When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!”

Jonah 1:17-2:10 

When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!” Jonah 2:7-9

I continue my study in Jonah to supplement my church's current sermon series in this book.  In the text today, after Jonah is thrown overboard, God "appoints" a fish to swallow Jonah, Jonah prays to God, and God speaks to the fish and the fish spits out Jonah on dry land. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Consistent with my post yesterday, we must see how God is sovereign over Creation as in 1:17 He "appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah" and how God speaks to the fish in 2:10 and how this causes the fish to vomit Jonah "out upon dry land."  Note how God orchestrates all the details - in this case Jonah is not spit out under water nor into the sea, but "upon dry land."  Clearly God wants Jonah to live and to complete the mission to get Nineveh to repent from its evil and sin.  God wants everyone to repent as He hates sin. God hears our cries and our prayers (2x in 2:2) - we are encouraged to repent and pray.  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Jonah thought he was going to die, and even after he was swallowed by the fish he still considered himself in peril. Similar to the mariners from my post yesterday who prayed to God, Jonah also prays to God - God calls us to pray, including ceaselessly (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Jonah's prayer is genuine and reflects repentance and how God alone offers grace - so should our prayers!  Jonah makes a vow to sacrifice to Him (2:9).   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): God does not like it when we flee from Him.  Claim the promise that God always hears and responds to our prayers - He appreciates a repentant heart.  Follow Jonah's example to pray, and pray ceaselessly.  Thank God in all circumstances as He is always at work - we may not understand what He is doing but He is at work in all things for good!

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that is always at work and You always hear my cries and prayers!  Thank You for these blessings and how You save.  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  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.

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

 Mark 9:14-29

 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24

This morning I am taking a short side trip from my study of John to look at Mark 9:14-29 in support of my Friday morning men's Bible study group. Here the text looks at Jesus' healing of a boy with an unclean spirit (whom the disciples could not heal). Here are my observations of the text using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Jesus is once again sought by crowds as He has been teaching and performing miracles - including healing a deaf man, a blind man (chapter 7,8) and feeding the four thousand (chapter 8).  Here, Jesus is among a crowd after the Transfiguration (vv2-13) and a father seeks to heal his son whom the disciples were not able to heal (despite how Jesus sent them out in Mark 6:7-12 and gave them authority over the unclean spirits) - see vv17-18. Jesus rebuked the crowd generally (including the disciples and the father) for their lack of faith - v19.  Jesus then specifically rebukes the boy's father who was not fully convinced Jesus could heal his son - vv22-23.  Then, Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit and the boy is healed.  In response to the disciples who questioned Jesus why they could not heal the boy,  Jesus shares that "[t]his kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer" (v29).  It seems that Jesus wants His disciples to be clear that it is not their power that is doing these miracles but the Triune God who works through them.  Yes, Jesus did give the disciples authority over unclean spirits, but that does not make them God, and they remain 100% dependent on God - we are reminded of this and in why we need to pray.    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: This is humbling and v29 reminds us to pray and always act in utter dependence on Him.  Contrast the father of the boy with the disciples as the father "cries out "I believe, help my unbelief."  This is the kind of posture and prayer Jesus seeks from us - He gives us the power of the Holy Spirit but at the same time we must "pray ceaselessly" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). 
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that heals and saves!  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am undeserving - there are many times where my faith is weak - please help me with my unbelief.  And my sin is great...daily.  Please forgive me for my sin and help me turn from and repent of my sin and turn 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.