Red Letter Surrender

I'm Chuck Herrera, Associate Pastor for CLR. These are my thoughts based on my reading of the Scripture. The more I read the more I find one clear thing... Jesus not only wants our hearts, but He wants to reflect himself through us and allow others to be drawn in as well.

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Jonah: Part 3, Jonah & The Storm

JONAH: PART 3 Jonah & The Storm

Jonah 1:1-15

The Storm (4-10)

Jonah's Attitude & Character

He thought he was safe, but here we find him pursued and overtaken, discovered and convicted as a deserter from God, as one who had “abandoned the post.”

He was in deep sleep during the storm, Matthew Henry says, "Satan’s plan is to tempt and draw people away from God and their duty and then rock them asleep in worldly self- confidence, so that they may not be aware of their misery and danger."

Jonah causes others to suffer because of him

“Arise, call out to your god!” … Jonah needed to be reminded to pray

The Crew

One person did not pray for them all, but each one prayed for himself. They cried out every man to his god,

When confronted with life or die, we let go of things we once thought to be of value (v5)

The crew doesn't assume it's Jonah, casting the lots was the most fair way to determine fault, they where convinced it was for supernatural reasons, The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Prov 16:33

Compassion is due to offenders when they are discovered and convicted. The sailors did not speak hard words to him,

Those who want to find the cause of their troubles must not only begin their inquiry but pursue it; they must go into details and accomplish a diligent search

Thrown At Sea (11-15)

Analyze the character, the choices made

Align them with your own heart

See the contrast

What are your deficits 

Where do you lack

Where is my failure

What do I really love

What makes me the most purest happiness

Romans 8

Jesus love is what awaits us outside the boat

At the end of the day, you have you to answer for. Your parents can love you but cannot accomplish you Your friends can enjoy your company but the do not define you Your spouse can love and commit to you but they will answer for themselves at the end of life.

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JONAH: PART 1

AM I JONAH OR AM I NINEVEH?

Commissioned: Am I Jonah?

The definition of commissioned: task, job, project, mission, assignment, undertaking; duty, charge, responsibility; informal marching orders. To contract, charge, employ, hire, recruit, retain, appoint, enlist, book, sign up, authorize and order.

God commissions Jonah to announce God’s judgement

The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: "Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh.  Jonah 1:1-2a (NLT)

Today you and I as the real church have received a similar commission

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT)

And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16 (NLT)

And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: 'There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.' Luke 24:46-47 (NLT)

Condemned: Am I Nineveh?

The Old Testament God declared his judgement when sin has reached a tipping point

Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are. Jonah 1:2b (NLT)

Nineveh was a cruel people violent and wicked

The invented the first crucifixion

Nineveh was cruel to people of other nations and cultures

Nineveh was very ignorant; “But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness” Jonah 4:11 (NLT)

Jesus warned us to repent and change our ways

The people of Nineveh will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here- but you refuse to repent. Luke 11:32 (NLT)

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.  They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. Romans 1:18-19 (NLT)

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Romans 3:23 (NLT)

There is Hope

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:8-9 (NLT)

This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the LORD about it: "Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Jonah 4:1-2 (NLT)

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The180 // [ Love Is... Part 4 ]

LOVE IS... Part 4

RECAP

Love is patient... It doesn't repress, hold grudges

Love is kind, it's not lazy, it's helpless and of a servants heart

Love is not jealous.... It does not envy

Love is not boastful... It's not puffed up or arrogant

Love is not proud... Not stubborn, proud equal foolish, God hates pride

Love is not rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable... Love will be forgiving and flexible, it is willing to adapt to a situation with a positive look

Love keeps no record of being wronged... Again since is doesn't repress, Love will not see individuals as an isolated situation but as a whole person, furthermore a person redeemed by the grace of Jesus's blood.

1 Corinthians 13:6 (NLT)

It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

The subject of its joy and pleasure is suggested here: It rejoices not in iniquity. It wishes no one any wrong, much less will it make this a substance of its delight, and least of all will it rejoice in doing harm and causing trouble. The sins of others stir all its compassion, but can give it no entertainment. It rejoices in the truth. It gives love much satisfaction to see truth and justice triumph among people, to see mutual faith and trust established.

On the positive side again, love is devoted to truth in everything.

STORY: JEREMIAH WRONGFULLY TORTURED

Jeremiah 38:1-13 (NLT)

Jeremiah is warning the people that destruction and hunger are coming on behalf of God (verse 2 & 3)

The rule officials didn't like this, bad news even though true is hard to accept 

The king was weak to listen to the officials

Jeremiah was already in jail (the palace prison)

This was not the first time Jeremiah had warned the people, and not the first time the truth cost him something, 

Jeremiah 26:16 (NLT) Then the officials and the people said to the priests and prophets, “This man does not deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

Jeremiah is ordered to the Cistern (v. 6)

Jeremiah was no stranger to tour true, he constantly found himself in trouble because he preached the truth of the punishment that was coming, 

Jeremiah 37:18-21 (NLT) Then Jeremiah asked the king, “What crime have I committed? What have I done against you, your attendants, or the people that I should be imprisoned like this? Where are your prophets now who told you the king of Babylon would not attack you or this land? Listen, my lord the king, I beg you. Don’t send me back to the dungeon in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for I will die there.”So King Zedekiah commanded that Jeremiah not be returned to the dungeon. Instead, he was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace. The king also commanded that Jeremiah be given a loaf of fresh bread every day as long as there was any left in the city. So Jeremiah was put in the palace prison.

A Cistern was an underground dungeon

Jeremiah was going to die in there

Ebed-Melech was moved with Compassion (v. 7-9)

Ebed was only a servant, an Ethiopian, he was not an Israelite and was seen as beneath them, like a slave

Ebed was mostly likely a eunuch (ESV)

Their testicles were removed so that they can serve in the King's harem

Esther 2:3 (ESV) And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them.

Ebed was deeply moved to compassion and boldly stood before the king on Jeremiah's behalf, not caring what the "officials" would do to him

Jeremiah is rescued (v. 11-13)

Ebed by order of the king rescues Jeremiah

He feeds him and protects him from further harm

Jeremiah is reinstated in the regular prison.  

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PRAY LIKE THIS... Matthew 6:9-13

Pray like this: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And dont let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:9-13 (NLT)

Prayer can be a hard to figure out. Talking to someone is person is easier because you can notice the physical behaviors happening as you are speaking to them, if they don’t like what you are saying their posture and face will reflect it. Prayer is different. It requires a degree of faith and discipline.

In my almost 12 years of knowing Christ my prayer life has fluctuated, I didn’t really prayer my first few months of conversion mostly due to lack of knowledge and understanding how to pray. It wasn’t until I went to a discipleship program several months later that I developed the habit. I didn’t really see anyone else do it, I just burned some worship songs on a CD and began to listen to them in the morning in a quiet room. I began to open up to God and tell him how I felt. There was a lot of tears at first, I had (and still have) a lot to be grateful for, I was seeing God radically change my life.

Later years after I was more in ministry prayer became about intersession for others and for my disciples. It was a strong prayer time but in hindsight I stopped praying for myself which can be very dangerous. I started feeling self sufficient and that I didn’t need to pray for myself. I was very mistaken.

I had a falling out and because all my prayers were based on others I felt I couldn’t pray anymore. In fact I went almost two years not being able to prayer. For two reasons, a lot of bad theology in me, I felt I had to “earn” my right to speak to God and be in his presence through my works and deeds. Two, I allowed satan to lie to me by making me think God was distant from me, rather than me distant from Him. I overcame these deep rooted lies by diving into the scriptures and finding out what God had to say to this regard.

Ultimately I learn on key truth, prayer simple, it’s frequent, it’s honest. It’s not the drawn out multiple hour processions, (if yours is, God bless ya, wish I had your time), rather its a heart felt communication, much like a text message to and from a loved one, sincere, to the point but always affectionate in nature. Do we need to make time to prayer for others, yes we do.  Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. Philippians 1:3-4 (Message)

Using the pattern that Jesus left for prayer is excellent, it breaks down into 5 parts, 1.) worshiping the Father 2.) asking for His will and Kingdom over us and those around us 3.) acknowledging our daily needs 4.) forgiving and praying for others 5.) asking for help in time of temptations and weaknesses

It’s perfect, it really is. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

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LOVE IS: Part 3

1 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)

(Love is not...) rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

CHARACTERISTIC OF LOVE

It does nothing out of place or time, but behaves with courtesy and goodwill toward all.

Love is the complete enemy of selfishness: It does not demand it's own way. Self- love is indeed, to some extent, natural to all. A reasonable love of self is considered by our Savior to be the measure of our love to others

Matthew 22:39 (NLT) A second is equally important:‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ’

Leviticus 19:18 (NLT) “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

AN EXAMPLE OF LOVE: JOSEPH

Genesis 45:1-15 (NLT)

Joseph Reveals His Identity

1 Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. 

2 Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace.

3 “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 

4 “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 

5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 

6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 

7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 

8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

9 “Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says:God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately! 

10 You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. 

11 I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve. ’”

12 Then Joseph added, “Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph! 

13 Go tell my father of my honored position here in Egypt. Describe for him everything you have seen, and then bring my father here quickly.” 

14 Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same. 

15 Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him.

FACTS ABOUT JOSEPH

First Born of Rachel, but one of the youngest of his 12 brothers Genesis 30:24

Was his Fathers favorite son, Genesis 37:3

He has dreams of ruling over all his family Genesis 37:5

Brothers hated him, “could not speak peacefully with him” Genesis 37:4&11

Was sold as a slave, rather than killed, lucky. Genesis 37:27-28

He was bought by the Captain of the Guard and was successful, Genesis 39:1-4

Was falsely accused of rape, Genesis 39:19-20

Became successful in Prison, Genesis 39:21-23

Interprets dreams, Genesis 40-41

Joseph stands before Pharaoh, Genesis 41:14

2nd in command, Genesis 41:37-45

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Haters Gonna Hate

MATTHEW 5

God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. Matthew 5:11-12 (NLT)

Jesus wanted to set a clear standard for his version (the accurate version) of Heaven and the Kingdom of God. In his days the religious leaders were out of control, they set ridiculous standards for "church acceptance" and to make people feel "right" with God. They imposed their own ideas and burdens on people and sought to please the rich, the wealthy and the powerful… (much like false teachers like Joel Olsteen). 

Jesus must have been beyond disgusted with what was going in the "church" of that day. He came to completely revolutionize the church to establish a new norm, a new standard… a standard not based on what the world considered "self-worthy" but to bring hope and honor to those whom endure continual hardship. Some of the "Beatitudes" are pretty radical in by todays standards. Look at it from a business point of view, how much is the rent of a church building, utilities, sound system, computers, staff, child care, all these things cost… yet Jesus is asking us to build a church with the poor and the hungry. The only reason I can see why is to trust in Him and Him alone for provision and sustenance. I've seen too may pastors make this foolish mistake and instead pander to the wealthy and powerful and water down the power of the Gospel and it's redeeming work of grace.

As we see Jesus put value on those of "pure" heart notice is doesn't not say "good" heart… simply pure.  Psalms 51:17 has a beautiful promise, The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. In other words, you don't have to be "right" you just have to be honest, that makes you pure before God.

How do I know this? God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17. We are not judged, we are saved. A heart that turns to that truth is a pure heart, a heart that will see a healing and redeeming God. 

Lastly the promise that you will made fun of, mocked that people will "say all sorts of evil things against you" (I've actually experienced this, this week in fact). Jesus says, be happy!  What?!?!?  Yes, be happy, this is to let you know you are on the right path, you are on the right side of the battle, you are now an official enemy of Satan and he will attack you and he will gladly use his minions against you… Jesus says, be very glad, why? Because he places you on the same level as Isaiah, Elijah, Samuel, Elisha, Jeremiah, Daniel, Samson, Deborah, etc… These people were all history maker, their hearts hurt for the spiritual condition of their countrymen. They all experience prisons, a lions den, their eyes poked out, hunted down, etc… The worst you and I have to worry about is people talking bad about us, no big deal.

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Love Is... Part 2

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud. 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NLT)

Recap From Last Week

Love is Patient 

It does not repress

It does not hold grudges

Love is Kind

Its not lazy

its diligent and helpful

  Love is Not Jealous

Jealousy is another form on Envy

Envy is the effect of ill will. The heart that is set on doing good to everyone can never seek to harm anyone.

So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. 1 Samuel 18: 9-10a (NLT)

Saul was the King, yet still was jealous that David had the favor of the king

Proverbs 3:31, 23:17, 24:1, 24:19 all warn us against having envying evil and sinful people, their pleasure may seem desirable but there are both empty and doomed to destruction. 

Love Is Not Boastful or Proud

These are form of self-conceit 

True love will give us respect for our brothers and sisters, and this will limit our esteem for ourselves.

May the Lord cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues. Psalms 12:3

God really hates proud and boastful people, simply He can see through them and knows the real intentions of their heart

They are commonly people who manipulate through flattery

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know Gods justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. Romans 1:28-32 (NLT)

Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil. Psalms 5:5 (NLT) The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead. Psalms 10:4 (NLT)

The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished. Proverbs 16:5 (NLT)

We use Gods mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NLT)

In short… Pride keeps you away from God, God REALLY hates prideful people, pride is very much associated with IGNORANCE.

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Be a sinner and sin strongly, but more strongly have faith and rejoice in Christ.

Martin Luther (The Reformer)

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Come Follow Me

MATTHEW 4

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. Matthew 4:19-20 (NLT)

I believe that Jesus still calls out to us everyday, "come follow me." And I know it's hard, I know that not always easy to "leave your nets" much less "at once." Does this make us unworthy? Does this make us not apt to be disciples of Jesus. I believe to a certain degree yes and no.

In this particular case, Andrew and Peter had already know Jesus, John MacArthur suggest that for about a year now. This was a call to full time ministry, to abandon their identity for a new identity. Today's world to make a living in ministry is just as hard as in those days. Jesus may not be calling you to leave your job but rather leave your labels.

As we grow up, we have dreams and aspirations of what we will be. If you ask any person whom has a job that they didn't want, most likely they are grateful for the privilege they have to support their families, but it's not a dream job, nor it's the label they would like to have. Chuck Herrera, French Fry Cook… right? Sadly our careers/jobs label us, they define us. 

Jesus was giving a rare opportunity to these four men, "Come with me and I will give you a new identity." But it comes with a price, abandoning your old self, your old identity. If you lied, lie no more, if you stole, steal no more, if you were filled with fears, be fearless, if you were filled with hate, be loving. If you lacked identity find it in Jesus. 

And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. Ephesians 1:13 (NLT)

You are His and He is yours… embrace your new life, your new identity. 

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Prove You Have Turned To God

MATTHEW 3

Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Matthew 3:8 (NLT)

This world is all about proof, evidence is needed for people to believe. When we are confronted with something we demand proof, and when we are given the opportunity or asked to change we asks for the faith of.

John didn’t mince words, “prove by the way you live that you have ‘changed’.” Our day to day life is the evidence that we have turned to God, nothing more will suffice. I can hope someone will change, I can have faith in their decision they make, but ultimately that day to day living will determine if they “turned to God.” This and this alone is a 180 degree turn.

John the Baptist warns two verses later, Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 3:10 (NLT)

We are all trees, some of us are poison trees, others are fruitful trees. We must make a choice today what tree we will become. Fruit takes time to develop, but it can only be down as we turn to God.

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God Still Speaks

MATTHEW 2

After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother, the angel said. Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. Matthew 2:13

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. Matthew 2:19

But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herods son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. Matthew 2:22

We find in three separate occasions God speaks to Joseph through dreams and visions, all three times on how to preserve Jesus's life and keep him from being killed by King Herod.

This brings two things to my mind, first it's an obvious display of Jesus abandoning his "Godship" to become human, had Jesus just been God here on earth he could have protected himself from a feeble king, (I'm imagining a superhero baby with laser shooting eyes that flies around). But he wasn't, he was just human, relying on other humans to accomplish a mission, much like today. Second, God will speak to us through the Holy Spirit to protect the identity of Christ in our lives, He will warn us to protect us from what may harm and even kill the small Christ that was just born inside of you. 

Listen to God has he guides you into the maturity of your faith, it's a process. Discipleship is like losing weight, it takes 3 things, Time, Consistency, and Discipline. 

Are you ready to do what it takes to save your new identity?

Joseph had to leave his hometown and his comfort zone for two years, are you ready to take those kind of drastic choices? 

Someone shared this verse with me, I find it very appropriate here; "There's nothing to these people-- they're dried- up fountains, storm- scattered clouds, headed for a black hole in hell. They are loudmouths, full of hot air, but still they're dangerous. Men and women who have recently escaped from a deviant life are most susceptible to their brand of seduction. They promise these newcomers freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, for if they're addicted to corruption-- and they are-- they're enslaved." 2 Peter 2:17-19 (The Message)

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The Holy Spirit Conceives

MATTHEW 1

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:18 (NLT)

In the context of the Holy Spirit being our intimate friend, becoming pregnant is probably not something any of the young ladies are looking forward to... At least not yet. 

But if you see it post crucifixion, Hillsong United poetically and accurately calls it "The Aftermath" (consequence, result. the period immediately following a usually momentous event) you can see this act of the Holy Spirit as a promise, "You and I can have Jesus placed inside of us, Our lives can 'birth' Jesus and give fruits like Jesus, change the world like Jesus, heal the sick and hurt like Jesus, form 12 disciples like Jesus."

Our culture struggles with finding an identity, with being accepted simply for whom we are. Social networking is the very evidence of that, "like me" please just "like" me, we base our self-worth on the "like" button. Why? We just want to be "liked" that's all. Is that wrong? No, well... maybe to a certain extent it might, but why? I think it boils down to a word, "self-worth." In Jesus we don't need to worry about "self-worth" we have "Jesus-worth" and that is more than enough. In fact with "Jesus-worth" you will become the light in the darkness, you will stand out, you will be different, isn't that what this generation is looking for? To be different?

I invite you to add a statement in your prayer life. "Holy Spirit, birth in me the nature and character of Jesus." 

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. John 14:12 (NLT)