“But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish.” (Jonah 1:3, NLT) God chose Jonah for a special assignment, but the result was one very unhappy prophet. We know little about the man except his name and his father’s name, but we are all familiar with his story. It’s a favorite of children, but the lessons within this short four-chapter…
“In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” (Psalm 94:19, NKJV) Fear, worry, anxiety. What a gloomy trio. We live in an unsettled world, and it’s easy to fall prey to these negative thoughts. After all, there are so many things in life that we can worry about—so many “what ifs” to fill our minds and torment us. What if . . . the economy crashes? I lose my job? my health fails or I’m in a terrible accident? my child gets involved with the wrong crowd? my old car breaks down? I don’t have enough money to pay my bills? Finances, relationships, health issues, major life changes can all bring on worry, anxiety, and fear. Our imagination runs wild as our list of what ifs grows longer and longer. Have you ever been there? As you may have discovered, these thoughts clamor loudest in the middle of the night as we toss and turn, unable to sleep. There’s something about the darkness of early morning hours that magnifies every worry. The Bible has much to say about the fears, anxieties, and worries that try to consume us. In fact, as we delve into…
“Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” Luke 13:15-16 ESV In this story, a woman who had suffered for eighteen years finds herself in a crowd near to Jesus. We are told very little about her, except that she couldn’t fully stand up straight because she was bent over from a disabling condition. Jesus sees her in the crowd and beckons her over, and immediately tells her that she is free from her disability. How incredible would it have been to be a member of that crowd, and get to watch this woman stand up straight for the first time in almost two decades? The rulers of the synagogue had a serious issue with this incident though, as they believed Jesus was doing something wrong by healing on the Sabbath. It is so mind-boggling to me that rather than celebrate and rejoice with the woman for her healing, they alternatively chose to become frustrated and…
“My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning” Psalms 130:6 KJV We often associate night with trials, and darkness with struggle and rough seasons of life. I don’t know about you, but I certainly do not enjoy harsh seasons, but rather I see them as something I need to suffer through and claw my way out of, barely surviving. The above scripture in the New Living Translation says this “I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than…
FOCUS VERSE “One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4, KJV) LOOKING BACKWARD Most people can only remember the previous two generations of their family lineage: their parents and grandparents. Some people might remember their great-grandparents. Unless people record their family history in some way, it is lost to time as descendants create their own history. Genealogists dig into the past, searching for their roots. Archaeologists study ancient cultures looking for insight into forgotten ways of life. Why are some people so interested in the past? The reason is that history provides context for our individual lives. The past is a link to the present. BUILT UPON THE PAST To some degree or another, who we are today is the result of who our ancestors were yesterday. We are composites of former generations. Our lives are built upon the history of our predecessors. Even if we never met them, their values, morals, occupations, and choices of where to live affect us. Many generations ago, my family traveled toward the western part of the United States to make a new life for themselves. According to family lore, one of the young girls fell…
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 ESV The word “world” in the above scripture means “period of time, age.” The age that we live in is riddled with those who are struggling to win the war in their minds. Our thoughts hold us captive, and freedom seems to elude us. We are warned to not conform (to become similar, to comply, to agree) to this world, and then we are also told how to not do this. We must be transformed by the renewal of our minds. So how do we do that? 2 Corinthians 5:17 says this “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” We must always be in Christ. We must, like Psalm 91:1 says “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” We are called to daily place ourselves under the care and protection that God offers. It requires a humble attitude, a determined mind, and a heart that desires more…