Walk in the Light

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 9

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Walk in the Light

“⁵This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  ⁶If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do no practice the truth.  ⁷But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:5-7 (NKJV)

It’s funny how sometimes when you read a something in some book and it feels like the author is standing right in front of you, talking right to you as if you are the only one in the world receiving what he is saying.  After going through this passage this is exactly the feeling I got; I feel like I’m standing in front of the apostle John, and he is speaking to me face to face.  This, obviously, was the command that Jesus gave His personal disciples in Matthew 28:19-20, saying “¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  The Lord uses John to do just that in 1 John 1:5, penning a message that not only taught that generation, but all generations since – “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”  Praise Him that He is Lord, and the Light of the world!!  By being in fellowship with Him in the Light, I am also able to fellowship in a closer, more meaningful manner in the relationships that I have.  Christ lived every aspect of what He taught during His walk here on earth, one of those teachings being, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Jesus Christ’s example is mine to follow, living the life the He has given me as one not of my own, but His, and by being in constant fellowship and communion with the Lord, I am then His tool to use in bringing light to the darkness.

Application:  This evening I will share with my roommates something that I read in my devotions, and discuss what they think about it.

Agreement

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 9

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Agreement

 “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” – Amos 3:3 (NKJV)

God is so good…He is not only the awesome Creator and mighty Ruler of this universe and my life, but He also asks very good questions.  Speaking through the Old Testament prophet Amos, the Lord asks a question that spans the ages, not just being one that pertained to the situation then.  This is still a very valid question today.  I had to stop and ask myself the question – “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”  The answer is no.  In the ESV it says “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?” When you think about it, this is absolutely true: One, two people will not walk together obviously, unless they, obviously, are in agreement on matters they have in common.  Two, these people are not going to get very far in their walk together if there is any contention between them.  It needs to be a brotherhood like of David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 18:1,3, 4 – “¹Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul…³Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.  ⁴And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.” This kind of a relationship is that of Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

Application:  Today I will fast with Kazden to support him as he fasts to come closer to God.

Vigilance

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 8

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Vigilance

“³⁷Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  ³⁸And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  ³⁹But know this, that if the master of the house had known the hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” – Luke 12:37-40 (NKJV)

Being vigilant…one of the biggest struggles I battle every day in my walk with Christ.  Vigilant, as defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary means “alertly watchful, especially to avoid danger.”   As much as I dislike admitting it, I am constantly running into danger – be it physically, mentally, or spiritually.  Most of the time it is distractions in the earthly realm that become my primary focus and I find myself neglecting my communication with Christ.  On my own I knew this is not a good thing, but after reading through Luke 12:37-40, the Lord gave me a wake-up call about it.  This passage proved to be very good tool for self-evaluation, as showed the danger that I am not as in love with Christ as I thought I was…in other words not fully devoted.  A true servant is one that is not only loyal to his master, but one that also loves his master, and, as this passage in Luke indicates, does not cease watching for his master’s safe return.  This really humbles me because it unearthed the lack of love I still have for Christ.  Am I constantly looking for Christ’s return?  No…

This also brought to mind a passage that a family friend shared with me a while back – Ezekiel 33:2-7  “²Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchmen, ³when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, ⁴then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head.  ⁵He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself.  But he who takes warning will save his life.  ⁶But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person form among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.  ⁷So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.”

Again, alertness is vital.  Christ is always there and ready to help me, but I have to meet Him part way and daily surrender my life and continue to chase further after His presence and majesty.

Application: Today I will find a passage on Christ’s return and share it with my roommates.

No Longer a Servant, but a Friend

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 8

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

No Longer a Servant, but a Friend

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” – John 15:15 (NKJV)

Hebrew 4:11 – “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even the division of the soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  I love how the author of Hebrews uses the vivid description of God’s word being a two-edged sword, and reading John 15:15 really drove the point of that sword into me.  I’ve been pondering this verse for a little while now.  Normally when doing IBS, I come out feeling very convicted and needing to allow the Lord to change something in my life.  I don’t know why, but when digesting this passage of John, I got a very warm, assuring feeling rather than that of conviction.  This also brought me to think about the two-edged blade analogy.  The sword, dagger, and knife are tools designed for cutting and slashing.  In war these are very versatile weapons, used in both attack and defense; in either stance the edge can damage and harm to the opponent.  Interestingly, a knight in Medieval times would carry all three into war with him, with each weapon designed with a certain purpose in mind.   In combat, the sword was the first line of attack, obviously because it had the longest blade and provided the best chance of doing the enemy harm without getting harmed personally.  If the fighting became intense and the knight either lost his sword or the space became too confined for it to be useful, he would then switch to the dagger.  This was much more effective when in a hand to hand situation where only a few feet separated opponents.  The last resort was knife; if everything had failed, the situation was desperate, or things were so close contact that the knife could have been the difference between life and death. 

That all being said, there are also other purposes a two-edged blade can also be used for.  I am referring to healthy purposes, in particular the medical field, where a double-edged blade at times used to cut away bad or infected pieces of flesh so that healthy flesh grows.  Lately I think God has had to use all three weapons on me: His sword to first split me wide open, then a dagger to do some closer work, but finally a knife for some intricate removal of some unnecessary tissues (a.k.a “issues”).  At the moment, I think the surgery is over, and I am in a short healing period and I am at peace.  Christ is my comfort and Rock to anchor on.  In His loving mercy He has cleaned up my faith by removing all the extra things I had added on to it.  In John 15:15 He tells me what I am - “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”  Jesus wants a relationship with me!  He doesn’t just want me to serve Him, He wants be my friend, and me His!  He shared the communion that He had with His Father, inviting His disciples into His life so that they could become a part of Him. Christ wants to do the same thing with me today – become a part of His body.  Because I am a part of His glorious love, I am to share it with those around me, devoting myself to ministering to each individual the love that the Lord has shared with me.  Lord, let me abide by Your word in John 15:12-17 and invest Your love into Your people:

“¹²This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  ¹³Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  ¹⁴You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  ¹⁶You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  ¹⁷The things I command you, that you love one another.”

Application:  Today I will visit with Christian about my life more and get to know him more as a friend. 

A Ransom for Many

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 8

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

A Ransom for Many

“²⁶Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  ²⁷And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – ²⁸just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:26-28 (NKJV)

“…But whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  ²⁷And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave…”  Oh the numerous times I find myself guilty of this mindset…How often do I think I am something big and great?  How many times do I take pride in “my” accomplishments and seek praise for “my” ambitions and aspirations?  In reality, I am microscopic small…I think it is safe to say the human mind is not physically capable of even beginning to comprehend the weight of what Jesus has done for us.  I know I can’t.  It is a constant struggle with my flesh, as this is the nature in which it manifests itself – overconfidence in my capabilities, and yet the truth of the matter is, is that the Lord created me and blessed me with such gifts and abilities.  The magnitude of it is like that of God, unfathomable in depth and immense in breadth, too great to measure.  The Lord Jesus Christ, “the Son of Man,” displayed that love to me and the rest of the world by coming to this earth and “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” If He, not being of this world, came down here to serve and make Himself low, how much more must I lay down myself and serve with humility?  Thank you Lord for becoming not only “a ransom for many,” but paying the ransom for me!!

Application:  Today I will be the last one through all the meal lines.

We Are Unprofitable Servants

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 8

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

We Are Unprofitable Servants

“⁷And 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’? ⁸But 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’? ⁹Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded of him? I think not.  ¹⁰So 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.’” ­ – Luke 17:7-10 (NKJV)

Putting others before yourself is one of the hardest things to do.  Ever since the sinful of Adam and Eve, it our nature has become very self-centered, and learning to be considerate and serve others with genuine Godly love is something that has become opposite our nature. For me personally this has been something I have had to work on a lot.  This was much more of a problem when I was younger, as I wasn’t really one to go out of my way to help someone, especially if it was a family member.  Thankfully though, my parents were very good about instructing me in that, not just by telling me how, why, and when to do it, but also by living what they spoke.  I learned a lot by watching and listening to them in how they operated in the household and in public.  Numerous examples come to mind of my dad being that servant, where he would many times come home from a long stressful day at work, and then help get the dinner on the table, making sure we boys and mom had our food first before he’d eat.  Then to top it off, after dinner he is always the first one to be outside finishing any chores or projects that need done.  My mother is very much the same way.  I’m fortunate to have seen this example of a servant’s attitude from Luke 17 brought to life through both of my parents.

Application: Today I will strive to be the first to change out all the water jugs when needed.

Liberty to Serve One Another

J.J. Stark

February 2016

Week 7

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Liberty to Serve One Another

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” – Galatians 5:13 (NKJV)

Jesus Christ came to this earth to seek and save the lost.  So many are lost because they don’t realize their ignorance.  By ignorance I mean that most people today do not realize that they are in bondage, bondage to their sinful flesh.  Because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, we are now separated from God because we are no longer holy, and because God is holy, and sin cannot be in His presence we now suffer the consequences of the law that the Lord operates by.  For centuries, God enforced a sacrificial law system, where people had to present a blood offering in order to pay for the sins they committed.  However, God has the ultimate love for us as His people.  John 3:16-17 says, “¹⁶For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  ¹⁷For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  Jesus, the Son of God, who also is God, loved every person in this world (myself included) so much that He willingly came down to this earth to live a perfect life so that I could once again have perfection and be united with Him.  I am free from my selfish bondage!  However, this is what the apostle Paul is saying in Galatians 5:13, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” I am no longer under the law, but am free from my fleshly desires and now have the freedom to serve others in the love of Christ.  No longer is it a matter of “I have to serve,” but rather it is now, “I get to serve.”  Christ served those around Him with prayer, and both spiritual and physical nourishment.  It is now for me to do the same.

Application:  Tonight I will pray for one of my fellow brothers, whose family is struggling spiritually.