I love making book giveaways available and this time, it’s a book that we all relate to at one time or another: “I Love the World–It’s the People I Can’t Stand by Dave Beckwith.

The subtitle is “Jonah’s Journey of Brokenness and Yours.” We can definitely relate to that. This is a book about the biblical book of Jonah. Don’t we just love Jonah–or hate him? Sometimes we don’t want to be like him and sometimes we are chagrined when we are like him.

I’ve studied the book of Jonah in the past and I always find it fascinating. It’s real, vulnerable, and shows God’s persevering unconditional love, both for Jonah and the people Jonah preached to. Wouldn’t you love to win this book? You can. Read below for the details.

In the meantime, here’s a snippet from the book. I know it will encourage you.

Everyone Loves a Great Story

by Dave Beckwith

“Even when my teeth are gone, I’ll still love a good story.”

Jonah … a fascinating and intriguing story. One of the best you’ll ever read. A run-away-preacher, scared-out-of-their-wits sailors, a hurricane-like storm, a fish-eats-man drama, a bleached prophet, and terrified terrorists. Further, it’s true—all of it.

Jonah is not your run-of-the-mill prophet. He’s different. Defiant. A rebel. Hard-headed and stubborn. Most prophets ran to God. Jonah ran from God. The prophets proclaimed their message. Jonah proclaimed his woes. Jonah’s message was eight words, “‘Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown’” (Jonah 3:4). Lousy sermon from my perspective—no introduction, no outline, no humor, no hope, and a total downer.

Most of the prophets suffered horrific persecution. They were mocked, stoned, imprisoned, and beaten. Not Jonah. His only suffering was self-inflicted. Most of the prophets predicted the future with glimpses of hope. Jonah fumed about the future—angry there was hope. Jonah was the only prophet sent to preach in a foreign land … and the only one to run the opposite direction to a different foreign land.

Jonah had more visible results than all the other prophets combined—and he deserved his success the least.

God’s patience with Jonah stretches the meaning of the word.

The glowing grandeur of the book is God’s compassion for the undeserving—Jonah, the sailors, and the terrorists in Nineveh. Above all the miracles and spectacular twists of events, nothing is of greater significance than God’s love for a wicked-to-the-core people. The message of the book crashes through all the barriers of nationalism and racial hatred. People of other cultures, languages, and colors of skin matter to God.

The message of the book captures the why for going to the ends of the earth with the good news that God loves and is willing to save the most lost person on the planet.

Thank you, Dave, for sharing that important message. Now, here’s a description of the book:

In this age of rage, racism, and prejudice, hatred flourishes. Many pat themselves on the back for being a loving person while they despise the person who mows their lawn … or their co-worker … or the person in the other political party … or obnoxious Uncle Charlie. Saying you love all the people in Africa and Asia is fairly easy but quite a different matter when they move into the neighborhood. We all have someone who gets under our skin, drives us batty, or strikes fear in our heart at the thought of seeing them. The true test of Christianity is how we treat the person who is difficult to love. It is time to “Love the World and the People We Can’t Stand.”

PLUS…The latest research on the fish or whale that may have swallowed Jonah from Marine Biologists Wayne and Karen Brown and the Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.

Doesn’t that sound fascinating? To win this book, make a comment on my blog. The drawing closes on Monday evening, September 9th, 2019. US addresses only can win. UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS TO DEB! Deb, you have won the drawing. I’ll put you in touch with Dave. Thanks again for entering!

Dave Beckwith serves as Western US Regional Diretor for Standing Stone Ministry, caring for pastors and leading week-long retreats for pastoral couples. Davie is senior pastor emeritus for Woodbridge church in Irvine, California where he served as senior pastor for nearly 20 years. He is the author of Your Winning Edge: God’s Power Perfected in Weakness.

You may contact him for speaking, consulting, or leader care at: Standing Stone Ministry

270 Baker Street East, Suite 100, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

[email protected]    www.standingstoneministry.org or www.pastorbiker.com

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