Jonah 1:1-4 Are you?

Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.”

3Jonah, however, got up and fled to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.

4Then the LORD hurled a violent wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.

Jonah disobeyed and ran from the Lord. He was about to be disciplined!

When we sin, you could say we are running from the Lord also. The Bible instructs us how we are to live but we don’t always follow the Godly instruction. 

Jonah fled the presence of the Lord, are you?

Blessings, David 

Galatians 1:6-9 Run don’t walk!

No Other Gospel

Galatians 1:6 I am astonished how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.

8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a divine curse! 9As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you embraced, let him be under a divine curse!

Paul wrote this letter to the church of Galatia but he could have written it to many churches today. Many have turned from teaching from the Bible and refuse to condemn open sin.

Notice Paul’s warning, “if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a divine curse!”

Brethren, you have access to the Bible like no other time in history! It comes in print and digital form and over the airwaves. Be diligent by reading the word and comparing it to the teachings in your church. If you discover your church is preaching a gospel contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ, run! 

Find another church!

Run don’t walk to the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Blessings, David 

Matthew 5:11-12 Let Jesus be your defender!

Matthew 5:11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and celebrate, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Rejoice and celebrate? How can this be? This isn’t how we naturally react! We desire to defend ourselves, to tell the truth, to smite them in our prayers like David!

But Jesus says, “blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.”

Let Jesus be your defender. Great is your reward.

Blessings, David 

Mark 11:25 Grudges, WWJD?

Mark 11:25 Grudges

"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.

People sin, it’s a fact of life. We says things and regret them at the moment it occurs. We say we’re sorry but that’s not good enough. So the person holds a grudge.

Grudge: a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury.

When we wound someone with our words it’s no different than a physical wound, the wound takes time to heal.

If you wounded someone with your words, ask for forgiveness.

If you are holding a grudge notice what verse 25 says and let it sink in. “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.”

Ask for forgiveness and forgive. 

Ask yourself WWJD?

Blessings, David 

Ezra 9:5-6 Infected and Affected

Ezra 9:5 At the time of the evening sacrifice, I arose from my discouragement. Still in my torn garment and robe, I fell to my knees with my hands outstretched to the LORD my God, 6and said,

“My God, I am too ashamed and hurt to turn to you, because we’re in our iniquities over our heads. Furthermore, my God, our sins have grown as high as the heavens.

Ezra was discouraged because of the Jews marrying outside their race when God forbid it. Their iniquities discouraged him.

Have you ever been discouraged from ministry? Constant complaining, griping busybodies are also sinful traits and can discourage those working in a ministry. 

We all sin, we do it everyday and we need to make our accounts short with God but when our sin affects others there is a higher price to pay. Not only do you have to ask God for forgiveness but you need to ask forgiveness to those that your sin affected.

Sin is like a infectious disease, it infects and affects those around you.

Have you infected and affected a relationship because of sin?

Blessings, David 

Psalm 40:11-13 Hurry, O Lord!

Psalm 40:11 O LORD, do not withhold Your mercy from me;

Your loving devotion and truth will always guard me.

12For evils without number surround me;

my sins have overtaken me, so that I cannot see.

They are more than the hairs of my head,

and my heart has failed within me.

13Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;

hurry, O LORD, to help me.

Ever have one of those days when everyone and everything seems to be caving in on you? You wake up thinking, “hurry, O LORD, to help me.”

You ask yourself, why am I under attack? 

It’s usually a sign that you are effective for the Lord or you are being disciplined. 

In either case the Lord wants you to seek Him.

Lift your troubles up to the Lord and remember;

“Your loving devotion and truth will always guard me.”

Where would we be if we didn’t have a God we could lift our troubles up to?

We would be like the rest of the world that doesn’t believe in Jesus!

Blessings, David 

The Simple Message of the Gospel. 1 Timothy 3:16 NLT

Fact # 1) Christ was born of a virgin.

Matthew 1:18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Fact # 2) He lived a sinless life.

2 Corinthians 5: 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Fact # 3) He died a horrible torturous death.

John 19: 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.

Fact #4) He was buried, sealed in a cave for three days.

Matthew 27:59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth.  60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left.

Fact # 5) He resurrected, in the living flesh and walked the earth once again in human form.

Mark 16-6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.

Fact # 6) He ascended into Heaven, from which He came.

Mark 16:19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 

Fact # 7) He will return again.

Mark 13:6 Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory.

1 Timothy 3:16 NLT

16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith :

Christ was revealed in a human body

and vindicated by the Spirit.

He was seen by angels

and announced to the nations.

He was believed in throughout the world

and taken to heaven in glory.

Blessings, Cecilia