Respectable Sins: Discontentment

Let's start by reviewing what anxiety and frustration is. Anxiety is a fearful uncertainty over the future. It can be either short-term or long-term. Frustration is immediate. It's the result of some event that has blocked plans or desires.

Discontentment is today's topic. This feeling arises from ongoing and unchanging circumstances that we can do nothing about. You and I both know it's a sin to be discontent with our money and possessions but what about the discontentment triggered by unchanging circumstances that are trials to our faith?

God places trials in our lives to make a change for the better. No life event is a surprise to God. He knows everything that is going to happen before it does. God calls us to act prudently and react appropriately.

Here's a little personal story for you... 

I have a 29 year-old severely mentally-disabled sister, Shoshone. Her brain only developed to the six-month stage. She has no verbal communication, cannot clothe or bathe herself, use the restroom and needs assistance walking, eating and doing almost every activity. Shone requires constant 24-hour supervision for her safety and needs, much like a six-month old baby. Shone still lives with my parents and are in their care.

I've often had the 'what if Shone was "normal"' the conversation with my dad. It's safe to say my life growing up and the lives of my of parents would be very different. Her condition requires my parents to sacrifice many social activities and alter life plans. But have I ever heard them complain? The answer is no.

So when I asked my dad 'what if' question his response is humbling. He says he feels honored that God entrusted him with Shone. God trusted my dad with the responsibility to nurture her needs and be the best dad on earth. My parent's situation could have easily lead to resentment and bitterness toward God. But instead, they have truly embraced this circumstance. They couldn't imagine life without Shone and love her unconditionally just the way God made her.

So the question I, Shone's sister, ask myself is would I respond the same way? I would like to think so but it's hard to know unless I was placed into a similar situation.  One verse I would use to remind myself of His plan is Psalm 139: 13,

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb."

God physically made Shone with this disability because that is how His plan can be fulfilled. My parents made peace with God because they accepted her situation because it was God's plan. They transitioned from feeling like the victim to a steward. They've used this trial to serve and glorify God and grow their trust in Him. 

Three takeaways to remember when dealing with discontentment is that our God is sovereign, infinitely wise and always does good. Any and all circumstances He has brought or allowed in our lives are for His glory and our ultimate good! 

Respectable Sins: Anxiety and Frustration

Do you trust God? Prior to reading this chapter when I asked myself this question, I would without a doubt answer "yes" but now I wonder do I really, REALLY trust Him?

The truth is no, I don't. Like many of you, I experience anxiety and frustration almost daily. When I think about pursuing future goals, I get anxious. When a driver is going five miles per hour under the speed limit, I get frustrated. The examples are endless!

Anxiety shows God that I don't truly trust him as well as my lack of acceptance of what he has placed in my life. If someone I loved, told me they didn't trust me. I would be hurt. Essentially, that is what we are telling God when have anxiety. When I give way to anxiety, I'm believing God does not care for me and won't take care of me in the circumstances that trigger anxiety.

"[Cast] all your anxieties on him because he cares for you." 
- 1 Peter 5:7

When things don't go my way, I need to ask myself 'What is God's agenda?' in all of this? At times my anxiety isn't triggered by a distrust in Him so much as an unwillingness to submit and joyfully accept His agenda for me.

So the question is... how do I overcome anxiety? By remembering these thing:
1. Everything He placed in my life is for His purpose
2. He is always right
3. There is a season for everything

Acceptance of God's providential will is not easy. I must learn to pray with an attitude of acceptance for whatever that will might me.

Worry is a synonym for anxiety and is often associated with long-term difficult or painful circumstances which appears to have no resolution. Since being saved I've become less of a worry-whort. In times of difficult situations, I remind myself that God has a plan and loves me so much. I can't control circumstances but I can show my trust and obedience to Him during these times.

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God."
 - Luke 12:6

I am His child. I am His personal concern. 

Also discussed in this chapter was the respectable sin of frustration. Frustration is a form of ungodliness that usually involves being upset or angry at whatever or whoever is blocking our plans. The truth is that God is behind all the events in my life. He is the invisible hand behind whatever it is that is causing my frustration. An important scripture to memorize is Psalm 139:16,
"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." 

God planned not only the days of my life but also the events and circumstances of each day of my life.  The next time I become frustrated I will stop and pray, asking the Holy Spirit to enable me to respond in a godly manner and use practical wisdom to overcome my frustration. I think God purposely uses events that tempt us towards frustration to push me in the area I need to grow. To make my sin evident in my eyes and show me that a changes needs to be made.

Even though anxiety and frustration may not seem like a serious sin in my eyes or the eyes of my peers, I need to me remind that all sin is serious in the eyes of God.

Respectable Sins: Unthankfulness

Happy Friday!

It's Seneca again. I have been MIA for weeks now. As some of you could guess this is the busy season for us photographers. (Jean, THANK YOU so much for filling in for me!) Now after the time change, it gets dark too early for comfort for must of us but luckily I'm able to attend Bible Study again. Hooray!

I've missed these evening with the ladies. I've learned so much just by listening to their insight and encouragement. I'm so happy to be back!

This week we discussed the sin of unthankfulness. Have you thought the lack of unthankfulness as a sin? We are all guilty of not thanking God for the many blessings He bestows on us. Why is it hard to remember to give thanks? There are a number of reasons but for me it's simple. I forget. I get so caught up in events and fleshly desires that I forget.

In Deuteronomy, God warns the Israelites to not forget to acknowledge that everything we have comes from Him:

"Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statues, which I command you today, lest when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when you herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then you heart be lifted up , and you forget the Lord your God ... Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your father, as it is this day."

Do you thank Him daily for your salvation? I'll be the first to admit I fail to. A perfect example was discussed Wednesday evening to put this in perspective. How would you feel if someone paid off your mortgage in full as a gift? I would cry happy tears and be overcome with absolute relief and joy. God gave us the greatest gift in Jesus, who wiped our biggest debt clean. Shouldn't we fall to our knees thanking Him daily for that gift?

Ephesians 5:20 tells us to give thanks always and for everything. This shows obedience to Him. The author asks if we've ever walked through our homes giving thanks for all the food in our pantry, furnishings, clothes hanging in our closets.. etc. When I first read his question I thought, "Yeah, right. Who does that?!" But the truth is EVERYTHING we have is a gift. Not just our belongings and material possessions but our abilities and talents too.

Many times I find myself upset because something didn't go the way I'd planned. Whether it be a flat tire or a rejected business venture. Paul tells us  in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Therefore as believer, we must give thanks in all circumstances, even the ones we aren't thankful for.

I may not alway see the outcome of the circumstances I face. It is extremely hard at times to give thanks for inconveniences and hardships but I need to remember God's promise found in Romans 8:28 that tells us all things work together for good. It may be years later but all the circumstances
God purposely places in my life, good will come out of it.  For God is faithful in all situations.

Here are some take aways for you as you go about your weekend: 

• Everything we have is a gift from God (Deuteronomy 8:11-14, 17-18)
• Give thanks always and for everything (Ephesians 5:20)
• Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
• Cling to God's promises (Romans 8:28-29, 38-39)
• Memorize Ephesians 5:20 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Respectable Sins: Ungodliness

I wish I could capture, in this blog, the spirit of the dialog last night at Bible study. Lots of great conversation, sharing thoughts and feelings honestly, and freedom expressing differing opinions.

We started off asking the question, "before reading this chapter, what would you have said was the root of all sin?" Most of us said the root of all sin is pride. The author of our study suggests an even more basic, more widespread, and more apt to be the root cause of our other sins - the sin of ungodliness. And that started off our evening of great discussion.

Some of us said we looked at this chapter and thought this doesn't pertain to us - after all, we're Christians, we're not ungodly. Some of us said of course we're ungodly - we're so far from being Christ-like, we don't think of ourselves as nearly godly enough.

If we define ungodliness as living one's everyday life with little or no thought of God, or of God' will, or of God's glory, or of one's dependence on God, we can see how one can lead a respectable life and still be ungodly in the sense that God is essentially irrelevant in one's life. We may pray for a few minutes at the beginning of the day, we may even read our Bibles for awhile, then check ✔,
that's one thing off our list for the day.

It's not that we're living obviously sinful lives - we just don't think about the will of God throughout the activities of the day. We're content to avoid obvious sins but we don't seek the full knowledge of God's will.

"We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Colossians 1:9-10

Now that's a God-centered prayer! How do we balance a God-centered prayer, totaling seeking His will and expressing our deepest longings, without our prayer becoming a "to-do" or a "want" list from us to God? If we rush to say "not my will, but Yours be done" without first expressing our hearts, we withhold our desires and stop being ourselves....we stop being real with God. If we ask God for health, financial, and other temporal needs, we may feel we're being selfish or asking too much so we don't ask.....or we may ask with the wrong motivations. 

So, how do we get our prayers right? The answer is we don't have to get prayer "right".  We just need to talk with God, tell Him where we are, where we're messy, weary, worried - give Him the opportunity to be a part of our daily life; don't leave Him out - don't try to act on our own without God. We have to begin with what is real - Jesus didn't come for the righteous - He came for sinners and we all qualify.

Jesus was real when He prayed to His Father in Luke 22:42, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" and in Matthew 27:46 "... My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Jesus was anguished because He was separated from His Father as He bore our sin.  Jesus expressed that anguish to His Father but yet accepted that His will be done. Jesus neither suppressed His feelings nor let feelings master Him. 

James 4:2 "....ye have not, because ye ask not." Our failure to ask, whether it's because we think God already knows what's on our mind, or because of pride, or because of self-reliance, keeps us distant from God.  Our next problem is when we ask selfishly. James 4:3 "When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Avoid asking selfishly by surrendering completely - yet not what I will, but what you will. Be real about our feelings - but don't let feelings control you.

1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." The "all" in this verse includes every activity of our days; eating, drinking, shopping, driving, social relationships, work, school, our appearance - how we dress - everything! Do we consciously and prayerfully seek His glory in all we say and do in our most ordinary activities of the day? Or do we go about those activities with little or no thought of God. Where are we in the spectrum - is God relevant or irrelevant as we go about our day. 

1 Timothy 4:7 " Train yourself for godliness." An athlete must train to compete. Training involves commitment, consistency, and discipline. We must be just as intentional about training ourselves in godliness as a runner would be for a marathon.

Let's commit to pray for each other this week -  for a greater consciousness of God, of God's will, of God's glory, of our dependence on God in our daily routine and in our thoughts, words, and actions.

Looks like I promised a blog post that I didn't deliver on over a week ago.  I left off saying we would look at the second part of the good news of the gospel - the fact that we are cleansed from sin's power. Do you ever wonder if you'll see progress especially in those subtle sins that so easily show up and keep us in a constant struggle against them? How can we have power over those subtle sins?

Romans 6:2 & 8 tell us we have died to sin's guilt and its power in our lives through our union with Christ.  Romans 6:12 encourages us to "let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies....." How can sin reign in us if we've died to sin?  The answer is found in Galatians 5:17, "For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." And Galatians 5:16 tells to "walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

The bottom line is that while on this earth, we will experience a daily struggle between the desires of our sinful nature (the flesh) and the desires of the Spirit. We do not have the ability to "will" ourselves to walk by the Spirit but on the other hand, we can't just sit back and watch God do all the work. We have a "dependent responsibility."

Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." God will not abandon the work He has begun in us. Here's some ways God works:

• convicts and makes us aware of sin - He may bring to memory a particular act that causes us to see a pattern of sin.
• enables and empowers us to deal with sin - Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
• works in ways of which we are not aware - He may use a certain sin to humble us and to exercise us to cry out to Him with greater dependency.
• uses circumstances to exercise us in the activity of dealing with our sin - He may bring into our lives situations that are designed to cause us to grow spiritually. For example, if we're prone to be a worrier, He may give ample opportunities to exercise faith. If we're prone to be impatient, He may give plenty of occasions to use patience. Just like our physical muscles need exercise to grow strong, so our spiritual life needs circumstances to challenge and strengthen us.

As we move forward with our study of Respectable Sins, here's some directions to help us play an active role in dealing with sin

• Apply the gospel.
• Depend on the Holy Spirit.
• Recognize your responsibility.
• Identify specific respectable sins.
• Memorize and apply appropriate Scriptures.
• Cultivate the practice of prayer.
• Involve one or a few other believers with you.

Two very similar statements written over 1700 years apart:

Paul, an apostle of Jesus - "....Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -                          of who I AM the worst." 1 Timothy 1:15       

John Newton, former slave trader - "I AM a great sinner and 
Christ is a great Savior."

Do you notice the common word in both statements? Both of these men spoke of themselves as sinners in the present tense. Just like the Apostle Paul and John Newton, we are sinners in the present tense and to make progress in our spiritual life, we must realize we are practicing sinners. So now what do we do with that realization?

We need to take a good look at the gospel. The gospel is for sinners so that means it's for everyone. So what does the gospel do?

"All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy 3:16-17

The gospel

• opens our hearts so we can see our sin.
• frees us to face our sin. We can't deal with a particular sin until we first openly acknowledge its presence in our lives. To openly acknowledge sin, we must have the assurance that our sin is forgiven. The gospel gives us that assurance. 
• motivates and energizes us to deal with our sin. We can know God is FOR us, not against us. We are not alone in the struggle against sin. We are cleansed, forgiven, and secure. These facts should bring about such extreme gratitude that we desire to deal with sin.
• provides instruction in righteousness. Personalize the gospel - apply specific Scriptures to our individual circumstances and specific Scriptures that assure us of God's forgiveness.

The only basis for God's forgiveness is the blood of Christ shed on the cross for us. This is the first part of the good news of the gospel. God has forgiven us all our sins through the death of His Son on the cross - we are cleansed of sin's guilt. Next week, we'll look at the second part of the good news of the gospel - cleansed from sin's power.

Respectable Sins: Ch 3. The Malignancy of Sin

“The very word, sin, which seems to have disappeared, was once a proud word. It was once a strong word, an ominous and serious word … But the word went away. It has almost disappeared – the word, along with the notion. Why? Doesn’t anyone sin anymore? Doesn’t anyone believe in sin?” 

– Karl Menniger

  

Cancer is a dreaded word that none of us like to hear. Another term used for cancer is malignancy which medically describes a “tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally into adjoining tissue by invasion and systemically by metastasizing into other areas of the body”. Sin is cancer. It is a spiritual and moral malignancy. Some forms of cancer grow undetected until they reach a terminal stage and likewise sin – especially the “acceptable” sins – can exist in our lives, undetected and dangerous.  

The acceptable sins - such as complaining, gossiping, impatience– are deceiving. These sins are subtle and have me thinking they aren’t so bad or even worse, not sins at all.  This leads me to live in unconscious denial of these sins!

The reality is I don’t live in a spiritual island. What I do and how I act affects my life and the people around me therefore...

Tolerating acceptable sins is as dangerous as to tolerate cancer in my body!

Now the question is, how does MY sin affect God?

Sin grieves God's heart. I'm not just rebelling against God's sovereign authority -  I'm going against my heavenly father.  When I sin, I'm not only turning my back on God's law but God himself!

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were slated for the day of redemption." 

- Ephesians 4:30

Yet, we still do it right in front of Him.

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 

You know when I sit down and when I rise up; 

you discern my thoughts from afar. 

You search out my path and my lying down 

and are acquainted with all my ways. 

Even before a word is on my tongue, 

behold, O Lord, you know it altogether." 

- Psalm 139:1-4

"Even before a word is on my tongue..." God knows what I am going to saw before I even say it.  He knows my every sinful and evil deed before I commit it. Yet, I still do it right in front of Him. 

I know that my sins are forgiven because of the blood Christ shed on Calvary. That doesn't mean I should presume on God's grace and tolerate my sinful habits. That very sin that I tolerate is the sin that nailed Christ to the cross. God does not tolerate such sin.

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the inquiry of us all."

 - Isaiah 53:6

I don't know about you but I want to fall on my knees before God in repentance over the sins that I so effortlessly tolerate in my life. I'm excited to dig deeper into this study and learn the remedy for sin.

Respectable Sins: Ch 1. Ordinary Saints

Hey everyone! It's Seneca again. I'm excited to be back behind the blog and join the ladies in our new Bible Study - Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. Wednesday evening we dove right into the first chapter.

Bridges begins by clarifying the true definition of a saint.  Most often the term is used for those known for one's good deeds and unusually godly character. The truth is every believer is a saint. A believer who has been separated or set apart by God for God. The biblical meaning of a saint is someone whom Christ bought with His own blood and has separated unto Himself to be His own possession.

What does it mean to be separated, or set apart? 

It means you are set apart to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. You've been separated from your old sinful way of life and set apart by God to live a new life glorifying Him.

Contrary to what modern culture believes sainthood is not a status of achievement but an entirely new condition of life. We don't become a saint by our actions. God promised us in Ezekiel 36:26 to "...give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

Have you ever thought of how much you sin in a day? How about in an hour? Tainted by our inner motivations we sin in thought, word or deed every waking hour!

"The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." - Galatians 5:17


Daily our hearts face guerrilla warfare between the flesh and Spirit. We must learn to be aware of internal struggles with sin and remember we are all saints called to live a life that is set apart FOR God.

Obviously, there are degrees of seriousness of sins. But sin is sin. Gossiping, impatience, judgmental thoughts ... they are all sins! We and the rest of society live in denial of our sin. In the next chapter, we will dig deep into the denial we frequently face in our daily lives.

Who Shot J.R? Can you believe it's been 35 years since the Texas oil baron J.R. Ewing was working late at his office when he was shot twice by a mysterious assailant? J.R. fell to the ground, his fate unknown, and every cast member a possible suspect until the TV series resumed the following fall. With that, the end-of-season cliffhanger became a popular trend in television. 

But the writers and producers of that popular TV show of the 80s have nothing on the writers and Producer of God's Word. Look at the book of Jonah - talk about a cliffhanger!  The story of Jonah comes to an abrupt end in Jonah 4:9-11 and, to coin another popular catchphrase, we never find out "the rest of the story."

The study guide we're using asked us what questions we would still like to see resolved at the end of Jonah. I jumped on that question and wrote down all sorts of things: Did Jonah come to his senses? Did he go back to Nineveh? Did he rejoice over the repentance of his former enemies? Was his life permanently changed after seeing God's hand  in everything? Did he ever get on a boat again? (I had a lot of questions.)

The next paragraph in the study guide went on to say, "While we are tempted to consider what we're not told, our time is better spent focusing on what we are." (Oops - I really fell for that one!) So....rather than contemplate the possible ending to Jonah's story, we have much to ponder and incorporate into our own lives and what part we are playing in God's plan.

A  thought-provoking comment was made during our discussion time, "Maybe we don't know the end of Jonah's story because his story is ours - we don't know what's ahead for us." We need to focus on what we do know:

• God is in ultimate control

• God can turn the mess we make into a masterpiece

• God pursues us, never giving up, because He wants to give us yet another chance to be usable in His plan

As with every Bible study, we need to decide what are we going to do now? Where are we headed with this? 

• Will we respond with renewed perspective when we encounter difficulties?

• Will we yield to God's instructions instead of seeking to run in the opposite direction?

• Will we be willing to share the Gospel with our "Ninevites"?

The rest of our story is yet to be written............

Our Bible study on Jonah is quickly coming to a close and since I missed the last two weeks blogging, I'm going to do a quick recap.

• Jonah ran from God.
• Jonah was pursued by God.
• Jonah was given another chance by God.
• Jonah repented.
• Jonah obeyed and went to Nineveh.

And finally, 

• Jonah saw immediate and hugely successful results when the Ninevites turned to God.

You would think that Jonah would have been ecstatic, rejoicing that these people repented and believed God, humbled that God used him despite his initial response, thankful that he was alive and not digested out into the ocean somewhere......

Nope, not Jonah. Jonah was very angry and threw a temper tantrum. 

Jonah 4:1 "But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry."

Jonah was just plain mad with the outcome - he did not want God to extend His mercy to Nineveh. Jonah wanted them to get what Jonah felt they deserved. In fact, Jonah was so mad, he wanted to die.

Jonah 4:3 "Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, 

for it is better for me to die than to live."

And he doesn't stop there -  Jonah leaves the city, finds a spot to sit down, builds a shelter, and then watches what would happen to the city of Nineveh. While Jonah sat in his vantage point, God provided a vine to provide shade over the shelter. 

Then Jonah was happy again. But that was short-lived. 

The next day, God caused the vine to wither, sent a hot wind and scorching sun so that Jonah was extremely uncomfortable. Jonah's response:

Jonah 4:8-9 "...It is better for me to die than to live.......I do well to be angry, angry enough to die."

Doesn't this just make you shake your head and wonder what in the world Jonah was thinking?  I know I do. But then I need to consider my actions and relationship with God in light of Jonah's actions.

• Am I ever angry because don't think I got what I deserved?
• Have I been obedient in hope that I could control or manipulate God in some way?
• Do I become upset with God about an outcome He has allowed?

God's response to Jonah is also found in Jonah chapter 4:

Jonah 4:4 "The LORD said, Do you have a good reason to be angry?"

Jonah 4:9 "Then God said to Jonah, Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?"

A careful consideration of God's question to Jonah and the Holy Spirit's question to us in the situations that upset and anger us, should cause us to uncover two things: our inconsistency with God's character and our need for God's Spirit.

Psalm 103: 8-10 "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 

He will not always accuse nor will He harbor His anger forever. 

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities."

Aren't we glad that's the case? If He were inclined to angry outbursts, as we can be, all of humanity would be suffering at every point of the day. Knowing that the holy, all-powerful God could be angry and yet is slow to anger, should cause us to reconsider the anger we feel when betrayed, belittled, or just ignored. It should also cause us to question any anger we feel toward God. Knowing He could and should be angry at us and yet chooses not to be should cause us to rethink our position and how inconsistent we are with His character.

And the second thing to think about is our great need for God's assistance in molding us into His image. The only way we can ever be slow to anger is God's Spirit compelling us in that direction. Because of His Holy Spirit living in believers, we should be enabled to live beyond our normal human capabilities.

As I come to the end of today's blog, would you prayfully consider with me these two questions:

• Do you have good reason to be angry?
• If God doesn't do anything else for us, hasn't He already done enough? 

As I review what I've written in this blog, I hesitate to hit the "publish" button - it's pretty blunt and I'd really don't want to bring it up, but here goes....

So far in the study of Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted, we've talked about what running from God looks like, being used by God even after we mess up, how God pursues us, and how He gives us second chances.

While this has all been good, are we missing (ignoring) the central theme of this whole study?

"So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according 
to the word of the Lord." Jonah 3:3

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, 

baptizing them in the name of the 
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19

Even though the details of Jonah's message to the Ninevites differed from Matthew 28:19, the purpose of God is clearly the same - God said that we should GO to those who do not know Him personally as Lord and Savior of their lives. Are we obeying God? Are we using every chance we get to share the gospel of salvation to our friends, families, neighbors, coworkers, the person next to us in the Walmart line or on a plane?  I know my answer to that question is "no". How about you?

Our Bible study has specifically mentioned several times, that we as a group, consider a person or group of people, to reach out to with the gospel - that we take action to form relationships and put plans into place to share with others what the Lord has done. This week the writer says, "I hope you're already engaged in the process." That hit me because, in fact, I subconsciously breathe a sigh of relief when that topic isn't discussed.

So many opportunities missed. So many times I make excuses and choose to stay away from spiritual conversations because I'm embarrassed, I don't want to offend, I don't know what to say. Am I ready to change? Am I ready to purpose to include evangelism in my daily routine? How about you?

Evangelism is not something to do; 
it is a way to live.

I'm going to give you a heads-up right off the bat - my thoughts are totally random and flying in multiple directions today. . . wedding details can be very distracting to a mom of the bride :)

Week 4 of our study on Jonah, Navigating a Life Interrupted started with Priscilla Shirer asking us to turn to the person next to us and ask, "Have you ever felt squeezed? Are you feeling squeezed right now?" I believe I shouted out "YES!" right away before she finished with the following examples:

• Energy squeezed?
• Financially squeezed?
• Spiritually squeezed?
• Emotionally squeezed?
• Preparing for a wedding on the 4th of July squeezed? (Ok, I added that one myself.)

With each question, Priscilla picked up a slice of fruit and squeezed it over a drinking glass. She then proceeded by saying, "Only after we are squeezed can we be poured out to be a blessing to the Lord and others." 

Obviously, Jonah was squeezed when he was not immediately obedient to the Lord's purpose for his life. But, God gives second chances and doesn't place His people on the shelf, never to be used again, even when disloyal to His plan. God gave Jonah a second chance. He gives us second chances as well; and if necessary a 3rd, 4th, 5th - you get the picture. He doesn't give up on us to accomplish His will. 

Jonah 3:1 "Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time." 

I like dogs a lot (told you I was going to be very random today). I like our crazy-eyed, balding, old cocker spaniel, Lucy.  Maybe that's why I have always like the comparison of the Lord pursuing us as the "Hound of Heaven". I truly thought the phrase "Hound of Heaven" was in scripture, but I'm not finding it so now I have to admit I was wrong. Apparently, I've heard that term associated with a portion of scripture either in a Bible study or a sermon - maybe someday I'll run across it again but for now, I'll give you a little information I discovered about the term, Hound of Heaven. 

It is a poem written by English poet Francis Thompson. It's not entirely easy to understand (especially to my scattered mind right now), but I like the following description of the poem. This is how I remember feeling when I first heard that phrase, Hound of Heaven, describing how our Lord pursues us, never giving up:

"The name is strange. It startles one at first. It is so bold, so new, so fearless. It does not attract, rather the reverse. But when one reads the poem this strangeness disappears. The meaning is understood. As the hound follows the hare, never ceasing in its running, ever drawing nearer in the chase, with unhurrying and unperturbed pace, so does God follow the fleeing soul by His Divine grace. And though in sin or in human love, away from God it seeks to hide itself, Divine grace follows after, unwearyingly follows ever after, till the soul feels its pressure forcing it to turn to Him alone in that never ending pursuit."

(If you have time, google search the poem and read it.)

So, if we mess up, we don't have to become paralyzed by fear or guilt because we don't know what to do next. God will pursue us, never giving up, until we realize God has equipped us to do what we cannot do on our own. And after being squeezed out, we are able to be poured out for our Lord and those around us. 

Like Jonah, do you ever feel like you're in the belly of a whale? Would you ever think to give that whale a name....the name of "Grace"?  In the midst of a challenge, do you stop to consider it is God's way of showing grace? Lots to contemplate from last night's Bible study on Jonah by Priscilla Shirer......

"But what seems like it’s been designed to kill us may actually be God’s way of preserving us, rescuing us from what could be a far more dire consequence.  Maybe, just maybe, the more vast the consequences we face, the more vast the work He plans to perform through us after it eases up or passes. When we feel His correction particularly heavy upon us, it’s sometimes not so much in proportion to past or recent sin as in proportion to the great task awaiting us when He’s done, when we’ve endured it." If Jonah had not been swallowed by the whale, he would have drowned - God's preservation - God's grace.

Thought-provoking quote from John Piper,  "Adversity is redemptive; it’s not merely punitive." And more from Priscilla,  "God isn’t out to hurt you; He’s out to redeem you. He’s out to get you back to your senses, back to where you realize you’ve been headed the wrong direction, back where you’re desperate to turn this misstep around if given the opportunity. Back to a place where you want His forgiveness as badly as you wanted your independence, where you crave accountability the way you used to crave your freedom, where the things you once cherished about your life with Him become the things you now desire more than life itself." (I want to bold every single word in that paragraph!)

Isaiah 30:18 "The LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him."

Romans 5:3-4 "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces hope."

Hebrews 12:6 "For those whom the LORD loves He disciplines...."

Did you notice the truth in the Hebrews verse? God disciplines those He loves. It does NOT feel good at the time but that discipline is to stop us from going down the wrong path, to preserve us, to give us the opportunity to restore our relationship with Him. While we're in the belly of the circumstance, like Jonah, we can call out to God. Right now - whatever our circumstances -  it's our chance to call out to God.

Jonah 2:1 "Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish."

God doesn't need us to accomplish His purposes but because He cares, He wants to give us another chance, to make us usable, to turn our mess into a masterpiece. Through His sacrifice on the cross,  Christ has won the right to declare us approved and acceptable in the eyes of the Father once we acknowledge our fault, accept our discipline, and ask for forgiveness, and like Jonah, we can be as usable as ever. A forgiven sinner is always welcome at the throne of God - a place called Grace. 

Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart." The take-away from last night's Bible study on Jonah is, as we learn to follow God more wholeheartedly, delighting in Him, God will change our desires to become His desires and therefore OUR heart's desire will be HIS desire.

When God gives us an interruption opportunity, we don't have a lot of options on how we will respond. He's giving us the opportunity to participate in His purpose and we can either obey or choose to disobey. Here's an interesting thought - most disobedience involves a simple choice to stay put. By choosing to do nothing, we are really making a decision to delay obedience - which is what ladies? Yes, delaying obedience is disobedience.

Another interesting thought, when we choose disobedience and run from God's opportunity, we are doing something very unusual - we are actually putting ourselves in the very spot of punishment. We find the people or the situation which is most subject to bad consequences and then we become part of the negative results. But God is patient with us, He doesn't stop loving us when we make a mess of things....in fact, He is really good at taking our messes and doing something good with them - like Jonah.

The question came up last night, did Jonah ever really obey God with a willing heart or did he grudgingly go through the motions? The book of Jonah concludes with Jonah being angry and depressed. It appears Jonah's attitude was never in the right place. I don't know the answer for sure but since Jonah was the author of this book of the Bible, He at some point had learned what God wanted and then was able to write this narrative (inspired by God of course) on this portion of his life.

Jonah is an example to us what I mentioned above - running from God actually puts us in the very spot of punishment. Jonah is also an example of how God can use our messes and make something good of them. Let me end with this - the Lord longs to be gracious to us, He may punish us for disobedience but He does not stop loving us......

Isaiah 30:18

"The LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him."

Psalm 89:30-33

"If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgements, if they violate My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes. But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him, nor deal falsely in My faithfulness."

Ladies, we are continuing our journey in a new Bible study Jonah, Navigating a Life Interrupted. Feel free to join us absolutely anytime either in person, in blog land, or just simply by checking in now and then. You don't have to be in attendance every week and can easily join in at anytime. We're learning to tell our stories, share our wisdom, listen to one another, and pray together all in an effort to sharpen, challenge, and inspire one another in strengthening our relationship with God.

I love the introduction to this study, "Welcome to Jonah. He knows how a life interrupted feels, and he's got a firsthand account of how yielding to God is the best decision after all. Join us, won't you? I think we'll have a 'whale' of a time."  Cracks me up!

You know the story of Jonah - the storm, the whale.....but did you know that Jonah was the only prophet to receive instruction from God and he ran from it? Do you know the history and the reason he didn't want to be obedient? Just very briefly, Jonah was a devoted countrymen with a deep-seeded allegiance to his people. The city of Nineveh was filled with evil, vile, ruthless, brutal people - enemies of the Israelites! Jonah didn't want to go to the Ninevites - he didn't want to help a people that were intent on hurting his people! So, he ran the opposite direction trying to get away from God's purpose for him.

We may also run from God's purpose for us - either literally running like Jonah or maybe "running" in our attitude. We may physically show up everyday to do our jobs, perform our duties, or take care of our responsibilities at home but we don't really want to be there and we just go through the motions with a "have-to attitude".

There's a big difference in having to do something or getting to do something - and it's evident in our attitudes. One conveys duty, obligation, drudgery; the other conveys the privilege of the task. With the "have-to" attititude, our perspective gets lost in our ingratitude and we victimize ourselves. With the "get-to" attitude, we see a privilege, a gift, an opportunity and maybe even beauty in it.

We can continue to approach our tasks with a disengaged attitude and an aloofness which shows those around us or for whom we work, that we'd rather be doing something else. And...this approach validates our bad attitude, emphasizing to ourselves that these people or tasks are not worthy of our time and are unimportant.

God's instructions may not be convenient or easy but can we learn to respond with joy instead of duty? Can we look at His plan as the honor of partnering with Him in His purpose? Can we consider His interruption as a privilege and thereby have a significant life because of our obedience?

As I ask myself these questions, I realize a lot of the time I have the "have-to" attitude - I have a long way to go to have a "get-to" attitude. I wonder if I can really be engaged and interested and grateful for whatever God has given me THIS day. So.....I'm looking forward to practical wisdom from God's Word in this bible study to equip me for the "get-to" attitude!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."

Closing: Truths 18 - 22

This study that has made a huge impact on my life. I used to believe many of the lies discussed in this study by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. The Enemy is always very clever with his deceitful ways and I was unaware of the dangerous paths I was being led down. I was getting so wrapped up in the lies that I lost sight of eternity. Luckily, God has given all of us access to His resources and strength through the powerful words spoken in His Truth.

18. Personal holiness is more important than temporal happiness. 

..that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be hold and without blemish.  - Ephesians 5:26-27 

God didn't sacrifice His only Son on the cross so that we can live a happy life here on earth. Jesus died for us so that we could be free to live for God and choose the pathway of holiness. We often feel that we have the right to be happy and not have problems in our lives because we are good, Christian" people. But God doesn't see it like that. The temporary problems we face are just that - they are temporary. The joy and fulfillment we will gain in eternity far outweighs the obstacles we face on earth.

19. God is more concerned about changing me and glorifying Himself than about solving my problems. 

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ... - 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Have you ever felt angry when God does "cooperate" with your agenda? God doesn't exist to solve our problems. He does care about the things that matter to us but the things we care about are subordinate to what matters to Him. He wants everything he created to reflect His glory. Believe it or not, some of the problems that cause us to chafe the most are instruments He specifically designed to fulfill His ultimate purpose in our lives. Remember that he allowed these problems in our life so instead of complaining about them - rejoice!

20. It is impossible to be godly without suffering. 

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. - 1 Peter 5:10

Suffering is an essential tool that God uses to conform us to the image of Jesus. We will all face suffering in our lives and we must learn to embrace it when it comes our way instead of running from it. For 1 Peter 1:6-7 says,  "In this you rejoice, through now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to resolve in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." When we suffer the process of sanctification takes place as we chose to embrace our suffering and grow in faith.

21. My suffering with not last forever. 

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Each time we suffer God has a specific objective in mind. All our suffering is purposeful and intentional. The suffering we experience is only temporal and we need to constantly be reminded of that. God knows how much suffering you can handle and he will not allow for it to last any longer or be any more severe than is necessary to accomplish His Will. Trust in the Lord and look to him when you are suffering. Give thanks, endure it and know God is with your every step of the way.

22. It's not about me; it's all about Him. 

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. - Colossians 1:16-18

Contrary to what our culture proclaims, this world was not created to revolve around us. God's plan is far more important than the things consuming our thoughts. Ask yourself, "What is my purpose in life?" Instead of having the goal to be happy and loved, need to remember God created us for His pleasure and His glory. Therefore, we can accept anything that He allows in our lives as a part of His sovereign will and purpose.

We can't fight the Enemy on our own. If we tried, we would be unsuccessful. Luckily, we have access to God's resources and strength. It is our responsibility to put on His armor. Shielding ourselves takes time and effort.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  ...  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened not he belt of truth, and having put not he breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saint,  - Ephesians  6:10-11, 13-18


We need to pray on all occasions. Not only do we need be praying for our own lives but also pray for one another. When you feel insecure and are struggling, call or text a friend. They can help you talk through the situation and direct you to helpful Scripture for a reminder of God's promises and truth. That's what friends are for!

Thank you to all you loyal readers! We are beginning a new study about Jonah next Wednesday and I encourage you all to come. We love new attendees! Meet us in the parsonage of First Baptist in Waverly at 7:00 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Recap: Truths 13 - 17

We intended on completing our study of the Lies Woman Believe last night but after some great discussion it was apparent an additional week was needed to wrap-up the key points. Here's the five Truths we discussed: 

13. I am responsible before God for my behavior, responses, and choices 

"Yet you say, 'Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?' When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die, The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the inquiry of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. 

"But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. Non of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. - Ezekiel 18:19-22

There are things in life we have no control over such as the home we were born into, our overall physical appearance and our upbringing. Fortunately, by God's grace we can control how we respond to the circumstances He has allowed in our lives. Therefore, we must assume personal responsibility for our behavior and actions.

Parenting ties into this passage from Ezekiel. Parents feel an internal pressure to raise their kids right.   God wants parents to raise their kids in a loving Christian home and present the Gospel to them but ultimately, it's up to the children to make their own personal choices. Parents can pray that their child will  continue down the right path when they leave the nest but in reality it is up to the child to make the personal decision to follow Christ.

14. I will reap whatever I sow

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  - Galatians 6:7-8

We are the result of the choices we make. We need to flee from sinful, selfish choices and turn our hearts towards obedience to God. For if we are obedient, we will reap a harvest of blessings. With obedience comes patience as well. The harvest we reap is rarely immediate. Therefore, we must strive to be persistently obedient to our Lord. 

15. The pathway to true joy is to relinquish control 

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. - Matthew 16:25

And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. - Luke 1:38

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:7

We must let go of the reins to relinquish all control to God. It is very difficult to put our whole trust in God. We as humans are full of pride. We think we can go about our days without Him and everything will be fine. Refusing to let go and let Him be in control shows that we are competing for His job. Why do we possibly think we can do better than God? It's a crazy question to ask ourselves but it's needed. The next time you are faced with a tough decision stop and pray. Ask God for help and tell Him you trust Him. Let Him into your life and be in control. 

16. The greatest freedom I can experience is found through submission to God-ordained authority

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. - Ephesians 5:21

God created us under authority so we are under His protection. We are more vulnerable to Satan's attacks when we resist authority. Therefore, we must submit ourselves to Him.

17. In the will of God, there is no higher, holier calling than to be a wife 

Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to either husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. - Titus 2:4-5

The purpose of marriage is to glorify God. God designed women to unite with a man through marriage and become his helper. Her calling is to be a bearer and nurturer of life; raising kids in a Christian home surrounded by the Gospel.

Recap: 12 Truths

It's hard to believe this Bible Study is coming to a close. With an overwhelming amount of useful scriptures and notes, let's recap the first twelve lies as a refreshing reminder. It's important that we savor these liberating, life-changing Truths that God has promised and given us. When we come into a situation where the Enemy is near, we'll have these key scriptures and corresponding Truths to fight back and keep us from bondage.

1. God is good 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
  for his steadfast love endures forever.  - Psalm 136:1 

God is good in both the good AND hard times. When we go through hard times, the Enemy tries to make us question God's goodness. Regardless of what we think and feel, God is good!

2. God loves me and wants me to have His best

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:32

 God is the epitome of love - for He is love. We are not worthy of His love and there is absolutely nothing we can do to earn or deserve His love. Since God loves us perfectly, we can rest assured knowing that He longs for us to experience all the joy in life He design us to know.

3. I am complete and accepted in Christ 

… even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. - Ephesians 1:4-6

There is not one thing we can do to make ourselves acceptable to God. Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. And Jesus, the pure sinless Son of God, is acceptable to Him, and we stand in Him. 

4. God is enough 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. – Psalm 23:1

If we have God, we have everything we need for our present peace and happiness. 

5. God can be trusted 

... therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
 a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
 ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ - Isaiah 28:16

God is the cornerstone. He ALWAYS keeps His promises. 

6. God doesn't make any mistakes

… declaring the end from the beginning
 and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
    and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ - Isaiah 46:10

Humans make mistakes. When we put all our hope and faith in humans, we are bound for disappointment. Someone once said, "God's will is exactly what we would choose, if we knew what God knows." We must walk by faith not by sight. 

7. God's grace is sufficient for me 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient of you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  – 2 Corinthians 12:9

No matter what stage in life we're in, know His grace is sufficient. His grace will be sufficient today, tomorrow and fifty years from now. We must remember this through any circumstance we face and through every season of life. 

8. The blood of Christ is sufficient to cover all my sin 

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  – 1 John 1:7

There is no sin that we have ever committed or could commit that can't be forgiven and covered the blood Jesus shed for us. This shouldn't cause us to take sin more lightly. Instead, it should make us realize that our sin required the lifeblood of Jesus causing us to have a humble spirit and live in obedience to the Lord. 

9. The Cross of Christ is sufficient to conquer my sinful flesh

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. - Romans 6:6-7

Sin is a choice. We don't have to sin. With the power of Christ, we can be set free of sin and no longer be a slave to it. 

10. My past does not have to plague me 

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

 Sin doesn't separate us from God. Through Christ even the worst of sinners can be made clean and new. Our past doesn't have to be a hindrance. By God's grace, our past can actually become stepping-stones to greater victory and fruitfulness.

11. God's Word is sufficient to lead me, teach me, and heal me

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. - Psalm 119:105 

The Word of God is alive and medicine for our troubled hearts. Whatever our needs and whatever our circumstances, the Word is sufficient to meet that need. 

12. Through the power of His Holy Spirit, God will enable me to do anything He commands me to do 

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. – 1 Thessalonians 5:24

The issue isn't that we can't obey God. The real issue is that we are unwilling to love, we won't forgive, and we refuse to give thanks and be content with what God has provided. Obedience is a choice. We must enable the power of the Holy Spirit so we can choose to forgive, choose to let Him love others through us, choose to give thanks in every circumstance, and choose to be content. 

I encourage your to write these Truths and verses down and keep them in a safe place. Whenever you encounter the Enemy, refer to these Truths. Take one verse per week and memorize it. That what you can speak Truth in light of any situation!