Jen

Why does Sarai take her anger out on Abram? I think Abram was convenient. She was angry that things weren't working out the way she planned and Abram was there. She knew she had done wrong (My wrong be upon thee) but Abram was wrong in going to Egypt in the first place where he got Hagar. Why does she take her anger out on Hagar? This was the common custom of the day but Sarah was probably not aware of the intensity of the emotions she was feeling about being barren and maybe the disappointment of having to wait. Sometimes when God promises we think its going to happen right away and that everything is going to be rosy and waiting produces some pent up emotions that we are not always aware of. Hagar was probably puffed up with pride and Sarai had to endure this on top of waiting and then realizing she had done wrong. Plus maybe Hagar finally thought things were going her way because she was bearing a child by Abraham and was just plain obnoxious instead of respectful. After all she was taken out of her home land as a maid. I don't know what status was given maids then. Plus I wonder how much Hagar knew of the promise God gave Abram and maybe she thought she was carrying the child of promise and not the child of the flesh and so very prideful. (Just a thought). Is she trying to get rid of the Hagar or the baby? Maybe she's trying to undo a situation that isn't working out her way and this is her way of doing it. It seems she understood it was a mistake ( My wrong be upon thee). Too bad we don't think before we act. In what sense is Hagar's pride Abram's fault? I think in the sense that Abram listened to Sarai he is responsible to that extent. In what sense is Hagar's affliction Abrams fault? Again he listened to bad counsel and I don't think he was behaving like the head of the household but just telling Sarai to do what she wants to Hagar. Matthew Henry says "when passion is on the throne, reason is out of doors, and is neither heard or spoken." What situation in your family does this remind you of? It seems to me that this situation is pretty unique so there is nothing that I would directly equate to it but that we are all sinners and that what we do in private does matter no matter who you are. God Bless! Jen

Why did God go through the covenant ritual with Abraham with the divided carcasses? This showed the seriousness of the covenant with Abraham. It was a promise from God which He Himself was making and which He Himself would keep. The passing through the divided carcasses makes known that God's covenant's with man are made by sacrifice and they are sure. Why does God bind Himself to a solemn promise? Because of who He is and His love for us. How does Abraham respond to God's promises? He believes! What promises has God made to us that affect our futures? God has promised us salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. In Genesis 3:15 He shows His plan. In Genesis 15 : 17 both the smoking furnace and the burning lamp speak of Christ. Throughout the Old Testament Christ is continually revealed. What significance does blood sacrifice have in these promises? The only sacrifice acceptable to God has always been blood sacrifice of His choosing culminating in the sacrifice of His one and only begotten Son our Lord and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. God Bless! Jen Number 6:24-26

Have you ever been fustrated with God for not fulfilling his promise to you immediately? Why does God sometimes delay the fulfillment of his promises to a future time? I don't know if fustrated is the word. Sometimes angry, sometimes full of doubt if their ever was a plan for me. And I want to see! I want to see why He allowed the police to come and take my grandson from me and give him to the drug addicted former boyfriend of my daughter. I looked out of the window of my apartment screaming in pain as I saw that he and his mother were down there waiting and watched them take him. My daughter left Paul with me to go file a police report and when she came back her son was not there. They have money and power but God has more and He wants them to repent and know Jesus. He is not willing that any should perish. He gave the Amorites four hundred years and they still didn't turn from their evil ways. I think He grieved. He grieved for the lost souls and for the little children. I believe He does what is good and I don't always understand. God Bless Jen

What is so amazing about this verse? (Genesis15:6) On what basis does God declare Abraham a righteous person? What significance does this have to our New Testament understanding of justification by righteousness. This is what Christianity is all about. It is here in the beginning and it is all the way through. The just shall be saved by faith. J Vernon McGee says that right here Abram says amen to God. "I believe you. Amen". When Iwent down to visit my family I found a book by Henry Blackaby "Created to be God's Friend" Lessons from the Life of Abraham. He says "God was more interested in Abrams faith than He was in the consequences of his lack of faith!" This ws a few chapters back but I think we see Abrahams faith being shaped. I don't know about anyone else but I am glad God is interested in shaping my faith. Another note on another subject. a good book to read is "A Bruised Reed" by Helen Stephenson Spaulding. I am half way through and plan to finish it today or tomorow if possible. Thank you Helen for stepping out in faith and writing this book about this before now unknown story to me. God Bless! Jen

What does it mean personally to call God your shield? It means God Himself will personally protect me. The Bible says everything passes through Him before it can touch us. Since He has all power and is all kowing it means complete protection (in His sovereign will in my life).. What does it mean to you that He promises to you (as heir to the promises of Abraham) an exceedingly great reward. Knowing Him is the greatest reward. What ever else He chooses is up to Him. Sometimes I think money and security would be nice but He knows how to keep me close and how to make my life count for Him and that is more important. What does it mean to you to call God your sovereign? It means I willl love, honor and obey Him with my life.

What does this story teach us aboutGod's view of adultery? Can God forgive a person who has commmitted adultery? God's view of adultery has always been that it is a serious sin and was punishable by death. In this day and age of grace it seems we take lightly things God deems serious and punishable by death. Of course the atoning work of Christ on the cross is also for the sin of adultery but only if the person repents of the sin and receives Christs atoning work done for each of us. I don't know how a person was forgiven before Jesus came if they were stoned to death. I don't know of any sacrificial lamb that was offered for them before they were stoned but maybe if they were repentant in their heart they were forgiven. Maybe someone else has some thoughts on this. The thing is that there are always consequences to be paid even when we are forgiven our sins and quite often by some innocent husband or wife and children and we often live with those consequences for the rest of our lives. Did not Jesus forgive the adulterous woman but I wonder if the people of her village were so forgiving. I thank God that He is a God of mercy. God Bless! Jen

Why did Pharoah and his household get sick? What effect did this have? What was God seeking to accomplish through this affliction? Did it have the desired effect? They got sick because God caused it since Pharoah took Sarai as one of his wives. In those days it seems there was a period of time for preparation for a woman to become the wife of a ruler. I don't know how long Sarai was in Pharoahs harem but God protects his own plans and is sovereign for which we should all give thanks today. The effect was that Pharoah released Sarai back to Abram who was reproved by Pharoah and then let go. I don't know how Pharoah knew it was because of Sarai but it must have been made obvious. The desired effect was accomplished as God's power was displayed and Sarai was unharmed and returned to Abraham and they were sent on their way probably each one with a lot of reflection on what they had done and God overruled in the lives of Abram and Sarai and He protected his plans and once again his mercy and grace in our lives was exhibited. God Bless! Jen Numbers 6:24-26

What dangers faced Abraham and his family as aliens and sojourners in Egypt and elsewhere? They faced all the dangers of the unknown and unknown people (anything that people can do to one another). They wouldn't know who to trust except God. Who might oppress them? Certainly gangs and those with power who would use that power for evil. What aliens and sojourners live in your community? Me. I am rarely in one place for more than a few years. We have been here almost two and I still in many ways feel like an alien. It is a small community and rather set in its ways. I can't say I have made any friends. I do have acquitances that may become friends if we stay here long enough. However since my husband was told the day after we bought this house that they were going to replace him with a younger man at work it has been very uncerain.. One time I was told on a move "I have friends already". This was from someone I stopped on the street on a compound in Arabia. When I learned that gossip ruled there I understood her reluctance to be a friend to anyone she didn't know very well. I've learned you are no longer greeted with milk and cookies but rather with hostility or indifference. I've experienced shunning when we moved into one state where they had bumper stickers saying Welcome to (name of state) now go home. There was no room for my kids in the school in the district where we bought our house and so the people where I elected to send them (thechoice was made on where I could get busing since I didn't have a car) would have nothing to do with me at any school functions. My daughter in second grade had already been in five schools. Because of the atmosphere I felt no choice but to switch her when room became available in our area 1 1/2 years later. On another move I didn't do what one man in power wanted me to do. I felt it was not what God wanted and never dreaming that anyone would care. I didn't break any law except I defied the local power authority and suffered for years and my kids did also. This is what can happen in America where we have laws Think how Abraham felt in a lawless and Christless culture. I remember the small efforts of kindnesses extended for me by a few in overseas countries. A smile, an effort to say hello in English or a hand on the shoulder. Those things were deeply felt and remembered because they were so far and few in between. I believe Christians have a great opportunity for winning souls to our wonderful Savior by just small acts of kindnesses and also prayer. And even if you don't see results that person will remember that smile or those kind words at a later date when they can maybe see more clearly. God Bless, Jen Galatians 6:9

In what ways was Abraham blessed? How have all the peoples of the earth been blessed? In what way does Abraham continue to bless people through you life? Abraham was blessed to be called by God first and foremost. Abraham was blessed because he obeyed God. It seemed to be a partial obedience in that he took Lot but I am not sure about family (ties) there however Lot became the ancestor of the Moabites and the Ammonites. It's important to give God total obedience because partial obedience can result in unwanted consequences. All peoples of the earth have been blessed with the opportunity for salvation through Jesus. Only those who accept that sacrifice have the fruit of that blessing in their becomings heirs of salvation. We also have the written Word of God through the line of Abraham. As a believer in Christ people are blessed through my life when I show and express my faith in the atoning blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus who is the Christ. Lets remember to pray for each other as this also pleases God our Father! He made the way for us to have this privilege and if it is a privilege for us to vote in this country how much more a privilege to pray. Thank those of you who have prayed for me. I am grateful! God Bless, Jen Number6:24-26

Why does it take special faith to begin to do something in obedience to God before we see how it will turn out? Have you had any of these opportunities? Are you in the midst of an adventure now? Moving out of my comfort zone seems difficult to me but I have always been blessed and grown when I have let God have His way in my life. We don't know how things will turn out but we can trust in God who even if we make mistakes is sovereign and has all under His control. I have moved on the average of once every three years or so and every time I find that it feels like the rug has been pulled out from under me and God is the one I have to cling to. How grateful I am to Him and His faithful guidance when He has asked me to step out in faith. It seems like I am always on an "adventure". "Through many dangers toils and snares I have already come, Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home." God Bless, Jen Numbers 6:24-26

What was the significance of Abraham calling on the name of the Lord? It signified his total faith and trust in the one and only God (Yahweh). What does it mean for you to call on the name of the Lord? It means the same thing. Total faith and trust in the one and only true God who is to be my life and my salvation. Nothing else matters. God Bless, Jen

This as all the other Joyful Heart Bible studies seem to challenge me to study harder in the Word and to give insight as to how to apply these truths to my life. I find they stretch me beyond my comfort zone quite often and I need that. I also like reading the answers that my brothers and sisters in Christ post. There is so much to learn from each other. I can't think of anything that would improve these studies and I appreciate the work and time that Pastor Ralph puts in. Thank you and God Bless you all! Jen Acts 20:24

What does it mean to keep yourself in God's love? What are you doing to strengthen your love relationshipwith God? What more could you do that might help? Matthew Henry says "keep yourselves in the way of God if you would continue in His love" and John MacArthur says "It means to remain in the place of obedence while God works out His will". If we want to be in His love I guess obedience is the way. I keep saying I am going to do more prayer and Bible study and then find the weeds and lawn mower calling but maybe sometimes if that is done to lighten someone elses load that may be in His place of obedience. I try to pray while I do work since I find it hard to sit stilll for five minutes somedays. Since so much seems like it is going wrong (or at least from my perspective) in my life somedays its hard to know or feel if you are in God's way. There is a wonderful prayer from Susanna Wesley that I like, "When I am pevish and morose it is not because of religion but of my want of it. Help me not be discouraged by my own failures, nor spend to much time in thinking of them remembering tht perfection is my Savior's endowment and sincerity is mine. Help me with firm faith to rely on His merits, joined with my sincere endeavor to obey thy whole will. Amen" While writing this it dawned on me that every moment thinking about my failures is taking my eyes off Him and depriving Him of the praise and glory He deserves. So I guess that the answer to the third part is looking to Him with praise and thanksgiving. God Bless each and everyone of you. You are all special. Jen

Why does God make you responsible to build up your own Christian faith? What are you doing on a regular basis to obey this command? What should you begin to do that will help you be built up better? My first reaction was "What? Should I not be responsible for building up my own faith?" It does strengthen us to work at building our faith and I am the first to admit faltering every time another trial comes up. We should be mature in Christ and it takes work to be mature. That's just the way it is. Otherwise we are teenagers wanting all the privileges of adulthood without the responsibility. And its not as if we do not have the Holy Spirit to guide and help us. I read the Word on a regular basis and am trying to improve my prayer life. I would realy like that area to be more of the communication of a confidant Christian instead of the faltering doubter with the Father. I am also finding that hymns build up my faith when it falters. God Bless!! Jen

Which of these three privileges (called, loved, kept) catches your attention more than others? Why is it so special to you? How does it encouage your faith? Alll three are needed at different seasons. We need to be called, we need to know how much the Father loves us and we need to be kept because we are human and fall short. Right now being kept is the one that catches my attention. The longer I am a Christian and the more I see my own shortcomings and failures the more I realize my need to be kept. If it were not for God's strong hand on me I should ever surely fall. It is special because it is His strength I depend on and not my own. I am learning more and more that I have no strength apart from Him but in Him I can do all things. God Bless!! Jen

This teaches that God is long suffering and not willing that any should perish. It teaches of His total grace and mercy on the human race and His great love for us. It teaches that He has a timetable according to what He knew about creation before creation and that He is in control and sovereign over all. God Bless!! Jen I believe He knew our prayers before He were formed us in the womb (isn't that a case for life) and has already been at work on them before they were uttered. Does prayer matter? Yes!!!!!

Why is it important for us to understand what it means to perish? So we willl properly understand what the consequences of our action or inaction will be for those who do not know the gospel. And so that we can properly be thankful to God with a grateful heart for what He has saved us from (and wants to save others from). We are nothing special. God's love is the same for all. And yet we are each special in God's eyes. Why are these truths underemphasized in our day. One reason I think is that we have dropped the ball. And people natuarly only want to hear what makes them feel good. It may not be good and it may not be true but the natural inclination of people is to take the easy way and leave the toil to others. I believe in prayer but I also think God gives us so many opportunitiies that we don't take that He desires for us to . What effect does that have in us? Well it makes me both very disappointed in myself. How can we get an understanding of judgement in our churches and teaching? The church sadly lacks the teaching of judgement. One time in Taiwan I stopped to let a Chinese funeral go by and it was a Buddhist ceremony. I mentioned to the American lady next to me something about afraid this person didn't know the Lord and that he had entered into a Christless eternity and eternal judgement and she looked at me with surprise and said what religion areyou. I told her I was a Christian and this is what the Bible teaches and I believe it's true. Its like she never heard of this. Where are we as a Christian nation? A couple of churches I have gone to have had an understanding of judgement but many churches are just country clubs and social occasions. I think we need to be sure that we go to one that teaches this truth and then pray and ask God to let us be a witness to others and also to pray for the church and ask God to raise up men who will preach this fundamental truth. God Bless, Jen

Why are reminders so important for Christians? Reminders keep us focused on the Lord and how and why we are here. Without reminders I would ever surely stray. There is so much to cause us to stray and take our minds of Jesus which is amazing because who or what could be more aweome than God and His power (especially to seek and save the lost). How do you remind yourself of God's promises. Its seems like lately there has been a flood of things that bring me to my knees in search of God and His power and direction. I also find I need to discipline myself by reading the Word more and more and things like this Bible study on my email remind me of God's promises. I need to pray more and read more. I don't feel once a day is enough. I need to pray about everything. How do you remind others? Sometimes with great trepidation because of the reaction I fear coming but just by talking and the way I live my life or try to. Sometimes I feel I have so much more to learn but then I can look back and see how far I've come and the things God has brought me through which is a comfort. Psalm 119:50 God Bless! Jen

In what way can flagrant defiant sin enslave a person? Is there anyway out of these sins? If so what is the path? How can we truly love the sinner and hate the sin?How can we steer clear of a quick judgemental attitude towards those who sin. We have a sin nature by nature that is defiant towards God. A good example of that would be pharoah in the OT. No matter what God did he got more defiant. That's us! The great news is that there is a way out through the atoning blood of Jesus. That doesn't mean consequences will be erased but it does mean we need no longer be enslaved to sin. I like what J. Vernon Mcgee had to say about these false teachers: "while they promise liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption. Some habit has these false teachers enslaved and yet they are promising libery to others!" I have to admit it can be hard to separate the two the sinner and the sin but if we truly love the Lord we are going to love the sinner while hating the sin because Jesus loved us while we were yet sinners. I wonder how He stuck it out down here with us for 33 years coming from the glories and goodness of heaven. We can stay clear of a judgemental attitude by reminding ourselves of the pigsty God found us in. God is so good. There are a bunch of wild turkies walking around in my back yard. Now I know that has nothing to do with this lesson but I never get over the wonder of His creation. God Bless! Jen

In what way does sexual sin deny christ? If Paul is right in 1 Cor. 6: 9-11 that persistant sexual sin is incompatible with salvation why have we Christians become so complacent about it in our culture? Sexual sin is the one sin we do against ourselves. If our bodies are truly the temple of the Holy Spirit then how can we be persistantly involved in sexual sin? This is spelled out in 1 Cor. 6:18-20. I think we need to emphasize persistantly here. For all of us sin is a daily battle as long as we are on this earth so no self righteousness here that I would never do that. If we fall away from the Word and prayer we can do that. It is the deceiving nature of our own minds and the flesh. We are so used to seeing and hearing that we have become complacent about it in our culture. We need to take care of ourselves and nourish our bodies with the Word of God every day and constantly ask if what we are doing would bring glory to God so we will not be tempted. We need to pray deliver us from temptation. This may not be the best analogy but I got stung by a yellow jacket and I ignored it instead of taking care of it right away by icing and now my foot is beginning to resemble a football and it is visible to everyone. We need daily feeding of the Word and communion with God. God Bless you all and may He keep you from temptation and may your lives shine as lights of purity in the darkness that surrounds us and as CCS said lets come out of our holy huddles because it is only Jesus in us that is righteous. Jen

Why must we contend for the faith? What is the danger in not challenging the doctrine of false teachers? What is the danger inherent in challenging them? How can we keep the balance? I looked up contend in the dictionary and it said to struggle or compete. There are so many things competing for our time and energy and money. The devil wants to have all of us steeped in false doctrine so we will not be a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. If we don't contend for the faith others will think it doesn't matter. We will lose. We will no longer be the salt of the world and will be good for nothing. If we don't contend for the faith there will be no faith for our children and grandchildren. We are here because those who have gone before us contended for the Faith . The Faith has been entrusted to us for safe keeping. One of the dangers inherent in challenging them will be persecution and conflict. The Bible says we are to watch stand fast in the faith , be brave be stong. Let all that you do be done in love. We need to remember that our goal is to see God glorified and souls won for the Lamb. God Bless! Jen

How can a person be speaking and God be speaking too? Matthew Henry says "the prophets of the Lord did not speak nor do anything of their own mind. The prophets of the Scriptures spoke and wrote what was the mind of God". That's how we can both be speaking. How does the image of a ship being moved by the wind help you understand this? On a ship, sails are hoisted to be moved by the wind. This speaks of trust and hope that there will be wind and recognizing that the wind is the power that moves the ship. If you believe in God you set your sails, so to speak, to hear His Word through scripture and prayer. Why do I read the Bible and pray? Because I expect Him to speak to me and I recognize that He is the moving force in my life. Without Him I would drift aimlessly on the sea of life and miss the entrance to the harbor. There was more than one prophet. All their voices were important and so are all of ours. My son is lost. Maybe it will be one of your voices that God uses to find him and lead him home. Lets pray for each other with all fervencyand love in the Spirit. God Bless! Jen

In what ways do the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament act as a light in a dark place. This world is a dark place and the Scriptures are the voice of God giving us the truth and a road map. He is the truth and cannot lie and he loves us and desires the best for us. He taught us about Jesus and the way to salvation through the blood of Christ throughout scripture. He is the light of the world and in Him there is no darkness. What does the darkness represent? To me the darkness represents life without Christ. Its dark and scary. It represents the darkness of my own heart also without the atoning blood of Jesus. What does the light represent. The light represents the Word of God by which we come into a saving knowlege of Jesus and go from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light which is the kingdom of God and the Truth. God Bless! Jen

We seem to be a culture that prefers talking about staying healthy, and the appetites of the flesh. Everytime I go by a cemetary I realize that that is where I am heading along with everyone else. Peter talked about his death and John spoke of it as by what means he (Peter) should glorify God. (John21:18-19). We are not to be of this culture but preparing for our departure which is certain and we know not when. We should be living each day as if it were our last but also as if it were not our last. We should be concerned with the manner of our death and that God is glorified in it. I haven't done this on a faithful basis. I want to skirt around the issue because even as a Christian and looking forward to being with my Lord I am still afraid of the unknown and the way by which I will be taken. I also know I will stand before my Lord and give an account and that is a scary thing. Describing my body as a tent is freeing in that I am not here permanent and will one day be free of the troubles of this world. It is motivating in that I want my life while I am here to mean something for Christ. I don't know how many days or even hours I have left. When Peter refered to his death as a departure or exodus I found that interesting because I looked up exodus and part of the definition was an emigration. I looked up emigrate and it said to leave one's country and settle in another country or region. I think leaving this earth is the fastest emigration anyone can go through. In the twinking of an eye both for believers and unbelievers. Let's pray for each other and lets talk about our deaths so people can see the hope and confidence we have or should have and want to build up. I know I can use prayer right now and I'm sure some of you can too who are going through dark days. God Bless!! Jen

Personally I have found both agape love and brotherly kindness difficult. Its in my nature to feels the hurts and rejections from some of my family in Christ but I do pray about it when I am aware of it when I have identified it and if possible try to make it right. I think the more mature we are in Christ the more we can show brotherly kindness. I have many times been in places where there are no churches and that's why a disciplined devotional life is so important to keep growing and maturing. I also think it is important to be in a church where brotherly kindness is practised by the members. Not all will but certainly some should. As always these questions make me reflect on areas where I need more work in my own life. God Bless! Lets continue praying for each person on this Bible study. I love reading each others answers and learn so much from everyone of you! Grow in grace so we don't groan in disgrace. Jen