Tag: calling

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, LGG Study, Our God Who Pursues, Quiet Time

Nineveh~vs~Tarshish

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Read: Jonah 1:1-3 (SOAP: 1:3)

The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

3 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 1:1-3
God’s Plan ~vs~ Jonah’s Plan

My journal entry today consisted of two columns on either side of the page, which contained the passage for today’s journey. One column included God’s plan, the other Jonah’s. When I finished the plans mapped out from the Scripture, I connected them with the words: Nineveh-vs-Tarshish. However, I could have easily written God’s plan vs Jonah’s or God’s plan vs man’s … or, for that matter, God’s plans vs mine. Regardless of the tagline we give today’s study, it is a clear reminder that we have a choice to make –> follow ‘our’ will/plan or align ‘our’ will/plan with God’s and faithfully follow where He leads/sends.

God’s Plan

  • God sent a very specific message to Jonah
  • The message included:
    • a time frame: immediately
    • a location/people
    • a cause/purpose
      • God noticed their wickedness
      • to announce judgment

Jonah 1:1-2

Jonah’s Plan

  • Jonah’s plan was to escape God’s commission of Him for Nineveh
    • he immediately headed to Tarshish
    • by way of Joppa and a merchant ship
    • he paid to get far away from the LORD

Jonah 1:3

God’s Call of His People

Throughout the Bible, we read of God calling His people to places or tasks or simply to trust Him. God called… Noah to build an ark1, Abraham to leave all he knew and father a great nation2, Moses to lead His people out of bondage3, Joshua to bring down the walls of Jericho4, and He called Hosea to “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her.5..”. The list of what God has called/led/sent His people to do goes on and on, but the greatest example of difficult and seemingly impossible callings/plans is the one God gave Jesus, His only begotten son, who was sent6 to save His people from their sins. God didn’t send Him in a hero’s cape or kingly crown, but as a baby born of a virgin. God sent Jesus to take on flesh, experience threats, troubles, and temptations of this world, teach, preach, heal and die on a cross for the sins of the world and rise again the third day – crushing the enemy! It was just as God had announced in the Garden (Genesis 3:15)7.

And I will cause hostility between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”

Genesis 3:15
The Importance of God’s Callings

It isn’t my point to contrast or compare these callings, but to help us remember the many callings of God throughout the Scriptures and see their importance. Jonah’s story is one of these and is equally a great example of the lengths to which He will go to pursue His people, reach them with the message of repentance, and save them from their sins.

More than a Whale

On our journey this week, we will follow Jonah from Tarshish to Nineveh. We will see that Jonah’s story is more than that of a whale. It is the saga of disobedience and revival. It is a beautiful picture of how our personal revival isn’t just about or for us but rather how God will be glorified and use our obedience to revive others from death to life.

Disobedience and revival are the key themes in this book. Jonah’s experience in the belly of the whale provides him with a unique opportunity to seek a unique deliverance, as he repents during this equally unique retreat. His initial disobedience leads not only to his personal revival, but to that of the Ninevites as well. Many classify the revival which Jonah brings to Nineveh as one of the greatest evangelistic efforts of all time.

gotquestions.org
What is God Calling You to Do?

Friends, God still calls His people to serve Him and share Him today. Do you know what He wants you to do? Are you doing it? Whether it is to serve as a greeter, a nursery worker, a teacher, preacher, musician/singer, encourager, accountant, or doctor… He has called all of His children8 to love Him, love others as Jesus loved us, and go and make disciples9.

Want to know why we should pay attention to God’s calling on our lives? Visit the links below and dig deeper into the purpose and importance of God’s commissioning of His people.

Prayer

Father God, Thank You for the story of Jonah and for the reminder that we are to be prepared with a faithful yes – regardless of what You call us to do or where You commission us to go. Help us to not run away from You but towards You, knowing that You will lead us, help us, and strengthen us for the tasks and trusting that You will be glorified in our obedience. As we continue throughout the week, may all those whose eyes fall upon this page be led to a personal revival and used to revive those around them with the truth of Your Word, love, and promises. – In Jesus’ Name ~ Amen!

The More We Know

For more insight into today’s journey, read Love God Greatly’s blog post

Posted in Bible study, From Broken to Restored, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Let’s Rebuild

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based on the Love God Greatly study, From Broken to Restored / w1d4

Scripture: Nehemiah 2:9-20 / SOAP verse 18

Then I related to them how the good hand of my God was on me and what the king had said to me. Then they replied, “Let’s begin rebuilding right away!” So they readied themselves for this good project.

Nehemiah 2:18

Remember in our last reading the King of Persia gave Nehemiah the go ahead on traveling to Jerusalem to rebuild the city.

So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.”

Then I was terrified, 3 but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

4 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?”

With a prayer to the God of heaven, 5 I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”

6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.

Nehemiah 2:2-6

In today’s passage (2:9-20) Nehemiah has arrived and inspected the walls, after which he made it known to the officials, the Jews, the priests, the nobles, and the workers what he had been doing. He urged them to join him in rebuilding the walls so that Jerusalem would no longer bear such disgrace and criticism. Nehemiah told them how God’s hand was on him and about the King’s approval for his mission. His encouragement to rebuild was meant with great and eager enthusiasm of the people. However, the enemies of the Jews were not quite as receptive. The beauty and example for us is that Nehemiah paid no attention to them but sought and followed God faithfully.

Nehemiah sought God and followed through with purpose and a plan to do it right – rather than bowing to the demands of man.

Consider This Application

We have all been given a calling. The work of the gospel is before us. As followers of Christ, we are to take the gospel to the world and make disciples of all nations. We are working with God to rebuild the brokenness that is in the world because of sin. When we bring the gospel into dark places, when we share the truth of who Jesus is with others, we are engaging in this good project. The planning and preparation have already been done, and, like Nehemiah rallied the people, Jesus calls us to join Him in this important work. may we be faithful to ready ourselves and engage in this good work!

Love God Greatly Devotion / From Broken to Restored / w1d4
Prayerful Response to God’s Word

Father, again I pray that You will help strengthen us to be fully engaged in mind, heart, and action. May we be dedicated to the calling to “take the gospel”, to be Your instruments of peace and light in the dark places of this world, to share the truth of who Jesus is with others, and work with You to “rebuild the brokenness that is in the world because of sin.” Jesus has called us to join Him, may we “faithfully prepare to engage in this good work!” – Amen and Amen!!

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study
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Rabbi, Son of God, King of Israel … Who Do You Say He Is?

Let’s read John 1:43-51 and SOAP John 1:49

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!”

John 1:49

I found it difficult to read this passage and not get caught up in all of the details. I underlined and circled and colored in words. Words and phrases that gave insight into Jesus’ interest in those around Him and His willingness and purposefulness in seeking them out. I love seeing the way He interacted and communicated with these men – men that would ultimately become His companions and friends. I love the way He saw them before they saw Him and how He revealed Himself and even dealt with the ‘doubter” subtly. I watched with interest as the men began to share Him with others- to approach Him and respond to Him. Jesus was connecting with them – setting the stage – perhaps cultivating the soil of their hearts and minds

Then there’s our focus verse where Nathanael moves from his platform of questioning – “what good could come from Nazareth?” (46) – to declaring Jesus, from Nazareth, to be not just a Rabbi (teacher) but the Son of God, and even The King of Israel, (49). What moved Nathanael from snarky doubter to firm believer? I believe it was because Jesus met him where he was. He saw him under the fig tree before Philip found him and by the words Jesus spoke in verse 47, He apparently heard his snarky, if not rude and judgmental comment about those from Nazareth – and yet He did not turn away from him but engaged with him. Actually, it is believed by some that the comment of verse 47 was meant to be a gentle response to Nathanael’s words in 46, a reminder to him of the wrongness of judging someone by their heritage. Which, by Nathanael’s reply, “How do you know about me?”, did not go unnoticed but rather seems to have moved Nathanael’s heart to believe. (Visit https://www.bibleref.com/John/1/John-1-47.html for more)

““How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.””‭‭

John‬ ‭1:48‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So, who do you say Jesus is? Is he simply a teacher? Do you know Him as the Son of God who came to save the world? Do you recognize Him as the King of the Jews? Or, like Nathanael, do you proclaim Jesus is all of these things and more?