The Power of His Resurrection

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 10

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study – (IBS)

The Power of His Resurrection

“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” – Philippians 3:10 (NKJV)

The power of His resurrection…The majesty and glory of the Lord…

Sitting here trying to write this IBS, the Lord again reminded me that I can do nothing in my own strength.  Right now I am overcome with awe, an awe of just trying to begin comprehend God and His all-knowing power.   With that awe, I suddenly have much deeper gratitude and appreciation of having God’s Word sitting open in front of me.  That He would have compassion enough to give me His record, in a sense, to explain to my simple mind His love for all of His creation, and give me a glimpse of what He is truly like is far beyond anything of my understanding!  Job 42:3 is the closest thing in words to what my heart feels right now – “You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’  Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”  I feel like could take it one step further and say “which I do not know.”  I hear the Lord’s voice speaking through Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”  God let it be Your words that flow out of my mouth…the praise of the heavenly hosts in Revelation 5:12-13 come to mind, “…Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing! ...Blessing and honor and glory and power and be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”  Romans 6 - resurrection

Application:  Today I will read in one of the Gospels more about Christ’s life leading up to His death and resurrection, “that I may know Him.”

Be Found in Him

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 10

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study – (IBS)

Be Found in Him

“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.” – Philippians 3:9 (NKJV)

As a human being, and as a descendant of Adam and Eve whose disobedience disconnected the human race from God’s perfect design, my natural desire is to try to fill the gap between myself and the Lord.  Because of my sinful blindness, what I usually try to fill that gap with mostly are not the things of Christ.  One of those things is identity…and I am not the only one who struggles with this.  Since the Fall of man, all of humanity has battled this because we are not naturally apart of Christ body, and sin has separated us from His perfection.  But why this is such a fight for we as humans, is that we are still ultimately made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).  The deepest part of the soul knows this, and also that true peace and perfection can only “be found in Him,” our Creator.  Thankfully though, the God who creates everything, who created me, has a compassion and a desire so great that He sent His One and only Son – Jesus Christ – to this earth in flesh, to die and rise again, so that I and all the rest of humanity now has the chance return to perfection through His precious cleansing blood.  My identity and, as the apostle Paul says, “my own righteousness, which is from the law,” is no longer of this world, “but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”  Who am I, to think that I am anything without Him, that my own righteousness carries any weight or meaning?  By releasing my self, the Lord then takes me captive and back to Himself, so that if anyone is looking for me, I can “be found in Him.”

Application:  Today, I will find passages on being in Christ.

Gain Your Brother

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 9

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study – (IBS)

Gain Your Brother

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” – Matthew 18:15

Brothers…gotta love ‘em...

Growing up as the oldest of four boys, I have definitely had my fair share of fights and quarrels with them, and also witnessed many more contentions between them.  Needless to say, Matthew 18:15 is a verse that is very much alive in my life.  It also hits me in an area of my life that I am still very much weak in: anger with my brothers.  Anyone with brothers can identify with this in some way, as brothers can always somehow find those certain buttons of aggravation.  That being said, it must also be brought to light that for me, it wasn’t very hard for my brothers to get at my buttons because the littlest things used to set me off.  I love my brothers to death, but I won’t deny that they also were/are very good at pushing my buttons if they so desire!!  With that taken into consideration, the first sentence of Matthew 18:15 – “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone,” has been a tremendous struggle for me in the past.  The whole “go and tell him his fault between you and him alone” thing was something that I very rarely did correctly.  If there was any sort of fault, you could bet your bottom dollar I’d be the first one to make a commotion about it, it didn’t matter whether it was publicly or privately.  It shames me to say that most times it wasn’t even an issue worth being discussed, let alone flying of the handle about.  I am a prime example of Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger,” and Proverbs 14:29 – “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly.”  Often I would answer some smart remark from them impulsively with a harsh reply that would stir up piles of anger, and make myself look very foolish in the end.  This brings to life Proverbs 18:19 “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle.”  I have been on both sides of this road, though it usually has been on the side of offending rather than offended, unfortunately.  This verse is so true, speaking from the times I have been offended by something my brothers have done, it is so easy to pack a grudge for any amount of time.  That grudge can sit there and fester and become like an infected sore, which takes time to heal.  But if resolved or taken care of quickly, in the love of Christ, that sore heals faster, rebuilding the relationship quicker.  Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”  This is something I know the Lord has been changing in my life.  It is interesting that when you step away from someone for a while that you begin to realize the qualities of that person.  During my time here at IGNITE God has peeled off any contradictory feelings or thoughts about my brothers, and He has cultivated a genuine kind of love for my brothers that I haven’t had before.  For them, I not only need to be a friend that loves at all times, but a brother that loves at all times, so that I can be a brother for adversity.

Applications:

1.       Today, I will visit with two of my Christian brothers about their lives, and how I can support them in any way possible.

2.       Next time I have phone access, I will call and visit with my brothers at home and ask for their forgiveness on past quarrels we have been in.

Live in Peace

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 9

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Live in Peace

“Finally, brethren, farewell.  Become complete.  Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.” – 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NKJV)

In writing 2 Corinthians 13:11, the apostle Paul is coming to the end of closing out his second letter to the church he had planted in Corinth.  Here he concisely summarizes what he had been discussing in earlier in both the book and chapter 13 as a whole.  Throughout it Paul continually encourages the church to live with total devotion to Christ, and shows how there is completeness, good comfort, one mind/unity, and a life of peace through that daily surrendering.  He talks directly about becoming complete in verses 7-9, saying, “⁷Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. ⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. ⁹For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete.”  Verse 8 made me stop and re-read it, as I had never really thought about truth in that aspect.  You might say it is very “true!”  By having the mindset of doing everything for the truth, Christ’s glory and majesty will then show in everything I do, and in turn I will be made complete because of the peace He bestows.  Along with that comes comfort; I can also have comfort in what the Lord has done for me, as said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”  I can live in peace with this promise, no matter what chaos and turmoil may surround me.  With this peace from the Almighty, I don’t have to worry about tomorrow, and in a sense I don’t have to worry about what others think about me.  By loving as Christ loves, I can then function with those around me with the one mind that Paul commands.

Application:  Today I will find three verses, one – being complete, two – finding comfort in the Lord, and three – living in peace and write them in my journal.

With the Humble

J.J. Stark

March 2016

Week 9

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

With the Humble

“Be of the same mind toward one another.  Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.  Do not be wise in your own opinion.” – Romans 12:16

I love the apostle Paul.  I very much wish I could have met him, because from his writings he seems to have been a man who not only believed and walked very closely with God, but also a man who believed in a straightforward message - Short, simple, and to the point.  I think I could take some lessons from him on keeping a message concise a message.  As I stepped back and get more of the context for this IBS, the Lord spoke to me a great deal through Romans 12:9-18, and turned into a prayer I need for my life.  Lord Jesus Christ, here I am, take me, teach me, break and remake me into a vessel for Your glory. 

God, let my love be without hypocrisy, that I would abhor what is evil, and cling to what is good.  Help me to be kindly affectionate to others with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to another, not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving You, the Lord.  I want to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer, distribute to the needs of the saints, and be given to hospitality.  Heavenly, All-Mighty Father, I ask for self-control to bless those who persecute me; bless and not curse.  Let me rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.  Jesus I need to be of the same mind towards others, not setting my mind on high things, but associate with the humble.  God I beg that I would not be wise in my own opinion.  Help me pay no one evil for evil and have good regard for good things in the sight of all men.  In Your name for all possible, as much as depends on me, that I would live peaceably with all men.

Once again the words of David come from my heart:

Psalm 119:9-16 – “How can a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed according to Your word.  ¹⁰With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!  ¹¹Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.  ¹²Blessed are You, O Lord!  Teach me Your statutes.  ¹³With my lips I have all the judgment of Your mouth.  ¹⁴I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.  ¹⁵I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.  ¹⁶I will delight myself in Your Statutes; I will not forget Your word.”

Application:  Today I will ask my roommates to tell me three things in my life that they see that I am often “wise in my own opinion” about and then find a verse for each of those as an antidote. 

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.