Happy New Year . . .

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be-yourself

In 2016 may you…
Dream more
Complain less
Listen more
Talk less
Love more
Argue less
Hope more
Fear less
Relax more
Worry less
Believe more
Doubt less
Play more
Work less
Pray more
Fret less
Sing more
Shout less
Be more
Strive less
Give more
Take less
Live more
Stress less
Rest more
Busy less
Read more
Noisy less
Trust more
Control less
May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and grant you his peace, and may you open-heartedly receive and offer these loving gifts of grace from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in 2016 and forevermore.

Amen.

*Courtesy of Leadership Transformations (http://www.leadershiptransformations.org/blog/?p=1373)

 

2016 Bible Reading Plans

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0e810129_bible-reading-plan-new-rotator

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)

This is one of my favorite times of the year; the closing of one year and the beginning of another. As 2015 winds down, it is always good to consider how we will feed our soul in the upcoming year. Perhaps you have a book list you’ve compiled to work your way through. Or you’ve developed a network of mentors, counselors, a spiritual director and trusted friends you will carve out time for in order to develop yourself.

One of the best ways to feed your soul is the intake of God’s Word. God’s Word is not the only way to care for your soul, but it is a primary way. Every year Ligonier* ministries puts out a Bible reading guide that lists quite a few different ways to engage God’s Word. Some take you through God’s Word in a year, some take you through God’s Word over a few years. Take a look at the options listed below. Perhaps you’ll find a plan you can use over the next year or two that helps to keep you in God’s Word.

 

52 Week Bible Reading Plan

Read through the Bible in a year, with each day of the week dedicated to a different genre: Epistles, The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, and Gospels.

Duration: One year | Download:PDF

5x5x5 Bible Reading Plan

Read through the New Testament in a year, reading Monday to Friday. Weekends are set aside for reflection and other reading. Especially beneficial if you’re new to a daily discipline of Bible reading.

Duration: One year | Download:PDF

A Bible Reading Chart

Read through the Bible at your own pace. Use this minimalistic, yet beautifully designed, chart to track your reading over 2015.

Duration: Flexible | Download:PDF

Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Read through the Bible in the order the events occurred chronologically.

Duration: One year | Download:PDF

The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan

Four daily readings beginning in Genesis, Psalms, Matthew and Acts.

Duration: One year | Download:PDF

ESV Daily Bible Reading Plan

Four daily readings taken from four lists: Psalms and Wisdom Literature, Pentateuch and History of Israel, Chronicles and Prophets, and Gospels and Epistles.

Duration: One year | Download:PDF

Every Word in the Bible

Read through the Bible one chapter at a time. Readings alternate between the Old and New Testaments.

Duration: Three years | Download:PDF

Historical Bible Reading Plan

The Old Testament readings are similar to Israel’s Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament readings are an attempt to follow the order in which the books were authored.

Duration: One year | Download:PDF

An In Depth Study of Matthew

A year long study in the Gospel of Matthew from Tabletalk magazine and R.C. Sproul.

Duration: One year | App: Accessible on YouVersion. Download the app.

Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System

Reading ten chapters a day, in the course of a year you’ll read the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters four to five times, the Old Testament wisdom literature six times, the Psalms at least twice, Proverbs and Acts a dozen times, and the OT History and Prophetic books about one and a half times.

Duration: Ongoing | Download:PDF

Robert Murray M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Read the New Testament and Psalms twice and the Old Testament once.

Duration: One or two years | Download:Website

Straight Through the Bible Reading Plan

Read straight through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

Duration: One year | Download:PDF

Tabletalk Bible Reading Plan

Two readings each day; one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.

Duration: One year | Download:PDF
App: Accessible in the Ligonier App (iPhone / iPad, Android, &Windows Phone) and YouVersion.

The Legacy Reading Plan

This plan does not have set readings for each day. Instead, it has set books for each month, and set number of Proverbs and Psalms to read each week. It aims to give you more flexibility, while grounding you in specific books of the Bible each month.

Duration: One year | Download:PDF

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan

Read the Old and New Testaments once, and Psalms & Proverbs four times.

Duration: Two years | Download:PDF

*http://www.ligonier.org/blog/bible-reading-plans/

Reading Plan for 2016

On By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Uncategorized1 Comment

my-2016-reading-listWe are coming to the end of another year. I’ve been thinking about what I might read in this upcoming year, and found a great list of classics that I want to incorporate into my reading plan for 2016.

Take a look; are there any books you might want to dust off and enjoy in this upcoming year?

Here are the Top 25 writings as selected by Christian History:

  1. Augustine, Confessions (c. 398)
  2. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae (1265–1274)
  3. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536)
  4. Augustine, City of God (413–426)
  5. Martin Luther, 95 Theses (1517)
  6. John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress (1678)
  7. The Nicene Creed (325, revised 381)
  8. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952)
  9. Athanasius, On the Incarnation (c. 319)
  10. Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ (c. 1418–1427)
  11. Benedict, Rule (c. 540s)
  12. The Book of Common Prayer (1549)
  13. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (1937)
  14. Martin Luther, Freedom of a Christian (1520)
  15. Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics (1932–1967)
  16. Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy (c. 1308–1320)
  17. Anselm, Why God Became Man (c. 1095–1098)
  18. Augustine, On Christian Teaching (397–426
  19. Augustine, On the Trinity (c. 400–428)
  20. Westminster Confession (1646)
  21. Irenaeus, Against Heresies (c. 175–185)
  22. John Wesley, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (1777)
  23. Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections (1746)
  24. Pope Gregory I, Pastoral Rule (c. 591)
  25. Martin Luther, Lectures on Romans (c. 1515–1516)

Learning to Live Our True Self

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true-self

As I like to do, I found another great article and want to share it with you. It has to deal with walking in our true self verses the false self we so often tend to do. When I mention the true self/false self dichotomy to others, many times I get confused looks.

The true self is who we we truly are, as created in God’s image; we are made with purpose, uniquely gifted to think and feel and act in certain ways. There are specific things in our life that can bring us tremendous delight, that are intrinsic to only us. We can enjoy them with others, but they bring unique and distinct pleasure to us. We have specific passions and purpose in which we were to walk out. This is, in a brief nutshell, our true self.

When we are relationally violated, what happens is we tend to shrink back out of pain and fear. We put up walls, learn patterns of behavior that are incongruent to who we are but socially acceptable. We learn to keep quiet rather than speak up. Instead of bursts of laughter and squeals of delight, we learn not to put ourselves out there and let others know our joys for fear of rejection. We learn to live and relate in our false self.

Here are the 3 Lessons in the Wilderness I found very interesting:

3 Lessons From the Wilderness

1. Our true identity is often found in the wilderness. In a world where we are known by our work or by the image we project, it’s so easy to live out of a false identity. But only God knows who we are, and only He can give that to us. For me, my identity seemed incorrigibly bound to being a high school teacher and coach. I couldn’t imagine being someone else. But as I left that position three years ago, I realized that it was a false front I had created. To leave it felt frightening and then devastating. And yet in the wilderness, God has repeatedly met me, speaking to me about who I am in His eyes as a beloved son and what I am supposed to do with my life now.

2. We don’t realize that God is all we need until He is all we have. To enter the wilderness, we must leave behind all of our God-substitutes—the addictions and the petty idols. Leaving behind a secure, paying job and entering the fray of starting a ministry has exposed my inordinate dependence on money. Really, money acted as a substitute father I went to for comfort and security, but the loss of a steady income has opened my heart to the One who is the true Father. With finances still unpredictable, I am learning how trust, for God will provide where He has called—and He has.

3. We learn to let God write the story of our lives. With the fall of man, we compulsively attempt to author, direct, and play the lead role in our own stories. Frankly, it’s always a disaster. And yet the addiction to our self-consumed script writing dies hard. But it can die in the wilderness. Letting God write the story of my life has meant letting go of many dreams and plans. I have had lay them all down and wait for Him to open the doors of ministry. It has been infuriating at times, confusing at others, but ultimately freeing. To let God write the story means that I can now follow as His son without bearing that burden—and it is a terrible burden.*

*http://www.authenticmanhood.com/3-lessons-from-the-wilderness/

Seven Signs Success Has Outgrown Your Character

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character-education

Success has plagued many leaders. They experience the Lord’s blessing, see the fruits of their labor, and receive recognition. And many times, the success goes to their heads and hearts and pulls them away from utter dependence on the One who gave success in the first place. King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26) is an example:

During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success. (verse 5)

But when he became strong, he grew arrogant and it led to his own destruction. (verse 16)

After ignoring the commands of the Lord and the encouragement of the priests, Uzziah barged into the temple. The Lord struck him with leprosy, and that became his legacy.

Uzziah rested with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the burial ground of the kings’ cemetery, for they said, “He has a skin disease.” (verse 23)

When a leader’s competence outpaces a leader’s character, implosion is imminent. When skills surpass the process of sanctification, the trajectory is downward though everything looks great on the outside. It is often easier to see the speck in someone else’s eye than the plank in our own, so here are seven signs your success is outpacing your character.

  1. Your “personal brand” dominates your decision-making.

“What is best for my personal brand?” becomes your default decision-making question rather than “What is best for my soul?”

  1. Platform development trumps people development.

If you spend more time focused on developing your platform than developing your people, success owns your heart.

  1. You evaluate consistently if others “honor” you.

You are deeply offended when you are not honored or treated the way you feel you should be treated.

  1. You only “honor” those who can “expand your influence.”

You only think of “honoring” others who are more “successful” than you and can help “grow your influence.”

  1. The “green room” is the only room where you talk with people.

The “green room” is the room where speakers hang out before they hit the stage. This is where you find your “community,” though because those in that room only see your public persona, you are really isolated. And an isolated leader is a leader whose heart is hardening by sin’s deceit.

  1. You shun accountability.

Like Uzziah, who shunned the instruction from the priests, you think you are above being corrected. After all, who has been able to do what you have been able to do?

  1. Managing your image replaces managing your character.

You are preoccupied with perception rather than the character and integrity beneath the surface. You map out, plan, and manage your image while you haphazardly plan your own spiritual growth.

The post Seven Signs Success Has Outgrown Your Character appeared first on Eric Geiger.

The Sovereignty of God

On By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn What takes place inside of you when you think about the idea that God is in charge and that He is in control?Leave a comment

God'sSovereignty

I recognize that talking about sovereignty, authority, and other such topics raises the ire of many not only in this present culture, but also in cultures throughout all time. People don’t want to be told what to do; or to be told they are wrong; or to be told to do something they do not want to do. Images of authority conjure up harsh parents, teachers, abuses of power, etc.

What images and feelings does the word sovereignty or authority bring up in your spirit?

It has been my experience that there are some who try to misrepresent what the sovereignty of God means. They try to do a theological back-flip by redefining or reshaping what it is: they define sovereignty as the idea that God is in charge but He is not in control.

If God is not in control, then why bother praying? It almost begs the question, “Who, then, is in control?”

The sovereignty of God means that God is not only in charge, but He is also in control. It also means that there is no-one or nothing that is over Him; He is the maximal authority in the universe. He is the ultimate cosmic power.

I read recently an article that demonstrates from a tiny sampling of Scripture how God has explained His own authority, power, and control. I would like to share this with you

God Is Sovereign Over . . .

Seemingly random things:

The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the LORD.
(Proverbs 16:33)

The heart of the most powerful person in the land:

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;
he turns it wherever he will.
(Proverbs 21:1)

Our daily lives and plans:

A man’s steps are from the LORD;
how then can man understand his way?
(Proverbs 20:24)

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
(Proverbs 19:21)

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. . . .  Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
(James 4:13-15)

Salvation:

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
(Romans 9:15-16)

As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
(Acts 13:48)

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
(Romans 8:29-30)

Life and death:

See now that I, even I, am he,
and there is no god beside me;
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
(Deuteronomy 32:39)

The LORD kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
(1 Samuel 12:6)

Disabilities:

Then the LORD said to [Moses], “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?”
(Exodus 4:11)

The death of God’s Son:

Jesus, [who was] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
(Acts 2:23)

For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
(Acts 4:27-28)

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief. . . .
(Isaiah 53:10)

Evil things:

Is a trumpet blown in a city,
and the people are not afraid?
Does disaster come to a city,
unless the LORD has done it?
(Amos 3:6)

I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the LORD, who does all these things.
(Isaiah 45:7)

“The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. . . . “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
(Job 1:21-22; 2:10)

[God] sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. . . . As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
(Psalm 105:17; Genesis 50:21)

All things:

[God] works all things according to the counsel of his will.
(Ephesians 1:11)

Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
(Psalm 115:3)

I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
(Job 42:2)

All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?”
(Daniel 4:35)

Where does life seem out of control for you? Perhaps there is something, a gift perhaps, in your experience that God wants to give to you. Even in the midst of pain, St. Ignatius taught that tears are a gift. Do not be too quick to dismiss the experience, or to jettison out of what you are feeling. Spend time today examining the movements of your soul. Perhaps even today God will speak clearly to you in your lament or in your joy.

(in order to give credit to where credit is due, the Scriptures were originally posted by Justin Taylor. You can find more of his writing here: http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/ )

Dealing With Angry People

On By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Emotional Health, Healthy BoundariesLeave a comment

Drawing a line in the sand. An old metaphor.

I read an article recently that gave specific insight in regard to dealing with the way people respond to boundaries you have set up that they do not like. Sometimes there are people who are healthy enough to respond to your boundaries with honor and respect.

However, there are also those who do not like to have boundaries and will respond to you in anger. Their cutting words are harsh, their dry spirits seem to leave you parched and broken. What can you do? I felt the following six insights to be worthy of sharing. May they help you as they have helped me.

1. Realize that the person who is angry at you for setting boundaries is the one with the problem. If you do not realize this, you may think you have a problem. Maintaining your boundaries is good for other people; it will help them learn what their families of origin did not teach them: to respect other people.

2. View anger realistically. Anger is only a feeling inside the other person. It cannot jump across the room and hurt you. It cannot “get inside” you unless you allow it. Staying separate from another’s anger is vitally important. Let the anger be in the other person. He will have to feel his anger to get better. If you either rescue him from it, or take it on yourself, the angry person will not get better and you will be in bondage.

3. Do not let anger be a cue for you to do something. People without boundaries respond automatically to the anger of others. They rescue, seek approval, or get angry themselves. There is great power in inactivity. Do not let an out-of-control person be the cue for you to change your course. Just allow him to be angry and decide for yourself what you need to do.

4. Make sure you have your support system in place. If you are going to set some limits with a person who has controlled you with anger, talk to the people in your support system first and make a plan. Know what you will say. Anticipate what the angry person will say, and plan your reaction. You may even want to role-play the situation with your group. Then, make sure your support group will be available to you right after the confrontation. Perhaps some members of your support group can go with you. But certainly you will need them afterward to keep you from crumbling under the pressure.

5. Do not allow the angry person to get you angry. Keep a loving stance while “speaking the truth in love.” When we get caught up in the “eye for eye” mentality of the law, or the “returning evil for evil” mentality of the world, we will be in bondage. If we have boundaries, we will be separate enough to love.

6. Be prepared to use physical distance and other limits that enforce consequences. One woman’s life was changed when she realized that she could say, “I will not allow myself to be yelled at. I will go into the other room until you decide you can talk about this without attacking me. When you can do that, I will talk to you.”

These serious steps do not need to be taken with anger. You can empathize lovingly and stay in the conversation, without giving in or being controlled. “I understand that you are upset that I will not do that for you. I am sorry you feel that way. How can I help?” Just remember that when you empathize, changing your no will not help. Offer other options.

If you have not yet found Henry Cloud and John Townsend, author of the powerful book, “Boundaries”, then let me introduce them to you. It is worth every cent and minute of investment. (http://www.boundariesbooks.com/about/)

Personal Creed or Mission Statement

On By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Development, Mission of God, Personal Creed, Personal Growth, Personal Mission StatementLeave a comment

mission

I read this personal creed written by Rolfe Kerr. I do not know much about him, only that he wrote this powerful guiding statement. It helps keep him centered on what is most important. While he was not, to my knowledge, a professing Christian, there is still an abundance of wisdom from reading his guiding core values. I want to share it with you.

  1. Succeed at home first.
  2. Seek and merit divine help.
  3. Never compromise with honesty.
  4. Remember the people involved.
  5. Hear both sides before judging.
  6. Obtain counsel of others.
  7. Defend those who are absent.
  8. Be sincere yet decisive.
  9. Develop one new proficiency a year.
  10. Plan tomorrow’s work today.
  11. Hustle while you wait.
  12. Maintain a positive attitude.
  13. Keep a sense of humor.
  14. Be orderly in person and in work.
  15. Do not fear mistakes—fear only the absence of creative, constructive, and corrective responses to those mistakes.
  16. Facilitate the success of subordinates.
  17. Listen twice as much as you speak.
  18. Concentrate all abilities and efforts on the task at hand, not worrying about the next job or promotion.

While one need not agree with everything in a personal mission or creed that belongs to someone else, it is important for one to be focused in life on the things that are most important. And to do so, they must have a guiding principle to help them keep moving forward and doing those things they were uniquely gifted and designed to do.

In Matthew 28, Jesus gives his disciples, and all Christians really, an overview of what their personal mission statement must be; or at least in what direction and to what end Christians must work. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

What is your personal mission statement? How does God’s Word guide and direct your everyday decisions? How is the choice you make today going to impact your experience, and the experiences of those around you, tomorrow? How are you letting God’s Word impact your choices today? To what end are you living your life? With eternal purpose and destiny? What can you do today to incorporate God’s Word into your life to impact, for eternal purposes, the experience of those around you tomorrow?

Meditation Leads To Transformation

On By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Development, Emotional Health, Healthy, Life, Personal Growth, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual HealthLeave a comment

meditation

Christian Fathers from centuries ago would distinguish between meditation and contemplation. Meditation would be the work of taking an idea or thought into our minds and mulling over it as it sinks deeper into our souls. Contemplation would be the gift of God as the fruit of meditation.

In the first century, one of the earliest Church leaders, whose name was Paul, explained in one of his letters to a church that was developing in Rome, that people can experience transformation as a result of the work of meditation. He wrote: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think . . .” (Romans 12:2 New Living Translation)

While meditation begins in the mind, it does not stop there. Meditation uses the whole person; heart, mind and soul.

An author and pastor was working on 1 Corinthians 10:24; he was gripped with the implications of how we are to think less of ourselves and more of others. He wrote:

All the implications of 1 Corinthians 10:24 are not yet clear in my mind and heart. This text is not done with me. I need to give it more time. And that is my reason for writing.

When a text grabs our attention, we must allow it time to do its work. The Spirit’s use of the sword of God’s word (Hebrews 4:12) to pierce into our deep places and bring about sanctification and transformation doesn’t always fit neatly into a daily devotional time or a Bible reading plan. Sometimes we need to clear our devotional schedule and linger over a text and wrestle with it, and probe into it, and let it probe into us.

Unhurried meditation is what leads to the mind’s transformation (Romans 12:2), which leads to behavioral application, which leads to lifestyle transformation. Such meditation may only require ten minutes, or it may take ten months. However the Spirit leads, linger.

Give the Word time to do its work. (Jon Bloom, President: Desiring God Ministries.)

Are you looking for ways to grow and develop in your life? Have you carved out time to spend deeply thinking about God’s Word and His ways?

A key way to grow and develop our heart, mind and soul in a healthy and holistic way is to spend time with God in prayer and meditation over His Word.

Running From God or Running To God

On By Heart, Mind and Soul CareIn Emotional Health, Life, Personal Growth, Spiritual VitalityLeave a comment

EarlyMorningRun

Colorado is ranked near the top of the list of healthiest places to live. There are several reason for this ranking. People in CO tend to eat a healthier diet. They are also more active. Hiking, mountain climbing, biking, and running are activities that seem to top the list of outdoor fun.

It is interesting to note that while sociologists spend a great deal of time ranking the physical health of a community, they seldom do any work ranking the emotional or spiritual health of a community.

While Coloradans are hard at work running to get their bodies in shape, one wonders if they spend as much time exercising their souls to be as healthy spiritually and emotionally as they are physically. It IS possible for the soul to run: however, what many find themselves doing is running their souls AWAY from the very Person who can help them be spiritually and emotionally healthy.

Charles Stone wrote a great essay highlighting 7 insights he gleaned from a person who is notorious for running . . . running AWAY that is.

1. Running from God may indicate bitterness or unforgiveness toward another. 

Jonah ran from God because he hated Israel’s archenemy, the Assyrians where Nineveh was located. He couldn’t stomach their receiving forgiveness from God.

2. You can run from God but you can’t hide from him.

Jonah thought he’d get as far away from Israel as possible by taking a boat and fleeing 2500 miles in the opposite direction to Spain. But, even though Jonah knew that God was all knowing, he still tried to hide on a trip in a boat.

3. God never gives up on you.

When Jonah bought a one way ticket to Spain, God could have written him off and chosen someone else to preach to the Ninevites. He didn’t. He pursed Jonah.

4. God allows the storms of life for our benefit.

God sent the storm not to punish Jonah, but as an intervention. Jonah needed to be saved from himself and the storm (and the fish that swallowed him) were God’s tools for Jonah’s benefit.

5. When you run, others often get hurt.

When Jonah was on the boat, the boat and every innocent sailor was in danger of losing his own life because of Jonah’s disobedience. Although we may think we can sin and nobody else get hurt, inevitably somebody else gets hurt. We never truly disobey God in isolation.

6. The longer you run from God, the worse the storm will get.

As the storm arose, the men cast lots, an ancient way to divine God’s will, to determine who was causing the ‘gods’ to get angry and cause the storm. The lots fell to Jonah as the source. He could have repented then but didn’t. The storm got worse and worse. Often when we run from God, we dig a deeper and deeper hole.

7. Your sin can never outstrip God’s grace.

Although not every time we sin does God still offer us the same opportunities, in this case God kept pursuing Jonah. He sent the storm and a big fish. And Jonah survived them both. The rest of the book describes many other examples when God extended grace to Jonah. We can never sin, disobey, and run from God so far that his grace can’t forgive and restore, if we are willing.

To Whom are you running?