Queen's Road Cell

  Lessons on Worship (part of a Nehemiah Series: Building a People of God) Nehemiah 12:27-47   27  And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28  And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; 29  also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. 30  And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall. 31  Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate. 32  And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, 33...

5. What is Jesus's point about faith in Luke 17:5-6? The apostles may have felt that great faith is needed for forgivenes. Jesus is not concerned about the quantity of faith, but its genuineness. It is not so much great faith that is required as faith in a great God.(Morris)   The rabbis held that the roots of the tree with this name would remain in the earth for 600 years. Why are mulberry trees not uprooted in our experience then? The immediate conclusion would be the lack even of minimal amounts of faith, but that is not Jesus' point. Answers to prayer depend on trust in God, implying a certain knowledge of His character and will. Answers depend then on: our relationship with Christ (Jn 15:7) steadfastness of trust (Js 1:6) asking according to God's will (1 Jn 5:14) not asking for selfish reasons (Js 4:3) Faith, then, is not a force where, after reaching a certain level, answers to prayer become possible.  6. How should God's servant feel even if he manages to exerci...