IBS Psalm 1:4-6 (5-23-14)

Inductive Bible Study for Psalm 1:4-6 (5-23-14)

"The ungodly are not so, but are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly will perish."

We just read about the man who delights himself in The Lord instead of in the counsel of the ungodly. This man is blessed, he produces good fruit and everything he does prospers. We're going to look at the way of the ungodly, and then the consequences of the different ways people live. One of the characteristics of the godly man was that he was like a tree, planted near water. In contrast, this ungodly man is like chaff which the wind drives away. 

I've heard it said "You should have an open mind". While this is true to some extent, if you are completely open minded you will be swayed by anything, just like chaff in the wind. What are we keeping our minds open to? Everyone is searching for truth, right? So what is truth? I used to think truth was subjective to how I wanted it to be. This is not the case. If everyone got to say their own definition of truth then there would be no truth because there would be opposing views. For example - some people say that lying is wrong, while some people say that lying is fine. They can't both be true - one is true and one is false.

Who determines truth if everyone's view of truth is different? I used to not like this answer, but that doesn't matter - the only One Who can objectively determine truth is God. His view never changes, regardless of circumstances, time or events. He knows everything and He is the same - yesterday, today and tomorrow. While people may not agree with Him and His standards, He is the final judge. I used to not like His commands because I disobeyed them - I've lied, stolen, hated, dishonored my parents, lusted, taken God's Name in vain and put things and people in the place of God. I hated that I couldn't meet His standard of perfection, so I ignored it.

I saw in Romans 6:23 that what I deserved for my sins was death and eternal separation from God. He can't be in the presence of sin, but He knew we couldn't measure up. The next part of that verse says that God gave us the free gift of eternal life. Awesome! So I have a free gift from God and can now go to heaven. Before this though, it says it's only through Jesus. This means I have to lay down my rights and let God be the ruler of my life. I am a very prideful person and this is a daily struggle for me - to give my plans, dreams and desires to Him and let Him have His way in me.

So we see from Psalm 1:5 that the ungodly won't stand in the judgement, and the sinners won't be in the congregation of the righteous. Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory or God". What does this verse mean then? Everyone's a sinner - how then will ANYONE be righteous? As previously said, God knew we could never be righteous on our own. That's why He sent His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, to bear all our sins and offer His righteousness to us. These righteous and godly people we read about then are those who have accepted God's free gift of salvation.

Something very important to remember is that there's nothing anyone can do to earn righteousness or grace. We, as human beings, are constantly striving to be "good". The fact is that we literally CAN NOT BE GOOD. We are all evil at heart - even Adam and Eve, made perfect in the Garden of Eden chose to rebel against God. How much more are we rebellious against God, being born sinful? So why will the way of the ungodly perish? Why does God know the way of the righteous? 

Perishing is being eternally separated from God - which is what happens when a person lives how they want to live and refuses to accept Jesus' gift of salvation. God does not send people to hell. He is a Gentleman and will not go where He's not welcome. When people die and their soul goes to hell, it is because God can't be near sin and these people would not welcome Jesus into their hearts. Why would someone want to go to heaven (where we will worship God for eternity), if they never loved God or lived for Him? How does God know the way of the righteous? These righteous people have made the choice to live for Him, so He will know their ways.

So now what? What questions can I ask myself after studying these verses? First is - am I blown around by every wind of doctrine, or am I firmly planted like a tree? The answer is the second - I am reading God's Word every day, spending time in prayer and waiting on Him. Second question is - does The Lord know my way? Are my ways honoring to Him? All my ways cannot be honoring to Him all the time because I am a wretched sinner, but I ask Him to search my heart and reveal sin to me so that I can repent and be honoring in His sight. Last question is - with the knowledge of all ungodly people not being allowed in God's presence, am I sharing with them the Good News that can change their eternity? 

This will be my application. It's nice that I know what these verses mean, but there's no profit if I'm not living what I read. I am going to make an effort to ask people if they know Jesus. I've asked a few kids at Kid's Club, but I want to dig deeper in my conversations with people when I talk to them. If I truly love someone, I will share with them the greatest news they could ever receive - that God became a Man, took the punishment for their sins by dying on the Cross and they can receive His free gift of salvation if they just ask. 

IBS Psalm 1:3 (5-16-14)

Inductive Bible Study for Psalm 1:3 (5-16-13)

"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."

This verse is talking about the man in the previous and following verses. This man who delights himself in the Lord instead of in the counsel of the ungodly will be blessed. He meditates day and night on God's Law instead of surrounding himself with bad influences. He isn't promised success in the world's eyes - which is popularity, riches and happiness. But he is promised success in the view of eternity - which is joy, hope and peace, and that God will never leave him nor forsake him. 

A tree planted by a river. This means the tree has a constant flow of nutrients and water to sustain it and keep it strong. Rivers nearly always have an abundance of plant life in and around the bank, so the tree will be able to grow its roots deep into the ground. A man grounded in God's Word will not be swayed easily. He, like the tree, has his roots deep in what is most important. He is not on the rocks, searching for a place to take root. He is not out in the desert, yearning for hydration and food. He is connected to the Source of Eternal Life - Jesus Christ. 

Brings forth fruit in its season. There are a lot of verses in the Bible that talk about trees bearing fruit. If a tree is good, it bears good fruit - but if a tree is bad, it bears bad fruit or no fruit at all. These relate the type of fruit with the works we do. James 2:26 says "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." If you say you have believed on Christ, are cleansed of your sins and have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you - then your life should show this. Not only should your life be a testimony of Who you're living for, but you should WANT to share with everyone why you have joy, peace and love. 

I used to think that I had to do good things in order to be saved - if I could just do enough good things, God would let me into heaven. This is a lie. The Bible says that EVERYONE is a sinner and therefore can't be in God's presence because He can't be near sin. God knew we wouldn't be able to measure up to His standard of perfection, so He sent His only Son to die for the sins of the world. He gave His life so we could be with Him, all He asks in return is that we die to ourselves, take up our Cross and follow Him.

So we don't have to DO anything to be saved - why then do we need to do good works? Ephesians 2:8-10 says "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." These verses clearly say that we are saved only because of what God has done for us, and we only made the decision to follow Him. Salvation has nothing to do with works - it's after the fact that our lives should start to conform to Christ's. 

We are commanded to love The Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we are doing these things, not only will we be automatically be keeping the 10 Commandments (if we love God then we won't take His Name in vain, if we love our neighbor we won't steal from or lie to them, etc.), but we'll also be doing good works (if we love God then we'll tell others about Him, if we love our neighbor then we'll help them in their time of need, etc.). 

His leaf shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper. Remember that we are not promised a perfect life, but we are promised that God will never leave us. Will our living conditions wither? Maybe, maybe not. Will we be rich and prosperous in terms of our possessions? Maybe, maybe not. This verse is speaking of our spiritual lives - when we're in the Word and in fellowship, our spirit won't wither because God will be the One sustaining us. We can't grow if we're depending on our own strength to get us through life. 

Just yesterday, I didn't make enough time to do my devotions and spend time with The Lord in the morning - so I relied on my strength to get me through the day. I know that anything I do turns out to be garbage unless I rely on God. He is perfect, I am a sinner. Philippians 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." I may be able to accomplish some things on my own - but they won't be of any eternal value. I can do ALL things, but ONLY through Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says that in our weakness we are strong. It's a paradox, but it's true. We can only take on Christ's strength when we become empty of ourselves and realize we can do nothing without Him.  Ministry here in Kenya requires a lot of strength and endurance - we get tired, cranky and sick, but God says He will help us get through it if we ask Him. I desire to live each day in His strength instead of my own.

IBS Psalm 1:1-2 (5-12-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Psalm 1:1-2 (5-12-14) 

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of The Lord, and in His Law he meditates day and night."

The first thing I notice about verse one is the progression of intimacy with unbelievers - walks, stands, sits. Sin has a way of making us think it's innocent, so we pursue it. Then before we know it, we look back at where we used to be and where we are now - and wonder how we got so ensnared. Sin is pleasurable for a season, but it always has a cost. The consequences may not show themselves until Judgement Day, or they may come to light at any point during a lifetime. Walking in ungodly counsel is not the same thing as telling an unbeliever about your problems and them giving advice - this verse is talking about actually following through with unsound advice they give. 

Standing in the path of sinners sounds to me as if a sinner is making bad choices and a believer is trying desperately to prevent them from sinning. Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ, our Lord." Rebuking a sinner for sinning when they either don't know or don't care does nothing in light of eternity - it's changed their outward behavior but did nothing to change their heart.

Sitting in the seat of the scornful is being in close fellowship with a nonbeliever. I take this to also mean being subjected to a bad influence. It's hard enough to not let a bad influence get to you when you're going to church, reading the Bible and praying - how much harder is it to not be swayed when you're trying to stay strong with your own will? That's why the next verses say that the man who's delight is in the Law of the Lord is blessed. 

What does blessed mean? I used to think that blessed meant rich, attractive, smart, happy and having an easy life. Jesus never promised us that we would have an easy life - in fact, in Matthew 5:11, Jesus says "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you". Not IF but WHEN. He also promised in Hebrews 13:5 that "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So blessed means we'll be joyful, have peace that passes understanding, and that He will never leave us even when we feel hopeless. 

It's not enough to not be intimate with nonbelievers - we need to be intimate with our Savior. How do we become intimate with God? I used to think that God was some far-off being, Who didn't care about me or my problems. It's actually the opposite. God's thoughts toward us are more than the sand on the seashore and His ear is right next to our mouth - just waiting for us to speak to Him. We learn about Him and see His Will for our lives by reading His Word - and from Psalm 1, we will be blessed when we do this. We also see in Psalm 119:11 another reason for reading the Word -  "Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."

He gave His life for us, why would we not want to give our lives to Him? I desire to honor and obey God, and I trust that He will take care of me because He has a perfect plan for my life. What is the big deal about the Bible? Hebrews 4:12 says "But the Word of the Lord is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." God esteems His Word above His Name - it applies to our lives today and the Holy Spirit uses it to convict and comfort us.

I want to honor God, I want to walk in His counsel and I want to delight in His Law. I read several chapters in the Bible every day, but sometimes I'm in a rush, so I read it without seeking what He wants to speak to me through it. I am going to make sure I am having an actual conversation with God while I read so I am open to the Spirit's leading.

IBS Psalms 133:1-3 (5-7-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Psalms 133:1-3 (supposed to be for 4-4-14)

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the bread of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing - life forevermore.”

I know what it is to not dwell in unity with my sisters - we had a LOT of fights, arguments and disagreements while growing up. We loved each other a lot but were also stubborn and thought we knew it all. When there is disunity, it is the effects of one of two causes. The first is selfishness and pride - when you want your way and are not willing to put someone above yourself. Romans 12:10 says “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;”.

The second cause is another matter altogether - when the dispute is over and essential. I love the quote that Pastor Jim Randall uses a lot “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.” - Augustine. This means that there needs to be agreement on the things that truly matter - the fundamentals that need to be believed in order to be saved. In things that don’t really matter in the light of eternity, you can have your own opinion but there is no need to insist that your belief is the correct one. In all things, everyone should be kind, loving and compassionate.

There may be disunity when an issue arises that you cannot simply agree to disagree on. When this happens, Matthew 18 can be implemented. This is the process believers should go through to deal with sin and offenses (and even disagreements about fundamental doctrine). When someone is doing or saying something that is unscriptural, you go to that person first and confront them with Scripture, in love. If they don’t listen, then bring along a brother and confront them. If they still don’t listen, bring them before the church and have the Pastor and leadership confront them. If during any time they repent and change their ways or mind, then they are to be given grace and continue in fellowship. If after all this confrontation they still do not repent, they they are to be excused from the church and treated as a heathen - which is to still love them but to not be in close fellowship with.

These verses say that unity is good and pleasant, it is likened unto precious oil and dew descending on Mount Zion. Why is unity so good? I think it all comes back to who is being exalted - in disunity, you are putting yourself above everyone else; whereas in unity in Christ, everyone is putting what God says above their own opinions. Salvation is agreeing with what God says about you. I was in denial about God’s opinion of me for a long time. He says that I have sinned against His laws and that I have to be separated from Him. I had to come to terms with that, and only then was I able to see my desperate need for His love and forgiveness. How awesome is it that we hated him and He loved us enough to give up His life so we could have a relationship with Him?

I want to live in unity with the Simpsons, Mike and Sara. The 3 of us interns are really close - we try to be sensitive to each other’s feelings and needs. Sometimes we do and say things that are offensive or hurtful though, and when this happens, it’s up to both people to make things right. I want to continue to be sensitive to my brothers and sisters  that I live with - both in how I act towards them and also in communicating with them when I’m hurt. I have ben praying for all our Ignite Class 6, and I’m going to continue to do this - that we would all be growing closer to Christ and to each other, and for us to all dwell together in unity. 

Book Report - Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala (5-5-14)

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala (5-5-14)

One of many things God showed me through my time of training in Guatemala was that a personal testimony is powerful. Anyone can try to debate someone over the existence of God, the historical accuracy of the Bible, or whether Jesus actually rose from the grave. What cannot be debated, however, is the saving power of Christ and the work the Holy Spirit has done in one’s own life. I love that in his book, Pastor Jim Cymbala shares a lot of his testimony and how God has worked through him and his wife, Carol.

The title of his book, “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire”, describes how the church today lacks the Holy Spirit’s leading and power. It is not that the Holy Spirit has left, nor even that believers aren’t filled with the Spirit - it’s that the Church as a whole has become so consumed with intellectualism and self-reliance that we have stopped feeling the need to follow the Spirit’s leading. 

Pastor Jim said “The devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we lift up our hearts to God.” We know that we’re not saved by our works, but by grace and through faith - it is the gift of God. Pride is the biggest struggle mankind has ever known - “I deserve the best” (coveting, stealing, adultery, lying, murder), “I know best” (dishonoring parents, not remembering the Sabbath), and “I am the best” (having other gods, idolizing self, committing blasphemy). 

Getting rid of pride is simple in theory, hard in action. Being broken before the Lord and surrendering our will is the most difficult thing to do - to die to self. This is not a once-upon-salvation thing, this is a day by day (if not moment by moment) struggle that will continue until our last breath. Lifting our hearts up to God is such a freeing experience. We try to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders, but Jesus says “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

I have asked many times in my life (as I’m sure a lot of people have), “God, why aren’t you speaking to me?” and “I don’t understand Lord, why are you doing this?”. The answer to the first one has always been “I have been speaking to you - I have convicted you of the habitual sin in your life, and you have ignored Me.” The answer to the second has always been “Trust Me. I see the beginning and the end. I hold the world in My hands. I am faithful even when you are not. I love you and have perfect plans for your life. Follow after me with all your being and I will take care of the rest.” 

Are we going to trust Him with our lives? Do we want to be on fire for our Savior? How do we do this? The question is not whether we are worthy of being filled with the Spirit because the answer will always be no - we are worthy of eternal death in hell. Rather, the question is whether we will allow ourselves to be emptied of our will and allow the Spirit to fill us with Him. He is a Gentleman - He won’t come where He’s not welcomed. Jeremiah 29:12-13 says “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” To be filled with the Spirit is to be completely submitted to His Will, to fervently desire to be led by Him and to be in constant fellowship with Him.

IBS for the book of Jude (4-5-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Jude 

Theme: Contend Earnestly for the Faith Key Verses: 3-4

Section 1:

Introduction (vs 1-2)

Verse 1 -

Observation:

Jude, bondservant of Jesus, brother of James, to those called, sanctified by God, preserved in Jesus.

Interpretation:

Jude was writing to those who were called, which was the Church. He said that he was a bondservant of Christ, he was sanctified by God and preserved in Jesus.

Application:

Just as Jude was a bondservant of Jesus, so we should willingly choose to surrender our will to our Master. We are justified once at salvation, but we’re in the constant process of being sanctified. Jude was preserved in Jesus, he knew he was safe and secure in Christ. We can have this assurance because Jesus says He will never leave us nor forsake us in Hebrews 13:5.

Verse 2 -

Observation:

Mercy, peace, love, multiplied to you.

Interpretation:

Jude was blessing those he was writing to by asking God to multiply their mercy, peace and love.

Application:

Not only should we be praying that God increase our mercy, peace and love, but we should also be praying that God bless our brothers and sisters with these fruits and virtues.

Section 2:

Reason for Writing (vs 3-4)

Verse 3 -

Observation:

Beloved, I was diligent to write, concerning common salvation, exhorting you, contend earnestly for the faith, which once for all delivered, to saints.

Interpretation:

Jude was writing about salvation, but also to encourage them to fight for the Gospel which was once for all given to those who believe on Christ.

Application:

We need to exhort and encourage one another to declare the Gospel at any cost. 

Verse 4 -

Observation:

Men crept, unnoticed, who were marked for condemnation, ungodly, turn grace into lewdness, deny the Lord.

Interpretation:

There were ungodly men who went into the Church, perverting grace and denying Christ.

Application:

The Church didn’t even realize these men were coming into their church. It’s so easy to let our guards down - especially around those we fellowship with. We should be being Bereans, seeing if things people say line up with Scripture. 

Section 3:

Teaching (vs 5-23)

Segment 1 of Section 3:

Old Testament Examples of Sin (vs 5-7)

Verse 5 -

Observation:

Remind you, you knew this, Lord saved people out of Egypt, afterward destroyed, those who did not believe.

Interpretation:

Jude reminded them of how God rescued His people from Egypt, but then wiped out the people who didn’t have faith in Him.

Application:

God lets the rain fall on the just and on the unjust - so people won’t necessarily get consequences for their sin here on earth. Everyone will have to stand before their Maker when they die, so He will have the final say in the end. Are we prepared to meet our Maker? Are those around us prepared?

Verse 6 - 

Observation:

Angels did not keep their domain, but left their abode, He has reserved in chains, for the judgement of the great day.

Interpretation:

There were angels who left the confines of God’s Authority to act of their own accord. He has put them away and will use them on the day of judgement.

Application:

Angels were created perfect, we were born sinful - how could we think we’re above sinning if they aren’t even above it? It all stems from pride and the idea that we can be as God. This was the cause of not only Adam and Eve’s fall, but also Satan’s fall. The only way to walk humbly before God is to surrender to Him and admit that nothing good can come from us.

Verse 7 -

Observation:

As Sodom and Gomorrah, and cities around them, given over to, sexual immorality, gone after, strange flesh, set as example, suffering vengeance, eternal fire.

Interpretation:

Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding cities were set as an example, showing what will happen when people go against God’s commands. Those people are suffering in eternal fire because they wouldn’t turn to God.

Application:

In the perspective of eternity, anything we do on this earth that’s not glorifying to God is worthless. For those who live for their flesh, life is short - so live like there’s no tomorrow. Sin is definitely pleasurable for a season, but everyone has a debt to pay in the end. Everyone has the choice to believe on Christ - to give their debt to Him in exchange for living their life for Him instead of living it for themselves. Even as believers, we still live for ourselves. Can we truly say we’ve surrendered our will to Him?

Segment 2 of Section 3:

False Teachers (vs 8-16)

Verse 8 - 

Observation:

Likewise, dreamers defile flesh, reject authority, speak evil.

Interpretation:

Dreamers are likened unto those condemned to eternal fire. They discard authority, dishonor themselves and talk badly about those in power over them. 

Application:

Dreamers are those who live in a fantasy world. Usually when a person fantasizes about something, they are imagining things that give them delight and pleasure. If we are living in a fantasy world, then we’re going to only care about ourselves. We need to be extremely careful to live with our eyes open to what’s really going on around us. This will ensure that we are honoring to God, others and ourselves.

Verse 9 -

Observation:

Michael the archangel, contending with devil, disputed about Moses, not bring accusation, “Lord rebuke you”.

Interpretation:

Michael was battling Satan, and the question was brought as to where the body of Moses was buried. Michael didn’t argue with Satan, he left it in God’s hands.

Application:

If the archangel didn’t even take on Satan, why do people think that they can? We are to be sober and vigilant because Satan is seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), but we are not to take him into our own hands because God is our strength and defense.

Verse 10 - 

Observation:

These speak, evil of, whatever they do not know, whatever they know, they corrupt themselves.

Interpretation:

Jude brings it back to the dreamers - they put down what they don’t know, and they pervert what they do know. 

Application:

The comparison here is that Michael knew that his Authority was God, whereas the dreamers don’t care who their authority is, speak evil of them, and disobey them. We should strive to please God, proclaim His awesome Name, and obey Him.

Verse 11 - 

Observation:

Woe to them, run greedily, in error for profit, perished in rebellion.

Interpretation:

Those who had been greedy and willing to do anything for profit ended up perishing in rebellion. 

Application:

When we put greed, profit, and the love of money and possessions above everything else in our lives, we end up being destroyed - not necessarily physically, but definitely spiritually. 1 Timothy 6:10 says “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed form the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” God needs to be number One in our lives, and everything else will follow according to what He wants for us. 

Verse 12 - 

Observation:

Spots in love feasts, without fear, serving themselves, clouds without water, carried about, trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled by roots.

Interpretation:

There were those who defiled the love feasts and only looked out for their interests. They were like clouds without water and trees without fruit - they didn’t serve the purpose of existence, which is to glorify God. Twice dead and pulled up by the roots is dying both a physical and spiritual death. 

Application:

If we aren’t serving God, then there’s no way we can truly serve others - the only one left to serve is self. What is a cloud without water? Nothing. What are we without Christ? Nothing. We need to find our identity in Christ and hide ourselves in Him.

Verse 13 - 

Observation:

Waves of sea, foaming shame, stars reserved, darkness forever. 

Interpretation:

They were like the sea, foaming up their own shame, and wandering stars for whom the blackness of eternal darkness was reserved for. 

Application:

When you’re so full of something, it’s going to end up coming out - their shame came out because they were full of unrepentant sin. When you have nothing to live for, you’re forever wandering. They didn’t put their faith in Christ and repent of their sin, so God has no choice but to judge them righteously and place them in hell - eternal blackness and darkness. Are we wandering or full of shame? Are we truly saved? If so, we need to repent of our sins, we need to have Christ as our reason for living.

Verse 14 - 

Observation:

Enoch prophesied, about these men, the Lord comes, with His saints.

Interpretation:

Enoch was the seventh son from Adam. He foretold of these wicked men. He also foretold of the Lord coming with ten thousands of saints.

Application:

Enoch got word from God about the evil to come, yet that didn’t stop the evil from spreading. Even though God tells us about consequences that will happen as a result of our actions, we usually ignore Him and have to learn the hard way. 

Verse 15 - 

Observation:

Execute judgement, convict ungodly, deeds committed, things spoken, against Him.

Interpretation:

The Lord will come with ten thousands to judge the ungodly. Every single human being ever to have lived has sinned - all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). The ungodly are those who committed ungodly deeds in an ungodly way and spoke badly against Jesus. 

Application:

The only difference between believers and unbelievers is Christ’s blood. We need to see that we are no better than anyone else - that it’s nothing we did to save ourselves, and it’s everything Christ did to save us.

Verse 16 - 

Observation:

Grumblers, complainers, walk to lusts, swelling words, flattering to gain advantage. 

Interpretation:

Those whom the Lord will judge are listed. I’ve never seen or heard of a person who hasn’t been selfish, except Christ. These people walked according to their lusts, whereas Christ walked according to the Spirit.

Application:

We should be walking in the Spirit. We are called to be set apart from the world - to be in the world but not of it. How are we supposed to let our light shine before men if we’re acting just like them? If we’re truly walking in the Spirit, our attitudes and faces will show it.

Segment 3 of Section 3:

Exhortation to believers (vs 17-23)

Verse 17 - 

Observation:

Beloved, remember words, spoken by apostles.

Interpretation:

Jude is asking the called to keep the apostles’ words in mind. 

Application:

If you’re not remembering, you’re forgetting, plain and simple. 

Verse 18 - 

Observation:

They told, be mockers, who walk, according to lusts. 

Interpretation:

Jude is reminding them, once again of the evil that would come into the Church. These people lived only to please themselves. 

Application:

If something is repeated in Scripture, it must be important. These mockers would come in the last time - that time is pretty near! We need to be on the lookout for these people, and have discernment so that we don’t fall into sin.

Verse 19 - 

Observation:

Sensual persons, cause divisions, not having Spirit.

Interpretation:

These people did not have the Spirit, which meant that they weren’t saved. The most crucial thing for these people would not be to condemn them, but to give them Jesus.

Application:

God is not the Author of confusion - when people are divided over something, it’s because they’re not putting God first. Salvific issues need to be fought for, non-salvific issues need to be agreed to disagreed on, and everyone should have God as the center of their lives. 

Verse 20 - 

Observation:

Beloved, building up, holy faith, praying in Spirit.

Interpretation:

Jude encourages the believers to keep building themselves up in their faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.

Application:

The only way to build our faith is to be in communion with the Lord. We do this by praying in the Spirit, reading the Word and fellowshipping with believers. We should be walking with the Lord and encouraging others in their walk. Our lives as Christians is not just to have a relationship with Jesus, but to have relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Verse 21 - 

Observation:

Keep in, love of God, looking for mercy, unto eternal life.

Interpretation:

Keep yourselves in God’s love - His love is never failing, so there’s no way we can get out of His love. However, we can burn our consciences and thereby numb ourselves to Him. There’s only one place we can find mercy - this is at the Cross in Christ’s atoning blood.

Application:

How do we keep ourselves in the love of God? He wants to be in a deep relationship with us, so there needs to be a willingness to submit to Him instead of disobeying Him. We are to cast ourselves upon His mercy, knowing that it’s only through Him we can have eternal life with Him. 

Verse 22 - 

Observation:

On some, have compassion, distinction.

Interpretation:

To make a distinction is to have more of a sensitivity to some than to others. Some people need more of a gentle approach than others. 

Application:

We are to have compassion on every human being, but even more so for some people. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in order to know how to minister to each individual we come in contact with. 

Verse 23 - 

Observation:

Others, save with fear, pulling out of fire, hating garment, defiled by flesh.

Interpretation:

The other side of being gentle is to be firm in a loving way. Some people need more of an emphatic, earnest approach. 

Application:

Again, being sensitive to the Holy Spirit is key. No one should be scared into salvation, but they do need to know of the impending judgement. Any witness we have is useless if it’s not in love. Hate the sin, love the sinner.

Section 4:

Closing (vs 24-25)

Verse 24 - 

Observation:

Him Who, keep from stumbling, present faultless, presence of glory, with joy.

Interpretation:

God keeps us from stumbling and presents us faultless with joy in His presence. 

Application:

God won’t let satan tempt us beyond anything we can bear and He won’t intentionally cause us to stumble. If we ever think we’re above sinning, there’s a good chance we will fall in that area. We can’t stay strong without Him - we need to rely on the Holy Spirit in all things. He can present us sinless to the Father because His blood washed our sins away. Are we joyful in this amazing truth?

Verse 25 - 

Observation:

To God, Who is wise, be glory, majesty, dominion, power, now and forever.

Interpretation:

God our Savior is wise, deserving of all praise, eternally.

Application:

I often catch myself wondering if God really knows what He’s doing. He knew what my life would look like before He laid the foundations of the earth. He deserves above and beyond what I could ever offer Him and I am so enthralled that we’ll be worshipping Him forever. I need to have faith that He knows what He’s doing and always praise Him - in the good times, and in the bad times. He is Lord of all no matter what.

Book Report - You Were Made For More by Jim Cymbala (3-12-14)

You Were Made For More - Jim Cymbala (3-12-14)

Everyone in life is wondering if there’s more. If you’re yearning for a fuller and richer spiritual life, you aren’t alone. God has plans for us, to give us a future and a hope - He wants us to call on His Name and rely on Him for all our needs. God has a specific and perfect plan for each person’s life. He desires for us to have a deep, personal relationship with Him. The Lord wants more than just one or two days a week, He wants all of us - all the time. God equips those He calls and will provide for us so that we can accomplish His Will.

When we desire to walk in His Will, we need to: look back before we move forward, not move forward in disobedience, and remember that the Blood Sacrifice must always remain the purpose of our mission. These lessons were already learned by the Israelites when they were in Gilgal - so we can learn from them in order to prevent repeating these mistakes. We are powerless to break our chains, only by Christ’s blood can we be set free. God will bless us when we give all the glory to Him instead of taking it for ourselves. 

The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and then comforts us when we repent. He is often overlooked when people think about the Trinity - yet He is the Voice that leads us to repentance. He gives a passion to believers when we allow Him to change our hearts. He challenges us to live a pure life for Christ and gives us the heavenly resources needed to walk worthy of the Gospel we preach.

Why do some believers love the Head (Christ), but don’t respect the Body (Church)? Regardless of age, sex, race, income, or language - Jesus died for everyone. Being discriminatory to certain believers is NOT walking worthy of the Gospel because Jesus desires for ALL to come to know Him. We need to stop treating others badly, and start treating others the way we want to be treated.

When we learn to rely on God to meet all our needs, and are loving everyone with Christ’s love, we also are gaining spiritual discernment. Satan is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He leads blatant attacks at times, but more frequently he is sneaky and crafty. This is why we need to continually renew our minds with the Word and be discerning with everything in our lives - constantly being on alert.

“I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” So often, people remember the first part about themselves, but not the last part about it being only through Christ’s strength. We try to do things by ourselves, instead of relying on God. We can only throw ourselves whole-heartedly into living for God once we’ve surrendered fully to Him, and we can trust Him to take care of us.

When we go through trials and hardships, it’s easy to question God. Hardships produce patience, perseverance, trust and faith in God, and a testimony to God’s power in our lives. I was really touched by the simple account of a man who wanted to be free from his drug addiction. Pastor Cymbala asked for people in the congregation to pray for this man who could attest to Christ’s changing power in their drug addictions. Dozens of men came forward to lay hands on him. Our testimony is what shows the world the power for Christ that saved us from our sin.  

Every day, every moment, everyone is tempted with sin by our flesh. There are definitely spiritual attacks from demons, but there are many more attacks from our sinful desires. We always have the choice to either give into our flesh or depend on God to fulfill our needs. As believers, we are no longer enslaved to sin because Christ gives us power over our cravings and lusts, and we can live by the Spirit.

When we feel God calling us to do something, we usually object because of our lack of ability to carry out His plan. This is our flesh and Satan trying to render us useless. We feel unworthy and unprepared, yet it is through our weakness that Christ strengthens us. If we accomplished His Will in our own strength, God wouldn’t get any of the credit. God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. God’s plans are not our plans and He desires for us to be faithful, even in the little things. 

God gives a peace to His children - His peace that passes all understanding. His peace gives us protection against the attacks from Satan, gives us love for those who have wronged us, takes away the worry we have about our futures, and renews our mind by taking away the garbage that infiltrates our thoughts. He gives us a calm heart during the storms.

God promises that those who follow Him won’t be put to shame. God made us for more than just being saved and going to Heaven - He wants to us to seek His Will for our lives and then go out there and DO IT.

IBS Luke 5:31-32 (5-4-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Luke 5:31-32 (5-4-14)

“Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

The scribes and Pharisees asked the disciples why Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. I find it comical that instead of the disciples replying, Jesus instead answers them. He told them that He came to call the sinners to repentance and to heal the sick. I love how Jesus defies all the cultural expectations - He rebuked the self-righteous Pharisees. He associated Himself with the most hated people in society - the prostitutes, tax collectors and sinners. His love surpassed caring about how people looked, smelled or carried themselves. He had compassion on the sick and healed them - He TOUCHED lepers. 

These Pharisees and scribes felt no need for a Savior - they believed themselves to be better than everyone else. In the context of the Law, they actually were better than everyone. Jesus challenged them to look at their inward appearance rather than their outward appearance. Matthew 15:11 says “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Jesus said that if someone hated someone, they commit murder - and if someone lusts after someone, they commit adultery. Jesus made sin about the heart, not about actions.

Only when a person sees their sin for what it really is and sees God for Who He really is, can they cry out to Him to save them. It is when a person is at their lowest that they either harden their heart completely against God or throw themselves on His grace. Every follower of Christ has experienced complete brokenness in order to become a believer. After that, it’s a matter of living in a constant cycle of sin making us prideful then becoming humble before Jesus - or else we are just living in rebellion whilst being saved. 

I know for a fact that I’ve been justified, but am I allowing God to sanctify me? I know that the process of sanctification takes a lifetime and I want to allow the Holy Spirit to mold me into a more godly person. Am I priding myself on my abilities, talents and spiritual growth? I know that God has given me gifts, but these are solely given to be used for His glory. When I do things in my own strength or for recognition - not only do I feel like I haven’t accomplished anything, but I have also just forfeited my reward I could have gotten in heaven. When I try my best, I have to take a step back and evaluate my motives. Who am I doing this for? Myself? Other people? Or God? If it’s for anyone else beside my Savior I repent, dedicate my service to Christ, and finish out what I started. 

Do I see myself as righteous because of my own efforts, or do I see my righteousness as a result of Christ’s blood cleansing my sins? During my devotions each morning, I want to ask God to show me any sin I may be harboring and repent of it. I desire to be that sick person - constantly in need of the Lord’s strength - not the self-righteous person - not needing anyone but myself.