Week five of Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer is certainly one that makes us think. It should make us prayerfully take a look at our own lives to see if we are obeying God, even in the seemingly small things. As I watched the video and worked through the material, I felt God pressing on me the urgency of this message.
(Image: Unsplash)
God does not look for perfect people that can handle things on their own. If that was the case, we would all be in big trouble. God looks for people who are willing to be obedient in both the large and small things. When God has someone obedient, He works supernaturally to do great miracles! It is God’s grace and power that should be seen in a situation, not ours.
God allows us to be in seemingly impossible circumstances facing impossible challenges. Not because He wants to hurt us or watch us fail. It is the opposite. He wants to use our weakness and our messes for His glory! Isn’t that an incredible thought? That Divine Interruption you are facing; God will use it. His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). All He asks is that you are obedient. When other people see God’s power in us and through us, it is an amazing testimony of God. I pray this week that you will seek God and ask for His help so that His power will be made perfect in your weakness. Let your life be a living testimony!
My insecurities don’t absolve me of responsibility. -Priscilla Shirer
Assignment For Next Week
- Read Week Six, pages 129-150 in the workbook
- Listen to the Session Six Audio (optional)
- OR…Listen to the Session Six Video (optional)
This week was so freeing to be reminded that God goes before me..this helps with my anxiety.
I see a line in my mind, a line of no return if I get my stubborn self just a millimeter past the line God will do the rest.
I read a book about the “third line of faith,” the last chapter in Craig Groeschel’s book called “The Christian Atheist.” Craig saw three lines before him:
Line 1: I believe in God and the gospel of Christ enough to benefit from it.
Line 2: I believe in God and Christ;s gospel enough to contribute comfortably.
Line 3: I believe in God and Christ’s gospel enough to give my life to it.
Awesome, Thanks Christine. I want to cross line #3…What joy i would have if i could stop everything and focus on giving every second of the day to God.
I am afraid that I would join Ninevah, instead of going there to do what God ask. I came from Ninevah, I don’t want to go back.
1John4:9-10….9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins
1. As I go about my day of walking the dogs, going to the store and the people I meet along the way….. I say have a blessed day. Also if someone looks like they need help, I ask to help them and say those four little words above to them.
2. The churches I attended in the past only cared about what was going on inside of their walls, and did not seen to want to spread the Word of God, even if a few of us wanted to do out into the community. So we were under verbal attacks from the church.
3. Not equipped, not knowledgeable enough, not eloquent enough.
4. In a similar situation I would use The Romans Road, if I felt the need to witness and try not to walk away.
Christine,
I applaud your bravery in doing this….I would have a hard time with that.
Not the praying part, but the going there, and praying. I just cannot pray out loud, no matter how hard I try or the circumstances. On the other hand I HAVE NO problem talking to a total stranger.
Pray silently.
God placed it in my heart to do this for this mom, through I completely abhor what she did. God wants me to experience forgiveness for another human being. He is showing me the world through the eyes of Jesus and not my own. How would Jesus look at this woman….He’d love her and offer her eternal life if she chooses to believe.
Christine,
I pray silently real well all most all the time. I pray silently in the mornning when we are walking for about an hour…the babies and I. Thanks for all you do for us. Blessings.
OPPS forgot to say I would pray for her also. See above posts please.
Thanks…….Blessing again.
1.On page 107, you listed some ways you can make disciples as you go about your daily routine. What can you intentionally do during the day to make disciples? Be the one to strike up a conversation or if another does be willing to bring God into it.
2.As you consider your own group of Ninevites, what challenges or difficulties do you face? (page 110) People not wanting to discuss anything of a religious nature or God in general.
3.What are your concerns about sharing God’s word with others? (page 119) Need more knowledge of the Bible though I have found that words often come to mind that are the right words. I do need to know better where the Scripture is located though.
4.On page 120, Priscilla created a list of scripture verses for ministering to others. What verses do you use in similar situations?
This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. Jer 6:16
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Prov 16:9
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matt 7:7-8
If you have a social site, such as facebook or twitter, start quoting scripture. Many will interact with you and say its the verse they needed to hear at that time, or you just touched their heart. As you do this, you start to find favorite verses and the more you quote them the easier it is to remember the verse location. I too struggled with this and quoting scripture has helped me tremendously with my “poor memory.” 😉
1. On page 107, you listed some ways you can make disciples as you go about your daily routine. What can you intentionally do during the day to make disciples? I talk about this Bible study with everyone I know and meet. I actually had to go and have bloodwork done the other day. When the phlebotomist began making small talk I said, “I prayed for God’s mercy and healing power to clear my body from a need for this medication, but if not, His grace was enough.” She looked at me and said, “I’m a student and I prayed that I would do better with you than I with the others day!” I told her that if she didn’t, God’s grace for good enough. Turns out she didn’t do very well (went into my muscle causing alot of pain) but I told her it was ok, God’s grace was good enough. Everything doesn’t have to be as we want. She said, “Thank you for that.” It was uncomfortable at first, but I did it. Now I know I can….and I will.
2. As you consider your own group of Ninevites, what challenges or difficulties do you face? (page 110) My own fear and getting over hurt feelings for wrongs done to me.
3. What are your concerns about sharing God’s word with others? (page 119) That someone will ask a question or have a retort and I will be too dumbfounded to respond.
4. On page 120, Priscilla created a list of scripture verses for ministering to others. What verses do you use in similar situations?
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 is my favorite
I love the blood draw story….we can find the Spirit moving if we just look for it as you did! Satan has conditioned Christians to fear speaking in the name of Jesus…because we’ll offend someone if we say something like “merry Christmas.” So speaking as you did opens the doors of communication. My husband wears Christian t-shirts and everywhere he goes people comment “I like your shirt!” It opens doors to witnessing.
Thanks Christine. I find it very easy to say things online, but boy—when I don’t know a person’s heart and I come face to face with them, I get tongue tied. I’m always afraid they are going to say something for which I will not have a response. That’s why I loved watching Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort doing their street evangelism (although I wish they would show some of the people who really gave them trouble.)
I think we all have that same fear, and the enemy uses it to his advantage in the same way he keeps us from speaking about God to nonbelievers. As a society we’ve learned to speak from the MIND and not from the HEART. Praying that this will change and we’ll see a revival in the family of Christ.
1. How can I make disciples in my daily life? By trying to be a better wife, Mom, teacher, etc. By being more positive and stopping complaining and mouthing when things go wrong. Be more patient with others and demonstrate God’s love even when I want to say, “What is wrong with you?” (I’m sure God would say that about me sometimes…) Also, I love facebook… it is one of my favorite things to do and one way I can use it is through my statuses… I try to bring God glory as I post what’s going on in my life and also be encouraging to others.
2. I had trouble identifying a Ninevah, and God finally pointed out to me (at least I think it is coming from Him… see, there is that self-doubt)_ that my Ninevah is just my day to day stuff, no matter how significant. Difficulties I come in contact with are bad attitudes, disrespect, foul language, and fear (my own).
3. I often feel as though I am not equipped or not knowledgeable enough about God’s word. Who am I to speak up and offer my opinion… and do I really know enough scripture to back it?
4. My favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11… and I use it for my nursing students all the time (even though I’m not supposed to be talking God talk on the job). I try to use it to help point out to them that even though what they are going through is tough, God wants them to prosper. also love 1 Corinthians 12:9… it’s really been speaking to me through this study.
1. I have always hoped that by citing my Christianity as the basis for avoiding gossip, making it a point to work hard and with excellence, not using profanity, etc., people in my workplace would be intrigued and want to know more about Christianity, or at the very least have a favorable impression of Christianity.
3. I cannot share what I do not have a firm grasp on myself. Sometimes, it seems as if the Bible is absolutely filled with wonderful promises and stories…that apply to others but not me. While, intellectually, I know this to be false, it is something I struggle with constantly. One result is that I avoid doing too much in the way of explicit witnessing to others, since I fear they would sense my own doubts.
It seems we all suffer from the same insecurity, placed there by Satan and not God. We are perfect in His image, and he showed us in scripture that rarely was someone “mistake free” or without sin. We are created human and as humans, we need to dig into our hearts, discover the love of Jesus and find our feet standing on firm ground with Him. Its possible we judge one another so much and so often, we forget to look at ourselves through the eyes of God. We are His Daughters…and the only audience that matters is His. Our intention and obedience matter more than our results.
Humble me Lord, I pray. let me fall to my knees before you…as I accept your gifts of MERCY and GRACE.
This was my favorite chapter by FAR!
1. I love how Priscilla says “Evangelism is not something to do; it is a way to live”. Sometimes how we live can minister to not only non-believers but to other Christians too. My husband & I just experienced something in our business just recently with another christian couple. They were upset with us with something that was not our fault. We took the steps to go above & beyond what we should have done because in the end they saw that we didn’t do “what the world” wanted us to do. We did what Christ would have wanted us to do.
3. Not equipped/or knowledgeable enough.
4. I printed all these scriptures out. My goal is to memorize them all. I don’t memorize scriptures and felt this was a good time to start!
One last note- On page 113 “grace for grown-ups” in the middle of the page is a verse “my god will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). This verse was so comforting to my soul!
You just reminded me that I wanted to write a blog post with those verses. I’ll do that soon. Loved your comments here, thank you for sharing Carin.
Christine,
Will you share your navigational tools???
Week Five navigation tools (yours will be different than mine)
Day 1: Speak in Love (His name)
Day 2: I’m never outmatched with God inside my heart.
Day 3: God sets the course before the game.
Day 4: Obedience equals results.
Day 5: Place hope in a compassionate God.
1. Share the gospel with my coworkers through my behavior, music, speech and one on one conversations. Share the gospel on Facebook through scripture and the attitude of my status posts.
2. I’m super busy. Time is a big issue. Arranging my life-Letting og of some things that aren’t as important
3. Not being knowledgeable enough, or equipped properly
4. Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11, John 3:16
1. Let people know about Women’s Bible Study Café, be more positive less negative, and listen more to people
2. Nobody wants to share the word about god most of the time. I volunteer at a group called Career Transition Workshop, which helps people looking for jobs, and the best thing is we do talk with God at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end.
3. I know that I am not equipped, not knowledgeable enough, not prepared, but I am prepared
4. Psalm 23
Hi gals, I’m sorry I’m a tad behind. Even though I finished week 5, I forgot to answer it.
#3) I answered not equipped, not knowledgeable enough, not prepared & not sure.
I feel like I don’t know enough about the Bible to lead someone to Jesus. Last year was the first time I opened a bible since my childhood & started learning his word.
I remember when my grampa was alive he knew his Bible front & back. When people would come to his house to preach to him & they were of different faith, he had his Bible ready & was giving his testimony to them. After a while they would just skip his house.
There is so much that I feel that I don’t know. What if they ask me something and I don’t know the answer? I guess its fear that I have.
#4)I know John 3:16 from Sunday School.