRSV) or "rise" (NIV) into a holy temple in the Lord? When we are

If we are fellow-citizens with the Jewish believers, what are we citizens of? We are fellow-citizens of the household of God. In what sense are we "holy" or "saints"? In the sense that we are now God

What does the phrase "members of God's household" tell us about the nature of the Church and about the nature of God? We are like a family; God

If we are fellow-citizens with the Jewish believers, what are we citizens of? We are fellow-citizens of the household of God. In what sense are we "holy" or "saints"? In the sense that we are now God

Why is "access to the Father" important? Access to the Father provides us with the privilege of dealing directly with God the Father without having to go through any lesser beings. In what way is access to the Father similar having diplomatic relations? Before we were considered

Where does God's power work according to verse 20? Within us. We are the ones that control the direction the church takes. It is only as we become empowered through our obedience to Christ and His plan for His church that we can make the proper decisions on the direction the church should take. How much power is at work there quantitatively? Power beyond what we can imagine. And I have been told that I have quite an imagination! Why isn't it more evident? Our lack of faith which shows up in our lack of action. We do not believe the promises and therefore refuse to act upon them or even desire them the way we should. How does exercising Christ's power on earth bring glory to God? By fullfilling God's plan the way He intended it to be. By showing others the power of Christ and His church. By helping others to accept what God has for them. People want to know that there is enough power here to see them through the tough times before they will fully commit thier lives to God. I have heard many arguements that wind up blaming God for some lack within thier lives when the truth was that they never excercised the necessary faith required to see the results they wanted. Or the results they wanted came from a selfish motive instead of an unselfish one. Again here they are not following the plan Christ intended for His church.

What does it mean for us Christians that Christ is "head over everything for the church"? That He is to be the final authority in how the church is to be run. What does this say about the Church's power? That as the church operates the way Christ intended it too it's power will increase. If the church were to operate exactly as Christ wanted it too then it's power would be unlimited. I believe that many times Jesus has to pull back on the bit and briddle the church because it has gotten off track from the purpose Christ intended it to have.

What does it mean for us Christians that Christ is "head over everything for the church"? It means that as we operate within the church we are operating as an extension of Christ. This is why when a church begins to drift away from what Jesus wants it to be they begin to loose thier spiritual power and become dead for all practical purposes. I have seen a few church's like that. It grieves me when I come across one. I preached at one church that was so dead that I called for the "paw bearers" instead of the ushers to take up the offering. (I noticed several people chuckling in the congregation. I then thought about what I had said and realized what they were chuckling about. Talk about being embarassed.) What does this say about the Church's power? The power of the church will only be as great as the spiritual health of it's members. The church I mentioned above is closed today. They dropped down to less then 3 members and the denomination had to step in and take it over. (Cannot have a church with less then 3 members.) After a few more years of working and praying it was decided to close the church and sell the property.

From the standpoint of power, what is the significance of Paul's statement that "God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus...."? The significance is that we have the power of Christ at our side at all times. Yet many of us still do not take advantage of this opportunity and when trials or persecution comes we run away and sulk when all the time we could have asked Christ to help us with His power and authority. Many times in the past I have asked Christ to help me when I was undergoing a tough trial. He has always come through for me. It was not always as I expected but it was always the best for me. I think there are many out there that want Christ to answer in a way they think is best for them and when He doesn't they become discouraged and begin finding fault or placing blame. Remember, God's ways are not man's ways. Isaiah 55:8. Personally I like having all this power beside me at all times. I also like it that Christ is in control of this power and I know He will do whatever is best for me. I may not always understand it but I can trust it is true for I know that He loves and cares about me. Joe

The Ephesian Gentile Christians believed in various spirit beings that exercised power over them. What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? It was like telling them that Christ was above all other spirit beings and equal with God. In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"? Thier power is not as great as the power God gave to His Son Jesus Christ. Therefore they are subject to His power. He can set them up or put them down as He sees fit. He has full authority over them.

Why does Paul pray that God would open the Ephesians' eyes to discern "his incomparably great power"? That they may know what is the hope of his calling, the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards we who believe. What is wrong with their eyes? They must not have fully comprehended this power. Where does this power operate according to 1:19? God's power is toward us and actively works within believers. Which miraculous event does Paul use as an example of this level and type of power? The resurection of Christ from the dead.

Hello all, My name is Joe and I live in Michigan. I am excited about this lesson and ready to start. I only hope that I can put forth the time needed to get all the Lord has for me in these lessons. Thank you pastor Ralph for your time and for making this kind of a study available.