Casting Seed to The World

Mark 4:9 "And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”"

Theme- Casting seed

This is something that hit me as we are wrapping up our time in Guatemala. Before this verse it is the parable of the sower, we are called to be sower, not the waterers. We are supposed to be casting out the seed(the word of God), we are to spread the word of God to all that haven't heard the truth. Act 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”", that is straight from the Lord Himself. These were His last words in earth before ascended into heaven. It's not up to us to soften the soil so the word of God can sink deep into the people's heart, and bear fruit. God will take care of that, all we are to do is cast the seed.

The reason I bring this up is because my team and I have been thinking if we have done a good enough job. As I was in the men's bible study one night, He made me realize that we did a good job, because Christ was shown to these kids through us. Technically we didn't do anything, except allow God to use us and be a vessel for His love. And He is just so good because we don't even have to try and do it with our own power, because it's impossible to shine a light that isn't yours unless it is given to you. John 12:46-47 "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.  And if anyone hears My words and does not believe,  I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world."He is the light and He abides in us, and He saves not us, He is the one to soften the heart of the non-believers, we are to shine His light that gave us in the Acts 1:8. The Holy Spirit lives within us and with His help we are to spread the Gospel to the four corners of the earth, that there may be the soften of the hearts.

One thing I want to end with, we don't see what is going on in the hearts of who we are spreading the gospel to. So don't get discouraged because we might not see the fruit from the seeds we casted out, but the fruit isn't for us to bear. We do it for the glory of the Lord, so that He might be praised. We might not see the fruit in the hearts of those that are hearing the word,  but men look at the outside, and God looks at the heart.

Fighting

Ephesians 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Theme- Fighting

The following verse talks about putting on the full armour of God. So that we may walk through every day prepared to face the day. Also when we find ourselves being attacked by the devil, we will know exactly what to do. It's cool to think Jesus doesn't only die for us, which is unconditional love as a living example. But He also gives us the full body of the Lord, not just a quarter of it, or half but the whole thing. I heard this saying a lot, and it always helps when I forget how good God is, "For God so loved the world He gave.......". It made me realize a lot of how little I can or want to do, and how much He has done, and will do in lives that are dedicated to Him.

I say these thing ps because we are in a battle and that is exactly what this verse is telling us. We are under attack by satan, and he is coming at those that are following Christ with everything he's got. For when we are doing the will of the Lord, satan is very happy.

I've heard a lot of stories of people that had crazy stories about demonic attacks, and I always had doubts since the people I heard them about are super spiritual and great followers of the Lord. Until, I had my own experience of a spiritual presence of just pure and utter darkness. I woke up once in the middle of the night, and could just feel darkness so I threw my covers over my head, sweating, and just waiting for something bad to happen. Just think of a 19 year old man, 6' 1" hiding under his covers. Trust me it's something you really don't ever want to experience. It took me probably 30-45 minutes to fall back asleep, because of the utter terror of being asleep when this presence being around me. Then the next night we had a visitor speaking to us, and He had a very similar experience in his past, but the one thing he did differently was, he called out to the Lord and that was the end of it.

God gives us His Holy Spirit to help us walk through everyday experience with the devil. Jude 1:9 "Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”". That is all we have to say when we are under attack, "The Lord rebuke you!" When we are followers of Christ His name and His name alone. We are under attack everyday as followers of Christ, but when we fight the good fight we will be protected by the Lord, and will have the same inheritance as Him.

Always There For Safety

Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord , “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”"

Theme- safety

Day by day,
I was slowly dying.
I couldn't go on,
There was something missing..

Until now I'm still searching
For the thing that'll stop my crying.
For someone who'll erase my fears,
For the person who'll wipe my tears.

But till then I'll keep on smiling.
Hiding behind this mask I'm wearing.
Hoping one day I can smile,
Till then, I'll be here.. waiting.

This a part of a poem I feel like a lot of people feel like throughout the an everyday life. I picked this poem because I can feel like it described my life as a high schooler. Now that I'm a teacher you can pick out the kids that live a life like I used to. The title to this poem was called mask and that is exactly what they put on everyday just to be accepted into society.

This is one of those verse I wish I could just make people believe. We get scared sometimes when we think we won't be accepted, so we change everything just so we will fit in. I like to call it being a "people pleaser". This is what I was when in High school. Being in ignite, and being the only guy on a team for six months. You figure it's not worth wearing a "mask" everyday. So you just become yourself and find out who you really are. The coolest thing is you find out who you are in Christ.

What I want my students to understand is that it doesn't matter who you are in front of people of society, only how you conduct yourself as a child of God. Because when we are a child of God when faced with a problem we can run to Him for safety. And it's not like a friend that might bail out on you or won't be able to talk, but like a God that will do anything for you and be everything for you at any time.

Trust in Something Good

Psalm 34:8 "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"

This verse didn't make very much sense to me when I was a kid or even just a young believer, but I was reading a book and  all the sudden it made so much sense to me.

So when I was a kid I heard this verse and like I said didn't make much sense. Before I thought how do you taste God? I truly just didn't get it, and so I just pushed it a side as a kid and didn't think about, but know I can't stop. I think it's because I have a lot of friends that just have walked away from the Lord and if they only followed this verse it would all make sense.

So to now this verse means if I can get a taste of what it is like to be a child of God I will never leave His presence. We are truly blessed to have a friend like God and it made all the more sense when I was in His presence. When I was a kid I grew up in the church, but lived in sin so it didn't make sense to "taste and see". But now that I'm a believer and put my trust in the Lord it all makes sense. So what I would love to tell my friends face to face, and pray that they do it, and try it. Because That's all that God is telling us to do, He is saying, "try Me out and if I'm not good then don't bother with Me." The cool thing in this verse is that it says is, "taste and see that the Lord is good;". He doesn't even bother saying see if the Lord is good or bad, just good for that is what He is.

Lastly, on top of finding out that the Lord is good it says," Blessed is the man who trusts in Him." It says we will be blessed to put our trust in someone that is good. I've heard this illustration a lot but it is good and simple. So you have a bench that sits in the bark and when you are tired of walking, running, or whatever you are doing you trust that the bench will hold you up. You don't know if it is a good bench or a bench that will break right out from under you. The Lord is good and you know it so why would it be so hard to put your trust in Him

Lifting up others

Ephesians 4:25 "Therefore, putting away lying, “ Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another."

Theme- lifting up one another

This is one of the many lessons I have learned in my time here of ignite. To lift up those you aren't very fond of hanging out with, but when you have to live with them it gets even a little harder. So like I might have said before I wasn't very happy I was staying with four girls I'm with right now. Remember that was when we started our serving time.

The girls weren't my favorite people in the world in the beginning of training, but when we all made the decision in our own hearts to try and make this team work. It began with prayer and led to lifting each other up and encouraging them in all things. So when it came time to say good job, we said it to each other. Speaking for myself that where it all started, and then I injured my knee and sometimes you don't realize how much you love people until they gone. So even though it seemed like just a small gesture of compassion towards each other, in our hearts it was something so much greater. Why?, because it was the work of God doing that in our hearts, and the best we can do is worst than the smallest thing God can do.

So if you are apart of a team, a body, a family, or a congregation. There are three step of lifting people up, prayer, action, and examination. This will help you realize the importance, and effectiveness it has on the body of Christ.

First, is prayer and I'm going to say little about it, but it is the most important part of these three steps. We are to pray without ceasing, and so that means we should constantly be in prayer throughout the day, and start all things in prayer. With doing that it is saying we are giving it up to the Lord before we even know what is going to happen.

Second, following prayer is action. We have to take steps of faith after giving it up to the Lord, we have to listen to what God has to tell us and follow His guidance. And in that we are taking action in which we prayed about.

Lastly, is examination for a good reason. Look at how you feel about your team or whatever you are apart of, and see how it is different. When I was taken out of something I thought I hated, I wasn't happy but devastated that I had to leave my family. And as I sat on my couch thinking about what I left behind in Guatemala, and where I was then. I realized what I had in Guatemala was a 100 times better than what I had in the states.

You will see how much God will change you and those you are communing with in a drastic way. Praying for all of you for we are all apart of the same body.

Rest in the Lord

Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Theme-Rest

Have you ever felt that you just can't go on anymore, that you have to do so much work, but you just don't have the energy to do it. I encourage you to stop what you are doing close your eyes, and pray. Don't reach for the caffeine or the drink that will give you a little something to keep on going, don't go to the earthly things of this world for strength or energy, because they will wear off and just leave you worse than you were before. Reach for the living word that gives life, go to God and ask for strength to do His will, and His work. God give life to those who are dead in sin, a Helper (the Holy Spirit) so that we can keep going, and an inheritance of heaven.

So when you feel that you just can't do anything else, or that your brain just can't work any more, I encourage you to go to Him and ask for rest. Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." This is a promise when we ask of the Lord for the Lord's will, then we shall receive. And on top of that this verse Matthew 11:28 is a promise, so He is saying if we to go to Him needing rest then He will freely give.

The verses following says in 11:29-30 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” He even offers us His yoke which is light and easy, because we don't have to stand on our own, just be completely dependent on the Lord. Go to Him and find rest.

This is my last point, are you tired of doing everything on your own strength? Well then, just stop. These last two verse show us that we don't have to do it all on our own. We go to God and find rest, give all things unto the Lord, and He will take your burdens on His shoulders. He will give us something easy that we wouldn't be able to handle on our own, but we can be dependent on Him and He will keep us going. In Him you will have rest.

Application - rest in the Lord for 20 minutes in my spare time, and continue in prayer throughout my day.

Going through trials with faith

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

We all go through hard times in life, when we are tempted by our fleshly desires. At these points in our life we must, ".., count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing the testing of our faith produces patience. " James 1:2-3. sometimes that word patience makes me cringe for some reason when we are talking about the ministry of Christ. Just because I feel like we should constantly be doing something for the Lord. But when the word faith, and patience are together it makes a lot more sense. We have to have the faith that the Lord will keep His promise that we will be inheritors of the kingdom of God, where we will receive the crown of life.

Its not always going to be easy when it comes to trials that stand in the that we are walking on. They only become easier when we put all of our faith in the Lord and allow Him to guide us on the path, and through the hard and easy trials. I can't remember how many times I tried to get through an easy or hard trial by my own strength. All I end with is laying down on my face defeated, I was never able to do it on my own. Especially, on the missions field with the amount of spiritual attack that happens here. It's impossible to do the Lord's will without allowing Him to do it through you. Just to let you know when we live a life for Christ no matter where we are, we are on the missions. But something we always have to remember is that we aren't alone, God is always with us helping every step of the way. And when He is the one carrying ypu through the trail something always amazing happens for the kingdom of God.

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." Lets get our job done here on earth with the help of the Lord.

Unity through love

Ephesians 4:16 "from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

The body of Christ is an amazing experience, when you are able take part in. Now I'm excited to write this because I haven't been a part of the body, and also I'm a part of the body right now. Just to say everything is better when you are a part of a body that makes you feel worth something, and purposeful. But being a part of a body that doesn't actually care for you and constantly put you down, sucks.

The body of Christ is put together so precisely, that if someone else tried putting it together it would fall apart and die. He puts the body of Christ together the same way He put you and me together in our mother's womb. It doesn't make sense on how it is put together but some how it works. The body I'm a part of right now is built with the oddest people in the world that wouldn't get along in the body of society, but it works perfectly in Christ body. The reason why it works so good is because the body of Christ is centered around Christ.

The construction of the body of Christ is built of many different parts, but all carry a very important role. Every part works together in perfect unison with each other, because Jesus is the head telling each part what to do. Each part has a different job that take a certain type of gift that God has given you, so He will put you where you are needed in His body to do the job that needs to be done. And someone else with a different set of skills to complete something that God needs for them to complete.

This reminds me of the body of Christ that I am able to be a part of here in Guatemala. We work so well together, and all have different set of skills that we bring to the table. But of you put us together in a social network it would be chaos, and nothing would be accomplished. What make this body work together so well is that we edify one another with the love of Christ, and that the love of Christ is the fuel we have to get through each day.

Keep Going

Hebrews 12:3 "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."

Theme- keep going

So this is a verse that came across me yesterday while we listened to Pastor Joe Focht, and He started with this verse. A little back, my schedule of the day. So Tuesdays we teach english for two hours, then come back for lunch. But yesterday was a little different after lunch when we usually have time to prepare for other classes that we have later on in the week or just rest, I had to cut up this huge stump with a chainsaw that kept locking up every other minute. After getting that done I thought I would have time to catch up on some reading I have to do and do and IBS, but I ending up helping the new class of interns make blogs. Then we had dinner while we listened to Joe Focht, and I've been complaining that I haven't had any time to read or do an IBS. So when he started with this verse it was instant conviction.

So when it feels like you can't stay awake and you have so much to do, just ask God to help. Because after coming back from the states it continually felt like I was climbing a mountain that no man can climb. That is when I cried out for help to God, when I couldn't go anymore on my own strength. I needed help there was no more strength in my body, so when God answered my prayer He gave me a refreshing breath and only with His help I was able to continue on.

Afterwards, I realized that He was correcting my pride, I continue to feel Him breath for me because it almost seems like I forgot how to live my life without Him helping me everyday. Be corrected is never fun, "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." This is verse 11, being corrected isn't fun but it will profit us in the end. We are corrected now, so we don't make the same mistake in the future. I call this correcting training, no one likes training before the race, right? People just want to run the race not train for it, but it's necessary to win the race.1 Corinthians 9:24 "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it." If we want to win the race we need to be prepared for it, don't reject His correcting because He corrects those He loves. And if it feels like you can't go any longer remember what He did for you on that cross, so that we might enter into the kingdom of God. He will give you the strength to keep on going.

Encouragement

Psalm 37:1-2 "Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb."

This verse came to my mind as I was thinking today, and I felt led to right an encouragement to anyone who is reading this. When I was in high school and living for the Lord I felt alone, because it felt like I was the only christian it was the same thing at work. So God gave me this verse to encourage me.

We don't have to fear the things of this world, because they are only temporary, and the relationship we have with God is eternal. When I was in school or at work I just felt suppressed by the darkness around me, either when I was in the darkness or surrounded by it. I felt useless for the kingdom of the Lord, well an encouragement is a revival starts with one person. Everything starts with prayer and trust me God will use you in tremendous ways.

After these two verse it goes on to say in verse three, "Trust in the Lord , and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness." "Feed on His faithfulness" thats a promise and God will bless you for doing just that. So a challenge begin to pray that God will use you powerfully in your school or at your work, and see what He will do through you.

By Faith Live Every Day

Hebrews 11:8 "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."

Theme- Faith

This verse was a huge encouragement to me when I had to go home because of my knee injury. Before I came to Potter's Field for the the ignite program, God made it pretty obvious to me that I was going to be doing my field time here in Guatemala. So when God had me leave here I was so confused, because He originally promised me that I'd be here for my field time not home. God told me it was His will for me to leave, so willing by faith I left.

Those two words have made a completely different person. See God taught me so many things being home then being healed from my injury, and then coming back. God doesn't break His promises, sometimes it doesn't make sense but in the end God keeps His promises, and until the promise is fulfilled He is preparing you for that promise.

"By faith", we must do all things by faith. I thought I could tackle all the tasks of being on team Guatemala by myself, and that I would just be the perfect intern ever. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I was missing the last part of this verse, Christ has to be in it for it to get done. There are some days I have no idea how they went the way they did, but for me those are the best days. The Holy Spirit is there for us every second of every day as long as we confess that we can't do anything without Him, He will help us do the will of the Lord. Im praying for you.

The Time is Now

John 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship."

The Time Is Now

At this point in this chapter Jesus was talking to a Samaritan woman that was a prostitute. So to give a little bit of background on this woman, she probably was hated by all the other women because she messed around with most of the men. She has had 5 husbands and was living with another that she hasn't married. Also the Samaritans were hated by the Jews, and the Jewish men would even pray and thank God they weren't woman, or a Samaritan. So this woman Jesus was talking about was at the bottom of the bottom.

So that brings up one point I'm trying to make, Jesus doesn't care about what you have done or what others have done. Why?, because all He wants for us is to live with Him one day in heaven. So if you're not saved or are serving the Lord don't think there is ever someone that doesn't belong or deserve to be given the chance to except Jesus Christ into their heart. Jesus the Son of the one true living God wanted and did give this women that despised by society a chance to live for Him. God likes to use those that are looked down upon in society to save others. Later on in this chapter Jesus tells her to go back to town and gather all those men and bring them back, and she did.

The second point I want to make is the title of the IBS, "The Time Is Now." In this verse it talks about it's the time that the true "worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth," its time for all of us to get on our knees and worship the Lord. In spirit is for us to truly live as one with Him, like when a man and woman are married they become one. In truth we are able it worship Him in the reading of the truth, and being able to ask Him to open our eyes to the truth.

I'll wrap it up with this we are called to serve Him, and tell all people about Him. Not just those that we think are good enough, but all people. And do these things as a "true worshiper".

Alone time

Whenever you need an answer to life look for a place where you are completely at peace, where you can focus, where you can just relax. Then you look to the One that has all the answers, and you ask Him to show you the answer, and He will freely give. He may not give the answer you always want but He will give you the best answer someone could ever give you. And follow those instructions with obedience, also in faith. Have God blessed day.

His promise

John 1:17 NKJV

For the law was given through Moses, but  grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Theme- promise

I using John for the last couple of IBSes because I'm doing John in my morning devotions. How beautiful of a promise this is that God gives us, we know not one of us can uphold the law that was given through Moses, this is a reason Jesus came to die on the cross. He knew like we do that no man can uphold the law, so He came lived a perfect life, and died for the sins we have committed.

This promise is made out of love, and the law is fulfilled by the love of Jesus Christ. Matthew 19:19, "‘Honor your father and  your  mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"" I say that its Jesus Christ's love, because no man will love like Christ did. But through what Christ did for us, we may have salvation. And that is His promise, "... grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." The world grace means, re ie ing something you don't deserve, we don't deserve anything but Christ gave us Himself (truth), and so through Christ we are saved. This is why we have accepted Him into our hearts so that we might be saved, and we dedicate our lives to Him.

Application- pray for those who don't know the Lord

Prayer please

I have a small rip in a tenden behind my knee just from over stretching it, so prayers would be appreciated for a fast recovery. The doctor said I'm not a loud to use my left leg for a week and I'd imagine just really take it easy after that for a month. So this means I won't be teaching for half of the week at the minimum,  hopefully its no longer, and just pray that the doctor is right and that I'll be back on both my feet real soon. Praying for all of you, love you, and have a God blessed day.

Visibility

Theodore Opdenaker

John 1:9 NKJV

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

Theme- visibility

I picked visibility as the theme for this verse and this weeks IBS, because it talks about the true light, and that it "gives light to every man coming into the world." This just shows that all man will be shown the light, and that it is their decision to accept it or not. That decision is the most important decision you will make in your life and it will affect every other decision you will make in your life.

John 1:5 "And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." This is where I got visibility when it talks about the darkness not comprehending the light that was shown to them. Darkness is the world, and depending on how much you can understand of the light. For example,  when I was younger I knew the stories of the bible, but I never really comprehended what the were really about. I also didn't have the will to know, and that is where the decision come in to except the light, and learn more about it or just throw it away. Now after messing up because I made the wrong decision, and made the right one and came to Potter's Field, and learn how to study the bible and pull stuff out it like I do with my IBS. Four months ago I could never do what I can do now because of what I have learned. 

Application - memorize this verse so when I'm faced with a decision I can know where to look for advice, the light(Jesus Christ).

Philippians 3 : 12-13

Philippians 3:12-13 NKJV

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I  do,  forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

Theme - sacrifice

In verse 12 I think Paul is talking about dying to self the highest sacrifice we can give to our Lord Jesus Christ. He knows that when he goes to heaven God the Father will see he as perfect, but to continue to sacrifice his whole being for the testimony of Jesus Christ. He says, "...but I press on...", no matter what happens to him he knows that it will be all worth it, because of what was waiting for him in heaven. So I tell you "press on" for Christ Himself is preparing a mansion for you in heaven.

In verse 13 it says, "... forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,...", when we accept Christ the book in heaven that had our sins written in it, is thrown into the fire, and doesn't come back. God sees as perfect, so when Paul says, "... forgetting those things which are behind...", I believe that is what we do. Plan and simple when it comes to the past, drop it, forget about it, only use it to share the testimony God gave you. Then Paul says, "...reaching forward to those things which are ahead,...". I can say it any better then, look forward to what God wants to in your life. Also, sometimes He will call you to do things that may be scary, I encourage you to look back at the testimony God gave you and see what He did for you, what He saved you from, and as a women from my church always told me, "Do it scared". Do it because God is the one calling you to do something.

Application - pray that when I'm faced with representing Christ, I stand firm

Philippians 3 : 11

Philippians 3:11 NKJV

if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Theme- sacrifice

With the theme of sacrifice, I look at this verse, and think that Paul is saying he will do anything (by any means), to attain the resurrection from the dead. To lay his sinful body down, lay all sins on the shoulders of Christ, all material things from this earth even his fleshly body, give it all to Jesus. That he may be resurrection by the Holy Spirit, and be perfect in the eyes of the Father in heaven. The whole point of living is to give it all to Jesus and live a life worth living. A life worth living, when I first heard it i was so utterly confused. Then I heard that a man that doesn't live a life for Christ will loose everything, but a man that lives a life for Christ will gain everlasting life, and a mansion is being prepared for those who believe in heaven, Christ said it Himself.

This is how this applied to my life, no earthly things is worth holding on to, not even people you hold dear to your heart, because if we don't love Christ first those relationships are pointless. So, if those relationships are above the relationship you have with Christ then you are in sin, and the bible says something like if something causes you to sin cut it off. So if becoming closer to God means breaking off a relationship you have with a friend, then do so because it can only benefit you in your walk with the Lord.

Application - when I get home say it God or the highway, because my life is for Him, and what you are doimg I can't except.

Philippians 3 : 10

Philippians 3:10 NKJV

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

Theme - sacrifice

The ultimate sacrifice, a perfect life given for an imperfect world full of sin. He took all sin, bore it all on His shoulders, in every single crack of the whip, He thought of you and I. God the Father knew the only way for people exactly like you and I to be saved, was to send His perfect Son Jesus Christ to die a gruesome death, pay the price we rightly deserved to pay. But instead He paid it Himself so that we may get the reward to go to heaven. Jesus conquered the grave so, that one day We may be with Him, and know the power of His resurrection,  also the fellowship of His sufferings. We know we will be able to experience these things becuase of His death.

For those reason what shall we hold higher then the One that thought of us throught His entire persecution. Through all the trials we go through we shall think of Him, and take joy in suffering for His great name. The name Jesus Christ, the One who died for us, we shall live every day for that name. James 1:2, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials," it says in the bible that we should count in all joy, in the middle of the trials we face. So that we may take joy when we are being persicuted for His Name, because He died on the cross for us in love, and rose from the dead in joy that we may rejoice in heaven.

Application- so I ask God to give me joy in the times of sacrificing the flesh, and material for His great name.

Philippians 3 : 9

Philippians 3:9 NKJV

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;

Theme - sacrifice

Philippians 3:8, "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" I'm verse 8 here, because it is a continues into verse 9.

So in verse 8 you can see it talks about whatever we go through, whatever we have to give up can't be compared to what we get when we get in Christ. So what I see here in verse 9 is not having any righteousness, and all the righteousness is for which is from God by faith. We don't deserve righteousness, because look at what we do, look at our sin. We are only cleansed when we have faith that Christ is in us. Which only came to us by the greatest sacrifice of them all. I see that the least I can do is sacrifice my pride, personally. I have a hard time throughing down my pride for the glory of God, and keep myself good in the eye's of men. When all I should care about is what God is seeing in my heart, and what others are seeing of Christ through my actions. We are called to be more like Christ everyday, and as I was reminded during bible study that all we must do, and the gospel will spread as the Lord leads me. I need less of people's acceptance, and more of Christ being happy how I'm proclaiming his name. There are multiple things I give righteousness to, and leave little for Christ.

Through people who God is using in my life, He has been showing me things I must sacrifice to Him, so that I will give Him all the righteousness. Like, Paul said in verse 8, he calls all of the things he lost, "rubbish", in other words its worthless. That's how I see it, so thinking about it why give righteousness to things that are worthless, it doesn't make sense.

Application- right down a list of things I need to stop giving righteousness to and burn it, just so I can see those thkngs become ash, and see them as worthless.