I served as evangelist at one youth camp last week and am about to begin my second stint as evangelist at another. Your prayers would certainly be appreciated. After this week , I will return to a frequent schedule of posting, which will include more in the Thoughts from Jonah series. Until then, a thought or two from Spurgeon:
"Faith...hears God say 'Stand still'; keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, 'Go forward'."
C.H. Spurgeon
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thoughts from Jonah/Part 3
Jonah 1 brings several thoughts to mind. Among the considerations from the first chapter:
1. We cannot flee from the presence of the Lord. It is impossible. We may make various types of life changes, but none of them will resolve the issue of rebellion. Repentance is absolutely necessary.
2. Our obedience/disobedience always involves other people. We do not live life in absolute isolation. Jonah's initial disobedience prolonged the horrible living conditions in Nineveh; the Ninevites gave no regard to God and his laws, thus human life was assigned little worth. And Jonah's disobedience jeopardized the lives of the pagan sailors.
3. Although God does use us in spite of our disobedience, as in the case of the sailors coming to faith in the God of Israel, we should never mistake this as meaning we are in fellowship with God.
Sinclair Ferguson writes, "There are times in our lives when the Lord will employ us in his service despite our disobedience, to demonstrate that the grace, the fruit, and the glory are entirely his...But it is also a warning to us, lest we be deceived by what God is able to do into a false sense of fellowship with him." Addressing this subject, John Newton once wrote, "Beware, my friend, of mistaking the ready exercise of gifts for the exercise of grace."
4. God is in control...of everything. He sent the storm. He sent the fish. According to Paul, this God is for us and not against us because of Jesus! Let us learn to rest in the power of the sovereign God that loves us with a perfect love.
1. We cannot flee from the presence of the Lord. It is impossible. We may make various types of life changes, but none of them will resolve the issue of rebellion. Repentance is absolutely necessary.
2. Our obedience/disobedience always involves other people. We do not live life in absolute isolation. Jonah's initial disobedience prolonged the horrible living conditions in Nineveh; the Ninevites gave no regard to God and his laws, thus human life was assigned little worth. And Jonah's disobedience jeopardized the lives of the pagan sailors.
3. Although God does use us in spite of our disobedience, as in the case of the sailors coming to faith in the God of Israel, we should never mistake this as meaning we are in fellowship with God.
Sinclair Ferguson writes, "There are times in our lives when the Lord will employ us in his service despite our disobedience, to demonstrate that the grace, the fruit, and the glory are entirely his...But it is also a warning to us, lest we be deceived by what God is able to do into a false sense of fellowship with him." Addressing this subject, John Newton once wrote, "Beware, my friend, of mistaking the ready exercise of gifts for the exercise of grace."
4. God is in control...of everything. He sent the storm. He sent the fish. According to Paul, this God is for us and not against us because of Jesus! Let us learn to rest in the power of the sovereign God that loves us with a perfect love.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Thoughts from Jonah/Part 2
"Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah...But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord."
Jonah 1:1,3
God spoke clearly to Jonah concerning his desire for the people of Nineveh to hear the message of repentance. But Jonah refused to obey. The reason for Jonah's refusal is found in Jonah 4:2, voiced by Jonah himself: "...for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster." Jonah will not heed the command of God because he does not want the hated Ninevites to receive grace and mercy! While we might be quick to condemn Jonah for his blatant disobedience, we have to confess our own acts of rebellion concerning taking the word of God to those in need. Consider the parallel of God's word to Jonah and the words of Jesus found in the Great Commission. Our disobedience is just as disturbing as Jonah's. Jonah tried to flee; we often do, too. But we know we cannot flee from the presence of God. His word remains true and binding regardless of our location or surroundings. But rebellion makes us out to be fools. When we refuse to obey God, we think foolishly, we speak foolishly, and we act foolishly. The manifestation of this foolishness is not a matter of "if", but rather a matter of "when". Jonah's rebellion made him look like a fool; ours will as well.
Jonah 1:1,3
God spoke clearly to Jonah concerning his desire for the people of Nineveh to hear the message of repentance. But Jonah refused to obey. The reason for Jonah's refusal is found in Jonah 4:2, voiced by Jonah himself: "...for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster." Jonah will not heed the command of God because he does not want the hated Ninevites to receive grace and mercy! While we might be quick to condemn Jonah for his blatant disobedience, we have to confess our own acts of rebellion concerning taking the word of God to those in need. Consider the parallel of God's word to Jonah and the words of Jesus found in the Great Commission. Our disobedience is just as disturbing as Jonah's. Jonah tried to flee; we often do, too. But we know we cannot flee from the presence of God. His word remains true and binding regardless of our location or surroundings. But rebellion makes us out to be fools. When we refuse to obey God, we think foolishly, we speak foolishly, and we act foolishly. The manifestation of this foolishness is not a matter of "if", but rather a matter of "when". Jonah's rebellion made him look like a fool; ours will as well.
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