Blog

Why Reading the Bible in a Year Changed My Life

Jun 22, 2025

Why Reading the Bible in a Year Changed My Life

Reading the Bible in a year means completing all 1,189 chapters across 66 books in 365 days—roughly 3-4 chapters per day, taking 15-20 minutes. Studies show only 11% of Christians who start a Bible reading plan actually finish it. I was determined not to be part of that 89%.

I’ll be honest with you—when someone first suggested I read through the entire Bible in a year, I laughed.

Not out loud, of course. I’m too polite for that. But internally? I was thinking, “Yeah, right. I can barely keep up with my morning coffee routine, and you want me to read 1,189 chapters in 365 days?”

But here’s the thing: I actually did it. And looking back now, I wish I’d started years earlier.

The Part No One Tells You

Everyone talks about the benefits of reading Scripture consistently. You’ve heard it all before—deeper faith, better understanding, closer relationship with God. All true, but also… kind of vague?

What they don’t tell you is how reading through the whole Bible changes the way you see, well, everything else you’ve already read.

Remember that verse you’ve quoted a hundred times? The one on the decorative sign in your kitchen? When you read it in context, surrounded by the chapters before and after it, it hits different. Suddenly you’re not just reading isolated verses—you’re watching an entire story unfold, and all those familiar passages start making sense in ways they never did before.

The Leviticus Problem

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Leviticus.

And Numbers. And the genealogies. And those lists of measurements for the tabernacle that seem to go on forever.

I won’t lie to you—some days were hard. Really hard. There were mornings when I’d stare at pages of Israelite camping arrangements and wonder if this was really worth it.

But you know what surprised me? Even those “boring” parts started connecting to things. That random detail about the bronze altar? It shows up again in a prophecy. Those genealogies? They’re actually proving a point about God’s faithfulness through generations.

Did I understand everything? Not even close. But that’s actually the beautiful part.

The Plot Twist I Didn’t See Coming

Here’s what nobody told me: reading the Bible all the way through makes you realize how much you’ve been missing.

Remember the story of David and Goliath? Of course you do. But did you remember the part right before that where David’s brothers are being really mean to him? Or the part right after where King Saul becomes weirdly obsessed with killing David?

When you read straight through, these stories stop being isolated Sunday school lessons and start being part of an actual narrative. David isn’t just “the guy who beat Goliath”—he’s a complicated person in a complicated situation, and you start to understand why God called him a man after His own heart despite all his very obvious flaws.

What Actually Kept Me Going

I’m going to be real with you about what worked and what didn’t.

What didn’t work: Trying to do it alone. Making it a chore. Feeling guilty when I missed a day (which I did. Multiple times.).

What did work: Having a plan that broke everything down into manageable pieces. Not just “read the Bible” but “today, read Genesis 1-3.” That specificity mattered more than I expected.

Also, tracking my progress helped way more than I thought it would. There’s something satisfying about checking off each day, seeing your streak build up. It’s the same reason people like fitness trackers—you can actually see yourself making progress toward something that matters.

The Hardest Part (That No One Warns You About)

The hardest part wasn’t the reading itself. It was battling the voice in my head that said, “You’re not getting enough out of this. You’re reading too fast. Real Bible study means going slower, deeper, taking notes on every verse.”

But here’s what I learned: reading through the Bible and studying the Bible deeply are both good things. They’re just different things. And doing one doesn’t mean you’re doing the other wrong.

Some days I’d get lost in a passage and spend my whole reading time on three verses. Other days I’d power through five chapters because they were mostly genealogies and I was being honest with myself about my attention span. Both were okay.

What Changed

So what actually changed after a year of consistent Bible reading?

My prayer life got better, but not in the way I expected. Instead of always asking God for stuff, I started actually talking to Him about what I was reading. “Hey God, why did you let that happen?” “What was the point of this story?” Sometimes I’d get answers. Sometimes I wouldn’t. But the conversation itself became richer.

I stopped being intimidated by the “weird” parts of the Bible. The prophets made more sense. Revelation felt less like a puzzle I’d never solve and more like a letter I could actually read (even if I didn’t understand all of it).

But the biggest change? I started seeing how everything connects. The Old Testament isn’t just backstory for Jesus—it’s all pointing toward Him. The New Testament isn’t just good advice for living—it’s showing how everything God promised is coming true.

If You’re Thinking About Trying It

Look, I’m not going to tell you that reading the Bible in a year will solve all your problems or that you’re a bad Christian if you don’t do it. That’s not what this is about.

But I will tell you this: if you’ve been wanting to read the whole Bible but you’ve been putting it off because it feels too big, too hard, too time-consuming… I get it. I felt all of that too.

What I didn’t expect was how doable it actually was once I broke it down into daily chunks. Most days it took maybe 15-20 minutes. Some days more if I got sucked into a good story (and yes, the Bible has some absolutely gripping stories).

The version of me from a year ago would be shocked that I’m now the person encouraging someone else to try this. But that’s exactly what I’m doing.

Getting Started

If you’re ready to give it a shot, here’s my advice: pick a reading plan that works for you. Some plans take you straight through from Genesis to Revelation. Others mix it up, reading from different parts each day. Both work—just pick one and stick with it.

Don’t try to do it perfectly. You’ll miss days. You’ll get behind. That’s normal. Just pick back up where you left off.

And find a way to track your progress. Whether it’s checking boxes on a printed calendar, using an app, or marking up a physical Bible—seeing your consistency builds momentum.

The Bible isn’t just a book you’re supposed to have read. It’s God’s story about His love for His people, and you’re part of that story. Reading it all the way through helps you see where you fit in the bigger picture.

Trust me, it’s worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to read the Bible in a year?

Most one-year Bible reading plans require 15-20 minutes per day. You’ll read 3-4 chapters daily, covering approximately 31,000 verses across the 66 books.

What’s the best Bible reading plan for beginners?

Chronological plans arrange events in historical order, making the narrative easier to follow. Genesis-to-Revelation plans are straightforward but can feel overwhelming when you hit Leviticus. Plans that mix Old and New Testament readings daily keep things varied.

What do I do when I fall behind on my Bible reading plan?

You have two options: catch up gradually by reading extra chapters, or skip ahead to the current day and keep going. Both work. The goal is finishing, not perfection.

Is it better to read fast or study deeply?

Both are valuable but different. Reading through in a year gives you the big picture and context. Deep study gives you detailed understanding of specific passages. Do both—just not at the same time.

Ready to start your own Bible reading journey? Scriptured makes it easy with daily reading plans that break down the entire Bible into manageable daily portions. Track your progress, build your streak, and finally read the whole story. Start your free reading plan today.

Give Me This Mountain

May 23, 2025

Scripture

6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea. 7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. 10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. Joshua 14:6-14

A Day for remembering and a day for patriotism

Remembering those who have fallen in battle.
Remembering all loved ones who have died.

A text from a book of battles.

After Moses, Joshua became the leader.
The land divided among the tribes of Israel.
The area given will have to be conquered and developed.

Caleb: “Give me this mountain”

Asks the most difficult task

12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. *Joshua 14:12 *

Who were the Anakim? They were the strongest among the pre-Israelite inhabitants of Palestine. They were used as a comparison to stress the size of other people groups in the area, because every one knew who they were.

21 A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: Deuteronomy 2:21

Numbers 13:33 states that the Anakim came from the giants. Scholars believe that this means that this people group was a direct descendant of the Nephilim race (which, from what we can see in Genesis 6, were half demon and half human)

33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. Numbers 13:33

So… everyone knew who these people were, and everyone knew who these people came from. These were some bad dudes. But we see that Caleb asked to take them on. He knew that God would have his back. He told Joshua, “Give me the mountain. Let me go onward to the higher ground.”

What motivated Caleb to press on to higher ground? Let’s take a few minutes to discuss what exactly motivated Caleb to go for this fight.

The Meat and Potatoes

He remembers God’s promise to him (v6-7)

Caleb the spy (Num 13:2-6)

2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. 3 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel. 4 And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. 6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. Numbers 13:2–6

The passage goes on and lists out the rest of the men that went to spy out the land, but we can see in verse 6 that God calls Caleb. The Bible says that rulers of every tribe were sent. Even at this point in Caleb’s life, he was a strong, godly ruler in Israel, specifically in the tribe of Judah.

Sent by Moses 40 years earlier to spy out the land. Caleb did not complain when he was sent to spy out the land. He was not fearful of the inhabitants of land. Caleb simply followed the instructions and commands that God had given him through Moses.

Before it was even time to go, Caleb could have backed down. Before they even knew of the giants in the land and the great tall fenced cities, Caleb could have said no. He could have worried about the journey. He could have worried about being away from his family. He could have worried about losing his immediate leadership position in the tribe of Judah. But we see that he didn’t. Caleb went willingly.

Are you willing to follow the command of the Lord in your life today? If it was to cost you your job, or the companionship of your family, or the comfort of your own home, would you be willing to do it? Caleb was.

Far too many of us today are afraid to go into the unknown. And I don’t mean all of us traveling to a foreign land to proclaim God’s Word to the natives. We’re afraid to go into the unknown, broaching a spiritual conversation with a family member. We’re afraid to go into the unknown, voicing a godly opinion in the workplace. We’re afraid to go into the unknown, pulling away from our comfortable traditions.

Caleb was sent away from all that was familiar to him, by the command of God. God knew there was somewhere that Caleb needed to go and some things that Caleb needed to see that involved Caleb removing himself from all that was immediately around him in the tribe of Judah.

Where was God taking him to?

The fruit of the land, flowing with milk and honey The land which Caleb had to spy out was a great land that was full of good things. The Bible says in Numbers 13:23 that a single cluster of grapes had to be carried by two men. The land was fruitful and bountiful. However, the land was also full of giants. It was full of pagan nations. The influence of demons themselves abounded in the form of the sons of the Anak. The cities of the land were strong and fortified.

So we see all land that was full of challenge but was also full of opportunity. We see a task that would be of great struggle to accomplish, but of great reward to receive.

As I thought about this, I couldn’t help but think of the Christian walk in the life of a believer today. Jesus had something to say about the path we must take in this life if we are to follow Him.

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:14

The way is narrow folks. It isn’t easy. But if you follow it, it leads to life everlasting.

This past week my younger brother left home for the first time to spend the summer serving at the Wilds in North Carolina. It made me stop and think about the time I spent when I was there years ago. When I was a counselor at the Wilds in the summer of 2022, we had two hikes we could take the kids on. The hike to 1st Falls was easy. It was simply a little nature stroll downhill. The hike to 4th Falls was quite difficult. You had to scale rocks and use ropes to climb up and over things. There were parts of the trail where it was so narrow you had to go one by one. The mosquitos and snakes wanted to eat you alive some days. It was long and hot. However, unlike the 1st Falls hike, the waterfall at 4th Falls was HUGE and there was a lake that you could swim around in at the bottom. Getting to the end and seeing that magnificent waterfall felt like such an accomplishment. 1st Falls, while pretty, never gave me that feeling.

The task to hike to 4th Falls was much harder, but the reward was much greater. Each time after the first, when I took the 4th Falls hike, I knew in my mind what was going to be waiting for me at the end. I kept my sights on that end goal of seeing that amazing waterfall, and it made the trip that much better. Seeing beyond my present circumstance when I was in the middle of the arduous hike kept me going. Thinking of that waterfall waiting at the end made the entire journey worth it.

But Caleb saw beyond this to Hebron, where Abram met God The spies went to Hebron, which, as we saw from our reading earlier, was the place Caleb eventually asked Joshua to have.

22 And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) Numbers 13:22

I believe Caleb kept thinking about Hebron in the Promised Land all the 40 years the Israelites wandered around after their disobedience in Numbers 14. Perhaps the time didn’t feel as long for him. The journey maybe didn’t look as arduous. Why? Because he was resting in the promise that he would see then Promised Land again. He would see Hebron again. God had given him a glimpse. All Caleb had to do was claim the promise and live in the light of it.

In the Bible, God has given us a glimpse of the glory that awaits us if we stay the course. Right now we are in the journey, but, if we look beyond our present struggles we can rest in the glory that awaits us in the arms of Jesus in heaven above.

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

The verses should give us hope in the promise of glory to come, and strength to overcome our daily battles, knowing that the Lord is right by our side.

Caleb “We are well able to overcome it” (Num. 13:30)

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. Num 13:30-31

The majority had great giants and a little God The world around us has great giants. People battle giants of addictions, abusers, money, greed, pride, sex, envy, and a host of other vices. And they try to fight these giants on their own.

Studies indicate that approximately 40-60% of individuals relapse within 30 days of leaving an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center, and up to 85% experience relapse within the first year

Why? Is it just because addictions are hard? No! It’s because many refuse to lean on God to the fullest extent. Many people are looking for a program when they should be looking for their Provider. Many people are looking for the easy fix rather than the Almighty Fixer.

That’s not to discount the demons of addiction. It’s a process, regardless of your level of spiritual maturity, but many people falter simply because they allow their giants to be greater than God in their life.

Caleb had a great God and little giants Caleb didn’t fall into this trap. Caleb said “we are able to overcome”. Why? Because his God was greater than his problem. Yes, the giants on the mountain were still giants, but God was still bigger. Yes, Israel would still have to put in the work and sweat to drive them out, but with God on their side how could they lose?

So how was Caleb and Joshua’s mindset different than everyone elses?

The majority were problem-conscious, but Caleb and Joshua were power-conscious

6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. 8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. Numbers 14:6–9

They said the Lord is with us. While all the other spies were worried about the problem itself, Caleb and Joshua had made the decision to rest in the one who had the power to solve the problem.

Do you spend your time today focusing on your problems, or on the God who has the power to solve your problems? Are you choosing to shrink in fear from the life that God has placed you in, or are you choosing to stand on the promises?

Caleb will now stand on the promises

He will never forget them

6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea. 7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. Joshua 14:6-7

40 years went by, and Caleb never forgot about Hebron in the Promised Land. He came to Joshua to remind Joshua. Similarly we must never forget the promises of God in our lives.

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 1:6

God has begun a good work in all of us, and what He has started, He will finish. We must hold fast and faithful to that truth and not forget it when we’re faced with the storms and trials of this life.

You will never find him part of the grumbling crowd Caleb didn’t grumble. When the Lord turned the Israelites away from the Promised Land to wander in the wilderness and die, he faithfully followed. He could’ve become bitter. He could’ve become angry. He didn’t though. He chose instead to rest in the promise. Remember… Caleb never did anything wrong. He served God faithfully as a spy. He came back and gave a good report. The Bible says he was almost stoned to death by the people when he told them (rightfully) that they could overcome the giants! Because of their ignorance and disobedience, Caleb lost 40 years of his life that could’ve been spent in the Promised Land.

Sometimes the actions of others hurt us. Sometimes the consequences of their sins affect us. It may affect us a day, or a month, or a year, or our whole lives! But God should still be our God through it all. There shouldn’t be grumbling and complaining. There shouldn’t be blaming. We should follow the example of Caleb.

Why didn’t he grumble and complain?

He is on his way to this better land all through life Caleb kept the end goal in mind. He knew that God would bring him home, and he stayed the course, being faithful through all the years of waiting. The desert wasn’t nearly as nice as the Promised Land, but Caleb knew that God had a plan for him that didn’t end with him dying in that desert.

For us today, if you’re saved, know that there is a plan for you that far exceeds and surpasses the goals, plans, and dreams you can want for yourself here on Earth. God’s plan for us doesn’t end with us dying here on this earth. We are here for a time yes, but God has something better in store for us. It is our job while we are here to share His love with others and seek to bring them to the saving knowledge of Him. The plan that he has for us in eternity is so much more than we can imagine here. As we read earlier, we can’t even comprehend it!

Caleb remembers his own commitment to the Lord (v8-9)

8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. Joshua 14:8–9

“I wholly followed the Lord…” “Wholly” means without any reserve. There was nothing held back. There was no plan B or plan C. It was go Beulah Land or go broke. There was no other option. Is that your attitude today. Can you identify something in your life that would cause you to take a step away from Christ? Is there anything you can think of that would drive a wedge between you and your Savior? If so, it must be addressed. If there is anything in our lives that even has the potential of keeping us from wholly following the Lord, then it must be addressed.
Reminded of the time of his full surrender Caleb was surrendered fully to God, He was surrendered to the point to where he was speaking the truth of God at the risk of the children of Israel stoning him. What does full surrender look like to you?

Is it simply taking a few hours out of your Sunday morning to come to church? If that’s your idea of being surrendered to God, it isn’t enough.
Is it just doing a soup kitchen, or refusing to watch soap operas, or only listening to Christian music? These are all good things, but they’re not the main thing.
Praying before meals? Reading devotionals? Once again… good things, but they aren’t indicators of a heart sold-out to God.

To be fully surrendered to God means you ask three questions to Him:

Where do you want me?
When do I go?
What do you need me to do?

If you ask these three questions to God, placing them at His feet in prayer, with a heart that truly says “as you say Master I will do”, then you will be fully surrendered.

A man of God, total dedication, committed Caleb possessed this total dedication. He was committed to following God, whether it was following God into battle against the Anakim or following God into the battle of the wilderness.

Do you have that commitment today? Do you posses that dedication? If you prayerful as the where, what, when questions of God, He’ll give you answers. Are you committed enough to follow though as Caleb was?

Caleb remembers how he had stood apart from the crowd

Do you remember a day of victory? There are many recognized days of victory. The day we won the Revolutionary War, the day the slaves were freed, VJ Day (when WWII effectively ended). These are seen by many as great days of victory.

There are also days of personal victory. My aunt just recently rung the cancer bell. She went through the Red Devil Chemo and came out the other side. She was able to stand by my uncle, her son and his wife, and her grandbabies and ring that bell. It was a joyous occasion. God is good. He gives us trials sometimes, but, for a child of His, victory is always the end result.

What about the day you were saved? Have you experienced the day of Christ coming into your heart freeing you the penalty of sin? Have you experienced the power of Christ healing you from the pain of sin. Have you known the joy of knowing that one day, through Christ Jesus, you will be freed from the presence of sin?

Friend, the victories that God gives us in the battles we face are a testament to His faithfulness in our lives

Caleb remembers God’s faithfulness to him. (v10-11)

10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Joshua 14:10–11

God hath kept me alive.

Have you thanked God for keeping you alive? The reason you’re alive today is because there’s still a plan God has for you here. The reason Caleb was kept alive was because there was something that God still had planned for him down here on this earth.

Well Sam, what about those who inflict pain and suffering, does God have a plan for them too?

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than my thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

I can’t know the mind of God, but I can know His traits. God is merciful and God is just. In his divine wisdom, part of his plan may be allowing wicked people more chances to come to the saving knowledge of him. It may be using the pain they inflict to draw others closer to Him. With our human understanding, we simply can’t know. We do know that God gives each of us free will.

We also know that God doesn’t plan sin in the lives of people. His plan addresses sin in the lives of people.

Except for Joshua, all the rest had died. Caleb had a lonely road to walk. All of his fellow peers, with the exception of Joshua, had gone on. At my age, I don’t think I fully understand the toll it takes to see most of your friends and family go on. I’ve experienced grief. I’ve experienced tragedy. But it wasn’t anything like what Caleb had to feel as friends and elders he knew and looked up to died in that time in the wilderness.

Did he become bitter? Did he become jaded? Angry? No! He acknowledged that the Lord had sustained him.

I am now fourscore and five years old (85).

Some senior citizen!
Not resting on his laurels At 85, Caleb was preparing to storm the home of the giants! The closest thing I’ve ever seen to that is Brother Frank Shealy (an older gentleman in Trinity Bible Church Charleston) leaving everything to go join the IDF! That right there is proof that God isn’t ever done using His people. He uses them now just like he used them then. It’s about the willingness that we have in our hearts to serve Him. There’s nothing in the Bible that says and God WOULD HAVE used so-and-so, but they didn’t meet the age requirement.

David was a shepherd boy
Caleb was an old man

God had cared for him up to that hour.

”Grace hath brought me safe thus far.”

The song Amazing Grace so beautifully portrays what God does when he sustains those who are followers of His. His grace will bring us to the place that we need to be, and it will do it safely. Safely doesn’t necessarily mean we are without aches, pains, and scars. It means that we will be directly in the center of God’s Will for our lives.

Conclusion

12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. Joshua 14:12–14

Now, therefore, give me this mountain!

Give me your best.
Give me your toughest task.

Remembering should challenge us.

Ronald Reagan 1982 Memorial Day Speech “Words are even more feeble on this Memorial Day, for the site before us is that of a strong and good nation that stands in silence and remembers those who were loved and who in return loved their countrymen enough to die for them. Yet, we must try to honor them, not for their sakes alone, but for our own. And if words cannot repay the debt we owe these men, surely with our actions, we must strive to keep faith with them and with a vision that led them to battle and a final sacrifice.”

Similarly, words alone cannot repay the debt we owe to Jesus. We’re the actions we take each and every day, we should be striving to keep faith in Him. Each day He should be the one leading us into battle against the Prince of the power of the air, who has been given control of this world in which we live (for a brief time at least). Jesus was the final sacrifice for us. Are you going to accept the challenge to believe in Him and live your life to honor Him?

Accept the challenge

Move on to higher ground

This article originally appeared on Fill in the Gap.

Ready to deepen your Bible study? Try Scriptured - free tools for reading, memorizing, and studying Scripture.

Taking inventory in the pigpen.

Apr 11, 2025

In college, I took a summer internship at Farmers’ Telephone Cooperative over in Sumter, South Carolina. It was a pretty chill job that allowed me to put the title “CS Intern” on my resume under the Job Experience section. Some job recruiters may have later thought the “CS” stood for computer science, rather than what it actually was (which was customer service) but that’s a story for a different day. As a customer service representative at FTC, my primary responsibilities were to process people’s telephone bills (yes they actually brought the paper bills in to pay them!), do general troubleshooting on customer’s phones, and take inventory. Taking inventory was definitely NOT my favorite part of the job. I had to manually count and tally every single cable, charger, phone, tablet, router, and phone case that we had for sale in the store, just to make sure that it matched with what our record was digitally. There were no barcodes to scan. I had to MANUALLY TOUCH EACH PIECE OF INVENTORY.

Granted, I used this experience as the justification for my senior capstone coding project (a phone app that allowed small businesses to digitally track and scan inventory), but it was still not a fun experience in the moment.

At the basic level, what was I doing when I begrudgingly counted all those items? What is taking inventory? When you take inventory and you add all the numbers up, you look at the facts and see if you’ve made a gain, or you’ve taken a loss. Let’s spend a few minutes talking about someone else who had to take some inventory.

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Luke 15:11-24

Here we find a man who took inventory in a pig pen, and found out that he had lost. He looked around at all he had left and he found that he had nothing. What was his solution?

To rise and go to his father.

Well Sam… what did he do to find himself in that place?

He thought about goods instead of God

Go back and read verses 11 and 12. I highlighted them for you in yellow.

Look at the boy’s father. He looks to be a man of great compassion. He wants what is best for his sons. He wants them to have the best life has to offer. We see from reading the full story that he loves his sons. So naturally when his son asks, he gives him his inheritance. It probably hurts the father to do so, but he did as his son requested. Think about the grief you would have if a son you loved came to you and just asked for your money. If they showed no care for you, but just what you could give you, wouldn’t that be hurtful?

Isn’t that what we do to God sometimes? We treat him like the genie in the sky who can give us what we want. God is more than that.

Why did the son want the inheritance so bad? Well, he knew that it was going to be his. So he wanted it NOW. His thought was, “its mine, so I’ll do what I want with it”. So he approaches his father and demands his inheritance.

People do this today. God gives them life, and they demand to live it on their terms. They demand to spend their time, money, and energy how they see fit for themselves. God gives us free will. He gives us the ability to do this, and many people don’t have the spiritual maturity to understand that we are to use our gifts, talents, and opportunities for God. We are too focused on all that WE can do with our lives. All the GOODS that we can acquire. Nice trucks, pretty dresses, houses, cars, degrees, vacations, etc. These are the things we errantly choose to focus on.

Note that the son would eventually find those goods to be empty, but at the time, as he thought about it, it all seemed very important. This son wasn’t the only one in the Bible who experienced this. Check out what Solomon had to say about it.

3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:3-2:11

Solomon wasn’t the only one either who came to that conclusion. Check out the rich young ruler!

18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Luke 18:18-25

Here are people who had the riches. Eventually, maybe not in this life, but eventually I can assure you they came to the same conclusion that the prodigal son did. It’s not worth it.

What is your life saying to God today?

Is it saying, “I want all these goods, and I’ll neglect the Bible to get them”? Are you looking at your heavenly father the way that the prodigal son looked at his earthly father, demanding that God let you use his gift to you (a life of free will) for your own gain?

He thought of his flesh instead of his future

Go back and read to the original passage and read verses 13 through 16. I highlighted them for you in orange.

The Bible says that he wasted his inheritance on wild living. Note that he had to get into a far country. Away from his father. Why does this matter Sam?

It’s hard to sin when you spend time in the presence of the Father. It’s a lot easier to sin when you are far away from him. What are some ways we can be far away from God today?

Keeping the wrong company
Doing what we want instead of what God wants
Listening to man instead of listening to God
Chasing after people instead of chasing after God

The son thought that so many of his problems would be settled if he just got away, but we can see that his problems multiplied.

So many people today think that if they have a new environment, it’ll be the key to success. Kids want to get away from their parents. People like changing jobs. Changing churches, Switching schools.

They don’t want to be rooted in a place. They don’t want to commit to a thing. No one wants to commit to a person, or a set of rules. They want to live life and chase all the EXPERIENCES in the present. They don’t care about the future Isn’t that what the prodigal son was doing?

Let’s read what Ephesians 2:3 has to say about that.

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others

Ephesians 2:3

Our flesh is all about wanting to FEEL new things. More sex. More drinking. More drugs. New relationships. New experiences. These are the two directions that people chase after: GOODS and FEELINGS.

But, after all the experiences and goods the prodigal son had, where did he end up? The pigpen. That is the reality.

Let’s look at verse 17 of our original text. I highlighted it in a nice blue for you.

Looks like the son had a “come-to-Jesus” moment, didn’t he? He had to face some things.

He faced the facts, instead of faking happiness.

The Bible says, “when he came to himself”. There has to be a moment of understanding that you come to in life. You have to realize the reality that, without Jesus, you’re scrapping around in the pigpen. All the pleasures of this earth are dull and nasty compared to the glory that is an eternity with Christ. We’re all rummaging and digging around in slop and dirt.

We shouldn’t ignore the reality of what life on this earth is. Too many people like to pretend. They get with a group of people who are walking the wide road that leads to destruction and they turn it into a road trip party. Do you think that the prodigal son was doing that when he was down in the slop?

“I’m hungry but I guess everyone else is too”
“I’m feeding pigs but lots of others are also”

Some people excuse their spiritual misery by thinking everyone is in the same boat. Misery loves company. Don’t fall for this. Look at your life and respond honestly as the prodigal son did. It’ll change your life just like it changed his.

What does verses 18-24 say?

The prodigal son said I will arise and go to my father.

What happened when the father saw the son coming? In that day, Jewish men didn’t run. They’d have to hike up their cloaks and expose their legs. It was deemed to be embarrassing and uncivilized. This father ran to his son with open arms. Why? Because his love for his son trumped everything else.

God’s forgiveness trumps all else. It doesn’t matter what you do or did. You can come back to the father.

This principle applies whether you are 8 or 80.

I had the opportunity a while back to sit in a room with 4 generations of a particular family. This family had seen it all. Divorces, drugs, alcohol, unplanned pregnancies. Jail stints. Homelessness fears. Abusive relationships.Job uncertainty. Legal battles. Anger and bitterness.

God has impressed upon the lives of all these people equally, but one in particular had heeded the call to surrender all and return from the prodigal ways. They had taken inventory in the pig pen and decided that wasn’t what they needed. They returned to their Heavenly Father, and their life was changed. It was a visible and noticeable presence in that room. It was a powerful testimony that will then be shared. A noticeable difference.

Because of that one decision, a vicious cycle that had propagated through multiple generations was broken. God restored. God redeemed. There was a new ray of light shining into this family that had spent decades bound in spiritual darkness.

That’s what God does when we come back to Him. If you’re not close to Him today, it’s time to fix it.

Come back to Jesus. Face the facts. Get out of the pigpen.

This article originally appeared on Fill in the Gap.

Ready to deepen your Bible study? Try Scriptured - free tools for reading, memorizing, and studying Scripture.

What Does It Mean to Carry Your Cross?

Mar 31, 2025

Today, we’re going to be talking about what does it mean to carry your cross. Christians probably hear this phrase a lot, but do they really understand all that it entails? I think if we did, the church today would look a lot different! Let’s spend a couple minutes in this post talking about it!

First, let’s read Matthew 10:38.

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Matthew 10:38

According to Matthew 10:38, what must someone refuse to do if they don’t want to be worthy of the Lord? Now, the verse doesn’t explicitly say, “hey, if you DON’T want to be worthy of God, then do this”, but we can use context to understand the answer.

To refuse to be worthy of the Lord, you have to refuse to follow the commands and principles He sets forward. We all probably know what some of those are. Things like:

Honor your father and mother.
Don’t be drunk.
Sex should only be between a man and woman married to each other.
Avoid filthy communication (gossip, cursing, complaining, etc.)
Don’t be proud.
Don’t wish for what other people have that you don’t.
Don’t be greedy and want more than you already have.

The people who repeatedly engage in these types of behavior without feeling guilt or seeking to change are not worthy of the Lord. They refuse to do better. They refuse to get right with God, and thus the Bible says they refuse to be worthy of the Lord.

It’s important to note that EVERYONE has the potential to be worthy of the Lord.

Jesus says in Revelation 3:20 that He stands at the door of your heart and knocks. He wants to be your friend and Savior. He wants you to let him in so that He can change your life for the better.
We can also see in 2 Peter 3:9 where God says that He’s not willing that any should perish but that ALL should come to the saving grace and knowledge of Him.

However, we all have the free will to choose whether to accept God’s gift of grace and forgiveness by casting off our sin and taking up our cross, or we can choose to refuse it by remaining in a state of unrepentant disobedience.

If you choose to live in a state of sin apart from God, then YOU are the one who says “God, I don’t want to be worthy of You” and thus you condemn yourself to a life and an eternity apart from Him.

Think about it… Deuteronomy 32:4

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Deuteronomy 32:4

If God was okay with your sin, disobedience, and your refusal to follow Him, would He be just?

Think about it like an interaction between a parent and a child:

The parent says, “Child, don’t do this. If you do, you will be punished”.
The child proceeds to do the thing that they’re not supposed to do
The parent ignores the child’s disobedience, enacts no punishment, and continues on as if nothing happened.

If your parents told you not to do something because they’d punish you, but you did it anyway, and then you didn’t receive any punishment, would your parents be honest and just? No! They would be liars who were acting unjustly.

How can you trust someone who lies to you?
How can you put faith in someone who doesn’t abide by their word?

It makes sense to us when we think about the relationship between a parent and a child, but we miss it when we think about God, our heavenly father, and us, his children. We pretend we can live however we want, flagrantly disregarding God’s commands, and then we get offended by the idea that our sin may somehow render us unworthy in the eyes of God.

If you refuse to follow God’s commands, you will be unworthy in His eyes, as He must maintain the standard He has set in His Word. If He didn’t maintain this standard, He wouldn’t be a God of truth and without iniquity.

Now, we’ve talked about refusing to follow the Lord. What else does Matthew 10:38 say you must refuse?

They have to refuse to take up their cross.

How is this different than refusing to follow the Lord?

Did you know that you could follow the Lord, but still refuse to take up your cross? Yep. That’s why Matthew made a delineation (separation) between these two thoughts in that verse.

If you’re not then you are unworthy of Him, as following the Lord, we discussed earlier. You are not saved. You are not living for Him.

However, there’s also a case where you’re following the Lord, but you’re not taking up your cross. Think about Jonah. Jonah 1:9 tells us that he feared the Lord. He worshipped Him. Jonah was a prophet! However, there was a cross that God called Jonah to bear and Jonah refused. What was that cross? Going to Nineveh. Jonah decided to get in the boat and head in the opposite direction of where God told him to go!

Think about the rich young ruler who went away sorrowfully in Matthew 19:22. The Bible says followed all of God’s commands, but he refused to bear the cross that God called him to bear. What was that cross? Jesus called him to sell his earthly possessions and come follow Him. What an offer! This man could’ve been the 13th disciple! Yet, he refused, for he had great material wealth that he didn’t want to part with.

So Sam… what’s my cross?

Each of our “crosses” are different. Your cross is the thing that God has called you specifically to do. It isn’t something that your parents can do. It isn’t something that your friends or teachers can do. As we just saw, the cross that was given to Jonah was wildly different than the cross that was given to the rich young ruler. Both Jonah and the rich young ruler had to talk to the same person to get their crosses though, God.

That is how you find yours. It’s simple. There are just two requirements.

You must be saved. There’s no point in asking God to show you your cross when you haven’t even accepted Him as Lord of your life. You’re still stuck at the refuse to follow the Lord part that we talked about a few minutes ago. You have to accept Jesus first. You have to admit and commit. Admit that Jesus is Lord and there will never be another, asking Him for forgiveness. Then, Commit to living your life for Him, forsaking your sin at His feet.
Secondly, you must make it a matter of DAILY prayer. If you are one who is saved. If you are one who is worthy, having accepted Jesus as Lord of your heart. Then you must make it a daily prayer in your life. God show me my cross. Help me to bear it to Your honor and glory.

If you earnestly seek the Lord, He will make Himself known to you. He will make your cross known to you. Then, He will give you the strength to bear it as His disciple. He loves us. He will not leave us to bear it alone.

Bear your cross, come after me.

Let’s read Luke 14:27

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27

We now know that your cross is the thing that God has specifically called you to do. So what does it mean to bear it?

First… we need to understand what the word bear means. The word there means to carry and support.

There is a responsibility that God wants you to carry
There is a mission that God wants you to support.

Think about this life like it is a battle. The spiritual battle between good and evil, and you are a soldier in God’s army. All soldiers have responsibilities that they have to carry. It rests on them to make sure that a specific task gets done. No one else can do it.

A few weeks ago, I took a trip with my wife to go tour the Yorktown USS over in Mt Pleasant, SC.

It’s a HUGE ship that was chock-full of all kinds of cool artifacts, plaques, ships, planes, and pictures. There were some creepy mannequins too (but that’s a story for a different day). I’m a big reader, while my wife is more of a picture person. So she was dragging me through all the various rooms, and I was catching bits and pieces of the stories on all the plaques as we went. There was one story that stuck out to me specifically though.

On 30 March 1945, Yorktown and the other carriers of her task group began to concentrate solely on the island of Okinawa and its surrounding islets. For two days, they pounded the island in softening-up strikes. On 1 April, the assault troops stormed ashore; and, for almost six weeks, she sent her planes to the island to provide direct support for the troops operating ashore. About every three days, she retired to the east to conduct fueling rendezvous or to rearm and re-provision.

The only exception to that routine came on 7 April when it was discovered that a Japanese task force built around the elusive battleship Yamato ( biggest, heaviest battleship ever constructed ) was steaming south for one last, desperate, offensive. Yorktown and the other carriers quickly launched strikes to attack that valued target. Air Group 9 aviators claimed several torpedo hits on Yamato just before the battleship exploded and sank. The pilots also made strafing runs on the escorting destroyers and claimed to have left one afire in a sinking condition. At the conclusion of that action, Yorktown and her planes resumed their support for the troops on Okinawa.

Here’s what I was thinking about…

If the guy in the radio room didn’t do his job to decode the message from the command center, then the guy at the helm would have no idea where to turn the ship to go next. The planes would’ve had no idea which target to attack. Each person had specific responsibilities that no one else on the boat had.

Still, everyone on the boat had the same mission to support. Everyone was working on taking down the Yamato.

When you are bearing your cross, there is a responsibility in this life that God reveals to you as you seek after Him through prayer and reading His Word. It is the ability or job that God has given you to do. No one else. Maybe it literally is a specific job. Or maybe it’s simply a person God has placed in your life that only you can reach. This is your responsibility. You have to be the one to carry it. Then, carrying this responsibility, there is a mission that God wants you to support. It could be the mission in your high school. It could be the mission in your church, it could be the mission in your city, or your workplace. You might find there are people that God has also called to be a part of that same mission with you, even if they are bearing different crosses.

We’re not just supposed to bear those crosses though. we’re also supposed, as Jesus says, “come after me”

Sometimes we try to come BEFORE God, don’t we? We try to go on ahead and do what we want and give Him a recap. We put our wants and our desires ahead of God. We’re not chasing after Him. We’re not trying to follow Him. We’re leaving Him in the dust, hoping that somewhere down the line He’ll catch up with us. This is the wrong approach.

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:1-2

We are supposed to present our bodies to the Lord. This means that what we do physically should be to God’s glory. We are to renew our minds. This means that the things that we think on should be to God’s glory. We should hold our faith in Him first and foremost in our lives.

You can see my body, but you can’t see my mind. In the same way, we should be glorifying God with the parts of us that other people can see and the parts of us that only us and God know about. Both the inward and the outward. When we do this, we will be doing as we should by coming after God. We will be looking to Him for guidance and direction. We will be better honoring Him and living our lives for Him. THIS is how we bear our cross effectively.

This article originally appeared on Fill in the Gap.

Ready to deepen your Bible study? Try Scriptured - free tools for reading, memorizing, and studying Scripture.

Serving In Your Nineveh

Feb 28, 2025

In the Bible, Jonah was a prophet who God asked to go preach in a place called Nineveh. Jonah wasn’t a big fan of the Ninevite people, so he decided to buck against the Lord and go in the opposite direction away from Nineveh to a place called Tarshish. When we look at Jonah and Nineveh, we can pull out TONS of encouragement and truth!

So, he’s on the boat traveling to Tarshish and suddenly the Lord sends a storm. The sailors become afraid. They begin to throw things overboard, trying to lighten the ship. They begin praying to their gods. Nothing is working. They find Jonah sleeping. They wake him up, yelling at him to start DOING SOMETHING.

Jonah quickly realizes that he is the reason that the storm has come upon the boat. After brief debate with the sailors. They agree to throw him into the sea, where he is promptly swallowed whole by a big fish (not necessarily a whale 😉). Jonah remains in the big fish for 3 days and 3 nights. He gets right with God and repents. God causes the fish to spit him out on dry land. Jonah, having learned his lesson, goes and preaches to the Ninevite people. They repent and are saved.

End of story, close curtain.

Yeah… not quite, although that’s what most of us remember when we recount the story of Jonah.

Let’s read Jonah 3:10-4:10.

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

4 Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?

5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.

6 And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

10 Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

Jonah 3:10-4:10

What is happening here?

Jonah has gone and preached in the city of Nineveh. They have repented of their evil and God has decided not to destroy them. Now… Jonah is angry. Why?

Turns out Jonah HATED the Ninevites. He wanted them to be destroyed. That’s the initial reason he got on the boat to Tarshish. The, when God FORCED him to go, his heart still hadn’t changed. The whole time he was in the streets of Nineveh, preaching about the judgement of God, he was inwardly wishing for it to fall on the people. He wanted nothing to do with them.

So when Jonah preached the message, the people of Nineveh repented. A wonderful work was done in their lives! But we see Jonah wasn’t at all pleased.

Jonah thought certain people were worthy of God’s message and other people weren’t. He was called to talk to the people who he believed were in the “weren’t” category. Probably to his surprise, they believed! How simple it happened. Jonah went around and said one simple thing. What was it?

You’ll find out if you read Jonah 3:4-5

One simple message, with the power of God behind it, caused the people to come to salvation. Was Jonah friends with these people? Did Jonah go through a 3 month outreach plan? Did he canvas neighborhoods with flyers and door knockers and run Facebook ad campaigns? No. He preached a simple message of salvation to the people that God wanted him to, NOT the people that he himself wanted to preach to.

Application for us

What does this have to do with me Sam?

I think we have it wrong on what it means to serve the Lord. Especially in (what I like to call anyway) our Nineveh.

Do you have anyone in your life that you look at and say “ugh… I don’t know if I can talk to them about the Lord"". Or “ugh… I don’t WANT to talk to them about the Lord"".

Number 1, you should want to talk to everyone about the Lord.

Number 2: THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD THE MOST.

We spend too much time trying to figure out a game plan of how we’re going to reach people for God. We give ourselves too much credit for the witnessing process. God puts the people in your path. He makes the path known when you seek Him. Go read John 4:35. It speaks of the fields being white with harvest.

The fields are white with harvest. There are people waiting to hear God’s word from your lips today just like in John’s day just like in Jonah’s day. Why? Because God’s word is just as true today as it was in their days.

So why doesn’t it happen? BECAUSE NONE OF US WANT TO SERVE IN NINEVAH.

We have an idea of the type of people we want to be in our church families and our youth groups. In our heads they dress a certain way, smell a certain way, talk a certain way. In many cases, they’re like us. Evidently…Tarshish was a bit more like Jonah’s hometown. Nineveh wasn’t.

What if the place were the fields are white with harvest isn’t in the the cookie cutter HOA suburban neighborhood? What if it’s not the average American family with a 2013 minivan, a white picket fence, a dog, and 2.5 kids? Are you still willing to harvest those fields?

You have 4 types of people.

They have it all together on the outside and they know the Lord
They have it all together on the outside and they DON’T know the Lord
They don’t have it all together on the outside and they know the Lord
They don’t have it all together on the outside and they DON’T know the Lord.

Many of us probably find ourselves in group 1. The Lord has blessed us. We have some issues as anyone would, but by and large life is going along fine and we love the Lord.

We target group 2. That’s the ideal people we want. These people are socially aware. They’ll bring an extra dish to fellowship night. Their kids will get involved in youth group and won’t be rowdy and uncouth. If we can convert them, they’ll tithe good. They’ll open their house for small group Bible study.

We tolerate group 3. These people know the Lord, but they need a lot of help. It’s burdensome for us sometimes to pour so much into someone that can’t give us anything back, but they’re brothers and sisters in Christ so it’s the right thing to do. But they can be needy sometimes. We like to have a couple of these in the church so we can highlight how our church is giving and helpful. We build ramps for their front porches and we send them meals and we mention them during prayer time.

We try to limit group 4. These are the rough ones. They’ve got 4 kids from 3 different men. They’re fresh out of rehab. They’re covered in tats, they’re unshaven, they wear questionable clothing. They say things that are embarrassing and off-the-wall. Sometimes they’re vulgar and sometimes we feel they’re just there for the free food or a handout.

I’m just being honest. Nineveh was probably comprised of groups 2 and 4.

All 4 groups need the Word of the Lord equally, but not all 4 groups respond equally. Why?

Group 1 has been blessed, but they have the spiritual maturity to know that their blessings come from the Lord.
Group 2 has been blessed. But they think that they are the ones who made it happen. Life’s going well. Why would they need to change anything?
Group 3 struggles, but they have the spiritual maturity to rely on God for their sustenance. They know that if he cares for the lilies of the field, he’ll care for them.
Group 4 struggles and they have no one to turn to. They don’t have any reprieve or relief. That’s part of the reason they get hooked on their vices and bad habits. They are painfully aware of the hole in their life, and everything they try to fill it with is temporary and unfulfilling.

Which of those groups, on average, do you think would be most responsive to the Word of the Lord? Where do we find those people?

Jesus didn’t target those who had it all together. Often, he was very quiet around the judges and the Pharisees and the upper class. However, he preached and told parables and spent time among the lowest. Now… remember… Jesus sat with the sinners, he didn’t sin with them. But he made a point to go to group 4 in a way many of us don’t today.

Let’s read Matthew 22:8-14.

8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Matthew 22:8-14

There were still standards at the feast. It wasn’t a free for all. Even the poor man was sent out because he refused to wear the wedding garment. Still, who came to the feast? Not those who were well to do (the ones who were bidden). They were too wrapped up in their earthly lives.

Similarly, as you serve in your Nineveh, recognize that there are standards. Just as the king extended the wedding invitation to the poor and the rich alike, we should extend the invitation to meet Jesus to all, but we should not allow those who accept the invitation to then make a mockery of it after the fact. You have to be discerning.

So, let’s say that God identifies your Nineveh to you. Maybe it’s a person you’re not comfortable around or fond of. Maybe it’s a stranger you don’t know who walks into your classroom, your church, or your workplace one day out of the blue. What do you do?

You give them the message of Christ. Now… I’d wager none of us are prophets, so we may not be able to walk up and down streets shouting for repentance, but there is a process we can take.

You establish a relationship. A good way I’ve found is to ask for something. Maybe ask them to give you a hand in moving something. Or ask their opinion on a problem you’re having. You make them feel like they’re helping you. Like you need them. Make them feel valuable. Then the door opens. And you foster that relationship. You check up on them. You initiate contact. You be a godly friend. It’s hard work, but thinking about the consequences in the context of eternity if you don’t.
Then you witness as God opens doors. It’s not dragging them by the shirt to a church building. It’s pointing them to Christ in everything you do. Even the little things that you don’t think anyone cares about or is watching

If someone does you wrong, you don’t lash out in anger
You’re assigned a hard task, you don’t complain
When something happens that makes you sad, you don’t become bitter
When something happens that makes you happy, you don’t become prideful
You don’t use language that is dirty. Not just cursing either. Gossip is dirty too.
You don’t take part in events or conversations that Jesus wouldn’t take part in.

THAT’S THE METRIC. THAT’S THE STANDARD. IF JESUS WOULDN’T, YOU DON’T.

When God blessed your efforts, you rejoice. I’m guilty of not doing this. I feel compelled to reach out to someone. I do so because the Holy Spirit tells me to. But I’m like a pouty child. I don’t have the WANT TO. The people Jonah was called to responded with repentance. Jonah still despised them.

If God calls you to witness to your childhood bully. Or someone who was arrogant or prideful. Someone who hurt you. And they responded with TRUE repentance. Do you have it in your heart to love them as Jesus would? To forgive? Jonah didn’t.

You may find in life that God calls you to a Nineveh. He calls you to serve in a place you don’t want to be. Or to serve people you don’t want to.

Joseph had to serve in the Potiphar’s house.
Jonah had to serve in Nineveh.
Paul served in prison.

Are you willing to serve in less-than-ideal conditions if it means that the kingdom of God will be advanced? If it means He will grow you or someone else? Even if it seems like your brook has dried up? Learn from the story of Jonah. Make a commitment to the Lord today. Maybe take a couple quiet minutes to have a conversation with Him. Make that commitment to serve in your Nineveh.

As always, if you’ve enjoyed the article, make sure to share it. By the time you are reading this, this lesson should be up on my YouTube here (make sure to subscribe if you haven’t yet!).

I want some more topics to dive into like this. If you’ve read this far, you probably don’t mind my writing, so I’m asking for some help. Send me topics you want to discuss or have questions about. Stuff about life, the Bible, relationships, etc. Really anything. I like reading just as much as I like writing. You can just shoot me a DM on my socials or send me an email. My contact info is here.

Thanks for reading. I’ll catch you on the flip!

This article originally appeared on Fill in the Gap.

Ready to deepen your Bible study? Try Scriptured - free tools for reading, memorizing, and studying Scripture.

SCRIPTURED is a trademark of Hywel LLC.