Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

“You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor and which you did not raise; it came up in one night and in one night it perished. And should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city?” –Jonah 4:10-11 Jonah was more interested in his comfort than in the salvation of 120,000 people. We too tend to stay in our comfort zones and out of the “evangelization zone.” Jonah had such warped priorities because he was unforgiving, bitter, angry, and hateful. This combination of toxins inspired Jonah to disobey the Lord. After spending three days in the...

“The people of Nineveh believed God.” –Jonah 3:5 Nineveh, a murderous city of 120,000 people, converted after hearing the prophetic warning of Jonah (see Jon 4:11). Do you believe that there are cities in the world today which would repent en masse if someone would only speak God’s Word to them? Saul was the worst sinner in history, a fierce persecutor of the Church (Acts 22:4; 26:10-11), and an accomplice in murdering the first Christian martyr (1 Tm 1:13; Acts 8:1). Probably no one believed he would convert, become a great Christian missionary, and write much of the Bible. But...

“Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the Lord.” –Jonah 1:3 Jonah refused to obey God’s call. Then the weather turned nasty. The Lord “hurled a violent wind upon the sea” (Jon 1:4). Jonah tried to weather the storm by going to sleep (Jon 1:5), but the weather got even nastier (Jon 1:11). The sailors on the boat with Jonah tried to escape the terrible weather, but “the sea grew ever more turbulent” (Jon 1:13). Only when they threw Jonah into the sea did the hurricane stop (Jon 1:15). Many people have not obeyed God’s calls. Some have...

“Therefore let no man separate what God has joined.” –Mark 10:9 Jesus does not want husband and wife to be separated. Also, He became indignant at His disciples for separating some children from Him (Mk 10:14). Furthermore, Jesus does not want parents separated from their children. Let no overtime, lifestyle, day care, extracurricular activities, school, or other responsibilities separate what God has joined together. Moreover, Jesus does not want family members separated from each other by TV, overwork, communication breakdown, and independent lifestyles. Jesus even refuses to separate Christians from their enemies (see Mt 13:30). The Lord does not want...

“He Who has brought disaster upon you will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy.” –Baruch 4:29 Most people have suffered disasters in their lives. Some of these have been caused by their own sins. If we would seek the Lord ten times more zealously than we strayed from Him, He would save us from disaster and bring us back a joy that this time will last (Bar 4:28). The Lord turns all things, even disasters, to the good for those who love Him (Rm 8:28). If we repent and seek the Lord, we will understand that the sufferings...