Bible Fitness: Running with Jonah-Chapter 1

But Johan ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he want aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (Jonah 1:3 NIV)

When was the last time you had a good hardy workout strengthening your heart? God’s Scripture can provide that very thing. There are times when it delivers a warm-up or even a good yoga stretch session, but not the book of Jonah. It is a full-on run which can condition your heart to love God and love others (yes, even the unlovable!) the way the LORD instructs.

During the month of October, the Refining ministry is conducting one-hour online sessions on Monday nights to provide verse-by-verse studies over this minor prophet’s historical account. Each meeting will include a 10-minute video segment from Erin Mason along with application questions to furnish a true heart workout.

Jonah was a runner! He wore his finest athlete sandals proudly and even was in tune to the voice of the LORD. He had been trained in theology and knew the Torah. He identified himself as being on God’s team (Jonah 1:9). Yet, his heart was in poor condition and the challenges the Father instructed revealed his lack of exercising under full authority of the LORD.

Here are a few takeaways from last night’s study:

Verses	GOD	JONAH	Questions to ask yourself
1-3	Coaches Jonah in the direction to run: GO!	Runs fast and furious: the opposite direction	How are you running from God currently?
4-6	Sends a violent storm message to Jonah’s disobedience	Jonah not only endangers those around him, but he doesn’t feel the least amount of guilt instead he sleeps	Are there areas of your life where you have allowed your conscience to be like Teflon to obedience to God?
7-10	God used the situation to demonstrate His ever presence	Jonah claims his identity in God, yet it is the non-believers that have a clear vision of Jonah’s disobedience	As an identified Christian, are you open to the reproof the LORD sends through a non-believer? Have you ever given this any thought?
11-12	God wants Jonah to repent and run the direction He told him	Jonah feels it would be better to die than to go to Nineveh. He could not stand Assyrians and did not want good to come to them. However, Jonah felt it would be better for the sailors to kill him by throwing him overboard than for him to take his own life	Do you harbor feelings or stubbornness against someone who you deem unlovable and undeserving? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to let them stay living in darkness where you feel they belong? (Running from obedience)
13-16	God stands firm. He patiently waits for Jonah to submit and take responsibility for his actions. He even gains the fear of the sailors and becomes a true Lord to them	Jonah realized he could not outrun the Lord. Don’t be fooled though-Jonah did not repent and he still had a heart issue against Nineveh. Despite his heart condition, he was a missionary to the sailor. God used Jonah whether he liked it or not	Are there times when serving God is a duty and not a delight? Have you carried out tasks to the LORD even though you didn’t want to? (running from God within)
17	God’s timing and ways are always planned. 3 days & nights- sound familiar? (Read Matthew 12: 39-41)	Running from God does not bring conditioning and good health. It brings pain and frustration because the effort is fruitless.	What will it take for you to run in the direction God directed? What commitment do you need to make to fully obey His calling?

Jonah really believed running away from God’s calling was the best thing for him. He thought his rebuttal was a good one—I don’t like those wicked underserving people—I am not the person for the job. He knew his heart wasn’t in shape to extend grace and mercy to Nineveh so why bother. Seriously? So, not only did he run to avoid the Father’s calling on his life, but he was willing to sacrifice his life! Why? He was determined to never step a foot onto that foreign soil. Could this be pure hatred?

Whether you are running with God’s calling or away from it-what is the condition of your heart? How deep can you really love God and love others?

“Most of us like what God says, until we are called to action.” – Eric Mason

Join us online next Monday night via Zoom for one hour starting at 6:00 pm (CST). There are so many more fitness lessons in Jonah to be discovered. Message us for the link. Feel free to email us a refiningjourney@gmail.com. You will be blessed by it!

October 5, 2021 1

When does the Refining stop?

Hello sweet friends. I have missed chatting and sharing with you recently. My current life trials and struggles have been trying, yet I know my Father has gone before me and prepared a pathway for His plans. The recent events of losing a biological father and a precious sister have left me with a layered mountain of emotions along with memories of the dark valley lasting five years which began in 2013 when my brother passed.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

Those difficult years produced a ministry-Refining! God knew the process I needed to endure to produce a great work in me and through me. He made sure the world would see this ministry as a reflection of His glory and that I could not take credit for any of it. The only part I played was humbling surrendering to His authority and giving up control over my life.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

Being refined hurts! Yes, it burns every life dimension. It molds you into something beyond your imagination. And–it doesn’t happen overnight. The days, weeks, and years are grueling. There are times when the overwhelming burdens feel like a life-sucking, unbearable weight you cannot endure. Yet, the Lord promises He is with you and He will carry the load for you.

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:3

God knows the exact precision of time in the fire. (Don’t I wish I knew His timeframe!) Although we all wish for this to be a once in a lifetime occurrence, the refining process can happen often. The ebb and flow of the Father’s purification requires great faith in His miraculous outcome. Frankly, it is a personal choice. A decision no matter the pain and cost to remain under His authority.

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 Timothy 3:1

Let me share a story with you from the following source: http://www.ribessj.org/the_silver_refiner.pdf

GOD SITS AS A SILVER REFINER AND PURIFIER
(Malachi 3:3)
The Story

A Bible lover was puzzled by this Bible statement. He called a silversmith and made an
appointment with him to watch him at work. He didn’t mention anything about the reason
for his interest, beyond his curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As the silversmith, was at his work, he kept holding a piece of silver over the fire and let
it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle,
of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
For a while, our man thought why God should hold us in such a hot spot; then, he
remember again Malachi’s verse that says: ‘God sits as a refiner and purifier of silver,
and asked the silversmith whether it was required that he sat there in front of the fire all
the time.

The man answered yes and added: “Not only I have to sit here holding the silver in my
hands , but I have to keep my eyes on the silver all the time it is in the fire, until is
fully purified, If the silver were to be left a moment too long in the flames, it would be
destroyed”.

Our Bible lover was silent for a moment. Then, he asked the silversmith, “How do you
know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled and answered, ‘”Oh, that’s easy –when
I see my image reflected in it”
(Adapted from a story of unknown authorship)

Lessons from the story:
* In moments of trial. God holds you in his hands and intently looks at you.
* When you feel the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eyes on you.
* He keeps watching you until He sees His image reflected in you.

SO, in this season I will cling fast to the fact that God is embracing me from head to toe and intentionally looking upon me as His daughter He loves dearly. When the grief hits, the earthly dealings overwhelm, and there seems to be no end to the mess left behind, I will see God all around me. He sees me and knows my pain. His loving gaze upon my life will fill me with His joy and He will give me strength beyond compare. I will continue to draw close to Him as He shapes me into His image. The Lord has BIG PLANS for His ministry through all of this. I cannot wait to see what is yet to come. But for now—I must endure the flames and understand the purpose of this trial.

Our family would love your prayers during our days ahead. Please know you each play a large role in our grief process and we are extremely grateful for you. If you would like to add to the memorial of my sister, Shawn Colleen Welborn, we would request a donation to be made to the American Cancer Society or your local Breast Cancer Center in her honor.

Big Hugs, lots of Love, and sincere Prayers…until we meet again.

I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

Jeremiah 24:7

August 23, 2021 2

The Unseen will Be Revealed

*The great Day of the Lord is near, near and rapidly approaching. Listen, the Day of the Lord—there the warrior’s cry is bitter. Zephaniah 1:14*

Happy Friday friends! I pray this day finds you filled with God’s joy regardless of the circumstances and issues you are facing in life. Today, I feel the need to remind you, as well as myself, that we are all properly prepared to handle life through our belief in Christ Jesus. We are welcome to approach the throne of God and can boldly lay our burdens at His feet.

This gives me HOPE! What about you?

Scripture clears backs up these thoughts in Hebrews 4:14-16, Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens-Jesus the Son of God-let us hold fast to the confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.

PAUSE—God knows and He will come through!

Thank you for your grace to allow me to “squirrel” prior to this posting. Just felt it necessary to share my own inward struggle and thoughts before I wrote the main segment.

The Refining ministry is continuing their Monday night online studies of Major Wisdom through Minor Prophets for the remainder of 2021. We recently started Zephaniah and boy, Chapter 1 was a dozy! There were a few who stated it seemed like a scene from a horror show. However, the valued learning and deep discussion shared during the hour was, once again, an overwhelming blessing to my heart. I am blown away each time we meet—this week God revealed hope and compassion even in a difficult passage.

Our ministry believes in infusing Scripture into daily living. Each week, we are challenged to allow the Lord to guide us and press into the message He has individually-based on our Bible intake.

Thinking about Chapter 1 of Zephaniah, I approached the garden to see if we had any new produce to harvest. I took my phone with me because I wanted to capture the beauty and growth.

SIDENOTE: WOW! If you could only see our garden. It is the most remarkable, overgrown jungle ever because we have received more rain in the past few weeks than we normally receive in a year. Yes, we live in Texas, but we are in the “desert” for the most part. We have never had a garden this abundant.

Once I had a chance to review the photos, the carrot picture caught my attention. I began thinking about Zephaniah. The people of Judah seemed to be flourishing just like the tops of our carrots. Everyone seemed to have what they needed to survive. They believed in God and worshiped Him. However, they also paid homage to other “gods” with their daily acts and rituals. Their hearts were receiving a fatal cocktail.

Zephaniah came as the last warning to Judah. He wanted them to take an inward look and focus on their roots and fruit-the unseen! Just like the roots and carrots growing underground in our garden. Their hearts-a place where fruit can wither or grow.

Our heart generates our thoughts which then produces our words, actions, viewpoints, etc. When we are filling our lives with proper nutrition, God, the fruit we produce can be pleasing to the Lord. However, Zephaniah Chapter 1 clearly states that we cannot partially serve God and partially serve “gods” with the expectation that we will not experience harm to the fruit we produce. We will eventually wither and die! OUCH! It distorts our thinking of ourselves as well as others.

Our carrots will not produce an abundant harvest in the fall if we occasionally expose them to contaminated water. They want pure, clean goodness overflowing with all the necessary nutrients. No matter how beautiful they seem above ground, the measure of their true work is revealed once their “roots” are exposed.

This made me take an inward inventory is so many ways. What do I fill my heart with daily? What do my actions, words, and thoughts reveal? Am I guilty of syncretism-mixing true worship with false? Do I fall into a complacent state when it comes to praying, worshiping, studying, reading, witnessing, etc.? Are there times when I limit my intake of God and allow worldly “junk” to enter His vessel?

Yes-all that from Zephaniah Chapter 1-plus so much more.

Listen, I am but a simple woman trying to do my best to love and serve God with all that I am. I mess up more than succeed-trust me! However, in this spiritual pathway, this I know for sure: God loves us beyond measure, and He will not give up on us.

So, with an earnest heart I cry, Father God fill me with your goodness, weed out the junk I have allowed, let my fruit reveal You, Oh Lord, help me lay my burdens down, and heal me from within so all that I do is pleasing unto You. I am sorry Lord for my disobedience and my unclean heart. I need You, Oh I need You! Reveal the unseen with compassion and help me stay under your authority regardless. I love you Father God!

July 16, 2021 2

Prayer Life, Part 4

“Faith comes effortlessly to the heart as we elevate our conceptions of God by a prayerful digestion of His Word. And such faith endures, for it is grounded upon the Rock.” -A. W. Tozer

“Such is our dependence upon God that we are obliged not only to do everything for His sake, but also to seek from Him the very power. This happy necessity of having recourse to Him in all our wants, instead of being grievous to us, should be our greatest consolation. What a happiness that we are allowed to speak to Him with confidence, to open our hearts and hold familiar conversation with Him, by prayer! He Himself invites us to it.” -Francois Fenelon 1631-1715

How’s your daily serving of prayer? Spiritual nutrition is rarely on the world’s radar. Yet, it seems every January there is a large emphasis on becoming physically fit and indulging in a better diet. All to often we are unable to hear the small voice within-pleading us to feed our mind and soul proper nutrition-God. However, when weakness and lack of sufficient starts to show up, attention is then paid to dependency on the Lord. No wonder many of us are crippled by a thorn in our side-keeping focus on our need for God.

Prayer creates access to essential nutrients and vitamins we need each day. You know those “flesh blockers” to safeguard our lives from sin and destruction. Paul was well aware of this daily sufficiency when he wrote, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). He knew the fruit of the spirit would not automatically present itself without feasting on prayer time with God. Paul was well aware of how his digestion elements had a way of revealing themselves in his daily actions. Think about the transparency of his heart before meeting Christ!

Paul had spent many years not exercising spiritual healthy choices and indulging on worldly desserts and junk food. The temporary “feel good” substance left him empty after each self-sufficiency meal. His daily diet led to his own personal sickness and destruction. His fast food tasted so good at first, but he continued to have a hunger within which could not be satisfied until he met God.

Prayer, more than just an act of surrendering, worshiping, thanksgiving, confessing, asking, etc., opens the door to a healthy spiritual life. Spending time with God and feasting on His Word daily, allows for a wholesome life to be maintained. It is a time of humbling and letting the Lord’s provisions fortify our hearts, minds, and souls with His great nutritional love and attributes. This daily devotion produces a bowlful of basic essential nutrients for us to be able to carry out His will.

May we cherish and exercise the daily habit of prayer for our total well-being.

John 6:35 – And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Click to watch a video over the content of this post:

https://fb.watch/32NxB2OjjX/

Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O LORD God of hosts.

January 16, 2021 0

Are you looking for a refreshing study for you or your life group in 2021?

Are you looking for a way to live out Scripture and grow closer to the Lord? Beginning in February, a new study will be launched. You can establish your own study group where you live, join a virtual group, or walk through it independently. You will be supported weekly through postings on Facebook and the Refining blog.

In our instantaneous world, embracing anything for a lifetime may seem farfetched and impossible. But to achieve an enriched existence withstanding the test of time, our interaction with God and His Word requires day to day intentionality. Crown the Sword is the doorway to examining personal reliance on biblical truth and learning how to infuse Scripture in your life with an eternal mindset. In this self-reflective study, you will go beyond a surface level walk with the Lord and learn ways to build an intimate relationship with God and His Word.

Make no mistake, the path Stotts lays out is simple, but not easy, because your success depends upon the posture you are willing to adopt under God’s authority. If you feel living more authentically through God’s very words is a laudable investment, this 12 week study is for you. Come discover how to incorporate a treasured gift meant for the duration of life and beyond.

If you are interested in the details, please register below. https://form.jotform.com/203534400943145

We will email you the details in 2021!

December 19, 2020 0

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April 16, 2020 0

Psalm 91

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:15-17

Happy Friday Friends! I pray your week has been a time to draw closer to the Lord and even a chance to stop and smell the flowers. The fragrance of God’s goodness is always a pleasing aroma.

In a recent post I encouraged you to meditate and pray over Psalm 91. Many have referenced this passage as an encouragement during this time. It seems to be the “go to” area of God’s word this week for many searching for comfort and a way to cope.

I just wanted to share my approach with you today and let you know I held myself accountable to the task as well.

As you can see, I clarified meaning (words in bold print) as I meditated on the verses. Then I wrote my takeaway throughout the scripture as a means to apply it to my personal life and current circumstances.

May it provide insight to your methods of digesting God Word and assist you in your spiritual walk.

Whoever lives in the protection of the one and only God will take comfort in pursuit of the omnipotent/omnipresent. I will continue to draw near to the Lord and seek His will for my life. I am grateful that He is ever-present and available.

I will declare of the LORD, “He is my safe haven and my stronghold, my Abba Father, in whom I confide and depend.” I am not ashamed to claim Him as my Lord. I choose His truth and love as my substance. I bring my life under His authority. Help me Lord to be obedient to your word.

Without question he will rescue you from the enemy’s trap and from the terminal virus/pandemic/disease. Through His son, Jesus Christ I have been given life saving grace. The gift of the Holy Spirit has directed my pathway and made me aware of satan’s schemes. His Holy Word provides truth to fight against the poisonous lies and equips me with his freeing power.

God will guard you with his armor, and under his loving arms will find a safe haven; his dependability will be your shield and barrier. The Lord is my barricade from earthly ways when I seek Him as my protection. He has proven over and over that He is worthy of praise and His word will withstand. His promises are true and will never change.

You will not have concern or anxiety about the fright of the dark world, nor the direct targeted trials that come by day, nor the pestilence that haunts and prowls in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. I will strive to put my trust in God and stay focused upon His goodness regardless. I will recognize the fear and try to remain calm in the storm of life and the panic of the world.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will be kept at a distance from you. You will only watch the punishment of the immoral. The Father will take care of His children who humbly surrender to His ways and keep His commandments. Lord, I need you. Strengthen me and let me flea from all unrighteous. Let me pray for my enemies and not fall prey to their evil.

If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Lord of Lords your heart, mind, and soul’s residence, no harm will take you by surprise and engulf you, no disaster will come near your tent. The Lord will not let you endure more than you can stand. Draw strength from His protection and claim it.

For he will instruct his heavenly bodies concerning you to protect you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. I will cry out to my Father for His control and the protection from the spiritual war that rages all around me.

You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. In God’s timing will the trouble end and His goodness will reign.

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will free him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in difficulty, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” The Father knows my true love and dedication for Him. He is my security and defense because I call upon Him in good times and in bad. Although the pain and suffering on earth may continue, He is always with me. I will embrace His pathway and find security under His authority. I will trust in His timing and wait upon Him for His answers. His promises will remain and He has assured me of an eternal life for His glory.

March 27, 2020 1

When it reaches out and grabs you

For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as his child. As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? Hebrews 12:6-7 (NLT)

It is up to us to stay in His Word and pay close attention to His call. When we are plugged into God, we will know His voice. John 10: 27 says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” It is a mutual recognition. The Spirit of truth prompts us to dig deeper into the verse/s which personally stand out in order to fully digest scripture. He bids us to apply it to our circumstances and claim it over our lives and those around us.

Let me share one of my attention moments with you.

During my difficult season of life, I began questioning if my faith was real. Why would I feel so helpless if I was truly a child of God? Honestly, this was a dark period of my soul. I was struggling for answers and asking God why over and over and over. Nevertheless, I continued to attend church, show up for small group, and worship the Lord through song.

One particular Sunday morning, the pastor was preaching from 1 Corinthians to shed light on the faults we continue to exhibit like those addressed by Paul with the church in Corinth. As the pastor read and explored chapter 4, he began examining and analyzing reasons we can become self-absorbed and arrogant. I was curious how he would deliver his closing comments. While summarizing the various points of the sermon, he read 1 Corinthians 4:20-21. I leaned in and fixed my mind on what I anticipated to be his main point. Like in many churches, the words appeared on the screen: For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit? It was like fireworks on the fourth of July. I saw those words and knew God was talking directly to me. I went straight to my iPad, opened the notes app, and typed out the verses.

What? You aren’t seeing fireworks too? Perhaps you can’t even imagine a bad sparkler. Why? Because God personally luminated this particular scripture at that very moment just for me. He desired my attention. The Lord removed all distractions in my mind and spoke loud and clear while I was fully present in an environment focused on Him. Upon hearing those scriptures, my question of faith was answered.

It became clear that this dark valley was a discipline gorge. God revealed my lack of engagement in His Word and the Holy Spirit had definitely exposed my deficiency. When seeing those words, I realized I had not placed myself in the Lord’s text. I was lacking the ability to fully submit to His great power because my life wasn’t drenched in scripture. For all those years, I had viewed the bible as talk uttered by God without acknowledging the supernatural force, potency, and capability it possessed. This was God’s invitation to infuse my life with scripture. He welcomed me to a completely different way of thinking and living. His empowerment lured me to seek Him on a more intimate level and to bring my life under His absolute authority.

This was my attention moment which exposed me to a personal definition of submission.

How has God used scripture to grab your attention?

February 8, 2020 1