But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah 4:4 (NIV) We left off in chapter 3 as God relented and pulled back His judgment against Nineveh. Let’s now look at the last chapter of Jonah. Jonah is about to go pout. God’s grace did not sit well with Jonah. His opening words to the Lord are an exasperated cry, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home?” I would think for a preacher, having the people listen, take the Word of the Lord to heart, and change would provide job security. Why was Jonah so angry? Jonah knows God, and he is…

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:  “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Jonah 3:1-3a (NIV) The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time and Jonah obeyed and went to Nineveh. Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown God’s message to the people is bleak. Time is coming down to the wire; they only have 40 days until they will be overthrown. By overthrown, I don’t mean they might lose a coin toss or be defeated in a short battle. No, they face extinction. The…

Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. Jonah 1:17-2:1 In the second chapter of Jonah, which you can read HERE, we find Jonah drowning in a sea of shame. Here are three things I note in the first few verses for today: The Lord provides for us. Jonah was not saved from death by some random fish. No, “the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah.” God’s timing is perfect. Why three days? My guess is that is how long it took for Jonah to get…

But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Jonah 1:3 (NIV) Today we start a 4 week devotional series on Jonah by looking at Jonah Chapter One, which you can read HERE. (Did you know that there are only 48 verses in the whole book of Jonah?) The year was 1977, I was 14, and the Movie was Star Wars. I did not see very much of the movie that night. My friend Carol and I had…

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. Matthew 5:1-2 Authenticity is vital to your spiritual life. As a Christian writer and blogger, it has been one of my chief virtues to keep in mind as I write. I pray I would never write a word of advice, direction, or encouragement to you I have not applied to my own walk with the Lord. To me, authenticity as a Christian means consistently becoming more like Jesus. It does not mean pretending to be perfect. Instead, I strive to be the real deal…

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” 1 Samuel 7:12 Have you ever felt like the enemy was breathing down the back of your neck? Heard the warning signal indicating danger is ahead? Perhaps you have become fearful in these moments. Or maybe you became prideful and tried to take on the enemy by yourself. I have reacted in both manners, fearfully and pridefully. But God has shown me faithfulness, repeatedly, when I have put my faith in Him alone. In our verse today the Israelites are about to face one of…

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24 One of my favorite movies is The Help. A story that takes place in the 1960’s set during the racial turbulence of America. A young journalist interviews the help, the black maids of Jackson, Mississippi. The maid, Aibileen, inspires me with her wisdom in knowing the benefits of encouraging words. Aibileen attends to the needs of a young girl whose own mother often ignores her. Aibileen speaks life into a tender, impressionable heart of a little girl by telling her: “You is kind. You is Smart. You is important.” Perhaps you will forget tomorrow…

So, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Galatians 5:16-17 True confession. I have often indulged in flesh-satisfying activities, such as binge-eating, drinking, smoking, and laziness, even after being prompted by the Holy Spirit to walk away from the desires of the flesh. I have thought to myself, ‘I will deal with God later after my flesh is satisfied. After all, isn’t God all about…

Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:40 (NIV) It’s the classic Bible story of David and Goliath. There is a battle planned between the Philistines and the Israelites. The Philistines have a giant measuring six cubits and a span (roughly 9ft 3 inches) fighting for their side. Goliath is covered in some extreme armor and carries some powerful weapons. The Israelites put a call out for a brave soul to fight the giant. This is where David comes into the picture.…