Most of us are familiar with the overall story of Jonah. However, in a recent sermon, Jeremiah mentioned a small fact that I have often overlooked in the story with a potent application to our lives. In chapter 1, as Jonah has tried to run away from God, the sailors cast lots to “ … know on whose account this evil has come upon us” (1:7). After God allows the lots to identify Jonah, he ‘fesses up that he is running from God, Whom he identifies as “…the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land” (1:9). Jonah tells the sailors the way to stop the storm…

I am so grateful to be living in the information age. While I can try, it is so difficult for me to imagine living in the Dark Ages, or some other olden time when information was scarce. To have books and the Internet and other sources of information readily available is such a blessing. However, is it possible that we simply know too much? I was thinking about this just a few days ago. I don’t watch the news on TV, and I really just read headlines and a handful of articles from time-to-time. But I noticed that I was checking a couple of different news sites over and over…

Did you spend any time in school learning about broad generalizations? You know, those statements that cover a great deal of people or territory or actions, when only a few were involved in whatever happened.   What about the statements some teachers make, like, “The behavior in this class of mine is outrageous,” or, “They are just bad kids!” How about, “My whole class failed that test.”  Now, you and I know that not ALL of the kids are bad kids, behave badly, or fail the test! There might be a majority as times, but ALL is a big word! When it comes to parenting, how about statements like: “My kids won’t listen…

Chitchat. Chatting. Chewing the fat.  Those words and phrases (and others) are used to describe what many refer to as “small talk.” Nothing that would make the headlines is being discussed. The subject of the conversation may be as “mundane” as the weather, how a sports team is doing, what different family members are doing, a particular recipe, or any number of other every day and ordinary things.   Are we wasting our time when we engage in small talk? Is there any value in this practice? Would merely asking somebody for a drink of water be considered small talk? What about just asking somebody if they were understanding what they were reading? By now, I’m…

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article that came from the first chapter of Haggai. The idea of that article was that God has supplied all we need, yet we fail to prioritize Him in our lives. I hope those thoughts have helped you (and me) keep Him first these past few weeks.  We often overlook the wisdom contained in these shorter books of the minor prophets. If you are like me, you often feel as though you don’t fully understand “the who” or “the what” is being discussed and so feel lost. Or perhaps, the subject matter makes you uncomfortable (think Hosea) and so we avoid the lessons…