Even the Ocean is small to the Lord...

Jonah chapter 1 verse 10-16...

10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)

11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”

12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you,Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.

Ever been in a threatening situation where you actually are not sure if you will live?  How about financially speaking? Ever thought, "If this calamity happens..I'm going to sink...I'll lose everything important?" Well, then you were probably terrified, petrified and scared of being electrified!! I love the way the word of the Lord explains the sea....Jonah 1:11 reads, "The sea was getting rougher and rougher..." meaning that the sea had been getting to a rough point..and then the waters became rougher!! Any of you out there that are Bible scholars know that the Bible is like one big understatement of detail...Therefore, if a given text actually takes the time to use a comparative or to repeat itself, than those events being described are big, okay?  Take a moment to get on board that ship...smell the salts and the breeze! Feel the wooden contours of the railing and soak in the massive difference between the size of the vast ocean and your sailboat! Now, using your mind's eye...envision the sky growing dark and the ocean waves beginning to crash..dashing any security that you have ...your life is getting smaller and smaller with each wave....!!! The only option is to seek something bigger than the ocean to calm it all down, right? The Lord is always bigger than our problems....The Lord is the calm to every sea....So, perhaps we would do better on our knees before the storm, talking to the Lord of the sea and the storm...seeking the God of the wind and the waves? 

 Principle..When it's the Lord who we daily fear, we also to Him draw near....and When to Him we draw near...there is less and less for us to fear!! 

When it takes calamity to make us look up..we have not been daily asking Him to fill our cup! 

Let's fill our cup daily with His truth and directions so that our life is safely hidden in His...not out there and precariously hanging by a thread...hoping that the ocean will behave or the flight will not crash....Since the wind obeys the lord...shouldn't we simply obey? Don't be a last minute Christian!! Be a warrior, daily ready to recieve your orders and your armour of protection!! Walking on water means letting God's power go ahead of you in the storm...not waiting for the storm to ask for God's power...!! 

It's all about the angles.

Jonah, Jonah, Jonah!! Honestly, where was your sense of adventure? The Moment that the Lord is not in the center of the circle of your life...the angles are all off arn't they? Adventures are not worth the price of admission, not worth the cost of a cross. All too often, safety is found in oneself and not in the Lord!! I was teaching a class to a bunch of 5th graders who could not seem to grasp the fact that the straight 180 degree line is not born in a vaccuum! From their limited perspective, the facts were simple...there was only a straight line and it's 180 degrees...end of the story!! How much more they were missing to the circle that really made up the picture. Yes, there were 360 degrees to consider...not just 180!! Rather than just having a straight line, the reality is that the degrees are really part of a circle..! After dancing around the room and making angles with our arms and turning around in circles...LOL sounds kind of like life doesn't it....the 5th grade class finally began to see angles the same way God does...! All angles are part of a greater whole that only works when the center is the same...!! Where's your center? Centered on Christ...able to see heavenly perspective??  Consider the word,

Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion

4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Wow...I love this passage because it's soooo me!! I have all the facts...at least all the ones I can see from my angle..the one where I'm strangely close to the center...Yikes! God must be at the center if you are going to see the big picture! 

Principle: When doubtful emotions surround your view and you wish to question the master, it's "you", not God who resides at the center.

Salvation comes from the Lord!!

I love knowing that I cannot do it..because it's then that I know that God can....I love knowing that I'm scum..because it's then that I know I need God...I love knowing I'm a dead man walking because it's then that I know that Salvation comes from the Lord...!!!

Jonah 2:7-10

“When my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
    to your holy temple.

8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
    turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
    will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

We are not brave...we are not soldiers for Christ...LOL maybe you are...but I am not!! Oh on this Pentecost Sunday how I want to be brave...but Lord I need you to make that happen...!! Jonah knew his life was ebbing away and only then did he remember the Lord...All those worthless idols we turn to only seem worthless when in the depths of despair we go and those idols couldn't help...So..today...ask for God's power....Today proclaim...Salvation comes from the Lord...

Solving problems with your idols that you falsely praise ...will lead to the depths where you know it's God who saves...

Principle: When you lean on the Lord and forsake all other help, You'll be saved and avoid all that sea kelp!! 

Worship with Moriah Peters and let Him make you Brave..

Rain, Rain...don't go away...

Consider the text in Zechariah...

Zechariah 10:1New International Version (NIV)

The Lord Will Care for Judah

10 Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime;
    it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms.
He gives showers of rain to all people,
    and plants of the field to everyone.

Zechariah 14:17New International Version (NIV)

17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, theLord Almighty, they will have no rain.

Rain used to be paramount for survival...In fact, it was the highest blessing of the heavenlies for all of us...Now...sadly, we have technology and suddenly we don't need God's rain or provisions...actually, we have out dated the Lord!! The Holy of holies rains down on us and we see it as a cold, wet, inconvenience.  Wow! 

Good Morning, it's cold! Right away I noticed my feet were cold and the blankets on my back seemed to suddenly have become thin, incapable of keeping me warm and comfortably asleep. For those of you that are not Southern California residents, you may or may not think I'm crazy to think 53 degrees is cold, but wow I didn't expect to wake up to grey clouds and cold wind blowing yesterday morning, the morning I was taking my three kids to the church of the Nazarene to get on a church bus to go to Elev8 down at Point Loma Nazarene University. Seemingly, no matter how good or hot the coffee was, I needed to have one more cup to keep me warm as I rushed about the bedrooms of my home making sure that all the kids were packed for the journey down to P.L.N.U! As I reminded each one of them to make sure to pack this and that, I was struck by their lack of desire to follow my instruction. Although a few instructions were reluctantly followed, most were left with negligence upon the floor! Really? I suggested warm slippers, socks and an extra blanket and I was told how unnecessary these items were. In fact, the kids were so wrapped up in texting and sending messages to others on I-phones and I-pods, they ended up forgetting several things...even making the bed or closing doors. Chuckling to myself in amusement I let it go, especially considering how cold it was going to be by the beach at P.L.N.U that day. Resigned to let them make their own choice, well at least in the small stuff, I left the scene unscathed. Hopefully, when feet are cold and shivers travel down their backs the children will realize that mom's advice wasn't silly, but wise. Truly, lessons do sometimes have to be learned on our own and to our own detriment. Sure, I was qualified to advice them all..especially since I attended that same university down at point loma and considering the fact that I've traveled several times internationally! Moreover, I almost stepped in when I saw that one of the kids took everything and left the Bible on the floor...you know..the most important thing to pack for all of us..But, No! No way was I going to say a word. Not too surprisingly, I was later convicted that this behaviour that annoyed me in my kids is the same behavior I display to my Lord of lords and my King of kings. The Lord gives us His counsel, His Word and His heart of Wisdom and we simply think he's wrong, annoying, or just unnessecary; the nation of God's people is "stiff-necked" isn't it? Lord, please remind me today to pick up my Bible and to leave my spirit of rebellion on the floor...Oh Lord, keep me warm and place a blanket of protection over me? Even if you must send a whale after I've disregarded you...please send the whale, send the flu, send the rain....and when you do..may I see your provision in it...?
Consider the text in Zechariah...!! Do you think that we could all use a little rain and a few storms...a few more moments with the Lord's Word and counsel....me too!

Enjoy this worship with Michael W. Smith....

to knit or not to knit...that is the question.

Have any of you ever thought about the big trade off?? You know....the one where one must decide what current stage of life in which one lives. Am I young...? Am I still waiting for dreams and hopes to come alive with great expectations? Are there many adventures left for me? LOL...are my disneyland days over??? Interestingly, we seem to think that we understand time and that we are qualified to make any of these judgements....!!!! I was one of those misled souls this morning...is it over for me? Should I just stop dreaming and knit?

  Disclaimer: Now, knitting is a real art and if you knit then you just keep on knitting...as some of you are living the dream in doing so...!!

However, I'm referring to those of us who dream big and then wary in the waiting...deciding falsely perhaps that it's time to retire...kick the bucket...knit!! In Fact, God's calling...Jesus is Calling...the Holy Spirit is wooing us and we are listening to time and not to Eternity!!

Principle: When you think you have run out of time, you've run away from the sublime!! 

Consider Ecclesiastes 3:9-14,
9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden  (Yes, we have burdens that are good from God) God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

Wow! If everything God does is good and everything He does lasts forever...then maybe today we should simply get on our knees and ask Him..."God, what are you doing that I might be a part of it today?" Yes, the Now is very relevant as long as it is part of God's eternity!! Are your burdens set in time..? Or are they reminiscient of God's will for His eternal plans...? Don't quit...don't give up...just give it all up for something greater..something eternal!! If you are kind of running around today wondering who you are and where you belong...Listen to this video....you belong..in His arms...He's the one who made you and He's the one who holds you...!!

My Mother...that's who I need...

you know something...??? Mothers bring a lot of comfort...and may I just say...that some of you may not have had a good mother so just imagine the one woman in your life that may have acted as a true mom to you when I say, "mothers bring a lot of comfort. Jonah and all of us need and desire the comforts of home...so much so that we dare not leave a comfortable place right? Well, the greatest thing Jesus ever said was not, "It is Finished" but rather....My going is not the end of the story....(paraphrase)

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Did you know that He has promised us a mother? The precious Holy Spirit? Did you know that the Holy Spirit is God? Yes! Alive and well and ready to hug....the Holy Spirit is the comforter who comforts you in the deepest way imaginable!! Need a mom today?  Need comfort today? God Himself has made sure that all of us can have a happy Mother's day....His Holy Spirit is waiting...standing by..inside your heart to hold you and help you through any tough moment....Thank you Lord, for the gift of Mothers...for my mom and mostly Lord, for your precious Holy Spirit!!!  Here is a great song, only my mom would remember me watching this movie and crying during this song....I love you mom...and miss you so much today.....

Comfort

One thing remains true about the story of Jonah...! He was running, running, faster and faster away from ....From what was he running? Seriously, I'm sure that there are many answers here friends. Why do we run?  Consider the text,

The Cost of Following Jesus

18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”


Oh wow!!  Sorry my fellow readers and writers out there but I'm having a rough week and therefore the difficult texts of the Bible somehow make me feel better. Ha! Do you know what is difficult about following Christ? Yes, it's the cost of giving things up for Him. Most certainly, yes, it's also the fact that we are no longer in control of our lives!! However, the most difficult part of following our Lord is not those concepts for me.  Truly, the most difficult move I make on the chessboard of life is the move to follow Him first without question or closure in other areas!! Allow me to give you an illustration? When I went to Haiti for the first time as a young missions student, I was very apprehensive about the unknown dangers. The reality is simple, I wanted to know what to expect and I wanted to be free from surprises! In fact, even if someone had told me that something bad was going to happen, I simply wanted to know, to be prepared. Don't misunderstand me on this point because simply knowing the dangerous outcomes or plans doesn't mean that "things" wouldn't be difficult, only that they would be known!! So, Christ says, "Follow me!" In response, we, the disciples, say, "First let me..." and all of you may insert the appropriate word. Perhaps you need the research the area you are going with Christ, or perhaps you simply must put your make up on and brush that hair!! Maybe in fact it's simply that you need to pack!! Hee...Hee!! Maybe for you and I it's that you would like the itinerary mapped out and to ask a few clarifying questions! Ohhhh my! We just love to have our questions answered don't we?? Such comfort in knowing what's going to happen! However, the Lord gives a different kind of comfort and a different kind of peace and most certainly a different kind of love!! Sure, Jonah was comfortable, but he was not truly wrapped up in the comfort of His Heavenly Father was he? No, he was not completely in the Lord's arms while some of him was still questioning...!!!  The Lord doesn't promise us closure on anything, but that He is alive and that He is risen just like He said! The Lord doesn't promise us worldly comfort, or a place to rest our head, but He does promise us that He Himself is all the comfort in the world. 

 Principle, when you seek to find a place to rest your questions or your head, you will find yourself without the Lord, burying the dead.

However, when you follow God and jump first for His best, In Him your questions will be put to rest....