The Crowd Chooses Barabbas
This story should stir us up to a deeper love for the one who paid the highest price to save us . The story of Barabbas is the key to the Christian life.
Jesus in Gethsemane
Why do we often isolate ourselves from God in times of trouble? The best decision is what Jesus does in the Garden – He turned to God. Turn to God when you’re suffering. God is the only One who has the strength to get you through.
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
Have you ever made someone upset and you thought it was about one thing but it was actually about a deeper, more important issue? Today’s scripture is known as the cleansing of the temple. We may think it’s about one thing, because of a lack of contextual awareness. We may use this scripture to justify our anger or for other reasons, but the chief application of this text is about worship.
Jesus Comes to Rule Our Hearts
Jesus is worthy of our open-handed obedience and He is worthy of honor and praise. Make a commitment today to obey Him with open hands, whether through your giving, service or obedience to His voice. Search for ways to give God honor and praise in every area of your life today.
Man’s Self Focus and God’s Relentless Compassion
Have you ever felt so angry that you couldn’t move forward? Maybe it was hard for you to obey God and to follow God’s plan in this moment. God demonstrates how to have gracious compassion in his relentless compassion towards Jonah.
God’s Mercy to the Rebellious Heart
Jonah didn’t see God’s merciful heart, so God sent an appointment of discipline. God sent a worm to bring discipline in the same way that he appointed the plant to show mercy. The worm burrowed into the stem of this plant and as quickly as the plant grew up and covered Jonah, this plant withered away.
Children Are a Blessing
As parents and as Christians, we know that the Word is clear: children are not a hindrance or burden. They are a blessing. They are our responsibility.
The Danger of Self-Righteous Anger
We read the Bible to know God. It should encourage you. It should convict and humble you. The Bible is not done with you until it transforms you. It was never meant to be studied just for head knowledge alone.
Relentless Love Seeks Real Repentance
When Christians speak of repentance, it’s common to talk about it as a topic, but it is rarely mentioned today while preaching the Gospel. Through Jonah’s story with Nineveh, we learn what repentance looks like.
A Compelling Calling
We often think God was relentless in His pursuit of Jonah. He was, but only because He was relentlessly in love and pursuing Nineveh. God wanted Jonah to preach repentance to them. And when Jonah is finally ready to do what the Lord wanted, we get to see the beginning of that message.
Pleading from the Pit of Despair
God will pursue you. His relentless love will chase you, and if necessary, His unwavering love can be ruthless. Not because He hates you, but because He loves you.
The Futility of Fleeing From God
Jonah is fleeing from God, and as the sailors suffer from the storm, he starts to see the ripple effects of his sin.