Jonah was not happy when God did not destroy Nineveh. He was angry. God had responded to the repentance of Nineveh. He responded with mercy and grace. He did not destroy them. The message that Jonah preached, reached the hearts of the people and they had changed. God saw that change. You would think Jonah would be happy, but he was not. Instead, he went up on the side of the mountain to sit and watch the destruction fall. He was excited about seeing Nineveh's demise.
He then began to complain to God. He even said it would be better for him to die. "4 Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
God caused a plant to grow up and give him shade. Jonah was happy and loved the shade. But the next morning, God had sent a worm to eat the plant and it died. Jonah was in the heat and a terrible wind. Again, Jonah said it would be better to die.
9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!”
10 But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”
We don't know of Jonah's response after that, but I do hope he realized that God was calling him to repent as well. Jonah needed salvation from a bitter, angry heart. He was not compassionate and loving to the people of Nineveh. God had just demonstrated His awesome love,, and Jonah had more pity on a plant than on the people in Nineveh. God had let 20 thousand people and livestock live because they had repented. Jonah wanted destruction. He had no pity. He did not recognize the salvation of the Lord. God was calling him to be saved, not from certain physical death, but from the spiritual wickedness, hatred in his heart. God calls his people to be pure in heart. The pure in heart shall see God. Hatred, strife and despair is not what God wants in the hearts of his people. Jonah had obeyed God and wanted his message to be fulfilled. Maybe his pride got in the way, or his self-righteousness about the Ninevites previous wickedness. Either way he did not want God to really forgive them. He wanted destruction. God showed him that mercy and compassion are really what God has for those that love him. God is a God of salvation. I can only hope that Jonah recognized that message was for him too. God wants to show compassion and mercy. Messages of destruction are to get people to change and repent. Jonah hopefully came to the full understanding that God also loved him enough to forgive his sins.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Jonah 3
The story of Jonah continues on with more testimony of salvation. The entire city of Nineveh was doomed to destruction because of their sins. Jonah showed up and began declaring that God’s judgement was coming. They must have heard his words and took them to heart for the entire city fell before God on their faces and began to repent. The king of Nineveh declared a fast of repentance. The king and every person put on sackcloth and ashes. They fasted and prayed. Even the cattle were not fed. These actions and the changes of the hearts that took place got the attention of God. He repented of His plans to destroy this city and declared forgiveness for them. Salvation came to the king of Nineveh and to the entire city. Their hearts were changed. They changed from lovers of sin to lovers of God. They turned from the wicked ways to righteousness. They were transformed by the forgiving and loving nature of God. It is amazing to know salvation. This story is full of the evidences of God’s forgiveness and the need for repentance. Salvation does not come without a change of heart. A change of heart does not come without repentance. Repentance does not come without the preaching of the truth. God is truth and sends his messengers to speak truth. For Nineveh, Jonah spoke the truth of the condition of their hearts and they recognized the need for repentance. God recognized the repentance and granted them grace and salvation. This salvation caused them to completely change and not return to the wicked things.
Salvation comes from the Lord.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Jonah 2
God continued to show His mercy and salvation in Jonah for the sailors on the ship that Jonah tried to use as a means of escape from God's presence. These men did not know the one true God.
Jonah 1:5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load.
They were afraid and did everything they knew to do to save themselves. When they drew lots to discover who was as fault, they lot fell on Jonah. After questioning him about why, Jonah responded with the truth of what he was doing and told them to throw him overboard.
These men were good men, they did not want to throw him overboard. They tried to row back to land, they fought hard, but finally gave in and threw him overboard. But first, they turned to the one true God and prayed for forgiveness for this act of taking a life.
Jonah 1:14 Therefore they cried out to the Lord and said, “We pray, O Lord, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.
I cannot imagine the concern and fear they must have felt in performing this act. They knew with certainty, that going into that stormy water meant death. There was no escape from a watery grave according to natural understanding. Can you imagine they shock and surprise when that storm immediately stopped? It says they feared the Lord exceedingly and offered sacrifices. They took vows. I wonder what they vowed, but I can imagine it was something like never failing to know the one true God, or to honor Him only for the rest of their lives.
Can you imagine the change in their lives that took place? No longer would false Gods be good enough for their worship. No longer did they wonder at the truth of God. They knew miracles took place. They had a testimony that I am sure they shared many times throughout their lives. Do you think their families were changed as well? I can imagine once they began to worship God, blessings were poured out on them . They were saved.
God brought salvation even in the midst of trying to turn around a wayward prophet. God is good and He is salvation.
Jonah 1:5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load.
They were afraid and did everything they knew to do to save themselves. When they drew lots to discover who was as fault, they lot fell on Jonah. After questioning him about why, Jonah responded with the truth of what he was doing and told them to throw him overboard.
These men were good men, they did not want to throw him overboard. They tried to row back to land, they fought hard, but finally gave in and threw him overboard. But first, they turned to the one true God and prayed for forgiveness for this act of taking a life.
Jonah 1:14 Therefore they cried out to the Lord and said, “We pray, O Lord, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.
I cannot imagine the concern and fear they must have felt in performing this act. They knew with certainty, that going into that stormy water meant death. There was no escape from a watery grave according to natural understanding. Can you imagine they shock and surprise when that storm immediately stopped? It says they feared the Lord exceedingly and offered sacrifices. They took vows. I wonder what they vowed, but I can imagine it was something like never failing to know the one true God, or to honor Him only for the rest of their lives.
Can you imagine the change in their lives that took place? No longer would false Gods be good enough for their worship. No longer did they wonder at the truth of God. They knew miracles took place. They had a testimony that I am sure they shared many times throughout their lives. Do you think their families were changed as well? I can imagine once they began to worship God, blessings were poured out on them . They were saved.
God brought salvation even in the midst of trying to turn around a wayward prophet. God is good and He is salvation.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Jonah 1
Jonah is a fantastic story of mercy and forgiveness held in the Old Testament. I love reading about the fantastic ride in the belly of a great fish and survival of this ordeal.
I was teaching this story to my Sunday School class and I became enthralled and excited as I realized how many times this short book contained salvation and forgiveness.
I will start with Jonah, himself in chapter 1. He was a man that knew the voice of God. God spoke to him.
1. Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
He actually thought he could run from the presence of the Lord. God knew exactly where he was. He sent a storm that ended up with Jonah being thrown into the deep. God was already on the scene.
17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
God had a great fish already there waiting to scoop Jonah up. He gave Jonah deliverance and salvation from certain death. I have seen videos of storms at sea. On his own, Jonah would never have survived being thrown into the stormy sea. Much less, swim to shore. God was ready to save his running servant. Even if it meant using a large fish to carry him back to shore.
Jonah would be able to tell of the great miracle of being rescued by God in the midst of a great storm in the most unbelievable way.
Jonah probably understood this verse better than most of us.
Nahum 1:3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.
This is the first example of God's mercy. He saved his wayward prophet from sure death. Even when he wanted to be as far from God's presence as possible. God is still present even when we run.
I was teaching this story to my Sunday School class and I became enthralled and excited as I realized how many times this short book contained salvation and forgiveness.
I will start with Jonah, himself in chapter 1. He was a man that knew the voice of God. God spoke to him.
1. Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
He actually thought he could run from the presence of the Lord. God knew exactly where he was. He sent a storm that ended up with Jonah being thrown into the deep. God was already on the scene.
17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
God had a great fish already there waiting to scoop Jonah up. He gave Jonah deliverance and salvation from certain death. I have seen videos of storms at sea. On his own, Jonah would never have survived being thrown into the stormy sea. Much less, swim to shore. God was ready to save his running servant. Even if it meant using a large fish to carry him back to shore.
Jonah would be able to tell of the great miracle of being rescued by God in the midst of a great storm in the most unbelievable way.
Jonah probably understood this verse better than most of us.
Nahum 1:3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.
This is the first example of God's mercy. He saved his wayward prophet from sure death. Even when he wanted to be as far from God's presence as possible. God is still present even when we run.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
preach the gospel
We have purpose in Jesus. We have been chosen and called. We have purpose. One purpose for every Christian believer is this: to preach the gospel.
When Jesus left this earth, He gave the command.
Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
It is by the hearing of the word of God that people are saved. It is by hearing us share the gospel that lives are changed. It is by us living the Word of God, living it, acting on it, speaking it, loving it, that we can affect the world around us. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that the world needs. They cannot hear it without someone preaching the gospel.
Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
If we want to find true purpose, we can find it in living for God, not just for ourselves, but in the preaching the gospel to the lost and dying around us. God has called us to be the light of the world.
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
We cannot hide the gospel in our life if we truly believe it. We cannot hide it and be living our purpose. We do not please God when we are not sharing the gospel. Lord, help me live your word, share your word and preach it.
When Jesus left this earth, He gave the command.
Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
It is by the hearing of the word of God that people are saved. It is by hearing us share the gospel that lives are changed. It is by us living the Word of God, living it, acting on it, speaking it, loving it, that we can affect the world around us. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that the world needs. They cannot hear it without someone preaching the gospel.
Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
If we want to find true purpose, we can find it in living for God, not just for ourselves, but in the preaching the gospel to the lost and dying around us. God has called us to be the light of the world.
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
We cannot hide the gospel in our life if we truly believe it. We cannot hide it and be living our purpose. We do not please God when we are not sharing the gospel. Lord, help me live your word, share your word and preach it.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
be a fruitful branch
Jeremiah 33:15
In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth: and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.
Zechariah 6:12 Then say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the Lord.”
John 15
1 I am true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
Psalms1:3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in its season And its leaf does not whither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.
As I read through Jeremiah and the old testament prophets, I see many references to Jesus Christ as a branch. Jesus himself described himself as a branch or as a vine. We must be connected to that vine in order to bear fruit.
Bro. Elzie Quinn once told a story about a walnut grove near his home. One time some branches were cut off from the trees along the road and left on the ground. Those branches bore beautiful walnuts and he excitedly gathered those walnuts and took them home. When he began to break open the beautiful shells, there was no meat. Not one had any actual substance inside. He learned quickly that to actually bear good fruit, a branch must be connected to the source of Life.
God does not want us to be dead, fruitless branches. Jesus described in John 15 that branches who do not bear fruit are to be cut off and cast away. What fruit are we to bear?
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Matthew 7:20 So then, you will know them by their fruits.
We are known by our fruits. Are we bearing bad or good fruit? No fruit is definitely unwanted. Good fruit is what we need to bear. We need to inspect our fruit and make sure it is the fruit that comes from the Spirit of God. If it is bad fruit, it needs to be pruned and removed. If we are not bearing fruit, we need to examine ourselves and our relationship with Christ. We need to be connected to the Source of Life. Without the Source, there is no fruit. Without the Spirit, there is no good fruit.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
1 john 5
1 John 5New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Overcoming the World
5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the [a]Christ is [b]born of God, and whoever loves the [c]Father loves the child [d]born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and [e]observe His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is[f]born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not [g]with the water only, but [h]with the water and [i]with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 [j]the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are [k]in agreement. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
This Is Written That You May Know
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence which we have [l]before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
16 If anyone sees his brother [m]committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and [n]God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.
18 We know that no one who is [o]born of God sins; but He who was [p]born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
Thoughts:
John had a lot to say about recognizing if we are truly born of God. He basically set out a 'test'. If we are not loving God and keeping His commandments, we are not born of God. If we are loving God and keeping His commandments, we are born of God.
That really makes me want to examine myself. Do I truly love God and keep His commandments. I can't say that I have done well in this every day, every moment. But, I am trying. I am praying and asking God to do what He wills in me and help me submit.
John then tells us he wrote these things for us to believe that Jesus is real. We can believe the testimonies of men, But God gave testimony of Jesus. He showed us that Jesus was prophesied of, sent and fulfilled prophecies. If we don't believe God, we are calling Him a liar. We are denying God, who he is and what he has done. I don't want any part of that. I believe God. I believe His word. I believe what He has said. I cannot deny God and His word.
I like that we can have confidence that we can ask according to His will and He hears us. I am glad to know He hears us.
I am struggling to come to terms with this sin thing. We should know when we are born of God, that we are not to continue in sin. I do not intentionally go out and commit sin. I do not want to sin. I do, however, mess up. I am thankful for the love of God and his forgiveness. This chapter ends telling us that Jesus protects us and keeps us. We can know we are with God.
We can trust Him. He will give us understanding so we can know that what he says is true.
We can know truth. We have a lot to learn. I have a lot to learn.
I recognize that I know so little about God. I want understanding. I was recently in a training and we were talking about what it means to really have understanding of a concept or content. How do we teach others to understand? I want God to help me understand His word and understand who he is. It is a God-breathed Word. I want to truly understand it. I don't want my interpretation, my dad's interpretation or even my pastor's interpretation to be what I believe. I want God to show me His truth. Open up my thoughts and my mind to what He says.
I need a lot of growth here.
I find the last verse very curious. Guard yourselves from idols. Why did he end with that?
Then I realized that idols will keep us from understanding. Idols will keep us from loving God first and completely. Idols will separate us from the truth of God's existence and plan.
I know several people who serve an idol. They may not realize it, but they have allowed a false doctrine to take precedence over the truth of God. They have relied upon their own understanding (now the idol in their life) to tell them that God couldn't possibly be real or His word is completely false or erred. I am saddened by this fact.
Faith is believing. I believe. I believe I cannot allow any idol to take the place of Jesus.
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