FAITH DEFINED

WOW at First Baptist of Paducah

Study materials for Sunday, November 9, 2014

Janice on river boat

"Faith Defined": Session 10: Hebrews 11:1-7
Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide: page 101; Section 10
Shepherd's Notes: Hebrews 10 pages 61-67 and Hebrews 11 pages 68-75

Memory Verse: Hebrews 11:6
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exits and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Key Doctrine:
"Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Savior."

Please bring your handout of study questions for Hebrews 8,9,10. We will start our class with a brief review of Hebrews 8 and 9.  Then we will look at an outline of Hebrews 10 and some key verses. In Hebrews 10:26-39 the writer states the fourth warning of five.

Fourth warning: In Shepherd's Notes on page 65 he lists the several acts of disobedience for believers to avoid:
1. They must be vigilant to avoid deliberate sin (10:26)
2. They must also be careful not to spurn the Son of God (10:29)
3. They must not profane the blood of the covenant (10:29)
4. They must not throw away their confidence (10:35) or shrink back from our commitment (10:39)

Also in Hebrews 10:22-29 the writer lists exhortations to the believers.
Each of these begin with the phrase "Let us".  There are thirteen of these statements in the book of Hebrews as we have noted and listed them on a note page in the back of Shepherd's Notes. Please add these next three to your list:
1. 10:22:      Let us draw near in faith           (toward God)
2. 10:22-23: Let us draw near in hope           (for ourselves)
3. 10:24:       Let us draw near in love            (for others)

In the end of Hebrews 10, the writer leads the readers into Hebrews 11 where he will give a description of Faith and examples of Old Testament heroes of faith. In Hebrews 11:1-2 are the following key words:
Faith

 One of God's special creations

      Substance
                      Hope
                              Evidence.
In our class session we will explore the meaning of each of these words.

The word faith occurs over 200 times in the New Testament and 24 times in Hebrews 11. Please refer back to our memory verse that is listed at the top of this post. As you study your lesson material this week, think about, how am I living out my Faith in my daily walk in the time that I have on earth?
This is our preparation time before we enter into His Kingdom. After a believer is Justified, born again, he enters a process of sanctification and continues through out his life time to move toward his inheritance.

 "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that my means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Heb. 9:15.

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son;" Col. 1:12-13

Please plan to be in our class on Sunday. Do not miss out on the study of God's word. The study of Hebrews is a rich study and gives us direction in our "Faith Choices" as we face secularism, our selfish desires, our immoral thoughts, and the attacks of the devil. God has given us authority and power to defeat these enemies. Will you be apart of His Kingdom and rule and reign with Him? Your life now will determine what your inheritance will be in His future Kingdom.  Come and study with us and learn more about how to receive your inheritance.
See you Sunday! !

DON'T WALK AWAY

WOW Class at First Baptist Church in Paducah

Lesson Material for October 12, 2014
Session 6. pages 61-70 in Personal Study Guide
Shepherd's Notes: pages 42 -46
Scripture: Hebrews 6:1-8

Memory Verse:  "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you helped his people and continue to help them." Hebrews 6:10

Key Doctrine: "All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ...will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end."

Dr. Lawson Schroeder, "Keep Moving!"

The third warning is listed in 5:11- 6:20: Believers not maturing in their walk of faith with Christ.

Quote from William Barclay, "The Letter to the Hebrews"
"What does the writer to the Hebrews mean by this maturity? He means two things, (1) He means something which has got to do with the mind. He means that as a man gets older he should more and more have thought out for himself. He should, for instance, be able to say better who he believes Jesus to be. He should have a deeper grasp, not only of the facts, but also of the significances of the Christian faith. (2) He means something that had got to do with life. As a man grows older there should be more and more of the reflection of Christ upon him.  All the time he should be ridding himself of old faults and getting to himself new virtues. Life, as it grows older, should be growing more lovely and more strong and more fine. Daily a new serenity and a new nobility should be breaking upon life."

What does the Bible teach us about salvation in Jesus? Read the following scriptures: John 10:27-29; Romans 8:1, 38-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; Philippians 1:6; I Peter 1:5.

We are not to be stagnant in our daily walk with Jesus. We are walking toward His Kingdom to receive our inheritance and live with him forever. We have "Today" to prepare to meet Him.  In Paul's writing he reminds us that we are in race: Hebrews 12:1b-2 "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Read also other references: Philippians 3:13-14; I Corinthians 9:24.
Let us finish the race:

Tug Boat on Ohio river..Keep on moving!!!

Lennie Mae Connor 95th Birthday

Birthday Celebration

On September 26, 2014, Lennie Mae Connor, celebrated her 95th birthday at the home of her daughter, Janice Connor. Relatives came on Saturday, September 27th, to celebrate with her. She was in good form and entertained us with her stories of family history. We viewed a movie that depicted her life story and also viewed some other family movies. It was a time of entertainment to see all of us when we were so young and thin! This was truly a blessed celebration!!

One of her favorite scripture is: John 10:27-28, "My sheep hear my voice, and know them, and they follow me: and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."  Another scripture is: Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Lennie Mae Connor at her 95th Birthday Party

Lennie and Birthday Cake

"Family ties are precious threads, no matter where we roam; they draw us close to those we love and pull our hearts toward home."







   
"A family is where holidays are celebrated with feasting, birthdays are acknowledged with gifts, and thoughts of days gone by kept alive with fond remembrances." Feldman





"Cherish your family for they are your treasure. A storehouse of riches...wealth beyond measure."
 

Tracy, granddaughter, Janice, daughter, Lennie, mother/granny

SECURED WITH CONFIDENCE

WOW Bible Study Class: Hebrews' Study
Bible study begins at 9:00 am.

Lesson Title: "Secured With Confidence"
Our lesson for October 5 is Session 5, page 51 in your Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide. Scripture focus is: Hebrews 4:14 - 5:6
In Shepherd's notes: pages 33 - 39.

Memory Verse: Hebrews 4:16 "Let us approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Review from last weeks' lesson:
Hebrews 4:3-8
In these verses the writer mentioned three kinds of rest:
** Sabbath Rest: God's resting from His work on the seventh day of Creation.
** Canaan Rest: The rest of God's people in Canaan: Over a million adults were "saved" out of Egypt. Only two "inherited" the land. Plus those under 20 years of age.
** Eternal Rest:  "Jesus is the leader who opens the way for this rest. On the human side, faith is the condition that enables persons to enter this rest. This rest is both present and future. Believers begin to experience this rest now and will experience this eternal rest in its fullness in the world to come." (Shepherd's notes page 31)

SECOND WARNING: The danger of Disobedience
Will you have an inheritance? Will you allow Satan to deceive you?

Hebrews 3:12-13 "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." 
"Today": "Does this mean that any of us could fall away? Are we vulnerable? Tomorrow is the day when idle men work, and fools repent. Tomorrow is Satan's to-day; he cares not what good resolutions you form, if only you schedule them for tomorrow. "Today" - means right now: while you still have opportunity..." (Chuck Missler - Notes on Hebrews, page 83)

Our challenge is to defeat Satan's evil tactics when he attempts to rob us of our inheritance and guides us to focus on tomorrow. We live in the present and are committed to service for our Lord Jesus Christ "Today".  Read again our memory verse: Hebrews 4:16.  When we need help we can go with confidence to God's throne of grace and receive mercy and find grace!!!

See you Sunday.

A GREAT SALVATION!!!!

WOW class at First Baptist, Paducah..

Sunday, September 7, we had an exciting time in the study of Hebrews chapter one. I look forward to our next session on September 14 as we look at Hebrews 2:1-4. Only four verses but these four verses are very important to our study as we examine "a great salvation".

Please read the material in your personal study guide, session 2 and Shepherd's Notes Pages 16 - 19.

A key question in verse 3 is "How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?" Comment from Shepherd's notes on page 16:
"This question calls believers to moral alertness and spiritual watchfulness. It warns against laziness. It reminds believers not to ignore the salvation God has given, is giving, and will give to those who trust and obey."

The term salvation as it is used in the New Testament means "deliverance".  As stated in the Explore the Bible Commentary, page 26, "The related verb means "to rescue from danger or destruction" and is used in the New Testament for deliverance from the bondage of sin." This is the basic meaning of the word salvation but there is so much more as we review the doctrines that are associated with salvation.
              
 Hebrews 1:1 In this verse the writer of Hebrews exhorts us to pay attention to what we have heard and do not drift away. In your personal study guide on page 22, is the following question for you to answer: What situations potentially cause a person to drift when it comes to following Christ and obeying Him? Think about your answer and take a personal inventory of your spiritual life.

A great salvation: there are many major doctrines that are included in salvation. As believers, we need to be reminded of these so that we have a deeper understanding of why the writer of Hebrews used the phrase "a great salvation." When I read the twelve doctrines that were listed in the notes of Henry Morris Study Bible I was truly amazed, enlighten, and reminded that we really do have "a great salvation".  I will share these with you:
Atonement:             Leviticus 17:11
Substitution:           Isaiah 53:5
Imputation:             Romans 4:6-8
Propitiation             I John 2:2
Redemption            I Peter 1:18
Remission              Acts 10:43
Justification           Romans 3:28
Adoption               Ephesians 1:5
Reconciliation       Romans 5:10-11
Regeneration        Titus 3:5
Sanctification        Hebrews 10:9-10
Glorification         Romans 8:30

I only listed one verse for each of these doctrines but of course there are many references for each of these. When we look at these doctrines individually, they have significant meaning to believers but when we consider that all of these are included in our salvation, it can certainly broaden our perception of salvation.

Please plan to attend our study session on Sunday. This session is going to be awesome as we reflect on "a great salvation". I look forward to seeing you as we fellowship together and receive nourishment from the revelation of God's word. Do not miss out on the blessings that God has for you in this study in the book of Hebrews. Our class time begins at 9:50 AM.

The Superiority of the Son of God

WOW class at First Baptist at Paducah, Ky.

Here we go into a new study of God's Word.  This past Sunday, August 31, 2014, our class looked at introduction information of the Book of Hebrews which included: author, recipient, date written, style, culture of the area at the time of writing, relevance to the believer today.

Now, we are ready to begin our research in this marvelous study of the Superiority of the Son of God. Therefore, our lesson for Sunday, September 7, 2014, will be chapter one. The writer of Hebrews gives us doctrinal statements in the first four verses of this chapter. Then in verses 5 -14, he supports those statements with old Testament scripture passages. These passages are very important so take the time to read them and note the reference to each passage.

From Shepherd's Notes page 13 he gives a great summary statement.
"The Hebrew prophets had been God's spokesmen who uniquely brought the word to his chosen people. No longer now must God's message be relayed through the prophets. It now comes directly through the Son, who is "the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word"(1:3)."

After the writer of Hebrews mentions the prophets, he next compares the superiority of Jesus over the angels. God's angels are ministering spirits sent out to serve those who inherit salvation. What do you know about angels?

Angels are mentioned in the Bible over 300 times. These created spirits have power, knowledge, and presence. According to William Barclay in his commentary on the book of Hebrews he writes on page 11:
"There was one danger which the writer of Hebrews wished at all costs to avoid. The doctrine of angels is a very lovely thing; but it has one danger.
It puts a series of being between man and God. It introduces a series of beings, other than Jesus, through whom man makes approach to God. That is clearly seen in the Jewish belief that the angels brought God's message to men and that the angels brought men's prayers to God.  In Christianity there is no need for anyone else in between. Because of Jesus and what Jesus did we have direct access to God."

On Sunday in our group time we will look at some of the teachings about angels. They are powerful spirit beings and they have a place in this universe. Understanding how mighty and powerful the angels are then comparing the power and might of Jesus we can know that Jesus is so far superior to the realm of angels.

I plan to see each of you Sunday. Remember we are back to the regular time.  Sunday School time begins at 9:50 A.M.

BOOK OF HEBREWS

WOW class at First Baptist Church in Paducah, Ky.

We will begin a new study in our Sunday School class on Sunday, August 31, 2014.

I am so excited to introduce our new study of the Book of Hebrews. Did you know that Hebrews is the least read book in the New testament. That is the truth. It is also the least New Testament book that pastors use to present their sermon materials. Thank about it. How often have you read passages from the book of Hebrews? During the next three months we will study through all thirteen chapters in the book of Hebrews. We are going to open our minds to receive knowledge of Jesus from this book that will give you a "spiritual refreshment" on who Jesus is.  We will discover the superiority of the Son of God.  I have prayed as I have been making preparation to teach these lessons that God will enlighten me so that I can lead you to deepen your spiritual walk. Taking a quote from our book: "Hebrews is a book that helps struggling Christians get a fresh perspective on Jesus, resulting in a fresh burst of courage to endure in faith."

Lesson for Sunday, August 31, 2014
  Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide: Introduction pages 8 - 10.
  Shepherd's Notes: pages 1 - 9 ; Answer the study questions on page 9

Please pray about your commitment to this study both in your personal study and attendance to all sessions on Sunday morning. In my heart, I know that God will give you a special blessing in your commitment of personal study and being an active participant in our group each week.

I find courage in the words written in Shepherd's Notes page 8.
"Hebrews challenges us to be faithful to Christ, no matter the cost. Fair-weather Christianity finds no comfort in the book of Hebrews. Our lukewarm complacency is shattered by its words of warning, and our faith stirred by its words of challenge. We are warned against becoming too comfortable with the world and its values. We are reminded that we are pilgrims on the way to glory and that we are to live in light of the values of the eternal kingdom."

"As we walk this pilgrim way, Christ is fully adequate to meet our needs. Through Him, we have access to God in prayer and worship, and we have a fellowship of mutual encouragement with others who are marching to Zion. Christ has passed this way Himself: therefore, He helps and encourages us as we encounter various trials and temptations."

One of the challenging verses from Hebrews:

Hebrews 12:1b - 2
"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and
     let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
     Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

ARE YOU READY? LACE UP YOUR RUNNING SHOES. READY, SET, GO !!!!!

QUALIFICATIONS FOR WITNESSING

 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of PADUCAH
WOW Class for Sunday, August 17, 2014
Resource Book: Step 7, Lesson 3

Objective for Lesson:
Take a personal inventory of your spiritual qualifications to witness.

Scripture passage is: Acts 8:26 - 40

Characters: Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.

What are your qualifications to witness to unbelievers about God's love and salvation? Sunday we will examine the scripture passage in Acts 8 and study the example that Philip gives us as he witnessed to the Ethiopian Eunuch. Our lesson list eight qualities that contributes to our effectiveness for Christ.

Jesus is the Light of the World, what are we doing to share His light?

Knowledge of the Word of God            

Boldness
Compassion
Humility
Obedience
Receptivity, sensitivity to guidance
Tact
Enthusiasm

Dr. Bill Bright writes the following regarding these qualities: "God does not want us to wait until we feel we have mastered each of the qualities before we witness. God wants us to be faithful to witness and to be building these qualities into our lives as we go. Sometimes the experiences we encounter as we introduce others to Christ will help us build good qualities."

We will also look at the possible hindrances to our Witnessing:
Spiritual Lethargy
Lack of Preparation
Fear of Man
Fear of Failure
Fear that the new Christian will not go on to grow in the Lord
Lack of "practical knowledge"

We will look at the section near the back of your book: "

How to Share Christ With Others" and "Four Spiritual Laws".  As we review this information, it will help us to work through some of our fears and prepare us to be an effective witness for our Lord.

Christ said, "Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are now ripe for harvest". John 4:35
" The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:37,38.

JESUS SHOWS HOW TO WITNESS

Witnessing Techniques

As we continue our study of "How to Witness" in our Bible Study lessons on Sunday morning, we will look at the illustration that Jesus gave to us.
Read John 4:1-42, the story that John shares about Jesus' conversation with the women from Samaria.

Please look at this story and then answer the questions in your resource book on pages 275 - 278.

POND AND FOUNTAIN IN LAKE FOREST SUBDIVISION

 On a hot day Jesus told a thirsty woman, "If you ask me I will give you Living Water."

Jesus had to start the conversation with the woman. In that culture women were not allowed to begin a conversation with a man. Also Jesus is a Jew and the woman is a Samaritan. The Jewish people did not talk with Samaritan people because they were half-breeds. Therefore in order for Jesus to speak to this woman and discuss with her the important information regarding her spiritual life, He had to break through several barriers.  This is is certainly true today as you and I speak with a person about their spiritual life and where they will spend eternity. We will need to break through some barriers to get the person to listen to the gospel message that we have a desire to    present to them in love.

How do we connect with people? This is our subject matter for Sunday. Please read in your resource book pages 436 - 444. In these pages you will see How to present the four spiritual laws.
As Pastor Charles spoke about in his sermon this past Sunday morning, we may need to apply the term he used "contextualize". Some people may be turned off or object to the term "laws" so we may want to use a term such as God's Four Spiritual "Principles".  People of today may relate and understand the term principles instead of laws.

From a witnessing pamphlet of Campus Crusade written by Dr. Bill Bright the following principles or laws are stated. 
These principles are:
1. God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
2. Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life.
3. Jesus Christ is God's only  provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life.
4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.

Each of these principles are reinforced by specific scriptural references.  As you study this week become familiar with these Bible verses.  Also be aware of the people that you may have an opportunity to share God's love with them.

As is written: "God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 
"The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23b

THE CHRISTIAN AND WITNESSING

The Christian and Witnessing; bringing words of hope to the world around you.

 The title listed in this blog is our theme for our Bible study for the next six weeks for our women's class at First Baptist Church, Paducah, Kentucky. These lessons are listed in your resource book:
A Handbook for Christian Maturity by Dr. Bill Bright. The following titles are the lesson themes:

July 27: Why We Witness                                                 

Waterfall at Lake Forest Subdivision

August 3: Jesus Shows How to Witness


August 10: Qualifications for Witness

August 17: Witnessing and the Word of God

August 24: Witnessing and Prayer

August 31: Witnessing and the Holy Spirit

As I drive through my subdivision at Lake Forest, I see this beautiful waterfall each day. During these hot summer days, it is so refreshing to see and hear the sound of cool water as it spills down the waterfall into the pond below. It is a reminder to me that I have living water given to me by Jesus the Son of God. He commands me as a follower of His to share His living water with thirsty people in this world that I come in contact each day. In John 4:13 - 14, Jesus answers the woman of Samaria, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

In the next six weeks, we will examine our testimony and sharpen our skills in sharing what Jesus has done for us with those all around us. I invite you to come and join us in this study. 

Dr. Bill Bright list the following reasons why this is a very important study for followers of Jesus and why we should verbally witness:
1. People are lost without Christ and hungry for God
2. Jesus Christ is the only Savior
3. We have a commission and responsibility
4. Those who spread the gospel are blessed
5. The early church was active in witnessing
6. The Lord added new believers to the church 

Our memory verses for Sunday are: II Corinthians 5:14-15
"For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died. And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised." NET

WALKING WITH GOD IS CONTINUAL PRAYER

The topic of prayer has been part of my writings in our past few blogs. Today, I will enter more information about prayer.

Daffodils in my yard - the beauty of spring

Scripture has many passages that address the topic of prayer.

For example:
Philippians 4:4-7
"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be know to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

I. John 5:14-15
"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

My feather friends. Finally some nice weather!!!

We love the spring!!!

The general purpose of prayer is to establish a personal fellowship with God and fulfill our own spiritual needs.
I think the following quote from the book: "A Handbook for Christian Maturity" by Dr. Bill Bright describes the urgency that each believer must establish a consistent prayer life.
"The study of the Word of God and practice of prayer are vitally important to spiritual growth. We may miss a day without feeding on the Word of God or praying and not feel any apparent ill effects in our lives, but if we continue this practice, we will lose the power to live the victorious Christian life."

 A Prayer Journal is a good idea!!!
One method that I have found that keeps me consistent and focused in my prayer life is keeping a prayer journal. Also maintaining a prayer journal has deepen my fellowship and worship of God. If I write things down I become more accountable. The key words for me are focus and reflect.

In keeping my prayer journal the following points have become a part of my daily prayer time.

 First, I focus on the one to whom I am speaking, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

 Second, I focus on the people, events, and circumstances that I present to Him.

 Third, I focus on the needs that I present to Him.

 Fourth, I read and record specific scripture that relates to my requests

 Fifth, I can review and reflect on God's promises, His conditions, and His answers.

 

As you think about your devotional time, make it a time that is unhurried. Take the time to concentrate on your fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Your devotional time should include Bible study, prayer, personal worship, and quiet meditation. Yes, all of these aspects of your devotional time are very closely related and you can engage in them as you have your personal time with God.

 

In our class on Sunday, April 6, I will give you instruction of how to organize your prayer journal that will be user friendly.

 

I like to read the benedictions that Paul includes at the end of his letters. One of my favorite is II Corinthians 13:14

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

PRAYER THE ULTIMATE CONVERSATION

All Blog Viewers,

What is Prayer?
The heading for this blog post comes from the title of a book written by Dr. Charles Stanley.  On the opening page of his book he explains: "You have the privilege of coming into the very throne room of the GREAT I AM. Not only have you been invited to stand in His presence, you have been invited to conversation, an intimate dialogue with the One who cares about you most. It is the ultimate conversation: your opportunity to seek understanding from your Creator; your chance to ask the Lord of all that exists to deliver you in the areas where you cannot help yourself; and your privilege to know Him better."

Our topic in our Sunday School class and recent posts on the blog have been about, "The Christian and Prayer" with a subtopic, "Unlocking the Secrets of a Successful Prayer Life."

We are reading scripture that pertain to the basic elements of prayer.  For example, review again the morning prayer that was used by the early Christians in Psalm 63. This Psalm is divided into three sections: verses 1 - 4:Soul Thirst; 
                                                     verses 5-7: Soul Satisfaction; 
                                                                                                  verses 5-11:Soul Trust.

Do these headings reflect your soul in your daily prayer life?

This week March 17 - 23 we are going to look deeper into knowing how to have an effective prayer life.  Our objective is to learn how to claim by faith the great power available through prayer.
Our memory verse is: "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." 
James 5:16 b (ESV)
We know that the Christian has no strength of his own. Where may a Christian obtain his strength?
In God's word we find the answer: "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might." Ephesians 6:10 (NKJ)

In our study this week one assignment is to answer the following question: What do the following Bible references tell you about the qualities God demands in a person for powerful prayer? (Note : for those who read my blog but are not in my class I will list the verses. Please take the time to read these references and list the qualities God demands for you to have powerful prayer.)
Hebrews 11:1, 6
Romans 12:1,2
Mark 11:25
I John 3:22
Ephesians 5:18

In what ever generation, season of life, circumstances, vocation, or marriage status, now is the time to examine your prayer life. My friend, I pray that you will refocus your efforts to have a deeper relationship with your Lord and commit to a daily ultimate conversation with the personal God who loves you. I can honestly tell you that I plan to strongly commit and devote designated time during this new year, 2014, to my personal loving God in conversation.  The Evil One, Satan, is all around us seeking for all he can convince that darkness and death is a better option than light and life. Remember he is the father of lies and his strategies are to reverse the meaning of things such as evil is good and good is evil. Be a prayer warrior and stand strong in the armor of God.

MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY

Hi All,

Here we are in windy, cold March but with some sunshine today. However, the day light hours are longer and I do like the light. We had an opportunity to serve and give out the light of Jesus today!

God's Awesome Light, Shines forth in a dark world!

"In Him was life, and that life was the light of men" John 1:4 (NIV)

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)




Check This Out:

Ministry Opportunities for You

CLOTHING CLOSET:
Today, Wednesday, March 12, 2014, Debbi, Margaret, and I had a great time working in the clothes closet and also our class room. We had four visitors to come and pick up a supply of clothing for their families. What a blessing to share with the people of our community and to be a part of meeting their needs. We also boxed up 20 pairs of children shoes to send with our mission team to Uganda. Praise God!

The clothing closet is a ministry of our Sunday School class and you may also be involved.
Read the following information as to how you may be involved.

1. Each Wednesday from 10:00am - 12:00 noon, the clothing closet is open to the community.  If you are available during this time, come, help sort clothes and meet the visitors. Sometime we may actually deliver clothes to various locations or families.

2. One Saturday a Month: (SAM) Work day at the Clothing Closet. Next opportunity March 29, from 9:30 am - 12:00 noon. It is time to store winter clothing and display spring/summer clothing.  We need a lot of help to complete this tasks. Put this date on your calendar and plan to come and take an active part. After our work is done we plan to go out for lunch for a time of fellowship.

 In scripture God gives us instruction as to the manner in which we should be servants. For example:

I Peter 4: 10-1l: (NIV) " Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ."


LUNCH WITH THE "GALS" AFTER OUR WORK AT THE CLOTHING CLOSET
Jill Wyre took a break from her income tax preparation and joined Debbi, Margaret, and Janice for lunch.

Fun lunch with the Gals at "City Rockers"

 Would you believe the March wind sat Janice's car on the curbing?

"You should always make sure that you give the other person plenty of space to park their vehicle."

ICE FORTS and GOD'S PROTECTION

ICE PICTURES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ON SPRING VALLEY DRIVE

I ventured out today to take a few pictures on my street.

My neighbor built a really nice ice fort. This is ROL'S FORT.  He moved the chunks of ice from his drive-way and stacked them in his yard to make Rol's Fort.

Also some of the neighborhood "kids" built some forts. Ebony, the cat in the pictures, seemed to think the forts were for his protection as well.

 

 

 Ebony checking out the ice fort

ROL'S FORT ON SPRING VALLEY DRIVE

Ebony inspecting the 'Kid's ice fort

I hope you have had time to enjoy the beauty of God's creation all around us for the past few days. Because of roadway conditions and closures of churches, schools, offices, and business, most people have stayed at home. This has been a great opportunity to read, study, and extra time with family members. I have enjoyed more time to read, catch up on emails and rest.

As we continue our study on the topic of The Christian and Prayer, I am reading a book by Dr. Charles Stanley, entitled "Prayer the Ultimate Conversation".  The following is a quote from this book on page 96.
"Just remember the One who keeps the sun, moon, stars, galaxies, and constellations in their places and who maintains the earth rotating at the right speed, on the correct axis, and with the precise amount of oxygen we need in the air is the One who can communicate with you, regardless of what you're going through. 
If your are having difficulty hearing the Father, or if there is some question you are longing for Him to answer, don't give up. He wants to talk to you.
Keep seeking his face and listening for His call."

My pictures show you the ice forts built by humans from materials supplied by God. We are always looking for protection from elements and our enemies. God does supply all we need and He is our fortress as it is written in the Psalms.
Psalm 91:1-2 " He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
Psalm 144:2 "He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer."

FIRST CENTURY CHURCH AND PRAYER

Blog Viewers,

Our study of "The Christian and Prayer" includes scriptures from Acts as well as other scripture under each of the sections in your resource book.

The picture below is the Prayer Garden at Mt. Charleston Baptist Church in Las Vegas. I am standing in the center with two friends Dode and Alice. Dode's husband Hap was the Minister of Music/Education at the church.  Dode played the piano. Alice sang at special events. I was on the Mission Committee. Dode and Alice were my missionary partners in the Bahamas and Las Vegas.

Prayer Garden at Mt. Charleston Baptist Church in Las Vegas

 

Scripture to Read From Acts
At the beginning of each lesson listed below the objective you will see specific chapters from the book of Acts that you are instructed to read as part of your study. These scriptures are listed in the following order:
Lesson 1: Acts 3-4             
Lesson 2: Acts 5-6
Lesson 3: Acts 7-8
Lesson 4: Acts 9-10
Lesson 5: Acts 11-12
Lesson 6: Acts 1-2
Lesson 7: Acts 13-14

The reason that Dr. Bill Bright instructs us to read these chapters in the book of Acts is because the first century disciples put into practice successful prayer lives. These early believers who made up the first century church faced persecutions both from the Jewish Religious Leaders and the Pagan Roman Political Rulers.  It was necessary that they banded together for encouragement, fellowship and prayer sessions. In chapters 1-14 of Acts, we read mainly of Jewish believers, who accepted Jesus as the son of God.  The Apostles, Peter and John, were leaders of these Jewish believers.

Acts 2:42 "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."

As you read these chapters in the book of Acts, note the number of times the phrase "filled with the Holy Spirit" is recorded.  For example, Acts 4:8, "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit.....", Acts 4:31, "they (believers) were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."

The Believers Pray for Boldness
  Read carefully Acts 4:23-31, the recorded prayer of the believers. This prayer correlates with the material in Lesson 2.

The analysis of this prayer is:
They addressed their prayer to God, Sovereign Lord
They acknowledged old testament Prophecy from Psalm 2; Jesus' death - God's foreordained Plan
They made requests: give boldness to your servants, bring healing and perform signs and wonders
      all to be done through the name of Jesus
Results of their prayer: Sign given: place where they were meeting was shaken, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God boldly.

All three persons of the trinity, God the Father, Son , and Holy Spirit had a role in these believers' prayer. Our objective for Lesson 2 is: to understand the roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in  our prayers.

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT
Please complete the following assignment. Write the following four names at the top of a sheet of paper: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, and your name. Read the following scripture passages and relate the scripture verse(s) to one of the proper names.
Hebrews 4:14-16; I Timothy 2:5; Isaiah 59:2; Ephesians 6:18; Matthew 6:9; Romans 8:26; John 14:6; I John 3:21, 22; Jude 20.

Our memory verse for this week is: Philippians 4:6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." ESV

EFFECTIVE DAILY PRAYER

Blog Viewers,

Our next study topic for our Sunday morning Bible study is, "The Christian and Prayer".
Every Christian needs to understand the basic truths about prayer. During our study for the next seven weeks we will examine these truths. I hope that you will take the time to examine your prayer life and see the weaknesses and the strengths. When Jesus walked this earth and had fellowship with his disciples, he wanted them and future disciples to know the power of prayer.  The early disciples had opportunities to experience close encounters with Jesus' example of daily personal prayer with His Father God. Today we have the living, inspired word of God to read about these experiences. Therefore in the next seven weeks we will search the scriptures about the topic, The Christian and Prayer.

The titles of our sessions are:
1. "The Purpose of Prayer"                               
2. "To Whom Should We Prayer"

3. "A Guide to Effective Daily Prayer"
4. "How to Pray With Power"
5. "God's Promises About Prayer"
6. "Planning Your Daily Devotional Time"
7. "Recap"

In our first week of study, we will look at the following topics: Why Prayer is Important, Motives for praying, God's motive for teaching us to pray, and prayer meets the heart's needs.

Dr. Bill Bright defines prayer as: "simply communicating with God, inviting Him to talk to you as you talk to Him".  He lists the following points to answer the question,

 "Who Can Pray?'

1, Anyone can pray (the unbeliever has only one prayer and the believer has many prayers)
2. Those who have clean hearts can pray- Psalm 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear"
3. Those who have a forgiving spirit can pray - Mark 11:25 "When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins".
4. Those who pray in faith can pray- Matthew 28:18, 20 "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me...Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" ; Matthew 21:22 "If you believe, you will receive whatever, you ask for in prayer" ; John 14:14 "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."; Matthew 9:29 " According to your faith will it be done to you."

Our lesson for the first session concludes with the study of Psalm 63. The early church recited Psalm 63 in their morning prayers. Please read this Psalm carefully. You have a chart on page 157 to fill in some main ideas about the elements of worship during prayer time.  Notice in this psalm the word "soul" is used three times., which divides the psalm into three divisions. The main heading are:
Soul Thirst (1-4); Soul Satisfaction (5-7); and Soul Trust (8-11). Think about these headings and how these relate to you in your prayer sessions.

This is an exciting study so get on board for a awesome ride to a more effective daily prayer life!!!

Blessing from the Holy Spirit to the Christian

Blog Viewers,  

COMING  SOON

Spring is Coming!!!
I believe that we are coming to the end of our cold and inclement weather and spring is on the horizon.
At least this is what is being predicted by the weather reports. So we hope that these predictions will be accurate for the warmer temperatures on Sunday, February 16, 2014.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Since we did not meet for our class, on February 9, we will discuss the final lesson on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit on February 16. Please take the time to review the seven lessons in your resource book. A good way to review this material is to:
1. Read the objective for each lesson: this will help you focus on the main points
2. Read the memory verses for each lesson
3. Read the main headings of each chapter
4. Read through the main points of your notes

Blessing from the Holy Spirit!!!!!

In our study, we learned that the Holy Spirit performs a five-fold work in a believer at the time of his/her conversion. These ministries are: regeneration, baptism, indwells, seals, and fills. The Holy Spirit also gives assurance to a Christian of  His blessings.

A Christian, a true believer, has the assurance of the following blessings from the Holy Spirit:

1. The Holy Spirit will pray for him. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." Romans 8:26 NIV

2.The Holy Spirit will guide him:"As many as are led by the Spirit, they are sons of God" Romans 8:14

3. The Holy Spirit will teach him: Read I John 2:27

4. The Holy Spirit will empower him for witnessing: Read Acts 1:8

5. The Holy Spirit will conform him to the image of Christ: Read 2 Corinthians 3:18

6. The Holy Spirit will strengthen his new nature: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being." Ephesians 3:16 NIV

7. The Holy Spirit will reveal biblical truth to him: "But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God."1 Corinthians 2:10 NIV

8. The Holy Spirit will assure him concerning salvation and service. "The Spirit, himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. " Romans 8:16 NIV

9. The Holy Spirit will give him liberty:"Because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 NIV and "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom". 2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV

10. The Holy Spirit will fill his mouth with appropriate things. Read Mark 13:11

11. The Holy Spirit will impart the love of Christ to him and through him: "But God demonstrated his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:5 NIV

My friends, our Lord and Savior Jesus, assured his first disciples and all future disciples that he would send them a comforter and he did. Read this promise he gave in John 14:19-21. 

Sunday, February 9, 2014 Lesson Information

Blog Viewers,

On Sunday, February 9, 2014, we will "Recap" the principles that we have been studying for the past six week on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Before beginning our next topic, we will take the time to review the information from our resource book and scripture passages that have given us so much insight into the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit. Please look at the questions in Lesson 7 on pages 150-151. We will focus on the Life Application questions on page 151 which are:

1. What should be your motives for being filled with the Spirit?

2. How can you be filled with the Spirit?

3. How do you know you are filled with the Holy Spirit?(Hint: Fruit of the Spirit)

4. How can you continue to be filled with and walk in the Spirit? (Hint: Spiritual Breathing and abiding in Jesus)

Please consider the points from James McConkey's book "Three-fold Secret of the Holy Spirit" page 56.

That child of God will have the fullest manifestation of the Spirit who adopts as the deliberate purpose and principle of his life:
THE LOVE OF CHRIST INSTEAD OF THE LOVE OF SELF
1. He ceases to grasp all, and begins to give all.
2. He ceases to seek all, and begins to surrender all.
3. He ceases accenting "take care of number one" and begins to accent "let every man take care of  the things of others"
4. He no longer seeks the high place, but the lowly one.
5. He no longer seeks, but shuns the praises of men.
6. He seeks to minister, instead of being ministered to.
7. He no longer seeks to save his life, but to lose it for others.
8. He no longer seeks to lay up, enjoy and be at ease, but suffer, and spend and be spent for Christ Himself.
9. He seeks to love as God loves, regardless of his treatment by others. "He is kind to the unthankful and the evil." If some grievous wrong, insult or unkindness goads you from your attitude of love, justify it not, but hasten to confess, and find forgiveness from Him who prayed for those who murdered Him, as well as for those who loved Him.

NOTE: Some of you had planned to go to the video showing of the debate: creation vs. evolution with Bill Nye and Ken Ham. Because of the inclement weather the showing was cancelled. They did the live taping at the Creation Museum last night, February 4, 2014. I watched the live streaming on my computer. The program lasted about three hours. For the next few days, this program will be available  to view on your computer. I thought the question and answer session was excellent. I hope that you will take time to view this debate.  The sight to see the debate is: www.debatelive.org

"Only the Holy Spirit can make possible the out-living of the in-living Christ". Dr. Billy Graham

Blog Viewers:

My prayer is that each of you have been following our study on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.
We will have two more sessions on this topic. Please make an effort to come for these final two studies. Even if you have not kept up with all the lessons, join us for the final two sessions. Much of the material will be reviewed in these two sessions.

Sunday, February 2, 1014

From your resource book, we will discuss lesson 5: "How You Can Know When You Are Filled With the Holy Spirit." and lesson 6:"How You Can Continue to Be Filled With the Holy Spirit." pages 143 - 149.

I have gained much information from Dr. Billy Graham's Book, "The Holy Spirit" first printed in 1978.
I will summarize some of this information on the topic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit which he writes about in chapters 14 - 17.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to believers who will use them to minister to others. All believers receive at least one of the gifts and some receive more. However, with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, all believers receive all the fruit of the Holy Spirit. In our lesson on Sunday, we will discuss the nine characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Dr. Graham divides these characteristics into three clusters.
First Cluster is the believer's God Relationship which includes: Love, Joy, Peace
Second Cluster is the believer's Manward Relationship which includes: Patience, Kindness, Goodness.
Third Cluster is the believer's Inward Relationship which includes: Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.

After reading Dr. Graham's writing on these three clusters, the fruit of the Holy Spirit given to all believers made more sense as to why I need all of these in my life. I had considered these characteristics many times and I thought of them as individual attributes that a person may have. Read this list again and think about how the three attributes fit together under the specific heading. I will list some scripture references for you to read.

God Relationship: Love: John 13:35; I John 3:14: Joy: I Thess. 1:6; Neh. 8:10; John 15:11
Peace: Romans 15:1
Manward Relationship: Patience:Colossians 1:11; James 1:2,3; Romans 12:12: Kindness: Psalm 18:35; I Corinthians 10:1; Galatians 5:23: Goodness: Ephesians 5:9; II Thessalonians 1:11,12; Romans 15:14.       
Inward Relationship: Faithfulness: Philippians 2:13; 1:6: Gentleness: Matthew 11:29: Self-Control: Romans 8:5; I Corinthians 9:25,27.

Charles Allen in his book "The Miracle of the Holy Spirit" on page 56 writes:
"Just as all the water in the world cannot quench the fire of the Holy Spirit, neither can all the troubles and tragedies of the world overwhelm the joy which the Spirit brings into the human heart."

Dr. Graham closes his discussion on page 211 with the following words: "And only the Holy Spirit can make possible the out-living of the in-living Christ. The kind of persons God wants us to be can never be produce through human effort. But when the Holy Spirit fills us, He brings forth His fruit in people who manifest a growing likeness to Christ, the prototype of what we will someday be."

I hope to see you on Sunday at 10:50 for our discussion and fellowship time together. Do not miss out on this information about the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

Activities and Ministries of our Sunday School Class

Members of WOW First Baptist Church Sunday School Class

As we begin a new year, 2014, I want to remind you and ask you to renew your commitments to the activities and ministries of our Sunday School Class. Please pray about how you may be involved in these activities and ministries.

WOW CLASS ACTIVITIES AND MINISTRIES
1. Attendance in class each week
2. Complete homework assignments each week
3. Prayer support for class members
4. Outreach to inactive members and prospects
5. Prayer support for our sponsored child
6. Financial support for our sponsored child
7. Participate as a worker in the clothes closet at First Baptist Church
8. Participation in social outings to enjoy fellowship with class members

MISSION MINISTRIES
We decided as a class to participate in two mission ministries as a class. The two ministries are:
1. To sponsor a child through Compassion International and 2. To work in the clothes closet at our church.

SPONSORED CHILD
Let me give you some information about our child that we sponsor.
His name is Martin Sanou.
Birthday: July 2, 2006
Country: Burkina Faso in Africa

The commitment to sponsor a child involves financial support, prayer, and personal contact.
Financial
The cost to sponsor Martin through Compassion International is $38.00 per month. In December and January we used the money from our class account. For the remaining months of this year, I am asking that a class member commit to pay for one month. I will have a sign up calendar on Sunday, so if you want to sponsor Martin for one month you may sign up for a specific month.  When your month comes, give your money or check to Margaret. The monthly charge for sponsorship is set-up on her charge card.
Prayer
I am going to post a picture of Martin Sanou in our class room so that we will remember to pray for him. Please add him to your prayer list.
Contact
Several times during the course of the year Martin will write to us. Margaret has been responding to his letters. She also sent him a picture of the members of our class.  Margaret has some billfold size pictures of Martin if you would like to have one.

CLOTHES CLOSET
The clothes closet of First Baptist Church is on second floor in two class rooms. Debbi Frazier is the leader of the operation of this ministry. We decided as a class to give her some help and  to establish the ministry of having clothes available to our community as a mission activity of our class members.

The following times are available for you to work: Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon or Saturday morning at 10:00. We will decide one Saturday a month for our class members to work. That date will be announced in Class.

At the change of season, when people or cleaning out their closets and bringing clothes to the church closet there is more work to do. During that time we may schedule additional times to work. This is a worth while ministry, so I hope that you will commit to help during this next year.

The new testament church grew because of meeting together, prayer, fellowship, and serving others. The Bible states:
Ephesians 6:7 "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether slave or free."

Psalm 100:2 "Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs."

The Christian and The Holy Spirit

We will continue our lessons on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit for the next three sessions. Our lesson for Sunday, January 26th, will include Lesson 3: "Why so Few Christians Are Filled With the Holy Spirit" beginning on page 136 and Lesson 4: "How You Can Be Filled With the Holy Spirit" beginning on page 140.  I want you to work on these two lessons in the same week so we can have the discussion on Sunday without a break between.

Our lesson for Sunday, February 2, will include: Lesson 5: "How You Can Know When You Are Filled with the Holy Spirit", beginning on page 143 and Lesson 6: "How You Can Continue to Be Filled With the Holy Spirit", beginning on page 146.

Our lesson for Sunday, February 9, will include the Recap for Step 3: "The Christian and the Holy Spirit".  This will be a session, where we can look back and review the main points of this study on the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit.  So if you have missed some of the sessions, this is a great time to add to your notes. 

I have re-read a book entitled "Holy Spirit" by Billy Graham. This book was published in 1978. It has been apart of my library for many years.  So as we started this study, I decided to re-read this book and it has many good insights from Billy Graham regarding the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. I will share with you some of the information from this book. Chapter 9 of this book is entitled, "How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit", pages 109-122.

Dr. Graham writes: "I believe the New Testament's teaching on how to be filled with the Holy Spirit can be summarized in three terms: Understanding, Submission, and Walking by Faith." I will summarize for you the main points that Dr. Graham writes in this chapter.

1. Understanding: The first truth that a believer must understand is that God has given us the Holy Spirit and that He dwells within us. We discussed these truths in our lesson on Sunday. We established that at the time of salvation the believer receives, regeneration, spiritual baptism, the Spirit dwells within, seals, and fills. We also need to understand that God commands us to be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18. The next point is that the presence of sin blocks the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life. Dr. Graham writes: "Confession should be as broad as sin. " Then he lists some of the sins that could be a problem for believers: "There may be backbiting, impatience, unkindness, or an uncontrolled temper-any one of which can make life miserable for those around us. Unclean thoughts may need to be faced. Or the Holy Spirit may speak to us about our use of time, our use of money, our life style, or our use (or abuse) of some gift He has given us. In other words, every sin that we can identify we should bring to God for confession.  As a believer, we must understand the necessary process of confession which Dr. Bill Bright calls "spiritual breathing".  We will discuss this process in our lesson on Sunday.

2. Submission: The second step in being filled with the Holy Spirit is submission. In this context, the word submission means that we renounce our own way and seek above all else to submit to Christ as Lord and be ruled by Him in every area of our lives. This step involves confession and repentance. One of the great promises of the Bible is found in I John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Another great scripture passage that speaks of submission is Romans 6. Paul  explains in this chapter that sin no longer has control over us because we have changed our master. We now belong to God. Paul writes: "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead".  Romans 6:13

3. Faith: The last step that Dr. Graham includes in the chapter he calls "Walking in Faith".  Now we are to act on this truth and "walk or live with full assurance that God has already filled us and we are under His control."

Dr. Graham concludes with these words: "This brings me to the last truth about the filling of the Holy Spirit: the filling of the Holy Spirit should not be a once-for-all event, but a continuous reality every day of our lives. It is a process. We must surrender ourselves to Him daily, and every day we must choose to remain surrendered. In every situation involving conflict between self and God's will, we must make our decisions on the basis of our constant submission to Christ."

My prayer is that you are gaining some vital insights into how you can have power to defeat sin. By faith, you can have a daily filling of the Holy Spirit.  I like the words from Romans 12:2 "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold you from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity." J. B. Phillips translation

Ministries of the Holy Spirit at our new birth

At the new birth of a believer, the Holy Spirit immediately effects a five-fold work in the person.
What are these ministries given to the believer at the time of salvation? Let's take a look at what the Word of God tells to us on this subject.

1. REGENERATION: The Holy Spirit regenerates the believing sinner. He literally recreates him and gives him the nature of God.  Check out the following scripture references: Titus 3:5; John 3:3-7; I Peter 1:23.

2. BAPTIZES: The Holy Spirit baptizes the believing sinner. References: Romans 6:34; I Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 4:4-5

3. INDWELLS: The Holy Spirit indwells the believing sinner. In other words, he not only joins us to the Savior (through the baptism) but he joins himself to us. References: John 14:20; I Corinthians 3:16; I Corinthians 2:12; Romans 8:9. The purpose of this indwelling ministry is to give the newly created nature power to with stand the evil in the world. Read the following scripture passages: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians5:16-18; Ephesians 3:16

4. SEALS: The Holy Spirit seals the believing sinner. References: 2 Corinthians 1:2;
Ephesians 1:13; 4

5. FILLS: The Holy Spirit fills the believing sinner. References: Acts 2:4 . We will be discussing more about this fifth ministry in our next three lessons.

In conclusions: All five of these ministries happen instantaneously to the believing sinner. They all occur by faith and are not in the least dependent upon one's personal emotional feelings at the time. The first four ministries can never be taken from the believing Christian who accepts Jesus in his heart. He has for all eternity been regenerated, indwelled, baptized, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. The fifth ministry, however, can be lost, and therefore asked for as many times as needed. In our next lessons, we will examine many scripture passages to establish these facts.

The above notes are summarized from: Willmington's Guide to the Bible, pages 656-658

I look forward to our time together on Sunday.