The story of Jonah is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. However, the story isn't really about Jonah and the great fish. God was dealing with Ninevah, but He was also dealing with Jonah. Jonah finally surrendered to a ministry that he didn't really want to succeed.

One of the surprises we find in the Christmas story comes when we discover who God invited to greet the newborn Savior. One would think that powerful people, foreign dignitaries, the rich, and the powerful would be invited to come and welcome this newborn King. Instead, it was a bunch of lowly shepherds to whom the Lord extended the one and only invitation.

Everyone wants their life to count for something. Everyone wants to be great in one way or another. The problem is that the world's path to greatness is very different from God's path to greatness.

Everyone in the world goes through storms in life and Christians aren't exempt. However, Jesus works in the midst of the storm on behalf of the believer and as a result, there are good things that come out of the storm. In fact, we can grow spiritual in the storm if we respond with the right attitude.

When the disciples began to argue about who would be the greatest in the kingdom, Jesus told them that they had everything backwards and upside down. If you want to be the greatest, you have to serve everyone. In John 13, Jesus gave a living illustration of what it means to serve.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce that she had found favor with God and had been chosen to give birth to the long-awaited Messiah, Mary responded with faith, humility, and obedience. Now it's our turn to experience the favor and the power of God. Like Mary, we have to respond to God's call with faith, humility, and obedience.