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).