IBS Philippians 3:9 (3-11-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Philippians 3:9 (3-11-14)

“and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”

Paul said he wanted to be found in Christ - where do I find my worth and identity? When I die, what do I want to be remembered for? I recall an interview that someone conducted with Pastor Chuck Smith and the person asked Pastor Chuck what he wanted to be remembered for, he basically said that he wanted to be thought of as a man who loved Christ. 

Paul said he didn’t want his own righteousness found in the law - he was the Jew of Jews, he kept every law, yet he still wasn’t righteous in the eyes of God. How often do I find pride in my “accomplishments” or works? I admit that I am shocked at times of what people are capable of, but then realize that I am capable of anything. I cannot ever think myself righteous because of something I did - I need to give all glory to Christ and His work in me. 

Paul wanted his righteousness to be from God through his faith in Christ. He knew that the righteousness that he had pursued as a Jew was not what God required. Matthew 9:13 says “”But go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”” Jesus didn’t come to save those who are righteous in their own eyes, but those who knew they are in need of a Savior. 

I relate this to the approach I take when giving someone the Gospel. I always start off with asking them if they know that they’ve sinned against God - if they’ve lied, stolen, hated someone, lusted, etc. I most certainly would not see the need to go see a doctor unless I knew that I was sick. I am so thankful that I can’t earn grace - that I am in no way deserving of Christ’s love. 

I want my identity to be found in Christ and I want to rely on His righteousness. I’m going to write “Identity” and “Righteousness” on both wrists and a cross on both palms to remember what my life is about and where my worth comes from.

IBS Philippians 3:8 (3-10-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Philippians 3:8 (3-10-14)

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”

This verse reminds me of Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Paul had the right mindset - to live only for Christ and to die only for Christ. He knew that nothing in this life was worth the eternity he would spend with his Savior. He counted all things as loss - he suffered so much persecution throughout his life and always praised God through it. He claimed that anything in his life that wasn’t pleasing to God was rubbish, trash, and worthless. 

How often do I place value on things/people/experiences over the value I place on spending time with Jesus, reading His Word, and praying? Do I count everything as loss in comparison to gaining Christ? It’s really easy right now to put Jesus as a priority in my life because of being surrounded and immersed in the Word and worship all the time, here at Ignite. What will it be like when I’m in Kenya, when I have a lot more independence and a lot less structure? Even more, what will it be like when I’m back in the US, when life is being thrown at me from all directions?

I want this time in training to be in preparation for a lifetime of putting Christ first in my life. I’ve seen what my life looks like when God is secondary or even further down my list of priorities. It’s a mess. I’m running around like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to keep it all together while wondering why I can’t seem to accomplish anything. The reason is because I try to do things in my own strength and keep picking up the garbage of this world. It’s because I need to rely on God’s strength, lay down my rubbish at the foot of the Cross, and find all my needs fulfilled in Him.

I want to be complete and lacking nothing, and the only way to do this is to put God first in not only my life, but in my heart. I’m going to draw a heart with a cross inside it on my hand to remind me that Jesus needs to be my “Number One”. I’m also going to spend some time being silent before the Lord in the mornings before I get out of bed to just thank Him for Who He is, and ask Him to help me live for Him instead of for myself. 

IBS 1 Corinthians 9:19 (3-7-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for 1 Corinthians 9:19 (3-7-14)

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;”

Paul goes on to say that he became a Jew as unto the Jews, that he might win Jews; he became under the law, as those under the law; he became without law, as those without law; he become weak, as those who are weak. After that he says “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the Gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” We are not under the law - we’re under grace. 

We have freedom in Christ, but shouldn’t use that in a way that would be a stumbling block to a brother. Paul sacrificed his freedom in Christ in order to reach as many people as possible. He became a servant to all men that he might win them to Christ. We win disciples to Christ by our actions, not just by our words. If we are finding something in common then building a bridge, as opposed to shoving the Gospel in their face, we are going to be received as a friend rather than as an enemy. 

How awesome is it that Paul was so devoted to the spreading of the Gospel that he made the choice to lay down his rights as an individual? I sometimes choose to be a servant to those I care about - how much less do I choose to be a servant to those I don’t know, or even to those who hate me? This is really convicting. Jesus says to love our enemies, this includes serving them! I want to have a servant’s heart. I’m going to look for opportunities to serve others. 

IBS Luke 17:10 (3-6-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Luke 17:10 (3-6-14)

“”So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’””

I have only done what was required of me. I don’t think I’ve ever said that in my entire life. Sure, I like to say “Praise God” when someone is giving me praise, but I don’t have the mindset of “I just did what God told me to do”. What is our reasonable act of service, as believers? To love the Lord, our God, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength - to love our neighbor as ourselves and - to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. 

In doing these things, we are just doing what we get to do. Sometimes people thank and praise us, and sometimes no one notices. Praise is not a bad thing - except if we let it get to our head and develop a big ego. Praise is meant to be an up-lifting act of encouragement that we bestow on one another to build each other up. It becomes sinful when we expect it and get prideful, or we don’t get it and then think we served for nothing. God knows everything that we’ve done, and He will reward us according to the works we’ve done for Him.

Yesterday, I saw that everything I do should be done unto the Lord. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” If I’m doing something because I feel like I have to, God doesn’t want it. Whether that be money, time, food, or other, it should be given with joy. Matthew 10:8 says “Freely you have received, freely give.” God has blessed me with so much, I should want to give to others so they can be blessed also. 

I should be satisfied with the reward that God will give me in heaven, not looking for thanks, praise or glory on this earth. My motivation to serve should solely be because I love Christ. I’m going to memorize 2 Corinthians 9:7 so that I can remember what my motivation should be. 

IBS Luke 17:9 (3-5-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Luke 17:9 (3-5-14)

“”Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.””

In this verse, we are asked if the master thanked the servant for doing the things commanded of him. Jesus says “I think not”. The master told the servant to do something, so it wouldn’t make sense to thank him for the thing he was commanded to do. I remember from a young age having my parents tell me that I shouldn’t expect a “thank you” for doing stuff that I knew I was supposed to do. Thanks to them, instead of expecting a thank you and being disappointed when I don’t get one, I don’t expect one and am surprised when I receive one. 

Why do I serve? Am I serving to get people’s attention? I may not expect a “thank you”, but I still expect people to notice. There have been a lot of times that I’ve told people about something I did for God, and thereby got my reward when they praised me. Matthew 6:2-4 tells us about the different ways in which charitable deeds are carried out - the hypocrites parade their deeds for all to see and get their reward from those who give glory to them, whereas we should do our charitable deeds in secret so that only God sees them and He will reward us. 

This comes to a question of my heart. Is my motivation for serving to have people praise me? Or is it to bring glory to God? I usually don’t go into a task with the mindset that it’s for Christ - but usually halfway or most of the way through, I realize that I’m doing it either because I have to or because I want someone to praise me. I then have to take a moment and get my heart right before God. I thank Him that He gave me the ability to do the job and tell Him that I’m doing it because I love Him. 

I want to remember that everything I do is for Christ - not because I loved Him but because He loved me first. I’m going to write “How He loves” on my wrist so every time I see it I can thank Him for the life He’s given me, and live it for Him. 

IBS Luke 17:8 (3-4-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Luke 17:8 (3-4-14)

“”But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?””

In this verse, the master is saying that he needs to be served food before the servant can rest and eat. The servant just got done with a long day of hard work - yet his time isn’t done. He still has to serve his master dinner before he gets to eat. A servant does not get to decide when he is done working - the master gets to decide because he is the one who has authority. The point I see in this is that we are to serve our Master and others before we serve ourselves. 

Even when it seems like our day will never end, our purpose in life is still to follow Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” and Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness...”. When we put ourselves under the submission of Christ by becoming His disciples, and make a decision to daily die to self, our flesh will become disciplined and trained to put God and others first.

Put God first. Put others before myself. Deny my flesh. These are all things that I was born to blatantly disobey. This is a result of the curse of sin - no longer walking in God with perfect communion. Instead, human beings are born into a spiritual death and can only have a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. Even after repenting and receiving Christ, we all still struggle every second of every day to walk worthy of the Gospel we preach. 

This is where sanctification comes in. If we are walking in the Spirit, then we are daily dying to our flesh, giving our will to Christ, and being transformed in the renewing of our minds through reading the Word and prayer. It’s really about remembering our decision to be a bondservant of Christ and seeking to do His Will. I’m going to write “Let go and let God” on my hand to remind me that I’m His servant and I need to let Him work in me.

IBS Luke 17:7 (3-3-14)

Inductive Bible Study Method for Luke 17:7 (3-3-14)

“”And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?””

In this verse, Jesus is asking the disciples whether a master will relieve the servant of his duties before the servant’s time is up. In the right context, servanthood is either something a person is born into or entered into by choice. Either way, there is supposed to be an end to it, and sorry to be obvious, but it doesn’t end until it ends. It is silly to suppose that a master would cut a time of serving short, when the servant is fully capable of finishing it out. 

We all know that God doesn’t have grand-children - no one is born as a bond-servant to Christ. Every believer has made a conscious choice to serve God, and we are to love Him with all of our beings. Hebrews 12:1 says “...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us...” The race is this life - we are to have endurance because there is no resting time. Yes, we sleep and have times of relaxation, but we are never on a break from serving God or being a witness of Him.

Plowing the field. Tending the sheep. Running the race. These are all strenuous tasks that require energy, effort, and endurance. I get tired. I get sick. Sometimes, I plain just don’t feel like doing anything. I’m sitting here, typing this IBS, feeling overwhelmed by the fact that it seems like I could never live up to this requirement of constantly serving God. The point to all of this is that I can’t do anything in my own strength. How foolish to think that I could do anything good in and of myself. I’m going to write “His Strength” on my wrist to remind me that I need to constantly serve Him and run the race with endurance - but not in my own strength, in His.