Week 2 Devotions – Making of a Man

Devotions Week 2

The Making of a Man

This week, we will read through the book of 1 John together. It’s a short book, but rich in God’s Truth! It will prepare us well each day for dealing with temptation and growing in Christ. Please join together in reading God’s Word each day!

Monday, March 30

Reading –  1 John 1:1-10

“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” An important thought to me is about the power of God’s light. Darkness doesn’t overcome light. We often think that the darkness in our own life and in the world is so strong, that it will overcome the light. That is, we think our life is so riddled with sin, the world is so evil, and that God is somehow tainted by evil, overcome or overwhelmed by it. But that most certainly is not the case. God is light; in him there is nodarkness at all.

Also, quite importantly, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” That is, the light of Jesus, the blood of Jesus purifies us!

So let’s go to God honestly. Verses 8-10 are about our own condition. We are sinful. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and will forgive.

Today’s action is simple. Declare the darkness in your life, the sin, the temptations, the evil that you’ve done, and trust that Jesus is faithful and willing to forgive. Believe in the power and light of Jesus to overcome your sin! There is power in his blood to purify us all!

Now walk in the light, in fellowship together with Jesus and the church.

 

Tuesday

Reading – 1 John 2:1-11

 

Today, we are reminded of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, for our sins and the sins of the world. How did yesterday go? Did you walk in the light?

 

A lot of folks will ask us, as Christians, “How do you know God?” John would tell us, “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.” We know him by doing and keeping what is commanded of us.

 

A step further, “Whoever claims to live in him, must live as Jesus did. That’s quite the statement. But it’s important that we read on, “anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble” (Vs 10).

If we want to be like Jesus, we will love brother and sister. John will unpack this further in our study. But consider today, as an action step, a decision to make. In regards to the commands of Jesus, are you walking in the light?

Are you living as Jesus lived?

 

Ask God to examine your heart and lead you in the way of Jesus, to live as Christ lived.

 

Wednesday

Reading: 1 John 2:12-29

 

In verses 15 and 16, we see a direct tie in with our Sunday school lesson from this past Sunday. “For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world.”

 

The struggle we all face is a love for the world that can often dominate over our love for the Father. John’s point here is that as we mature in Christ, so does our love for God. These lustful things that occupy our heart and the love affair we have with the world is “passing away.” These things might be with us for a while, but our love for God, and the carrying out of God’s Will, will go on forever!

 

We go from here to a conversation about the antichrist. Lots of antichrists are showing up actually, everyone who denies the Lordship of Jesus. No matter what, 24-29 is a strong reminder to hang on, don’t give up or be led astray by what is counterfeit.

 

This is all so, when Jesus appears, we can be confident before him, at his coming. Unashamed by what we’ve done and how we’ve lived our life.

 

Take a long reflection today. When Christ appears, will their be a confident man before God, or ashamed of how he’s conducted his life?

 

What difference can today bring to start healthy habits of walking in the true light of Christ?

 

Thursday

Reading: 1 John 3:1-24

“I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me!!!!” One of my favorite songs out of the 80’s, by Foreigner is an appropriate tune for today’s text. John tells us what love is: “Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” And he tells us how we are to love, “Lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (17) John gives us direct application of how that might look; pity for those without. And he goes even further, giving a direct challenge, “Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

 

The great command of Scripture: “To believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.” You believe this, Jesus is Lord, now show the world you really do believe it. Let it shape your mission and vision for your life.

 

That’s what life is all about! If you want to know what love is, look to Jesus. If you want to know who to love, listen to Jesus. If you want eternal life, love Jesus. It’s that simple friends. Certainly, within all of this, there is a challenge today to know love and share the love of Christ with others.

 

Friday

Reading 1 John 4:1-21

 

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

 

Sunday was about temptation, about our struggle to remain faithful to Jesus. Thus far through the book of 1 John, we are certainly challenged enough to love like Jesus loved and trust in the sacrifice of God. John at this point repeats a lot of what we already know we need to be doing. We understand love because God loves us and gave us his Son. Fittingly, today is Good Friday. Today looks grim for the disciples who follow Jesus all the way to the cross, to see him dead on the cross. But this side of the Resurrection we know that this is the day Jesus lays down his life for the world for the Father to take him up and start things new!

 

Jesus would be laid in a tomb tonight, seemingly defeated. Yet these words from John have a beautiful echo into our hearts today. “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world!” (1 John 4:4). Friends, it doesn’t get much better than that.

 

Jesus isn’t defeated at the cross, it’s only the beginning of his victory over the evil one and the darkness of the world. Jesus’ light is greater than the darkness. Jesus’ love is greater than the evil in the world. Sin, death, and the power of the evil one has no hold on Jesus. And praise God, that light that came into the world, is also in you. Walk victoriously over evil today, knowing sin and death no longer have a stranglehold of fear in your life. There is victory in Jesus.

 

“Fear not, for I have overcome the world.” – Jesus

 

“In this world, we are like Jesus.” We no longer live in fear of death, we live like he lived, we love like he loved and we drive out fear in how we love the world. Friends, let today be about Jesus, dying on the cross, driving out the fear of sin and death in the world. Let’s look forward to Sunday together, and the joy of the Resurrection!

 

Saturday

Reading: 1 John 5:1-21

 

“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

 

“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

 

This is the end of the week, but hopefully only the beginning of some important strides we are making together as Christian men. So much of 1 John is an encouragement to us to press on in our faith, to not give up, fall away or be tempted away by the world.

 

So I leave you with this thought for today and tomorrow. We won’t be having Sunday school, but we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. That event is the start of something wonderful and new. It’s the dawn of the new age, the reign of Jesus over the kingdom of God. Jesus is the firstborn of the new creation. Whoever has the Son, has life.

 

Easter is about the world receiving the Son of God, and giving life for the world.

 

Friends, keep yourselves from the things that would lead us away from this new life.



Week 1 Devotions – Making of a Man

Week ONE

Sunday’s Thought: We are to be faithful to Christ, obedient to him in all ways. A godly man will be faithful in Christ.  This week we will talk about and pray about what it means to be faithful to Christ

Monday          Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Immediately after the parable of the Talents, is this parable. Suppose that Matthew put these two parables back to back for a purpose. One about what we received (talents) and the other about what we did with it (goats/sheep). In this case, what is it that we have received and are called to be faithful with? How are material possessions a way of showing care and love for others? How is it a way to show God that we love him?

Action: Resolve today to think about how a godly man is faithful and obedient to Christ by caring for others.

Tuesday          Scripture Matthew 26:26-30

Tuesday is a good day to be thankful. We are faithful when we are thankful. We recognize where our good gifts come from. Godly men are thankful for what they have. Jesus broke the bread and gave thanks. It’s just hours before he will be beaten and killed, and he knows it! What are you thankful for today? Leading up to Easter, consider how thankful you are that Christ poured out his blood for you, broke his body for you, for the forgiveness of your sins.

Action: Pick out one of your favorite hymns and give thanks like the disciples did that day (vs30). If you’re afraid someone might hear you, wait until you’re in the car!

Wednesday    Scripture: Matthew 8:5-13

The faith of the Centurion is put on display. He’s not a Jew, but he has greater faith than any of them. He is faithful because he trusts in the authority of Jesus. Faithful men do not pride themselves in what they can get other people to do for them. Stature in this world is not what makes a man, a MAN! Much more, our measurement of faith is in trusting Jesus at His word. The Centurion is found faithful because he sees Jesus as greater than him. An important point for us all, for certain.

Thought to consider: How great is your faith in Christ? What do you hope for him to do in this time and this place? Consider Jesus’ response to the Centurion, “Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.” And the servant was healed in that hour. If Jesus said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith” what would be done in the next hour? How great is our faith in Christ?

Thursday        Scripture: Matthew 9:1-2

He saw their faith, and he forgave the paralyzed man.

Do you believe and trust that God can heal and forgive? Faithful men trust that Christ forgives them of their sins. Perhaps you’ve had a bad week so far, dealing with sin and temptation. That’s alright, I want to encourage you to go to Jesus right now, paralyzed by sin. He will forgive you. He loves you.

Friday              Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Why did you doubt? Being faithful to God is more than responsibility with our possessions. Peter is a man whom we can all relate well with. The wind increases and his doubt in his own ability to get him across the water to Jesus causes him to sink. He hollers, “Lord save me!”

A godly man knows that walking on water is not something within his own ability. A godly man also knows that salvation is not something within his own ability either. They both take faith that Jesus is more powerful than we are.

This week has been all about faithfulness for us as godly men. Godly men trust in Jesus for salvation. Perhaps, the best way to start our day might be realizing that we are sinking in our own inability, and giving a good scream, “Lord, save me!”



4.0 Church – Acts 2

Four Point Church
Read Acts 2

In Acts 2 we see the earliest Christian community joining together in fellowship. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).

I’ve often turned to this passage and those that follow for instruction concerning the formation of the people of God. Amidst all the programs that can make up a church’s calendar, these four activities are the ideal; the study of God’s Word, Prayer, Fellowship, and Breaking of Bread (I take “breaking of bread” to mean the Holy Communion, others do not agree).

In the following verses (43-47) we discover that the people of God are transformed by their devotion to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. We see a people who worship and praise God daily, live generous lives towards one another, hold all things in common and who also enjoy the favor of the Lord.

The ideal Christian community is this: one that cares for the needs of each other and praises God in the process. That’s precisely the community we see in Acts 2:42-47.

I long for that type of Christian community. I suppose, the whole world longs for it, whether they realize it or not. True Christian community appears to be a group of forgiving, kind, gracious people towards one another who are blessed by God and praise Him in the process.

It is my deep longing for the Church to be such a community today. Admittedly, what is presented us in the book of Acts is merely an ideal. I have no doubt that it happened, but we find later on that things are not perfect as the church expands beyond Jerusalem. Paul’s letter direct us that Christian community is riddled with problems. The difficulties that proceed are problems that we still see today; selfishness, greed, sexual immorality, corruption of power and so much more. Paul dealt with it in the churches he ministered to and we still deal with it today.

But for all the things that threaten Christian community, there are certain activities we need to continue in as followers of Jesus. Those activities would be Study, Fellowship, Prayer and Worship (Breaking of Bread and Praise of God).

In a world that is full of contrast, driving a wedge between male and female, black and white (and every shade in between), economic divide and more, Christian community comes together in four activities that bring transformation. This transformation pushes us towards having “all things in common” (2:44).

We become the Christian community we are called to be through study, fellowship, prayer and breaking bread together. Something about those divinely inspired activities brings us together and brings us closer to God as well. Please, study, pray, be a part of a loving church family that remembers our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And perhaps, a commitment to such activities will transform you and the wider Church into a family that looks like that first church family, all for the glory of God.

Lord, teach us to pray. Through our devotion to prayer, transform us into a loving community that cares for the needs of each other, all for your praise and glory.



Prayer Act 1

I encouraged you to read the book of Acts for the next several weeks. This study is centered on the early church’s use of prayer. As we read through the book of Acts, we might discover that the early church was a people devoted to prayer. There are so many instances of prayer in Acts (2:42, 6:4-6, 10:9, 13:3, 28:8) which conducts itself like a prayer journal for the early church.

The importance of prayer for the disciples is seen in Acts 1.

Luke picks up the story right where he left off in his previous book, the Gospel of Luke. In the introduction, we see Jesus ascend and teaching the disciples that they will receive the Spirit of God. The story transitions though, towards the disciples and the life of the early church. Acts teaches us about what the Disciples and Church are up to, now that Jesus is raised from the dead and ascended to the throne of God.

At first, they can’t help but stare up in the sky, but some white robed men told them that Jesus will return as he left. Suggesting that they won’t know when Jesus will come back, so don’t spend the rest of your life staring up!

In 1:12, the disciples make a hop, skip and jump, a mile and a half away journey to the Mount of Olives. When they entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying. The same disciples minus Judas, introduced in Luke 6:14-16, plus many others, including women and Jesus’ own mother, gathered together and devoted themselves to prayer.

Our first instance of prayer in the book of Acts, comes off the tails of the risen and ascended Jesus. What will come of this ragtag group of believers in Jesus? About 120 people are there. A great first start to a church, for sure. What are they to do? What would God want of them?

Some of them like looking up, hoping that Jesus would return. The white robed men rhetorically suggest that it isn’t about looking up. Jesus will come back as he left.

Thus, the activity goes from looking up, and transitions towards prayer. In one single verse, we see the great Christian hope of prayer.

The people leave the city of Jerusalem, arrive in the Mount of Olives, and devote themselves to prayer. The church transitions from hoping for the Messiah, to recognizing, “We had him here with us” (That’s what Peter will highlight in the following verses). Now that they had their Messiah, and he will return as he left, unexpectedly and at his own volition. The disciples bow in prayer.

From standing and gazing, the disciples now have a posture of prayer.

It’s a transition we all need, and will all go through as Christians. As we gaze and wonder at the beauty, grace, mercy and love revealed us in Jesus. As we find ourselves longing and gazing for the return of Jesus as well, I suggest we heed the advice of the two robed men. “Why do you look up?” and I suggest, “When you can kneel in prayer?” The transition should be a natural one for Christians. We now have access to God the Father, through the Son Jesus Christ.  Why look for the return of Jesus when we can share with him and talk to him today?

Why stare to the sky when you can kneel in prayer? Be a people, devoted to prayer this day.

My prayer for us:

Lord, teach us to pray like the early church, in an earnest daily devotion for your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.



Ten Words

Ten Words.

The Ten Commandments.

Ten Words that shape a community in the worship of God.

These Words for us are all about adoration and obedience.

Join us as we discover together the Ten Words that shape our identity in Jesus.

Discover how these words, bend our life toward God in worship.

Join us this Sunday!

#TenWords


Temptation

Sometimes, we walk right out of the building on Sunday morning and forget what we are doing in the world. We forget the mission of God.

Don’t let it happen to you!

 



Discover the Lamb and the Seduction of WEalth

Revelation 17 – 18

How much is enough?

Who is hurt by the excess of luxury in our life?

We studied a very real and a pertinent text that meant a lot to 1st century Christians not to be seduced away from God into the Roman culture. Does it matter for today? As Christians are we formed in the image of Jesus? OR have we taken on a different image?

Click here for all of the sermons from Jordan Ickes on the book of Revelation.

or Click here for the audio file to download to your computer or mobile device.


the wrath of a loving God

We studied Revelation 15 and 16 this week at EGCC. Click here to download the mp3 file of Jordan’s message.

Or CLICK HERE FOR ALL OF THE SERMONS in Revelation, “Discover the Lamb.”

We hope you have a blessed week!


What are you going to do for the oppressed today? What’s your response to this message?


Discover the Lamb and dealing with our enemy



discover the lamb and the enemy revelation 12 and 13