Jonah 2

We talk a lot about giving up your life for God, in the Christian faith.  I think chapter 2 is the point where Jonah willingly gives up his life.  He crossed his breaking point, and now sees that God is so much larger and greater than himself.  He is now ready to serve God in whatever facet he needs.

Funny thing is......I make the same choice, and then in about 3 days, I'm back to running my life by my own desires again.  It takes something to shake my boots again, and I rededicate........its crazy.

I think rather than beating myself up over it.  Its important to know it, own it, and understand that Satan is doing everything he can to cloud my vision and end my dedication to God.  I have to daily recommitt.

Today........"as for me and my house, I will serve the Lord God Almighty"
Tomorrow?  I will re-dedicate......again!

see that, I remembered a verse that we read.  Its working.

tp

Jonah 1

I read thru the first book of Jonah this morning.  Its a quick read.  Really quick.  But, the movie in my head is pretty extensive here.  My movie is a mix between a dramatic water scene, not unlike the Clash of the Titans, and Veggie tales. (I've seen the Jonah story with Larry the Cucumber)
There's a lot in this first chapter. 
1.  God sent Jonah to Nineveh.  This idea just keeps pounding me.  God sends us.  He works thru us to create his will and sometimes miracles.  Every night before bed, the boys pray for the poor, and the less fortunate.  I've had stronger and stronger feeling that I need to help them understand that WE are the hands and feet and if those people are going to be taken care of, its because of our actions.

2.  Its crazy to think that you can run from God.  If you believe he is the Creator, and God of everything.....then to think you could run seems really short-sighted.   Jonah is a little loopey.....because.

3.  When pushed to the edge, Jonah admits its him that is causing the problem, and volunteers to be thrown overboard.  Is this really worse than going to Nineveh in the first place?  Maybe thats short sighted on my part.  But, if you're willing to be thrown inot the sea, where you are SURE to die.....why wouldn't you be willing to go to Nineveh, where there a multiple possible outcomes.  Only some of the outcomes are bad (like being slapped with fish.  Veggie tales reference)
Its seems silly to think this way.  But, at the same time, we have all run from the things we know God is asking us to do........I've done it.

tp

Obadiah 1

18 Jacob will be a fire and Joseph a flame;Esau will be stubble, and they will set him on fire and destroy him. There will be no survivors from Esau.”The Lord has spoken.

We were talking at our small group about all of the history woven through the bible and how we would love to investigate and understand all of the interconnections and how prophesies have or have not yet played out.  Today I found some explanations on the timing of this prophesies fulfillment, I find it all so interesting.  If more people understood the accuracy of Gods word I would think they would find it difficult to deny him.  This is probably another reason for us to be so into the word that we can easily and confidently share truth from the scripture.   but boy does it take time, I have 30min wrapped up today in looking into one verse.  it makes it feel like a mountain of knowledge to climb because there is just so much to learn.  

here is an execerpt from the sight I was on Have a great weekend!--
http://www.gotquestions.org/prophecies-against-Edom.html

If the later date is correct, the prophecy of Obadiah regarding Edom’s doom is more dramatic. Babylon completed its invasion of Jerusalem under King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. In the fifth century B.C., a people called the Nabateans defeated the Edomites and forced them from the city of Petra. The interval between prediction and fulfillment would, therefore, have been very short.

Regardless of the exact date, the predictions against Edom have already been fulfilled. Edom was removed from its land in the fifth century B.C., and there are no survivors of Edom today. This fulfilled the prediction inObadiah 1:18: “They shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau.” Some first-century leaders, such as Herod the Great, still traced their ancestry to Edom, but all mention of Edomites fades after the Jewish Wars of that era. At the end of the 4th century, Jerome referenced the land of Idumea (Edom), but the people of the region had long since disappeared.

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/prophecies-against-Edom.html#ixzz3EPxFtMT0


18 

Amos 9

I don't have a lot to add today.
The first part is a little scary.  I think anytime the Ultimate being says he is going to bring down destruction to this level......YIKES!
But, as is the history with God and his chosen people.  He ends the chapter with some words of resotration.  It seems that we (people) only catch glimpses of living right in God's eyes, and then we quickly fall back into our same old selfish habits and lifestyle.  God's patience runs out.....but, he still loves us, and follows up the wrath with love.

He's pretty amazing.

tp

Amos 8

2 “What do you see, Amos?” he asked.

“A basket of ripe fruit,” I answered.

Then the Lord said to me,  “The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.

I have to be honest, I struggle to get the message God wants me to hear from this chapter.  I do feel a theme related to the US society--we may be a basket of ripe fruit.  I wonder if people would feel this way at any time in history, kind of the 'back in my day people worked hard...blah blah blah' or is there something truly ripe in the US.  It feels like the latter, at least in some point in our history it was okay to include God in our culture now he seems more than just missing but actually actively blocked out by many.

knut

Amos 7

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel,because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”


Amziah is a bit like a lot of media and people in our US culture.  He tells Amos stop telling us about God, we don't like your message just get out of here.

It seems leaders and general media here in the US are a bit like Amziah too.  Preaching tolerance to all sorts of behavior, except if the behavior includes praying or sharing God's word--then its shut up or you don't have the right to push that on people.

Shutting out God and worshiping other gods is a sure way to destruction for any country and we seem to be on that path.

Knut

Amos 6

6:1 Woe to you who are complacent in Zion,
    and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria...

I don't have much today but thought the NIV spoke to me a little more.  I think living in a suburb of Des Moines here in the US give plenty of opportunity to feel secure and put my trust somewhere other than God.  He's says to be careful having that feeling or acting in that matter, it will lead to destruction.

knut

Amos 5

14 Seek good and not evil—    and live! You talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies,    being your best friend.  Well, live like it, and maybe it will happen.


Don't just talk the talk, walk the walk with Jesus is what I just heard.  Hopefully when I close the laptop this morning and head out to work I don't also close my heart and mind to Jesus.  Hopefully I have him with me at all times and live like, so he truly is my best friend.  If I'm honest with myself I have a long ways to go in making him my best friend not just in words but in the minutes and hours of my daily life.

I pray to grow closer with him.  I often say I don't hear or distinguish words of direction from Him, I'm not clear what thoughts are my own and what is direction from Him.  Unfortunately I think that is a testament to the fact that I have a ways to go...if I'm truly best friends with him I think conversation should come easy.


praying to 'live like it' today and everyday
knut

Amos 4

6...But you never got hungry for me. You continued to ignore me.”
8...But you never got thirsty for me.    You ignored me.”
9...  but you continued to ignore me.”
10...But you didn't notice me.    You continued to ignore me.”
11...But you never looked my way.    You continued to ignore me.”
12...Time’s up, O Israel--Chris/Todd!    Prepare to meet your God!”

He gave Israel so many opportunities to recognize and realize God is right there all the time and wants their attention and love yet they continue on their self absorbed path to destruction.

Hopefully we can avoid this path and get hungry with time with God, thirst for knowledge of his word, spend time with him in prayer---my biggest weakness.  I want to be ready when he says Time's up to this world.  

I want to refocus my time with Him starting with our bible study time and continuing into developing truly relational prayer time with him.  I need make more time.  Just like finances giving my first fruits I feel like my time with him should be from my best not from when I just have a few moments or needs at the end of the day.

how to do this is the question?
knut

Amos 3

3 Listen to this, Israel. God is calling you to account—and I mean all of you, everyone connected with the family that he delivered out of Egypt. Listen!

I think he is talking to us, not just people alive back in the day of his writings.  I have been doing some research this morning, trying to understand geography, timelines significance of the earthquake Amos predicted in chapter one etc.  I find there is so much detail it is overwhelming.  I enjoy trying to connect the dots of prophecies and history but also feel like I have a tenth of a thimble of knowledge in what amounts to an ocean of information.

No real take today, below is a link to one of the articles I found interesting.

http://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p130201.PDF

have a great weekend!

knut

Amos 2

^9-11 “In contrast, I was always on your side.

This line caught my attention today.  Prior to this line, its all been destruction and punishment.
This reminded me that no matter how much I mess up.....and maybe even how angry God gets with me due to my actions......he is still rooting for me.  He is full of grace, and will never give up on me.

tp

Amos 1

6 This is what the Lord says:

“For three sins of Gaza,
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because she took captive whole communities
    and sold them to Edom,

So he repeats this little section 5 times with slightly different yet similar conclusions, there must be something to learn.  I couldn't help thinking about the US and wondering if we too  have committed 3...4, yes many sins and will that result in punishment by God for our behavior?

Its almost like he is tolerant to a point then says ok, you are off the rails far enough time to pay the price for your sins and lack of obedience.

Gina often says she feels like the US has really become God less and she fears for what that might mean.  Maybe she has some bible basis for this concern.

knut

Joel 3

I read this mronings chapter in a couple of versions.  Some of the prophetic stuff is tough for me to grasp.  I picked this verse out.....cause its similar to what you commented on yesterday, and it jogged a feeling that I have.

^15-17 “The sky turns black,
sun and moon go dark, stars burn out.
God roars from Zion, shouts from Jerusalem.
Earth and sky quake in terror.

We humans tend to draw a very distinct line between God.....and science.  People either believe in evolution or creation.  There's no mixing of the two.  Any miracle can be explained with a scientific event.  I saw a program on the history channel that was explaining the 10 plagues of Egypt.  "You see the frogs were picked up out of this lake that lies directly to the west of Egypt, in a great storm....and they logically dropped 1000 miles away.  Its not a miracle, just a strange weather occurance," they said.  I tend to think the answer is that they are all pointing to the same thing.  God can use science to make things happen.  After all, he's the one that created the science, and the weather, and the frogs.......ahhahaha   When we finally die, and all the answers become clear.....I think we might be surprised at how similar these 2 viewpoints are.  I could see this particular verse as being a celestial event that science would explain as normal space/time events....when in reality it's a God event.

I know, I'm off in left field this morning.

tp out

Joel 2

¹² “Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

 This is the verse that caught my attention this morning.  It was a nice change from the cloud of doom that chpt 1 and the first part of chpt 2 spoke of.  It shows the repentance that God wants us to have.  The chapter talks about this redirecting in terms of a singular event.  But, to me its a daily surrender.  I have to keep focussing on the leaving my own wishes behind.  The hard thing, is that this surrender doesn't guarantee the blessings that the second half of chpt 2 speaks of.....but, it can't hurt.

Have a good weekend

Joel 1

I read Joel 1 this morning................and nothing.
It seems really negative and a complete downer.

Not sure what to write on that one.

thoughts?

Hosea 14

Well not trying to take the easy way out but I really like how Tom is able to spot connections throughout the bible.  I am getting better in part due to our slow and steady plodding here on our blog, but I sure would like to accelerate my learning to get to where Tom and many others are with the depth of knowledge they possess.
Knut

Chapter-a-Day Hosea 13

Posted on September 11, 2012by Tom Vander Well

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;
    I will redeem them from death.
Where, O death, are your plagues?
    Where, O grave, is your destruction?”
Hosea 13:14 (NIV)

One of the cool things about God’s Message is that no matter how many times you wander through it and no matter how well you think you know it, you always stumble upon something new.

I read this verse of prophetic judgment from Hosea this morning, and it struck me that it was reminiscent of a verse from Paul’s letter to those following Jesus in the city of Corinth. So, I did a little exploration. Sure enough, in the Greek translation of the original Hebrew  version of Hosea (which Paul would have studied and read) this verse would have read:

O death, where is your punishment?
O grave, where is your sting?

So, I flipped over to Paul’s letter and read:

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul actually quoted two prophetic texts. The first line was from the prophet Isaiah, and the second two lines was our verse from today’s chapter. What I found really inspiring this morning is that the words from the prophet Hosea were harbingers of doom. There was no hope in them in the context of Hosea’s message. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, they become words of hope and assurance to those who follow. This very verse is a word picture of God’s story. The assurance of doom and death is transformed into the assurance of hope and life.

God so loved you and me that He sent His only Son Jesus, so that those who believe will not experience the doom in the words of Hosea’s prophecy, but the life, hope and assurance that – with the same words – Paul describes in his letter to the Corinthians.

Hosea 11-12

I didn't have any comments for 11 so moved on to ch12 and was feeling blank again.  But I liked what Tom wrote for Ch. 12, he has a way of finding nuggets--
Knut

Chapter-a-Day Hosea 12

Posted on September 10, 2012by Tom Vander Well

source: vad levin via Flickr

So now, come back to your God.
    Act with love and justice,
    and always depend on him.
Hosea 12:6 (NLT)

I’m not a very religious person. You might find that a silly statement since I’m all about this God talk with my blog posts and all. But, when it comes to all the traditional religious trappings and traditions of the organized local church, I’m not a mindless lemming. In fact, with all of my experience with different churches through the years I tend to approach the organized church with a suspicious eye and a sarcastic spirit. Call it a love-hate relationship. When it comes to the local church, I tend to find myself more comfortably relating to the non-believers and prodigal children of the community.

That being said, I have a heart for and struggle beside those who’ve never believed or those who’ve walked away from God because of the failings of the church. These folks tend to confuse a sincere and personal relationship with the Creator with card carrying membership in the local union organization of God followers (read: church). It’s an easy mistake to make. You’d assume that the organization who claims to represent the Almighty would provide the best representation, but I’ve found that not to be the case. Not only that, but it seems to be a bit of a universal theme in history. Those who enmesh themselves with the organization tend to gravitate towards keeping up appearances and worshipping the trappings and traditions instead of focusing on what Hosea encouraged in today’s chapter: “Act with love and justice, and always depend on [God].”

For those individuals souls who, as it relates to God, feel like they are languishing in the spiritual wilderness in anger, fear, alienation, disappointment, or misguided belief that God could never forgive what you’ve done – today’s call from Hosea is an honest one. God says it over and over and over again throughout His Message: come back. Don’t come back to religiosity, legalistic traditions and empty rituals, but come back to a relationship with God who loves you so much that He sacrificed His own Son that you might experience life, love, and forgiveness. Don’t come back to lock-step church membership, but do come back to God’s prescribed path of living out love and justice on day at a time.

Don’t be confused. There is a difference.