So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

Jonah 1:7-16 

So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. Jonah 1:15-16

I continue my study in Jonah to supplement my church's current sermon series in this book.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: As I posted yesterday,  the mariners threw the cargo overboard and "each cried out to his god," but neither of these actions moved God to relent of his wrath towards Jonah. God wanted Jonah's attention and he got it in the text today...He also got the attention of the captain and his crew as vv15-16 share how once Jonah was thrown overboard, the sea (God) immediately "ceased from its raging[, and]...the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows." The text today does not detail what these vows were but my sense is that they made vows to the Lord to believe and trust Him.  God made the sea rage to not only get the attention of Jonah but also of the captain and his crew.  God wants everyone's full attention!    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Fear is a great motivator and it often pushes people to desperation.  The ship's captain and crew clearly sought to avoid death, and once they learned how Jonah was a Hebrew but running from God, and then saw how throwing him overboard calmed the sea, they instantly believed (including prayer to God to seek forgiveness for throwing Jonah overboard) in God as King of Kings and sovereign over all including Creation.  Jonah, at the same time, saw God's wrath and recognized that the raging sea was due to his disobedience - nothing anyone could do (including tossing cargo overboard and crying out to their pagan gods).  We often do not discern how our circumstances reflect God's work and in this case God was disciplining Jonah.  God's discipline may also reflect His desire to mold us into more of His image and to prepare us for future ministry.  God wanted to use Jonah to reach the gentiles in Nineveh and for them to repent and Jonah for some reason did not want to perform this mission.  Don't miss what and how God is working in your life - he could be punishing you OR he could just be preparing you for future ministry - discipline as training.       
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid missing how God is using your circumstances where He is using discipline as training.  Claim the promise that nothing is hidden from Him and God is sovereign over all. Follow the example of Jonah and the mariners - Jonah repented from his sin and the mariners prayed to God.  Trust and depend on God for everything in your life as He holds your life in His hands.  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  You are in control of all details and You seek my full attention....and You deserve it!  You saved me!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessing.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

Jude

These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.  Jude 12-13

I proceed with my study of Jude using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my study consists of a review of Jude 11-16, with a focus on a commentary-assisted review of the second division per the commentary - vv12-13 - which the commentary titles God Condemns the Ungodly Because of Their Deception. The commentary shares that "[p]retending to be full of love and concern for others, they are egocentric and selfish. Stepping into positions of leadership, they are like destructive reefs hidden just below the surface. They are slow to reveal their true colors and commitments; and when they do, the body of Christ can be damaged or destroyed. A church, a college, a seminary, even a denomination is vulnerable if it is not vigilant in keeping its eyes open and its guard up."  The commentary then, referring to "waterless clouds" with clouds and wind but no rain, shares that "[t]hese false teachers promise liberty but enslave; they promise prosperity but impoverish; they promise refreshment and leave their followers parched; and they promise life but bring death."  Describing the text which compares false teachers to fruitless trees that wither and die, the commentary shares that "[t]hey project a false understanding of godliness and the spiritual life, and those who buy into their deception eventually discover they produce no good thing. Fruitless and rootless, rootless, dead top to bottom, they are uprooted and destroyed. They show no fruit of regeneration, no fruit of character, no fruit for King Jesus."  Referring to how the text describes false teachers as waves that crash and expose their sin, the commentary shares that "[t]hey make a lot of noise with great swelling words, but they do not have a life to back it up. They may tour and fill arenas, get on television and write books, blog and gain a following, but none of this proves their genuine faith." Finally, the text describes false teachers as washouts that do not produce anything eternal: "[f]alse teachers are shooting stars, here today and gone tomorrow. They burn bright for a night and then vanish into the midnight darkness, never to be seen or heard from again. Their history is short lived, leaving a legacy of no real significance. Because they wander about, these teachers show no consistency or reliability. They promise spiritual light; but they are aimless, erratic, and destined for God’s condemnation, which is described here as “the blackness of darkness” reserved forever. They may fool men, but they do not fool God."  We are encouraged by Jude to discern Truth including churches we attend and other influences we have.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of love and grace for me - giving me Truth and a church and Godly men and women who sharpen me and provide Godly examples.  Thank You Jesus!  I am grateful for such blessings!  Yet I am undeserving of such blessings and for my salvation. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 5

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:14

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, I maintain my focus on Hebrews 5:11-14, as I lean on my commentary and explore what the commentary describes as the third division "The Remedy: Discerning Power," which looks at Hebrews 5:14. Over the past two days, having looked at "The Diagnosis" and "The Symptom," this morning, I examine what the author outlines what it takes for believers to become spiritually mature. The commentary makes this clear: "[o]nly by faithfully and diligently studying the Scriptures can we rightly train and exercise our spiritual power of discernment....This does not mean Christians eventually reach the point where they no longer need to study Scripture. All Christians, even maturing ones, always need the Bible....When Christians possess discernment and can distinguish between good and evil, they have the capacity for spiritual reasoning. They can see how one doctrine relates to another and can logically apply those doctrines to aid decision making in all areas of the Christian life."  As I look back on my tag cloud and search for exhortations elsewhere that urge us to have daily time with God in study and prayer, two in particular strike me a relevant for this morning.

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. Psalm 119:18

Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. Proverbs 8:34

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are an awesome God in how You speak to me and reveal Yourself to me through Your Word, and how You sanctify me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You do this for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’”

Jeremiah 24, 29, 27-28

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’” Jeremiah 28:15-16

Day 221 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as my commentary* focuses on the danger of false prophets and Jeremiah's response: "Jeremiah’s chief concern during the early part of Zedekiah’s reign is the number of false prophets who are still saying that all is well, and that Babylonia will be broken instead of Judah. Perhaps because of the persecution he faces as a true prophet of God, Jeremiah unleashes a blistering attack against those who are masquerading as God’s prophets, even among the captives in Babylonia. Jeremiah is forced to write to the people in exile and tell them to settle in for the duration, which will be 70 years."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

While today's scripture includes some of the most quoted words in the Bible (Jeremiah 29) - and we should all be encouraged by these words - in a broader historical context it is also important to understand (God's Word delivered through Jeremiah) Jeremiah's harsh words for false prophets. In terms of God's Word, we must be able to discern truth. My verses that I highlight today are just two examples from my reading today where (God) Jeremiah harshly rebukes several false prophets. 

We must STUDY the Bible, use trustworthy commentary, and find worthy brothers and sisters in Christ who can sharpen us.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has given me Your Word and it is You, and it is alive and active in me - thank You Jesus! Yet I know You are not done with me and my sin continues...please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome my many sins (gossip, etc.) and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.

Jeremiah 35

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me. v19

Having no knowledge of the Rekabites, I did a bit of digging and found they appear elsewhere in the Bible (search Jehonadab, Rekab) and found this commentary on "Discerning Disobedience".  God tells Jeremiah to invite Rekabites to drink wine but does not command them to do so.  The Rekabites decline this invitation, citing law passed on from their descendants as their basis to decline (see v6-11).  The commentary claims that discerning disobedience is the proper response when a prophet commands someone to do something when such a command is not explicitly identified as a command coming directly from God. 

The Bible is full of commands (some references indicate 600 or more) and we know that without God it is impossible to live as God intends for us. That is why He had to send His Son and Jesus had to die on the cross for us. Jesus wants us to focus on at least two commands as all law and the prophets hang on these two commands (Matthew 22:34-40).  

John Piper has at least two posts (here and here) discusses the distinction between moral and ceremonial law in the Bible and the extent to which ceremonial law applies with the covenant believers make with Jesus Christ.

It is sometimes difficult to discern truth - that is why we are to STUDY (not just read) God's Word as we must have both a head and a heart understanding.  Proximity to God, corporate worship at church, and fellowship with other Christians is also important as "iron sharpens iron".  Through these spiritual disciplines and others (prayer, fasting, etc.), we can be transformed by God through the renewing of the mind and better able to live as God intends for us (Romans 12:2).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who helps me discern truth - thank You Jesus.  I need truth - I need you - desperately.  I am broken and I sin.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5

Do not quench the Spirit.  Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. v19-22

Sin not only separates us from God but it also dilutes the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  We cannot know the will of God and lean on the power of God while simultaneously living in sin.  God wants to fully understand Him and His word - whether through our own reading or through the teaching of others such as pastors, etc.   We need to be serious about our relationship with God and His will for our life so that we can discern good from evil.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are truth and light...pure, holy, and blameless.  You did not need me, yet You came to earth and willingly suffered and died for me...knowing everything about me, including all of my sin.  What an awesome God You are.  I am not worth such love because I fail to give You the first fruits of my time...I am easily distracted.  Forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me give You the first fruits of my time.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.