Jonah

Jonah
1.10  he had told them...  First, how did this come up?  Di Noah walkup and just say, " I'm running from the LORD.  I need a one way ticket to Tarshish," or what?  Anyway, since the others new that he was a follower of the LORD it did open up a good opportunity to share his faith (and disobedience).
2.8  forsake their own Mercy...  This seems to be a name for God which in itself is worth pondering.
3.5  believed God...   Is this conversion believed God or "We better show some remorse so that God doesn't toast us" kind of believe God?
3.9  Who call tell if God...  as opposed to waiting for better terms or a before responding to God.
4.4 & 9  Is is right for you to be angry...  In addition to the other issues in the text/story that this brings up, this is a great question to have in our repertoire of things to think about and work through when we feel our temper rising.       ?

Eternal Security and Children

"If we were saved on the basis of our own merit or work, then our salvation would be on perilous grounds indeed.  The fact of the matter, thought, is that we are saved by God's unmerited favor."

 What is the Biblical expectation given in 1 John 5:13?  It is reasonable to expect to have assurance of our salvation.  This is a good verse to use with cults who cannot if they are

What is the difference between “eternal Security” and “assurance of salvation”?
Perseverance of the Saints is another term for eternal security.  Complacency looks like assurance is confidence based on God's promises.  All believers are eternally secure, not all have the assurance of that fact.

What are some common reasons children (and adults) doubt their “eternal security”?
     --Lack of a spetacular conversion.
     --Trusting with their prayer or their faith instead of Christ
     --Head knowledge / lack of regeneration
     --Poor teaching (or lack of)


The Biblical basis of eternal security——

1. We are KEPT by the Father.
     --It is His desire to keep us.
          Romans 8.28-30  His purpose... conformed to the image of His Son...
          Philippians 1.3 & 6  He who hath begun a good work will perform it...
          John 6.37-40  the will of Him that sent me
          1 Thessalonians 5.23-24
     --It is within His power to keep us.
          1 Peter 1.3-5  kept by the power of God
          John 10.27-30  no man is able to pluck them out...
          Jude  24-25  Him that is able to keep you from falling...

2. We are SECURE by the Son.
      --We are secure by His death.
           Romans 8.31-34  Who is he that condemeth?  Is it Christ that died...
      --We are secure in His advacacy.  
           1 John 2.1  and advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous...

3. We are GUARANTEED by the Spirit.
      -- We are guaranteed by His sealing.
           Ephesians 1.13-14  earnest of our inheritance...
           Ephesians 4.30  sealed unto the day of redemption. 
      --We are guaranteed by His regenerating.
           2 Corinthians 5.17  a new creature...
           Ephesians 4.23-24  the new man ... is created
           Colossians 3.3 & 4  life is hidden in Christ

What about the people who impress us as being genuine believers and then seem to turn away from Christ in their lifestyle and/or profession?
We can either say we thought incorrectly that they are saved and now it is obvious that we were wrong, or they used to be saved, but God was not able to keep them from falling.

Discussion:  How do we assure believing children of their salvation without giving false comfort to those who God has not yet saved?
This is largely a matter of having the wisdom and discernment to evaluate where they are spiritually.  We want to comfort the saved without giving false hope to our unregenerated children.
Our responsibility is to teach and discipline our children well.  Only God can save them.  We have to be okay with having unregenerated children.  We can't make it happen (even though we are able to manipulate a child to pray a prayer).  Patience and trust in God to have things under control and accomplish His purpose will help us to wait on His timing and will.  However, we can pray.  And prayer changes things.

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2 Kings - 2 Chronicles

2 Kings
13.6, 11  did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam...   This phrase makes me sad every time I read it.
13.19-21  I have wondered why this incident is here.  What's the point?  Just that Elisha was a great man?
2 Chronicles
24:22  did not remember the kindness which...  The lack of loyalty is sad and serious.  The quick turn from doing what was right under Jehoiada the priest to being swayed by the leaders of Judah who were followers of Baal.   It makes me rethink what it meant in verse two when it said that it did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  How sincere was it if he only did right while Jehoiada was alive.  I wonder if he might have really been a weak vassalating king who "followed the crowd."
25.2  but not with a loyal heart...     
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