Final Thoughts on Jonah

image credit: http://thevillagedenton.church

The following is a post I wrote in 2014 and have edited for today. I am far from the woman who wrote these words, and yet, they still ring true for me today. To read the original post, click here.

Jonah was a prophet of the Lord in the Old Testament (before Jesus). His job was to reveal God's words to the people and kings of Israel - which was usually bad news of their disobedience and God's anger and punishment. But Jonah was given a new job opportunity to deliver God's message to an extremely evil city in what is now Iraq. Jonah was none-to-thrilled about his new assignment and thought he would outwit and outrun God by heading in the opposite direction toward today's Spain. Jonah could not imagine a world where God would extend His mercy and grace to the people who actually deserved it. He did not want to witness this scene and he did NOT want his good name attached to it. 

But God had different plans. And as is His way, God showed mercy and grace on His disobedient prophet, which Jonah was abundantly grateful for, until he realized God had not eased up on Plan A. God still expected Jonah to head off to Nineveh. And Jonah knew what God would do if the people were sorry. And he held onto his anger and bitterness and resentment.

But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the Lord..."I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity."

Jonah 4:1-2

This reminds me of another angry and bitter and resentful man that Jesus spoke about in one of His parables (an illustrated story His listeners could relate to).

"The older brother became angry...So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, "Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him.""

Luke 15:28-30

Do you notice the similarities between Jonah in chapter 4 and the Prodigal Son's brother in Luke 15? Their stories leading up to the end are not the same. Jonah disobeyed his Father while the "Brother" stayed home and was obedient to his father.

But their stories become very similar as soon as their Father/father responds to the lost and disobedient ones that return with repentance and begging for forgiveness, hoping that the Father/father will respond with compassion. Both the Ninevites and the Prodigal Son humbled themselves before their Father/father. Jonah and the brother watched as their Father/father displayed an extraordinary act of mercy and grace upon those who had wandered away from Him/him. And their rage and disgust built up inside.

As soon as the boys understood that the Father/father had shown mercy to the "sinners," they are both described as becoming "ANGRY." They had either watched their father mourn the loss of his son, or heard the Father express His own anger and plan to completely do away with the nation that had hurt Him so deeply. And then this...a complete turn around in love and forgiveness!

I look at these stories of Jonah and the "Brother" and immediately compare them to the Pharisees, which is exactly who the "Brother" was meant to represent in this Parable that Jesus told in Luke. All three of these "characters" are judgmental and too worried about the rules and the law. They want to see justice served to those who deserve it. And, God is a just God; so when He dishes out love and mercy and compassion and forgiveness, it is almost shocking to stand by and watch NOTHING happen!

And I JUDGE these "characters" with my big heart that knows God's love and mercy and compassion and forgiveness...I JUDGE them thinking, "You don't get it." And I JUDGE those around me. I would be lying if I said that I have never felt like God didn't dole out the punishment like I thought He should. I have sat in the judgement seat more often than I'd like to admit. I see injustice and I want it set right! A modern day Super Girl right here! My God and I will right the wrongs of the world! But when I do this, I am missing the point...I don't get it...

"...I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it."

John 12:47

Whether I judge the "characters" in these stories or the real people in my life, I become like Jonah. And then my Father must set me down and say:

...Should I not be concerned about...:

your neighbors?

your enemies?

those who annoy you?

those who have hurt you?

those in darkness?

the lost?

the lonely?

the broken?

the sinners? 

Jonah 4:11

Jesus did not come to judge, he came to save.  Our God is a God of second, twenty-second, and seventy-second chances! And we are oh so thankful when we are the recipients of His great mercy. But watching someone else, who in our eyes, has no business being forgiven, becomes tough! So we must trust that God knows what He is doing. We must allow God to discipline His children in His way. And how would we know if the one He's forgiving might not become someone great in His Kingdom. All the Bible Greats were great sinners.  Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Peter, Paul...and not "little church lady sins." These boys did it "right!" And these are men we respect enough to follow what their words and stories teach us.

Whether we like it or not, we are not meant to dispense judgement on others. Very clearly Jesus laid out our job for us here: "Love God. Love others." It's not easy, but it's not impossible if we lean into Jesus and let God be God.

Sitting in the Pit

Photo Credit: She Reads Truth

(Read Jonah 2)

Author A.W. Tozer says, "In every generation, the people who have found God have been those who have come to the end of themselves. Recognizing their hopelessness, they have been ready to throw themselves on the mercy and grace of a forgiving God."

I am not one who seeks out trouble or thrills. I definitely do not look for tough times and trials. I prefer an even keeled life without falling into the pits and the darkness. But from my own experiences, it is in the pit - in the desert - in the darkness - that I experience God more intimately than I do from the safety and security of the easy days.

I have a feeling Jonah may have had second thoughts about urging the sailors to hurl him into the sea if he had known on the boat that he would end up in the belly of a fish. But had Jonah remained on the boat, he would have missed out on God's incredible display of mercy and grace! Once inside the fish, Jonah had some time to think and reflect about what he had just experienced - about what the Lord had just done for him - the rebel prophet. And for the first time since this story began, Jonah prayed to God.

What I find so fascinating about Jonah's prayer is that he was not asking for deliverance from the inside of the fish, which, if I'm honest, would probably be the very first thing I would have bellowed out to God! He was not begging for help or even asking why. Instead, Jonah was praising God and thanking Him for rescuing him from certain death - even if his rescue could still result in his death.

Jonah realized this: "Death is not the worst-case scenario; life without God is" (Kaitlin Wernet).

Let that sit for a minute.

Jonah had taken off as soon as he realized that God was asking him to do something he absolutely did not want to do - go to Nineveh and call out their sins against the Lord. And yet, here he sat, in the belly of the fish that the Lord had appointed, gratefully thanking God. Jonah had called out to the Lord, and not only did the Lord hear his prayer, but He answered him (v.2). "Jonah had done nothing to deserve being rescued; his salvation was by grace alone (ESV text note).

Jonah had not confessed or repented of his selfish actions. He was not interceding on behalf of the pagan sailors or the people in Nineveh. He does admit that "Salvation belongs to the Lord" (v.9), but he has yet to extend these thoughts beyond himself. He still did not understand that God's desire was not only to have grace and mercy on Jonah - or those Jonah deemed worthy of God's grace and mercy. God's desire then and now is that all people would turn to Him and away from the sin in their lives. He wants ALL people - to the ends of the earth - to know and confess that He is the One True God - that we would all recognize, even from the depths of despair, that life with Jesus is better than life without Jesus.

God chose to give Jonah mercy - not giving Jonah what he deserved. And God chose to give Jonah grace - giving him forgiveness that Jonah did not deserve and could never deserve. He had chosen Jonah to speak in Nineveh, and He was willing to extend His hand of mercy to Jonah to show His faithfulness and kindness. And sometimes we end up in the darkness of a figurative fish belly before we can fully see the magnitude of the Lord's graciousness.

I am learning to be thankful for the fact that God does not lay before me a timeline of crisis for me to study because I know I would attempt to steer my life around those moments, staying safe, but missing the blessing of God's grace and His presence in the midst of the moment.

That's the thing about God - He brings us to those places that we would never choose to go ourselves. He challenges us and stretches us to see beyond ourselves. He brings us to the places where we have to make tough choices - where we either lean on our own strength, or finally tap into His.

Fight or Flight?

image credit: Pinterest

I was reading about a guy named Samuel this morning. His whole story is pretty incredible, but today I was only reading about when God was calling him in (1 Samuel 3). As I read, I began to reflect on the times when I have felt the Lord call me to something or somewhere. I was relieved that Samuel also struggled to discern the voice of the Lord, but a little embarrassed by the way I actually handle myself when the Lord calls out to me.

When it comes to fight or flight, I am almost always a flighter. Confrontation, awkward moments, the actual raising of ones voice - they are not my love language. I would rather avoid until the tensions cool, and then just move forward rather than actually digging my heels in to deal with the issue at hand. This MO has brought me to where I am today (although, I have been told this is neither healthy nor productive, and so I am working on learning the art of confrontation - and yes - I might have just thrown up in my mouth a little...)

What has been revealed to me over the last few days is that my mode of operation with God looks vastly different than with those around me.

Oh sure, I take off running - that's pretty much standard operating procedure for this girl. But, as I run, I think and justify and, dare I say, argue??? I can dig my heels in with the best of them and fight God something fierce.

I generally begin by reminding God that I am not actually qualified or equipped of experienced to do the thing He told me to do. And as quickly as I can, I let my mind become filled with doubt that I even heard Him - I mean, who can really hear His voice anyway? And, here's the deal, He is a God of order and clarity, NOT chaos and confusion - and I cling white knuckled to that for as long as possible whilst I run my brains out.

Frustration and exhaustion will begin to set in. And this is when I just avoid and try really hard to just "be present" and "content" where I am. "This is good," I say. "I am good here. See, all is well."

Except, it's not all well and good. I am not sure what this stage looks like for you (if you even try to fight...), but this is about the time that I begin to feel angry and maybe resentful. My mood shifts. I become edgy and angry. I can even fall into some depression. I am not me.

Why?

Because I am acting out in blatant disobedience.
Because I begin to value who I want to be or who others want me to be over who the Lord has created me to be - over who He has called me to be.
Because I become so blinded by my desire for security and comfort and what is known that I forget who it is I am meant to be serving and honoring with my life.

And then here is what happens every.single.time.

Once I am too tired to keep running.
Once I no longer have it in me to fight.
Once I cease to act out in rebellion.
Once I confess to a wise friend what is going on.
Once I humble my heart and ask for wisdom.

Peace fills me - that cliche "peace of God which surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7).

This is actually an incredible feeling - like this weight, this burden has been lifted - and I am me again.

Why?

Because I am now walking in obedience.
Because I am trusting my God.
Because I am no longer fighting or flighting.
Because I am submitting to the One who knows my past, present, and future - my wins and my failures - my strengths and my weaknesses.
Because I recognize and hear the voice of the Lord.

Sweet friends. There are a million reasons we can come up with to avoid following the Lord's calling on us. Everything from time to money to being unqualified or just flat out unwilling.

But here's the deal: God does not reserve His calling based on:

• your past sins (Saul/Paul)
• your future sins (David)
• your resume (Moses)
• your age (Timothy)
• your education (Peter)
• your gender (Esther)

Jill Briscoe says, "we get our "call" when we get saved. We are all called if we are saved...it is after obedience that the courage will be waiting for you."

"Okay, Lord. I get it. I hear you. I am getting up and going - blindly following you out into the deep unknown - trusting that you will lead me right into the place that you have designed for me to be. Give me strength and wisdom. I pray for bold actions and dauntless faith. May I serve you well as I serve those you have put before me."

Please know, by no means have I "arrived" and declare myself "awesome" at obeying the Lord. This continues to be a pattern of behavior that although I am now aware of, does not mean I am completely delivered from. But, now that I am aware, hopefully I will begin to trust and obey sooner than the time before.  I pray the same for you.

Gather. Grow. Go.

image credit: toactloveandwalk.blogspot.com

I wrote these words a few weeks ago and did not feel ready to post. I actually wasn't sure I would ever post. But I feel compelled to share a part of this journey that I am on. I apologize ahead of time for the length and if my words sting. Please know that this is my heart - and my journey. And it has taken me a long time to get to this place. And I have still not arrived. God is still chiseling away at the hard parts around my heart.

Gather.
Grow.
Go.

These three words came to me yesterday when I once again found myself wrestling with this question: "What is the duty of the church? What is the purpose of it? Who is it for?"

For several years my church has been in transition. Pastors have left and new ones have come - with new ideas. People have left and new believers have joined - unsure what it means to be a Christian, but confident that they love Jesus and He loves them. Programs and Bible Studies that were once staples in the church have been replaced by things like AA, Divorce Care, and MOPS. And we as a church have rallied around these words, "The Gospel is for Everyone."

But do we really believe it?

Because I have found myself asking, "What about me?"

My Bible Study is gone. How can I grow and connect?

What do you mean "no Women's Retreat?" How will I get away from the crazy and spend uninterrupted time with my friends - and Jesus?

And you want me to park off site and trust my life in the church shuttle - um, that means I'll have to be early to church - do you even know what you are asking? And if people want a good parking spot, they should come on time...

If you think I'm going to stand in line at the coffee shop, behind people I've never seen in my life, you must be suffering from something - I mean - do you know who I am? I'm pretty sure I helped pay for the shop...

It's only natural that I will now punish you and withhold my tithe until you get your act together and get this church back to the way I like it. But please, do not ask for my help - I am obviously busy.

Have I offended you? Stepped on some toes? Please forgive me. That is not my intention. These are the things that have crossed my own mind, although I have acted out all of these scenarios, I have thought them at some point.

Last Saturday, as I was on my way to church, I was planning on turning left, like I always do. But there were three or four cars waiting up ahead at the main road, and I didn't want to get caught up in that - left turns on busy roads make me sweaty. To avoid unnecessary sweat, I turned right and headed to church the long way.

And then I saw her. My sweet friend whom I love dearly! I put the car in park and popped out. She skipped across the street for a quick hug.

As I got back in the car, I started praying, which I usually do on my way to church. But this time it was different. I wasn't praying for the kids to come ready to learn about Jesus (which in hindsight, I should have...). I was praying for my friend and her family - who are close to me and far from Jesus. I was overwhelmed with this reality, and it became vividly clear to me that the Church must do better. We must think outside the box. We must put aside some personal preferences in order to be safe and welcoming to those who are just learning about Jesus for the first time. And we must remember that the building is only part of the experience - we - the people - We Are the Church. Our attitudes matter. People are not stupid. They can tell when they are not welcome. And I think way too many people feel unwelcome in church buildings and with church people.

We have unknowingly adopted an "Us versus Them" mentality - and we treat "outsiders" accordingly. We do not want to trade the comforts our church provides for what would make a first time visitor feel welcome and loved. We are not willing to sacrifice our preferences for the actual needs of someone else.

Hear me - WE ALL NEED THE CHURCH.

We, as a body of believers, we also need the Church and our local churches. WE need to be encouraged and strengthened and challenged. We need to grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus Christ - spurred on by other members of the body. We cannot let the Gospel message and truth become watered down. "For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believed in Him would have eternal life" (John 3:16). God LOVED so He GAVE - we BELIEVE and LIVE - the simple Gospel truth.

Jesus tells us over and over to love others and go out into the world to share His love.

GATHER - the local church. Yes - this is a place to gather. It is a place to equip and encourage - to bless and spur on - to grow and be challenged. It is a place to be in community. But - it is not the only place.

GROW - the Sunday service offers us spoonfuls of truth. But we need more. However, instead of taking it upon ourselves, we have expected to church to provide other opportunities for growth throughout the week. Jesus, when He was asked how to pray, says, "Give us our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). Daily - we require daily doses, not weekly. I can watch a lot of workout videos, PIN a lot of workouts, and plan my workout routine, but unless I actually workout, it is useless. I will not get stronger by just meeting once a week at the gym for a 20 - 30 minute workout, and maybe a midweek class with friends. I have to actually commit to working out. The same is true for our spiritual growth. We must equip ourselves with God's Word everyday - and apply it. WE must assume this responsibility to grow in our relationship with God. And we have never had more access to personal discipleship tools than we do today! There are books, websites, emails, apps, study Bibles, Bible Studies, videos, online videos - they are everywhere and they are endless! But, only YOU can make yourself do it. There is absolutely a time and a place to come together. But we must assume responsibility for our growth.

GO - Jesus was sent by God and in turn sent His disciples, who, through the Holy Spirit, sent others. And for 2000 years, the commission continues to pass from one follower to another. Jesus poured into His disciples and sent them out. He then gathered them back to Himself, poured into them and sent them out. This was His model. This is how the early church existed. The more I learn and the more I seek Jesus on this, the more I am convinced that this model still works. We must go out, into the world, trusting God to use us for His glory. And friends, our world is wherever we are - the coffee shop, the school parking lot, our jobs, our streets, etc...we are not all called to "the ends of the earth," but we are all called to GO - we are all SENT, just as Jesus was sent.

Gather.
Grow.
Go.

This is the Church.

**Some of my favorite resources that I lean into daily include:

• She Reads Truth - online Bible Study and app
• IF:Equip - online Bible Study and app
• First Five - app

Sticks and Stones and Words...

Image Credit: Pinterest

*I do my best thinking in the shower.  I don't know if it's the one place where I can get lost in my thoughts or the calming sound of the water, but I just can't help but allow my mind to wander.  These words came to me a few weeks ago in the shower, but I didn't feel like it was the right time to publish.  However, in light of the upcoming election and some other current events, I feel compelled to share.  Regardless of your thoughts about Jesus or the Bible, I think we can all agree that words can encourage or destroy.*

The tongue has the power of life and death,
    and those who love it will eat its fruit.

~Proverbs 18:21~

NIV

Words kill, words give life;
    they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.

~Proverbs 18:21~

The Message

The tongue has the power of life and death,
    and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words.

~Proverbs 18:21~

God's Word Translation

Like many others, I have thoroughly enjoyed connecting and reconnecting with friends and family through Facebook.  I even have a handful of acquaintances that I have never met, but have become connected with through other friends or just online.  I joined Facebook in 2008, less than a year after my first baby girl was born.  And the only reason I got an account was to see the pictures my sweet friend was posting from her time in Italy.  It seemed so innocent and fun.  And it was.  My parents and grandparents and sister and other family could watch my babies grow up.

But the way we interact with social media now is no longer fun nor innocent.  We have lost our self-control in the security of anonymity and the ability to speak our minds without having to be face-to-face.

We all have hurts.  We have all been wronged.  And too often we feel justified in what we say or what we do.  But do we stop and consider who we are hurting with our words?  This past weekend my pastor hit our congregation with these words:

"Words can bruise our souls.  They have the power to hurt and the power to help.  

Our words always lead to action.  Your words can either turn or burn.  

Our words can turn people toward grace, love, and mercy - or - they can burn and destroy.  

Your tomorrow will be shaped by the words you say today.  

Words are neither temporary or neutral.  

An unwillingness to acknowledge the power of our hurtful words hurts those around you.  

Your words are not a reflection of your situation, they are always a reflection of your heart.  

Let's be people who fight for things and for people - not against them." 

~Phil Eubank~

When we hurt and retaliate with our mouths, are we aware of who gets caught in the crossfire of our words - of our pain?  Do you care?  Or are you so concerned and so motivated and so determined to be right and have the last word?  Does Jesus call us to be right or to be loving?  Are we to condemn or affirm God's love for those around us?  Do we take captive every thought and represent the Lord well (2 Corinthians 10:5)? 

If you love Jesus, I think at the end of our lives, we all desire for our Savior to say to us, "Well done good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25).  But what about at the end of each day or hour or minute?  What is Jesus saying about your words - about your thoughts - about your actions right now? 

In the final verse of Psalm 19, David proclaims these words to the Lord, "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

Are our words pleasing to the Lord? 

Are our thoughts pleasing to Him? 

Who are we striving to impress - man or God? 

Whose opinion do we care about?  
Do our actions and our words and our thoughts convey who our Lord is?

All too often we get caught up in our hurts - in the things that bother us - in our desires or our wants - and we take to Facebook or Twitter or Instagram.  We gather fellow friends who are hurting too and we play on their hurts to strengthen our convictions in our own hearts and in our own pain. 

But is this right?  Is this what is pleasing to God?  Will He say, "Well done," to what our words say?  

Our hearts will feel the feels.  We cannot always control what happens to us and how we feel about it.  But we need to take control of our minds.  We are in control of our words.  We are in control of what we say and what we write and how we interact with others.  

Regardless of if you feel justified in what you said or what you think or what is in your heart, our job everyday is to be Jesus to those around us.  Are you being Jesus?  Are you being the love of Jesus to those around you?  Can they see His light shining through your heart and through your pain and in your shame or your bitterness?

So I challenge you to ask yourself today, "What I posted on Facebook - what I tweeted about - what I found a picture of and posted on Instagram - would God say to me, "Well done good and faithful servant?"

Here is the link to Phil's Message: A Careful Fight

Responding to the "F" Word

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. ~ Psalm 9:9 – 10 (NIV)

Fear. It’s a stronghold that I battle with more than I’d like to admit. My imagination has an ugly way of running away with my thoughts, and before I know it, fear has its foot in my heart. Often times I don’t even realize that I’m afraid of something until I feel its paralyzing effects.

If I’m not careful, I could spend my life in constant fear. All we have to do is turn on the news to see that this world is full of things to dread. Whether its something far away or close to home; fear and worry are real.

But I have hope, peace, and comfort. This Psalm that King David wrote thousands of years ago continues to bring solace to me today. Regardless of what is happening around me, these words of promise and hope can come to my mind and remind me that I am not alone.

The key words that stick out to me are: refuge – protection, security; oppressed – abused, crushed; stronghold – fort, castle; trouble – trial, suffering; trust – believe, hope; forsaken – desert, leave; and seek – look for, try to find.

We can’t change the fact that life can be scary. What we can control, however, is how we respond. We can live in fear and never really live. Or, we can find comfort in the fact that our Lord will never leave us. He will always be our fortress and will protect us. All we have to do is look for Him.

Anita Renfroe's Top Ten List

A good woman is hard to find...When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say.
~Proverbs 31:10, 26~

• 10. Surround yourself with people who build you up.
• 9. Take care of your body.
• 8. You make your decisions - but then your decisions make you.
• 7. A chapter of Proverbs a day keeps the stupids away.
• 6. Keep your destiny in mind.
• 5. Pray about everything.
• 4. Never make important decisions when you are tired or hungry.
• 3. Take time to decide what is worth doing, then do it with your whole heart and with excellence.
• 2. Call home.
• 1. Love God.

~Anita Renfroe from If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Mother

Studying Your Bible Effectively

Today I'll conclude the notes from my pastor's sermon this past Sunday about studying the Bible.

How can you make daily devotional time more effective?

A. Set a daily appointment: Ps. 5:3 "In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation."

1. What are the two best time frames for you to have your devotional time?
2. What are the two best places for you to have your devotional time?

B. Determine your pace and plan:
You need to establish a pace and time frame. Try filling in these blanks to help you get
started:

1. I want to start by reading _____ chapters a day.
2. I want to commit to reading the Bible _____ minutes a day.
3. I want to use the following Bible reading plan:
* The Bible in a year
* Cover to cover and chapter by chapter

C. Read God's Word: Ps. 119:18 "Open my eyes that I may see the wonderful things in your
law."

1. Pray: Ask God to open your spirit.
2. Read: Read the Word.
3. Underline: As you read, underline verses that speak to you.
4. Isolate: Review the things you underlined and isolate one part that you underlined and
make that your verse for the day.
5. Journal: Use a notebook and write a paragraph about what that verse speaks to you and
what you can do as a result of its reflection.

D. Apply the Word: James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and deceive yourselves. Do
what it says."

Here are some great questions to ask yourself:

• Is there a promise for me to claim?
• Is there an example I am to follow?
• Is there some sin or weakness I need to avoid?
• Is there a command for me to obey?
• Is there a new thought about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit?

Sermon notes by Pastor Gene Roncone

A NOTE FROM FRIEND CHICK

I whole heartedly believe that we each need to be in the Word daily. This is our spiritual nourishment that the Lord has so graciously provided for us. However, read the Bible to learn what God has for you. Pray for knowledge and wisdom before you begin reading each day. What I don't necessarily believe is that it is essential to read through the Bible each year. Personally, whenever I make this my goal, I become so determined to keep up with the reading schedule and forget to learn from my reading. Don't get caught up and overwhelmed. Often times I only read one chapter a day, searching for that scripture that the Lord wants to reveal to me so that I can learn. Believe me, it's awesome when the Lord speaks to you through His Word! He's amazing!


Also in this series:

• Something to Think About
• Why Study Your Bible Daily

Why Study Your Bible Daily?

Yesterday I mentioned that my pastor had spoken recently on Biblical study and why it's so important. I wanted to outline a few of his notes for you.

He broke his sermon up in two parts. The first part had to do with why daily devotions are important.

The scripture that my pastor referenced was Exodus 33:7-11:

The Tent of Meeting

⁷ Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. ⁸ And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. ¹⁰ Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. ¹¹ The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Why You Need Daily Devotional Time:

A. Relationships need nurturing: Ex. 33:8,11 "...whenever Moses went out to the tent...The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend."

B. Daily life can distract us from God: Ex. 33:7 "Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the 'tent of meeting.'"

C. You need to hear God's voice: Ex. 33:9 "As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses."

D. You need it to keep growing: 1 Pet. 2:2 "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation."

Notes from Pastor Gene Roncone

Something to Think About

Our Pastor preached yesterday about daily devotional time. I am going to outline some of what he said over the next few days, but I wanted to leave you with this:

"Never leave a passage until you can write down what God is saying to you in order that you can pray it back to God."

Quote from Pastor Gene Roncone

A Quick Update

Hey Girls!

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm still around, and getting rounder!!! I've been spending a lot of time with my almost two year old, reading books and playing babies, as well as trying to explain the new baby to her. I'm attempting to get the nursery transformed from a guest room/store all room into a baby's room; a much larger task than I had originally anticipated. In the midst of all of this, I also turned 30 (gulp...).

The real reason for my post is that I wanted to invite you to join Sarah Mae's 5:16 club as we embark on a new adventure.


We are going to be reading the book Prayer: The Great Adventure by David Jeremiah. Towards the end of September we will begin discussing the book and prayer. Click here if you are interested in joining us as we delve deeper into our own prayer lives.

Personal Reflection

Hmmm...a little over a month later and I have not enlightened you in one way as to your Ministry Sweet Spot. I will, I promise. I can tell you that I am definitely not writing a "successful" blog right now. I'm aware, and once my "season" passes, I will be getting back in gear with you and trying once again to rebuild this ministry opportunity.

However, today, I just had to share some insights with you that I came across during my own personal devotions this morning.

I am studying 1 Peter. When I study a book in the Bible on my own, I like to take it section by section. If you are at all familiar with the NIV Bible, then you know that even within each chapter it is broken down into labeled sections that act almost like chapter titles so the reader has some idea about what they are going to be reading. This method works really well for me because it makes me take it slow, so that I can really let everything sink in, and my only "goal" is to really process the section that I read for that day. As I'm reading I try to find one or two verses that stand out to me, either because I feel it's relevant to something going on around me, or I feel like God is trying to grow or stretch me. Those are the verses I focus on in my reflection. I have read my Bible in its entirety a few times, cover to cover. One year a I decided to alternate and OT and then a NT. But I always felt so rushed and never able to let everything ruminate in my heart and wrap my spirit around what God was trying to reveal to me. My current theory is that there is no place in the Bible that says I have to read it cover to cover every year, so this is my new method, and I love what God is showing me! It's amazing, and I feel like I'm actually growing!

Anyway, enough about that. Moving on.

The section I read today is titled The Living Stone & a Chosen People from 1 Peter 2:4-12. The verses that stood out to me this morning were 11 and 12 followed by my reflection:

¹¹Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. ¹²Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

I can definitely see some of this now, and I'm sure throughout history. "Abstain from sinful desires." Like premarital sex or homosexuality? Like pornography and extramarital affairs? Like living modestly and refusing to compromise our little girls for today's "fashion" trends? Like drunkenness or a c'est la vie mentality? This is what surrounds us as Christians today. This is what we're up against. Everywhere we turn, we live in a very sexual world. When we choose not to participate, we are then accused of being close-minded and judgemental, not realistic, prudes, or sheltered.

What are we doing wrong that prevents the "pagans" from seeing the "good deeds?" Is it the way we go about "abstaining?" DO we have a holier than thou attitude? Do we accuse others and place harsh judgement, even though that is not our job whatsoever? Is it our other actions and words that make them realize that we're no different that they are?

Friends, my first instinct was to try to blame "them," but the reality is that they are doing exactly as Peter told us they would. They are accusing us of "doing wrong" when we "abstain," so I figured that we are the problem here. What is getting in the way of the "pagans" seeing our good deeds? What do we need to change in our "delivery," so to speak? It's time to look inward instead of outward and figure out why they are blinded.

Sanctification - Day Eight

Yesterday I mentioned that true sanctification requires that we maintain a relationship with Jesus Christ, and how to go about remaining in communion with Christ.

There are a few more "requirements" of true sanctification.

We must devote ourselves to prayer and obey God's Word.

Easy enough, right?

Let's look at the first part: Prayer

Colossians 4:2 says this:

²Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

When you "devote yourself" to something, it means that you "continue steadfast" or "persevere," implying strong persistence and fervor, a holding fast to prayer.

Can you honestly say that you are "devoting yourselves to prayer?" This is a hard one, only because we so often feel that we can "go it alone." "Don't worry God, I've got this one. I know you're busy with the economy and hunger, so I'll just take the reigns here." This, my friend, is not what the Lord wants.

When Paul talks about "being watchful" what he means is that we need to be "spiritually awake or alert."

So, why is it so hard to pray? One reason is that Satan and the weakness of our human nature tries to cause us to neglect prayer itself, or allow us to become distracted while praying (um, convicted...).

We must discipline ourselves to achieve the prayer required for Christian victory!

Even Jesus knew how important prayer was. Not only did He model it for His disciples and all who saw Him while He was here with us, but He also taught His disciples how to pray. Look at Matthew 6:5-13. In the first few verses Jesus explains, step by step, what to do:

⁵"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ⁶But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

My Bible goes on to talk about what Secret Prayer is. It explains that we should have some place where we are praying alone. I can remember when I first was saved and heard people in church talking about a "Prayer Closet." I got nervous because I didn't really have a closet that could be used exclusively for prayer. When I asked my youth leader about this, he explained that a "Prayer Closet" for some is an actual closet, but for many, it's just a place where you can be all alone and pray.

There are specific times of the day that my Bible says we should pray in secret:
~In the morning to commit our day to God
~In the evening to give thanks for His mercies
~In times when the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray

Jesus then goes a step further and gives a model prayer of our we, as believers, should pray. We now know this prayer as The Lord's Prayer:

⁹"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
¹²Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

Remember that prayer is a form of worship. Don't get so caught up in your needs and wants that you forget to praise your Heavenly Father.

Alright, next part: Obey God's Word

¹⁷Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
John 17:17

Even when Jesus was pleading with God to "take this cup from him," He still prayer for His disciples. If you remember, "sanctify" means to make holy, to separate, or set apart. Jesus prays to God that his disciples will be a holy people that are separated from the world and sin so that they will be able to worship and serve God.

In order to be near God, to live for Him, and to be like Him, we must be set apart.

By obeying God's Word (the Bible), the truth is revealed to us by God's Holy Spirit.

Sanctification - Day Seven

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
John 15:4

True sanctification requires that believers maintain an intimate relationship with Christ. After someone chooses to believe in Christ and is forgiven, he or she receives eternal life and the power to remain in Christ. Given that power, the believer must then accept that responsibility in salvation and remain in Christ. In Greek, the word meno means to remain, continue, abide, or live. We as believers have Christ's life only as long as His life flows into us through our remaining in Christ.

So how do we remain in Christ? Let's look at John 15:7

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

1) We must keep God's Word continually in our hearts and minds and making it the guide of our actions.

God gave us His Word for a reason. We need to be in His Word daily. We must treasure the Bible and understand that this is one way the God can speak directly to you. By committing these words to your heart, they will translate in your actions. People will notice, and God will be pleased.

2) We must maintain the habit of constant and intimate communion with Christ in order to draw strength from Him.

Jesus wants us to talk to Him. He wants us to ask Him for the desires of our heart. He wants us to want Him. It's hard to maintain a friendship with someone if you never meet with them, or talk with them. This can be difficult for some people, but I strongly urge you to meet with your Savior. Talk to Him. And listen. He will answer your prayers, maybe not always in the way you want them answered, and possibly not on your time line, but you must remember that He is all-knowing. We only know pieces of the past and present, but the Lord knows all parts, past, present, and future. Take refuge in that!

3)We must obey His commands, remaining in His love, and loving each other.

Looking at these three verses, Jesus is very clear.

¹⁰If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

¹²My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

¹⁷This is my command: Love each other.

John 15:10, 12, & 17

John 15:10 is a classic If/Then statement. Here's the teacher coming out in me:

IF you obey my commands [THEN] you will remain in my love...

This requires action on our part. So, what is Jesus' command?

He states it twice in John 15. Once in verse 12 and again in verse 17.

His command is to love each other. It was so important that Jesus get His point across that He says it twice. And, anything that is stated twice in the Bible means that the Lord really wants you to get it! Nice!

4) We must keep our lives clean through the Word, resisting all sin and yielding to the Spirit's direction.

³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ~John 15:3

¹³For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, ¹⁴because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ~Romans 8:13-14

Jesus is very clear. We need to allow the Spirit to guide us. We need to know His Word.

Do you see where all of this came from? Definitely not from my brilliant mind! All of these means of remaining in Christ come directly from the Word of God, straight from the Bible, and many of these commands come right from the mouth of Jesus.

READ YOUR BIBLE!!! It is your "wilderness handbook" for surviving life in this dirty and perverted world.

Motivate Me Monday

I went to the park this past Wednesday with some girlfriends and their kids. It was a beautiful day, almost 80 degrees, with a slightly annoying breeze. There were five mamas and about seven kids. That's twelve people in all. And I was the ONLY one to receive a sunburn. Not even my little redhead was scorched by the sun. I know, sunscreen. I forgot. I mean, it's March. I'm not even sure I know where it is.

I was slightly embarrassed by this ordeal. But then I read something this morning that made me wonder if there was a reason I had suffered.

Unnoticed, unheeded, and unrelenting, the sun singes, Afterwards, it's easy to see the solar influence on my shoulders, the back of my neck, and across my nose.

The Spirit's quiet influence is often just that way. Unnoticed and unheeded at the time, but clearly seen in hindsight.
Experiencing Spiritual Intimacy by Christa Kinde

I loved this illustration. So often we are taught about the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures by using Acts 2 and then ending there. The reality is that the Holy Spirit has been around since the very beginning, was speaking through Old Testament prophets and kings, was apparent in the life of Jesus Christ, was promised to the disciples, came in full force on the Day of Pentecost, continued its work in the New Testament through Paul and others, and continues to live in and speak through us today.

Ladies, we may not see the Spirit's hand in our lives until the evidence becomes clear later on, (just like a sunburn) but that doesn't mean He's not by our side all along the way. He will give us strength and encouragement, and even the words we need when we don't know what to say.

We often remember that the Lord comes to us with a still, small voice, but we find it hard to remember to listen for that quiet prompting. The Spirit's influence in our lives is largely a quiet one, and ti will go completely unnoticed if we aren't sensitive to His ways. This week, pray for a heightened sensitivity to His quiet influence in your heart.
Experiencing Spiritual Intimacy by Christa Kinde

Sarah Mae has more Motivate Me Monday posts at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee. Head on over. I promise, you will be blessed and encouraged!

Motivate Me Monday

In my Bible Study a few weeks ago, I ran across this question:

Paul is very specific about the Spirit's role in our hearts. Why does he say God gave us His Spirit in 2 Corinthians 1:22 and again in 2 Corinthians 5:5?

At first the question didn't seem special or out of the ordinary, but then I read the scriptures.

He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:22

Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 5:5

When I was in college, I was required to take several Religion courses. Unfortunately, most of the courses offered were History of Christian Thought (which was really more of a philosophy class), God & Gender, and Science & Religion. So, what I learned in college was from a very liberal view, and not very Biblical.

But, one thing I remember from an actual Bible course that I took was that when an author states something more than once, it's important!

Twice Paul states that the Holy Spirit was given to us as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come! How exciting is that!?!?!?

Even though God had already sent His Son to live with us, Jesus had to go back to Heaven, but the Lord knew that we still required help, so He sent His Holy Spirit to us, to live in us, to help us know Him better!

My Bible says this:

Paul outlines four aspects of God's work in believers through the Holy Spirit:

1) The Holy Spirit establishes believers and helps them persevere in their life of faith.

2) The Spirit anoints believers in order to give them power to witness, to perform the works of Christ, and to know the truth.

3) The Spirit is the official seal of God's ownership, marking believers as His own property and producing godly character within their human personalities.

4) The Spirit is an indwelling "deposit", i.e., a guarantee and a first installment to believers that a greater life with Christ will come in the future.
(Notes from the Full Life Study Bible)

Don't take the Holy Spirit for granted. Often times the Trinity isn't "fair and balanced" in our lives. We know about God the Father, we love Jesus Christ His Son, and then there's the Holy Spirit. My friends, the Spirit is just as important as the other two. He is always with us, dwelling within us. Check out Genesis 1:2. I've read this passage over and over again, and only recently discovered this very early mention of God's Spirit.

I am still studying the Women of Faith book called Experiencing Spiritual Intimacy by Christa Kinde. Each chapter brings new light on the Holy Spirit. If you are looking for a deeper relationship with the Lord, this book will definitely show you how important your relationship with the Holy Spirit is in order to attain a more intimate relationship with God.

Thank the Lord today for sending His Spirit as a deposit, as a guarantee of our eternity!

Get more motivation with Sarah Mae at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee! There's a special give-away if you participate in Motivate Me Monday...Check it out!

Sanctification - Day Six

¹²Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Philippians 2:12-13

Sanctification is both a work of God and a work of his people.

That's right, sister. We are part of this project. We are required to be active in sanctification. Just because we've accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior does not give us the right to sit back and watch the show. We are part of the show!

So, what do we do? What's our role?

In order to accomplish God's will in sanctification, believers must:

1) Participate in the Spirit's sanctifying by ceasing to do evil.

¹What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ²By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Romans 6:1-2

We can conclude that the essence of sin is selfishness. WHAT??? We are constantly grasping for things of pleasures for ourselves, regardless of the welfare of others and the commands of God, which leads to cruelty to others and to rebellion against God and His law. Ultimately sin becomes the refusal to be subject to God and His Word.

Sin is a moral corruption in humans that opposes all better human intentions. It causes us both to commit unrighteousness with delight and to take pleasure in the evil actions of others. Sin enslaves and corrupts and is rooted in human desire.

So how do we cease to do evil? Because sin was brought into the human race through Adam and Eve it affects everyone and results in divine judgment, brings physical and spiritual death, and can ONLY be eliminated as a power by faith in Christ and His redemptive work!

Look at these scriptures for some encouragement:

Romans 5:8-11 ⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! ¹⁰For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Galatians 3:13 ¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

Ephesians 4:20-24 ²⁰You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. ²¹Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

1 John 1:9 ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Ah, we serve such a faithful God!

2) Purify themselves "from everything that contaminates body and spirit."

¹Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

Paul makes it abundantly clear that one cannot claim God's gracious promises without a life of separation and holiness. This explains why some have lost their Christian joy, divine protection, answer to prayers, and the sense of God's fatherly presence. To compromise with the world is to lose God's presence and promises.

¹²Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Romans 6:12

Because sin has been dethroned, you must continually resist its effort to regain control. Since sin attempts to reign primarily through the desires of the body, these desires must be resisted by those with faith in Christ. We can do so by denying the evil desires of the body, refusing to place any part of our body at the disposal of sin, and presenting our bodies and our whole personalities as slaves to God and righteousness.

¹⁶So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. ¹⁷For 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. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. Galatians 5:16-25 (click here to read the rest)

The spiritual conflict within believers involves the whole person; the struggle is whether they will surrender to the sinful nature's inclinations and again submit to sin's control, or whether they will yield to the Spirit's demands and continue under Christ's dominion. The battlefield is within Christians themselves, and the conflict must continue throughout their earthly lives if they are to eventually reign with Christ.

3) Keep themselves from being polluted by the world.

²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27

James outlines that we are to keep ourselves holy before God. He says that love for others must be accompanied by a love for God expressed in separation from the world's sinful ways. Love for others must be accompanied by holiness before God or it is not Christian love.

Hmm, tricky. I do my best, but I know that I am definitely not showing love this way to everyone.

¹³Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. ¹⁴For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

¹⁹I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
Romans 6:13-14, 19

This is pretty self-explanatory! We need to make sure that sin is not our master. We can do this by keeping ourselves pure. We know what we should and should not involve ourselves in, and yet, we get ourselves in big messes! Listen to your heart. Read your Bible. Pray. The Holy Spirit that dwells in your heart will reveal God's truth to you. Pay attention to him!

¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2

We as believers must possess a single-minded passion to please God in love, devotion, praise and holiness, and to offer their bodies for His service.

Our greatest desire should be to live lives of holiness and to be accepted by God. This requires separating ourselves from the world and drawing nearer to God. We must live for God, worship Him, obey Him, take His side against sin and for righteousness, resist and hate evil, perform works of kindness for others, imitate Christ, follow Him, serve Him, live by the Spirit and be filled with the Spirit.

We must offer our bodies to God as dead to sin and as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Remember, our present world system is evil and under Satan's rule. We must despise what is evil, love what is righteous, and refuse to yield to the various types of worldliness surrounding the church, such as greed, selfishness, expediency, humanistic thinking, political maneuvering for power, envy, hatred, revenge, impurity, filthy language, ungodly entertainment, tempting and immodest attire, immorality, drugs, alcohol and worldly companions.

It is critical that we have our minds conformed to God's way of thinking by reading and meditating on His Word. We must have our plans and ambitions determined by heavenly and eternal truths, not by this evil, temporal and transient age. (Note from The Full Life Study Bible)

¹⁴Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Romans 13:14

We must be so united and identified with Christ that we imitate His life as our pattern for living, adopt His principles, obey His commands, and become like Him. This calls for a complete rejection of immorality and the acts of the sinful nature.

⁸Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8

God promises to come near to all who turn from sin, purify their hearts and call on Him in true repentance. God's nearness will bring His presence, grace, blessings, and love.


We've got a lot of work to do, but it is completely attainable! We can accomplish God's will in sanctification. But, again, I must insist that you read the Lord's Word. His Truth is embedded throughout, and He wants you to know His will. Please remain faithful in reading your Bible.