Bible Posts

The High Price for Delayed Obedience

02 Nov , 2009 No Comments
Jonah

Jonah is yacked up on the beach!

The story of Jonah reminds us that we do not set the agenda for God’s call our own lives.  You and I must get to the point where we answer God’s call on our lives with no strings attached.   Jonah shows us that delayed obedience can come with a huge price tag.  He said “no” to God then was caught in a storm, brought to a suicidal state, thrown into the sea, swallowed whole by a giant fish, and vomited up on the beach.  Just ask Jonah: When God speaks we need to respond immediately.

What are you currently going through that could be the result of delayed obedience?  Let Jonah remind us that God’s plans supersede our own plans and desires. When we chose not to obey, it doesn’t mean that God will not accomplish His purposes.  It does mean, however, that we don’t experience the joy of being used by Him.  In the end, (even though God used Jonah) it was Jonah who missed out.  There is a high price for delayed obedience!

Repenting for right-doing

30 Oct , 2009 1 Comment

One of the best known, engaging, and profound books in the Bible is the Book of Jonah. I’ve been living with Jonah for a couple of weeks and I’m stunned by the depth of this great story.  Most of us know of “Jonah and the whale” (great fish) but have you really considered the deep truths of the story.  Consider a few:

Lessons from the life of Jonah

1. I am called by God to bring His truth to the world- to be a witness for Him.  (1:1-2) Like Jonah, you and I have been called to be evangelists- we are all called to proclaim the great love and mercy of our great God.

2. I do not set the agenda for God’s call on my life. (1:3) You must answer God’s call on your life with no strings attached.

3. Delayed obedience can come with a huge price tag. (1:4-17) When God speaks we need to respond immediately.

4. The storms of my life will make you or break you. (2:1-10) It’s not whether or not you will go through a storm; it’s a matter of when. You’re either coming out of one, in one, or heading into one.  In the storm you will choose God’s salvation of not.

5. God’s plan for me supersedes my own plans and desires.  (3:1-10) As a Christ follower my only role is to trust and obey. Jonah wanted to decide for himself where to go and what to do.  He wanted to put discriminatory limits on God’s grace.  But unlike Jonah, God’s love is not bound my limits.

6. I may need to repent of my reasons for right-doing. (4:1-4) This is an amazing and troubling thing about this story: Disobedient Jonah was no better than obedient Jonah (in fact, he may have been worse).  He did what God wanted him to do but he loathed the people God sent him to and he loathed God throughout.  He is never positive about God, about the people, about his role… never!  He proclaimed the destruction of Nineveh and when it didn’t happen he is angry with God.  Imagine: he’s angry because God is so compassionate.  Jonah wanted God to prove that he was right.  He was using God to confirm that he was right, he wanted God to confirm his ministry, his existence- he wanted to use God for his own means.  Why do you do what you do?  What motivates you to do what you do as a Christian… really? Is it purely out of your love for God or do you have other motives?

Heart check: Am I truly grateful for all Christ has done for me? (4:5-11) At the heart of Jonah’s problem was his ingratitude.  Nothing satisfied him.  Ungrateful people are never positive people.  There is no such thing as a joyful, ungrateful person.  Jonah demanded mercy from God for himself but didn’t want the same for his enemies. Like us, while Jonah is consistently inconsistent, God is consistent throughout!  Don’t run.  Join God in what He’s up to in your life today!

Let Justice Roll

22 Oct , 2009 3 Comments

Our God is a God of justice. We often speak of His righteousness, but “righteousness” and “justice” are actually interchangeable words. Matthew 6:33 could be rendered, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added to you as well.” Obviously, justice is a big deal to God. At it’s core, doing justice means doing the right thing. In so many ways we have missed the mark. Listen to the His words in Amos (an entire book on justice):

“I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me? Do you know what I want? I want justice- oceans of it. I want fairness- rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.” Amos 5:21-24 (The Message)

Are you just doing church or do you practice justice? Do you simply offer commentary on the plight of the poor, the oppressed, the under-resourced, or are you actually doing something about it? If so, then you are a kingdom person; if not, read those words above again- and again- until you’re moved to action. Let justice roll in your life.

The Purpose of the Bible

14 Sep , 2009 No Comments

At FBC McKinney we’ve been walking through a life-changing series entitled, “God’s BIG Story”.  We’re exploring how to read, study, interpret, and apply the Bible.  My premise from the start has been to consider the reason God gave us the Bible in the first place.  Then, given that larger, Divine purpose, allow it to be the lens through which we understand and apply God’s Word.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Bible…

  • is God-breathed. (it’s inspired by God- the writers, prophets, teachers spoke God’s words)
  • shows us truth. (it shows us which way to go- it gives us the truth about God, us, and all of life)
  • exposes our rebellion. (it shows us when we get off track- reproofs, refutes error, convicts)
  • corrects our mistakes. (it shows us how to get back on track- sets straight, corrects)
  • trains us to live like Jesus. (it shows us how to stay on track- “trains, instructs, disciplines”

God’s Word does all of this; but to what end?  “…so that…” (“for this purpose”) that we might be able to live IN righteousness- in conformity to the life of Jesus.  So that we might be “fully equipped, completely outfitted, fully furnished, fully supplied” to walk as Jesus did.  Everything we need is in the Bible (minus one thing)- the Holy Spirit.  As you approach God’s Word you cannot do so without the inward working of the Spirit.

None of this happens magically or by osmosis- you must read it alone and study it with others!  And it’s critical to remember that we cannot be obedient to the Lord apart from the work of the Spirit.  So many of us already know more than we’re actually applying.  In the end, Jesus says, it’s not what you believe that counts, it’s what you believe enough to do!

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Luke 6:46

In the end, all of Scripture points us to one Person who said “follow me.”  Today, may you “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22) and “walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6).

God’s BIG Story

19 Aug , 2009 5 Comments

You must approach your Bible from the vantage point of the bigger story, which is, “salvation history”.  It is the redemptive story of God.  In the end, it is all about God.  He is above, behind, under, over, and beyond the Bible.  God stands independently of the Bible.  God and the Bible are not the same.  The Bible points us to God through Christ.  If it does not, it’s simply a religious book of rules and regulations.  And if you believe that the Bible is “inspired” by God (2 Timothy 3:16) then you must read as it comes from the heart of God.  Like any love letter, this one comes from a Person.

As we approach the Bible from the larger story we then read it and interpret it in light of this BIG story.  If you do you’ll avoid three traps:

1. You won’t get trapped in a legalistic hermeneutic– a rigid interpretation of passages, and an inevitable reductionist approach to Scripture that puts God’s Word in a box- instead of unleashing it’s awesome mystery and power into our lives.

2. You avoid the tendency to remove the Holy Spirit from the dynamic work of interpretation and application of the Word in our lives TODAY.  Often we approach the Scriptures without the inward working of the Spirit- and an awareness that God is STILL and always at work in our lives (He didn’t stop moving, talking, guiding us when the Bible was completed).  We start to read it as a Guidebook on HOW to join Him- in this very same story we see in the Bible- in OUR day!  How exciting is that!?  When you woke up today you found yourself in the SAME Story- this HUGE narrative that we see in the Bible.  It’s still going on!

3. Finally, you avoid isolation from your brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ who may not agree with your interpretation of specific details of certain passages- instead you have the ability to embrace believers who hold to the CORE like you do and you can love them and encourage them and join them in God’s redemptive work in our world.  Yes, debate them in love and with respect if we need to, but serve with them even if we disagree on NON-core issues.   Too often we broaden the “core” beyond what God ever intended.  If you want to know what’s core, go to 1 Corinthians 15:3-5.