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 Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 11:56 am
Strategies for Successful Relationships
Ever wonder why some people have tons of friends and seem to be able to make any relationship a great one? It’s because they’ve learned the secrets of relationship strategies. These strategies aren’t really secret, but since so many people struggle with relationships, we tend to think there must be a huge secret to establishing and maintaining great relationships.
The truth is, Jesus knew the art of good relationships, and He wants us to have solid relationships, too. So let’s look at a few strategies that will enable you to establish solid relationships.
• The Power of Words. If you’ve ever said something you immediately wished you hadn’t, you know the power of thoughtless words. They can crush, demean and intimidate in a matter of seconds, can’t they? On the other hand, positive words can affirm, encourage and motivate. People who have good relationships know the power of their words. They have realized those around them can never receive too much encouragement. Think about it: Have you ever grown tired of someone affirming you? We can’t get enough, can we? We love positive affirmation!
Your words hold a lot of power. In fact, we’re warned in James 3:1 about the power of our words. We’re told that not many of us should be teachers—or people who give instruction—simply because of the potential damage we’re able to do with our words.
People all around you are dying for encouragement. If you truly desire to have good relationships with others, you’ll learn how to become a genuine encourager. Why is it sometimes difficult to encourage others?
A. Because of intimacy. To affirm those around you requires an intimate exchange of words. Often times our own personal insecurity keeps our mouth shut. What will he think if I affirm him? I don’t feel good enough about myself to encourage someone else. If I try to encourage her, I’ll come off sounding stupid, are thoughts that often invade our minds.
B. Because of inability. Are you harboring anger in your life? If so, it will be tough to encourage others. Think about it: What comes out of your mouth reveals what’s in your heart. Ask God to help you resolve any anger and bitterness you may be holding inside.
If you’ve been encouraged by someone, you know the results genuine affirmation can produce. (1) It brings change into a life. What an amazing challenge—to be able to build someone’s self-esteem and change her life by your encouraging words! (2) It brings confidence. “I believe in you” are four extremely powerful words! Use them to make a positive difference. Exercise them to provoke change.
Know It!
God wants to perform heart surgery on you! He wants to soften your heart to be more sensitive to others. This will automatically make your relationships more genuine.
Read It!
Matthew 12:35; James 3:1.
Pray It!
Ask God to bring to your attention people who need a special word of encouragement from you
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 3:31 pm
Identification Station I
He calls himself CatMan, and he’s spent thousands of dollars transforming his physical appearance to look like a tiger. And if you’ve seen photos of him, you’d have to admit he really does look half man and half feline. He spares no expense. CatMan’s body is covered with tiger-striped tattoos. He’s also undergone countless surgical procedures—implants have been placed in his brows and in the bridge of his nose. His ears have been cut to shape in a pointed fashion and his earlobes relocated to give his ears a more cat-like appearance.
CatMan’s septum has also been relocated to stretch out and flatten his nose and his lip has been cleffed— all to appear more cat-like. He’s had silicone implanted in his cheeks, upper lip and chin in order to change his profile. He wears cat-like contact lenses and has had his teeth cut and reshaped to appear tiger-like. His front teeth are split in the middle, and he has long pointed fangs in place of where his scissor teeth used to be.
Is that all? Not by a long shot! His upper lip sports labret-type piercing—six on each side—that his “whiskers” thread into. You can imagine what his fingernails look like: They’re a few inches long and curl downward near the end . . . yes, just like a tiger’s. When he has the money, and has found the right surgeon, he’ll have fur sewn onto his skin.
Sound like someone’s having an identity crisis? What would motivate someone to spend thousands of dollars to look like what most of society would consider freakish? Hmmm. What motivates us to spend big bucks just to have the latest Nike laced up our feet or to wear Tommy Hilfiger’s newest creation? It’s all about identity, isn’t it?
Not only do we desire to know ourselves; we also desire to proclaim it. We want to be noticed for who we are. You may be known as the best trumpet player on your campus, the most popular student in the hallway, the girl with the golden voice, the guy who makes everyone laugh, the girl who could actually make professional basketball her profession, the future model or the one who’s headed for Broadway.
Maybe that’s what others are telling you, but what is God telling you? Who does He say you are? (Hint: It has nothing to do with your talents, skills or gifts.)
Know It!
God created you in His image, and He wants to shine through your life. Your true identity will always be found in Him.
Read It!
Psalm 139.
Pray It!
If you’ve struggled with your identity, admit that to God. Ask for His guidance in finding your identity in Him.
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Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 12:47 pm
Identification Station II
It was the stuff movies are made of. Handsome, strong, athletic 19-year-old Brian Sakultarawattn (pronounced skoon-tra-WATT) hiked the mountains with his best friend, 18-year-old Haley Havlik. She had packed their lunch, and the two were excited to be breathing in the fresh Oregon air. They laughed, panted and half-ran to very top, then paused to thank God for His beauty.
While Haley packed the remains of lunch back into the basket, Brian reached into his backpack and pulled out a miniscule box. When Haley turned around, he was on one knee and had opened the box.
“I always want to take care of you,” he said. “Will you marry me?”
Brian had already cleared his intentions with Haley’s parents and promised they wouldn’t set an immediate date. After Haley affirmed her response, she and Brian talked about a year and a half engagement. They hiked down the mountain happier than any two people in love with God and each other could be. Little did they know their world was about to change forever.
* * *
Tuesday. December 26, 1995. A day Brian and Haley would never forget.
Brian was working at Teen Trees International, a tree farm near his home in St. Helens, Ore. He had been learning forestry management skills there for the past two years. Brian and his supervisor tossed a few loads of discarded paper into a burn barrel in the parking lot and watched it burn. Dan left for lunch, and Brian guarded the fire alone.
When the flames shot above the barrel’s rim, Brian glanced around the shop for a bucket of water to dowse the fire. As soon as he tossed the contents of the bucket onto the flames, it was evident that Brian had mistaken what was in the barrel.
BOOM!
Brian had grabbed a bucket of gasoline instead of water.
* * *
Hours later, Haley, her family and Brian’s family listened as the surgeon approached them with the news that Brian had miraculously survived. Even though 94 percent of his body had been grotesquely burned, Brian was alive. But the handsome, dark- skinned, athletic young man was no longer even recognizable.
Brian learned fast that true identity can not be established on anything other than a close relationship with Jesus Christ.
Know It!
Resist the temptation to place your identity in things that can quickly change. If your identity is founded on talent, physical appearance or those around you, it can be demolished in a matter of seconds.
Read It!
Genesis 1:26-27, 31; Romans 12:2-8.
Pray It!
Pray that you won’t base your identity on outward appearance.
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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 3:00 pm
Identification Station III
During the next several months, the burn staff had to reconstruct Brian’s exterior shell—the gatekeeper against deadly infections. Using skin from cadavers and grafts from what little skin he had left, surgeons stapled together an intricate quilt of skin.
This blanket of cadaver skin was just temporary; it bought the physicians enough time to have Brian’s own skin grown in a lab from a small graft. When his new skin arrived, cut into squares the size of mini Post-It notes, doctors repeated the grueling process of scraping off the old skin and stitching on the new.
To keep Brian alive, surgeons had to sacrifice his infected limbs—his forearms were amputated, part of his left leg was gone, and he was still in danger of losing his right foot. He endured 19 surgeries during the several months he was at the Oregon Burn Center. Three weeks later, Brian regained consciousness.
He later lost his vision, hands and fingers.
What about the engagement? Haley had a big decision to make. When she promised to spend the rest of her life with Brian, he was everything she’d ever dreamed of—physically, emotionally and spiritually. Things were different now.
But Haley’s response? “I just doesn’t matter to me how Brian looks on the outside,” she said. “He’s still the same on the inside. I still see that boyish smile. I still share the dream of someday raising a family.”
Two years after the accident, Brian and Haley were married. Brian wears his wedding ring on a chain around his neck, and the doctors say he can father a child. “I thank God every day for another chance to live,” he says. “I especially thank Him for Haley. Someday, we’ll have kids!”
The community rallied around the young couple and collected enough funds to build them a special home with ramps for Brian’s wheelchair. And today, seven years after the accident, Haley still doesn’t question her commitment to Brian. She knows true beauty comes from the soul and real identity comes from a solid relationship with the Creator.
Know It!
God can use you just the way you are! He wants to help you discover your true identity in Him, and He yearns to guide you into developing a positive self-image of yourself. He wants your identity to come from the fact that you have incredible value to Him!
Read It!
Genesis 2:7; Judges 3:15-21; Romans 13:9.
Pray It!
Thank God for the privilege of being made in His image. Ask Him to help you accept yourself just as you are.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 11:14 am
(This is Friday's. Sorry I didn't post it sooner, but I wasn't home from 8 AM- 10 PM)
Identification Station IV
“So, I don’t know,” Latasha said after the youth meeting. “Like . . . how do I know who I am?”
“Ah, you’ve asked a great question,” Pastor Steve responded. “People have been asking that same question for centuries.”
“Okay. So how do I find my identity?”
“It all begins with a strong relationship in Jesus Christ,” he answered.
“Yeah, I’ve heard you say that before,” Latasha said. “But I don’t get what that has to do with anything.”
“Latasha, God created you. He knows everything about you—your fears, what makes you happy, when you sit or stand, why you procrastinate on your homework . . . He knows it all.”
“Yeah, I believe that. But I still don’t understand how that can help in my search for identity.”
“Let’s say you invented something, Latasha.”
“Yeah, right,” she smirked.
“You’re on the track team, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, but what’s that got to do—”
“Latasha, let’s say you created a special running shoe that enabled you to run the mile in one minute.”
“That’s impossible!”
“Not only will this shoe enable runners to have greater speed, but it will also assist in jumping long distances. Get this: From a stationary position, you’d be able to jump 10 feet.”
Latasha couldn’t help but laugh.
“But, there’s something special about these shoes,” Pastor Steve continued. “They have to be laced a certain way. They need to be kept in an exact temperature of 34 degrees for eight hours before you wear them to enhance your athletic ability, and you have to rub baby oil on the soles. If you do all this before you wear the shoes, you’ll be able to set new records in running and jumping.”
“That’s wild!”
“But let’s just imagine it’s true,” Pastor Steve said.
“If it were true, my shoes would definitely be a hit world-wide!” Latasha said.
“They sure would. And the media would be hounding you for interviews.”
“I’d be famous!”
“But other sports companies would soon start copying your shoe, and the media would begin interviewing them as well.”
“Yeah, but I created the original. So what I say holds more weight than those other guys, right?” Latasha asked.
“Exactly,” Pastor Steve said. “And guess what—it works the same way in your relationship with Jesus Christ. Since He created you, and knows you better than anyone else, doesn’t it make sense that if you really want to find out how you work and who you are that go directly to the Creator?”
“Ahh,” Latasha said. “I think I’m starting to get it. Keep going.”
Know It!
Jesus Christ wants to lead you in your search for identity, and since He knows you better than anyone else, doesn’t it make sense to trust His guidance?
Read It!
Psalm 139; Ecclesiastes 7:13.
Pray It!
Identify the hardest thing for you to accept about your personal identity. Ask God to take control.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 11:14 am
Identification Station V
“Pastor Steve, I’m really glad you’ve been doing this series on finding our identity,” Latasha said. “And thanks for taking time to talk with me after youth group tonight. I really do want to find my identity.”
“You’re not alone, Latasha! Every human in the world wants to know himself. Think about this: There will always be other voices who surround you proclaiming that they can tell you who you are, how you work and what you’re made of. Some of your friends will offer their take on your identity, and I’m guessing your school friends will say your ability on the track is who you are.”
“That’s exactly what they’d say,” Latasha admitted. “But they don’t know how tired I am of competing. In fact, I think this will be my last year on the team.”
“So their assessment is incorrect. They don’t really know you at the core of your being, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And I’m guessing your church friends would say your identity is in your voice. After all, Latasha, no one can sing ‘America the Beautiful’ like you!”
“That’s exactly what my church girls tell me!”
“But if you developed nodules on your vocal chords in the next few weeks, chances are good that you’d never sing again. So music really isn’t your identity, is it? Your church friends don’t actually know you at the core of your being, do they?”
“Wow. Guess not.”
“But there’s Someone who does know you, and He knows you much better than you’ll ever even know yourself. And that’s your Creator. Just as you would want the media coming to you to find out about your creation—your shoes—so your heavenly Father wants you coming to Him to find your identity.”
“I get it. That makes sense!”
“So Latasha, the more you get to know Jesus Christ, the better you know yourself. You learn your identity through the only One who can give you identity!”
“Yeah! I’m with you. If I want to know myself better, I need to spend more time with Jesus.”
“You got it.”
“And the closer I grow to Him, the more whole I’ll become.”
“Exactly. Now I’ve got the munchies. How about a burger and fries?”
“No thanks, Pastor Steve. I’ve got an idea for some athletic shoes I wanna sketch out.”
“Ha! Get real.”
“And then I’m gonna start a prayer journal.”
“Now you’re talking!”
Know It!
Instead of searching for your identity in temporary things such as relationships, activities or talent, base it on a firm foundation in Christ. He is an unshakeable Kingdom and can’t be defeated or swayed. He is eternal.
Read It!
Psalm 139; Hebrews 12:28.
Pray It!
Tell God that you want to know Him better and better. Ask Him to help you discipline yourself more to Him each day.
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Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 1:38 pm
Identification Station VI
The bottom line on finding your identity? Get to know the source of your identity, Jesus Christ. Here are some practical tips on discovering who you are.
1. Determine to be real. Pretending to be something you’re not will only harm your search for identity. In the classic children’s book The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, a toy rabbit longs to become real. Let’s eavesdrop on his conversation with another toy in the nursery:
“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”
“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real. It doesn’t happen all at once. You become. It takes a long time. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
2. Understand the risks. Being real means being vulnerable. And being vulnerable means being honest. Jesus was extremely real. He never pretended to be something He wasn’t. When He felt anger, He showed it and explained the source. When He was moved by pity, He expressed it and taught His disciples to do the same.
But with being real, comes the risk of being rejected. Jesus was willing to take that risk, and He wants to empower you to take the same risks He did.
3. Don’t argue with your Creator. Ask God to give you contentment in who you are. Instead of questioning why you’re not good at this or don’t look like so-and-so, simply trust your heavenly Father in knowing that His plan is absolutely perfect! As Brian and Haley Sakultarawattn found the strength to accept without understanding, God desires the same of you!
Know It!
You may not understand God’s reasoning for making you tall, shy, stocky or impulsive, but His plan is perfect! The mature disciple will accept God’s ways, even though he doesn’t fully understand them.
Read It!
Isaiah 45:9-12; Psalm 40:8-10, 16-17.
Pray It!
Admit to God that you have questioned His ways. Ask Him to help you become content with the way things are and for strength to accept His ways without understanding.
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 3:04 pm
Can I Really Make a Difference?
But I’m just one person, you may be thinking. Can anything I do really matter to the world around me?
One person really can make a difference! In fact, if you’ll take a look at history, you’ll see that “ones” have been making a huge difference! For instance, did you know:
• Just one vote caused King Charles I of England to be beheaded in 1649.
• One vote made Adolph Hitler head of the Nazi Party in 1923.
• Just one vote determined that Americans would speak English rather than German in 1776.
• In 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union.
• In 1868, one vote saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment.
• One vote elected Thomas Jefferson president in 1800.
• Just one man, Noah, heard and obeyed God’s voice. The ark he built saved the entire animal kingdom and procreated humankind.
• She was just one woman—and single, too!— but Phoebe volunteered to deliver Paul’s letter to the Romans. And how that book has influenced millions of Christians through the ages!
• Just one man—the Son of God, the greatest gift of all—offers eternal life to you and your friends. And Jesus Christ makes the biggest difference ever!
Are you ready to make a difference? It all happens through your commitment. Let’s take a look at the secrets. To be fully committed to making a difference, I must . . .
(Secret #1): Commit my life fully to Jesus Christ. Your purpose on earth is to be fully committed to your Creator. He made you with the capacity to know Him. And through His Holy Word, the Bible, He has made this very easy to understand. No one can use the excuse, “I just don’t get it. It’s too difficult to comprehend.” He made it simple. God wants to be the director of your life, because He has an incredible plan for your life.
(Secret #2): Commit to being a member of God’s family. A Christian without a spiritual family is a spiritual orphan. God doesn’t expect you to make it on your own. He places other believers in your path to encourage you, help solidify your faith and affirm your relationship with Him. Are you plugged into a church? A youth group? Are you a part of a Bible study? Being an integral part of God’s family will provide the support you need to make a genuine difference in the world. Being inside God’s family is what will get you through the tough times.
Know It!
There are Christians all over the world! So don’t settle for being a spiritual orphan. Determine to make yourself accountable to other believers, and bask in their fellowship.
Read It!
Romans 10:9; Romans 12:10; 1 Peter 1:3.
Pray It!
Tell God you don’t want to settle for being a spiritual orphan. Commit yourself to Him and His family. Ask Him to remind you of this commitment when you’re going through tough times and start to back away from Christians who care about you.
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 1:38 pm
Continuing With Commitment
To be fully committed to making a difference, I must . . .
(Secret #1): Commit my life fully to Jesus Christ.
(Secret #2): Commit to being a member of God’s family.
(Secret #3): Commit to be a model of Christ likeness. Has anyone accused you of being like Christ? If not . . . why? Shouldn’t others notice the difference He’s making in your life? The apostle Paul tells us to be imitators of God. If we’re truly doing that, people will have to notice!
Determine that WWJD won’t simply be a fad for you, but you’ll live your life asking, “Really . . . what would Jesus do?” Think about it: What would He say? How would He act and react? When God shines through your life, people can’t help but see!
God wants you to grow up spiritually! Sound good , you may be thinking. But how? How do I actually become more spiritually mature?
It’s a decision and a lifelong process of conforming to Christ likeness. The secret to becoming more like Him is in the Bible. Commit to read the Word on a daily basis! If you’ve never read the Bible all the way through, decide to do it! (Flip back to for a quick recipe on how to do this.)
The more you get the Bible into your heart and mind, the more you’ll become like Jesus. As you read it and absorb it, you’ll begin to understand it. Think of the Bible as your friend—it feeds you!
We’re told in Proverbs to commit ourselves to instruction and knowledge. How are you responding to that? The answer, more than likely, is found in how you spend your time. Do you believe answers to life can be found in the Bible . . . or TV? It all comes down to priorities. How much time are you spending reading and absorbing God’s Word, and how much time do you spend watching TV? How can you be a model of Christ likeness if you don’t know what He looks like? His lifestyle, His profile and His character are all found inside the pages of the Bible . . . not TV or movies.
Know It!
God knows you need some down time, and many people relax by watching TV. But God also yearns to bring balance to your life. Ask Him to help you asses your time spent in leisurely activities and your time spent with Him.
Read It!
Proverbs 2; 23:12; Ephesians 5:1.
Pray It!
Tell God that you want to become more like Him and you’re willing to spend the daily time necessary to get to know Him on a deeper level.
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 1:00 pm
Checking Your Commitment
To be fully committed to making a difference, I must . . .
(Secret #1): Commit my life fully to Jesus Christ.
(Secret #2): Commit to being a member of God’s family.
(Secret #3): Commit to be a model of Christ likeness.
(Secret #4): Commit to be a messenger of His love. You’ve probably heard the saying, “You may be the only Bible they’ll ever read.”
Guess what—there’s a lot of truth in that! You don’t want non-believers watching your life and thinking, If that’s what being a Christian is, I don’t want it. Give them every reason in the world to want what you have—by the way you live your life!
(Secret #5): Commit to be a minister of His grace. How are you using the gifts God has given you? Do you know what ministry is? It’s using your gifts unselfishly to help others. If Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, came to serve, so must we. Our attitude must be like His. And as we serve those around us, we become ministers of His grace.
If you’ve made these five commitments, you’re fully devoted to Him. And He will use your commitment to make a genuine difference in the world around you. Imagine the positive and life-changing way those around you will be touched, when they see in you . . . a sold-out commitment to Jesus Christ, involvement in His family, Christ likeness, and God’s love and grace. That CAN’T HELP but make a difference in your world! But the best difference of all . . . is the growing difference in your own heart!
Know It!
Your response to this will be one of the following: (a) I need to become fully committed to Jesus Christ. (b) I’ve asked Jesus to forgive my sins, but I’ve settled for simply being an attendee to His family instead of a member of His family. (c) He is making a difference through my life and my total commitment to Him.
Read It!
2 Chronicles 16:9; Matthew 20:28; 2 Corinthians 5:19- 20.
Pray It!
Tell God that you don’t want to settle for simply hanging out at His family functions but you want to be a member of His actual family. Thank Him for helping you see the difference.
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Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 3:16 pm
Computer Conversations
Jamie opened the fridge for an after-school snack but didn’t see anything worth her time. She headed to the den and flipped on the family computer. Hope Ashley is on the computer, she thought. I need a good buddy chat right now.
Jamie always looked forward to chatting with her cousin and enjoyed her perspective on things as a college student.
She was soon logged on and began chatting with Ashley.
jamie17: Hey, Cuz! What’s happening?
20ash: Got that part-time job on campus I was hoping for. Now I’ll finally have some extra $$. What’s goin’ on with you?
Jamie17: Remember that guy in my science class I told you about?
20ash: Tim, right?
Jamie17: Yeah. What a jerk! He’s constantly picking on me. I’m so fed up with it, I can’t stand it!
20ash: Hey, Cuz! Maybe he likes you and just doesn’t know how to show it.
Jamie17: No, Ashley. This guy hates everyone! He’d just as soon spit on you as say hi to you.
20ash: Whoa! Have you invited him to youth group?
Jamie17: You’re kidding, right?
20ash: Nope.
Jamie17: You couldn’t pay me to invite this guy to church!
20ash: Whoa, Cuz! Even though he’s a jerk, he’s also someone Christ died for!
Jamie17: Well, someone else can invite him. I can’t stand the guy.
20ash: But, Jamie, think of it this way: If no one shares the gospel with Tim, he could end up in hell—forever separated from God.
Jamie17: Okay, I know this sounds terrible . . . but I’m just being honest. Ashley, Tim deserves hell.
20ash: So do you, Ash. So do I. We were all born with sin, remember?
Jamie17: You don’t understand, Ashley! If Tim hears the gospel, who knows? There’s a chance he may actually decide to give his life to Christ. I don’t want that to happen! I don’t want him in church . . . or even in heaven.
20ash: Okay, now I’m being honest, Jamie! You’re dealing with a major attitude problem. In fact, let’s call it for what it really is: Sin!
Jamie17: But I’m just being honest, Ashley. I don’t want to pray for him, I don’t want to see him get saved, and I don’t want anyone reaching out to him.
20ash: Girl, we got to do some heavy prayin’. But before we do, I want you to read the story of Jonah.
Jamie17: What’s that got to do with anything?
20ash: Believe it or not, Jamie, you’re Jonah!
Know It!
Jesus wants everyone in the entire world to be saved! The Bible tells us the reason He’s delaying His return to earth is simply so more people will hear the gospel and have the opportunity to come to Him.
Read It!
Isaiah 48:1-11; Joel 2:12; 1 Corinthians 9:16.
Pray It!
Ask God to bring the people to your mind with whom you have attitude problems with. Seek His forgiveness.
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 12:46 pm
A Whale of a Tale
Let’s take the next few days and put the story of Jonah under a microscope. It’s a story about a rebellious prophet, a wicked city and the God of the second chance. If we were to set Jonah’s experience on stage, we’d script it in two acts:
ACT I
Setting: The Great Sea—Mediterranean
Plot: Jonah forsaking his mission.
ACT II
Setting: The Great City—Nineveh
Plot: Jonah fulfilling his mission.
CAST Star: God
Supporting Actor: Jonah
Cameo Appearance: The Great Fish
Many people find the book of Jonah hard to believe. So some critics have suggested different ways it should be interpreted: (1) Mythologically. It’s a fascinating story, but it’s not supposed to be taken literally. Like Moby d**k or
Robinson Crusoe, it’s interesting, but it’s fiction. (2) Allegorically. Jonah represents the Jews. The Great Sea represents the nations of the world. The whale symbolizes the Babylonians who held the Jews captive for 70 years. The entire story is simply an allegory filled with symbolism.
Actually, if you believe the Holy Word of God is absolute truth (and I wholeheartedly believe it is!), then the story of Jonah should be interpreted (3) historically. It’s not a myth. It’s not an allegory. It’s an actual event in history. It truly happened.
How can we know? Two reasons:
1. Because Jonah is referred to in the Old Testament (2 Kings 14:25). He’s referred to as an actual person, he’s named as a prophet, and his hometown is identified— making him an actual, literal, historical person.
2. Because Jonah is referred to in the New Testament by Jesus Himself. In Matthew 12 and 16, also in Luke 11, Christ validates and verifies this Old Testament account.
As we begin this short book of Jonah, we quickly learn that God has called this prophet to share the gospel with the city of Nineveh . . . and Jonah refuses. Let’s pretend we’re able to travel back in time and visit the city of Nineveh to gain a better understanding of this story.
As we enter inside the city gates, we’re soon tempted to flip on the Camcorder, because this great city is truly magnificent to behold! As our tour bus guides us through the streets, we notice there are 1,200 towers filling the city limits. Any one of these 200-foot buildings would make a great postcard! The foundation of each tower is made of polished stone and wide enough for three chariots to drive on top of it side by side. What a vacation spot!
Our tour continues and we’re captivated by hanging gardens that fill the city with rich plants. There are designated areas for rare and exotic animals. We’re guided through the temples, libraries, arsenals and palaces, and we continue to snap photos and secure footage on our video cameras. Then our tour guide makes an announcement through the bus microphone that we’re not comfortable with. “All this incredible beauty was built from the labor of foreign slaves.”
There are knots in our stomachs. We learn that the Ninevites—the Assyrians—are a cruel and sadistic people. We’d like to stop the tour and head back to our hotel, but the bus continues. We drive past furniture made of human skin. We see pyramids constructed of human skulls. It’s tough to swallow as we learn the Assyrians have perfected the word “torture.”
Flash back to the present now. Is it a li ttle easier to understand why Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh? He was scared! But before you begin to develop a big soft spot for this reluctant prophet, take a deeper look at what frightened him. It wasn’t the cruelty of the Ninevites he feared!
Know It!
God loves every single person in the entire world. He hates sin, but He loves the sinner. He’ll go to great lengths to bring a sinner to Him.
Read It!
Jonah 1.
Pray It!
Tell God you want to go anywhere and do anything at any time He asks you.
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Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 11:22 am
Something Fishy
Throughout world history, the Assyrians have been known as some of the cruelest, most sadistic people who ever lived. And though Jonah was scared to go to Nineveh (where the Assyrians lived), he wasn’t afraid of their cruelty. He was afraid of the mercy of God!
You see, Jonah knew God would be quick to forgive and offer mercy to the citizens of Nineveh. That was the last thing Jonah wanted to see! He didn’t want them blessed; he wanted them blasted! Yes, he definitely needed an attitude check.
But before we quick to judge Jonah as being a heartless prophet, let’s search our own hearts. Do you ever find it tough to forgive someone who’s been mean to you? Are you willing to go out of your way for someone who’s been a jerk to you or your friends? It can be hard, can’t it?
As we read the first chapter of Jonah, we see find that he went the exact opposite direction from Nineveh. He caught a ship and headed toward Tarshish. Guess what—when you’re running from God, Satan will always have a “ship” ready to take you the opposite direction. In other words, the devil will always tempt you with a means of escape.
The Bible tells us that Jonah went down to Joppa. That was the first step of a downward spiral the prophet would take to get away from God’s mission. Jonah boarded the ship, went to a downstairs cabin and fell asleep. This particular ship was filled with sailors, and they were terrified when an horrendous storm began to threaten their safety.
They began tossing things overboard in order to lighten the weight on the ship, and someone remembered Jonah who was asleep in the bowels of the boat. Don’t think for a second that he was sleeping because he was at peace. He was sleeping out of rebellion and escape.
Maybe you’ve been there. Have you ever felt so down, so confused, so angry, that you simply went to bed and pulled the covers over your head? It’s a means of escape, isn’t it? It enables us to forget—for the time being—the heaviness that weighs on our heart.
The sailors finally woke Jonah, and he came clean with them. He admitted that he was the reason for the storm. He even told them that if they’d toss him overboard, their lives would be spared. So they did. And just as Jonah had predicted, they safely sailed on to their destination.
Know It!
There’s no place we can go to hide from God. Unless we’re running from Him, we can take great comfort in the fact that He always knows where we are!
Read It!
Jonah 1, 2.
Pray It!
Seek God’s forgiveness for the times you’ve tried to escape His leading. Ask Him to help you be more sensitive to His guidance in your life.
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Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 12:38 pm
Hard To Swallow?
Today we get to the part of Jonah’s story you’ve probably heard about—the part where he’s swallowed by a huge fish!
The sailors tossed Jonah overboard, and may have thought he’d seen his last days, but God wasn’t finished with him. God caused a giant fish to approach Jonah and actually swallow the prophet alive.
Now this is where many people grow skeptic. “It’s a fairy tale!” they chide. “How are we supposed to believe a fish swallowed a man, and he lived through it?”
If people would simply do some historical research, they wouldn’t struggle with the idea of Jonah being in the belly of a great fish or a whale. Check out the following account by M. DeParvelle, French scientist and editor of the Journal Des Debats:
In February 1891, the whaling ship, Star of the East, was in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands when the lookout sighted a large sperm whale three miles away. Two boats were lowered and in short time, one of the harpooners was able to spear the creature. The second boat also attacked the whale, but was upset by a lash of its tail, causing the crew to fall into the sea. One of them drowned. But the other, James Bartley, simply disappeared without a trace.
After the whale was killed, the crew set to work with axes and spades to remove the blubber. They worked all day and into the night. The next day, they attached tackle to the stomach in order to hoist it to the deck. In doing so, the sailors were startled by something in the stomach which gave spasmodic signs of life. Inside was found the missing sailor, doubled up and unconscious. He was laid on the deck and treated to a bath of sea water which soon revived him.
At the end of the third week, he had entirely recovered from the shock and resumed his duties on the ship. Although his face, neck and hands were bleached to a deadly whiteness and he took on the appearance of parchment, Bartley affirms that he probably would have lived inside his house of flesh until he starved, for he lost his senses through fright and not through lack of air.
That’s only one of several records where non-Christian historians and scientists have recorded incidents of men surviving in whales. Again, Jonah’s story is not a fairy tale! It’s an historical event that actually happened!
Know It!
God has no problem at all making the seemingly impossible become reality. If He created a world out of nothing, a man from dust, and raised the dead to life, He could certainly enable a man to survive in the belly of a fish for three days!
Read It!
Jonah 1, 2, 3.
Pray It!
Ask God to deepen your faith and to erase the doubts of all He wants you to believe.
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Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 1:18 pm
Gone Fishing
Okay, so Jonah’s vacation dwellings aren’t the most desirable in the world! Can you even imagine? Ugh! He was definitely in a tight spot! And tight spots are interesting, because they either make us bitter or better. Think of it this way: The same boiling water that hardens an egg, softens a potato. We always have an attitude choice!
The second chapter of Jonah begins with the fact that Jonah began praying. But it wasn’t when he was swallowed. He waited until he truly felt he had no other choice. Jonah waited for three days and three nights before he finally turned to God.
He must have been totally miserable! What can one do inside the belly of a whale? Untangle the intestines? Sort through the menagerie of other things the whale has swallowed?
With seaweed wrapped around his head and fish slapping him in the face, Jonah sweated through a stifling 98.6 degree temperature inside the belly of that great fish. And three days later, when he could absolutely not stand it any longer, he began to pray.
Can you identify with that? Is it easy for you to wait until your back is against the wall before you turn to God? Do you sometimes try all your other options, working hard to fix the problem, and finally—when nothing else has worked—you turn to your heavenly Father?
God heard his prayer. The fish suddenly felt the urge to regurge, and Jonah was vomited on the beach. He may have felt that he was going nowhere for the past three days and nights, but the whale was always moving. And he moved right to the beach where God wanted Jonah all along.
Now we get to the part of the story where we see God as a God of second chances. He didn’t give up on Jonah. He had an incredible plan for an amazing revival in Nineveh, and He wanted to use Jonah to usher it in. So God gave him a second chance.
Jonah obeyed this time, but he still had a rotten attitude. Even though he shared the gospel with the Assyrians and told them to repent in three days or God would destroy them, he secretly wanted to see them destroyed.
Know It!
God can work through anyone and anything to accomplish His purposes. He can use Christians, non- Christians, the weather and even mammals. God’s plans will survive and thrive!
Read It!
Jonah 1, 2, 3, 4.
Pray It!
Tell God you don’t want a reputation of having a lousy attitude. Ask Him to help you be sensitive to the leading of His Spirit in your life.
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