Actions Speak Louder ~ Raul Ries

“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
1 John 3:18

The following admonition is posted in a church in Lubeck, Germany:

“ Ye call Me master and obey Me not; Ye call Me Light and see Me not; Ye call Me Way and walk Me not; Ye call Me Life and desire Me not; Ye call Me Wise and follow Me not; Ye call Me Fair and love Me not; Ye call Me Rich and ask Me not; Ye call Me Eternal and seek Me not; Ye call Me Gracious and trust Me not; Ye call Me Noble and serve Me not; Ye call Me God and fear Me not.”

Thought for the Day:

“Give me one hundred men who love nothing but God, hate nothing but evil, and know nothing but Jesus Christ, and I will change the world.”

--John Wesley

The Certainty of the Resurrection ~ WOW the Bible in 7 minutes a day

The Certainty of the Resurrection

1Corinthians 14:1-33,39-40; 15:1-11; Psalm 119:145-148; Proverbs 22:11

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.

In the law it is written:
"With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,"
says the Lord.

Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

1 Corinthians 14:1-33, 39-40; 15:1-11

WORSHIP

I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O LORD!
I will keep Your statutes.
I cry out to You;
Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.
I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
My eyes are awake through the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
Psalm 119:145-148

WISDOM

He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.
Proverbs 22:11

Have you paid the price to develop healthy allies? (95-4) ~ Barry Werner

Have you paid the price to develop healthy allies? (95-4)

November 12th, 2009 in 2 Samuel, Healthy Alliances, Loyalty, Old Testament, Relationships | leave a response

The term “building alliances” seems to be replaced in today’s language by the term “networking.” Whether you use the term alliances or network, effective leaders pay attention to this function of leadership. Read 2 Samuel 15:32-36 and 16:15-17:23.

David used his resources to help others succeed. He genuinely befriended people and repaid loyalty. Because of these things he had loyal friends who were willing to invest their resources in his continued success.

Having worked on movie scripts for many years in my past life, it is hard to read this story of intrigue without seeing a “spy novel” that should become a film. Hushai, a friend of David, literally put his life on the line for the king. He and David devised a dangerous strategy of placing Hushai as a mole in Absalom’s court. This guy had guts, courage and cunning. He was willing to step in when no one else could successfully have served in this manner. Why? Because he and David had cultivated a deep and trusting relationship over many years.

Great leaders must have allies. Wise leaders understand that it is time, thoughtfulness and devotion that are the fertilizer that causes relational alliances to grow. Allies are expensive but genuine allies are valuable because they cannot be bought.

Have you paid the price to develop healthy alliances – a network of loyal allies that you will be able to call on for help in your time of need?

• 

Tags: Allies, Network

« Are you applying your leadership skills at home? (95-4)

Acknowledge Jesus, and He shall direct your paths ~ Mike MacIntosh

When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it." So they brought it. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him.-Mark 12:14-17

Do you see life as "the glass half empty" or "the glass half full"? Sure, there are tons of things that happen around us (probably every day) that really make us wonder what's going on with our city, state, and nation. But we need to learn to pick our spots and be thankful for the things God has provided for us. Many Christians yell and scream about paying taxes that they know are funding a lot of things that are contrary to God's Word, both morally and spiritually. So when we read these words of Jesus, we need to take them to heart. He is saying that we need to give our money to the government, as they have required. And if that's the case, then we need to see all of the beauty in our world where our tax money goes, like good roads, parks, stop lights, and others things that protect us and gives us enjoyment. Be thankful for the police and the fire departments that keep us safe. Be thankful that we're not in a nation that is run like an anarchy; man, what a mess we'd have on our hands. Be a person who is thankful for the good things that are taking place. Sure, we'd like to fix so many of the issues that we see, but we need to take time to be thankful people.

And don't forget about the power of Jesus' final statement either: "Render to God the things that are God's." We need to stop worrying so much about where our money is going ("treasures on earth") and start focusing on where our hearts are focused. Is your heart full of worship? Does your heart seek after the things of the Lord? Give your tax money freely, but make sure you are also freely giving your heart to the Lord for His work and His purposes. We won't be able to change government, but we have easy access and ability to change our hearts. The Bible says to trust in the Lord with all of your heart; that's a great place to start--trust in Him, and give to Him what is due Him.

"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope" (Psalm 16:9).

"But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation" (Psalm 13:5).

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Whose Report Should We Believe ~ Mark Balmer

Based on “What Satan Doesn’t Want You to Know” by Pastor Mark Balmer;

11/7-8/09, Message #MB395; Daily Devotional #3 – “Whose Report Should We Believe?”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11). A lot of things in the world today are not real and do not even exist, yet have somehow become part of our lives and our culture. Who is Cinderella or Tinker Bell? Although there is no record of their birth or an address where they live, most children, and even some adults, would have a lot to say about them. They exist in “fairytale land,” which some may want to believe is real. Our beliefs affect our decision making and ultimately shape our lives.

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:10) Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). The type of things we hear generally affect our body, soul, and spirit. Somebody I know said she now lives in the “cartoon world” because anytime she turns on the television; all she hears is bad news – evil reports. Even if we turn off the television, there is no guarantee that all you hear will be good news! We live in a fallen world. The devil roams around the face of the earth seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). He certainly does not want anyone to hear any good news! Satan will do anything possible to prevent Christ followers from having access to God’s Word. God has promised that we will know the truth, and it shall set us free (John 8:32).

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35) We are certainly living in dangerous times, and believers really must ‘live dangerously’ to survive! What is God and His Word saying about you versus whom the world says you are? It is our responsibility to choose daily whose report we believe. Lay hold of all that God has for you. Study to show yourself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15), get acquainted with God’s Word and be prepared. With God‘s mandate, you hold the key to unlock the door to treasures for the lost.

Cultivating (Additional Reading): Romans 10:10-17

Jesus, our Living Hope! ~ Jon Courson

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away ...
1 Peter 1:3-4

To these who are feeling discouraged, displaced, depressed, or in danger, Peter addresses the issue right away, saying, ‘We have a living hope based upon the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.’

Unlike living hope, human hope tends to get weaker and dimmer and finally dies altogether the further one goes down the road of life ...

I was an awesome pitcher. As I stood in the street and pitched a tennis ball against my garage door, you wouldn’t believe my split finger fastball, my curve, my sinker. I knew even Hank Aaron would strike out if he ever faced me at the plate. Oh, I might go to the full count, but I would always come through — every single time. In my imagination, I pitched perfect game after perfect game as a nine-year-old. But it finally hit me about two years ago that, in reality, I’ll never pitch for the San Francisco Giants. Even if I practice really hard, I now know it’s just not going to happen. My hope that once shone so brightly is now gone altogether.

The same is true for all of us, for as we go down the road of life, we check off more and more things we thought we would one day do or be. Regarding spiritual life, however, the opposite is true — for the further down the road we walk with Jesus, the more we realize our hope doesn’t lie in this earth, but in heaven. We don’t need to be a people who wrestle with mid-life crises because our hope is not to make the San Francisco Giants or to make ten million bucks. Our hope is in heaven. And heaven’s getting closer every day.

Loving like Jesus is an action Word! ~ Jack Graham

But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.

-- Luke 10:33

One of the most vivid and memorable examples of love in action is found in Luke 10. In this passage of Scripture, we are told about a Samaritan whose actions were so kind that people just naturally came to refer to him as the “good” Samaritan.

You probably remember the story. A Jewish man had been robbed, severely beaten, and left to die on the road to Jericho. A priest happened by and went out of his way to walk around the man. Likewise with a Levite, and again he was left to die.

And then a Samaritan came upon the scene.

Now in general, Jews and Samaritans were at odds with each other. A Samaritan was more likely to kick dirt into a Jew’s wounds than to stop and render aid. But this was no typical Samaritan! He covered the man with his coat, and carried him into the city on his donkey.

And he even paid for his shelter and care.

The Good Samaritan’s love wasn’t typical—just as your love shouldn’t be typical.

As believers, the love of Christ should compel us to take action and go beyond what is expected to help a wounded, hurting neighbor.

This is our calling!

So give someone in need a loving touch or a kind word! Be like the Good Samaritan, and dare to care!

REAL LOVE TAKES ACTION AND GOES BEYOND WHAT IS EXPECTED.

Success through sacrifice and service ~ David McGee

Acts 18:18

"So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow."
NKJV

Life Lesson

We should be committed to God and to the church.

Paul had taken a Nazarite vow that he would not touch a dead body; he would drink no wine, eat no grapes, eat no raisins, and allow his hair to grow before cutting it off as a sign of purification (see Numbers 6). But wait, you say, isn't Paul the one who told us that those under grace should not be under bondage? In Galatians 5:1, he wrote, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." This was not bondage for Paul because it kept the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ relatable to the Jews. It was also profitable in that it gave Paul the opportunity to model service and sacrifice as an example for other Christians. Friends, I am going to let you in on something that may surprise you, commitment is not bondage. It is by God's grace that we have been given the opportunity to serve Him. How do we serve God? We serve Him by serving others and His church. Is commitment service or sacrifice? It is both. Every Christian should be ready to serve and be ready for sacrifice. What was the model set forth for us by Jesus? It was one of service and sacrifice. If we are to be "Christ-like" then we must be ready and willing to commit ourselves to live by the example He set for us. We hold ourselves to commitments everyday. Commitments we make at our jobs, with our family and friends. What about our commitment to Jesus and to His church?

Proverbs 16:3 reads, "Commit your work to the LORD, and then your plans will succeed." NLT

Service or sacrifice, whichever it may be, I'm ready. That is the mindset of a true servant of the God. Maybe it is this church or maybe it is another church, but friend, find that place and be committed.

Dear Father,
Thank You for Your grace and Your mercy. Help me look for ways I can commit to serving others. Help me to be willing and ready when asked to serve. Lord, when my serving requires sacrifice, please help me not to grumble or complain. Help me to be glad that I can sacrifice my time and effort in serving others, and in turn recognize that I am serving You. Thank you Lord for Your serving and sacrifice for us. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Coming Home ~ Chuck Swindoll

Ruth 1

We must have resembled a family of Gypsies or a scene from Grapes of Wrath as we rambled along the highway. Several layers of redwood forest dust mixed with pine tree sap covered our car. The cartop carrier was loaded with miscellaneous stuff, including a bike wrapped in a blanket flapping in the air, piled on top of several boxes of "family fun stuff.” We were homeward bound and glad of it.

As most of the family dozed, I hummed a tune from John Denver’s best album, the main line of which says, “Hey, it’s good to be back home again. . . ." Truer words were never sung!

Lake Tahoe had been crystal clear and beautifully therapeutic. Ten days out under the stars beside an open fire is good for what ails ya . . . but coming home is better!

Why? Why would anyone prefer the maddening pace, the freeways, the smog, the crowds, loads of laundry, stacks of mail (especially unpaid bills), a desk piled with a backlog of office details? What is so magnetic about coming home to all that? Why is the appeal of the familiar so powerful that we’re always anxious to return?

I really have no profound answer. But consider this . . .

Home represents our point of identity, our base of operations, our primary realm of responsibility. Home gives life its roots, its sense of purpose and direction. Even with the hammer blows of pressure, stress, and struggles, home is the anvil used of God to forge out character in the furnace of schedule and demand. We count on it over the long haul and thereby develop security, stability, and consistency.

For me, coming home has an added benefit. It means returning to ministry. It means accepting the most exciting challenge life offers . . . one with eternal dimensions and incredible proportions. It means facing every new dawn with total dependence, living literally on the raw edge of reality.

To me, that’s not an optional existence . . . that’s the only way to live.

We are invariably drawn to come back home not because of where it is but because of what it represents.

Perseverance ~ Charles Stanley

Philippians 1:6

No one is exempt from facing obstacles. Even as babies, we all had to overcome a lack of balance and strength in order to stand and take that first step. And learning to place one foot in front of the other involved some falling. But in order to walk well, we had to get up and try again.

Consider the difficulties that the Lord faced as He pursued His goal of salvation for mankind: Jesus was ridiculed, rejected, and misunderstood. However, Luke 9:51 illustrates His focus: “When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem.” The Lord, knowing that He would be sentenced to death in that city, let nothing deter Him from going there.

There are several things we can do to gain this attitude of persistence. The most important is to set goals under God’s leadership—challenging goals that demand our best and require His help. Then, developing a passion to make the goal a reality will likely drive us toward our desired outcome.

In addition, we should refuse to listen to criticism and instead surround ourselves with people who will encourage us. Certain steps may fail, but we should look for a personal lesson in every defeat.

Finally, we are to believe that we can reach the goal, and then must rely on God to enable us.

Biblical success means two things: achieving what the Lord calls you to do and becoming the person He desires you to be. Seek His specific goals for your life. Persevering through obstacles will be a faith-building adventure that teaches you to depend on the heavenly Father.

Even More Consequences of Accessing Grace through Faith ~ Bob Hoekstra

Who through faith…stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire. (Hebrews 11:33b-34a)

Through various testimonies of God's servants, we have considered some consequences of accessing grace through faith. By trusting in the Lord, they "subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises"Hebrews 11:33a). Yet, through these lives we can see even more blessed consequences. (

Through faith in God, they "stopped the mouths of lions." This is clearly a reference to Daniel. His enemies conspired to trap him through a new law that would ban prayer to God. "Whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions" (Daniel 6:7). Such a godless decree could never stop Daniel from his daily practice of prayer. "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days" (Daniel 6:10). The reluctant king (who respected Daniel greatly) had to apply the irreversible law. "So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions" (Daniel 6:16). The next day, Daniel was found alive, rescued by the God in whom he had trusted. "So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God" (Daniel 6:23).

These testimonies also record that they "quenched the violence of fire." This would clearly refer to three contemporaries of Daniel: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Through faith, they had courage to refuse worship of the king's idol, even though a fiery furnace awaited them. After God preserved them intact, the king extolled the Lord with understanding. "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who…delivered His servants who trusted in Him" (Daniel 3:28).

By faith, we, too, can stop the mouth of the lion that threatens us. "Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith" (1 Peter 5:8-9). Also, by faith in the promises of God, we can quench the violence of fiery trials that come against us. "When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God"Isaiah 43:2-3). (

Dear Lord, what a comfort to know that lions and fires are no threat to You. Lord, grant me the courage to do what is pleasing in Your sight, no matter who comes against me. When the roaring adversary attacks, may I trust in You. When fiery circumstances blaze, may I turn to You, for Your glory, Amen.

God Deserves the Benefit of the Doubt ~ Bob Coy

"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" Job 38:4 (NKJV)

The Book of Job is one of a kind. In Chapter 1, the writer takes us to the highest heights of heaven. Then, in Chapter 2, he dropkicks us into the deepest depths of despair and discouragement this cruel world has to offer.

And it's in this valley of loss, suffering, and confusion that the bulk of this book takes place. From Chapters 3-37, we're trying to reconcile what we know about God (His goodness and mercy) with what happens here on earth (pain and suffering). In essence, the body of the book is one great Why?

Then, in Chapter 38, God finally responds to Job. But interestingly enough, He doesn't show up with answers. Not at all. In fact, God begins to ask Job questions! Questions that Job has no absolutely no answer for. "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" "Uh...nowhere."

What's God point in doing this? He's showing Job that when it comes to this world and everything that goes on in it, there's a whole lot that he doesn't understand or ever will. God is reminding Job of how little he is, and as tempting as it is to question God's character, it's based on his own limited understanding. Despite his suffering, Job just isn't qualified to critique or evaluate his situation.

Only God knows everything, therefore only God is able to understand why things go down the way they do in life. Like Job, we need to trust that He's got a purpose in allowing what happens to happen. Ultimately, it's not about getting the "whys" answered but giving God the benefit of the doubt. That's what real faith looks like, and it's the one thing that will get us through life's seasons of suffering and uncertainty.

Discuss with your group what lessons can be learned in a season of suffering. Share something God has taught you through a trial or tribulation.

Dig into Job 38. Why does God present these questions to Job? Which of all these questions speaks loudest to you personally? How does this chapter convict you of your own Job-like thinking?

Decide as a group to pray for someone who has lost a loved one and may doubt God’s plan, purpose, and care. Ask the Lord to heal that empty place in his or her heart.

Spiritual Nourishment ~ Joyce Meyer

I tell you, do not be anxious and troubled [with cares] about your life, as to what you will [have to] eat; or about your body, as to what you will [have to] wear. For life is more than food, and the body [more] than clothes.
— Luke 12:22-23

If you have a rich spiritual life, you'll already be satisfied with the moment, the day, the year. We all have these moments at times. You wander through a summer field of fireflies and suddenly feel still and awed at the beauty of it all. You hold your new son or grandson on your lap and feel a great spiritual bond of love all around you. You're sitting in a pew Sunday morning and the light comes through the stained glass and fills your heart with joy. The moment is complete in itself. You don't think, "My heart is full of joy, and boy, do I wish I had a slice of chocolate cake in my hand!"

You can know the complete fulfillment of spiritual nourishment and know that if you can experience it regularly, you'll have no problem eating and drinking only what you need. In fact, we should all feel those transcendent moments more often than we do. I believe they are essential to physical, emotional, and spiritual health. And I think we spend too little time trying to achieve them and too much time meditating on our problems. Whether it's in therapy, at home, or with friends over coffee, if we stew in our own problems all the time, they are only going to be with us that much more.

Get your mind off the problems, and spend more time meditating on the one true solution—God's love. Our problems in life—and there will be problems—should drive us to God, not away from Him. Jonah tried running from his duty to the Lord by sailing to a remote destination, and look what happened to him! Don't follow Jonah's path. Run to God! He won't just help you find the solutions to your spiritual hunger, He is the solution!

Genuine Salvation ~ Greg Laurie

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

— Matthew 7:13–14

Many people today have essentially believed a watered-down gospel that deletes the message of repentance. They believe in an all-caring, nonjudgmental God who requires no repentance or a change in their lifestyle. They will say things like, "I believe in Jesus Christ, but my God is not judgmental. My God would never send a person to hell. But I am a Christian."

Yet they cannot have it both ways. They can't make it up as they go.

There are many people, even in the church, who hold to a watered-down belief. This diluted gospel may be the most dangerous plague the church is facing today, because it gives a sense of false assurance to the person who believes it.

The Bible speaks of false prophets who give false assurance. In Jeremiah 6:14, God says, "They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace."

It would be like going to the doctor when you are having a heart attack, and having the doctor tell you, "Oh, you are fine. You are being so dramatic! You will be OK."

There are ministers today who say, "God loves you and everything is fine. You can do whatever you want and live however you want to live. Let's just love one another and have a great time."

But that is a false gospel. Yes, God loves us. Yes, God receives any person who comes to Him. But He asks us to repent. He asks us to turn from our sins. If we are not willing to do so, then we are not experiencing biblical faith. And thus, we are not going to receive what the Bible describes as genuine salvation.

Created to Become Like Christ ~ Rick Warren

"God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son … We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him" (Romans 8:29 MSG).

From the very beginning, God’s plan has been to make you like his Son, Jesus. God announced this intention at Creation: “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image and likeness” (Genesis 1:26 NCV).

In all of creation, only human beings are made “in God’s image.” This is a great privilege and gives us dignity. We don’t know all that this phrase covers, but we do know some of the aspects it includes. Like God, we are spiritual beings—our spirits are immortal and will outlast our earthly bodies. Like God, we are intellectual—we can think, reason, and solve problems. Like God, we are relational—we can give and receive real love. And like God, we have a moral consciousness—we can discern right from wrong, which makes us accountable to God.

The Bible says that all people, not just believers, possess part of the image of God; that is why murder and abortion are wrong (Genesis 6:9, Psalm 139:13-16, James 3:9).

But the image of God within us is incomplete and has been damaged and distorted by sin. So God sent Jesus on a mission to restore the full image that we have lost.

What does the full “image and likeness” of God look like? It looks like Jesus Christ! The Bible says Jesus is “the exact likeness of God,” “the visible image of the invisible God,” and “the exact representation of his being” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT, Colossians 1:15 NLT, Hebrews 1:3 NIV).

People often use the phrase “like father, like son” to refer to family resemblance. When people see my likeness in my kids, it pleases me. God wants his children to bear his image and likeness, too. The Bible says, “You were … created to be like God, truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:24 GW).

God"s Justice ~ Kay Arthur

Jeremiah, Part 1 (Return To Me)

Program 36 – God‟s Justice

When you’re called into court, and you’re in that courtroom, and all of a sudden everyone stands as the judge enters into the courtroom. When the judge takes their seat, and calls the court to order, and you sit down. What do you expect from that court? What do you expect from that judge? Don’t you expect them to deal with you with justice? Not corruption, but justice? We’ll talk about it today. How do you feel when you find out that justice was not executed? That justice did not prevail? That the judge and the jury were persuaded to believe a lie. How do you feel when someone goes there and they’re saying, “You owe me this, and it’s not paid?” How do you feel? Doesn’t it grieve your heart? Doesn’t it hurt your heart? This week we are going to look at Jeremiah chapter 19, 20, 21 and 22. Next week we are going to finish part 1 of Jeremiah, but we have only begun.

As we look at this week’s lesson of Jeremiah 19 through 22, the word “justice” is going to show up in chapter 21 and chapter 22. And yet, what we see in Jeremiah chapter 19 is the justice of God. Although, the word is not mentioned, we see the justice of God in action.

You see when men are not righteous, when they will not listen, when they take the truth and they twist it and they distort it, when they don’t treat other people the way that they should treat them, when they oppress the alien, when they oppress the widow, when they don’t give honest wages it grieves God’s heart. And we’re going to see why. We are going to see later, it’s because the foundation of the throne of God is righteousness and it is justice. And so, as we began Jeremiah chapter 19, God is taking Jeremiah to the potsherd gate.

Let’s look at it, Jeremiah chapter 19, “Thus says the LORD, „Go and buy a potter‟s earthenware jar, and take some of the elders…and some of the…priests.” (Jeremiah 19:1) And, “Then go out to the valley of Ben-hinnom, which is by the entrance of the potsherd gate, and proclaim there the words that I [say to] you.‟” (Jeremiah 19: 2) So Jeremiah gets up, he gathers the elders, he gathers the senior priests and he takes a pot, he’s going out to the potsherd gate, which is in the valley or near the valley of Ben-hinnom.

Now the valley of Ben-hinnom is where they have been worshiping Baal. This is where they have been sacrificing their children. The valley of Ben-hinnom is also a place where they throw out their trash. It’s called the potsherd gate because, what do you do? I mean, how do you recycle? Well, you take your broken pots, and all your stuff, and then you go down to the potsherd gate, and there you dump it in this place of refuse. And so he takes this and he goes down. And listen to what He says.

God says, “„…Say, “Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: thus says the LORD [God the]…God of Israel, „Behold I am about to bring a calamity upon this place…[with] which the ears of everyone that hears…it will tingle. (Jeremiah 19:3) Because they have forsaken Me….‟”‟” (Jeremiah 19:4) Now remember calamity shows up for the first time in Jeremiah chapter 16. And Amos chapter 3, verse 8 says that [calamity does not occur in a city, but what the Lord has done it.] (PARAPHRASE, Amos 3:6) So what he’s going to show us is how the Lord is going to bring calamity upon Jerusalem. Why is He going to do it?

Verse 4, “„“„Because they have forsaken Me…[they have turned away from Me they] have made this an alien place and [they] have burned sacrifices…to other gods….‟‟‟” (Jeremiah 19:4) They were taking their children and throwing them in the mouth of this giant god by the name of Baal, and where the fire was and where they were consuming the children, the children that God had given to the people of Israel, the wombs that He had opened, the seed that He had planted as Psalm 139 says, “…You formed…me in my mother‟s womb.” (Psalms 139:13) And they were taking what God had created and they were offering it to a false god. It says, “„…[They] burned sacrifices…to other gods, that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known….‟” (Jeremiah 19:4)

These are gods that they got when they didn’t drive out the inhabitants of the land, when they went in and took possession of Canaan in the days of Joshua. They were told to get rid of all the inhabitants of the land lest the inhabitants would cause them to come and to worship their god. (See Exodus 34:11-17) He says, “„…because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.‟” (Jeremiah 19:4)

Now when you stop and look at America and you look at our culture, we are sacrificing our children. We are not bringing them up the way God said bring them up. We are not teaching them when they sit down and when they rise up and when they walk by the way. They are supposed to be talking to their child. They’re supposed to be teaching their child about God. “„Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one….‟” (Deuteronomy 6:4, KJV) And they are to be teaching them that they are to [worship the Lord their God with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their mind, and with all their strength.] (PARAPHRASE, Luke 10:27)

And instead, what have they done? They have put away the Word of God, and they have taken that child, and they have led that child to Ben-hinnom, outside the potsherd gate. And it is like, in a sense, that that child has no more value than a piece of broken potsherd.

Apply it to America today. What are we doing to our children? Who is raising our children? Who is teaching our children? Who is training our children? Who is home when the children get home? What are they being taught? And how are they being disciplined? And why are so many kids on drugs and taking their parents’ prescription drugs? And why are so many turning to alcohol? And why are so many turning to pornography and immorality?

It’s because we have sacrificed our children to the gods of this age, to the gods of this world. Not only that, but their blood fills our land because we have aborted so many babies. We have said they are an inconvenience for us. We have said, “I can’t handle this,” or, “This is not the one I chose. I wanted a girl, and I’m getting a boy. I wanted a boy, and I’m getting a girl.” Oh, my goodness. “They found out that the child that I’m getting is down-syndrome. Cast it away, it’s just nothing, but a piece of potsherd, that’s all.”

And so God takes that pot through Jeremiah and He says, “„And [they] have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in…fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded…nor did it ever enter My mind; therefore, behold days are coming,‟ declares the LORD, „when this place will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben-hinnom, but rather the valley of Slaughter. I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place…I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hand of those who seek their life; and I will give over their carcasses as food for the birds of the sky….” (Jeremiah 19:5-7) “…Because of all [their] disasters….‟” (Jeremiah 19:8)

And then listen to this, “„I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and…their daughters, and they will eat one another‟s flesh in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life will distress them.‟” (Jeremiah 19:9)

Now you want to mark “siege.” I just take a pencil, and I draw like a wall around siege. Because a siege is when they would come around the city walls, and then they would cut the people off so that they could not go outside the city, and they could not get water, or they could not get food, or they could not get relief. And then they would began to bombard the walls in an attempt to get the walls down, or to come over the walls, or to get through the gates so that they could capture the city. The walls around a city were its protection.

And so this is what He’s saying. “„I will make them eat the flesh…one another‟s flesh in the siege and [then] the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life will distress them. Then you are to break the jar in the sight [of the people]….‟” (Jeremiah 19:9-10) Bring that jar right crashing down. Let them see that jar. Let them see it smash into smithereens; let them see all the parts that cannot be put together again. Let them see it because I am going to do this.

You say, “That’s not right. No, God would never do that.” Yes, He would. You know why? Because the throne of God as Psalm 97 says, [The throne of God is a throne with a foundation of righteousness and justice.] (PARAPHRASE, Psalms 97:2) And God cannot, listen carefully, let iniquity go unpunished. So thus this trip to the potter’s house again, thus this crashing of the jar. “„…You are to break the jar in the sight of [all] the men [that] accompany you and say to them, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, „Just so…,‟”‟” (Jeremiah 19:10-11) Just so, what? I’ll tell you in just a moment. When Jeremiah breaks that pot he is to say to the people, “„“…„Just so will I break this people and this city….‟”‟” (Jeremiah 19:11) Not just conquer the city, but the people will be broken in the midst of it. They will be like these pieces of this potsherd. All of life is going to change, and they don’t know it. They don’t know it because they’re hearing the false prophets. And the false prophets are saying, “„“…Peace, peace,” but there is no peace.‟” (Jeremiah 6:14)

The enemy is coming. The enemy is on the way. Is the enemy there yet? Oh no, not yet. He is still pointing to the future, but in the next chapter he is going to tell them. He’s going to name the enemy from the north. But let’s go and read on. He says, “„“„…Even as one breaks a potter‟s vessel, which cannot…be repaired….”‟‟” (Jeremiah 19:11)

If I said to you, “Here take this and repair it.” Some of the pieces are gone, some of the pieces have shattered into such small, small pieces that it can never be repaired. And that’s what He’s saying. “It won’t be repaired.” And he says, “„“„…And they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place for burial.‟‟‟” (Jeremiah 19:11) There is going to be so many bodies lying around on the ground that there will be no place except Topheth to bury them. “„“„This is how I will treat this place and its inhabitants,‟ declares the LORD, „so…to make this city like Topheth. The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like the place of Topheth, because of all the houses…,”‟‟” now listen, “„“„…on whose rooftops they burned sacrifices to all the heavenly host….‟”‟” (Jeremiah 19:12-13)

In other words, they went up on their flat roofs of their houses, and there they worshiped the sun and the moon and the stars. They weren’t worshiping the Creator; they were worshiping the creation. And so what does He say?

Well, let’s look at it. “Then Jeremiah came from Topheth, where the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD‟S house and said to…the people: „Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring on this city and all its towns the entire calamity that I have declared against it….”‟” Why? “„“…Because they have stiffened their necks so as [to not] heed My words.”‟” (Jeremiah 19:15)

In other words, God is speaking and they stiffen their neck and they simply walk away from God. Justice? Yes. It is just of God to judge their sin because, “…Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” (Psalms 97:2) His righteousness demands and commands His judgment of sin. Now we come to chapter 20, “When Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer….” (Jeremiah 20:1) Now you want to remember this because you’re going to meet another Pashhur, but you can tell the difference because of their genealogy. He says, “…Who was [a] chief officer in the house of the LORD, [when he] heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and [he] put him in the stocks….” (Jeremiah 20:1-2)

Now when he put him in the stocks, we, we think okay, “What were those stocks like?” Well, we believe from everything that we can learn from history and from that time, that it wasn’t just the head and the hands in the stocks, but it was the feet in the stock. So you have the feet in stocks, and then you have the head and the hands in the stocks in a very uncomfortable position, so that you’re almost in the position of a seat. It is a distortion of the body. So what they do is they get Jeremiah. They beat Jeremiah, now this is Pashhur; and he beats Jeremiah, he puts him in the stocks. And where does he put him? He puts him in the stocks in a public place. Listen to what it says, he “…put him in the stocks that were at the upper Benjamin Gate, which was by the house of the LORD.” (Jeremiah 20:2)

Now I want you to get this. I mean, the people are going in and out of the house of the Lord, and they are going to pass; this is a public place, and they’re going to pass Jeremiah in these stocks, in this horrible position. Why? Because he’s prophesied truth, because the people do not want to hear the truth. They don’t want to hear the truth. They have stopped up their ears; they don’t want any part of it. Well, that sure should tame Jeremiah, shouldn’t it? That should shut his mouth. But what he did was unjust, it was wrong for him to do that, but does Jeremiah bow? Oh, no. Oh, no. Yeah, Jeremiah! It says, “On the next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, „Pashhur is not the name [which] the LORD has called you, but rather Magor- missabib.‟” (Jeremiah 20:3) Magor-missabib means, “terror on every side.” He says, “That’s what God has called you; not Pashhur.” He says, “„For thus says the LORD, “Behold…,”‟” and this is justice, “„“…I am going to make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; and while your eyes look on, they will fall by the sword of their enemies….”‟” (Jeremiah 20:4) I’m going to make you a terror. Your eyes are going to see the people fall into the hands of their enemies. “„“…So I...,”‟” God is speaking through Jeremiah, “„“…will give over all Judah [into] the hand of the king of Babylon….”‟” (Jeremiah 20:4)

This is the first mention of Babylon. Finally, that evil that is coming form the north is mentioned by name, and it is the king of Babylon. Now listen, Babylon is just coming into its own. Babylon is just coming into power. Babylon is taking over the rest of the Assyrian empire which they conquered. And, and they are setting up their territory, and they’re going to come south to Jerusalem. And this is what he says, “„“…I will give over all [of] Judah to the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away as exiles to Babylon and will slay them with [a] sword. I will also give over all the wealth of this city, all [of] its produce…all…,”‟” catch all, “„“…[all of] its costly…even all the treasures of the kings of Judah I will give [them into] the hand of their enemies, and they will plunder them, [and] take them away…to Babylon.”‟” (Jeremiah 20:4-5) They are going into captivity because of their sin.

Beloved, listen to me very carefully: Sin always leads to captivity. Sin always leads to bondage. Yes, you can break the law. You can go against God. You can bribe people to lie for you. You can win the case in court, but know this, God says in Numbers, “„…Be [ye] sure your sin will find you out.‟” (Numbers 32:23) There is a just Judge. His throne has been from the beginning. You need to listen to Him and order your life accordingly.

God's Heart and Heartless Followers ~ Bob Caldwell

God's Heart and Heartless Followers Jonah 4:2 So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. All who seek to know God should cherish this account that so beautifully portrays His merciful heart. Jonah obviously did. He was so sure of the readiness of God's mercy to respond to all who come to Him in humble, sincere repentance for the sins they have committed. This account also reveals what is many times the case with God's own people. We often do not share in the heart of the One we say we know. Jonah provides us with a tragic example of this. History tells us that Nineveh was an enemy of the Jews. And it is clear that Jonah had little interest in doing anything that might result in God's blessing and prosperity for those who had wronged his own people and sinned against God. This is all too common. How rare it is for Christians to sincerely seek to bring a blessing to those who are our political or religious enemies. We all know those, such as these Ninevites, who are so lost that they do not know their "right hand from their left." Their blind ignorance of God and His will had drawn them into ever-growing darkness. Too often we assume that we should just stand back and let judgment fall. But to have such a callous attitude is a warning for us just as much as the warning these Ninevites needed. Our hearts are far from God too. We are not walking in God or with Him. At the first signs of such a lack of pity for those on a path to destruction, we must repent because our own path is also leading us away from God. When we turn our backs on the grace, mercy, and abundant lovingkindness that God offers a sinful world, we are in serious trouble. What we learn from this account is that God seeks so much to reach those ignorant of Himself that He will even use a man like Jonah. The people of Nineveh were brought to repentance and faith in the One true God through a very reluctant servant. That's how much God loves and seeks to reach all people from all nations. Regardless of the false gods or profane sins they are committing, He seeks to reach them right where they're at!
Jonah 1:1-4:11 Jonah's Disobedience 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. The Storm at Sea 4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. 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. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came to him, and said to him, "What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish." 7 And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, "Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?" 9 So he said to them, "I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." Jonah Thrown into the Sea 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, "Why have you done this?" For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11 Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?"—for the sea was growing more tempestuous. 12 And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me." 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. 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. Jonah's Prayer and Deliverance 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. Jonah 2 1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly. 2 And he said: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. 3 For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. 4 Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.' 5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God. 7 "When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 "Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD." 10 So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Jonah 3Jonah Preaches at Nineveh 1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you." 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journeyin extent. 4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" The People of Nineveh Believe 5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6 Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? 10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. Jonah 4Jonah's Anger and God's Kindness 1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!" 4 Then the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" 5 So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. 6 And the LORD God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live." 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?"
Jonah 1:1-4:11 v. 1 Jonah son of Amittai – Jonah, of the tribe of Zebulun, was from the city of Gath-hepher in lower Galilee. He prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam the Second and Joash (two kings of Israel), approximately 823 years before Christ. We are only given this one account of Jonah's prophetic duties in the scriptures. v. 2 Arise, go to Nineveh – Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire. It is one of the oldest cities mentioned in the scriptures and was a three-day journey. Legend says it had walls 100 feet high wide enough for three chariots to drive side by side. Although just legend, this story states the greatness of Nineveh in the time of Jonah the prophet. Located west of the Tigris River, it is believed to have had many thousands living in it at the time of Jonah's mission. Their wickedness has come up before Me. – Nineveh was a great heathen city. In the records of Essarhaddon (son of Sennacherib the Assyrian king) we read about the torture and humiliation of his enemies before the entire city. There are records of the many Assyrian superstitions, some similar to our modern-day Friday the 13. The Assyrians were extremely cruel to their enemies. In Nahum 3:19, the Lord asks Assyria, "for who has not felt your endless cruelty?" v. 3 Jonah…sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD – Jonah first went to Joppa, the nearest port to Jerusalem on that side of the Mediterranean. We are not exactly certain about the modern name or location of Tarshsish. It was perhaps the city of Tarsus in Cilicia or Tartessus in Spain near the straits of Gibraltar, among others. v. 4 a mighty tempest on the sea – These winds were common in the area between the beach towns of Dora (in Manasseh) and Joppa. v. 5 every man cried out to his god – The crew on Jonah's ship were all pagans and probably worshipped several different idols. They cried to their gods in fear, but the tempest did not cease. Ironically, Jonah was fast asleep below deck. v. 7 let us cast lots – This ancient practice was probably like flipping a coin or drawing straws. In some specific cases in scripture, it appears that God may have actually directed the lots (Josh. 18:10, Acts 1:26). This appears to have been one of those cases. v. 8 for whose cause is this trouble – Some ancient thought believed tragedy was the result of defying or angering the gods. Even Job's friends told him that he suffered because they believed he had sinned and needed to beg for God's mercy (Job 11). v. 9 I am a Hebrew – This was the name by which Israel was known to its foreign neighbors throughout the Old Testament era. Amongst themselves they would use the title "Israel," which is the name God gave to their forefather Jacob. When using "Israel," they are calling themselves the sons of Abraham, who is the father of all Jews. I fear – This could also be translated, "I am a worshipper of the God of heaven." God of heaven – Jonah explains that the Lord made the sea and the dry land. This immediately makes the Lord superior to their simple idols. v. 10 What shall we do to you – The lots have fallen upon Jonah as the author of the sin for which God is aroused to anger. Their thoughts now turn to what they might do to satisfy God's anger that His fierce storm may desist. In a time when sacrifice supposedly satiated the needs of the gods, this would have been a legitimate question. "How might we satisfy the anger of this God?" (v. 16) v. 12 Pick me up and throw me in – The men tried to not throw Jonah in the water, as they feared that taking his life would anger God more (v. 13-14). At their wit's end, they plead with God and throw Jonah overboard. v. 16 the men feared the Lord – The word "fear" here is the same word Jonah uses to describe his awe and worship of God. By the nature of their encounter with the real and true God, these men both fear and worship Him. v. 17 a great fish – Note the words used are "a great fish." In the Mediterranean it would not have been strange for a large shark to swallow a man whole. This incident can be explained scientifically, but more importantly, there is the idea of God preparing this great fish to swallow Jonah. This, much like the lots and the calming storm, was an act of God. Jonah 2 v. 1 Jonah prayed – It appears that this particular prayer was a prayer of thanksgiving after Jonah had been released from the fish. It reflects on his prayers the previous three days from within the fish. v. 2 Out of the belly of Sheol – Jonah speaks in hyperbole here. Sheol was considered to be the home of the dead and some versions translate it as hell. The reality is that Jonah is still inside the belly of the fish but his metaphor describes the sheer misery he experienced. v. 4 I have been cast out of Your sight – This thought is similar to what Paul meant when he wrote, "Therefore God…gave them up" (Rom. 1:24). It implies a form of rejection; a sense of feeling deserted by God. Yet I will look again toward – "To look toward" is an expression that implies putting one's hope and faith in the named object. The object of Jonah's hope is God. v. 5 brought my life from the pit – Jonah explains his agony for three days as being left for dead. Thus his deliverance from the fish is likened to resurrection from the grave. v. 8 forsake their own mercy – Idols are merely images carved and molded by men. They are inanimate blocks that men worship in sheer vanity. Men can receive no form of salvation nor deliverance from their sins or their dilemmas. They exchange the saving God of heaven for a dead stone that cannot interact or reason with them (Rom. 1:18-23, Is. 1:18). v. 10 God spoke – God commanded the fish to give up Jonah from his imprisonment, and it immediately obeyed Him. Jonah 3 v. 1 The second time – The original message has not changed nor has God's merciful focus upon the Assyrians in Nineveh (1:2). God's warning of destruction is an act of mercy and an opportunity for repentance. v. 3 Jonah arose and went – The city was believed to be about 18 miles from end to end (a three-day journey on foot). Upon his first day's journey through the city, Jonah began to cry out a mantra to Nineveh, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown." v. 5 Nineveh believed God – The Ninevites believed in God and listened to the voice of His prophet. They put on sackcloth, a garment reserved for anguish and repentance. Even the king wore sackcloth and sat in ashes, another image of grief and regret, and then ordered the city to fast for a time that they might cry out to God for mercy and turn from their evil ways. v. 9 if God will…relent – The king poses a question. This question appears to be a quote from the prophet Joel (2:14). This question mixed with his actions shows a familiarity of the Jewish historical law. v. 10 God saw their works – The Old Testament focuses primarily on the Jews and their consistent rebellions and repentances before God. Here, in the book of Jonah, is a unique moment of a non-Jewish nation repenting before God and receiving God's mercy. This foreshadows God's plan to bring salvation to the Gentiles (Ps. 117, Is. 42:1, Matt. 12:18-21). Jonah 4 v. 1 Jonah…became angry – God has mercy on the Assyrians and this displeased Jonah. The expression used to describe Jonah's intense anger can also be translated as "very grieved." v. 2 take my life from me – Jonah clings to his own will for the destruction of the Assyrians. He complains to God that sparing the Assyrians was exactly what he feared God would do. In his displeasure, Jonah acknowledges God's character, that He is full of grace and mercy, even toward the pagans, quoting the prophet Joel almost word for word (Joel 2:13). v. 4 Is it right – God questions Jonah's anger as to make him aware of the hardness of his heart. Mercy is a part of God's nature, thus anger over a lost sinner would be appropriate. Therefore, anger over God's mercy upon a sinner is unreasonable. v. 5 Jonah went out of the city – Jonah's exit from the city is leading up to God's answer to the question He initially asked Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry?" Upon settling on the east side of the city, Jonah is momentarily grateful for a plant God provided for shade. v. 7 God prepared a worm – God provided the plant, and God took it away. No longer is Jonah protected from the harsh desert conditions. v. 8 vehement east wind – A dry and sandy eastern wind. Combined with the desert sun this caused him great discomfort. v. 9 is it right – This is the second time God asks Jonah if he has any right to be angry. The question is rhetorical, designed to expose the folly in Jonah's heart. Jonah replies irreverently (Matt. 12:34-35). v. 10 You have had pity on the plant – God answers the question He gave Jonah ("Is it right for you to be angry?"). Jonah has had no part in the making of the plant and has no right to be angry at its decay. The plant and its passing is a metaphor for the 120,000 souls in Nineveh. Jonah has no right to be angry at God sparing their lives and not the plant's life. v. 11 should I not pity Nineveh – This is the whole purpose of the book; God's grace upon undeserving souls who are willing to repent. This is the same plea that Abraham brought to God regarding Sodom in Genesis 18:23-33; that God should spare the righteous and repentant.
"So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm." –Jonah 4:2 Lord, forgive us of our sin against You when we take our limited knowledge of You and try to twist and manipulate it to serve our own purposes. We know it is true, God, that You are gracious, merciful, and slow to anger. Keep us from thinking that we know better than You do. Give us hearts that live to expect the unexpected from You.
Junior High Ministry I love being able to be goofy with the students and encourage them in their faith as well. Prayer Points that our ministry would be fruitful and effective to our city that we would have a heart for reaching out to non-believing students in our city that the youth leaders would be able to be good examples of Christ toward the youth kids