IBS Psalm 39:4 (7-27-14)

Inductive Bible Study for Psalm 39:4 (7-27-14)

"Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am."

God convicted and comforted me at the same time as I read this during my morning devotion. I taught a Bible study in John 13 this week for the teens at church. I talked about how everyone is a wicked sinner, we're all prideful, God will lift us up if we're humble and why we need to be broken before Christ. The Spirit was moving in and through me and I had become excited to share what The Lord had been showing me, instead of being concerned about how I would sound. Of course, my sinful pride started feeding me thoughts as soon as we were in the car to leave. I thought to myself "Wow, I'm a really good teacher". Satan wants to attack in any way, shape or form - even after giving a message from God. 

I get so vain and prideful sometimes, and when I realize what I'm doing - elevating myself above everyone else - I feel awful. I desire to be shown just how weak I am. I love the verses in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 where Jesus says that His strength is made perfect in us when we are weak. I can't possibly expect God to help me when I am stubborn and working in my own strength. I think of it like a boat - there can only be one captain and the ship won't get anywhere if two people are trying to steer the ship. This struggle of letting God have control is one that happens on a daily basis. There won't be a rest from this until I stand in the presence of my Savior. The flesh is constantly fighting for control, and the spirit is constantly fighting to give control to The Lord. 

The whole purpose of life is to glorify God. At the end of my life - the things I do for myself will be for nothing and the things I do for God will become a reward. I love the song Blink by Revive. The chorus says "It happens in a blink, it happens in a flash, it happens every time you turn to look back. I try to hold on tight but there's no stopping time, what is it I've done with my life?". Time doesn't stop for us - every second counts. The other song that comes to mind is Life Means So Much by Chris Rice. The chorus says "Teach us to count the days, teach us to make the days count. Lead us in better ways because somehow our souls forgot - life means so much". He goes on to talk about how in terms of time, no one is rich and no one is poor - how are we using the time God has given us?

I need God to show me how frail I truly am. I think about my future a lot - where I will live, what I will do for work and who I will marry. I'm not even promised tomorrow!!! My heart needs to be humbled before God and I need Him to show me how much I need His strength. I want to live these next 5 minutes like these are my last 5 minutes (Steven Curtis Chapman anyone?). I could die at any moment. Jesus could come for the Rapture at any moment. I want to use my time wisely - to give God all the glory. I'm going to draw a clock with the numbers falling off on my hand to remind me: that I have no idea how much time I have left, to use my time wisely and to surrender my dreams to The Lord. 

IBS 1 Corinthians 13:7-8a (7-17-14)

Inductive Bible Study for 1 Corinthians 13:7-8a (7-17-14)

"(Love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."

In summation so far, love: suffers long, is kind, doesn't envy, doesn't parade itself, isn't puffed up, isn't rude, isn't selfish, isn't provoked, doesn't think evil, and doesn't rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in truth. Honestly, verse 7 about (insert verb)ing ALL things has confused me. Does bearing and enduring all things mean going through, for example, abuse without saying anything? Does believing and hoping all things mean being gullible? No - how do I know that's not what this verse means? Because I know that God wants us to confront people when they sin against us (Matthew 18:15), and that we are to test everything and hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). 

When I think of bearing all things, I think of that person who's been faithful to be my friend even through the times I've been depressed, irritable, and a bad friend. Bearing means not giving up and leaving. It means loving even when someone doesn't love you back. Love isn't selfish, so it doesn't stop loving when it's not loved in return. As I said before, when people sin we are to confront them but still show them the love of Christ. I am learning how to do this in my own life right now. It's easier to "go through the motions" with someone when they're a friend than it is when it's a family member - you usually don't have to live with that person if they don't take it well. In my case, I'm bearing with this person because I love them dearly and nothing can ever change that. 

To believe all things doesn't mean to believe everything everyone tells you. Believing is to have confidence in the truth. Believing the best about someone until they prove otherwise. Even when they prove otherwise, love still forgives and believes they can change. Love hopes all things. Hope is what faith is made of. Hope doesn't mean thinking something will happen - it's knowing beyond a doubt. I don't wish that I was saved. I know for certain that I'm saved and have an unshakeable hope for heaven. Love hopes all things. Love doesn't doubt - love trusts. Love fights for truth and justice. Romans 14:10 says "Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to God.", love believes God will have the final say. 

Love endures all things. Even when there seems to be no hope left, love doesn't give up. The only Love that hasn't ever given up is Jesus. When He was praying before being betrayed, He asked God the Father if there was any other way to save the world - twice. But He said "Not my Will but Yours be done" (Matthew 26:39 & 42). Jesus endured torture, bearing the sins of the world on His shoulders, death and separation from His Father because He loves us. He endured everything so that we could choose not to. Love never ends. I can't even fathom the depths of God's love for us. I was the one who nailed Him to that cross and yet He loves me with perfect, unending love. 

All this is wonderful and touches my heart, but if I don't do anything about it, then it's useless. I have been using this a lot lately though - even when I don't mean to, I share the Gospel in every class that I teach about God. I'm going to make more of an effort to share Christ's love with those around me. We go grocery shopping every week, and there is an Indian girl there who is the daughter of the owner. I've been praying for her and God has put a burden on my heart for her. I'm going to write her a short letter and give it to her when we go next time. 

IBS 1 Corinthians 13:5-6 (7-13-14)

Inductive Bible Study for 1 Corinthians 13:5-6 (7-13-14)

"(Love) does not behave rudely, does not seek it's own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;"

As in the last IBS I wrote, I said that love is a verb. God is love - which means that He fulfills all of these requirements. He is not rude, selfish or provoked to sin, He doesn't think evil and He rejoices in truth. I fail every single one of these requirements - does this mean I don't truly love? That's a hard question because I feel that I DO love people. Am I rude, selfish and able to be provoked? Absolutely! I would say there isn't a day that goes by when I don't think some form of evil - whether it be lust, anger, hate, jealousy and/or assuming bad things about someone. I fall so far short - every single day - of truly loving people, and of truly loving the One Who loves me most. 

Jesus - being fully Man and fully God - never failed to personify Love. God loved sinful human beings so much that He humbled Himself, became a Man, and suffered and died unjustly. He was innocent and could have saved Himself at any point. But He didn't. Why? Because He loved us and knew we could never save ourselves. If He had sinned or failed to personify Love just once - He wouldn't be the perfect sacrifice and would therefore have forfeited any chance of possibly saving us. I know that Jesus died because He loves us, but I don't know WHY. It blows my mind that God loves someone like me, and that all He wants in return for saving us is for us to give our lives to Him. 

This week for teaching (Kid's Club & schools), we're learning about the 10 Commandments. Don't have gods before God, don't make idols, don't take God's Name in vain, remember the Sabbath, honor Mom and Dad, don't: murder, commit adultery, steal, lie or covet. None of these say not to be rude, selfish or proud. Is failing to be loving a sin? It is falling short of perfection - and to miss the mark is to sin. In the New Testament, Jesus gives two commandments on which hang all the Law and the Prophets. They are: "You shall love The Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself". (Matthew 23:37-40) 

Wait, love God and your neighbors? Is this the same love that is talked about in 1 Corinthians? Yes. Yes it is. Who exactly is my neighbor? EVERYONE. Wow, so I'm commanded to love every person I come in contact with - to be kind, gentle and humble, to be patient, gracious and a peacemaker, to not be envious, rejoicing in evil or parading myself. That's impossible, which is exactly the point. We can never love perfectly, but the reason we try is to show everyone that Christ loves us. We don't do good works to earn grace - we have received grace freely and now should desire to give freely to God and others. 

I want to be an empty vessel that God can use to pour out His love on others. There is no possible way for me to love without His strength. In addition to praying every morning for emptiness, brokenness and the filling of the Spirit - I'm going to ask The Lord to remind me to love everyone with His love and correct me when I'm being unloving.