It's Time to Get Serious

READ: 
Jonah 4

THINK:
Jonah has had some amazing things happen to him... he survived "walking the plank"; he spent 3 days and nights in a giant fish; he told 120,000 people (who usually skinned people alive or impaled them on poles and left them to slowly die) that God was going to destroy them unless they changed their ways... and they did!; and now he is ticked. His favorite plant died. How could God take away his shade and let 120,000 evil people still live? God must not care...

At least that's what he feels. He even tells God that he has a right to be angry with God... what an idiot!

But what can we learn from Jonah? Ask yourself these 4 questions:

1. Am I keeping my faith to myself? You have people all around you, at school, in your neighborhood, at work, etc., that don't know Jesus. What's holding you back from sharing your faith?
2. Am I keeping my friends to myself? Maybe you have some friends at church and some other friends at school... what can you do to connect those friends? Your friends at church are trying to grow closer to God... maybe they can be the catalyst to your friends (boyfriends/girlfriends included) beginning a relationship with God
3. Am I keeping grace to myself? When your parents mess up, how do you respond? When you siblings do something that bugs you, how do you respond? When that kid at school that drives you crazy does something, again, for the hundredth time, how do you respond? When you mess up, how do you want others to respond? Remember, God's grace is limited to when you need it... everyone needs it.
4. Am I keeping my spiritual journey to myself? We aren't sure who wrote the book of Jonah, but at some point Jonah shared his story with someone and they wrote it down (if he didn't). Read his story... he was a mess. People like him drive me crazy... but he owned it. Are you owning your own spiritual journey?

PRAY:
"God, what am i keeping to myself?" Take some time to share with God, the things you think you need to stop keeping to yourself? Ask Him to help you see who you can share you faith, your friends, your grace, and your spiritual journey with.

DO:
Ok... pretty easy one here... how about you take your faith, friends, grace, and journey seriously and follow through with what God is directing you to do?