O Blessed Sinner

IBS Application for Revelation 1:9 “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” I find that this passage is quite fitting for this week’s theme of perseverance. This book was written for the purpose of encouraging the Church to have patience and endurance throughout their life for the particular purpose of waiting for Christ’s return. But there’s even more in the way of perseverance to unpack by examining not only the purpose of the book of Revelation, but also in John’s character. In examining the book itself, we see Christ’s promise to us that He will be coming back someday. Until then, we are to look forward to His return. But, since we don’t know when exactly it will happen, we’re told to endure this time with patience. It’s meant to be an encouragement to us to know what awaits us after Christ’s return. Bu...

IBS Application for Colossians 1:11 “...being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy...” To me, this verse serves to emphasize what I’ve been learning about what true perseverance is and what it looks like. To persevere as a Christian means enduring hardships with longsuffering and a smile on your face. As disciples of Christ, living life as witnesses, we’re expected to encounter persecution and trials at the hands of both the world and the enemy. Because of this, we’re also called to have patience, endurance and joy in the face of opposition, because it’s what pleases God. And why is it pleasing to God? Because it is the ultimate picture of what a life of witness should look like. Being able to sing praises to God and have joy despite having no worldly reason to is the essence of living testimony. When people living in the world see the supernatural endurance of our spirits, it’s impossible to not see that...

IBS Application for Luke 21:19 “By your endurance you will gain your lives.” In the midst of a prophecy of persecution, we have this assurance. Christ prophecies that one day, the world will be engulfed by wars, disasters, and that His church will be persecuted by all. He even admits that some of us will be killed by our faith. Yet despite this, He still tells us that “not a hair of your head will perish.” I imagine that Jesus’ disciples were confused about what He was saying at this point in time. How could some be persecuted and killed, yet be given assurance that they won’t come to harm if they persevere and endure through the hardships. These two promises would have looked contrary to each other. But as we now know, and as they came to know, He wasn’t wrong. Christ defeated death by coming back to life. He proved that it was possible, and extends the promise of resurrection to the Church. We have assurance through His death and resurrection that we too will not sta...

IBS Application for Luke 8:11-15 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing they fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” This parable and it’s meaning carry with it a truth that was actually quite timely, because last night, I had a conversation with some of the guys about it. It came up in a discussion about how we all wished that some unbelievers could experi...

IBS Application for 2 Cor. 1:12 “For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely toward you.” This passage was a a bit difficult for me to discern. It’s not easy to figure out how it connects to the first section, in which Paul discusses the terrible struggles that he and some other disciples experienced while they were ministering in Asia, and how God provided them the comfort they needed to get through it. Then, Paul goes on to say what he says here in this selected passage: That he has only ever acted genuinely towards the Corinthians with gospel-driven love for them. He also clarifies to them that none of the wisdom he used to preach the Gospel to them was that of the world, but wisdom that came from the grace of God. He presented it simply and sincerely to them. He added nothing to the message, nor did he take away from it. He brin...

IBS Application for Ephesians 5:15-17 “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Paul, in writing this letter to the church in Ephesus, seems to be trying to explain to the Ephesians some of the finer details about how salvation works and to exhort them to walk rightly with Christ. This passage comes as part of that exhortation. Just prior to this passage in fact, he tells them what they ought to avoid doing in order to live as “children of light.” It seems as though this passage’s particular warning is on of urgency. “The days are evil,” he tells them. The enemy is working in the world to try to prevent us from living wisely, as examples of what living a fulfilling life of testimony looks like. He urges them to try to understand what God’s will for their lives is, in order to live in a manner that glorifies Him in doing His ...

James 1:5 IBS Application “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” This passage from James is fascinating to me. It would be all too easy to determine it’s meaning at face value without looking at the larger context. It wouldn’t necessarily be wrong to look at the singular truth contained within this one sentence without the context, but I feel as though some of the greater meaning is lost without reading all that James has to say in this first chapter. The immediate context has to do with talking about how the members of the Church ought to see trials. It’s initially an encouragement to not necessarily look forward to trials, but rather to take heart in the midst of a trial, because through trials, we are made more like Christ, more like the complete creation God made us to be. In this way, trials are necessary to a Christian’s growth. This passage, relative to the immediate context, i...