Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 9
Monday


THE GOOD
AND THE BAD

READ:
Jonah 4
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The LORD God prepared
a plant [for] shade
...[and] a worm,
and it so damaged the
plant that it withered.
__Jonah 4:6-7
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The story of the rebellious prophet Jonah shows us how God desires to use both blessings and trials to challenge us and change us for the better. Five times in the book of Jonah it says that the Lord prepared circumstances for him__both good and bad.

In Jonah 1:4 we read that the Lord sent a storm. It says He "sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea." After the mighty tempest on the sea." After the mariners discovered that Jonah was the reason for this storm, they threw him overboard (1:15). Then God "prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah" to save him from drowning (1:7).

Later in the book we read that "the LORD God prepared a plant" to shade Jonah (4:6). Then we see that God prepared a worm to kill the vine as well as a scorching wind and sun to beat down upon him (4:7-9). These circumstances were used to reveal Jonah's rebellious attitude. Only after that revelation could God directly confront jonah's heart problem.

As we face different situations, we should remember that God is sovereign over both the blessings and the troubles that come our way. He desires to use everything to build our character (James 1:1-15). He uses both good and bad to transform us and guide us on our journey. __Dennis Fisher

`````````````````````The Maker of the universe`````````````````````
````````````````````Knows every need of man,``````````````````````
`````````````````And made provision for that need```````````````````
``````````````````According to His plan. __Crane````````````````````
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The Lord gives and takes away. Blessed be the Lord.

************************Today's Bible Reading __ Jonah 4****************************

1 But it displeased
Jonah.... 2 So he
prayed.... "Ah, LORD, was
not this what I said when I
was still in my country?
Therefore I fled previously to
Tarshish; for I know that You
are a gracious and merciful
God, slow to anger and
abundant in lovingkindness,
One who relents from doing
harm." ...5 So Jonah went
out of the city and sat on the
east side of the city. There he
made himself a shelter and
sat under it in the shade....

6 And the LORD God
prepared a plant and made it
come up over Jonah, that it
might be shade for his head
to deliver him from his
misery. So Jonah was very
grateful for the plant. 7 But as
morning dawned the next
day God prepared a worm
and it so damaged the plant
that it withered. 8 And it
happened, when the sun
arose, that God prepared a
vehement east wind; and the
sun beat on Jonah's head, so
that he grew faint. Then he
...said, "It is better for me
to die than to live." 9 Then
God said to Jonah, "Is it right
for you to be angry about the
plant?" And he said, "It is
right for me to be angry, even
to death!"

10 But the LORD said, "You
have had pity on the plant for
which you have not labored,
nor made it grow, which
came up in a night and
perished in a night. 11 And
should I not pity Nineveh,
that great city, in which are
more than one hundred and
twenty thousand persons who
cannot discern between their
right hand and their left__
and much livestock?"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Despite Jonah's rebellion and sour attitude, God continued to show
him mercy and to teach him about who He is. God's concern for the
whole world and His abounding mercy were at the top of the list of
lessons Jonah needed to learn.