IBS Week 19:

Nick:
Reflection:

Father thank you for this day of rest to think about what all you have done. It really is incredible to look back and rejoice and see what all you have done and brought me through. You have grown me so much father. You have made me do things I don’t want to do but in the end its always for my good. In the past, I would have ran from most situations that you that you have brought me through here. But you have shown me to press on, to persevere and to endure. You have changed me much Lord but there is still much work to do. Im very far from imitating Christ and your likeness. Its has been so easy for me to get caught up in the preparation of the nest season and what it looks like. Ive have been keeping my eyes on myself and what is in it for me that I sometimes lose Gods perspective on it all. Our lives here on this side of heaven is only to prepare us for heaven. To make us more like his son. In the process we get to be vessels of Gods grace and are the lights in this dark world. Even though the death of gunner this week was tragic, I know you will use it for the good. It is truly a blessing Lord to see you working in the life of other people. Thank you for those eyes, your eyes.

Julie:

John 5:2-17 – “The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath”

Jesus sees this paralyzed man and wants to heal him.  My ESV version says that he is an “invalid”.  That class consisted of the blind, lame, and paralyzed.  Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to be healed?”  The man gives some kind of excuse, probably out of fear, but Jesus tells him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”  The man was instantly healed, and he took up his mat and walked.  I know I have many things that deem me “invalid”.  I am prideful yet insecure, lacking self-control yet crippled by fear.  This passage was Jesus speaking to me asking “Julie, do you want to be healed?”.  “Yes, Jesus, yes I do!”  My excuse for getting up and walking, again probably out of fear, is that I do not want to fall again.  This fear came from past experiences.  Once Jesus healed me and picked me up, I hit the ground running just to find myself back on the floor begging for God to pick me back up.  I left Him in the dust and ran on my own strength.  After a very hard fall in this last season, Jesus has once again healed me and picked me up, but this time I am deciding to walk in His stride and not my own.  This takes self-control that I do not naturally have and humility that I also do not naturally have.  But this new season of walking with Him very slowly and at His pace has grown me in those areas as well as patience and how to wait upon the Lord.  

IBS Week 18:

Nick:

IBS Ephesians 4:2-3

Father, thank you for this morning in your Word. Thank you for getting my parents here safely yesterday and for the time we had with them yesterday. Thank you for convicting me of my judgement I had on them. You're the judge not me. You call me to love them not condemn them. With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Lord you call me to bear with them in humility and gentleness, not be there critic. I want them to feel at home here with us and feel welcome and loved not judged and nervous. Help me to be eager to maintain unity in the spirit, not discord or dissension. Help us to be bonded in peace today Jesus. True biblical love is difficult but achievable with Christ. 

Julie:

John 15:1-17 “I Am the True Vine”

As we read through this passage in a women’s Bible study, I was given an image by God.  This passage talks about how Jesus is the Vine, God is the Gardener, and we are the branches.  The second verse says that He takes away all branches that do not produce fruit.  I thought of a big beautiful tree (which is me).  And as I stood there, I produced fruits that would grow and drop on the ground.  I started thinking of what fruits I was dropping.  Some of my fruit was fake! Plastic! Non-nutritional!  I was producing fruit in vain.  I was not letting God grow Spiritual fruits in my life.  My next thought was, “Why am I not letting You work in my life, God?”.  He said, “You don’t trust me”.  He was right!  I wasn’t trusting Him.  I was so worried about looking down and seeing some kind of fruit laying on the ground, I didn’t care if it was fake or not.  I didn’t want to waste my time trusting in God if there was a chance that He would not let my produce.  So, yes, I am this tree, and, yes, I have fruit for all to see around my tree --- BUT, what about the day that someone, maybe a Spiritually hungry child, comes to my tree for shade and food?  What is going to happen when they take a bite of my fruit and they find out it is plastic, or worse poisoned?  That thought convicts me to the core.  I am thankful for the image God gave me, because I no longer want to produce fruit for looks or vanity or quantity, but for quality and health and Spirituality.

IBS Week 17

Nick:

IBS Acts 8

I was reading in Acts 8 this morning of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. This passage is both encouraging and convicting. When the angel of the lord told him to rise and go toward the south, he rose and went. John Macarthur’s new testament commentary says that the road down from Jerusalem to Gaza was almost a deserted road that was hot and untraveled. Yet Phillip didn’t question the prompting of the spirit. He was not fearful of what to say, he was not to lazy to go a route that seemed foolish to travel. He simply trusted God. God Prepared this divine appointment, Phillip just had to obey. So the Ethiopian was in his chariot reading in book Isaiah. This was a very wealthy man seated high up in his chariot. To most this would have been an intimidating circumstance to be in. Not for Phillip, He knew the Lord Jesus had sent him there. The Lord then commanded him to join the chariot. So Phillip coming behind the caravan ran up to the chariot and heard him reading Isaiah. Commentary says that it was custom to read out loud in those days. Phillip had to have known this was why the Lord sent him down the abandoned road. He must have been full of excitement and joy, but also boldness.

Julie:

1 Thessalonians 2:12 – “we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

When we are exhorted or encouraged, we are usually complimented or promoted in some way or another.  That little boost of confidence is always a good enhance our walk.  But sometimes we must be humbled to walk in a manner worthy of God.  And how loved are we when He does this?  He sees us as sheep (dumb) walking in the wrong direction, usually blinded by some kind of pride, and He redirects us from walking straight off a cliff.  The humility that follows that kind of “ego blow” is that of lowliness.  But it is a good place to be, because then you can refocus yourself back on God and bask in His love that He has for us.  That state of humility is exactly what make us worthy.  It sounds so backwards to the world, but that is the manner God asks us to walk in and stay in.  I want to be thankful when God brings me back to that point of humility, no matter what the cost.  I want to look at it as His love and guidance for my life.