Jonah 2 - Seven lessons from Pain

We are studying the book of Jonah.  Fascinating how this guy runs from God and God pursues him gently, powerfully, specifically so that Jonah would repent and re-connect with God.

In Jonah 2 Jonah calls out to God in distress.  I don't like to be distressed.  It doesn't seem right when believers find themselves in times of life that could be labeled "distress."  Here is James Dobson's recommendation for how to deal with those times When God Doesn't Make Sense:

Seven Lessons we can learn about PAIN     

Lesson 1:     

The Apostle Paul says . . .   1 Corinthians 13:12  “Now I know in part. “

We learn to ACCEPT partial understanding.

Lesson 2:                              Confusion is a natural result of pain.

Satan will use PAIN to make you FEEL victimized by God.

Lesson 3:      Expectations set us up for _DISSAPPOINTMENT.

Proverbs 3:5 “Lean not on your own understanding.”

Lesson 4:                  John 16:33 “You will have Trouble.”

1 Peter 4:12-13  Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering

Lesson 5:  Your FEEELINGS  don’t equal TRUTH.

Jeremiah 31:3 [God says,] “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

Lesson 6:  Adversity and PAIN bring CHARACTER building.

James 1:2-3 “testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

Lesson 7:      You are ever in His VISION .

Mark 6:45-50  Jesus watched the storm and the disciples for seven hours.

Psalm 119 - Ten Commandments toppled in DC. Part Two!!!

PART TWO:

BUT, what about us as Christians – as Jesus followers, His disciples?  How are we to view this for our own personal application?

Above all we must remember that we too have “toppled” and “defaced” God’s laws, that we are not innocent of despising His words, His laws, His decrees.  In other words, Let’s get real – we are offenders and we need Jesus’ forgiveness for striking out against a holy God.  There is no other way to be saved than to cry out to Jesus for help.

v. 175 Let me live that I may praise you,
    and may your laws sustain me.
¹⁷⁶ I have strayed like a lost sheep.
    Seek your servant,
    for I have not forgotten your commands.

We have strayed.  How?  Examine the Ten Commandments and any commandment or law from God.  Examine Romans 13 (Obey the governing authorities) and realize that we can easily cross the line between not liking the political stance of the President, Mayor, Governor, etc. and end up breaking that command in thought, or word or deed.  How many of us have slurred the president – thinking this was right or OK because he is not godly?  We are just as guilty of sin.

God gives us the law in the same way a doctor issues tests, blood test, MRI, CAT scans, Exrays  – to reveal what is below the surface, to uncover sickness.  Breaking commands from a perfect God is a symptom of our imperfection, our brokenness.  When we wake up and smell the stench of our own filth, cry out to Jesus for cleansing, then we receive what we cannot earn – forgiveness and life and a place in God’s family.

1 John 1:5-10  ⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷ 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, purifies us from all sin.

⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

JESUS, i REALLY NEED YOU!  Sorry about my sin - cleanse me!

Psalm 119 - Ten Commandment monument toppled in DC . . . PART ONE

What is a Christian to think when this happens?  see this article:  Ten Commandments toppled in DC

Psalm 119

All the wicked hate and despise the laws, word and statutes of our God.  Psalm 119 speaks about that and the incident in DC points to a practical application of that.  It is normal for Christians to be outraged and angry when this happens.  In a sense, we feel attacked.  But it is God who is attacked and HE has established His laws to be eternal – they are not going away no matter how many rise up against them.  See verses 119, 139, and 152.  There is comfort!!!

¹¹⁹ All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross;
    therefore I love your statutes.
¹²⁰ My flesh trembles in fear of you;
    I stand in awe of your laws.

¹³⁹ My zeal wears me out,
    for my enemies ignore your words.

¹⁵¹ Yet you are near, Lord,
    and all your commands are true.
¹⁵² Long ago I learned from your statutes
    that you established them to last forever.

One: God fights for Himself – He’s big enough and tough enough to deal with vandals.  So that’s not a problem.

Two: God has made His word and laws eternal – they are not going away no matter how many vandals show up.

Three:  this is only indicative of a larger problem that is at the heart of Americans AND Christians also.  We don’t speak out and have not “discipled” the way we should.  We might have forced religion down peoples’ throats but that doesn’t make a disciple.  Relationship makes disciples by the Spirit and the Word and Experience and Application of Biblical principals.

*please see "part two" for  more on this topic.

:)  God is still at peace, in charge, not missing a beat and totally in love with you.  get to know Him!

Take every thought captive

God has directed us to take captive our thoughts so that we can live a non-toxic, healthy life.  2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

this video helps us to understand where this comes from and how to deal with toxic thoughts.

Psalm 105 and 106- Remember God's Deeds. Here's why:

Psalm 105 and Psalm 106
Always wondered what the big deal is with "remembering" all that God has done. Psalm 105 verse 2 and 4 says, "Sing to Him, Sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. . . . Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always." Well I was reading Psalm 106 verse 13 and it answers the question "why should we remember His acts/deeds?" v.13 says "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait on His counsel, His good advice." Then in the verses that follow it shows the hurt that they brought on their own life by forgetting to tell of the great things God had done - they got lost; they shook their fists at God, they were subject to wasting diseases, they grew envious of others and lost their life, they turned from worshiping God and worshiped themselves, their prosperity, they started to do all kinds of hurtful things to their families and themselves.

My prayer, Lord Jesus help us to always remember what cool, amazing, love-inspired things you have done for us so that we don't end up hurting like they did.
Amen.

Compassion - Chew on that word for a moment

Psalm 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

Every once in a while I like to pop a word into the Merriam-Webster page to find out little details about that word.  I did that today with "compassion."  Here is what I found:

Compassion is a sympathetic awareness of another person's distress TOGETHER WITH a desire to alleviate it. 

So that means God is very sensitive to our emotions and our challenges, desires, hurts, needs, etc. The New Testament word often used for "compassion" reflects that Jesus actually felt the hurt of others (it hurt his innards) AND had a strong desire to release these people from their distress. Some He would touch and heal. Some he would provide a lunch. For others, Jesus would raise their son, daughter, brother from the dead to relieve that distress. Its good to know that God has real concern and desire to help us AND has unchecked strength to alleviate our pain or turn our pain into something good. Thank you, Jesus for your compassion!!!

truth

Truth - what if I am reluctant to tell myself the truth?  what if I actually downplay the truth or dismiss the truth?  Is this any big deal?

It is a big deal, not just because God says so, but because your brain, heart, cells and body are designed to react positively when you admit the truth about yourself (bad and good).  If you don't admit truth, it literally hurts you from the inside out.  Again, this and other helpful info on the brain and spiritual life can be found in the book . . . .

John 8:32 . . . then you will know the truth and the truth WILL SET YOU FREE.

Ephesians 6 talks about the armor of God and one of the pieces of armor is "truth."  When we don't tell the truth to ourselves or others, we are missing some of the armor of God and we become more vulnerable to Satan.

God Cares for you; Jesus knows every sin.  So why are we afraid to admit what He already knows?  guess that is a thought process also.

Peace to you - it really can be for you, In Christ,

bye for now.