Monday, January 23, 2012

IBS: Deny self hmm

1/15/2012

Mark 8:34- "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'"

Interpretation: Jesus is giving an altar call right here and right now, always calling to the crowd of people who are close enough to hear his call. He tells them to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him if they wanted to come after him. This altar call that Jesus gave 2,000 years ago is the exact call he gives today. In my life I tried to come after Jesus but I didn't deny myself. Jesus tells us to deny ourselves for many reasons, one being that we can't truly take up our cross unless we deny ourself first. This isn't legalism, this is love. Jesus knew then what he knows now, that we live in a corrupted and sinful generation full of self indulgence and the lustful lies of satan. When we deny our SELF, we can then take up the cross. It always comes back to the cross. Jesus was perfect! He never sinned! He was the perfect, holy, unblemished lamb and we KILLED him. So for us, sinners by nature, to take a little bit of responsibility for ourselves and deny our flesh and take up our cross should be the one true desire of our heart. That by no means makes it easy, but Jesus didn't just say "follow me" here for a reason. He knows there is no greater love than a sacrificial love, and for us to truly follow him and be like him we have to put that selfish part of ourselves to death, daily, in order for his perfect love to rule our lives. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Application: God has put it on my heart to write letters explaining my transformation to some of my girlfriends, and I wrote one but theres a few more to go. I will write a letter tonight.

IBS: One Day at a Time

1/12/2012

Acts 2:46- "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart."

Today will be the fourth day out of ten that I haven't broken down and sobbed, crying to the Lord. So far. As of now, that doesn't really matter. I couldn't imagine what the apostles were feeling. I'm sure there were tears as 3,000 people came to Christ through repentance. Or while miracles and wonders happened, or while goods were sold so that everyones needs could be filled. But no matter what the emotions, they continued on daily. They stayed in one accord, they stayed in the temple, they continued to break bread and pray to God prayers of gratefulness for what they had. Today was a good day for me, and I was even able to pour into some of the other interns here. But I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I think of when Peter walks on water, headed towards Jesus. He is actually walking on the water until he looks around and starts realizing what is happening and seeing the winds he begins to sink and cries out, "Lord, help me!" Jesus grabs him by the arm and says, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" I want to keep my eyes on Jesus, I want to continue to daily keep in the word and in fellowship and continue being grateful for everything that is happening in my life right now. I want to walk by faith, not by feelings; go day by day and continue to be happy no matter what the circumstances of my day are.

Application: I need to walk on water by keeping my eyes on Jesus. By staying in the word I can keep my mind off my feelings, and keep it focused on the good Jesus is doing! I will do my devotion book today, I haven't opened it since sat. Amen sista brotha woo-hooo

IBS: God or Money?

1/11/2012

Acts 2:45- "Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he has need."

Interpretation: The apostles and believers were all walking together and were all of one accord under the direction of the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says, "You cannot serve both God and money." Because we live in a Godless society, it makes me think, well hm, what are most of the people in the world serving!? In 1 Timothy 6:10 it is written, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." Here, the believers are selling their things and giving to everyone as they had need. It makes it even clearer to me how one cannot serve both God and money. Right now I don't have the full funds to even finish my time at the ranch, but I have the faith my God is going to provide for me! I think about how people were given to as they had need. I think about how some people say if they won the lottery they would donate some, or they would give more if they got more, but God sees the hearts of people. It is awesome here how the believers are serving God. They are setting aside the attractions of the world in order to meet the needs of others. Dead men don't have rights...

Application: The Lord laid it on our hearts to begin a change jar. Just to put in any money whenever we see it. I am going to continue to add change to our "jar for change" because I know that my God can make a lot from a little, so I will add more today in the faith that he will provide for all of our needs!

IBS: Common Denominator = God

1/10/2012

Acts 2:44- "All the believers were together and had everything in common."

Interpretation: God brought me and eight other believers to the Potter's Field Missionary Ranch, where we get to live and grow together. I know that God had a purpose when he called us all out here, even including Anthony who was only here for a short time. Looking at the eight of us it is clear to see that we don't have everything in common, because we're all coming from different states, households, and walks of life; but I do see that where it counts- we share common beliefs, plans, and goals. Having everything in common doesn't mean that we are all the exact same, but that we can relate where it really matters. The believers and the apostles came from different backgrounds, but there differences were set aside and they united through the Holy Spirit in the study of teachings, in fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. It is awesome how God brings people together for his purposes. God blessed me with a group of friends at home who I love, but our differences would often dominate our relationships. Here, although we all have different stories, we are unified through Christ, and when the things that we have in common are on the basis that we are all serving the same God, God can use us and will use us for truly awesome things. It is freeing to know that in a world where the only thing people seem to have in common is war, division, and separation, God has called us to set those things aside, and unite under his love. Jesus prayed in John 17:20-21 for all believers, "My prayer is not for them alone (the disciples). I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be as one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." This is Jesus' prayer for us 2,000 years ago, and it's coming alive right before our eyes.

Application: I need to ask other people what it is that I can pray for them about, in this way adding to the trust and unity in our relationships and continuing to allow opportunities for them to open up, strengthening this little body of believes in truth and God's love.

IBS: Everyone

1/9/2012

Acts 2:43 - "Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles."

Interpretation: Everyone was filled with awe, the Holy Spirit has been made available to all believers for the first time in history. Not only were the apostles filled with awe, but I like how everyone was. It goes along with what we are learning in out perspectives class, how Jesus died for everyone, and if and when we do spend time devoted to the word, in fellowship, breaking bread, and in prayer, then more people would be able to understand what Christ is doing for us and be able to participate in the awe-filled, mind-blowing experience that is walking with Christ. Also, it says many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. That just makes me wonder what we are really capable of when we are of one accord and backed by the Spirit. Everything was new and powerful and exciting and thats how I want it to be now. If we took advantage of the time we have together here at the ranch to spend time on prayer and be in the word we could accomplish amazing things by the work of our God, and everyone could be amazed. I think of my friends and family who don't know the Lord, but even if people don't know Him they can still see the love we have for each other and desire it for themselves. 1 John 4:12 says, "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

Application: I need to pray more with these friends God is blessing me with, instead of just talking about worries or excitement I want to give it back to God with the people I'm with to shape us as one accord so God can do amazing things.

IBS: True Devotion

1/7/2012

Acts 2:42 - "They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer."

Interpretation: There was time being devoted to the apostle's teaching, and there was fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer. This just reminds me of why we are truly here at the ranch. Here we are devoting ourselves to all of these same things for the same reasons. I like how the word "devoted" is used. The definition of devoted is dedicated, but what stuck out more was the second definition, "feeling or displaying strong affection or attachment." It's not just that we are here to learn the word and grow in our walks with the Lord but it's about our affection for him that controls the amount of effort we put into following the teachings, having fellowship with one another, breaking bread, and prayer. I like the idea of being devoted to prayer, going back to the definition of "devote," meaning I want to have a love and desire and affection for it, for the blessing of being able to do it with the fellowship of others my age for the first time in my life.

Application: I want to continue to focus all of my desires on what God has for me here, and take advantage of the fellowship and ability to break bread, or study the Bible, and the time of prayer we can have by devoting myself. I want to do this by doing the 60 day overview of the Bible daily reading and continuing to pray with my roommates daily.