Jen

If your praise is primarily for God's benefit, not your own, how should you be offering praise? I like what J. Vernon McGee had to say about this because like the other person who answered I have questions about praise" by not manifesting the works of the flesh ( malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies and slander) We publish His praises by displaying our attitudes which have been shaped by the Word of God." Hopefully we are in the Word of God so we can be shaped by it. God Bless, Jen Father, Please shape my attitudes so I can display your praises.

Christians often look to God as consumers, delighting in what god does for them. What is the mindset of a priest towards God? Wht actions does this mindset inspire in you? The mindset of a priest towards God is to offer up spiritual sacrifices. In the Old Testament days before Jesus it was the blood of an animal and it was costly. You brought the animal to the priest and watched as it was killed and it died. It should have been a heartwretching thing knowing that an innocent animal was dying for your sins and it should have brought about a grateful attitude that God made a way to be acceptable in His sight. For many it was like this and for others it was just a ritual without much meaning. Today we offer up spiritual sacrifices because the blood of Jesus atoned for all of our sins. We do this through praise. "We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord". This may seem easy when things are going well but when they are not it is a sacrifice which we willingly (should) give to our Lord who gave so much to us. It should be automatic. Quite often I find in me it is not what I want it to be. Today it is the same as the OT days. There are those who are understanding of the greatest sacrifice ever made and who receive it with grateful humble hearts and there are those who just take it for granted or at least don't give it much thought. I'm afraid all to often that applies to me also. The longer I know the Lord and try to walk with Him the more I realise the ways I fail and need to do bettter, to be pleasing in His Sight. God Bless, Jen

Why are people in our culture so upset when they sense they ae being judged by someone else? Could it be pride? Doesn't it say in Timothy in last days people will be lovers of selves, ungrateful, unholy, boastful, lovers of money, disobedient to parents and so on. And I have to say I know how I feel when I feel I am being judged by people sometimes. I can feel that pride rising up in me and then I have to remind myself who I am. A sinner saved by grace. I have been redeemed ONLY through the precious blood of Christ. How do you reconcile final judgement with God's love for this world. I have no problems reconciling the two. I would have a problem if there were no final judgement because why else would He have given up His kingly throne and cometh to earth for me. A dusty weary traveler with no place to lay His head to suffer a violent cruel death. Sin is terrible and anyone who has felt the effects of it. the devestation and despair, the suicide, lonliness, depression, illnesses has to know if there is a just and loving God there has to be a final judgement. Why must final judgement be at the core of the Good News of Jesus Christ? It is to spare us the final judgement that Jesus came. If no final judgement then why did He leave the comfort of perfect fellowship in the Trinity. What happens to the gospel when final judgement is left out or ignored. It kind of becomes like milk toast. Just some wishywashy fairy like tale of a good man who died for some vague misconception on His part that we are in anyway going to be held accountable for anything we do. We have been awakened by the truth now lets live like we believe it. Put on the whole armor of God as we march off to war. May god Bless and protect each of you. Number6:24-26 Jen

In your own words how would you describe holiness? Holiness is living free from sin. It is being spiritually healthy and happy in Jesus. In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? I am holy now (as God sees me) because He sees the finished product. In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy. I must be obedient to do the things that will help me to grow and mature spiritually and that comes by READING THE WORD. And we need to pray for God to open our eyes and mind to receive His Word in truth. What is your biggest struggle with holiness. I think my biggest struggle with holiness has been in seriously studying the Word and meditating on it. I tend to become easily distracted. My mind wanders onto other things that God can handle. I need to be more diligent in forgetting distractions and cares and focusing soley on Him. I am no longer raising little children who need constant attention and care. It is other pressures and things that I allow to be put on me that keep me from attaining the goal I seek. Matthew Henry puts it this way. "the consideration of the holiness of God should oblige us to the highest degree of holiness we can attain to." We all need to be in prayer for each other. I get so much out of what everyone on this Bible study has to say. So lets encourage each other to grow and become the men and women God wants us to be. God Bless, Jen

What about Christ's coming should get our undivided attention? Why should it inspire hope? Why should it inspire self control and soberness? What happens in our lives when we really don't expect Christ to some soon? We are going to stand before Him and give an answer for how we have lived. Do we want to be ashamed? No but we should be focused on Him and what He asks of us so that His name can be glorified in us. We are going to be with Him forever in glory. That should inspire hope especailly in those who are suffering. No more struggling with our own sin or the sin of this world. But we will be with Him forever. Wow!! We should have our priorities straight and do the things that are important and will count for eternity because His coming WILL BE A SOBERING EXPERIENCE. We know He is coming. We should be prepared. When we don't expect Christ to come soon we can tend to slip into the wordly system and forget our precious Lord and why we are here-to learn to love Him and to love each other. We can tend to get selfish since that is our natural nature. We can put off reading His word and caring about souls. Since there doesn't seem to be a bottom to the depth of depravity in people we need to be vigilant lest we also should fall. God Bless Jen

Does anyone know how Jesus4Al is? God Bless Jen

Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith? Yes, many! What did God accomplish in your life? I'm still learning to fully rely on God to bring me through and to trust His Wisdom. Growth is what was accomplished but apparently there is a lot more needed. How exactly does genuine tested faith bring glory to Jesus. When we trust in Him in trials others can see a testimony for Him and His power. An unshakable faith in Him glorifies Him. I like Psalm 71 You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increse my greatness, and comfort me on every side. Our love for one another glorifies Him. Being there for each other. They will know we are Christians by our love. I love all of you andI prayed for everyone in this Bible study last night. May God Bless everyone of you!! Jen

What is God's part in securing your salvation? Basically everything. We ae totally and completely dependant on Him, His power, His all knowing His being everywhere, His being sovereign over the universe and everything in it.. Nehemiah 9:6 says You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And YOU preserve them all The host of heaven worships you. What is my part? Faith and even that I am dependant on Him for. What a mighty God He is!! God Bless Jen

Why do forgiveness and obedience come together as a package? Why is it deceptive to think you can have one without the other? I don't know why they come together but for me they just seem to. Or at least the desire to. I think of Pauls words in Romans "For that which I would do I don't and that which I wouldn't do I do". I don't always do what I desire but the desire is there. I read once you obey the one you love. It's automatic. If true faith requires obedience, how can we say we are saved by grace than works? I have written here obedience is the result of faith. For some this seems so simple but for me the concept is hard to comprehend. Or at least to put into words. I know some people who profess Christ but are not obeying (right now). Are they truly saved? Maybe the desire is there but the ability to perform is not because of stifling the Spirit, lack of prayer, lack of Bible reading whatever. Ignorance of the law is no excuse but I have many questions about this area. I just know for me the desire to obey is there. Its automatic but not always automatically done. Maybe fear or taking something lightly and think it doesn't matter. If God says IT MATTERS. The only way we are saved is by GRACE. We cannot earn salvation. Throughout the old testament it was always the shedding of blood but only temporary and had to be repeated until God's Son came to be the perfect sacrifice. Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus. So I think true faith does require obedience but the ability to perform is different in different people. What the other person said" those who are forgiven much love much" and they probably obey much also. I have learned when we don't obey we loose blessings and that hurts. That's one way I know the desire is there by the hurt I feel when I don't obey. God Bless Jen

I think worldly or carnal people are walking in ignorance of the truth of the gospel and the hope that lies before them. It is very easy to get caught up in the affairs of the world and put off our Lord today. Sad to say I certainly find myself struggling with it. Everytime I buy something I have guilt feelings. Maybe as long as we don't overdue there is nothing wrong in having some "things" but they should not become more than our Lord. He is first and last, the Alpha and Omega. He is God and He is holy. How we can even look at things with desire is byond me when we are supposed to "know Him" and yet I find myself struggling with this issue. I think I need to know Him better. Keeping your mind on the Word and and surrendering all to Jesus every day is needed. I also find suffering takes my mnd off material goods and puts it back where it belongs. On Him. "For what good does it do me if I gain the whole world and lose my own soul". How about our loved ones? Our mine seeing in me a desire for Jesus because He far surpasses anything in this world or are they seeing a desire for worldly things. They need to see us focus on and really love our Lord. God Bless, Jen

I am convinced it is very possible He will come in my lifetime. I'm not acting like it many days. I would be devoting more time to the eternal and His Word and in time of fellowship with Him and and thinking more of how others see me. Are they envious of the life I have in Him? Do they see in me the peace and joy that come from Him? How can they if I am not spending time with HIm? God Bless Jen

Before I was saved I lived like 1 Corinthians 6:9. Whether actually commited or not these things were in me. There is no right living except by the grace of God. To me the desire for holy living and the ability to perform are the result of salvation and the power of the Holy Sprit to lead guide and convict. Even though I had the desire before I was saved I had not the power to perform. Now I can confess and be cleansed by Him whereas before I could not cleanse myself. Holy living glorifies God. I still have a long way to go but He has promised to complete the good work He started in me. God Bless Jen

My pastor was saying once in church how excited he was when he got married. His wife was finallly going to be his. In thinking of this question this is what comes to my mind that Jesus has prepared a paradise for His bride and He is excited to receive her unto Himself and we shall forever be with Him in perfect harmony and joy. God Bless Jen

The water of life represents the life that will flow from God to the inhabitants of heaven for all of eternity. It is free for us through the shed blood of the Lamb to receive it if we will. He paid the price since there is a price to pay. The invitation is for all and we should live lives tht would make others desire the gift of life that we have, however God would lead us. God Bless Jen

In heaven we will live in God's glorious presence. Looking forward to heaven is a sign of salvation. We will live in fellowship with Him. We will know God, we will see Him as He is 1 John 3:2, we will worship Him in perfected worship, we will serve Him and He, Jesus will serve us Luke 12:35-40. To me it is inconceivable that I will be there. As long as we are on this earth we will have tears and pain and sorrow. It is only in heaven that those things will be absent because there will be no more sin and the suffering it causes. I guess I am looking forward to feeling God wipe away the tears from my eyes. Lately I am finding I am getting all caught up in things here and not focusing on where I am heading. I am grateful for this study because its getting my mind off here and on to there where we shall see him face to face. I read something on Revelation 19 about things to praise God for. One of the least expected is for His destruction of the wicked. There are many scriptures referring to this and while it doesn't make me happy yet we should praise God for it. John MacArthur wrote a very insightful piece on this in His commentary on Revelation. I just thought I would add this in because I just read it and I have been feeling so sorry for those condemned I didn't think about giving God the praise He deserves as I so often don't. God Bless Jen

God's Word says if we believe on the name of the Son of God we shall be saved. I have done that and He is Lord of my life. I placed my trust in Him and my life was changed transformed from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. When the roll is called up yonder I will be there! I love you all!! God Bless Jen

It is frightening because it is true. It is the Word of God and it will happen. I'm struggling with this because there are unbelievers in my family. Its the reason I pray for people who have hurt me. How could anyone want this kind of punishment for anyone. Its the reason I decided I could not support the death penalty because we are sending some people into a Christless eternity. Maybe they choose it but I cannot bear it. There is no joy in me reading this and thinking about my own selfishness and pettiness. I keep thinking of Pauls verse "That which I would do I don't and that which I wouldn't do I do. Oh wretched man that I am who can deliver me from this body of death." And thats just what I am a wretched person. I have Christ. Am I so selfish tht I don't care that others don't. But I do care but the flesh is weak. Why do people reject the idea of a final judgement? Is it the Santa Clause mentality that we have about God? Is it because the idea of final judgement and a God of love don't jive in our minds? Or is it just a blindness like scales over our eyes. I don't know the answer but some people are in for a terrible terrible beyond description reality when they die. Here is John Phillips description of it (Exploring Revelation) "There is a terrible fellowship there....The dead, small and great, stand before God. Dead souls are united to dead bodies in a fellowship of horror and despair. Little men and paltry women whose lives were filled with pettiness, selfishness, and nasty little sins will be there. Those whose lives amounted to nothing will be there, whose very sins were drab and dowdy, mean, spiteful, peevish, groveling, vulgar, common, and cheap. The great will be there,men who sinned with a high hand, with dash, and courage and flair. Men like Alexander and Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin will be present, men who went in for wickednesss on a grand scale with the world for their stage and who died unrepentant at last. Now one and all are arraigned and on their way to be damned: a horrible fellowship congregated together for the first and last time." Some of it sounds to much like me. God Bless you all. Jen

King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is above all and all will bow to Him. We bow to Him now but I wonder if I have really given Him all His title deserves. I know I haven't. He is Holy God and yet He condescends down to us. John Mac Arthur says because He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings all the forces of hell cannot defeat the Lamb. That is very reassuring because all the forces of hell are against us. It also means we can have victory everyday and in every situation in Him. I remember in Iran the shah called himself king of kings. Well he died ( I pray in Christ!) and the Lamb of God is alive. May you all have a blessed day. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen. Jude:24,25 God Bless!!! Jen

We come to Him because He purchased us at great price. One day I was glancing through a book called What Jesus saw from the Cross. There was in it a graphic description of crucifixion and what it does to the body and it works in such a way that the person cannot faint. I almost fainted right there in the store. Thats the physical part of how we were purchased. There is a lot to be grateful for, God wants us to be, and I don't thinkI feel it or express it enough. Worthy ? Only because He created us as and doesn't want us to perish but gave Himself for us. Up to this point we are engaged to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). The wonderful thing in the words of J Vernon McGee "is that we are going to know Christ-really know Him- for the first time". What an event to look forward to. Somehow I don't think I am looking forward to it as I should because I feel I could do better. I keep feeling that I am failing Him. One thing I have written in my notes is in an oriental marriage the importance of the groom far outweighs the bride. So its what He is and has done and is doing that counts. . I pray that we keep our hands and hearts clean for our Lord, the Lamb we fell in love with. May we all rekindle any of the fire that has left us for whatever reason. God Bless Jen

We are born into this world so we have no choice. As the other person said (don't remember who) we weren't put on another planet. but I know that since I have known the Lord my desires are different and I don't desire the things I used to and I don't "fit" in.. When I think about the prophets many of them seemed like hermits. I think its sometimes a price we pay for being christian so I don't know that that is wrong but they were salt and spoke Gods truth and that is what we should do and our lives public and private also should because God sees what we do and because we should want to do whats right and love the truth. Paul says in Philippians "only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ" Its easy to spout off words but it requires work ( however it furthers our process of sanctification). I pray tht you will all lives lives that are worthy of the gospel of Christ and me too. I just know I have a long way to go. Sometimes I have wondered if God has given up on me but He says He will complete the good work He started in me. God Bless Number6:24-26 Jen

Appropriate christian music will focus on the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Music is powerful force and before I knew the Lord I related to other music of the 60"s but since I have known Him my soul wants hymns and praise music. Its what I relate too. Christian music should lift Him up and glorify Hiim and who He is. I don't believe all contemporary christian music does but I have my favorites. Some you have already named but I also like Come Now is The Time To Worship and Lamb of God. I also like I've Just Seen Jesus and I think when we get there we will feel like Mary when she had seen Jesus. Another of my favorites is Mercy by Ray Boltz and Awesome God by Rich Mullens. I was listening to Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry talking about their experience in prison in Afganistan and how they sang hymns and praise music and then started making up their own. What a testimony that must have been. I'm glad I have been open to contemporary music. I know some people who aren't. More than open I love some of it. It has really enriched my days as I filled my mind with praise music during some of the difficult times. God Bless You All Jen

I think there are things here I don't understand but must just trust that God knows what He is doing. One of the hardest things for me to except is the finality. No second chances. There is no end to the eternal judgement. I don't really comprehend that because we know an end to pain here on earth so it is hard to comprehend no end to such terrible suffering. No chance to call out and say I'm sorry. I do not want to be responsible for that. I heard one of my kids say I don't like the whole set up. I don't know that I do either but that is the way it is and God knows best. I think I will spend more time on my knees today. I read and I don't remember who said it but that the human heart is so hard that after a million years in hell men will will not repent. God knows us and He knows what He is doing. We need to trust and obey. We need to pray. I pray that God helps us and our unsaved family members and for each other. God Bless you all Jen

I believe these 144,000 kept themselves pure probably in the midst of great pressure and temptation and they were found right with God. This is talking about physical and spiritual adultery. There hearts will be devoted to their one true love, The Lord Jesus Christ. You can see today the pressure and additudes among people and we are not just talking college or high school but seniors who are in adulterous situations and I think it will be so bad in those days. Let not any of us think we are above temptation because I think it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit and the strong hand of God that we do not fall as many will. Once again "we fall down and get up we fall down and get up we fall down and get up and the saints are just the sinners who fall down and get up". We need to pray for each other and our kids and those we see in the school yards and the school buses. Thank god for His mercy or I wouldn't be here. God Bless Jen

Their power is given them by Satan to deceive. Satan wants to destroy as many as he can. They have deluding influence sent by God to punish those who do not love truth. They will be punished for all eternity. We need to pray. There are no second chances. God Bless Jen

Revelations12:11 means to me the faithful followers of the Lamb are victorious because of the blood of the Lamb which was victorious at the cross over Satan and by living lives that were faithful to His Word which is the truth and they loved God more than their own lives. It is Satan who is overcome. If we die in the process of being faithful to the Lamb we are immediately with Him forever protected. Our strength lies with having the Lord Jesus as the captain of our salvation. The blood is the scource of that strength (it was shed for us). If our affections are with this world they are not with the other nature, which prevents spiritual victory. I pray for our church (us) that we would be faithful for our Lord andwhen we fall down we would get up and when we fall down we would get up etc. Everyday we are in this battle and it never gets any bettter while we are on this earth. The world needs its remnant and that's us. God Bless Jen