Obedient Witness

J.J. Stark

June 27, 2016

Field Time: Browning, MT

IGNITE CLASS 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Obedient Witness

“And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” – Acts 5:32 (NKJV)

            The statement in Acts 5:32 is made by the apostle Peter during the second time he and John were arrested and stood trial for preaching and doing mighty works in the name of Jesus Christ.  This was not long after the Pentecost, where the church was birthed through the Holy Spirit and massive amounts of people were coming to the salvation of Christ.  The boldness of the apostles produced by the Holy Spirit is astounding to me, and according to the text was even more so to the religious leaders then.  Throughout the chapters leading up to this, the word obedience keeps surfacing.  Obedience to the will of God is what is seen in the record, how the disciples were immediately obedient to God’s Holy Spirit manifesting Himself in them and revealing truth.  The religious leaders lashed out because of the uprising, but this only was a fulfillment of what Jesus foretold in Matthew 24: 9, 13&14:  ⁹ “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake…¹³ But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and the end will come.”  However, because the of the confidence of the Holy Spirit, they were not only able to endure the trials, but also testify of the gospel in front of authorities as eye witnesses of Christ’s glory.

The Spirit gives us discernment in all things, revealing the truth from lie, and bestowing on those who obediently seek God’s will the freedom to operate in that truth.  This can be seen during the disciples’ first trial in Acts 4:19-20: ¹⁹ “But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.  ²⁰For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”  I can identify very much with the disciples in this aspect of talking about things I’ve seen.  I am very visual/audio (sensory in general) oriented, and it is often difficult for me to discuss or think about something outside of what I’ve experienced.  These men also came from a background of hard work, a meek life of simple fishermen; verse 13 mentions that the disciples were “uneducated and untrained men,” but through Christ they were able to preach the gospel better than the “scripturally educated” of the time.  Christ has continually used simple people, “the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise” (1 Cor. 1:27), to spread His word.  It all hinges on obedience to the Holy Spirit though.  Jumping to the second trial in Acts 5:29-32, ²⁹ “…Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘“We ought to obey God rather than men.  ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.  ³¹ Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  ³² And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”’”

Just as Peter and the other apostles witnessed Jesus personally and couldn’t keep quiet, so is the call to every believer today!  The Holy Spirit not only witnesses the things done in the name of Christ, but He also witnesses when we ignore His prompting.  He is alive and active just as much today as He was then, He is unchanging.  I am to spread the good news of Christ also!  It isn’t going to be easy, as said in Matthew 24, but my response must be like theirs – obey God rather than man.  Maybe I haven’t walked with Jesus in the flesh like them, but I have witnessed numerous things that God has done through the Holy Spirit!  Why do I hesitate to speak of these things, even when I know that He has not given me a spirit of fear?!?!  Even if it isn’t with words, I am to witness in everything: through my actions, attitude, and perspective.  Lord, I ask that You would increase my sensitivity to Your Holy Spirit’s quiet promptings and that I would obey.

Isaiah 43:10-12 gives the command from the Lord:

 “¹⁰ You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He.  Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.  ¹¹ I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior.  ¹² I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God.”

Application: I will work at not being so task oriented that I neglect witnessing to the ones God puts in front of me. 

Blind Faith?

J.J. Stark

June 17-20, 2016

Field Time: Browning, MT

IGNITE CLASS 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Blind Faith?

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” – John 20:29b

Not to make light of other things Jesus taught, but this verse is one that truly portrays the essence of salvation.  In such a skeptical and information/confirmation-needy generation, it packs a very heavy meaning that unfortunately is taken very lightly.  “Seeing is believing,” the old saying goes, and it certainly seems to be the motto the world lives by today, whether anyone admits or not.  In saying that I do not exclude myself, for I am as guilty of falling into this trap as anyone, if not more so.  I am always looking for some type of confirmation on everything regardless the significance.  It is not as if I am the only person who has ever struggled with this; there are innumerable examples throughout scripture.  John chapter 20 has to do with one of these people, Jesus’s disciple Thomas.  Verse 29b is a statement to Thomas from Jesus in a conversation after Jesus’s resurrection.  Verses 24 and 25 of chapter 20 give background to the situation:

“²⁴ Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  ²⁵ The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘“We have seen the Lord.”’ 

So he said to them, ‘“Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”’”

            Two thoughts come two mind when reading this.  On one hand, I cannot say as though I blame Thomas; a confusing chain of events had just occurred rapidly, with everything that he had thought was so solid around him seemingly came crashing down.  His mind was also still in the recovery stage of a death of a close One and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Knowing what I do of myself, and then putting myself in Thomas’s sandals, I am pretty certain I would do and say the same: proof.  Let’s examine this from the other side also though.  Twelve chosen disciples had walked with Jesus for over three years, each one of them witnessing Christ perform incredible miracles.  He healed illnesses, gave hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, and sight to the blind, and even life to the dead!  One of these (Judas Iscariot) would betray the Savior according to God’s plan, and sadly, even though Christ forgave him, Judas still took his own life out of overwhelming guilt.  This obviously left only eleven disciples; Thomas proceeded keep himself isolated during the chaos surrounding Jesus’s death.  Because of self-isolation, he was one of the last to receive the news of Christ’s resurrection.  It is interesting to see how, despite the eye-witness testimonies of the ten gathered disciples, Thomas still refused to believe his Savior was risen.  In a court of law, even two or three of these accounts would have stood, let alone ten of them.  He remained stiff-necked, as many of his ancestors before him, even though the evidence proved otherwise!  How often am I as stubborn and hard hearted as Thomas?  But, Jesus Himself removed all doubt by appearing again when Thomas was present with the rest, further on in John 20:

“²⁷ Then He said to Thomas, ‘“Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side.  Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”’  ²⁸ And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘“My Lord and My God!”’  ²⁹ Jesus said to him, ‘“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”’”

Jesus has compassion on Thomas and doesn’t rebuke him for not believing, but uses this to teach all to have full trust in Him and His Word.  It is not an ignorant belief in something crafted of this passing world, but a faith in the living, eternal, and holy truth, which is the gift of life.  It is not a blind faith, but one that I can have confidence in.  Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  This is a reminder of Jesus’s reference to believing as children, without judgment or skepticism, but also looking forward eagerly in hope.  The apostle Paul reinforces this in 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”  This is the beauty of faith: though Jesus Himself is not plainly accessible to verify by any of our physical senses like Thomas, we can through faith see the evidence in His creation, hear His voice and Holy Word speak, and feel His peace when we believe that He is truth.   THIS is confirmed by the apostle John in his “note from the author” (chapter 21:30-31)

“³⁰And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Application:  I will press into Christ, praying for a stronger, unyielding faith in Him, that I wouldn’t fall short and trust in the things seen, but in Him unseen.

The Heart of it All

J.J. Stark

June 8-10, 2016

Field Time: Browning, MT

IGNITE CLASS 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

The Heart of it All

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9 (NKJV)

The heart and the mouth.  Scripture talks extensively about these two, as they are two of the few unique parts of the body that can affect more than just the physical realm.  God created them able to connect and communicate with Him in the spiritual realm.  I particularly think of how, while living on earth, Christ constantly discussed the heart and the mouth.  The comparison in Matthew 12:33-37 comes to mind, of the likeness of a man’s heart to a tree: “³³Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things?” Ouch!  How often am I just plain rotten on the inside, yet put on a smile and talk nicely to someone?  “It’s the truth that hurts the worst,” the old saying goes.  God’s word is not just some old, meaningless record, but the living and holy truth, and it slices straight through me. 

Jesus continues: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.  ³⁶But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgement. ³⁷For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Emphasis added) What?  Every idle word I say I will have to give an account or reason for?  Matthew 15:11&18 say, “¹¹Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man…¹⁸But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.”  If that doesn’t make a man think, I don’t know what will, and boy howdy do I regret some things I have said in the past! 

All things start with the heart, the “heart of the problem” so to speak.  It is where battles and wars are won or lost, and where the decision to fight or become lax is made.  This reality has become very alive to me lately, and found myself viciously fighting the enemy’s attacks in my heart.  Yes, Jesus is my personal Savior, but so often I forget this, and wars are waged.  Yet what does Romans 10:9 say? “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  This comes back to remembering Christ’s sacrifice, and the rekindled belief in my heart leads to God’s holiness conviction and me verbally confessing I sin and can do nothing without Him, and that Christ Jesus is Lord of all.

Romans 10:10-13 closes this out: “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  ¹¹For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  ¹³For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Application:  I will practice guarding my heart of evil thoughts, taking every thought captive and evaluate it by God’s word to determine whether it is worthy of speech.

He Gave

J.J. Stark

June 5, 2016

Field Time: Browning, MT

IGNITE CLASS 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

He Gave

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 (NKJV)

John 3:16 is perhaps one of the most well-known verses in the Bible, and many people today can quote it off-hand, Christians and non-Christians alike.  I wonder though how many people actually realize its weighty meaning.  I for one have known this verse by heart for years, but until now, I haven’t truly taken it to heart.  What strikes me is the phrase “He gave.”  Although I know its general meaning, I have been pondering the word give, and in the Merriam-Webster dictionary one definition says it means, “to make a present of.”  John 3:16 states that God the Father out of pure love did just that, “…He gave His only begotten Son…”, even though we as the human race, who the Lord God gave in His own image, have disobediently sinned and fallen away from Him innumerable times. God gave the present of His very being, manifested in His Son Jesus Christ, even though we are so far lost and undeserving of the bestowment.  John 3:17 says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  Jesus, through divine incarnation, entered the world, lead the perfect fulfilling life that no other could, to lovingly give His life and become the redeeming sacrifice for all of creation; yes, even me.  In John 14:26 after His resurrection while He was still on earth, He gave all believers the Holy Spirit: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”  Today, the Holy Spirt continues to be that help, constantly giving comfort, assurance, and peace to those who diligently seek Christ’s will.  As a servant of Christ, I am called to imitate Him as my Master, obeying His instructions.  In Matthew 16:24-25 the Lord states:  ²⁴“…If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  ²⁵For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”  This leads me to ask: Do I give?  He gave His very life in self-denial.  In a heroic mindset I’d like to say I would give my life to save a family member, close friend, or even the children attending Kids Club, but on the flip side would I for some stranger off the street? Or better yet, would I give my life for someone who offended or hurt me?  That is a hard reality, and if I am honest my flesh says no.  However, the truth is this: Christ has already died for the entire world.  What good is it going to do if I die for someone physically, yet I don’t be witness to them of the Savior?  They themselves are already spiritually dying, so instead of a “hero” mindset giving my life, I need keep the perspective of giving everlasting life.  By dying to myself, and giving over to the will that Christ has for my life, I become platform in which He displays to those around me “…God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Application:  I will strive to meet with the Lord one on one more regularly, that He may give me direct me in the witnessing appointments He places in my life.

Call on the Name of the Lord

J.J. Stark

May 30, 2016

Field Time: Browning, MT

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study

Call on the Name of the Lord

“For ‘“whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”’” – Romans 10:13 (NKJV)

A picture of David comes to mind in studying this verse, and the defeats he experienced in his life.  To me the times he was lowest, hiding in caves or among the Philistines, or his family turmoil, are when David’s life truly embodies calling on the name of the Lord.  The Psalms penned in result capture the very essence of full reliance on God.  Psalm 18:1-6 beautifully elevates Christ as Lord and Savior.  David, surrendering to and adoring Yahweh, says: “¹I will love You, O Lord, my strength.  ²The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  ³I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.  ⁴The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.  ⁵The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me.  ⁶In my distress I call upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” 

Even though I have never experienced anything like that of David, these are the kinds of words I cling to, especially when faced with temptations and trials.  He speaks similarly again in Psalm 119:33-40, and in calling upon the Lord this is my prayer: “³³Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statues…³⁴ Give me understanding…³⁶Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness.  ³⁷Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.  ³⁹Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your judgements are good.  ⁴⁰Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me in Your righteousness.”

God the Father is all-powerful, knowing, and discerning, and is His ways are unknown to man.  This is the salvation message: because His continuous desire is creation restored back to Him from sin’s destruction, God the Son, Jesus Christ, came down to this earth to pay the eternal price of sin and become the saving redemption for all who call on His name.  As the Lord’s adopted child through salvation, I, in continual crying out to Him as my All in All, can walk in the assurance the apostle Paul wrote in letters to the church in Corinth: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it,” and, “⁸We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair, ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – ¹⁰always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.  ¹¹For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”  (1 Cor. 10:13 & 2 Cor. 4:8-11)

Application:  I will write down Romans 10:13 to remind me to continually call on the Lord for everything.