Sometimes our approach to understanding a prophet is made difficult because we assign his circumstances to him alone! Therefore, we think it has no application to us in our times. How sad when we see God’s speaking to prophets as being solitary, when in fact God speaks to us today through the influence of the Holy Spirit’s writings.Jonah: My Personal HistoryMy name means “dove.” I am the son of Amittai. I was born in Gath-hepher in the tribe of Zebulun (2 Kings 14:25).I lived just before the reign of Jeroboam II (782-753 BC). I predicted the successful battles and enlarged land areas of Israel, and I had a brief influence in the welfare of Israel under the sway of that monarch (“in accordance with the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher” 2 Kings 14:25). I represented my people well. I had their attitude, and their attitude stopped short of doing the will of God. My people wanted distinctiveness, but they were not convicted on being evangelistic.You can learn a lot about me from the little parchment that bears my name. I was called by Jehovah to go to the Ninevites. It’s true, I was an enthusiast for national Israel. I attempted to flee to Tarshish. I went to Joppa and boarded a ship. A tremendous storm came up. Even the captain was concerned and asked me to pray. They thought the boat might be lost.…

Why anyone would not want Jesus as a friend is beyond my grasp. He was a true friend and met the qualities that definition warrants. He was supreme in friendship! A friend of Christ had the greatest love. His friendship meant access to the greatest directing for a person’s choices in life. I dare you to find greater comradeship than His.His Kind of FriendshipSometimes we are not ready to have such friendship. When we think of all that it entails, we are inclined to think we are inferior to such blessings. You see, His friendship is marked with profound and inherent ways that originate beyond human experience. He got His methodology from the Father (John 15:15). He wants to be close and warm with us. He is willing to take His friendship at the cost of being a sacrificial victim (John 3:16). He was so close to His disciples that He called them His friends. He even called them “lads” in the Greek text. He didn’t call them servants in a secular sense. He always tried to highlight His closeness, understanding, and tenderness with them. “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). The qualities Jesus offers in His friendships would never have come into our minds.The QualitiesHe chose the finest love (agape). Jesus’ friendship was one of…

I was asked to speak at a Carpenter’s Union Meeting. I was pleased because it gave me the opportunity to describe a true picture of Jesus. There was a senator from Washington present, and later I was asked to call him on behalf of a citizen. When he answered his phone, he asked, “Is this the man who spoke of Jesus as a carpenter?” I was so pleased he remembered. It pleased him to understand the kind of carpenter Jesus was and that He was not born with a silver spoon in His mouth. He was born into hardship, struggle, and poverty. The people of Nazareth asked, “Is this not the carpenter?” (Mark 6:3). This is the only hint we have of how Jesus spent the eighteen years of His life from His boyhood to His manhood! Carpentry was the trade he followed.The Carpenter’s SonJesus was called “the carpenter’s son” because His earthly father, Joseph, was an accomplished craftsman in the profession of woodworking or construction (Greek: tekton), which also included working with rocks. This title reflects His humble beginnings in Nazareth, a small town in Galilee, where He grew up in a working-class house. Joseph had taught Jesus the skills he learned in his chosen trade. Giving Jesus the vocation that would teach Him practical capabilities and sponsor His ministries if need be.SkepticismIn Matthew 13:55, the people of Nazareth questioned, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” They had a problem fitting Him into the role of a preacher. Too, they…

Some people you never forget. I looked for Sandy every Lord’s Day. She always wore a quaint hat and a smile that said, “Isn’t it great to be a Christian?” Too, she carried a woven shopping basket on her arm, and that’s where her expressions of love were found. There was always a hug and a kiss on the cheek. When with her, I always felt the Lord was standing nearby. I was shocked when I learned she had died. I went to her funeral and was not at all surprised at the spiritual atmosphere. They sang all her favorite hymns and read her desired scriptures. You remember that quaint hat I mentioned? Well, all her lady friends sat on the front pew, and each was wearing one of her hats. She was there, and she was in heaven!How FortunateMy memories take me back to the dear sisters in Christ I have had the honor of knowing over the years. The church can’t do without them. They are involved in everything—taking food to the poor, serving at funerals, holding up the hands of those who preach, helping young ladies take care of and nurture their firstborn, and a thousand more things. They are people of prayer. They send beautiful, encouraging cards to the sick. They visit the weak. They seem to have a sixth sense for the needs of the church, and everyone is a missionary in their heart!The Church at RomeDon’t overlook Romans 16—it has more gold of thought…

I am sure there were several things for which Paul had a sense of pride. His education, his Jewish heritage, his influence among his peers were but a few. His personal convictions led him to action. He was moved to fulfill his beliefs. He pursued Christians in their neighborhoods, homes, and communities and saw that they were imprisoned! (1 Corinthians 15:9). But a reversal took place in his life. (1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 11:16–29). He met Jesus!CommissionedPaul was told what God wanted him to do. (Acts 9:15–19). He never evaded God’s directives. From that moment on, he belonged to God in the fullest sense. If there was a price to pay, he was ready to pay it, even death. Little wonder he was able to say he was “not ashamed” of the Gospel he was given to preach. When someone is ashamed of a given thing, they refrain from mentioning it. It is absent in their conversation. To speak about it gives them a feeling of shame, guilt, or disgrace. Certainly, Paul was NOT proud of the way he had treated the church of God. What stood between this friend and foe? The Gospel! And now he says he is not restrained in saying it is the only remedy for the sinfulness of man.The General ContextThis statement was not made at some peaceful meeting with a cup of tea in hand. By this time Paul had experienced imprisonment at Philippi, had been hounded out of Thessalonica, had been rustled…

We all have concerns in the age in which we live. The Thessalonians had theirs. They were concerned about the second coming of Christ and issues related to it. It seems like this problem agitated them greatly. In this chapter, Paul dealt with numerous questions that could upset the sincere Christian. We want to look at what was in Paul’s heart towards these people. The general theme is “Christian steadfastness.” Perhaps these issues caused Paul to have a return visit to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 2:18). He wanted them to be “steady”!He wanted to “assure” their hearts, thoughts, feelings, or minds. Paul reminded them that what he was asking for them, God stood ready to give. In fact, he said God had already given it to them because of the expression of His grace.My AimI see several things here that are my aim on this website — assuringhearts.comTo be very gentle with anyone like these new converts; Paul was tender in his remarks. His words depict a deep anxiety for their spiritual welfare.I don’t want anyone to be eventually “shaken.” Paul encouraged them to remain in their steadfast lifestyle. They were stronger when they lived that quiet life they had come to know with “confidence.”From this general exhortation I draw the following lessons:We should be sober and learn to be thoughtful, distrusting excitement as to these issues.Struggles will come, and they will perplex you. But remember they are really tests of your faith!The steady life prepares for the coming of…

Many Jews were looking for conquest, world domination, and world power in those days. Consequently, they said another king would rise from the line of David (2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89; Amos 9). Some, such as Simeon, believed that God Himself would break directly into history!SimeonHe knew the life of Christ (Luke 2:34).He said Jesus would cause many to fall (see Romans 11:1ff).Then there would be much opposition (Isaiah 9:6). (There is no neutrality with Jesus.)He said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace” (Luke 2:29). (That’s the way it is with all who meet Jesus.)Note that he had waited all his life. Will you?AnnaShe was a great example of righteous expectation (Luke 2:36–40).She was a widow, but we see no bitterness, no aftereffects.She was 84 years old, but she never grew tired of hoping.We wonder what motivated Anna to be this way.She never stopped worshipping God (verse 37).She always made prayer a habit of her spiritual life (verse 37).LessonWe get tired of waiting. Who doesn’t? But it tries our faith. The stronger our convictions, the stronger our wait! What is so marvelous about this story is that they appear to have been waiting all their lives. One day our waiting will come to an end! If we hold on to our faith in Christ, we will be as Simeon, our brother, when he said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace.”DeeperHebrews 3:12, 18–19; 4:2, 6; Numbers 14:11; 20:12; Psalm 78:32; 106:21–22, 24; Isaiah…

I am grateful for the arrangement called “home.” Somehow, when it appears that the world has lost its sanity, when evil is piling up in the midst of political and cultural anger, the home has a way of keeping its sanity and stability. When a man’s home life is strong, he is strong! When it is weak, he reflects that weakness. The home life of Jesus must have been solid and sound, full of godliness and free of societal control.Peasant home life was not tranquil and stress-free. Jesus was presented at the temple at age twelve. Mary and Joseph presented their sacrifice, and it was the sacrifice of the underprivileged (Luke 2:24). His manhood words reflect His boyhood familiarities. We often don’t realize that in the parables Jesus didn’t recite instances from the Jerusalem Times newspaper. These were matters that took place in His community.It was the summer of AD 62. Reginald E. O. White, on page 30 of his book The Stranger of Galilee, made this comment: “Publicity is the life-blood of present-day success. If the world at large is not chattering our names, and the billboard blazing abroad our virtues, crowds flocking to witness our achievements, we think we have failed.” Yet, examine the records, the greatest life the world has ever known was lived, for the most part, in obscurity, mostly unrecorded. God is always silent in His preparation of men. (Think of Moses’ forty years as a shepherd).Early Unpleasant ExperiencesHe was a refugee returning to Nazareth.…

Learn to Take Advice, Reproof, CriticismProverbs 9:8 “Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.”Proverbs 10:17 “He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.”Proverbs 13:18 “He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.”Proverbs 28:23 “He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue.”Proverbs 23:12 “Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.”Learn to Measure All Conversations Before AnsweringProverbs 10:11 “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.”Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.”Proverbs 10:19 “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”Proverbs 10:20–21 “When a good man speaks, he is worth listening to, but the words of fools are a dime a dozen. A godly man gives good advice, but a rebel is destroyed by lack of common sense.” (TLB)Be Slow to Speak…Proverbs 11:12 “To quarrel with a neighbor is foolish; a man with good sense holds his tongue.” (TLB)Proverbs 12:13 “An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble.”Proverbs 15:4 “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”Always Be Compassionate to Poor PeopleProverbs 3:27–28 “Do not withhold good from those who…

Isn’t it strange? We are now having to define what we mean by character. When I was a kid, I would often hear in the family, “Character is doing what is right! Character is what you are after everyone has left the room. Character is telling the truth. Character is standing up for the things that are right and always opposing the wrong.” So let’s get some things straight.What Character Is NotCharacter is not what a person professes to be; it is what a person IS.Character is not reputation.Character is not a well-known event in someone’s life.Character is not being a well-gifted person.Character is not keeping company with the right people.Character is not having thoughts of goodness.Character is not projections about tomorrow.Character is not rhetoric.What Character IsCharacter is the quality that reflects moral beliefs/values, which motivates our behavior, choices, or attitudes, and which helps us distinguish between right and wrong (Josephson Institute of Ethics).Character is moral strength.Character is doing the right things for the right reasons.Character is knowing the difference between right and wrong.Character is always doing the right thing even if no one is looking.Character is loving the good and following through with the appropriate behavior.Character is knowing the good.Character is doing the good.What Parents Can DoTeach character in the home atmosphere, knowing children are being prepared for life.Present it directly to children as the greatest gift they will ever receive in life.Stand by what you have taught in words and behavior—an example of the words.Advocate it in your…